A/N: This is kinda late…life has set me back a little bit with writing. Hopefully, this'll make up for it. Let me know what you think! :)
Jenny watched Allison eat her cereal, rubbing Liam's back gently. Her head still spun from what had happened in the last hour- it was still unbelievable that all this was hers. Allison chattered happily and Jenny half-listened to her, smiling faintly.
She had no idea what her daily routine was like, or where everyone needed to go. It was unfair that she had been placed in this life without even the basic knowledge of how her day went. Tilting her head, she considered her options. She could always ask Allison for help.
"Allison, could you help me with something?" Jenny asked hesitantly. Allison nodded her head, looking at her expectantly.
"Can you help me with the morning schedule? Where everyone goes and when?"
"Sure. I go to school, Hoover Elementary, until two thirty. Then you and Daddy go to work; you pick me up from school. Liam goes to the day care center, unless Nomi is here, on Tuesdays and Thursdays." Allison explained happily, obviously glad to be helpful. "School started two days ago, it was my first day of kindergarten. Miss Tyler is my teacher, she's really, really nice. And my birthday is in two days, and my party is Saturday."
"I know, your Daddy and I are very excited for your birthday." Jenny said, pieces starting to fall together. Obviously, Naomi worked here two days a week, and Allison was in school most of the day. Jethro was still at NCIS, and she worked at that law firm the woman had told her about. In this life, it appeared she actually made it home for dinner. "Thank you very much. Are you ready to go to school?"
"We have an hour Mommy." Allison, shaking her head as she smiled at her. "Is it okay if I watch cartoons?"
"Sure." Jenny said, smiling slightly. She watched the little girl hop of the chair and race into the living room, and the sound of the television started a few moments later. She balanced Liam carefully on her hip; the little boy had fallen asleep and was getting heavy. She cleared away Allison's breakfast dishes and walked into the living room. She placed Liam on the couch, resting his head on a pillow and throwing a blanket over him.
She walked back to her bedroom slowly, taking in her surroundings. The house had a warm, cozy feel to it, and Jenny loved it. It had a lived in feel, unlike her house; she was almost never there and so her house looked like it was almost abandoned.
Reaching her bedroom, she walked over to the bedside table, pulling the drawer open. Her eyes widened when she encountered a small black notebook. Could she be that lucky? She grabbed it, opening it swiftly.
It was a journal. It started right after Paris; there were entries from that April spanning to November. She read about Jethro proposing to her, smiling as she read her words. She sounded so happy. It skipped ahead; she must have had less time to write. She read about house hunting with Jethro, smiling as she read that they had looked everywhere before finding a house with a basement big enough to house his boat. At least that hadn't changed. The next entry was from the day she'd found out she was pregnant with Allison; Jenny felt her heart twist when she read about her and Jethro's excitement at having a child. There were random entries; about anything from morning sickness to feeling her daughter move. There was a brief entry dated two days after Allison's birth, telling how much she weighed and at what time she was born and where. Over the next few years, there were bits and pieces; an entry about Allison first crawling and talking and walking. Then, the day she found out she was pregnant with Liam.
Jenny felt an irrational stab of jealousy for this Jenny. She had everything; Jethro, two children with him, a happy life. Jenny couldn't help but feel envious to her other self. She knew she had no one but herself to blame, but she still wished she could have experienced all this. Sighing, she continued reading.
There were more entries this pregnancy, even though this time there was a three year old in the house. From her writing, Jenny took it she was more exhausted this time around, but still deliriously happy. Reading the entries closer to Liam's birthday, however, stopped her. Then she gasped as she read the last entry in the book.
April 2004
This month has been…tough, to say the least. That might actually be an understatement. It's been pretty close to hell.
I was just going to the store. Allison wanted Fruity Pebbles, and Jethro was home for once, so I decided to head out. It should have just taken twenty minutes. I'd get the cereal and get home. Jethro was worried; at thirty two weeks pregnant, he thought I shouldn't be going anywhere alone. I told him I'd be fine; the store wasn't far.
I was at a red light, waiting for a green. Just as I started forward, a drunk driver sped into the road, hitting my side of the car. All I remember is a loud smash and worrying about Liam before it went black. I woke up in the hospital three days later to Jethro looking like hell.
He hadn't slept the entire time; Allison was staying with Jackson. They'd had to deliver Liam eight weeks early; I remember crying nonstop after Jethro had told me. He was in the NICU; his lungs were still too tiny, and so he was on a ventilator. Jethro was distraught; for him, it must have been like Shannon and Kelly all over again. I'll never forget the first time I got to see Liam; it was a week after I woke up. Jethro had seen him a few times before, and I wanted to see him. Meet him.
Jethro went with me; he was much calmer than I was. I was so scared; my baby had been two months early. Would he be okay? Would he be healthy? Allison's birth had been simple; thirty hours of labor and she'd been born, and then we'd brought her home two days later.
He was gorgeous; yes, he was tiny, and yes, there were a lot of tubes and wires, but he was so beautiful. I fell in love with him instantly, and I could see how much Jethro loved him just by the way he looked at him.
