A Fresh Start

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Jen and her partner had been ambushed on their stakeout, overwhelmed and left for dead by the hostiles. By the time they had been found by local LEOs, she had lost a lot of blood due to the handful of bullets embedded in her arms and abdomen. Being of a low caliber however, they didn't puncture further into her body and affect any vital organs once they were able to examine her at the hospital. They did dig harshly into her muscles and affect her joint movement, causing her body to ache a lot easier with less physical activity. With what the hospital staff would let her participate in. Jen made a mental note to find a good physical therapist and begin to swim again to work on her recovery and extending her mobility once more.

The doctors had worked on her quickly enough that it had only been about a day or so before Jen was conscious and asking to see her daughter, Jessica, wanting to assuage her of her health and aliveness. Thankfully, she had one of the best and most trusted in her books, nanny who had been watching Jess while she was on her stakeout and sudden visit to the hospital. Jen was groggy this morning but found herself jiggling her foot in anticipation of seeing and hugging her little girl once more. She didn't remember much while she laid there in the street, but she did recall the fear of never seeing Jess again, of disappointing and terrifying her if she died there when Jess was only eight years old.

Something had to change...

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Thread Title: n/a
Notes: Couples days after the stakeout ambush.
Tagged: Jessica Gibbs

[Jessica "Jess" Ranen]

don't apologize

Jess had spent the last few days angry at her babysitter. Having not come down out of the tree she was perched up in. “Jessica get down here this instant” the last thing she wanted right now was anyone telling her what to do. The eight year old threw a tree branch down at the older woman in anger. Jess wasn’t ordinarily tempered, but she was scared.

Gibbs was working and couldn’t take her and Jen was… Jess watched as the babysitter moved out of the way. “Jessica Leigh Gibbs.” The woman said sternly.

“NO!” she fired back as she climbed farther up. Afraid she was going to hurt herself the babysitter called for the fire department to come get the girl from the tree. Once she was on the ground Jess ran for her room where she locked herself up away from everyone for the next few days. She tried to call Dad. No luck. She was scared and didn’t really know what to do.

She wasn’t counting the days. Jess just wanted to see her mom again. Finally, she was allowed to see Jen again. Jess wiggled free of the nanny’s hand and ran down the hallways. She didn’t really know where she was going and Tabitha couldn’t contain her as well as he would have liked. Jess was full of energy and ordinarily she could handle it; but Jess was… difficult the last few days.

Jess finally found where she was going, she could read signs and she’d remembered the room number they had been given at the desk. “MOMMY!!!” she ran towards her mom but stopped short seeing that she was hurt. Though Jess climbed up on the edge of the bed very carefully. “It’s okay Mommy. I can kiss it make it better” she offered. Her mom always kissed her boo boo’s away. So it would work for Jen’s right?

♡ @jen

♡

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Concern crossed Jen's face when she heard the fast pattering of feet outside of her door, but knowing she couldn't exactly move from her spot, she couldn't check to see who in this wing was having an issue, nor did it really matter anyways. She was surprised however, when the pattering stopped only to open her door and hear the cry of her child. "Oh, Jessica!" Jen cried out, a smile blooming on her paler than normal face. She winced slightly when Jess paused in her trek to the bed, assuming correctly that it was due to her less than pleasant appearance. She adjusted her position on the bed to accommodate Jess, carefully schooling her pained expressions to not worry her child more. "Aw, thank you, sweetie. I appreciate that," she replied, wrapping her arm around Jess and pulling her into a slight hug. Jen kissed Jess' forehead reverently before she released her grip, arm getting a little too tense.

When she spied Tabitha in the door, her eyes crinkled in relief and compassion. "Thank you so much, Tabitha. I don't know what I would have done without you," Jen admitted, swallowing past the lump in her throat. She had no idea what Jethro had been up to but Tabitha was the all-time best nanny for her help these past few days; she would have to ensure a nice pay raise or bonus in gratefulness. She turned her focus back to Jess and pointed to her right shoulder. "Can you kiss that one for me?" she asked, knowing it would make sense since it was the one she used to hug her daughter. "Were you well-behaved for Tabitha?" Jen queried, a gut feeling suggesting Jess might have been too keyed up in nervous anxiety over her mother's state of health.

[Jessica "Jess" Ranen]

don't apologize

Jess tended to settle around near either of her parents. It was no different now. She was careful as she climbed onto the bed. It was okay now because her mom was here, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still worried. Her mom was hurt and the kisses didn’t make it go away. Jess didn’t really understand what was going on. Careful where she laid down she cuddled up next to Jen and then saw Tabitha come to the door. But Jess didn’t interrupt the adults. Her mom didn’t like it when she interrupted. Not that she always listened but her mom was hurt so it was better to use her best behaviour right?

