A/N: This is the chapter some of you have been waiting for. Let me know what you think!
Gibbs
She was nervous. The shaking in her hands had given her away immediately, as had the way she was twisting them in her lap, and he frowned as he watched her. She seemed to be waiting for something, though he had no idea of what it could be, and as he took a long drink from his glass of bourbon, he sat up a bit straighter in his chair. He debated for a long time on whether or not he should ask her what was bothering her, and ultimately decided to leave that decision up to her.
If she wanted to confide in him, she certainly would, and he wasn't going to push her for information that she didn't want to willingly share. She'd undoubtedly noticed him staring, though, and he could tell she was waiting for him to speak. He stayed silent, sipping his drink, content to watch her for the rest of the night. She crossed and uncrossed her legs a few times in an attempt to relieve some of her pent-up agitation, but when she sighed, he knew it hadn't worked.
There were slight bruises around her throat, which she had explained as a workplace injury, though there had been something in her eyes when she'd spoken that he hadn't liked at all. Still, he figured if he was going to keep his secrets, who was he to begrudge her the ones she kept? It made him slightly nervous, he had to admit, that she could be potentially keeping something dangerous from him, but he knew that if this relationship had any chance of working out, he had to trust her judgment.
She was a very intelligent woman, after all, and she knew how to take of herself without a doubt, no matter how much he wanted to protect her. She wasn't a child and she certainly didn't need him treating her like one. No matter how much he—
"Jethro, why are you staring at me?"
Her voice cut through the quiet like a switchblade, causing him to jump slightly, and he frowned.
"Can't help it if you're gorgeous."
She rolled her eyes, but a smile came across her face nonetheless.
"Kiss ass," she muttered.
He shook his head, flashing her a smile as he stood up. Her eyes followed him as he walked into the kitchen, intent on finding a drink, and when her voice came to him from the living room, he paused.
"I applied for a promotion."
He turned, looking at her seriously, and when he noticed she wasn't looking in his direction, he frowned. She was staring at her hands in her lap, as though she were embarrassed, and as he resumed his previous task, he kept his tone carefully light.
"Oh? What position?"
"Director Morrow's," came her quiet reply.
He returned to the living room, drink in hand, and when he passed it to her, she shook her head.
"Not tonight," she said softly, "I need to think, and I can't do that well if I've been drinking."
Nodding, Gibbs took it back, swallowing a large portion, immediately feeling it in the pit of his stomach and he frowned. Maybe Jenny had a point. He raised his eyebrow in question as he looked at her again, and when she felt his gaze on her, she sighed, shaking her head again.
"Did I make a mistake?"
"I doubt it," he answered seriously, causing her to laugh shortly.
"I'm serious, Jethro. I mean, I know I could do the job, but what if my team resents me for ditching them, or what if I get the job and I'm not as good at it as I thought I'd be?"
He frowned, unused to her being so unsure of herself, and when he finally spoke again, he sent up a silent prayer that she wouldn't misinterpret his words.
"Not like you to be so insecure, Jen."
She glared at him, but it had none of her usual conviction, and she sighed.
"I know I'm good at my job. Damn good. I don't know about a different one. What if I mess up and someone gets killed? I would have their blood on my hands."
He wasn't sure if she expected an answer, but he decided to give one regardless, his eyes locking onto hers as he reached for her hand.
"In our lines of work, people die. It comes with the territory. You know that as well as I do. Beating yourself up over it wouldn't change that."
She was silent, considering his words carefully and finally she nodded, reaching out to take his glass from his hand, a smirk on her pretty face.
"Think I'll take that drink now."
Shepard
Though she was beyond nervous, and more than a little excited, Jenny kept her application for the promotion a secret from everyone in her office from the minute she sent it in. She didn't want to face their potential resentment or hatred, and as she sat behind her desk, her feet propped up on the surface as they always were, she flipped mindlessly through a file. She knew DiNozzo was dying to ask her about the bruises on her throat, but surprisingly, he'd stayed silent, much to her immense relief.
