A/N: I am so sorry that this update has taken so long. My grandmother passed away, and as you can imagine, I haven't had much time to write. That being said, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!
Shepard
There weren't many things that had the ability to terrify Jenny Shepard at only 08:00 on a Saturday morning, but passing out while getting ready for her day was one of them. The day had started out normally enough, with her waking up wrapped in the arms of her favourite marine, breathing in the scent of coffee and bourbon, and as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, she ran her hand through slightly tangled hair.
She made her way into the bathroom, turning on the water for her shower, and as she tested the temperature, she blinked hard, attempting to clear some of the fog from her head. To her annoyance, the action did little to help with the dizzy feeling that swept over her, and she frowned as she straightened up, willing her eyes to focus. Taking an unsteady step forward, she trailed her hand along the wall, trying to balance, and when her legs gave way beneath her, she hit the ground without so much as a single thought.
Gibbs
The first thing he was aware of when he opened his eyes was the cold. Usually when he woke, it was to find a certain redhead sleeping next to him, her body curled as close to his as she could get. Figuring she'd decided to get an early start to her day, he closed his eyes as he stretched, thankful when he didn't feel the painful tightening in his knee that often occurred in the early hours of morning.
Just as he was preparing to close his eyes for a few more minutes of precious sleep, it occurred to him that, in spite of the water he could hear, there was none of the usual sound that accompanied Jenny's shower. He was so used to hearing the sound of her placing a bottle of shampoo or conditioner back in its proper place that their absence was noticeably loud. Slightly confused now, he moved from his place on the bed, calling her name as he neared the closed bathroom door, knocking twice.
"Jen?"
Nothing.
"Jenny?" he tried again, louder this time.
Silence.
"Jen, is everything okay?"
More than a little worried now, Gibbs turned the handle, slowly pushing open the door, and when his eyes landed on the unconscious redhead on the floor, he swore loudly, kneeling down next to her. There was a small stream of blood coming from a slight cut just above her left eyebrow and as he felt for a pulse, he was beyond relieved when he found one, tapping the side of her face gently.
"Jen, wake up."
She moved slightly at his touch, her eyes opening slowly, and he breathed a sigh of relief, pulling her into his arms.
"Jesus, Jen…you scared the hell out of me."
Her eyes met his, glassy and unfocused, and she shivered in spite of the almost-overwhelming heat caused by the still-running water. Standing carefully, Gibbs pulled her to her feet, hooking his arm under her legs as soon as she was upright, and as he carried her into the bedroom, he could feel her still shaking. Placing her on the soft mattress, he wrapped her in a warm blanket, kissing her gently before walking back into the bathroom.
After he'd turned off the water, he found a clean dish cloth, dampening it quickly, and when he returned to the bedroom, Jenny frowned as he held it to her head.
"What's that for?"
"You're bleeding," he said softly, "You might have a bit of a concussion."
Jenny rolled her eyes, glaring at him as best she could.
"I think you might be overreacting, Jethro."
"I just woke up to find my girlfriend passed out and bleeding on the bathroom floor. Sue me for being concerned," he replied, his voice a bit harsher than he'd intended.
She flinched at his tone but said nothing, allowing him to finish cleaning the cut in silence. When he was satisfied with the cleanliness of the small cut, he gave her a serious look, daring her to break his gaze.
"You're not getting up for at least an hour."
"Jethro, you're being ridic—"
"Damn it, Jenny, I can't lose you, too!"
Jenny stared at him, so shocked by the sheer volume and emotion in his voice that she couldn't speak, and when she finally nodded, he met her eyes slowly.
"You might think I'm overreacting, but I know what it feels like to lose the person you loved more than life itself. I live with it every damn day. I lost Shannon and Kelly, I won't lose you. Not if I can do something about it."
One look in his eyes was enough for Jenny to ignore her instincts to argue, and she nodded, reaching for his hand.
"You're right," she said softly, "I'm sorry."
"Never apologise," he said with a small smile, "Sign of weakness."
Though he knew it was bothering her, Jenny thankfully stayed in bed for the next two hours, rolling her eyes each time he asked her if she'd needed anything, and as he handed her a cup of tea, she gave him a warm smile.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. How are you feeling?"
