The Manual
- Chapter 2: When I'm scared...
...protect me -
After he hung up the phone, a dazed look still on his face, he turned back to the journal. She had seemed surprised that he had called her, but had responded to the gesture nonetheless. He figured he'd keep it up for a week or so, seeing the reaction, and if it were a good one, he'd continue to do it. They had been the most passionate of lovers but on top of all that, they'd been close friends, and he missed the friend in her almost as much as the lover. If the phone calls opened up a line of communication, maybe they could have that friendship again. He was a total idiot and he knew that back then, he'd been able to deal better, cope better with different things then he did now, and part of it had been her friendship, certainly the other part had been that she would hold him and comfort him, but he cut those thoughts off. Flipping the page he found what he had thought was another entry but instead had been a continuation of the first.
When You're Time Runs Out
I didn't know if I was going to ever see my house again, my friends again, anything but that hanger ever again. I thought for sure I would be killed, left to die, alone. It was not exactly a comforting thought. I would rather go down guns blazing and all then withering away, but this was just a little to soon and close for comfort. Yes I know I have a dangerous job, yes I know there are people who want me dead, and yes I realize I could be killed at any moment, but I don't have to like it. I would never admit to being scared, it's a weakness I can't afford, but I was today. I fought back and lost, knew I wasn't going to get out alone, and to be perfectly honest, as happy as I was to see Ziva, that was not exactly the comfort I needed.
First thought that crossed my mind was where the hell was Jethro. It wasn't like him to let his agents do the work. The last time I had the unfortunate experience of being kidnapped, he'd come to rescue me and yes it was a little knight on white horse scenario, but it was comforting. When I realized something was wrong with the brother I was became even more frightened. My comfort, at least I wasn't going to die alone anymore, Ziva would most likely be shot with me. Not quite the person I'd die with but beggars can't be choosers. When you have a gun to your head, the only thought you can come across is, please don't let him miss. Headshot wounds are not pleasant. Of course bullets flying past your head, don't help on the keeping your calm front. I almost fainted there, till I realized who had fired the gun. It was oddly comforting to know I trusted him enough not to miss, even knowing how bad his eyesight was. He hadn't come over right away, checking first to make sure Dempsey was really dead, getting Tony out of the car, Ziva was the one who stood next to me and led me away to the car to sit for a moment, and cut the bonds that held my wrists. It was only after, when Gibbs handed Ziva the car keys and Tony sat up front that he gently placed me in the car and sat next to me.
I wasn't allowed to go back to my office, but instead dragged to see Ducky. All without a single word, just pressure on my arm and a look that I didn't quite recognize. Abby had pounced when she saw us, telling Gibbs that she knew it would be okay and he should listen to her more. Ducky said he would check over me, but I convinced him I was fine. Gibbs hovered. It was oddly comforting that at the end of it all he just walked me to his car, said to get in and drove me home. No questions asked, he picked up dinner and set it up on my kitchen table, didn't even ask me for anything. I wanted him to stay but I would be damned if I would say it, so perhaps it was a good thing he knows me so well. Knows that when I'm scared, I like to feel somewhat protected. He said he'd sleep on the couch, but I can hear him pacing outside my door, probably trying to figure out if he should come in or not. I'll put him out of his misery for now. It wouldn't be such a bad thing to just sit up and talk. It might be kinda nice...
Gibbs closed the book again thinking back to that night. He had been worried about her and knew her well enough to know she had been building up walls the second Ziva had led her to the car. She had berated herself in autopsy, seemingly surprised when he hadn't said anything. The truth was he didn't know what to say, all he had wanted to was hold her close and tell her it would all be all right, but that wasn't his place, so instead he just integrated himself into her evening. Took her home, bought her dinner, cleaned up so she could shower, and then guarded her from her room. He had noticed the light on and heard her as she moved about. He had almost knocked a few times but than was worried that she was simply tolerating this, that any sort of conversation would lead to confrontation, and he didn't want to leave her alone.