She'd had a difficult enough time avoiding the subject with Gibbs, she didn't really want to have to spill the truth to her second-in-command, though it was becoming severely tempting. As she flipped to another page in her file, she noticed a shadow fall over her desk, and she frowned as she realised Ducky was standing in front of her.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer."
"Hi, Ducky. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I've got something on our dead petty officer that you should see. If you would come with me?"
She nodded, swinging her feet to the ground, and as she followed the doctor to elevator, she glanced over her shoulder at DiNozzo, smirking when she noticed his eyes were closed as he sat back in his chair.
"DiNozzo! I expect that report on the Romero case to be on my desk in an hour! Understood?"
He jumped at the sound of her voice, nearly falling to the ground, and as McGee laughed quietly behind his computer, he glared at the younger man.
"On it, Jenny. Shove it, Probie."
Jenny laughed softly to herself as the large silver doors closed behind them, and Ducky shook his head, looking at her in exasperation.
"Must you antagonize that young man, Jennifer?"
She nodded.
"Makes me happy, Ducky. And not much does these days, so let me have this one."
He looked at her for a moment before nodding, and as they walked into the autopsy room, she glanced around the room curiously. It was empty, save for them, and just as she was about to ask him where the mysterious findings were, he locked the door behind him.
"Jennifer, what happened to your throat? Was it that young man you've been seeing? If he's hurt you, then I'll not hesitate to—"
"No, Ducky," Jenny answered with a laugh, "That wasn't it at all. He hasn't laid a hand on me that I didn't want him to. My mother...she...she had a rough day a few days ago, and..."
The doctor understood at once and nodded, his eyes sad as he laid his hand on her shoulder.
"I am so very sorry. I take it that this means she's not showing any signs of improvement?"
Jenny's head shook, her emerald eyes meeting his sadly, and she sighed, hopping up on one of the cold metal tables.
"No. She's convinced that the flowers and insects want to murder her, and she thought I was part of their plan to kill her. She completely snapped, Ducky. I've never been afraid of my mother in my life, but I was then. I couldn't even try to get away from her because I didn't want to hurt her."
"And what does your young man think of this?"
"Jethro doesn't know," she admitted, "I managed to dodge the question when he asked."
"You mean you haven't told him anything about your mother? Jennifer, I know you're a very private person, but don't you think he deserves to know? What if—"
"I know...I'm going to tell him eventually, I just...I don't know how. Or when. What's the appropriate way to handle something like this? I don't have the slightest clue, and I don't want to fuck this up."
The Scottish doctor smiled knowingly, looking at her as she swung her legs back and forth thoughtfully.
"Am I right in guessing that you feel very strongly for this man? You've never considered telling any of the others about your mother before."
She nodded.
"We even spoke about religion the other day," she whispered conspiratorially, "Can you believe it?"
"Actually, no," he said with a quiet laugh, "You've always found religion hard to swallow, and given your upbringing, it isn't difficult to see why. Are you considering converting?"
Jenny laughed outright, tossing her head back, and as she shook it, he frowned.
"Hell, no," she said emphatically, "We just discussed how fucked up religion is, and how neither one of us really had any use for a God that would allow things such as murder, rape, starvation, the list goes on. God never seems to be around when these things happen, and He just doesn't come through sometimes, Ducky. Why would a loving God put Heather through so much pain? Why would He let my mother lose her mind? I can't wrap my head around it, and I don't particularly want to try. If that's the kind of God that exists, then I don't want any part of it. Or Him."
As he watched her make her way back up to the squad room, Ducky wondered if Jennifer Shepard would ever find anything that she truly believed in again.
For once in her life, Jenny was thankful for a Saturday and as she began spooning portions of yogurt into small containers, she found herself frowning in concentration. The small food scale she'd purchased was sitting in front of her as she measured out just enough yogurt for the day, and as she did some quick math in her head, she heard a knock on the door.