She smiled again, taking a slow drink from her cup, and as he sat down on the edge of the bed, he reached for her free hand, holding it gently in his own.
"I'm fine now, Jethro. I just got a little dizzy."
He frowned but said nothing, noting the slight shaking of her hands, and as he moved to pull her into his arms, he realised he could feel her entire body shaking.
"Are you cold?"
Jenny nodded, draining the tea from her mug and as she placed it on the bedside table, it slipped from her grasp, landing on the ground with a thud. A quick glance showed that it luckily hadn't broken and as he picked it up, he looked at her seriously.
"Jen, you're shivering."
"Pretty sure it's just a female thing—constantly being cold."
Gibbs moved closer, wrapping the blanket more securely around her, and when he kissed her forehead, she laughed quietly, snuggling closer to his warmth.
"How much money do I have to bribe you with to stay here in bed with me all day?"
Laughing softly, Gibbs held out his arms, smiling when she fell into them, and as she closed her eyes, he ran his fingers through her hair slowly.
"First time's free. Don't get used to it, Shepard."
Shepard
The low vibration of her phone was enough to pull Jenny from her paperwork and as she glanced down at the small device, she fought the urge to laugh.
Jenny, I'm so bored. Help?
Even as she typed out a reply, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, though she didn't have the slightest idea of what it could possibly be. She'd been feeling more than a little dizzy for the better part of a week and no matter how many times she tried to push it to the back of her mind, the worry simply refused to leave her alone.
Sorry, Jack. You're on your own.
She'd been surprised by how well she got along with someone she'd never met in person, but she would have been lying if she'd said that she didn't appreciate Jack's friendship. It had given her someone to talk to when Gibbs had been busy with work and though she had originally worried that he secretly wanted a chance to pursue a relationship with her, she no longer considered him a threat. She knew Gibbs would be highly against the idea of meeting him, which was why she'd already decided that she wasn't going to tell him. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, after all.
Jenny jumped slightly when her desk phone rang and as she quickly answered it, she shook her head in annoyance at herself.
"Shepard."
"Good afternoon, fearless leader!"
She sighed, running her hand through her hair.
"DiNozzo, what have I told you?"
"Not to call you our fearless leader," he replied appropriately, "but you've got to admit that it's fitting. Anyway, I called to ask you a favour."
"What have you done now?"
"Nothing...yet. We just caught a case and I wanted to ask your advice. We've got a series of murders, all women in their 30's, all abducted from the same general neighbourhood, all held hostage for a minimum of three days before being dumped. I'm planning on sending someone undercover as bait to catch the bastard, and I was wondering who you would suggest. I don't want to send someone too green, but I don't want to send someone who might tip them off. I don't—"
"I'll do it," Jenny interrupted.
"What? You're the Director, you—"
"And who's going to stop me? You and McGee will be there. We can do this. Trust me."
Less than two hours later, as she stood in the freezing cold night air, Jenny was beginning to wonder if perhaps she'd made a mistake. The only people they'd encountered at the park were people walking around with their families to examine the Halloween decorations and as she listened to DiNozzo grumbling in her ear about being cold, the redhead fought the urge to snap at him.
"—still don't see why we couldn't wait inside the van. At least it's warm."
Jenny rolled her eyes and just as she was preparing to accept defeat and tell them to pack it up, she heard a voice just over her left shoulder, and she frowned.
"Excuse me, ma'am? I'm sorry to bother you, but do you have the time?"
Glancing at her watch, Jenny hardly spared a second look for the man who had spoken, and it wasn't until his hand closed around her wrist that she realised something was wrong. She made no move to pull away, knowing that McGee and DiNozzo were close, but she immediately tensed, waiting to see how this would play out.
"Don't even think about moving."
Jenny smiled, raising her eyes to the man holding her wrist, and shook her head slightly.
"Pretty sound advice," she said smoothly, "I would suggest you take it."
With her free hand, she reached for the firearm at her hip, clicking off the safety and as she brought it up between them, she felt him flinch. Keeping her face carefully neutral, Jenny began to pull her arm free from his grasp, and as he shook his head, she blinked.
"I said not to move."
