A/N: Hello, my wonderfully loyal readers! I hope you're all doing well. Here I present the next installment of The Other Side of the Wall! Enjoy!


Shepard

Jenny sighed as she glanced at her watch for the fifth time that morning, unable to believe that only ten minutes had passed. It was a surprisingly slow day at work, making her long for freedom, and she ran her hand through her hair as she spun her chair idly in a circle. Why did time insist on moving so slowly? She jumped at the low ringing of her phone, pulling the device from her pocket, and as she answered it, she hoped she didn't sound as bored as she felt.

"Shepard."

"Hi, Mom."

"Little One! How are you? Is everything okay?"

Carly laughed, making Jenny visibly relax, and when she spoke again, her voice was warm.

"I'm fine. I was actually calling to give you some good news. I've recently been given the privilege of having visitors, so you can come by if you want, as long as it's during visiting hours."

"That's wonderful! What time are the hours?"

"From 3pm to 8."

Jenny smiled, reaching out to pick up her coffee cup.

"I think I can manage that. I'll be by as soon as I leave work. Might even knock off early just to come see you."

Carly's laughter was the brightest thing she'd heard in weeks, and Jenny smiled as it floated down the line.

"Sounds like a plan. See you soon."

"Definitely. Love you."

"Love you, too."


Though she would never admit it, Jenny was more than a little nervous about seeing Carly again, and as she ventured down to autopsy seeking the advice of a certain Scottish doctor, she shook her head. Why was she being so stupid? It wasn't like she was meeting Carly for the first time, wasn't as though she hadn't been invited, so why did she feel like running away and closer simultaneously?

Duck gave her a warm smile when he saw her, offering her a cup of tea, and after shaking her head, Jenny hopped up on one of the cold metal tables, swinging her legs slowly back and forth.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Little One. She just called me."

"Oh?" his tone instantly shifted to one of slight concern, "Is she doing alright?"

Jenny nodded.

"Seems to be. She called to tell me that she is now allowed to have visitors. I'm going to see her after I leave today."

Ducky smiled, taking a drink of his tea slowly.

"And you're here seeking my advice because...?"

Jenny sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"I...I'm nervous. What if she's angry with me for making her stay there? What if she's worse than she was when she went in?"

"I highly doubt she would have called you if she were angry with you. As for her health, I would assume that it's like most rehab facilities where good behaviour warrants rewards, such as visitation. That alone proves that she's making progress."

He reached out to touch her shoulder, his eyes undeniably kind.

"You have nothing to worry about, my dear. Just go see her and enjoy the time together. Is Jethro coming with you?"

Jenny shook her head.

"Not this time. Said he wanted the first visit to be just us. He's going to go home and work on the boat. And he's making a surprise for Carly to come home to."

Ducky smiled.

"Oh?"

"He's been building her a big wooden bed frame. Something to make up for her sleeping in her car for so long. I think she's going to love it. It is pretty impressive."

He nodded, giving her a hug as she hopped down, looking at him gratefully.

"Thanks for everything, Ducky."

"Of course, Jennifer. Give my love to Carly."

She nodded, waving as she walked across the room.

"I will."


All of Jenny's worry and nervousness all but evaporated as she was nearly knocked off her feet by Carly, blinded by strawberry-blonde hair, and as the younger girl wrapped her arms around her, Jenny found that she couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't believe how much she'd missed her and as she pulled back to look at her, she was amazed at the progress she could already tell she'd made. Before, Carly's elbows had been so thin and sharp that Jenny would have sworn she could cut glass with them, but now there was a softness to her that hadn't been present before.

She was still incredibly thin, but the shine in her hair and colour in her cheeks spoke volumes as to her overall health, and as they made their way over to the common area, Jenny wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

"How are things going?"

Carly smiled.

"At first, it was a nightmare. I didn't know anyone, everyone always stares at the newcomers, and it was just uncomfortable. But now I've gotten to know my roommate better and things are going pretty well. How are things at home?"

"Good. We miss you like crazy, though. The house is so quiet without you."

Carly laughed.

"Yeah, my roommate says I talk too much."

Jenny shook her head.

"No way," she paused, looking at her seriously, "You look really good."

Carly smiled.

