A/N: I hope you're all doing well! My work schedule has recently changed, so my updates will be a bit more random, but don't worry, we're nearing the end! I hope everyone enjoys this next one!
Gibbs
Though there was nothing to suggest that she was joking, Gibbs knew she had to be. There was no other explanation for the words that had just come from Jennifer Shepard's mouth, and he stared at her, waiting for the punchline. When she didn't offer one, his expression changed, silently asking her if she had lost her mind, and he frowned, blinking.
"What?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Let's get married this weekend," she repeated, as though it were the most obvious choice in the world.
"Um..." he trailed off, rendered speechless by her suggestion.
"What's the sense in waiting?" she asked, stretching her legs across his languidly, "Face it, Jethro: my health isn't getting any better, Ducky's is touch-and-go at this point, we both know that we aren't looking for anyone else, there's no reason to drag it out."
It was such a drastic shift from the Jenny who had once so vehemently refused his proposals, so different from the woman who had basically sworn off marriage her entire life that he wondered if perhaps she was rushing this decision simply because she was scared and not because she truly wanted it. He stared at her, trying to find the right words to voice this opinion, and when he merely shook his head, she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Don't tell me you've changed your mind, Leroy Jethro."
"No, but...Jen, are you sure about this? You said yourself that you'd never even considered marriage before now, and suddenly you want to jump in the deep end?"
He didn't know what had suddenly caused her to rush into this, but he certainly wasn't about to idly stand by while she potentially ruined their lives.
"Not to mention, it takes a lot of planning for a wedding. You'd need to get Carly a dress, yourself a dress if you plan on wearing one, I'd need to get a suit..."
Actually, now that he thought about it, he was sure that he still had a suit. He'd worn one to the cemetery when he'd come home from Kuwait...
"I know it wouldn't be easy, but we could manage it. I just don't want to wait, and I didn't think you were having any kind of second thoughts," Jenny answered, her tone almost accusatory.
Gibbs shook his head, quickly backtracking.
"I haven't," he told her honestly, "but I feel like there's something here that you're not telling me."
Jenny shook her head, looking at him as though this were the most obvious course of action they could have taken.
"I just don't want to miss my chance, Jethro. Ducky might not survive another heart attack, and all the statistics show that once you've had one, you're likely to have another one soon after."
Suddenly, he understood and he moved closer, placing his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Ducky's going to be fine," he told her, "He's been resting at home for nearly a month now. I know you want him to walk you down the aisle, and he's going to. Don't worry."
"It isn't just that," she said, pulling out of his hold, her hair beginning to fall from the ponytail she'd put it in that morning, "I just...you wouldn't understand."
He frowned, shaking his head, fighting against the frustration he could feel building.
"Try me."
She sighed, walking father away.
"Just forget I mentioned it. It doesn't matter."
Okay, now he was angry. He took a step forward, grabbing her by the arm, and when she winced at the pressure, he didn't acknowledge it.
"Wait just a god damned minute," he said, his irritation clear, "You don't get to spring something like this on me and then change your mind because the conversation didn't go the way you wanted. I told you a long time ago that I'm not going to let you use me as your personal punching bag, and that hasn't changed. Tell me what's going on."
She didn't answer, but her eyes never left his hand, still gripping her arm tightly.
"Jenny! Answer me."
"Let go," she said quietly, her voice shaking slightly.
"Not until you give me a straight answer."
She attempted to pull away and he unconsciously tightened his hold, dimly registering somewhere in his mind that he could see genuine fear in her eyes.
"Just tell me what's going on."
Again, she tried to pull away and this time when his fingers tightened, she shoved him as hard as she could, wrenching free from his grip. It didn't even register that she had slapped him across the face until he felt the blood begin to pool in his cheek and when he took a step closer to her, she automatically backed away.
"Jen—"
"Don't fucking touch me," she whispered.
He closed his mouth, staying where he was, and when she left him alone in the room seconds later, it was to an empty house and the incredibly loud sound of his own thoughts screaming at him.
What had he done?
Shepard
As she drove through the dark streets, Jenny took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm her racing pulse. It dimly occurred to her, as she passed streetlight after streetlight, that she didn't have the slightest idea of where she was going. She was merely turning whenever the notion struck her, pretending that she didn't notice the way her hands were shaking even though she was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that it hurt.