"So did she."
The words were accented by the click of a gun and it took everything Jenny possessed not to laugh at the look of surprise on the man's face. Tony DiNozzo gave the man a sarcastic smile, clicking his handcuffs around his wrists, and as he tightened his grip on the man's arm, Jenny's phone rang, causing her to jump.
"Shepard."
She listened to the voice on the other end of the line, nodding once, and as she hung up, she gave DiNozzo a slightly amused look.
"He's not our guy."
DiNozzo frowned, looking at her seriously.
"What?"
"Another body was just found. He's not our guy. But, he's still getting arrested for assault."
All things considered, Jenny knew she had to laugh or risk breaking down...and that simply wasn't an option.
As Jenny placed her phone on the table in front of her, she reached for her drink, giving the waiter a smile as he placed her salad in front of her. She still couldn't believe she was meeting Jack for lunch and as she received another text from DiNozzo, she sighed in frustration.
Still no leads. Sorry, Shep. I'll keep you updated.
Picking up her fork, she pushed the salad around on her plate, trying to remember the promise she'd made to Gibbs about eating at least one meal per day. She pushed the lettuce slowly back and forth, fighting the urge to simply run from the restaurant and when she heard a voice from behind her, she took a deep breath.
"Jenny?"
"Jack," she gave him a smile as she turned to face him, holding out her hand, "It's so nice to meet you."
"I have to say, I wasn't expecting you to be so attractive. That your real hair colour?"
She nodded, laughing quietly as she waited for him to sit down.
"Yep. Funnily enough, Jethro asked me that same question. Why is it so hard to believe?"
"Just not common," Jack replied, "Is that all you're eating? Come on, Jenny. Don't tell me you're worried about how you look. You look amazing."
Jenny shrugged, taking the smallest bite imaginable from her salad, and as she chewed, a look of horror came across Jack's face, making her pause.
"Oh, damn, Jenny. I forgot about your...I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."
She laughed, waving away his words, and as their waiter returned to take Jack's drink order, Jenny's phone rang, causing her to roll her eyes.
"Shepard."
"Hey, Shep...just wanted you to know we're working on a lead. Might need you to sign off on the overtime when we get back."
"No problem. And DiNozzo? Be careful out there."
"You got it."
She hung up, giving Jack an apologetic smile, and as they began a light conversation, she found herself laughing more easily than she had in weeks. He took his drink from the waiter with a smile, tipping it back slowly, and as Jenny took another bite of her salad, he eyed her curiously.
"So...how is everything going with...that? Have you been doing better?"
She sighed, shaking her head slowly.
"I was...at first. But the longer I try to keep going, the more difficult it becomes. I know Jethro is starting to worry again and honestly, I'm starting to get scared myself."
He frowned at the tone of her voice, detecting the light tremble, and he frowned, taking another drink.
"You can do this, Jenny. I might not know you as well as Jethro or your work friends, but I do know you can get through this. You've made it this far, don't give up now."
Though she knew he had no way of knowing it, Jack's words gave her the strength she needed to keep going, at least for a little while. And for now, that was good enough.
"DiNozzo! Tell me you've got something."
"Uhh...negative, Shep. Nothing since last night."
Without speaking, Jenny held out her hand, giving him a hard glare, and as he passed her the case file, he gave McGee a knowing look. They'd exchanged a bet on how long it would take Jenny to come down from her office to look over the facts of their case, and now it looked as though the team leader was up twenty dollars. As she read the reports and evidence logs, Jenny frowned, flipping between the pages quickly, and when she gestured to the two men in front of her, neither of them dared to question her.
"Where to, fearless leader?"
"Ducky's," Jenny answered shortly, ignoring the nickname.
They followed her into the elevator, the ride to autopsy completely silent, and as they entered the cold room, the Scottish doctor gave them all a smile, in spite of his confusion.
"Good morning, Jennifer. Anthony. Timothy. To what do I owe this pleasure so early in the morning?"
"Need to see the photos of all four women in DiNozzo's case. I want to see how similar their wounds are."
Ducky nodded, moving to retrieve the requested photos, and as they waited, DiNozzo turned to the redhead, smiling at her slowly.