When her Jen asked Jess to kiss her right shoulder she nodded and did just that. Maybe she needed more kisses to make it feel better? When asked if she was behaved for Tabitha.. Jess had no idea that in her excitement ish what she was about to admit to doing. “I was playing in the tree the day that comes before yesterday. Tabby called the firemans. They had ladders and picked me up and I got to sit in the firetruck! It was fun.” Well of course to an eight year old it would be fun. A small moment of fun in her worry for her mom. Even if it was because she was being a pain in the behind for her nanny.

Tabitha was quiet but stayed nearby. Even though Jess was with her mom, Tabby was keeping a close watch on the girl. More so because with children it was never easy to tell when they were going to cause an accident just by trying to be careful and Jennifer was in no state to be stopping Jess from getting up and going to play with something she shouldn’t be into.

♡ @jen

♡

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Jen's face opened up in surprise, mouth agape and eyebrows raised, as she listened to Jess regale the story of a few days ago. She glanced over briefly at Tabitha, sharing a look of relief and pity. Sighing, she shook her head. "I'm glad you got to meet the firemen, sweetie. They're very important people to be nice to and appreciate but why did they have to come and collect you from the tree? Were you disobeying Tabitha? Wanted to stay in the tree longer?" she asked in a light but stern voice. She didn't want to discipline Jess when she was in the hospital, when it was spurned by her absence, but she had to set her daughter straight so it wouldn't happen again. Especially in front of Tabitha, though that was not the incentive in this scenario.

While she waited for a reply, she closed her eyes and soaked in the presence of Jess, glad to be able to hold her for one more day, knowing they both were safe. Jen had to figure out a way to keep herself safe for Jess' sake, find something else fulfilling in her life. She had no issue being a full time parent to Jess, but she needed to be able to provide for them and it simply wasn't in her nature to be a still woman, to not be constantly in motion or busy, which is why NCIS was the perfect fit for her. But it was far from safe. This accident was proof.

[Jessica "Jess" Ranen]

don't apologize

Jess understood that Mommy was disappointed with her. Her voice had that tone to it. “No I was scared” she pointed out making a face and then burying her head. She curled up next to Jen and just laid there. How was she supposed to tell her mom that her being hurt was a scary thing. It wasn’t like she could just blurt all of that out. Honestly, she was a kid and she didn’t really know why she was scared. Mommy was hurt and that was scary. She was not old enough to know the consequences of what had really happened.

Jess started pulling at her stuffed bunny’s ear. Normally Jess didn’t take it off her bed. A girl was never too old for a stuffed animal but there came a point where you simply didn’t carry one around all the time. Jess was well past that stage, she could actually leave a stuffed animal at home and not cry about it. However, she’d hardly let go of her bunny once she had gotten to her room after leaving the tree.

Jess turned her face towards her mom again after a bit. Deep brown eyes pierced the space between them as Jess picked up her bunny and set him in the gap between her and Jen. Tabitha didn’t understand how Jess could be such a handful with her and then perfectly well behaved for Jen. Then again most kids were a mystery.

♡ @jen

♡

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Jen's heart broke for her daughter as she listened to that quiet admission, her eyes closing firmly as she attempted to refrain from crying right then. "Oh, sweetie," she murmured, holding Jess tighter to her body, arm along her back as she stroked her hair lightly with her fingers. "I'm sorry for worrying you, really. I..." her eyes darted toward Tabitha then down to the right, a glimmer of shame on her face. "I'm going to find a different job, Jess. A safer one. This accident, the injuries I got...are fairly uncommon for my...uhm...my position at NCIS. And I don't want you worrying anymore. I want to make sure I see you through life, to see you grow up...so you won't have to be scared like you were these past couple of days, okay?" Jen explained in a hurt tone. She knew this change was necessary, was completely on board with the idea but at the same time she felt she was betraying her father's memory somehow. Betraying finding out the truth behind his death by leaving NCIS and playing it safe. But she had a child to think about and that swiftly became the most important thing in Jen's life when she discovered her pregnancy and opted against an abortion. Not when this child was hers and Jethro's, when she was certain the opportunity to be a parent would pass her by if she didn't take it now.

[Jessica "Jess" Ranen]

don't apologize

Jess tilted her head. Really she didn't understand what her mother was on about. All the child caught was that her mom was sorry and that she didn't want her scared. Then someone about something being not normal. She raised a brow and nodded. "Okay Mommy" she chirped. It didn't take her long to realize that hospitals were not a fun place to be. Her mom did not appear to be having fun.

Tabitha looked towards them. "Can I bring you anything Ms. Shepard?" she asked tentatively. Tabitha was really just trying to help.

♡ @jen
Sorry so short

♡

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