Knowing exactly who it was, she placed her utensils on the counter, making her way to the door quickly, trying to contain her excitement. She was thrown for a surprise when she opened the door and found, instead of her favourite marine, one Anthony DiNozzo standing on the opposite side. She frowned, staring at him in confusion, and he gave her a smile.
"Hey, Red. You got a minute?"
"Well, as much as I enjoy your company during the week, I'm not accustomed to it on the weekends, so please make it quick. Believe it or not, I do have plans today."
She gestured for him to follow her inside, and as she resumed her task of measuring out yogurt, her colleague stared at her as though she'd lost her mind.
"What are you doing?"
"Measuring out yogurt. What does it look like?" she replied, her voice slightly annoyed.
"Okay, fair enough, but why? Just put some in a bowl and eat it like the rest of the world."
Jenny shook her head, measuring out her next portion carefully, trying to ignore him.
"I can't. Each one has to be six ounces exactly."
He frowned but said nothing, still looking at her curiously.
"So...the reason I came by is because I wanted to ask you something. Word around the office is that you've applied for Morrow's job. That true?"
She was silent as she measured, thankful to have some sort of buffer between them, and she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"That a problem, DiNozzo?"
"No. I was just going to wish you luck if it were true. I think you'd make a kick ass Director."
Jenny smiled, placing her containers in a single row, pulling out a marker and beginning to label them, oblivious to the look DiNozzo was giving her.
"Those your snacks for each day?"
She shook her head, her hair swinging in its ponytail as she placed each one in the freezer.
"No, just my food for the day."
He frowned.
"You're kidding."
Again, her head shook, and he stared at her as though she were the most unusual thing he'd ever encountered in his life. She paid him no attention, closing the freezer door with a finality that made him jump, and as she walked back to the counter, she frowned at the look on his face.
"What?"
"Nothing, Shep. Just seems kind of unhealthy. But anyway, I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck if the rumours are true. I'll get out of your hair."
Jenny laughed, nodding at him as she walked him to the door.
"Goodbye, DiNozzo."
He nodded at her, not oblivious to the fact that she hadn't ever directly answered his question, but before he could call her out on it, she had closed the door in his face, locking it securely behind her. As she walked back into her kitchen, it dimly occurred to her that she was slowly slipping back into her old habits of shutting people out, of becoming too obsessive, and though it registered in the back of her mind, she knew there was no real way of stopping it. Not that she would have even tried if she could.
Gibbs
Even as he pulled Jenny closer in his embrace, he could tell something was bothering her, though he wasn't sure if he should ask her about it. She'd been quiet and distant all evening, and even when they'd had sex, she had seemed distracted, though he'd tried to push it to the back of his mind, no matter how much he knew it would bother him. He ran his hand over her hair slowly, feeling the silken strands slip through his fingers, and as she moved closer to his warmth, he kissed her cheek lightly.
She seemed to be trying to think of a way to articulate her thoughts into words, and since he'd never known her to truly be at a loss for words, he was unsure of how to proceed. She buried her head in his chest as she closed her eyes, and as he held her tighter, he could feel her take a shaking breath.
"Jethro?"
"Hm?"
"If I tell you something, do you think it will change the way you look at me?"
He frowned, considering the implication of her words.
"Depends on what it is," he answered seriously, "You being a secret axe murderer might be a deal breaker, but other than that, I can't really think of anything else that would ever change the way I see you. Why? Is something wrong?"
"I don't know," she admitted, "I just...there's something I need to tell you, and I don't want you to hate me."
He nodded, looking into her eyes as she raised up to meet his gaze, and she leaned down to kiss him, her tongue tasting every part of him that she could reach. Her hands tangled in his hair, her own falling around them in a crimson waterfall, and when she met his eyes again, she reached for his hand slowly.
"I love you."