"So Red, how's Gibbs been lately? Haven't seen him drop by for dinner in awhile. You two still a thing?"
"He's perfectly fine. I just saw him last night. And yes, we're still together, since you've decided to be so nosy. I wish you would put forth that much effort when solving your cases. We'd get things done much quicker, you know."
McGee laughed, narrowly missing the slap that the team leader aimed at his arm, and as Ducky handed Jenny the files she'd asked for, she rolled her eyes.
"Thank you, Ducky."
"Of course, my dear. I must say, when I looked them over, I didn't notice anything unusual. Seemed pretty standard for a serial killer."
Jenny's eyes narrowed as she spread the photos out on the closest metal table, her bright green irises darting between each set intently, and when she swore softly, DiNozzo frowned, turning his attention to her.
"What?"
"Doesn't something about this all seem too perfect? These wounds are placed in exactly the same place on each victim, there's no desperation, no panic. They're so well spaced. There's no intimacy, no sense of frenzy. It's too controlled."
DiNozzo nodded, staring at her as though he'd never seen her before.
"Desperately random," he said quietly.
"What?" McGee asked.
"Didn't you ever watch The Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter tells Clarice Starling that the scattering of bodies is too random to be believed. Desperately random, he says. Like it's not really random at all."
Jenny gave him a smile, nodding as she looked between the photographs again.
"It presents on the surface as a serial killer, but what if it isn't? What if that's what they want us to think? What if there's something more to it than that? It's done like it was learned from a textbook. There's no compulsion. Whoever did this is colder than hell, but he wants us to think he's on fire."
Gibbs
If he was surprised to hear Jenny come home at nearly 3 o'clock in the morning, Gibbs didn't show it. He could hear her moving around her apartment quietly, the occasional muttered swear falling from her lips as she made her way into the kitchen. When it became evident that she wasn't going to walk over, he took it upon himself to venture out into the hallway, knocking softly on her door to avoid waking the neighbours. She opened the door seconds later, looking tired but still smiling, and as she stepped back to allow him in, he kissed her cheek.
"Work go okay?"
"Not bad. DiNozzo and McGee are still tracking the murders they've been working on for a week. You?"
He shrugged in response, causing her to laugh, and as she made her way into the kitchen, she shook her head, still trying to sort out the jumbled thoughts in her mind. He noticed her distraction and as he sat down at her table, he frowned.
"Something bothering you?"
"A bit," she admitted, "I'm just as stuck as DiNozzo on this case. On the surface, we've got the makings of a serial killer, but something about it doesn't sit right with me. It seems too perfect."
He nodded, watching her as she poured a glass of bourbon, and when she took a slow drink, he shook his head in thought.
"Got an idea. Give me the details and I'll see if I can find anything that jumps out at me. Might help to have a fresh pair of eyes."
Jenny nodded, sitting next to him as she began briefing him on the details of DiNozzo's case, and when she finished speaking ten minutes later, he frowned, piecing together what he could.
"Almost sounds like a professional hit. Like someone was sent to kill them. That would explain the neatness, the meticulousness of the wounds..."
Her eyes widened as she thought about his assessment, and when she smiled suddenly, it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in days.
"Jethro, you're brilliant!" she said quietly, "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Cause you're exhausted," he answered honestly, "You need to get some sleep. You look like you're about to pass out over there."
Jenny shook her head, taking another drink of her bourbon, and when she had finished the glass, she stood, looking at him expectantly.
"You mentioned sleeping. I hope you don't expect me to do it alone. You know, women are notoriously clingy."
He laughed at her sarcasm, standing quickly, and as he followed her into the bedroom, he leaned closer, his breath warm on her skin.
"If you play your cards right, there might be something in it for you."
"You mean cuddling?" she gasped in mock shock, "No way!"
He laughed, wrapping his arm around her as she slipped out of her dress pants, kissing her hair lightly. When she tumbled into the bed moments later, wearing one of the shirts she'd "borrowed" from him a few months ago, he pulled her closer, smelling the vanilla perfume she wore. She kissed him slowly, running her fingers through his hair, and though he knew she would normally have had no problem escalating the situation, she was simply too exhausted, laying her head on his shoulder when they finally broke apart.