I'm still touched he'd suggested my father's name for our son's middle name. I'd always loved Liam as a name, so I'd let Jethro pick the middle name. I hadn't missed that now they had the same initials, and I'm sure that was somehow Jethro's goal. He wouldn't do something like that unintentionally.
The next few weeks will be hard- Liam's in the NICU until his lungs finish developing, so I took work off for the next few months. Allison still hasn't seen him, but Jethro and I are taking her within the next few days. She's excited; she'd been excited throughout the pregnancy and she wanted to meet her little brother immediately, but we thought it wouldn't be a good idea. It'd be too hard on her.
As much as it has been hard, this situation has showed me that in hard times, my family can stay together. I thought that Jethro would harden, after this. He's already lost so much, and he almost lost both Liam and myself. He doesn't need anymore tragedy in his life.
Allison and Jethro are back- hopefully I'll find time to write more later.
Jenny reread the entry, her mind whirling. It explained the scar, and why the scene had been so different in the memory. But who were Shannon and Kelly? Another wife? A…daughter? If that was so, why hadn't he told her before? If anything, this just posted even more questions.
Sighing, she closed the book, a headache forming in the base of her skull. It was so much to take in. This life was simpler, yes, but obviously, after Paris Jethro had shared more about his past. Jenny thought she knew Jethro, but apparently, there was more behind the mask than even she knew. At least in her other life.
Frustrated, she put the journal away in the drawer, shutting it loudly. She closed her eyes, tears in the corners. God, why was she crying? She breathed deeply, hoping she could will the tears away. She walked into the bathroom, examining herself in the mirror.
Her eyes were a little puffy and red, but that would go away soon. Her hair looked fine, and her make-up looked alright. She liked the way she looked in this life; her skin had a glow to it, and there weren't dark circles under her eyes, making her look ten years older than she actually was.
She had to face the daunting task of getting Allison to school, but first she had to figure out where, exactly, her office was and what she did. She'd heard of the law firm; they'd mixed with them on a recent case. It wasn't to far away from the Hill; only a few city blocks. She knew where Hoover Elementary was too; it had been a school close to where she had lived as a child. Her father had put her into a private school though; he'd thought public schools wouldn't help her achieve what he wanted for her.
She shook her head at her father's actions, knowing he'd just wanted the best for her. She wished he hadn't pushed her quite so hard. It had been her father she had left Jethro for. Her father's memory, the want for his death to be justified. She didn't know if she had told Jethro in this life about her father's murder- obviously when they'd returned to the states they'd talked. It made sense, because for them to have had a future, they would have needed to talk about the past.
She shook her head, pushing away the thoughts. She walked down the stairs slowly, running her hand along the wallpaper as she descended. She paused at the bottom, smiling at the scene in front of her.
Liam had woken up, and was sitting next to Allison. She had her arm around him as they watched the television. Every so often, they'd both giggle, and Liam would look up at Allison, his eyes big and bright with happiness. Jenny couldn't help the emotion that swept over her as she watched the two children interact. It was beautiful, how Allison was such a good big sister to her little brother.
Jenny didn't want to break the moment quite yet, so she tiptoed into the kitchen, reveling in the silence. She grabbed her mug of coffee, disappointed to find it cold. She dumped the remainder of the drink into the sink, rinsing the mug before pouring herself a fresh cup, smiling into the warmth.
Looking around, she spotted the phone, and was surprised to seeing it blinking, indicating a message. Pressing the button, she listened carefully to the messages.
"Hey Jenny, its Kate. Tony told me you're taking the next two weeks off, and I was wondering when you were free to come over for coffee. Lillian is a handful; you'd think the second time around I'd have it down pat by three weeks old. Apparently not. Bailey has been asking about Liam, so maybe if you're free tomorrow we could have a play date at my house. Allison's party is at two on Saturday, right? Tony, Bailey, Lillian, and I will be there, and I'm crossing my fingers they don't catch a case. Remember Bailey's first birthday? Twenty minutes into the party and they catch a case. Well, hopefully we'll have more luck this time. Anyways, give me a call, and let me know when you're free. Bye!" Jenny listened, growing more confused as she talked. Kate wasn't dead? She thought back to what the woman had said, remembering she'd said Tony and Kate had gotten married. And apparently, they had kids. In this life, it was evident they were friends, and Jenny was glad she'd get the chance to meet her. In her other life, it had appeared that Kate had made quite an impact on the team, Tony and Jethro in particular. The next message started, and Jenny listened closely.
"Hey, Jenny, it's Carl. Just calling to see how you're doing. I know work has been stressful these past few weeks, and that Richard's lawsuit didn't exactly help your department. Hopefully, Angela will be able to calm things down for when you come back. Just, take it easy these next two weeks. We'll miss you. Goodbye." Jenny listened to the message from her boss, more pieces connecting. She faintly remembered the man from the case they'd worked; he'd been overly flirtatious and she'd been annoyed with him by the end of the meeting, but had at least been able to forget about him. Kate's message now made sense too; she'd apparently taken time off because things at work had been hectic, and some sort of lawsuit had occurred, adding to the stress level. The information made her feel more at ease, because she didn't have to worry about work as she adjusted to this life. The next message started, regaining her attention.
