Tony picked up the phone and dialled the area code for Stillwater, Pennsylvania. He knew that he should ask Gibbs' permission first, but with him sleeping most of the time it was hard to find a chance between work to actually ask him. He listened to the phone ring, and on the fourth ring it was picked up. "General Store, Jackson speaking," the voice said.
"Jackson, it's Tony DiNozzo, from your son's work?" Tony replied.
"Oh yes, what can I do for you? Leroy's okay?" Jackson replied, sounding concerned.
"Yeah, he's fine, it's just...he's, er..."
"Spit it out, boy before you choke on it."
"He's pregnant, five months along...just got out of the hospital actually after a close call and he's been put on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, I was hoping you might be able to come down and help us out, since I'm at work most of the day," Tony rambled.
"Pregnant? He's got that MGS thing? Well, that's all very good, but where's the father? Why isn't he telling me this himself?" Jackson asked.
"I'm the father, sir. He would have told you, I'm sure, but you know that Gibbs doesn't like to ask for help and I thought you should know and if you were able to, help out."
"I'd love to...expect me in the next few days, as soon as I can find some one to cover the store," Jackson and hung up. Tony held the phone out and realised where Gibbs got the habit of hanging up on people from. He was about to creep out to work when he heard Gibbs call him from the bedroom. Damn, he hoped he hadn't woken him.
Gibbs shifted in the bed. It's been only a few days since he got home from the hospital and yet he was really annoyed with this. He slept quite a lot. The doctor had prescribed him something and somehow it made him extremely tired. "Tony!" He called out, hoping the other man hadn't left for work yet.
"I'm here, Gibbs, I didn't wake you, did I? I tried to keep my voice down," Tony said, walking into the bedroom.
"No, you didn't ... keep your voice down? Have you been on the phone? Did you guys get a case?" Gibbs jumped on the new information. "You know, I've been thinking, I can't get out of bed, but I could still go through some cold cases. So, if you'd just bring me some files in your lunch break..."
Tony rolled his eyes. "You are NOT working a case, active or otherwise, how many times do we have to go through this? Anyway, I was speaking to your father," Tony revealed.
Gibbs sat up straight. "You did what? Why on earth would you talk to my father? Did he call? Did you tell him I'm pregnant?"
Tony sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "I called him, I don't like leaving you here alone all day so I explained the situation and as soon as he gets someone to cover the store, he's coming to stay for the next four months," Tony told him, hoping Gibbs wouldn't rip him a new one for overstepping the mark.
"Wha- , I-...Tony!" Gibbs half yelled and half whined. "Why did you do that? I don't need a baby sitter! I've been in bed like the doctor told me to." Gibbs fell back into the pillows. "He'll be over-caring. It'll be like having two of your sort around the house. I'll go crazy."
"Look at it from my point of view, this way I won't have to worry about you buying a police scanner and hoping over to every crime scene we attend, and it's only been a few days, pretty soon boredom is going to set in and you'll be grateful for the company," Tony said. "Besides, I thought you'd like to have him around for the birth of his second grandchild. And it's not like we can call my father."
Gibbs muttered something incoherently. "Yeah, I guess...I did mean to tell him, just not right now. He'll worry and all and he's not the youngest either...But I guess it'll be fine to have someone around when you're at work..." He still wasn't completely happy about it, but accepted his fate.
A few days later, Tony was just getting ready to leave for work - he'd arranged to come in late until Jackson arrived so that he didn't leave Gibbs alone all day, hopefully when Gibbs' father arrived, he'd feel comfortable about working all day - there was a knock at the door. Tony stopped what he was doing and went to answer it, Gibbs was still sleeping, whatever drugs they'd given him to take at home they were knocking him out most nights and during the day.
"I guess I should say, Congratulations!" Jackson Gibbs said, when Tony opened the door.
"Jackson, you made it!" Tony exclaimed, pulling the older man into a hug. "Gibbs is still sleeping, he should be up around midday, and he'll be grouchy because he's not allowed any coffee, but there's some calamine tea he can have. Let me show you around."