Oh. Of all the things he'd expected her to say, this hadn't been it. He stared at her for a long moment and her eyes widened as she realised he hadn't spoken.
"I...oh, shit. I shouldn't have said that. It was too soon, and I—"
His lips on hers silenced her words, drinking them down like they were the sweetest of wines, and when he spoke, his smile was evident in his voice.
"I love you, too."
The look of relief in her eyes was so strong that he could have reached out and touched it, making him smile even more as he pulled her closer. He kissed her again, his hands slipping through her hair, and when she smiled at him, he felt as though he could have moved even the tallest of mountains.
Two days after he'd first told Jenny that he loved her, Gibbs was prepared to finally take the step in their relationship that he'd been actively avoiding, and so it was with great apprehension that he told her to stop by his apartment after work. He'd spent the better part of the past two days convincing himself that this was, indeed, the right course of action, and when she finally knocked on his door at 19:00 that evening, he managed to keep the shaking of his hands to a slight tremble.
She looked stunning, as she always did, and when he grabbed her hand and led her towards the front entrance of the building, she frowned.
"Jethro, where are we going?"
He gave her a weak smile, hoping she would understand soon enough.
"Just trust me."
She nodded, saying nothing as she climbed into the cab of his truck, and as he began the short drive to the other side of town, she stared out the window, glancing up only when he reached for her hand.
"Relax, I'm not taking you to a secluded location to kill you."
She laughed but visibly relaxed, her hand holding his gently as he drove. As soon as they pulled into the driveway, she smiled, turning to look at him seriously.
"Introducing me to the parents?"
He shook his head.
"Nope."
Thoroughly confused now, she allowed him to help her down from the truck, and as he made his way up the front porch steps, Gibbs took a deep breath, reaching for the key he hadn't so much as touched in the last eleven months. It turned in the lock easily, the door opening slowly as he pushed it, and as he stepped inside the house, he felt Jenny walking close behind him.
It was an eerie sight, looking at the dust covering every surface, and as he ran his fingers lightly over the banister leading to the second floor, he was suddenly hit with a wave of memories. Carrying Shannon over the threshold, holding her hand as she'd told him that she was pregnant, Kelly's first steps...each one stronger than the last, and it was only Jenny's presence behind him that kept him from collapsing to his knees.
She stepped away from him, examining the living room with rapt attention, and when she stopped suddenly in front of the mantle above the fireplace, he knew exactly what she'd found. She reached out slowly, picking up the wedding photo as though it were made of the most fragile glass, and she ran her fingers lightly over his face in the faded frame, her eyes sad.
"Jethro...you...you lived here with Shannon."
He nodded when she looked to him for confirmation, though they both knew it wasn't necessary, and as she looked at the picture more closely, a smile came over her face, albeit a sad one.
"You must have a thing for redheads," she remarked softly.
She carefully placed the photograph back in its proper place, glancing at him as she moved further around the room.
"She was beautiful."
"Yes, she was," he agreed.
He walked closer, reaching for her hand as he led her towards the basement steps, and as they carefully made their way down them, he looked at her seriously.
"Close your eyes, but don't let go of my hand. I don't want you to fall. These steps are pretty steep."
She nodded, closing her eyes as directed, and when they reached what felt like concrete floor under her heels, Gibbs released her hand. He instructed her to open her eyes, taking great pride in the look of shock on her face as her eyes took in the shell of the boat he'd been working on before he'd been deployed. He hadn't touched it since his relationship with Rebecca had crumbled, which had also been the last time he'd set foot in this house, and she gasped as she gazed in wonder.
"You...you really are building a boat. All this time, I thought it was just a clever euphemism."
He frowned.
"A what?"
"Get a dictionary, Jethro," she laughed.
She slowly walked closer, running her fingers along the smooth wood, and when she took a step back to admire it, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, kissing the shell of her ear gently.
"This is amazing," she whispered, "I can't believe you built it."