"Hey, it's Jackson. Just calling to check in, let Allie know I'm thinking about her, and that I can't wait to see her on Saturday. I can't believe she's gonna be five, it seems like only yesterday she was born. I heard you're takin' a little time off Jenny, I hope you enjoy the free time and relax a little bit, you need it sweetheart. Leroy, you better hope she looks relaxed when I see her this weekend, or we're gonna be havin' a talk, son. Tell Liam and Allison I said hi. See you this weekend guys." an older man with a hint of an accent spoke, and Jenny recognized the name from the journal. Jackson. The end of the message surprised her. Who called Jethro by his first name, Leroy? And son? Could it be…Jethro's father? He never mentioned family to her, but she was learning he'd kept a lot from her. Well, she'd get to meet him this weekend, so maybe that would clear some things up for her. The final message started, and she smiled as she listened.
"Hey Jen, its Sydney. Long time no talk. We should fix that. I heard through the grapevine, aka my husband, who heard it from your husband, that you took some time off. I'm hoping that means you are free on Monday, because I would love to see you. It's been ages. The last time I saw you was on Liam's birthday. And that was three months ago. Tim, Spencer and I will be at Allison's party, although Spencer may just cry the entire time. She's hit the colic stage, as I'm sure you remember well from both your kids, and so Tim and I rarely sleep. I'm surprised Jethro isn't head-slapping Tim more, but maybe it's because he knows what he's going through. Tim told me all about when Liam had colic. Jethro practically slept at work. Anyway, tell Allison Tim and I are thinking about her, and that we can't wait for her party. And honey, answer your phone next time." Jenny listened to one of her oldest friends, glad she had kept in touch with her in this life. Sydney had been one of her youngest friends in private school, and they'd kept in touch after Jenny had left for college. She'd lived across from Jenny, and even though Sydney was almost eight years younger than her, they'd become close friends. In her other life, she'd lost contact with her around the time she'd left Jethro, and had been working anti-terror in Cairo. Obviously, she'd come back to the states in this life, so she'd kept in touch. And apparently, Sydney had married Tim, which didn't really surprise Jenny. Sydney had always had a thing for smart guys, and Tim was an extremely intelligent young man, and he was close to Sydney in age. She was glad she'd get to see her; she'd missed her friend, and it would be nice to see her. To be honest, it would be nice to see some familiar faces, and see if the team was the same. She knew they'd have some differences; Tony, Tim, and Jethro were all married and had families. Paula Cassidy was a bit of a mystery; she remembered her slightly from the Boone case. She was nice, and a good agent, but Jenny didn't really know her that well. Hopefully, that wouldn't hurt her too much, but she'd just have to wait and see.
Sighing, she glanced at the clock on the wall, surprised to see that almost a full hour had gone by since Jethro had left for work. The messages had cleared some things up for her, and raised a few more questions, but she was sure she'd be able to figure things out now. Glancing at the fridge, she almost cried in relief when she caught sight of a to-do list. Grabbing it, she read through the list, glad to see she had put a detailed description of each thing that had to be done. Knowing it was because she was a control freak, and she was a little neurotic if things weren't done perfectly, she had never been more thankful for her OCD side.
She grabbed the list and put it in her purse, walking back out into the living room where Allison and Liam were sitting on the couch, laughing at the cartoon on the screen. They both looked up when they heard her enter the room, and Liam clapped his hands happily as he reached for her.
"Momma!" he cried happily, standing up shakily on the couch, jumping on the cushions. Jenny scooped him up, shifting him so he sat on her hip.
"Hi sweetheart." Jenny said, kissing his forehead as she hugged him to her side. Turning to Allison, she smiled at her daughter. "All ready to go Allie?"
"I just have to put my shoes on Mommy." Allison said, sliding off the couch. Jenny watched her scamper off, and she grabbed the remote, turning the television off. She looked at Liam, who was watching her with his big blue green eyes, a smile on his face.
"What are you looking at silly?" Jenny asked, tickling his sides gently. He giggled, burying his face in her shoulder as he tried to get away from her fingers. Jenny pressed a kiss to the top of his head, letting his calming scent fill her nostrils. Allison came back in to the room, her shoes on and a coat in her hands. She slipped into it, and started to fumble with the buttons. "Do you want help sweetie?"
"Yes please Mommy." Allison said, looking up at her. Jenny was still shocked at how similar her stare was to Jethro's; it was odd to see his eyes on their little girl. She knelt by Allison, placing Liam on the ground next to her. He balanced himself by grabbing onto her shoulder, his hands pulling on some of her hair. She swiftly buttoned up Allison's coat, grabbing Liam and standing up, patting Allison's head. She grabbed a coat for Liam off the hook, quickly putting it on him before grabbing her own coat and slipping into it. Sliding her purse onto her shoulder, she settled Liam on her hip and followed Allison outside, her eyes widening for a moment when she caught sight of the minivan in the driveway. She drove a minivan. Any other surprises coming her way?
A/N: I hope this makes sense to everyone. If it doesn't just tell me in a review or a PM and I'll help you as much as I can! Let me know what you guys thought! :)