How could she have been so fucking stupid? Not only had she completely thrown Gibbs for a loop, she had actually hit him. As hard as she tried, she simply couldn't make sense of that one. She knew, as certainly as she knew her own name, that he would have never hurt her, so why had she reacted that way? It made absolutely no sense for her to be afraid of him, Gibbs of all people, and yet somehow, for some reason, she had been.
Carefully, she released her right hand from the steering wheel to wipe the tears from her face, and halfway to her face, she froze. This was the hand she had used to slap Gibbs. Even as it registered n her mind, she still regarded it with a sense of disbelief. She had never hit someone in a personal setting, and especially not the man she had agreed to marry. She'd never even considered it, not even for one moment.
What the fuck was wrong with her?
Gibbs
Even as he dialed her number again, he knew that he was wasting his time. Clearly, Jenny didn't want to speak to him, but it didn't do a damn thing to ease his worry. He briefly debated calling Carly, but he didn't want to upset her, especially since it was highly unlikely that she had any more information than he did. This night was turning into a massive failure by any standard of measurement, if he did say so himself.
He sighed, sitting down on the couch and running his hand through his hair, letting his fingers linger for a moment on the spot where Jenny had slapped him earlier. How could he have been so stupid as to think that she (or anyone, for that matter) would react well to being restrained against her will? He knew she hadn't meant to hit him, knew she had acted out of fear, but he also knew that he had deserved it. He honestly couldn't have said if he would have reacted differently had the roles been reversed. That wasn't important, however. Right now, the only thing that mattered was whether or not she was safe. He supposed she could have gone to see Ducky, but somehow he doubted it. That really only left one other person, and as he picked up his phone again, he sighed, hoping somehow luck would be on his side.
"Hello?"
"Jack, it's Jethro. I know it's late, but...you haven't heard from Jenny recently, have you?"
"No, not today. Why? Is something wrong?"
Gibbs sighed, unsure of how much he should tell him.
"Had a fight and she...she kind of panicked."
"Panicked? Panicked how?" Jack asked, his confusion almost palpable.
Damn, he really didn't want to get into this right now...
"She hit me and then left. I haven't seen her since. That was..." he glanced at his watch quickly, "two hours ago. I have no idea where she is, and she isn't answering her phone."
Jack whistled, low in his ear.
"Damn. She hit you? Must have been some fight."
Gibbs rolled his eyes, fighting to keep his annoyance in check. He hadn't called Jack to gossip, for Christ's sake.
"Look, could you just call her? I don't care if she doesn't want to talk to me. I just want to make sure she's safe."
"Sure, Jethro. I'll call you back as soon as I can."
"Thanks."
"Sure thing."
The silence that hung in the air after the call had ended was so thick that he nearly choked on it, making him close his eyes as he waited to hear the phone ring again. He didn't care if she simply told him to fuck himself, as long as he knew nothing had happened to her. There was no way he could handle the thought of that.
God damn it, what was taking so long?
Shepard
Blinking in the rain that had begun falling some time in the last half hour, Jenny sighed as she pulled her car into an empty parking lot, frowning as she tried to get her bearings. The low vibration of her phone alerted her to another call, and she didn't so much as glance at it. She wasn't in the mood to talk to Gibbs right now, and she laid her head on the steering wheel tiredly. Without even realising it, she reached out and turned off the car, listening to the sound of the raindrops on the metal frame, and when she stepped out into the darkness, she leaned against it heavily.
It occurred to her suddenly that she did, in fact, know where she was, and as she looked around at the empty park, she took a deep breath. There was a bench close to where she had parked and she carefully made her way towards it, always making sure to check her surroundings. She knew she should probably care that her clothing was sticking to her, that the rain had made it significantly colder than it had been an hour ago, but she simply didn't have it in her.
Sinking down onto the bench, she closed her eyes, tipping her head back and allowing the water to soak into her hair, skin, and clothing, breathing in the distinct scent of raindrops. She didn't even realise that she was shaking, and even if she had, she would have had no way of knowing the cause. She couldn't have told anyone the moment she began crying, but now that she had started, she couldn't seem to stop.
"Come on, Jenny," she muttered to herself, "Get your shit together. You can't spend the night in a god damned park."
The words had little effect on her tears, in fact seeming to do the opposite of stopping them, and as she leaned forward, cradling her head in her hands, she simply gave in to them. She couldn't go home, there was no way Gibbs would want anything to do with her, she couldn't go to Carly (too ashamed of how this had all played out), couldn't go to Ducky (too sick), and she didn't think she trusted herself to drive safely to a hotel. Not yet, anyway.
