Gibbs groaned and slapped at the offending alarm clock. 0600, whose idea was that? He rolled over and saw Jenny, curled up and hugging one of the extra pillows as she slept. He brushed a hand down her shoulder, surprised when she jumped and immediately moved to see what was happening.

"Hey," he whispered, "sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

Jenny lay back down, her heart racing. "It's fine," she said, trying to calm down. She hadn't been dreaming but the memories were there just the same, haunting her. Asleep or awake, it didn't seem to matter anymore.

Gibbs propped his head up and leaned on one elbow. "I hate to bring it up but that thing," he pointed to her alarm clock., "insists that it's time to get up."

Jenny rolled over and hugged the pillow again. "Not going to work today."

"You're what?" Gibbs raised his eyebrows.

Jenny turned to face him and sighed. "I'm staying home today. I don't have the energy to pretend everything is fine right now."

Whoa, this was serious. Gibbs wasn't even sure what to do. He hesitantly ventured an offer. "Do you...want me to stay?"

She gave him a knowing look. "You have a case."

"Yeah." He conceded the point.

"And if you don't show up for work your team will launch a search and rescue mission. McGee's trace on your phone will show that it's at my place. How do you plan on explaining that one?"

"Emergency security detail?"

She shook her head. "It would never work. Go. I'll be fine."

"Yeah," Gibbs groused, feeling disgruntled as he got out of bed. "You keep saying that Jen. But you're the one staying home from work. Any other time I'd have to tie you up to keep you from going to the office."

Any other time I'd have to tie you up...tie you up...tie you up. Jenny heard the words but it was like the world faded away and she was transported to another time. A cold, dark room. Ropes on her wrists and ankles. A leering voice out of the shadows. She could feel his hands and she knew what was coming...

"No!" Jen screamed.

Gibbs, in the bathroom brushing his teeth, heard her scream and reached for his gun, only to find he was still wearing his pyjamas. He ran to the bathroom door, scoping out the room for a threat. When he saw nothing, he slowly walked towards the bed, where Jenny lay with her hands in front of her face, shaking.

"Jen?" he asked. She didn't move, didn't acknowledge him. Gibbs wasn't even sure if she'd heard him.

"Jen!" he raised his voice and noticed a reaction in her body language, though she still didn't open her eyes.

"JENNY!" he used his Marine voice, not wanting to scare her but wanting to snap her out of it. Because wherever she was right now, it was scaring him.

He knew he'd broken the spell when she started to cry. Deep, heart-wrenching sobs that almost brought tears to his eyes. He perched gingerly on the edge of the bed and started running his hand down her hair. She jerked at first, and then she just curled up tighter and kept crying.

"Jenny," he said after several moments, "look at me sweetheart, please."

Jenny finally ran out of tears for the moment and stopped crying. She took a deep breath and the shaking stopped. Wiping away the wetness on her face, she opened her eyes to see two beautiful blue eyes, staring into hers with concern. She looked around. She wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

"Jen," he said her name again and she got the impression this wasn't the first time. "Honey, what happened?"

She struggled to sit up, shaking her head to see if the fog would clear. "I think," she began, "I think it was something you said."

A light went on in Gibbs eyes. "A flashback. Is that what it was Jenny?" Looking unsure, she nodded. He should've figured. Traumatic event, repressed memories, coupled with the stress from yesterday...he wondered if the PTSD he knew of from the military was similar to that experienced by rape victims.

He moved to hold her but she put her hands up, keeping him away. She shook her head. "I'm okay. I just, think I need to sleep a little more. Can you hand me my phone please Jethro? I need to leave a message for Cynthia."

Feeling confused, Gibbs handed Jenny the phone and went back into the bathroom. The phone call was short and then he heard the sounds of her settling down in bed again. He couldn't stop the pain that pierced his heart when she wouldn't let him help. He couldn't let her keep that up, even if she thought that's what she needed. If she distanced herself now, when they were still finding their way back, it would be that much harder to fight for the lost ground later.