"Jen, you sure you're okay?"
She nodded, fighting the urge to yawn, and when she finally settled next to him, he ran his hand over her hair slowly.
"Get some rest," he said softly, "I'm not going anywhere."
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too, Jen. So much more than you know."
She laughed quietly, turning to bury her head in his chest, and before he realised what had happened, she was fast asleep.
Though he knew he should have asked her permission first, Gibbs had stayed in her apartment for hours after she'd left for work less than three hours after she'd returned home, and as he cleaned the coffee table, he smiled to himself. Halloween was quickly approaching and he knew it was Jenny's favourite holiday, so he'd decided that he was going to help make her mood brighter than it had been recently.
He'd picked up various decorations that he was going to strategically place around her living room and kitchen and as he did so, he smiled to himself. He'd cleaned the entire apartment, even going so far as to polish and vacuum the entire unit, and when his phone chimed as he hung the decorative wreath, he shook his head.
"Yeah. Gibbs."
"Might be home late again tonight, so if you'd rather skip dinner, we can just wait until another time."
"Nah," he said with a smile, "I can wait. Besides, got a surprise for you when you get home."
"Jethro, I hate surprises," she reminded him.
"I know. But you'll like this one. Trust me."
"Okay. I've got to go. I love you."
"I love you too, Jen. Be safe."
As he hung up the phone, he smiled to himself again, reaching for another bag of decorations. Damn, he couldn't wait to see her face when she saw this...
When Jenny finally made it home, she tiredly put her key in the lock, so exhausted she could hardly keep her eyes open. Gibbs opened the door to his own apartment just as she was preparing to walk into hers and he called her name softly, causing her to turn. She gave him a weak smile, laying her head on his shoulder as he walked up to her, and when he ran his fingers through her hair, her eyes closed slowly.
"Long day?"
She nodded, wrapping her arm around his waist, and he kissed her temple lightly, smiling though he knew she wasn't looking.
"You ready for your surprise?"
"If you insist."
"Oh, I insist," he answered with a smile, "Keep your eyes closed."
Straightening up, she kept her eyes shut, allowing him to lead her into the apartment, and when he turned on the light, he leaned closer, smiling as he turned her in the proper direction.
"Open your eyes."
The look of shock on Jenny's face was so strong that he wished he would have thought to bring a camera to capture the moment forever. A bright smile came across her face as she took in all the spooky decorations in her apartment, ranging from a skull wreath to black spiderweb curtains hanging in the window. She turned to face him, shaking her head slowly as she laughed, her voice tired but happy.
"You've turned my apartment into a haunted house."
"Pretty much. I know it's your favourite holiday, so I wanted to give you something that would make you smile. There's even a Michael Meyers blanket on the couch."
Jenny threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard, and when her tongue swept into his mouth, he tightened his hold on her hips.
"Jethro?"
"Hmm?"
"Take me to bed."
He nodded, lifting her into his arms, and as he walked slowly into her bedroom, he kicked the door shut. As he pulled her close to him less than a minute later, Gibbs couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten to have her in his life.
Shepard
Fighting the dizziness that swept over her as she pulled herself to her feet, Jenny straightened her blazer with her left hand, careful not to touch anything with her right, and as she washed them seconds later, she frowned at how badly she was shaking. Her steps were slightly unsteady as she walked back to her office, and when she was a few steps away from the door, she heard someone call her name, and she turned, painting a smile on her face.
"We figured it out, Shep. It was a drug ring. Those murders were done by a hit man. McGee and I are on our way now to apprehend the guy."
Jenny nodded, looking at him seriously.
"Good work, DiNozzo. I expect an update as soon as you both get back here."
"Absolutely."
He turned, making his way back down the steps, and just before he reached the squad room, he turned again, giving her a big smile.
"Tell Gibbs I said thanks for the help!"
Laughing quietly to herself, Jenny shook her head as she walked back into her office, and as she made her way to the desk, she was suddenly overcome with another wave of dizziness, making her reach out to grip the edge of the smooth wood roughly. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly, and when her phone rang, she jumped, pulling it from her pocket carefully.
"Shepard."
"Hey, Jenny. How's work going?"