She had come out of her room acting surprised to see him; he knew she was aware of his pacing. She had said she was just getting a glass of water and asked him if he'd like anything to drink. He had jumped at that opportunity and volunteered to make her hot chocolate with all the trimmings. He hadn't even given her the option of saying no, just leading her down the stairs. He had by habit grabbed her wrist and felt her flinch. It was enough for him to be very worried and he had studied the rope burns before finding an ice pack and carefully wrapping it around both her wrist and putting the hot chocolate in a thermos so it would stay warm for her. They'd stayed up and just talked, mostly about cases, he had tried to tell her funny stories about Tony and the others but he wasn't a very good storyteller. They never talked about their past, although he realized it was a golden opportunity, but he hadn't wanted to press on her vulnerability that night. When she'd finally fallen asleep he had considered leaving her on the couch, but he wanted that one moment to assure himself she was okay. He had carried her to bed that night putting her down carefully and trying not to wake her. He'd watched her sleep before it became to painful and then left. It was only until he had made it all the way downstairs that he realized she was slightly awake. She had never said a word later, but the following morning had said thank you in that quiet, sweet voice, that she possessed and he knew it was more than just staying.
He wanted to the chance to do that over. To show he could protect her when she was scared. Of course that meant finding something she was afraid of and that might actually be harder than he thought.
---
It was curiously silent when he walked into the bullpen after his first coffee refill the next day. He hadn't seen Jenny all day, or Ziva for that matter, but she had left a message saying she would be in the afternoon and the Director had cleared it. Tony had of course made a few comments, McGee had taken the bait but McGee was also strangely melancholy. They didn't have any new work and Ducky and Abby hadn't called with any surprises so there was really not much to do but paperwork and bickering. He decided to wander upstairs and see the Director, if he was bored, he might as well bicker with someone worth bickering with, and Tony and McGee just didn't present enough of a challenge. He made it up the stairs and through the outer doors past Cynthia, who called out to him and into her office, which was empty.
"Where's the Director?"
"She isn't in yet."
"Has she called?"
"She said she'd be in this afternoon, if she was feeling better." He said nothing just hitting speed dial one on his phone, figuring he could win two points with her for two phone calls in the less than twelve hours.
"Shepard."
"You don't sound sick."
"Jethro?"
"Cynthia here says you're not feeling well."
"Yes, well actually...do you think you could come over to Abby's apartment?" She sounded hesitant.
"Abby's?"
"Um yea, I had to give her a ride."
"I'll be right there."
"And Jethro."
"Hm?"
"Thank you for calling." He smiled faintly, he would not compare it to a dog getting a treat, but that comment made him feel pretty damn good. There might actually be something said for this communication idea. He walked back down and called for Tony and McGee. "I'm going for coffee, finish your paperwork or else."
"But Boss..." WHACK. "Working Boss." Gibbs entered the elevator and drove over to Abby's apartment building. He carefully went up the stairs and found her apartment door unlocked. Cautiously he went in finding the main room empty.
"Jenny? Abby?"
"We're in here," Jenny called from the far door. He opened the bedroom door and spotted their reflection in the bathroom mirror. He went in and found up against the far wall. "Don't move past there," she cautioned.
"Ziva," Gibbs greeted spotting the Israeli trying to get the wall to eat her up. "Should you three be at work?"
"We officially have leave until we can get out of here, given by the Director," Ziva informed.
"Convenient, since she's right here. You two holding her hostage or something?"
"Or something," Jenny muttered.
"We're all being held hostage," Abby whined, "By the um...item in the bathtub." Gibbs leaned over but found a long black object.
"What is..." the hissing sound and the object slithering as two beady eyes met his and he froze. "A snake. You three are scared of a little garden snake."
"LITTLE?" Abby gasped. Gibbs stepped back as the snake stretched out.
"Okay not so little snake," Gibbs agreed. The snake slithered its head over the head and looked as if it were going to move toward the girls.
"Jethro..." Jenny whined. "Kill it!"
"If I fire a shot in here it's going to ricochet!" He snapped. "I'm guessing that's why you didn't fire!"
"My gun is in my purse, on the table!" She shot back. "Or I would ha...have..." she faded off as the snake moved again. "Jethro!"
"Just relax, okay, I'll get rid off it," he paused trying to figure out exactly how. "Abbs you got any bags."
"Hm...my bowling bag is a drawstring, it's in the closet but Gibbs..."
"What Abbs?"
"You can't go in my closet, your birthday present is there!"
"Abby really...snake in tub."
"No she's right all the presents are in there."
"What?"
"Well you know how to break into my house and Ziva doesn't have storage," Jenny explained.
"Really, I'll act surprised."
"No!" Abby whined again.
"Abbs its that, or your stuck."
"Just find something else!" Abby suggested. Gibbs sighed. He was not about to deal with three angry women later. He reached to the side of the snake keeping his eye on it.
"Jen, take the gun."
"What?"