"I feel really good," she admitted, "Don't get me wrong, it's hard. Every single day is a struggle, but I'm slowly learning how to retrain my mind and how I think about food."

Jenny hugged her, kissing her cheek.

"We are so proud of you, Little One."

"Speaking of "we", how's Dad?"

The redhead froze for a moment, unused to hearing anyone call Gibbs "Dad", and when she finally spoke, she had to fight to keep her voice steady.

"He's fine. Misses you, though. Been working in the basement nonstop."

"Give him a hug and a kiss from me."

Jenny nodded.

"I will."

They fell into easy conversation, with Carly detailing her current day-to-day life, asking after Jenny's job and Gibbs' boat, and before they knew what had happened, Jenny found herself being ushered out by the nurse who oversaw the ward. She hugged Carly fiercely, holding her as tightly as she could, and as she was escorted back to her room, the younger girl waved, smiling at her warmly.

"Love you!"

"Love you too, Little One."


Gibbs

Gibbs frowned as he made his way back up from the basement, intent on finding the bourbon that he'd bought that afternoon, and as he passed through the living room, he shook his head, The house was so much more quiet without Carly present and though he would never admit it, he missed the sound of her chatter more than he'd ever thought possible.

As he neared the kitchen, he was suddenly aware of the scent of eucalyptus, and his frown grew more intense. Eucalyptus meant that Jenny was meditating, and meditation was usually an indication of a rough day for her. He smiled to himself as he picked up the bourbon from the counter and when he neared the stairs again, he decided to venture up to see Jenny. Perhaps she could use a drink, after all.

She was deep in her meditation, just as he'd suspected, her headphones securely over her ears, eyes closed, and as he neared the bed, he shook his head.

"Jen."

She didn't move, unable to hear him over the music she was playing, and when he reached out to touch her shoulder, he hoped he wouldn't scare her. She slowly opened her eyes at his touch, pulling the headphones off, and gave him a confused look as he sat down in front of her.

"Something wrong?"

He laughed quietly.

"Was coming to ask you the same thing."

She smiled, amused that they knew each other so well.

"I saw Little One today."

He nodded, his eyes picking up on the fidgeting of her hands immediately.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She looks really good. Happier and definitely healthier. She's even made friends there."

"That's good."

Jenny nodded, but there was something building in her eyes that suggested there was more than what she was telling him on her mind.

"What's bothering you?" he asked quietly.

"I just...Carly's doing so well. She's getting the help she needs, she's gaining weight, going to college...soon she won't need us at all. She'll be moving on and I'm still going to be stuck in the same place."

Gibbs frowned, looking at her seriously.

"I doubt she's going anywhere soon. And you're not stuck. Jen, you've come a long way in your own recovery. You haven't purged in over a week."

Jenny sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"I still think about it every day."

He nodded, reaching for her hand.

"And Carly thinks about starving every day. But you're both stronger than those thoughts. You've proven that. Don't give up just because you're afraid. You can do this and I'm going to be here every step of the way."

Jenny smiled.

"I love you."

"Well, yeah," he said with a smile, "I'm great."

Jenny laughed, leaning closer to kiss him.

"You definitely are."


It was just after two in the morning that Gibbs heard the sound of footsteps on the basement steps and he frowned as he glanced at his watch. From the moment Jenny came into view, he could tell that something was wrong, and he placed his tools on the table as she walked closer.

"Are you busy?"

He shook his head.

"Not particularly."

"Can we talk? About anything. I don't really care."

He frowned again, noticing that she was shaking as she sat down on the stool next to him.

"What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare," she said quietly, "There was this cult that came to our house, they were led by this tall, thin man with long black hair, black lipstick, two different coloured eyes, his skin was so white that it glowed...they held me down and shoved nails under my skin. I had to dig them out with a knife. And then I had to hide under the bed to keep them from torturing me."

"Jesus, Jen."

She sighed, running her hand through her slightly tangled hair.

"I...I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't woken up. It was...God, Jethro, it was horrible."

He nodded.

"Sounds like it. Do you want to try sleeping again? Maybe a drink would help."

She shook her head, her eyes wide.

"No. I don't want to even think about sleeping right now."