What was she going to do?
Gibbs
He answered his phone halfway through the first ring, having been holding it in his hands from the moment he had called Jack, and as he did so, he (however foolishly) prayed that it would be Jenny on the other end.
"Gibbs."
"Jethro, it's Jack."
His heart sank, though realistically he'd known that if Jenny were going to call, she would have done so by now.
"What did she say?"
Jack sighed, the sound much heavier than he would have liked.
"I didn't talk to her. I called her about four times and she never answered. It went to voicemail each time, and I left her a message to call me back, but I haven't heard anything. I know that wasn't the answer you were hoping for, and I'm sorry."
If his heart had been in his stomach before, it now crashed to the floor. He would have bet money that Jenny would have at least answered Jack's call.
"Son of a bitch," he whispered.
"Have you tried Carly? She might have gone to see her or..."
"She's working tonight," Gibbs said (somewhat harshly), "S'why I didn't call her. Don't want her to worry."
"Is there anywhere you can think of that she might have gone? Her old house? Ducky's? DiNozzo's? Work?"
He had already considered these places as a possibility and now that he knew she wasn't answering anyone's calls, they were all next on his list.
"Gonna try them next. I was waiting to hear back from you."
"Okay," Jack said quietly, "Let me know as soon as you know something. I'm starting to get worried."
Gibbs nodded, forgetting briefly for a moment that Jack couldn't see him,
"Me too," he sighed.
He hung up without another word, taking a breath to steady himself, and it wasn't until he began dialing again that he noticed how badly his hands were shaking.
Shepard
It took her much longer than she would have admitted to notice that someone was walking towards her, but when she finally did, she automatically tensed, preparing to defend herself if necessary. Somewhere in her mind, it clicked that the figure in front of her was vaguely familiar, though she would have been hard-pressed to tell anyone how she knew that, and she frowned as her eyes tried to focus in the darkness and rain.
"Jenny?"
Wait. She knew that voice.
"Evan? What are you doing out here?"
"I could ask you the same question," Evan replied, looking at her in confusion, "I was on my way home from work and I saw someone sitting on the bench. I stopped to see if they needed any help. So...do you need any help? Why are you sitting out here in the dark, getting soaked to the bone?"
Jenny shrugged, hardly able to find the energy to hold her head up.
"I needed to think," she answered weakly.
"And you chose to do that at..." Evan checked her watch, "2am in the middle of a thunderstorm?"
Evan gestured to the open space next to her, silently asking permission to sit, and Jenny nodded, looking at her warily from the corner of her eye.
"Is everything okay?"
Jenny laughed, the sound bitter even to her own ears.
"No, Evan," she said tiredly, "Everything is very, very far from okay."
The silence between them suddenly felt very heavy and Jenny sighed, trying (and failing) to push her rain-soaked hair from her face.
"Do you..." Evan paused, looking at her seriously, "do you want to talk about it? I don't mind listening. It's not like I have anything better to do right now. Landon's sleeping and Carls is probably studying."
Considering the younger girl for a moment, Jenny shook her head. She certainly did not want to confide in a girl young enough to be her daughter. Who was, in fact, her daughter's best friend. That crossed a boundary that she hadn't even known she had. Evan nodded but stayed where she was, turning her gaze to the empty park in front of them. Closing her eyes, Jenny focused her attention on the sound of the rain, of the way she could smell the storm building around her, and for a moment, for the first time in months, her mind was blissfully silent.
"You know," Evan said quietly, "when I'm feeling overwhelmed and don't know what my next move should be, I stop and take a few minutes to focus on my heartbeat. To really feel the way my lungs expand when they fill with air. To think about the fact that my breath moves the air for all of eternity. Whether I feel like it or not, my existence does affect the universe, even if it is in a small way. And when I feel like I've made a mistake, I just remind myself that everything I've done in my life has led me to this moment. Every choice I make, I do it with good reason. It may not work out the way I want it to, but it works out the way that it's supposed to for who I'm ultimately going to be."
Jenny said nothing, and Evan continued.
"Sometimes, shitty things happen. Sometimes for no apparent reason. But it helps us grow, helps us hopefully become better people. That doesn't mean that it won't hurt like hell, but if we give up now, we'll never know what could have been. It might be shitty, or it could be incredible. But the end result isn't really the point. The point is the journey that you take. No one makes it through life alive, so you have to make the most of the time you have."