"Take the gun, and you two duck. If it some much as twitches, shoot it." Jenny quickly grabbed it aiming it at the snake. "And try not to shoot me." Their laughter was what followed him from the room. He searched the living area finding nothing. He was not going to go through Abby's doors and paused at the closet when something on the nightstand next to the coffin caught his attention. Jenny's purse. He glanced at the bathroom for a second, desperate times, desperate measures, I'll buy her a new one, he promised himself, dumping the contents.
"Jethro?"
"Just a minute," he said. He came in and saw Jenny focused, gun aimed, finger on the trigger, the girls hiding behind her. He was surprised to find even Ziva hiding, but it was a big snake. "Okay, now just don't move and Abby you're going to want to close your eyes." The younger girl buried her head in Jenny's shoulder and Gibbs removed his knife. The snake had seemed to just curl up so he was just going to try and scoop it into the purse. He worked from the head first, pushing the remaining body, at least six feet, into the bag and zipped it shut quickly, hoping the damn thing would be squashed under its own body weight. "Okay, out now, go on." The two younger ones bolted for the door, Jenny moving behind them glancing back at him for a second before going out and he heard her gasp.
"Jethro?"
"What?"
"What bag are you using?" Jenny inquired and he could hear fear in her voice.
"Um...look it was the only bag there, and you wouldn't let me go in the closet and..."
"So you used my three hundred dollar bag?" She exclaimed a perfected Gibbs glare being directed his way.
"I'll buy you a new one," he assured putting the bag down for a second. A six-foot long snake sure weighed a lot.
"You better hope he doesn't eat through it!"
"Okay, now are you three alright? He didn't attack did he?" Gibbs questioned worried. Abby nodded teary eyed, Ziva nodded stoically, and Jenny just glanced over at her bag. "Are you sure?"
"We are fine Gibbs, it was just a bit of a shock," Ziva assured.
"Why didn't you three leave and lock the door?"
"It jumped at Jenny," Abby informed. "And I'm scared of snakes."
"How did you even find it?"
"I went in the bathroom to get something," Abby explained. "Ziva and Jenny came to rescue me."
"We weren't expecting something so big, we didn't have our weapons," Ziva added on.
"Okay, fine. The three of you in the car."
"Gibbs I don't want to go in the car with the snake," Abby cried, her eyes tearing up.
"Ziva take her in the which ever car you want."
"Wait I'm not..."
"C'mon Jen," he said hefting the bag up again. Ziva and Abby bolted to the car, Gibbs locking up as Jenny had dumped the contents of her purse in a Ziploc. He could see her stare at her bag, which had a squirming bulge. "Think of it as setting a fashion trend." He comforted. She glared again.
"We should call animal control, have her apartment searched," Jenny suggested.
"Alright, she's not staying here tonight."
"She can stay with me," Jenny assured. He said nothing.
"We should call animal control, have her apartment searched," Jenny suggested.
"Alright, she's not staying here tonight."
"She can stay with me," Jenny assured. He said nothing just dumping the bag in front of the car.
"It moves, shoot," he said, before launching into a conversation with animal control. "They said twenty minutes."
"Fantastic," Jenny sighed. She stared at the bag a minute, before looking away. He was so buying her a new bag. He sighed as he caught her starring at the bag again. He knew he'd be going to the mall afterwards and finding her an exact replica bag. He just hoped it wasn't Prada. He glanced at the bag again only to notice a large problem.
"Jenny."
"What?"
"Don't move."
"What do you mean don't move?" She asked turning back to face him only to find the bag had a hole in it. "Where's the..." She glanced down and saw it slithering around her ankles.
"Do not move!" Gibbs snapped sensing her panic.
"There is a giant snake and you don't want me to move!" He moved carefully behind the snake.
"Okay just hold out your hands," he coaxed, holding out his. She held them out and he gripped her forearms.
"Jethro, its wrapping around my ankle," she said scared.
"I know, I know. Just hold on, when it goes to constrict, jump straight up," he told her. She waited and did what he said. She felt him pull her towards him and when her feet hit the ground, she was leaning against him and there was a pain in her ankle. "Okay?"
"No, I think it got my ankle." She tried to step away but she was defiantly not going to be able to stand on it. He supported her for a second glancing at the snake, which was turning around.
"Alright, snake first, ankle later," he pulled her forehead and she hopped to keep up. "Sit." She found herself against his car. She tried to push herself on it, but that wasn't happening. She felt his hands fall to her waist and gently pick her up and sit her down on the car. "Don't move."
"Not planning on it. Can I shoot it?" She asked referring to the snake that was slithering around in front of them.
"No, although if it makes you feel better I'll have it arrested for assault of a federal agent."