He frowned, thinking quickly, and when he held out his hand, she took it slowly. He pulled her into his arms, running his fingers through her flaming hair, and when he kissed her forehead, she smiled slightly.

"Does this have anything to do with Carly?"

Jenny frowned, looking up at him in confusion.

"What would she have to do with it?"

"The nails. Maybe you were thinking about the nail gun. And eating disorders are sort of like a cult. A cult run by your own mind, but the analogy still fits, don't you think?"

Jenny sighed, shaking her head, and as she laid her head on his shoulder, he could feel her begin shaking again.

"I don't know what it was. It scared the hell out of me, though."

She was silent for a moment and when she finally spoke, there was no disguising the pain in her voice.

"I miss her, Jethro."

He smiled sadly, kissing her hair.

"She'll be home soon. Another week or so and she'll be back here with us. Insurance only covers a month, you know."

She nodded, hugging him tightly.

"Do you think it was enough?"

"I think it was a start. We'll have to be there for her. For each other."

Jenny raised her head to look at him, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"She called you "Dad" today."

"Hm.."

Gibbs frowned as he thought about the implications of those words, wondering how long Carly had been debating on the decision to call him "Dad" and when he suddenly smiled, he had to fight back a laugh.

"Kinda saw it comin'. She calls you "Mom". Seems logical that I would be "Dad", don't you think?"

She frowned.

"I guess so."

He was silent as he turned over his next question in his mind, going back and forth over whether or not he should ask it, and when he opened his mouth again, he was shocked by just how easily it fell from his lips.

"Jen, would you marry me?"

She froze, staring at him as though he'd lost his mind, and he quickly began to explain.

"If I asked you sometime in the future, would you do it or is marriage not something you want?"

She visibly relaxed, thinking over the question carefully, and when she raised her eyes to his, there was an emotion in the viridian irises that he couldn't have identified if his life depended on it.

"I think you would be the only person in the world I would ever consider getting married to," she answered honestly, "but if you're asking me right now, the answer is no."

He nodded, smiling as he kissed her.

"Just wondering."

She smiled as she pulled away, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, the look in her eyes unmistakable.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs...why don't you quit playing with your boat and come upstairs? I've got something for you that you won't find in any toolbox."

He nodded, swallowing thickly, and as he followed her up the basement steps, he found himself mesmerized by the scent of her perfume as it trailed behind her.


Moving the bed frame that he'd built for Carly turned out to be easier than he'd expected due to Jenny's help, and as they carefully placed it in the room, he gave her a smile. Carly was due home the following day and as they lifted up the mattress to place it on the frame, Jenny frowned as she noticed a thin binder under it. As soon as they had moved the mattress, Jenny picked up the binder, flipping through it curiously, and when she realised what she was seeing, she handed it to Gibbs wordlessly.

He frowned as he flipped through the pages, filled with pictures of skeletal women, and when he glanced at the redhead in confusion, she sighed sadly.

"It's called "thinspo". A lot of people with eating disorders collect pictures of thin people to look at and give them inspiration to keep losing weight," she explained, her eyes filled with tears.

He nodded, not handing it back, and as he walked out of the room, Jenny frowned. He was gone for only a moment, and when he returned, he gave her a sad smile.

"Tossed it. Figured it wouldn't be good for either of you to have it in the house."

"Thank you," she whispered.

She laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she took a shaking breath, and he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her hair softly.

"How are you handling this?"

She didn't answer, but he could feel her shaking slightly, and he looked at her seriously.

"Jen."

"I...don't know," she admitted, "All I keep thinking about is how looking at her is like looking through a window to my past. It's all so familiar and it's so easy to slip back into it."

Gibbs pulled away just enough that he could tilt her head up to see her eyes, and he brushed her hair back from her face slowly.

"You can do this, Jen," he said gently, "It won't always be easy, but you're stronger than you think you are."

"I miss it, Jethro. What does that say about me? I shouldn't be—"

"Easy, Jen. It's an addiction. You have to understand that. Just think about how far you've come. You're doing so well and just think about how much happier you'll be when you don't think about it anymore."

Jenny nodded, raising up on her toes to kiss him, and as she pulled away, she gave him a smile.

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

"You'd better. You're stuck with me now."