"Fine," she answered softly, blinking hard, "what about you?"
"Not bad. Got a new offer from a company, so I can't complain. The world of graphic design is never boring."
Though she couldn't deny she was happy to hear from Jack, she was having a difficult time focusing on their conversation, and when she leaned over, trying to keep from falling, she heard his voice again.
"I was wondering, how would you feel about hanging out later tonight? Me, you, Jethro...we could meet for drinks or something."
"Well, Jethro's not much for the bar scene, but I'll see what I can do to get him there. I'll let you know."
"You okay, Jenny? You sound like you've been running. Out of breath, sort of."
"I'm fine, Jack. I'll call you when I get off and let you know if Jethro wants to come."
"Sounds good. Take care."
As she placed her phone back in her pocket, Jenny couldn't ignore the feeling of fear that was beginning to settle in her chest.
Miraculously, Jenny managed to convince Gibbs to join her and Jack at the bar after work, and as they walked into the dimly lit room, he let his hand come to rest at the small of her back. She gave Jack a smile as he introduced himself to Gibbs, and when they sat down at their table, he looked at her seriously.
"How'd DiNozzo's case go?"
"Turned out to be a drug ring. We never would have figured it out if Jethro hadn't suggested it. DiNozzo said thank you, by the way," Jenny replied, turning to Gibbs as she finished speaking.
Gibbs smiled, taking a drink of his bourbon, and as Jack drained his vodka, he gave Jenny a smile.
"You okay?"
She nodded, taking a sip of her own drink, and as she listened to Jack tell Gibbs about his day, she leaned her head on the marine's shoulder. Hopefully this dizziness would pass soon.
Two hours later, it was glaringly obvious that Jack was more than a little tipsy, and as he leaned over the table to grab a chicken wing, he glanced at Gibbs before speaking to Jenny.
"Hey, Jenny...have you ever noticed that Jethro has the bluest eyes in the world? Like...wow. And yours...damn, they're so green. You two are perfect for each other. I bet your kids would have awesome eyes."
Jenny laughed, shaking her head slowly.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Jack, but there are no kids in our future. I don't much care for them."
Jack nodded, looking at Gibbs again.
"Jethro, how much do you work out?"
Gibbs frowned, taking a drink of his bourbon.
"Not much anymore. Not since I left active duty. Why?"
"So you mean to tell me that you're just naturally that toned? Colour me jealous."
Jenny laughed, reaching out to grab her drink and as she held it to her lips, her hand began shaking so badly that she nearly dropped it, not noticing the concerned look on Gibbs' face. She placed it back down on the table, feeling the eyes of a certain marine on her, and she shook her head.
"What's wrong, Jen?"
"I just don't feel well. I think it might be time to call it a night."
He nodded, finishing his drink quickly, and as Jenny stood slowly, she gave Jack an apologetic smile.
"Jack, we're going to head out. Are you going to be okay here on your own?"
Jack nodded, standing up to shake Gibbs' hand, and as he hugged Jenny gently, he kissed her cheek.
"Feel better soon, okay? And hey, give Jethro a kiss for me, will you?"
Jenny laughed, shaking her head before she realised he was being serious, and she waved at him as Gibbs led her to the door. As soon as they'd made it to his truck, Gibbs frowned at the look of amusement on Jenny's pale face, and when she moved closer to kiss him, he could tell she was fighting the urge to laugh.
"What?"
"That's from Jack. He asked me to give it to you."
He stared at her, trying to figure out if she was joking, and when she laughed quietly, he frowned.
"You're kidding."
"Nope. Not even a little bit."
Shaking his head slowly, Gibbs put the truck in gear, reaching for Jenny's hand as he pulled out into the street. This was certainly an interesting end to his night...
Gibbs
When he walked into the dark living room of Jenny's apartment to find his favourite redhead curled up on the couch, wrapped in the Halloween blanket he'd bought, watching the television screen, he smiled. He lifted her ankles slowly, laying them across his thighs, and he glanced at the screen in mild curiosity.
"Nightmare On Elm Street?"
She nodded.
"The first one is the only one I care for. Want to stay and watch the rest of it with me?"
