Confrontations

[dc_knight]

Follows thisAfter leaving Ziva to clean up Mike's mess of Svetlana, Gibbs takes off to Albuquerque at sonic boom speeds. He careens into the driveway and only then slows his pace. US Marshals dressed as stable hands glance his way, but they knew he was coming so they don't stop him when he gets out of the car, races past the horses and kids, and

Comments

[on_jennys_terms]

It takes Jen a while to pull herself from the couch and get to the door. Whoever it is better have a damn good reason for bothering her. And if it's one of those teenagers, she's just going to slam the door in her face. Even if the building is on fire. Gibbs is the last person she expects, but at the same time, she isn't really surprised. She should have figured he'd be the only one ballsy enough and stupid enough. She doesn't say anything, just looks at him expectantly. Clearly he wants something.

[dc_knight]

He pushes past her and then makes sure he's the one to close the door behind him. His eyes scan - Alex is gone, which is good. They need to talk. He just looks at her, wanting to ask how she is, not sure if he should start there or with Svetlana.

"Svetlana is dead," he finally just says.

[on_jennys_terms]

She draws in a slow, shallow breath. Her lungs are still sore; she's still short of breath. And hearing those words nearly takes what breath she does have. She doesn't make any snide comments or quips about how long it took or that she should have been able to do it in the first place. All she says is, "You?"

[dc_knight]

He shakes his head. "Mike. I was too busy questioning her." He admits his failure only because she needs to know the truth. Everything will come out now. He knows what he knows. He's seen the file. Now they have to talk about it.

[on_jennys_terms]

"Figures it was him," she mumbles. She has extremely vague memories of his involvement in the diner, mostly images from before the shooting. She has no idea he's why she's alive.

[dc_knight]

He wants to tell her to sit down, but if he does, she'll start dancing a jig. So he steps back just a bit, looks her up and down, evaluating her and making no secret of it. "How are you feeling?" He finally gets to ask the question.

[on_jennys_terms]

She is still so, so mad at him, even if she's gotten better at keeping it to herself. He still doesn't get to know how she really feels. She won't be opening herself up to him again any time soon. He'll know it's a stock answer, but she couldn't care less. "Fine, all things considered."

[dc_knight]

He shrugs at the stock answer. He's here as an investigator and senior agent, not as her former friend and lover. "I know why you didn't kill her when you were ordered to," he just charges ahead. It's the best way to do this. The rest will get figured out as they talk. He realizes he doesn't have a plan. It's probably best not to. She'd see right through planned questions. "And I know why she came after you."

[on_jennys_terms]

Jen is pretty sure her heart just skipped three beats, but she doesn't let it show on her face. Instead, she keeps her expression neutral if not a bit curious. She wants him to show his hand. Then she can decided if she wants to throw up or not. She's spent years building mental barriers to protect herself from that particular year. "Why?" she prompts.

[dc_knight]

Gibbs knows that face. Of course he knows that face. She's been using that face on him since she was his probie. There's more to the story. But he's going to go for it, going to go all in. If it doesn't open it all up now, it will still start it rolling for the investigations that are coming. Part of him wonders if the CIA only covers up once.

"She was pregnant the year you were sent to take her out. And one of the raids that went after the Frog, something you or the CIA or the FBI ordered - I have no idea because it's all redacted from here back to Russia - that son was killed." He pauses. "It's a damned good motive for murder."

[on_jennys_terms]

"It was my order," she answers. He has to know that, or at least suspect it, and she's almost surprised that particular detail was redacted.

[dc_knight]

He nods. It confirms his suspicions, all the way down to how deep the CIA cover up of her going after Frog Legs went. His posture relaxes slightly, just slightly, and he leans against the table. "What else do you know about Svetlana's movements, Jenny?"

[on_jennys_terms]

She shakes her head and answers honestly, "Nothing. I hadn't seen or heard from her until the funeral. And I've since realized she was there." Her own posture relaxes a bit and she chooses the moment to sit down again, more out of an actual physical need than anything else.

[dc_knight]

He watches her, worried, but also needing to make sure this conversation is started. "It won't be a problem assigning motive and your actions specific to the Frog are now sanctioned." That much is true. It's the rest that is worrisome. "And she is no longer a threat."

[on_jennys_terms]

She's making sure she doesn't volunteer anything that isn't pertinent to his investigation. It's such a fine line they're walking and he doesn't even realize how fine. "No, she's not," Jen answers.

[dc_knight]

He watches her carefully. There is so much he doesn't know that she does. This is over but it's not. "The investigation is going to continue. Not just into motives but this incident and how Vance came to be involved is going to put you under investigation, Jen."