"That would make me very happy."
"Glad to be of service." Animal control pulled up at that moment and a portly looking man stepped out of the fan.
"Where's the animal problem?" Gibbs pointed to the snake. "That's a large thing a'int it. Now where you say this was found?"
"Our daughter's apartment," Gibbs explained. "In her bathtub."
"Probably got in through the pipes. We'll have some folks come take a look, your baby girl got a place to stay?"
"Yes."
"Can we get the address?" A younger man asked getting out of the car to assist his partner.
"Call this number when it's safe for her to come back," Gibbs said handing him his business card. The guy gulped seeing the NCIS logo. He watched them bag the snake and put it in the back of their truck before turning his attention back to Jenny. The redhead was probing her ankle gently and he could see the wince. "I think we should get you to Ducky," he sighed.
"Its not to bad," she claimed, wincing as he helped her off the hood of her car.
"Yea okay." He helped her into the car and got in himself starting the engine. He placed his hand on the gearshift and the red caught Jenny's eye.
"Jethro!" She placed her hand over his stopping him from moving the car. "What happened?" He glanced to where her hand over laid his, her fingers tracing a small bloody mark.
"Uh..." he tried to think back and vaguely remembered the snake nipping him. "Well this..." he began. "Was earned in the very heroic endeavor of rescuing three damsels in distress." He met her green eyes and watched her bit her lip before her laughter filled the card.
"Right, heroic endeavor!" she laughed. He looked very put out.
"Last time I ever protect you from a snake," he responded. She placed her other hand on his arm.
"Thank you for rescuing us from the snake Jethro," she said sweetly. His smirk covered the grin that threatened to split his face. They drove to NCIS where Gibbs helped Jenny out of the car and to her office. He called Ducky and Abby and Ziva to come up just to make sure everyone was all right.
"I'll get you some coffee," Gibbs said walking toward her door as she sat on her couch.
"Jethro, I can't do any work from here..." she said pointing to her desk.
"Right." He moved over grabbing a file from her desk and bringing it over. He leaned down slightly to put it in front of her.
"Thank you for saving us," she said again. She kissed his cheek quickly.
"What was that for?"
"Oh I saw it in a movie, coffee Jethro...won't brew itself," she reminded. He moved to her office door retreating.
"For that, I think snakes are worth it," he mumbled.
"Snakes are worth what?" Ziva inquired stepping to the doorway. Gibbs said nothing just continued on his way. Abby followed the Israeli into the office and sat on either side of Jenny.
"Well?"
"Oh he mastered that lesson."
"You didn't do anything drastic did you?" Abby asked.
"Now why would you think that?" Jenny replied.
"Well because of that movie...the fair damsel in distress always kisses the knight in shining armor, "Ziva repeated.
"Do I look like a damsel in distress?" Abby snickered at Jenny's outrage.
"Fiona kissed Sherk," she said. "I kinda see the resemblance too." She ducked from Jenny's swat.
"I kissed his cheek, believe me if I'd kissed him, you two wouldn't be in here."
"Is that so?" Ziva questioned. "Do you speak from experience or..."
"Kiss one, kiss ‘em all," Jenny responded.
"Hm...but Gibbs is a very...reserved person no?"
"Yea...the silver fox not exactly over flowing passion, unless of course you know something we don't," Abby continued. Jenny simply smiled enigmatically, as Ducky entered the room. "So what's next oh great one?"
"I thought that was Gibbs' nickname," Ducky commented.
"Oh it is, it just suits the Director, and don't you think Ducky?"
"What ever you say Abby."
"So...do not keep us suspended," Ziva tried again.
"Its in suspense, and next is for me to ignore him."
"That seems a little anti-climatic."
"He may resort to desperate measures."
"Like sharing his coffee?" Abby suggested.
"You three wouldn't be plotting against Gibbs now would you?" Ducky inquired, looking over the Director's ankle.
"Of course not Ducky!" Jenny responded. "I think I have better things to do, besides with Tony around who else needs to plot."
"Very true my dear." Ducky bandaged her ankle carefully before getting up again. "Well in any case, I suppose I'll just have to question Jethro myself."
"About what?"
"Well the grin, you know Jethro, he doesn't grin, well not since you..." Ducky trailed off at Jenny's glare. "Not in a long time anyway."
"You know Ducky one of these days we shall have to exchange Jenny stories," Ziva suggested.
"Of course my dear, why have I told you the time she stole a boat to..."
Jenny zoned out of the conversation going over her plan. This was nothing more than payback for Gibbs' comment. Nothing more.