Getting dressed, Gibbs sincerely hoped that Abby and Ducky had found things that would help their investigation. He seriously needed a good reason to wrap this case up and get back home to be with his wife. When he went to the bed to kiss Jenny's cheek before he left, she pulled away, so he just brushed his hand over her cheek.

"Bye Jen." She didn't respond.

Gibbs got off the elevator at precisely 0659, carrying an extra large black coffee. He was going to need it today. The whole team was already there, everyone at their desks and apparently working. He smiled to himself. His threats were usually pretty effective. But that was because they knew his rule: The secret of a good bluff is not to bluff. Gibbs didn't give idle threats.

"DiNozzo, SitRep."

Tony jumped, wondering for the Nth time how Gibbs managed to just appear like that. "Morning Boss. Ducky would like to see you in Autopsy. I have his report here. According to his notes, he is 'puzzled.'"

Ziva stood up to take her turn. "And Abby called the moment we got off the elevator - I'm pretty sure she has the bullpen bugged, I will sweep for devices later - and said she found something very interesting and not to come without a Caf-Pow!"

Gibbs stood up and started walking. Then he turned back. "McGee."

"Yes Boss."

Gibbs eyed him. "What do you have?"

"Uh, well, for starters, Petty Officer Jason Durington's name hasn't always been Jason Durington. He was born in 1987 as James Duncan. He legally changed his name when he was seventeen to escape a juvenile record for...involuntary manslaughter. The victim's name was Robert Hamstead. It seems that James...er...Jason and a buddy were out late one night, had a bit too much to drink and decided to race a friend of their's the wrong way down a one way street. Robert Hamstead was coming the other way and there was a collision. Mr. Hamstead died on the way to the hospital. He was survived only by his daughter, Rachelle Stern. He and his wife were divorced, daughter kept the wife's maiden name. And guess where Rachelle is these days?"

"Quantico Navy Base," the answer was obvious. "Good work McGee."

"Well Boss, I helped him with some of that background, you know..." Tony trailed off as Gibbs walked away and glared at McGee. "Thanks for sharing the credit there, McGreedy. Aren't you just the teacher's favourite pet?"

"Tony," McGee informed him, "you pushed a couple buttons on the clicker. Technically that doesn't classify as helping and therefore doesn't qualify you to share the credit."

"Nah, nah, nah," Tony mocked.

Ziva flicked a paper clip at him. "Oh, stop being such a wet sheet Tony."

"Blanket," came the automatic correction. "Gosh Ziva, it's been over two years. Get your freaking English right already."

Ziva's glare was as sharp as her knife. "Watch your back Tony," she warned. "I have killed men for less."

By Tuesday at noon, the team had their current case signed, sealed, and almost ready to be delivered in report form to the director's desk for a final review. The mystery substance that Abby had finally identified had tracked back to Petty Officer Rachelle Stern who used it to poison Jason Durington for the death of her father. When they'd ended up on the same base and she recognized him, she hadn't been able to quell her desire for revenge.

It took Gibbs all of ten minutes to get a confession and that was only because she'd sat there for the first five and refused to even look at him. Rachelle was arrested for the murder of Petty Officer Jason Durington and the case was closed. Gibbs decided to take advantage of the timely case closing to go home and check on Jenny. He grabbed the few things he carried with him and his coat and headed out.

"Coffee run Boss?" Tony asked, only partially absorbed by the report he was writing.

"Nope. Done for the day." Without even looking Gibbs knew their mouths were hanging open. Okay, so he'd have to stop being quite so obvious about leaving. But right now all he cared about was going home. He turned around and pointed at them. "You three are sentenced to the bullpen until further notice or until all your backlogged reports are written, signed, filed and ready to be presented to," he aimed his gaze at the director's door, "her Highness. She's been riding me for those reports for a month." They continued to stare at him. "Not a suggestion! Do it!"

Grabbing what was left of his fourth cup of coffee, Gibbs headed for the elevator.