Tony led Jackson round the house, helping him put his stuff in the guest room, before letting him look in on a sleeping, very pregnant Gibbs. His tops were now too small to cover his large bump. "He looks more than five months gone to me!" Jackson mumbled.
"I know, the doctor's said it's mostly water weight because he's not up and about anymore, except to pee and stuff," Tony explained. They moved away from Gibbs' doorway and were about to head downstairs when Gibbs called out to Tony.
Did he hear the younger man move around? He glanced at the alarm clock next to the bed. Maybe Tony left later than usual. "Tony?"
"Yeah, Gibbs, I'm here and so is your father, he just arrived," Tony said, heading back to the bedroom, with Jackson on his tail. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to know if you're still around..." Gibbs said towards Tony. "Dad." He then greeted shortly and tried to pull down his shirt, though it didn't really work out. "And I meant to tell you to bring me a couple of new t-shirts. Maybe a size bigger this time...or two sizes..."
"I'll see what I can do," Tony said, smiling. He looked at his watch and then leaned down to kiss Gibbs' cheek, "I have to get going or Vance'll have my ass."
"See you tonight, Tony, thanks for the guided tour, I'm sure I'll find everything I need," Jackson said, watching the affection between the two men and approving. His son seemed happy with the situation, which made him happy too.
"Yeah, thanks again for coming, Jackson. I'll be back around five, if not a bit later," Tony said and then headed out of the bedroom door. A few moments later, they heard the front door slam shut and a car pull out of the driveway.
Jackson looked at his son, this should be interesting, he thought.
"So," Gibbs started and tried to think of a subject. "How are things?"
"They're fine, Leroy. What about this?" Jackson said, motioning to the huge belly. "When were you going to call and tell me you're about to give me another grandchild?"
Gibbs sighed. "Well, I planned to tell you when things had calmed down a little. It's been like a rollercoaster. Me getting pregnant accidently, having complications twice, leading to bed rest and the whole thing with Tony and me being a couple...it's been a little much and I wanted everything to be as normal as it gets before I call you. I didn't mean to freak you out by telling you that I'm at the hospital..."
"Start from the beginning and tell me everything, I'm going to be a grandfather, this is GOOD news. What complications? When did you find out? How long have you and Tony been seeing each other?" Jackson asked.
"Well, I'm five months along, as Tony surely told you and um...Tony and I are seeing each other for the same time. It was our first night together...After five weeks, Tony and I had an argument and I got stressed out. I had some cramps and they had to bring me to the hospital. That's basically what happened about two weeks ago, just that it wasn't just cramps but actual pre-term labour. They could stop it, but the doctor was pretty pissed with me and now I'm chained to the bed." Gibbs shrugged a little.
Jackson sighed. "Well, Tony seems committed," he said, trying to pry more information out of his son.
"Oh, yeah, he is...actually he was the first to say I love you...I had some issues with that." Gibbs chuckled helplessly "I actually seem to be the only one with issues. I mean, Tony had huge issues with it in the beginning. He didn't want the baby...but once he actually realized that he did want it, he was like this. An over-caring, over-protective mother-hen."
"Wait, he didn't want the baby, why ever not?" Jackson asked. "I mean, only if you want to tell me, not if it's too personal, after all I'm only your father." He winked at Gibbs.
Gibbs smiled slightly. Maybe having Jackson around wasn't that bad of an idea. "Tony and I had only a one night stand." Gibbs admitted. "When I told him, well, he freaked out. He thought it would be a mistake and that he's not ready to have a kid, especially not with me...well, obviously he changed his mind."
"That's good, you sure he's committed, because I'm not above having a word in his ear about how important this grandchild is and it needs two committed parents and would do better with one committed if the other was just staying around on a whim," Jackson said, seriously. "Though, I saw the way he looked at you before he left and I'd say that boy reeks of commitment."
Gibbs shook his head. "No need for a talking to. Tony's really into this. If anything these complications showed that to me. You should have seen the look on his face. He was actually terrified of losing the baby, and me, for that matter. He cried because he thought he had caused the complications. He didn't...not really. I mean, sure I was arguing with *him* but it was my own pig headedness that brought it that far." Gibbs sighed, but it turned into a yawn. "Damn those drugs."