Evan laughed, though Jenny didn't think she was really meant to notice.
"I know that all sounds like hippie "free love" bullshit, but it's true. You have to make the choice, whatever it is, and do it for the right reasons. Even if it's hard."
She knew there was no way Evan could see her given the direction she was facing, but Jenny nodded anyway. Maybe she had a point, after all.
Gibbs
After downing his fifth cup of coffee since Jenny had left, Gibbs was feeling more than a little on edge, and he knew that was due in part to the copious amount of caffeine currently coursing through his veins. He slowly made his way into the kitchen, his phone held tightly in his right hand just in case Jenny called, his coffee mug clutched in his left. The weather had become unbelievably bad, rain pouring down in sheets so thick that he could hardly see his truck in the driveway from the window, and he sighed as he poured the last of the coffee into his cup.
It was so hot that it scorched his tongue, but he didn't really notice, too lost in his own head to comprehend it. He walked back into the living room, illuminated for a fraction of a second by the lightning, and as his eyes passed over the window, it suddenly registered that there was movement in the front yard. Placing his cup on the coffee table, he stared out the window, peering through the rain, hoping for another flash of lightning. Finally, his wish was granted, and as the sky lit up, he realised that he recognised the figure outside.
Bolting for the door, he threw it open, not even caring that he was barefoot, not caring that he was instantly soaked through, and ran out onto the front porch. He hadn't even heard her car over the storm, but he knew without a doubt that it was her.
"Jen!"
As quickly as he could without falling, he ran down the steps, stopping just in front of her, and when she looked up at him, he wasn't surprised to see the tears in her eyes.
"Are you out of your god damned mind?" he asked, a slightly hysterical laugh falling from his lips.
She didn't answer, merely reaching up to touch his face, her fingers resting on the exact place she had hit him and shook her head slowly.
"Jethro, I—I'm so sor—"
He crashed his mouth onto hers as hard as he could, his left hand tangling in her wet hair, his right holding her body as close as humanly possible. His tongue tasted every corner of her mouth, his lungs screaming for air after nearly a full minute, and he finally released her, his eyes finding hers immediately.
"Are you fucking insane?" he demanded, his voice betraying his worry, "You had me worried to death!"
Still, she said nothing, and while he could see that there was clearly something on her mind, he certainly wasn't going to stand here in the middle of a thunderstorm waiting for her to figure it out. He turned, walking back towards the house, and shook his head slightly. What in the hell was—
"I want to marry you while I still have the strength to walk."
Jenny's voice was just loud enough to be heard over the torrent of rain, and it stopped him dead in his tracks, trying to figure out just what the hell she was talking about. He turned, looking at her as though he'd never seen her before, and frowned.
"What?"
"I said, I—"
"I heard you," he inadvertently snapped, "What are you talking about?"
She flinched slightly, though he didn't know if it was due to his tone or the loud rumble of thunder that chose that moment to crash over them.
"Every day, I have to force my body to cooperate and get out of bed. And every day it gets harder and harder," she explained, blinking rain out of her eyes, "There are days that I can't. And it's happening more and more as time goes on. I don't want to have to be pushed down the aisle in a wheelchair like something out of a sappy teen romance novel. I want our wedding to be the best day of my life, not overshadowed by this bullshit."
He watched her for a moment, still trying to make every piece of this puzzle fit together, and there was something that didn't fit, something that bothered him more than anything else.
"Why were you afraid of me?"
"What?" she asked, her voice betraying her exhaustion.
"Before you left," he clarified, "When I grabbed your arm. You were scared of me. Don't even try to deny it, I saw it in your eyes."
She shook her head, and her response was so quiet that he missed it due to the storm.
"Jenny?"
"I don't want you to hate me," she repeated, her eyes on the ground.
"Jen...please?"
"I..." she paused, taking a slow breath, "I didn't tell you everything...about my past, I mean."
He took a step closer, watching her carefully, and suddenly he knew.
"Who was it, Jen?"
"Derek," she answered, so softly that he had to read her lips to understand, "He...any time we had an argument, or even just a general disagreement, he...I started working more to avoid him, I didn't even tell DiNozzo we were dating because I knew he would ask too many questions."