He nodded, releasing her, and after a few more moments of admiration, Jenny turned to walk up the steps, eager to see the rest of the house. Gibbs stayed where he was, too overcome by his emotions to even take a single step, and as he stood in the silence, he allowed his memory to take him back to the last time he'd been happy in this house.
Shepard
As she explored the rest of the house, Jenny couldn't help the tears she felt filling her eyes with each step. It was clear that coming back to this place had been incredibly difficult for Gibbs, but knowing that he'd trusted her with this part of his life made her feel extremely guilty for not telling him about her mother, and she made herself a promise that she would tell him that night or else. Or else what, she hadn't exactly decided, but it seemed as good a plan as any.
She slowly made her way up the stairs, passing the bedroom she assumed to be the master, if the large bed was any indication, and when she passed a second, smaller one, she curiously pushed open the door, frowning at its decoration, It was painted a light pink, obviously a little girl's room, and the bed was covered with toys that were haphazardly strewn across the mattress, and as she picked one up, Jenny frowned. It was well worn and loved, that much was apparent, and as she placed it back where she'd found it, she faintly heard Gibbs calling her name from the hallway.
Jenny didn't speak, waiting instead for him to find her, and when he opened the door, he looked more concerned than she'd ever thought he could. His eyes landed on the toys, on her pained expression, and he shook his head as she opened her mouth to speak.
"You had a daughter?" she asked quietly, "Why didn't you tell me?"
He said nothing and when she made her way closer, she shook her head, her eyes now filled with tears that were threatening to spill down her face.
"Don't you think that was something that should have been mentioned along with your wife?"
She couldn't even have explained to herself why she was so suddenly angry, especially seeing as she was keeping her own secret from him, but she was.
"Do you not trust me?"
Gibbs looked at her, silently begging for her to understand, and when it became apparent that she wasn't going to let this one go, he took her arm slowly. If they were going to have this argument, they certainly weren't going to do it in his deceased daughter's bedroom. He led her back downstairs and when they had finally reached the landing, Jenny jerked her arm free, her eyes hard as she glared at him.
"Well? You say you care about me, we've slept together so many times that I've lost count, and now, even when you claim to love me, you still didn't tell me? Well, I've got news for you, Jethro, just because you can make me come...that doesn't make you Jesus. Get over yourself and talk to me. Tell me what's going on. Please."
He nodded, reaching for her hand as he walked over to the couch, brushing off some of the dust before sitting down on the worn fabric. Pulling her down with him, he never once released her hand as he spoke, and he kept his eyes locked on their entwined fingers.
"Shannon...she witnessed a murder, and the man who was responsible came after her. They were assigned an agent from NCIS to protect them, which is ironic, given your profession, and he tracked them down anyway. I was overseas in Kuwait. They were...Shannon and Kelly...they were on their way to ballet lessons and the man...Pedro Hernandez, he shot the driver of their car. Killed them all. They died in the crash. I...I came home nineteen days later. I should have told you, Jen. I owe you an apology."
Jenny's tears hadn't stopped falling since he'd spoken his daughter's name, and she shook her head, lifting his hand and placing it on her throat, directly covering the bruises that were still faintly visible in even the dim light of the evening.
"No, Jethro. I owe you one. I...I shouldn't have gotten so angry with you. Not when I—I'm keeping something from you, too. These bruises. You asked about them, remember?"
He nodded, looking into her tear-filled eyes seriously, and when she blinked, they spilled over, running down her face and landing on his hand still touching her bruised skin.
"They weren't from work. I...my mother is in a hospital. Like, a psychiatric ward. She was fine two years ago, but when Heather...when Heather died, she lost her mind. She literally went insane, and she's never been the same since. She has moments where she's herself, but for the most part, it's like seeing some stranger with my mother's face. In some ways, I think it would be better for everyone if she'd died instead, but then I hate myself for thinking that, because that isn't right, and...God, you hate me now, don't you?"