He laughed, shaking his head as they began to move the old bed frame from the room. How had he gotten so lucky?


The day that Carly returned home found Jenny pacing the living room nervously in the hours before they were scheduled to pick her up and as he walked into the room, Gibbs shook his head, a slight smile flickering across his face.

"Jen, relax. She's going to be fine."

"I'm just...what if things fall apart once she's here again? What if—"

He stopped her pacing with his hands on her shoulders, his bright blue eyes locking on her green seriously.

"Calm down, Shepard. She's made so much progress over the last month that I'm sure she'll be fine. And even if she's not, we'll be there to help her."

Jenny nodded slowly, smirking at him as he released her, shaking her head as she moved to pick up her purse.

"You haven't called me "Shepard" in a long time."

He shrugged.

"Got your attention, didn't it?"

Laughing, Jenny pulled on her jacket, smacking his arm lightly as he walked towards the front door.

"Don't push your luck, Jethro."

He laughed, closing the door behind them as they left, and as he climbed into the cab of his truck, he gave Jenny a warm smile. She returned it easily, reaching for his hand as he put the truck in gear, and as he began to drive, he raised her hand to his lips.

"Do you think she'll like the gift?"

He nodded, kissing her hand again.

"She'll love it."

The rest of the drive was silent, each lost in their own thoughts, and when they pulled up to the large building less than twenty minutes later, Gibbs glanced at Jenny, smiling at the look of excitement in her eyes. It was clear she'd missed Carly more than she'd wanted to admit and as she opened her door, she gave him a smile.

"Let's go get our girl."

He smiled, opening his door carefully, and as they made their way into the building, Gibbs found that he felt suddenly uneasy. He was always uncomfortable in settings such as this, but from the moment that his eyes landed on Carly, the feeling all but evaporated. She threw her arms around them both as soon as they were near enough and as she picked up her bag, she gave them both a huge smile.

"Do you have any idea how much I missed you guys?"

Jenny laughed.

"Not as much as we missed you, Little One. Are you ready to go?"

Carly nodded.

"We just have to sign the release forms and then we can leave."

They wasted no time in signing the papers and as soon as they had gotten into his truck, Gibbs leaned over and kissed Carly on the cheek, his smile warm.

"Got a surprise for you at home, kid."

"Is it a pony?"

Gibbs laughed.

"You'll see."

As they drove, Gibbs found that he couldn't stop smiling, particularly when he noticed that Jenny had never once released her hold on Carly's hand the entire time she'd been in the truck, and when they arrived back at their house, Jenny threw open the door with a flourish.

"Welcome home, Little One!"

Carly smiled, hugging Jenny as they pulled her bag from the truck.

"I missed you both so much."

Gibbs smiled.

"Back at you, kid."

They made their way into the house, Jenny's arm around Carly's shoulder, and as soon as they'd closed the door, Jenny smiled, gesturing to the stairs grandly.

"Your surprise is in your room. Let us know if you can't find it."

Carly ran up the stairs, making Gibbs laugh quietly as he put his arm around Jenny's shoulder, and when they heard her excited scream from the upstairs bedroom, he laughed again.

"Think she found it?"

Jenny shook her head.

"Nah, I think she found the dead body in the closet."

Gibbs kissed her cheek just as Carly came running back down the steps, throwing her arms around them both, and as she hugged them, tears began to fall from her bright blue eyes.

"Did you make that?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Didn't take that long."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's incredible!"

"Glad you like it."

Carly kissed his cheek again, her smile brighter than the August sun.

"I love it. And I love you! Thanks, Dad."

"Love you too, Carly."

All in all, Gibbs thought it was a pretty perfect day, if he did say so himself.


Shepard

Jenny sighed as she stood under the hot spray of the shower, allowing the water to soak into her long red hair, and as she ran her fingers through the strands, she frowned. It was no secret that her hair had been falling out recently and though she knew it was due to the stress she was constantly under, that knowledge did little to ease her annoyance. She shivered slightly as the water trailed over her skin, reaching out to turn the temperature as high as it could go, and when she sat down on the floor of the tub, she sighed.