Though he'd never been much for horror movies, Gibbs found himself nodding, wrapping his arm around her as she moved closer. He'd have been lying if he'd said he wasn't concerned about her, the way she'd been shaking, the paleness in her skin that never seemed to leave her now, and when he noticed her looking at him, he frowned.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, just wondering why you've been watching me like a hawk for the past week."
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Just worried. You've been working really long hours and I know it hasn't been easy."
She smiled.
"You're sweet, but I'm okay. DiNozzo's case is closed, so hopefully I can start leaving work at a decent time now."
She stood up quickly, draining the last of her water, and as she made her way into the bathroom, he fought the urge to close his eyes. She certainly wasn't the only one who'd been feeling more than a little tired lately. He could faintly hear the sound of the sink running as he struggled to stay awake, and it wasn't until he heard her voice from the hallway that he realised he'd dozed off, jerking upright at the sound. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, and as he threw the blanket back onto the couch, he blinked.
He slowly made his way in the direction her voice had come from, and when he pushed open the bathroom door carefully, he frowned. She was leaning on the sink, head in her hands, eyes tightly closed, and as he watched her, she coughed, the sound wet and painful. He placed his hand on her back, further alerting her to his presence, and when she turned to meet his concerned gaze, his eyes widened. There was a small stream of blood trailing from her lips, her skin was paler than fresh snow, and her entire body was shaking.
Taking a step forward, he attempted to pull her from the room, but her grip on the sink tightened, making him frown. When he realised she was using it as a way to keep herself upright, his worry only grew stronger, and as she opened her mouth to speak, she coughed again, the stream of blood thickening.
"Jen—"
She shook her head, trying again to speak.
"Jethro, I—I don't think that I—"
Though he moved quickly, it wasn't fast enough. Jenny collapsed on the floor, her eyes closed, and as he quickly leaned down to lift her into his arms, he frowned at the blood dripping from her lips. She was completely still as he carried her into the living room, and when he placed her onto the couch, he frowned at the coldness of her skin. He walked quickly into the kitchen, bringing a damp paper towel as well as a wet cloth, and as he carefully wiped away the blood, he took a deep breath to steady his shaking hands. He placed the cloth on her forehead, hoping the sensation would be enough to rouse her, and when her eyes opened slowly, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Her normally-bright green eyes were slightly hazy as she stared up at him, and when she shivered lightly in the cold, he reached out to wrap the blanket more securely around her, he looked at her seriously.
"You need to talk to a doctor."
She shook her head slowly.
"Jethro, I'm fine."
"You keep saying that, but this is the second time you've passed out within two weeks time, and this time, you were coughing up blood. You might not be concerned, but I am. Will you at least talk to Ducky? He's your friend, and it might make you more comfortable to talk to him."
Finally, when she could sense that he wasn't going to back down, Jenny nodded, taking a slow breath.
"I'll talk to him in the morning."
They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts, and when Gibbs' quiet voice broke it, Jenny was so startled that she jumped.
"Hey Jen, can I ask you something?"
"You just did," she quipped with a small smile.
"Cute. How many times have you thrown up the past two weeks?"
She didn't speak immediately and when she finally did, her voice was too light for him to believe anything that would follow.
"I don't know what—"
"The truth, Jen. Please."
Jenny sighed, running her hand through her hair slowly. Several long red strands were clinging to her fingertips as she pulled them through, and he frowned at the sight.
"Almost every day," she whispered, "Jethro, I know you have every right to be angry with me and I know you—"
"Stop, Jen," he interrupted gently, "I'm not angry. I know it isn't going to change overnight. I just want you to try. And if you get to a point where doing this on our own isn't working, we can discuss options then. Let's give it a month and see where we are. Can you do that? Honestly try...for one month."
Jenny nodded, moving closer to his warmth, and as he pulled her into his arms, he kissed her hair, giving her a reassuring smile.
"You can do this, Shepard. I know you're stronger than this."
"Just promise me one thing," she said quietly, laying her head on his shoulder.
"What's that?"
"Don't give up on me."
He kissed her again, taking her hand gently in his, running his fingers over her smooth skin.
"Never," he whispered.
A/N: Poor Jen...I really am too mean to her.