He shook his head, pulling her closer, wiping his fingers under her eyes as her tears fell, and when he kissed her, it was the most gentle kiss imaginable, so feather-light that she could have almost fooled herself into believing it had never happened in the first place.
"No, I don't hate you. I understand why you didn't tell me. And you shouldn't hate yourself for wanting your mother's pain to stop. It's only natural. Wanting your mother to be who she used to be, it might be a bit unrealistic, but it's not unreasonable. That being said, she did this to you?"
Jenny nodded, her eyes sad as she moved closer to his embrace, laying her head on his shoulder. It was so reminiscent of the night she'd fallen asleep in his apartment that it made him smile slightly.
"She didn't know who I was. She was fine one moment, then she lost it. I've never been scared of her before, but I was that day. It was terrifying."
He ran his fingers through her hair, doing his best to calm the shaking in her body, and as she raised her head to look at him, her eyes were serious.
"Jethro, can I ask you something?"
He nodded, still running his fingers through her hair, and she frowned.
"If you have this house, why are you staying at that apartment? You're wasting money that you don't need to."
He was silent as he tried to organise his thoughts, trying to come up with the best answer to her question, and finally he shook his head, looking at her sadly.
"I had to. Being here...it was too much. Too many memories, and I just...I needed time. I couldn't sell it, it means too much to me, but..."
She nodded, reaching for his hand as she kissed him softly.
"I understand. It's funny...in a way, I'm doing the exact same thing. My father's house is technically mine now, but I can't even set foot in it. It hurts too much."
Gibbs smiled, holding her close, and as she laid her head back down on his chest, Jenny realised she'd never really loved any man, if this was what love felt like. Not even close.
Gibbs
As he drove Jenny back to her apartment that night, he couldn't help but feel as though they had reached a turning point in their relationship. There was no going back now, and as he navigated the dark streets, he reached for her hand, holding it gently. She smiled at him as her eyes met his and he was hit with the sudden realisation that he couldn't have gotten so lucky as to have her still with him. It took a special kind of woman to endure what she had and to accept his flaws and secrets without running, and he smiled as he kissed her hand. He fully intended to show her just how much she meant to him when they got back.
The ringing of Jenny's phone shattered the silence and the moment, making him jump, and as she pulled it from her pocket, she gave him an apologetic look.
"Shepard. Yes. Yes, I under—wait, what? No, I'll—I'll be right there. Thank you."
She hung up, looking at him seriously, her eyes never leaving his.
"I don't think I can stay with you tonight. I have somewhere I have to go as soon as we get back."
He frowned, shaking his head.
"I'll drive you. Where to?"
"Jethro, you don't have—"
"I know. I want to. Where to?"
Jenny sighed, her head shaking as she spoke, and finally she nodded, her voice defeated.
"Make a right at the next light."
He did as she directed, wondering where they were heading, and when the large building loomed in front of them, he suddenly understood. It was kind of funny, he thought. He'd passed this building every day for the better part of a year and had never once spared a passing thought for the people who resided there or their families, and yet here was Jenny, with a personal connection to it. He parked carefully, walking around the other side and opening her door with an encouraging smile, and when she reached for his hand, he couldn't stop the feeling of pride that bloomed within him.
It was him that she trusted enough to tell him her secret, him that she reached for when she needed support, his hand that she was clinging to as she walked through the doors, and he fought the smile he felt threatening to creep across his face.
"You've got this, Jen," he whispered as she walked up to the nurse's station.
She gave him a weak smile, and as she took another step, her grip on his hand tightened.
"Natalie, what happened?"
The young nurse gave her a sad smile as she turned around, looking at the pair of them curiously as they stood on the opposite side of the desk.
"Jenny, hi. I'm sorry I didn't expect you quite so soon. To give you an update, we've had to isolate your mother. Somehow, she managed to get a rather sharp piece of the window sill loose and was found early this afternoon with it. She was digging into her arm, saying the flowers were inside her body and she needed to cut them out. She was quite hysterical, and it took two nurses to restrain and sedate her. I can arrange for you to see her, but it must be a supervised visit, especially considering the way your mother reacted the last time you were here."