Though she was overjoyed at having Carly home again, she couldn't help the feeling of dread that had been slowly settling over her the entire day. Would being near Jenny and her own addiction make it more difficult for Carly to continue with her recovery? Would she feel as though she'd failed? Would Carly's recovery jeopardize her own? Was she even in recovery to begin with or was she simply deluding herself?

The quiet knock on the door made her jump and when she heard Carly's voice from the doorway, Jenny quickly wiped away the tears that had somehow escaped her eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt your shower, but do you want to watch a movie or something when you're done?"

Jenny took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady, and wiped her tears away again.

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

"I dunno. Thought maybe we could watch a Disney movie. Something light and fun."

Jenny sniffed, hoping the water would cover the sound.

"Sounds like a plan."

There was a pause and when Carly's voice cut through the silence again, there was no mistaking her concern.

"Are you okay?"

Damn.

"Fine," Jenny said, running her hands over her hair again, "Why?"

"You sound like you've been crying."

Her voice was closer now and Jenny placed her head on her knees, cursing herself for allowing her emotions to get the better of her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Jenny lied, her voice shaking slightly.

"Don't lie to me, Mom. I can hear it in your voice. Something is wrong."

Jenny sighed, blinking to keep the water from her eyes, and finally she nodded, forgetting that Carly couldn't see her.

"I'm just worried about you, Little One. I don't want anything to possibly hurt your recovery and I'm worried that being around me will make it more difficult for you."

"But you're getting better, too. Dad told me that you've been doing really well and that you haven't purged in a long time. How about this? If we start to have a hard time, we can tell Dad. He doesn't have a personal attachment to this like we do, and he can tell us that we're being stupid. And then once we realise how stupid we're being, we can laugh about it together."

Jenny smiled in spite of her tears and nodded.

"Okay, Little One. We'll give it a try."

She stood up from her current position, turning off the water slowly, and as she squeezed the water from her hair, she heard Carly make her way out into the hallway, the door closing softly behind her. She really didn't deserve her family...


As they laid on the bed together, Carly and Jenny both found that they were spending more time talking to one another than paying attention to the film they'd decided to watch. Jenny couldn't believe just how much she'd missed the younger girl and as she listened to her talk about her time spent in treatment, she wrapped her arm around her.

"Saoirse was pretty much the perfect roommate. She didn't talk much, mostly just read books and listened to music. She kind of reminded me of you. She's really smart and even though she seemed kind of bitchy at first, I found out that she's just really quiet."

"Saoirse? That's a pretty name."

Carly nodded.

"It's Irish. Means "freedom". She gave me her number before I left and as soon as she gets out, I thought I would invite her and Evan over for dinner. Is that okay?"

Jenny nodded.

"Of course it is. It's about time that you made friends, you know. Like I told you, eating disorders are great at isolating you from the people you care about. Don't let that happen."

"Your letter got me through the first week of treatment," Carly admitted, hugging her tightly, "I would have lost my mind if I hadn't had that to read. Thank you so much."

Kissing her cheek, Jenny smiled, running her hand over Carly's strawberry-blonde hair softly.

"I couldn't let you go in there without knowing just how much I love you."

"I missed you so much while I was there, but at least I was able to see you during visiting hours."

"Hey, now that you're home, maybe I can show you how to buy a bra," Jenny said with a laugh.

Remembering the conversation from months ago made Carly burst into laughter, tipping over into Jenny's lap. Jenny smiled as she held her in her arms, oblivious to the marine watching them from the hallway, a bright smile of his own on his face.


Hours after Carly had gone to bed, Jenny laid in the bed, flipping through a book (though she wasn't truly reading it), lost in her own thoughts. She curled her feet under her, her eyes roaming over the page numerous times in an effort to comprehend the words written there, and when Gibbs entered the room minutes later, he frowned at the distant look in her eyes.

"Jen, you okay?"

"Fine," she replied, her voice giving away just how exhausted she was.

He climbed into the bed, placing his hand on her leg, and when he pulled the book from her hands, he was surprised when she didn't protest. She merely watched him as he placed the book on the bedside table, her eyes slowly following his movements, and he frowned again.

"You drunk?"

She shook her head.

"I wish. I'm just so tired, Jethro."

He nodded, looking at her seriously.