He suddenly remembered DiNozzo's remark about her being single the very first time he'd ever heard her voice through the wall and it all began to fall into place.
"Is there a reason you're knocking on my door at 02:45, Agent DiNozzo?"
"Sorry, Shep. We got a call, and your phone was off. I tried calling."
"Did it ever occur to you that my phone was turned off for a reason? Sleep, for example."
"I know. It's just that—"
"Forget it. Give me five minutes."
"Think I know why you're single," he muttered, "You're downright bitchy in the morning."
It hit him like a freight train, and he looked at her slowly, noticing for the first time that she was shaking.
"How many times did he hit you?"
She shrugged.
"I lost count."
Gibbs walked back to her, tilting her head up and forcing her to meet his eyes, brushing her hair away from where it stuck to her face.
"I will never, ever hit you," he told her, "I swear to you. On Shannon and Kelly's graves, on mine, on everything I have."
"I know," she said softly, "I just...when you grabbed me, it brought everything back. I should have told you sooner. I panicked, and I...I didn't mean to hit you. I didn't even realise I'd done it. I am so fucking sorry."
"I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. Even if you didn't have that in your past, it wasn't right. I'm the one who is sorry, Jen."
She froze, staring at him as though he were a stranger, and he smiled, laughing quietly.
"Believe it or not, I am capable of apologising when it's warranted."
She threw her arms around him, her skin cold against his, and he held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her perfume, drastically diminished by the scent of the rain clinging to her.
"I love you," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear lightly.
He kissed her hair, burying his nose in the wet strands, and closed his eyes, smiling.
"I love you too, Jen."
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Gibbs led her towards the house, neither of them paying the slightest attention to the rain pouring around them.
Shepard
From the moment Carly walked out of the small room, Jenny knew she had made the correct decision. The long satin gown, such a deep burgundy that it was nearly black, fit her perfectly, falling just below her knees, with silver thread throughout, making it catch the light. Carly caught sight of her reflection and paused, reaching out to touch the mirror in front of her slowly.
"Woah..." she said softly, "Mom, is that...do I really look like that?"
Jenny frowned, unsure of what she meant.
"Like what?"
"I just...this dress is so gorgeous and...I actually feel like...maybe I look nice in it?"
Her voice rose at the end, clearly framing it as a question, and Jenny smiled, hugging her tightly.
"You look more than nice, Little One," she told her honestly, her voice warm, "You look absolutely stunning. You're going to make me look like shit."
Carly laughed, hugging her back just as hard.
"Mom, you're the bride. It's impossible for you to look like shit on your wedding day! Speaking of, we need to find your dress. Mine doesn't really matter. No one is going to be looking at me, anyway."
Jenny rolled her eyes, nodding towards the fitting room door.
"Well, hurry up then, kiddo. We don't have all day."
As it turned out, picking a wedding dress was more difficult than Jenny had anticipated, largely due to the fact that she rarely wore dresses at all. Skirts, yes. Dresses, not so much. Each one she tried felt as though she were being overshadowed by the mountains of white chiffon, lace, or satin, and she sighed as she stepped out of yet another failed prospect. She ran her hands over the racks, letting her fingers trail over the hangers, and when she sighed, she felt Carly look at her worriedly.
"Are you okay?"
"This is turning out to be more of a challenge that I previously expected," Jenny admitted, running her hand through her hair.
"Let's look at something a bit simpler. Maybe less...poofy."
Jenny nodded.
"I'm not big on the poof," she agreed with a laugh.
Flipping through the hangers, Jenny rolled her eyes as she passed over dress after dress, each one seemingly more poofy than the last, and when her fingers suddenly brushed over a thin lace sleeve, she paused. Pulling it from the rack, she examined it carefully, and held it up for Carly.
"What about this one?"
Carly frowned, looking at it seriously.
"I don't know," she said slowly, "Looks kinda...hippie-ish."
Remembering Evan's words from a few nights ago made Jenny laugh, and she shook her head.
"I'll give it a shot."
She carefully carried the dress into the fitting room, taking extra care of the thin lace as she stepped into it, and as she pulled it up her body, she smiled. She had expected that the dress would be uncomfortable (lace usually was), but it was surprisingly soft, and the long bell sleeves didn't make her feel as restricted as some of the other skin-tight ones had. The skirt was split in the front, falling together in a way that would make it easier to see the shoes she'd picked out, and the top of the dress was just low enough that she felt sexy without feeling immodest. It was an ivory/off-white shade, which in her opinion suited her better than stark white, and she knew as soon as she looked in the mirror that she'd fallen in love.