"Well, I better let you sleep, I'll keep myself busy by unpacking and doing some housework. You need me, you just call," Jackson said, getting ready to leave his son to rest
Tony sighed, they hadn't had a proper case since before Gibbs went on sick leave, and with him coming in late it was stopping them from being called out on active cases. Hopefully, now that Jackson had arrived he could start working a full day and they could get back to working active cases rather than looking for leads in cold cases. Tony sighed again, as he flipped through the case file for a case that went cold before he even started working at NCIS. He looked up as the elevator doors pinged open.
Fornell stormed into the bullpen, looking at Gibbs' deserted desk. "Where the hell is he?" He barked.
"Well, hello to you too, Agent Fornell," Tony started. "Gibbs isn't here, he's on sick leave, thanks to you."
"I'm not in the mood to play games, DiNotzo. Gibbs doesn't take sick leave. So? MTAC? Coffee run? Where?" Fornell asked again, not believing Tony.
"I'm deadly serious, thanks to you, he went into pre-term labour and has been ordered to stay in bed for the rest of the pregnancy," Tony snapped back. He still hadn't forgive Fornell for causing the argument that had nearly cost him his unborn child.
Fornell narrowed his eyes on him. "I need to ask him a few questions." He said and then shrugged. "Well, I'll see him at his home then. However, I need to ask you a few questions, too."
"You can ask me what the hell you want, but you leave Gibbs alone, he gets stressed out and that baby might come today and as I have a vested interest in that not happening, you'll have to go through me before you get to see Gibbs," Tony told him, narrowing his own eyes and giving Fornell his best glare.
Fornell raised an eyebrow at the threat. If Gibbs was really critical enough the questioning would have to wait. "I'll get his record checked. If he really turns out as sick as you make it seem..." He trailed off. Instead he pulled out a sheet of paper. It was Gibbs' phone record from the day they had interrogated Ringwald. "Do you see anything interesting there?" He asked and held it out to Tony.
Tony ran his eyes over the paper Fornell was holding out and immediately spotted the number he called after they'd interrogated Ringwald, but said, "not really, why? Should I?" He figured it was best to feign ignorance rather than let on he knew how deep in the shit Gibbs was right now.
Fornell pointed at the number Tony had already spotted. "That is in fact, Thomas Cline. He was doing time between 1993 and 1999, in the same prison Ringwald was." He leaned a little closer, "Now why would Gibbs call Cline?"
"Was Cline in the Marines?" Tony asked, knowing full well he was. "If he was, then maybe he and Gibbs served together and kept in touch, nothing illegal about that."
"You know it isn't as easy as that. Gibbs called Cline so he would tell his inmate friends what Ringwald was in for."
"Now, Fornell, do you have a recording of their phone call?" Tony asked. Fornell shook his head. "Exactly, so how do you know what they talked about? And more to the point, how would you prove that's what they talked about?"
"You do know that there is something like circumstantial evidence..." Fornell started but Tony was quick to interrupt.
"Which wouldn't hold up in a court of law. I suggest you give up on this and go back to chasing real criminals, rather than a pregnant man who's done nothing wrong, other than serve his country in the Marines and also as an NCIS agent...besides, you know what Ringwald did? Name on jury member who wouldn't agree with what Gibbs allegedly did? You wouldn’t get a conviction and you know it," Tony told him, smugly.
Fornell chewed his tongue angrily. Then he grabbed the piece of paper and turned. "You know, DiNotzo, just so you have an idea who you're getting involved with here. This whole investigation didn't come from me. I would have dropped it ages ago. It came from higher up. Gibbs is like a splinter in some people's finger and they'd be more than happy to get rid off him, one way or another." He shook his head. "This won't be the last time, you better tell him to stay clean." With that he turned and left the office.
Tony sighed as he watched Fornell leave, he better call Gibbs and let Jackson know that Fornell might try and question Gibbs, he picked up the phone and dialled the number from memory.