"With the nightmares you've been having lately, I'm not surprised. Maybe you should think about talking to someone about it."

Jenny laughed, shaking her head slowly.

"Jethro, I'm not going to see a therapist just to deal with a few nightmares."

He merely looked at her, raising his eyebrow in question, and she shook her head again, a soft laugh falling from her lips.

"I'll be fine. I just need to get some sleep."

She moved closer to his body, laying her head on his chest, and as she closed her eyes, she took a slow, deep breath, inhaling the scent of coffee, sawdust, and bourbon.

"Just hold me, Jethro."

Whatever he'd planning to say died on his lips when he looked down and realised she was already fast asleep.

"Good night, Jen," he whispered.


Jenny frowned as she measured the peppermint extract and poured it into the bowl she was currently mixing, and when Carly ventured into the kitchen to see what she was making, she smiled as she walked closer.

"Taste this," Jenny instructed, holding out a spoon.

Carly obediently opened her mouth, allowing Jenny to place the spoon on her tongue, and as she swallowed, a smile came across her pretty face.

"It's amazing! Is it a cake or brownies?"

"Mint chocolate cake. Does it need more peppermint?"

Carly shook her head, giving Jenny another smile.

"It's perfect. What are you making a cake for?"

"Believe it or not, I just like to bake. I love doing random baking experiments, like this cake. But, if you need a reason, I guess it can be your welcome home cake."

Carly laughed.

"Sure. I'll take credit for cake."

Jenny smiled, tasting the batter slowly, and she laughed as she began pouring the mix into the pans. It was no secret that Jenny loved to bake, though given her relationship with food, even she found it slightly odd, and as she placed the pans into the oven, she gave Carly a hug.

"Well, for dessert, it's mint chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing. Sound good?"

"Sounds like diabetes on a plate," Carly deadpanned, making Jenny laugh.

"Maybe so, but you and I both know that a certain someone will love it."

It was true: for someone who claimed to not care much for sweets, Gibbs certainly ate his fair share of anything Jenny made, and it never failed to make the women of the house smile. Now if they could just get him to admit it...


Even as she swallowed the last bite of her cake, Jenny could feel the panic beginning to rise in her chest, and as she pushed back her chair, she fought to keep her hands from shaking. She could feel Gibbs watching her as she made her way through the living room, but she paid him little attention, her mind focused on only one thing, and she shook her head. She quickly made her way up the stairs, intent on locking herself in the bathroom, and when she realised that Carly was in the shower, she swore softly.

Now what was she going to do?

She ran her hand through her hair, thinking quickly, and when she turned to make her way back down the steps, she collided with Gibbs, swearing loudly as she smacked into his body.

"Jen, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"Uh huh. You sure you weren't going to purge that cake?"

Jenny shook her head, taking a step back and moving around him, walking down the stairs, desperate to put distance between them. She could feel the weight of the cake in her stomach, making her panic all the more, and as she began walking through the living room again, Gibbs grabbed her by the arm.

"Wait. Where are you going now?"

"Can't I just go to the kitchen?"

"Nope. Not right now."

Jenny sighed, shaking her head.

"Are you being serious? You're seriously forbidding me to go in the kitchen?"

"There's a trash can in there. I know what you're planning to do."

"Oh, for God's sake, Jethro! Just because—"

"Because what? Because I'm right? You know damn well that you've been planning on purging that cake from the moment you swallowed it."

Jenny was so busy trying to think of a way to diffuse the situation that she didn't realise the shower had stopped running, and she shook her head as she tried again.

"Jethro, just—"

"God damn it, Jen, don't lie to me!"

Though she knew he was right, knew he had every right to be upset with her, Jenny couldn't stop her own anger from bubbling up, and she glared at him, her eyes cold.

"You don't fucking own me, Jethro! You don't have a right to tell me what to do! I'm an adult and—"

"And if you don't stop, you're going to die! Is that what you want? You know, maybe you don't care about what happens to you, but I do! And so does Carly! We're not trying to control you, we just want you to be safe."

"Don't bring Carly into this," Jenny snapped, "Don't you fucking dare."

"But he's right, Mom."