Carly's eyes widened when she stepped out of the room and she smiled, shaking her head rapidly.
"Okay, I take back everything I said! Mom, you have to get it! It's like it was made for you! Oh, my God, you look incredible!"
Jenny smiled, giving Carly a small hug, careful not to damage the dress. She had to agree with her, it fit as though it had been made just for her, and she couldn't have been happier.
The sound of Gibbs' alarm blaring through the quiet of the early morning shattered Jenny's tenuous hold on sleep and she glared at him as he shut it off. She tried to swing her legs over the edge of the bed, feeling more than a little annoyed when they didn't do as she wanted, and she rolled her eyes as she tried again. Still, her legs did little more than twitch with her attempts and she fought to keep her growing panic under control. It wasn't until twenty minutes had passed and she could hear Gibbs downstairs in the kitchen that she truly allowed it to take over, and she felt her breath catch in her throat.
"Jethro?"
At first, she wasn't sure if he'd heard her, but a few seconds later, she heard his footsteps on the stairs and when he walked in, his eyes were downcast, focused on not spilling the coffee in his hand.
"Yeah?"
"I can't stand."
He looked at her finally, placing his cup on the dresser, and he held out his hand. She took it, wincing as he pulled her upright, and when he maneuvered her legs to help her stand, she flinched at the sharp pain.
"Jen?"
"Do it," she told him, "If you stop now, I'll never have the nerve to go through with it."
He nodded, hooking her arm around his neck, and as he lifted her to her feet, she leaned against him heavily.
"You still with me?"
Jenny nodded, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Any word from SecNav?"
She knew exactly what he was asking, and shook her head.
"Not yet. I'm hoping by the end of the week."
Gibbs kissed her forehead, cautiously letting his grip relax, and when she was finally able to stand on her own, she gave him a tired but sarcastic look.
"This shit is for the birds," she quipped.
"Never did know what that meant," he said with a laugh.
Come to think of it, neither did she, Jenny realised as she began to get dressed.
"Shepard."
Jenny hoped, as she picked up her desk phone, that she didn't sound as out of breath as she felt.
"Director, SecNav is on line one. Would you like me to put him through?"
Jenny sighed.
"Yes, Cynthia. And would you join me in my office?"
"Of course, Director."
This girl is a saint, Jenny thought, waiting until the door had opened to reach for the phone. She gestured for Cynthia to sit as she placed the call on speaker-phone, and took a deep breath.
"Good afternoon, Secretary Danzing."
"Good afternoon, Jennifer. I trust you're doing well?"
Jenny laughed.
"That depends entirely on the nature of this conversation," she answered honestly.
He laughed, making her feel more at ease, and she slightly relaxed the death-grip she currently had on the edge of her desk.
"Yes, I imagine so. I'm happy to report that your request has been approved, provided that you can provide written documentation of your condition signed by a medical professional."
Jenny completely let go of the desk, the relief so strong that for a moment she couldn't speak, and she finally nodded, remembering that he was expecting an answer.
"Absolutely, sir. I'll have it faxed as soon as we're finished here."
"Perfect. I'm happy that we were able to reach this decision. You've excelled in your position here and I would have hated to lose you."
"Thank you, sir. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."
"You're welcome, Jennifer. I hate to cut this conversation so short, but I really must be getting to my next meeting."
After thanking him one last time, Jenny ended the call, simply staring at the phone in shock for a moment, and it wasn't until she heard Cynthia's soft voice that she even remembered her presence.
"Director? Jenny?"
She met the younger girl's eyes, her hand shaking.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Send Agent Gibbs to my office, please."
Cynthia smiled.
"Of course. I'm so happy for you."
Gibbs
Receiving a summons to Jenny's office this late in the day couldn't be good. This, at least, was what he was telling himself as he made the journey up the stairs, offering Cynthia a dry smile as he passed her desk. He threw open the large silver door, surprised to find Jenny standing beside her desk, her hands gripping the edge in an effort to stay standing.
"You wanted to see me?"
She nodded, and he noticed in the harsh back light from the window behind her just how pale she was. He moved closer, prepared to catch her should she fall, and when she released her hold on the desk, she tumbled into his chest, her fingers latching onto his jacket.
