Jethro stood in front of the living room door but didn't quite want to get in. He had to admit, Tony was finally a slightly little bit off. Well, that wasn't a surprise really. His due date was two weeks ago and still the Little One didn't make any indication of coming in the foreseeable future. Nine months long they've been worrying that Tony could have a premature. Nobody thought he could be late. Finally Jethro worked up what little curage was left in him after a week alone with his pregnant partner and went in.
Tony lay on the couch, on his back, lazily patting Susi who had rolled up on his giant belly. Finally the cat had started to like him. Jethro glanced at the TV, it was still the same movie that has been on when he left, two hours ago. He made the little way to the couch and put the bag with crispy chicken wings on the coffee table.
„Hey...I talk to Dr. Kiefer while you were gone."
Tony said, trying to sit up but didn't manage it until Jethro helped him.
„So? What did she say?"
„She said that if I'm not in labour by wednesday she'll make me. You know...Abby told me a way of encouraging the birth..."
Tony mumbled while nippling on Jethro's jaw and neck.
„Ahem...and that is?"
„Sex."
Jethro immidiatly pulled back and stared at his partner with big eyes.
„Sex? In your state?"
„C'mon, Jethro. You have had sex with me while I was pregnant."
„Yeah but not in the last two months! What if...no...that's too freaky."
Tony raised an eyebrow at him.
„What? You think the baby will know? You think the first memory it will have from you will be a frontal of your dick?"
He chuckled as Jethro shifted uncomfortable on the couch.
„I just think...I can't do that, Tony."
„Oh god, the man with the lipido of a teenager tells me he can't."
„It's no question of my lipido, Tony. Once the Little One is out I can make love to you as often as you want to, but..."
He fought to find the words to describe why this was difficult to him. Maybe some of that catholic education had stuck after all. Tony sighed heavy.
„Well, then it'll be the pill, I guess. I already tried everything else."
Jethro stroke over his cheek and then kissed him softly.
„Sorry...I just can't do that."
„It's alright. Guess it would have sucked if I went into labour before I came so maybe it's better like this...Let's eat."
„Jethro."
Tony shook him softly and he mumbled something and turned around. He hadn't had much sleep the last days. He worked all-nighters to get the nursery done and that Tony changed his mind that often didn't really help.
„Jethro, c'mon, wake up."
„Tony, can't you wait until the sun is up? I promise, I'll get you anything you want then."
„Well, I don't think that it'll help if I press my legs together."
Suddenly Jethro was bright awake and sat upright in the bed.
„What?"
„My water broke and I have contractions. I guess your stubborn child finally wants to take some fresh air."
Jethro immidiatly jumped out of the bed. As Tony slowly got out of the bed, the older man ran around the room in panic, packing PJs, towels. Finally Tony was up and stopped him.
„Jethro. My bag is already in the car, remember? All you have to do is drive me to the hospital."
Jethro nodded hesitantly and then smiled shakily at his partner.
„It's finally coming."
An hour later Jethro just walked back to Tony's room with a fresh cup of coffee when he was stopped by the team. They had called Ducky on the way over and he had spread the news. Even Jen had come and it was clear that except for her noone of them would go into work until the baby was born and they knew that Tony and the child were alright.
„Dr. Kiefer said it won't really start before a few hours. So you can see him for a while."
Jethro said as he lead them to the room. In there Tony lay on a bed, popped up on pillows. His breathing was hard after another contraction and Brad was listening to his lungs, but when Tony saw the others he smiled widely.
„Hey, guys! Finally made it here?"
„We could say the same about you, Anthony."
Ducky smiled warmly and changed a look with Dr. Pitt, relieved by what he saw.
„I just checked his lungs and everything seems to be fine. I ordered a oxigen mask, but that's just a precaution. I'm not expecting any complications."
He smiled softly and patted Tony's shoulder.
„We'll see us later, Tony."
„You'll stick around?"
The man in the bed looked at his doctor, who had rapidly become a friend, with big eyes.
„Tony, I went through the plague and a pregnancy with you. Of course I'll stick around. I want to know what's coming out of you."
He grinned and then left the room. Tony winced as another contraction squeezed all his inside to the side of a ping-pong ball, well, that's what it felt like to Tony. After about a minute it faded away and Abby wrapped her arms around him.
„Poor baby!"
„Poor baby? It's not the one who has to work here!"
He said but grinned at the goth. They all stayed for a while, distracting Tony with light talk and jokes. Some time later they had started a contest of bad baby names when finally the nurse came and told them that they would bring Tony into the delivery room now.
It was 10.26 and Abby, Ducky, McGee and Ziva sat in the waiting area of the hospital. For three hours there was no word from Tony and slowly they couldn't help the slight worry. Finally Brad entered the waiting area and disposed his gloves.
„Brad! Is Tony fine? Did the baby come?"
Abby immidiatly started to question the doctor. He smiled softly at her.
„It was a text book birth. Tony and the baby are cleaning up just now and you can see them in a few minutes."
„So? What is it? Boy or girl?"
„Oh, I think they want to tell you themselves."
They followed him into the room Tony had been in before. In there Tony already lay on the bed and Jethro sat in a chair, his back to them. A wide smile spread over the tired face of the younger man.
„Guys! Guys! I have a daughter!"
The all but ran around the bed to look at the little girl in Jethro's arms. Jethro smiled at them and looked even more exhausted than Tony. One of his hands was wrapped in white bandages but otherwise both men and the baby seemed absolutely fine and happy.
„Oh my god! She's soooo adorable!"
Abby beamed and Ducky had to stop her bouncing or the little girl would wake up.
„Does she have a name?"
„Alishia. We're not sure about the second name, though."
Tony looked as if he couldn't care less at the moment as he smiled dreamingly at his lover and daughter. After a few minutes a nurse came and took Alishia to the nursery and asked everybody but Jethro to leave so Tony could get some sleep.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.