Jenny's eyes landed on the young girl standing on the bottom step and she shook her head, her voice hoarse as she spoke.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough. Look...I know how you feel. I know better than anyone how you feel, I get it. But he's right. If you keep doing this, you'll die. And you've been doing so well. Don't throw it all away over one fucking piece of cake. Please."

Jenny stared at them both, her anger all but forgotten now, and as she spoke, there was nothing she could do to stop the tears from filling her eyes.

"I feel so disgusting," she whispered.

Gibbs crossed the room in three steps, pulling her into his arms as she began to cry, and when Carly threw her arms around them both, her tears began to fall faster.

"You're not disgusting, Jen. Nothing in the world could be farther from the truth."

"I'm so fucking pathetic," Jenny said, her voice breaking as she sobbed into his shirt.

"No, you're not," Gibbs assured her gently, kissing her hair.

"You're the strongest woman I've ever known," Carly added, hugging her tighter, "You're a total badass, Mom."

Jenny laughed, the sound bitter, and shook her head.

"No, I'm not. Look at me. I'm a crying mess right now."

"And? I cried every night that first week that I was gone," Carly told her, "I felt like I was the lowest person in the world. I hated everything about myself. But as time went on, I came to realise that I wasn't pathetic, I was sick. And being sick meant that I could get better. The same goes for you, too. Just because you're sick right now, that doesn't mean that you'll be sick forever. And if anyone can get better, it's you."

Jenny sniffed, wiping her hand under her eyes, and when she pulled back just enough that she could look at them both, they each gave her a supportive smile.

"You can do this, Jen. I know you can."

"At least someone does," she muttered.

"Make that two someones," Carly interjected, "You can kick bulimia's stupid ass and look amazing while doing it.:

Jenny laughed, hugging Carly tightly as she stepped out of Gibbs' embrace.

"Have I mentioned how much I love both of you?"

Gibbs smiled.

"It always bears repeating."

"I love you both more than Ducky loves tea."

Carly laughed.

"Damn. I feel pretty special now."

Jenny wrapped her arms around Gibbs, hugging him as she wiped away the last of her tears, and raised her eyes to his slowly.

"I was bitchy. Do I have your forgiveness?"

He pretended to think about it, tilting his head as he spoke again.

"Hm...I don't know. Might take a long time for me to get over this one."

"I can bring you coffee to work every day for a month."

Gibbs smiled, kissing her cheek as he lifted her off her feet.

"Throw in lunch once a week and you've got yourself a deal, Director Shepard."

He set her back down on the ground, kissing her slowly, paying no attention to Carly still standing next to them, and as he wrapped her in his arms, Jenny couldn't believe that these two amazing people were willingly part of her life.


"Mom, have you seen my binder?"

Jenny swore softly at the close proximity of Carly's voice, and as she straightened up from her position on the bed, she frowned.

"You mean the one with all your eating disorder related pictures?"

Carly nodded.

"Yeah, that one. I was talking to Evan and she wants to burn it."

Jenny shook her head.

"Tell Evan she's too late. We threw it out. Didn't seem safe to have it in the house."

"Are you mad at me for having it?"

Jenny patted the spot next to her on the mattress, moving over to give her room to sit, and as Carly joined her on the bed, the redhead placed her hand on her knee.

"I'm not mad at you for having it. I'm a little disappointed that you hid it from me, though. You and I don't keep secrets from each other. Or at least I thought we didn't."

Carly sighed.

"I'd had it since before I met Doctor Mallard. I just...I didn't feel right getting rid of it. Not until I went to...well, you know. I didn't know what to do about it. I thought you would be mad."

"Listen, Little One, I'm going to tell you something that I've been told quite a few times over the past month: this is an addiction. It's not going to go away overnight, so you have to just take it one day at a time."

Carly nodded, laying her head on Jenny's shoulder, and she smiled as she spoke next.

"Who told you that? Dad?"

Jenny nodded, looking at Carly with an amused expression.

"More than once."

"He's pretty smart, you know."

Jenny laughed.

"I know. But don't you dare tell him I told you that. We'll never hear the end of it."

Carly smiled, kissing her cheek gently.

"Your secret's safe with me, Mom."


A/N: Jenny's nightmare was inspired by one that I had this past week...not fun. And poor Jen...she still has so far to go...