"Sit down," he told her gently.
"No, I...I want to stand as long as I can," she told him, making him curse her pride.
He was tempted to tell her that it wouldn't help her if she pushed herself too far, but then he remembered something he had once learned in school. Something about bodies in motion staying in motion and bodies at rest...hell, that had been ages ago.
"SecNav called me today," she said, her voice slightly breathless, "They approved the request. Jethro, I get to keep my job."
"You were never in danger of losing it," he reminded her, "Not from them."
She nodded, and he could tell that she was getting dizzy just from the haphazard way her head had moved.
"I know, but now it's not an issue."
"That's great, Jen. Really. But I think you need to sit down before you pass out."
Without waiting for a response, he helped her over to the couch up against the wall, and when they sat down, he pulled her into his arms, running his fingers lightly over the skirt she'd chosen to wear.
"You know," she said, her voice tired but bright, "there is one good thing about all of this."
He raised his eyebrow, looking down at her with a smile.
"Hm?"
"I haven't purged in almost an entire month."
His smile grew as he pulled her closer, kissing her cheek.
"I'm so proud of you, Jen."
"Then I'll never need anything else in the world," she said softly, reaching for his hand.
Before he could second-guess himself, Gibbs tossed three sealed envelopes on the desks of each of his agents, ignoring the confused looks they all shared, and when DiNozzo's curiosity finally got the better of him, he tore it open, his eyes scanning the contents quickly.
"Wait..." he began slowly, staring from the team leader to the paper held in his hand, "You're getting married this weekend?"
He merely stared at the younger agent in response, and when McGee and Ziva both opened their own invitations, he had to fight the temptation to laugh.
"What's the rush? I thought the fearless leader didn't want to jump into anything."
Gibbs shrugged.
"Wasn't my idea," he said honestly.
While this was true, after seeing the way Jenny had struggled to stand the entire day and knowing how she felt about it, he had decided that maybe she had a point. He'd made the invitations at the spur of the moment (with help from a certain Goth), called Jack to let him know the change of plans, and he hadn't even informed Jenny of his decision. He hoped that wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass...
"Who's your Best Man?" McGee asked curiously.
"Jack," Gibbs answered, "Carly is Maid of Honour. Evan's providing music, and Eric is supplying the food."
"What about booze?" DiNozzo asked.
"Abby," was the short reply.
Already, he was beginning to re-think this. Maybe this wasn't the best idea...
If he had any doubts about proceeding with the wedding, they were quickly wiped away that evening when he was left with no other choice but to carry Jenny from her office. He knew just from one look in her eyes that while she might have physically been able to stand, the pain was so severe that she couldn't have taken more than a few steps. He swept her up easily into his arms, nodding discreetly at Cynthia as they passed, confirming her attendance at the upcoming wedding, and as they stepped into the elevator, he carefully placed Jenny on her feet.
"By the way, Jen...I hope you were serious about getting married this weekend."
She frowned, her tired mind clearly not following his train of thought.
"Getting marr—are you serious?!"
He nodded, picking her up as the silver doors slid open, and as they walked to the parking lot, he could feel her staring at him.
"Put me down."
He ignored her, walking to his truck, and she lightly smacked his arm.
"Put. Me. Down." she repeated firmly.
He did as he was told, though he still kept an arm around her waist, and she searched his eyes, looking for any sign that he was joking.
"You really mean it?"
"Yep. Handed out the invitations this afternoon."
She frowned.
"Invitations? We don't have—"
"Got a little help from Abs. Everyone has already confirmed that they're coming."
"Everyone?"
"Yeah," he said with a smile, "My team, Abby, Ducky, Jack, Eric, Carly, Evan. Even Cynthia."
She said nothing for so long that he wondered if she'd forgotten how to speak, and he relished this rare opportunity to see her at a loss for words.
"Jethro, I—" she paused, "Leroy Jethro Gibbs...you are the most amazing man I've ever known in my life."
He smiled, kissing her as he helped her up into the truck.
"Yeah, I know," he laughed, "So I hope you have a dress picked out."
Jenny laughed, shaking her head once before kissing his cheek.
"Oh, don't worry," she answered, reaching for his hand, "I bought it right after that storm."
Gibbs smiled as he put the truck in Drive, pulling carefully out onto the street and glancing at Jenny from the corner of his eye.
Damn, he loved thunderstorms.
A/N: I also love thunderstorms...
