The Riddle
- Chapter 7: Losing You -
"JEN!"
"It's fine," came the whispered response and Gibbs felt his heart constrict.
"DiNozzo cover! Ziva make sure NCIS is locked down, the Director's been shot." The rest of the team snapped into action, Tony and Ziva keeping their weapons trained behind Gibbs and the Director.
"Boss I don't see anyone," DiNozzo said searching the area with his eyes.
"He doesn't want to be seen!" Gibbs however was more surprised that Jenny was still walking. They made their way over to the truck where Ducky was waiting having left the body to find his kit.
"Director you should go to a hospital, but I'll see about getting that bullet out now." Ziva approached and gave Jenny a slight smile.
"Hurt as bad as last time?" She inquired trying to keep the Director's spirits up.
"Hardly," Jenny bluffed. "I'm starting to think they know to shot my right shoulder."
"Ziva you got something you want to share?" Gibbs inquired giving his famous glare. He saw the look that passed between the two women and he knew he would only be getting half the story.
"The Director was shot in the exact same place when were in
"Ziva can you help the Director out of her jacket," Ducky requested knowing Jenny would refuse any help from Gibbs. Ziva did as instructed and they could see the blood seeping through. Gibbs removed his knife and turned her long sleeve shirt into a sleeveless one giving Ducky access to the wound. Gibbs heard Ducky's quick intake. "My dear Jennifer, whoever stitched you up last time did not even do it properly. I assure you this should not as noticeable a scar."
"Thank you Ducky, I'm glad you're considering my vanity in all of this," Jenny replied with a smile before fixing a stern glare on Ziva. Gibbs caught Ziva's subtle nod and knew that those scars had more a story.
When the whole team finally returned to Headquarters it was well know that Gibbs and Jenny were playing the silent game with one another. Gibbs ordered the security stepped up and was just about to lead Jenny up to MTAC when Abby appeared.
The young Goth looked panicked that seemed to turn to relief and than back to panic when she saw Jenny cradling her injured arm. Jenny knew the moment her daughter had slipped into a façade. Abby marched right over and took the offered bullet from Ziva and gave a sidelong glance at her mother.
"Abby, I'm fine," Jenny reassured.
"I know, I just..."
"It'll be okay, Abby," Jenny said and that seemed to do the trick.
"McGee, Tony, Ziva you three rotate watching Abby. She doesn't go anywhere with one of you." As Gibbs continued to give out orders, Jenny attempted to slip quickly away to her office. She felt Gibbs' hand enclose her good arm and knew it was useless.
"I can make it to my office," She snipped.
"You're not going there." He turned to lead her back to the elevator. "DiNozzo, I want an update in an hour!"
"Yes Boss," DiNozzo answered as the door closed. They rode in silence until Jenny realized they were going back to her house. When they pulled in the driveway he glanced around and grabbed his gun before getting out. She followed and began to get annoyed as he proceeded to check every room in her house.
"They aren't stupid Agent Gibbs," She said loudly. "The won't attack me here."
"Can't be too sure."
"Fine, than Ziva being here, should be a comfort!"
"I told Ziva to watch Abby..."
"And I told her she could take the last watch!" Jenny countered and Gibbs simply ignored it.
"You should change your clothes, that bandage needs to be changed." She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.
"I don't need to be told how to deal with injuries. Nor do I need your help, get out!"
"Not a chance, you may not think they will attack here but..."
"I have no illusions of this will end, so get out," She retained her anger and he rolled his eyes.
"And leave you unprotected?" At that she pulled her gun and in her left hand shot the frame behind him. He seemed somewhat surprised but not too terribly irritated.
"Still think I can't protect myself?" She snapped. Gibbs heard the front door open and saw Ziva enter.
"Jenny, are you alright?"
"Ziva," Jenny responded. She walked to the front door and held it open. "Agent Gibbs was just leaving!" Gibbs barley glanced at her as he left. If she wanted to get herself killed, fine. Well maybe not fine, he thought. He knew no matter how much she was driving him insane, he loved her and he was almost positive she was doing the anger kick to push everyone away, to protect them. He returned to his house and gathered the albums and journals Abby had brought him.
He flipped open Jenny's journal and reread the last entry. He didn't really understand her logic, she wanted her family back and yet she didn't want to give him a chance. She would rather sacrifice herself and stay angry than to consider the possibilities if they worked through this together. Finally deciding he was wasting time he got in the car and drove to Johanna's house. It was possible that she might have some insight into her ‘sister's' mind. Johanna answered on the first knock.
"Jethro."
"Johanna, I told her," Gibbs admitted. Johanna shook her head and moved aside to let him in. As if I didn't already know that.
"I figured as much, you never did listen to anything but that gut of yours."
"Johanna I needed to know, Kelley and Shannon were everything to me." Again, Johanna thought, tell me something I don't know.
"And Abby and Jenny?"
"Are also everything," he answered.
"Of course Jethro," Johanna sighed not particular convinced. He held out a bag of books to her.
"I thought maybe you could give her those for me, when you see her next. I don't think she'd look at me without shooting."
