Watering Your Plants
- Part 3: A Good Dream... -
Jenny was exhausted, she'd fought with every Director in the alphabet, or so it seemed. She didn't want to think about it, she tried to think about other cases but her mind only seemed to want to focus on one. Tony and the team had made little progress on their newest case and Tony was worried that his newest solo assignment might jeopardize the team. She had told him they would never know but now she doubted herself. She needed someone to bounce ideas off of. She found herself pulling into the familiar driveway, knowing she'd spent more nights here then at her own house. It was just easier, she needed to feel safe and around him she did.
She pulled on her sweatshirt, sat down on the couch in the basement and pulled at the bottle of bourbon and a glass. She poured a liberal amount and drank swiftly, the warm liquid traveling down her throat and warming her. She knew one of these days she might drink too much, but she seldom cared anymore. Director Shepard was in control, Jenny Shepard was falling apart. Her pain slowly dissolved into the glass she downed and her eyes began to fall. I'll sleep it off, she thought, her eyes shutting her body collapsing against the couch. She woke up what seemed to her like moments later when she felt her equilibrium disturbed. Her green eyes fluttered open to find a figure over her.
"Jethro?" her voice was questioning and Gibbs froze for a second.
"Jen, you can't sleep down here."
"Waiting for you," she answered sleepily. "But this is a dream." Gibbs nodded, it left him off the hook and she sighed, her dreams always started out that way. "It's a good dream."
"Just go back to sleep," he told her. She moved to stand but lost her balance. Gibbs steadied her. "Come on." He lifted her into his arms and she snuggled close. He kept telling himself that she was not conscious and he couldn't act on anything she did.
"Jethro," her voice was sad. "I don't know what to do."
"About?"
"The case of course," she replied as if he should know.
"Of course," he nodded hoping she was going to give him a little bit more to go on.
"I know Tony can handle it, you taught him. I just…what if this isn't the right way?" She questioned.
"Jen, you know I can't give you the answers," he replied hesitantly. He entered into his room and laid her in the bed noticing the sheets had been changed. She must have done it, he thought.
"You want a drink," she inquired reaching for the almost empty bottle.
"I think you've had enough," Gibbs said taking it from her.
"It doesn't matter," she sighed. "It never goes away." He watched her curl up and close her eyes brushing a stray tear away.
"Jen, you can pull Tony out if you're worried."
"You would never have let me use him."
"Probably not."
"I'm just afraid he's going to do something stupid, like fall in love with her!"
"Who?" She set him up to get close to a girl?
"La Grenouille's daughter, Jethro. I…" She bit her lip, he was grateful that she could remember to keep her mouth shut even in her state. "Rule number four."
"Fair enough."
"Jethro…I'm sorry, I…I just can't take it. I miss you and it's not fair that you can't remember everything and I…" her tears fell down her cheeks and Gibbs carefully brushed them away. He hated seeing her in tears.
"You can't drink it away." He didn't need to remind her about apologies.
"It helps, you know that." He didn't answer, trying to decide if he should believe anything she said.
"Get some sleep Jen, everything is always better in the morning." He got up and she grabbed his arm.
"You're wrong you know, you're not there in the morning. Abby tries to be brave, Ziva never mentions anything, McGee is more recluse, Tony distracts himself, and Ducky gets angrier by the day."
"And you?"
"I work, this job is my life and you come at night," she responded. "And I tell you everything I should've said and…" he placed a finger to her lips; he felt the faint kiss and ignored the tug on his heart. She fell back asleep easily enough and he leaned against the door jam watching her. He took the bottle of bourbon and poured the last bit down the drain. He found her purse on the counter and the paper bag beside it still had a receipt. It was for the bottle, she'd bought it yesterday. He sat at the table and thought over the day. Fornell was right to be worried, he thought. He considered staying again but hoped that maybe she would remember her ‘dream' and think about it. He'd check on the house tomorrow night. She'd be fine.
Jenny awoke up to the alarm on her phone as she had for the last two weeks. She looked around her and found she'd actually made it to a bed. She shifted and felt her head pound. She ignored it as she did every morning. She focused on her day and found pushed herself to her feet. For a second she had the fleeting thought that someone had been in the room earlier, but she found no evidence. Besides, there's no one who would come up here except maybe Jethro, and he's drinking on a beach in Mexico. She went downstairs to find the bottle and found the empty one sitting on the counter. Damn, out again. She knew she still had a bottle in her office; she'd make it through the day. She stopped for coffee and downed Advil with the drink. She'd switched to Marine grade, it would keep her functioning.
Gibbs had caught her leaving the house and followed to the coffee shop. He didn't go in, but decided to head for the park. He needed to think about this and then chastised himself. He was retired! I shouldn't even care! She can take care of herself! And while Gibbs knew that was true, most of the time, it didn't stop him from wanting to look after her. Before the park however he thought he'd stop by and try and see Fornell. He parked in front of the driveway blocking the black SUV in. Fornell got out and came over.
"So…how's the house?"
"Not a single tree down," Gibbs responded.
"Any houseguests?"
"One."
"Ah…and how is Jenny?"
"Didn't talk to her," Gibbs answered. "You wanna tell me what this is about?"
"She's pissed off the wrong people."
"She'll be homicidal if she finds out you're telling me."
"Hey she's your old partner, and Boss."
"She can handle it," Gibbs assured.
"I'm sure she can. I can't imagine you're not the least bit concerned about how she's handling it."
"You helping on this case of hers?"
"Strictly NCIS, but the CIA is taking a nice look at it. She's not talking."
"Good."
"Jethro, she know you've seen her at the house?"
"Nope." Fornell nodded. "I've got a plane to catch." Fornell backed off and watched Gibbs speed off. Tobias Fornell wasn't that worried, though. He knew Leroy Jethro Gibbs well enough to know that he wasn't going to abandon his team or his partner again. Special Agent Gibbs was still around, he just needed some encouragement.