Jenny nodded, still holding Gibbs' hand, and when she requested to see her mother, the young nurse gave her a smile as she stepped out from behind her station.
"Follow me. I'll stay as long as you want."
They did as she instructed, and Gibbs fought the urge to wince as they neared the closed door at the end of the hallway. Jenny's grip on his hand was so tight that it was beginning to get painful, but he didn't dare let go, knowing she was silently asking for his support. When the door was opened, Gibbs frowned at the sight before him, trying to sort through his own emotions. It was clear where Jenny's looks had come from, the woman in front of them resembling her strongly, though there was a haggardness to her appearance that Jenny had only possessed during the most taxing of work days, and as she sat up to look at them, her daughter tensed, unsure of the welcome she would receive.
"Mom?"
A bright smile came over her face, and as she looked at them, Jenny moved closer, her eyes never moving from her mother's.
"Mom, do you know who I am?"
"Of course I do, Jennifer. Don't be rude, introduce me to your young man. Your father and I raised you better than that."
"Sorry. Mom, this is Jethro. Jethro, my mother, Madelyn."
Gibbs nodded at her, still wary of letting Jenny get too close, and gave her a cautious smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Shepard. It's clear where Jenny gets her looks. You look very nice tonight."
"Thank you," Madelyn Shepard smiled at him, her eyes warm, "You've been good for my daughter. I've never seen her this happy before. Jenny, you should bring him by more often."
Jenny nodded, stepping away from Gibbs to sit on the edge of her mother's bed, frowning at the restraints that held her arms in place at her side.
"Heather, don't be rude. Say hello to your sister."
Gibbs frowned, looking at Jenny to gauge her reaction, though he couldn't make out much of her face from where he stood. She immediately tensed at the sound of her sister's name, and when she took her mother's hand, she shook her head.
"Heather's not here, Mom."
"I've named all the stars, but they've all been given the same name, so there's terrible confusion. What should I do?"
Jenny frowned, turning slightly to look at Natalie, her eyes worried.
"Is she hallucinating?"
Natalie's head shook.
"I'm not sure, but she's been slipping away more frequently."
"Oh, hush. Jenny and Heather will be here soon, and then we can go shopping. I need a new tea set. It's only fitting."
"Mom, I—"
Madelyn's hand tightened around Jenny's wrist, pulling her closer, and when her eyes met her daughter's there was no trace of the woman she'd once been.
"Computers don't smell. Knowledge gained from them is empty. Books are the way. Books smell like knowledge and memories."
She pulled Jenny closer, her grip tight, and as soon as she spoke again, the younger redhead suddenly felt very afraid.
"You want to take the knowledge away, you little bitch! I'll kill you before I let you take my knowledge! I'll kill you! I have to cut you out!"
She tried to break free from the restraints, still holding Jenny's wrist, and Gibbs was there in an instant, pulling Jenny back, wrenching her arm away.
"Jen, come on."
Natalie was by the bed so quickly that Jenny never even saw her move, and as she administered the sedative, she looked at the pair sadly.
"This has been happening daily, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, Jenny. I don't know if we'll ever get her back now."
Jenny shook her head, her eyes hard as she looked at the young nurse.
"No. I don't accept that. There has to be a way. I don't care how much it costs. You have to find something. Please."
"We'll do what we can, Jenny, but...just don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out the way we hope."
Jenny nodded, reaching for Gibbs' hand again as they were led from the room. As soon as they were in the hallway, Gibbs pulled her into his arms, holding her as close as he could, and when he kissed the top of her head, he inhaled the scent of her perfume.
"What do you need?"
She was silent for a long moment, and when she pulled back, her eyes (surprisingly dry) locked onto his, deep emerald blazing in the dim light.
"You."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed. I'll update as soon as I can.