"As well she should. She doesn't need someone to baby her Jethro. She needs an equal." Johanna placed the journals and albums on the coffee table and retrieved another book from a shelf. "You know Jethro, it's not just the three of you that are being affected."
He opened the album to discover pictures of him, his team, and Jenny. Many of them were just random shots, some were newspaper clippings, but they all had his family in them.
"I missed them for so many years and than I met Jen and it...it was the same happiness I thought I'd never have again," Gibbs explained and Johanna listened. This was not classic Gibbs ignore the feelings, this was the man her sister had loved. "And now that I know, she doesn't even want to give us a chance."
"Jethro, Jenny has been protecting everyone on her own for quite some time. She can't risk her heart and her life. She's suffered enough, and it's not going to go away anytime soon."
"Suffered...is that were the scars came from?"
"Scars?" Johanna echoed confused. What scars? "I don't know about Jenny having scars."
"Her back, Ziva said something about
"Jethro I don't know!"
"Johanna you know, you just won't tell me."
"You can think that, but I don't know," Johanna snapped back.
"Will you look into it?" Jethro questioned.
"Look into it?"
"Find out, Jenny talks to you. She mentioned it in her journal."
"You read her journal?" Johanna gasped suddenly aware of just how thin the walls in her house were. Oh god, please be asleep.
"Abby gave me them."
"And they don't tell you about the scars?"
"If they did, would I be asking?" Johanna conceded that point. "So you'll look into it?"
"She will NOT!" A voice sounded from the stairs, both Johanna and Jethro turned to see Jenny standing on them. Johanna glanced between the two who were having a glaring match.
"Well I'll just leave you two alone," Johanna said moving out of the hallways.Coward, Jenny thought.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jenny demanded stepping off the stairs to be toe to toe with him.
"Trying to get answers, why aren't you at your house?"
"Please, I didn't actually think you'd show up here," Jenny answered.
"You shouldn't have left Ziva."
"Ziva gave me a ride and than went to guard Abby elsewhere."
"So I guess you do need help with those wounds," Gibbs remarked smugly.
"Not from you," Jenny assured her attitude not much better from earlier.
"Jen just..."
"Don't Jen me, I don't need this," She bit back. The ringing of his phone distracted him and he glanced briefly at her to make sure she wouldn't flee before answering.
"Yea Gibbs."
"Agent Gibbs, do tell me how Director Shepard is enjoying her reminder?" Gibbs instantly recognized Trent Kourt's voice. "Have the scars healed yet?"
"You want to come in and tell us why?" The phone line went dead and he cursed, dialing another number. "McGee."
"Yes Boss?"
"Trace the last call to my cell phone and call me when got a location, top priority!" He snapped his phone shut and turned to Jenny who had moved into another room. He grabbed her good shoulder and held her in place.
"What?"
"Kourt asked me how that reminder was, you wanna tell me where those scars are from?"
"No I don't." She moved away again but teetered and he moved to catch her falling body.
"Jen! Jenny!" He called louder drawing Johanna back into the room. She was surprised to see Jethro holding her ‘sister'.
"What happened?"
"She passed out." Gibbs moved up the stairs and Johanna followed, detouring briefly to grab a robe from her room. "Her bandages need to be changed."
"I'll change her clothes, you can wait outside." Gibbs looked slightly uncomfortable but did step out of the room. "Oh Jenny, what you do to him," Johanna sighed removing her friend's clothing and putting the robe on backwards so the opening was at her back. She turned Jenny onto her good side and starred at the scars for a brief moment. "Jethro."
Gibbs reentered with bandages and a first aid kid only to freeze upon seeing Jenny's scarred back. He regained his emotions and moved to the bed. Johanna left unable to see anymore of the blood and knowing that the two needed privacy.
Jethro studied the scars that filled his one time lover's back. He knew none of them had been there six years ago, but they were still old. He could tell she'd had some surgery to cover them up but even that was not enough. He carefully removed the blood soaked bandage and replaced it with a new one. He carefully ran his hand lightly down her back and felt her stir.
"Jen?" He called softly wrapping an arm around her. "Jenny, can you hear me?"
Jenny fluttered her eyes open and glanced slightly behind her to find Jethro sitting beside her. She let her mind catch up to what had put her in this situation and found a mix of surprise and anger well up inside. She was surprised he was there, not fighting with her, but caring for her. The anger came from not wanting to be babied, not wanting him to be there. Every time he was that close to her, her heart fluttered. She couldn't get involved, not when she had to protect him and their child.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Keeping you alive." She felt him lie down beside and rolled on her stomach to look at him. She found him starring off at the ceiling. She pushed herself up on her good side to look at him. Her mind went back to
"You can't stop this. If Kourt wants to kill me, he will."
"He said he gave you those scars," he mentioned and heard her sigh.
"He did."
"When?"
"A long time ago," she answered somewhat defensively.
"When he was sent to take care of those loose ends," he half asked, half stated. Jenny did not respond. Jethro moved her slightly so she resting half on him, her shoulder now elevated and he wrapped his arms around her. To his surprise she didn't shrug the off or resist. "I can't lose you again," he whispered. She felt tears in her eyes again and felt his kiss on her forehead. Perhaps, he thought, this is what we need.