"Gibbs residence, Jackson speaking?" Jackson answered the phone before it would wake his son.
"Hey Jackson, is Gibbs asleep?" Tony asked.
"Yeah, he's out cold. Something wrong, Tony?"
"I just had a visit from an FBI agent looking to speak to Gibbs, he's pretty riled up about something Gibbs did and he may try and come round to question him, which would not be advisable in his state, so just screen all his visitors until I get home."
"Oh, that won't be any problem, dead boy. You know how persuasive I can be. And I have orders from a doctor and a federal agent. The FBI would have to have a warrant to get into this house." Jackson assured Tony.
"Thanks, Jackson, I should be home around five, unless we get a case," Tony said, hanging up and getting back to work.
Gibbs lay in bed bored. He skimmed through the TV, trying to find something remotely interesting. He couldn't watch the news anymore, having seen more of them in the last weeks than in his life.
Jackson moved around the kitchen, preparing dinner for his two boys. He really enjoyed being there for his son and he enjoyed seeing him happy again with Tony. They had gone through a lot, he knew that, but now everything seemed to go well, and hopefully it would stay that way for the rest of the pregnancy.
Tony walked in through the door and dumped his bag on the floor, as well as taking off his jacket. He could smell something cooking and went to investigate. "You don't have to cook for us, Jackson," Tony said, when he saw it was Jackson preparing dinner for them. "How's Gibbs been today?" he asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the percolator and taking a sip.
"Sleeping most of the time and grumpy the rest of the time." Jackson smiled. "But he's actually fine. And of course I had to cook. You work all day, you shouldn't be standing in the kitchen afterwards and Jethro can't cook, and you two shouldn't eat as much take out. And yes, I do know about it. I saw all the menus!" Jackson pointed a finger at Tony warningly. "That will have to change. Children need proper food, and so do you."
"Yes, sir!" Tony said, wishing he'd found a better hiding place for the take out menus. He left Jackson alone to head upstairs to see if Gibbs was awake. He found him staring into the distance with the TV set off. "You okay?” he asked him.
Gibbs sighed annoyed. "I'm bored."
"Take up knitting or something. Which reminds me, Abby showed me the booties and hat she'd knitted for the baby, she still wants to know if it's a boy or a girl," Tony joked.
Gibbs grinned, patting the bed beside him so Tony would sit. "Tell me what's going on at the office. McGee already crazy with you being boss?"
"Ziva asks every day when your time is up. She wants that baby born more than you do! McGee's alright, he just annoys me when he tells me him and Abby have been researching all that could go wrong with MGS, he doesn't seem to get that I don't want to know what could go wrong when so much has already," Tony told him, laying next to Gibbs and putting his hand on his enlarged belly. "Is she awake?"
"Oh, yeah. She's been kicking me all day." Gibbs smiled and put his hand on Tony's. "How are you getting along with Vance? Any problems?"
"She never kicks for me," Tony said, pouting, but as he spoke she kicked and he felt it. "Aww, I think she knows I'm her daddy!" Tony smiled and leaned down to kiss Gibbs belly and then made his way up to kiss Gibbs' cheek. "Vance is Vance, he's looking for a way to make it so I can't get time off when she's born, but I'd quit before I missed out on that leave I'm due. It almost makes me miss Jenny because at least she would have been understanding about all this," he said, then thought for a moment. "Take that back, she'd been jealous it was me and you and not her and you."
"Oh, yeah. You wouldn't be happy having her as director right now. She'd put the team on desk work for as long as legally possible, believe me. She had me figured out right away. That's why she put you on Jeanne. Gotta admit, it nearly worked. I started to get really pissed with you and I nearly fired you once or twice." He sighed. "Glad I didn't."
"Still, I'd prefer Morrow, whatever happened to him, anyway?" Tony asked, referring to the director that had been in office when he was brought in to NCIS from Baltimore PD. As they were talking the baby kicked again and Tony started making baby noises to Gibbs' stomach.
"He's deputy director of homeland security and believe me, I'd prefer him, too...I always knew how to work him." He watched Tony making strange noises at the baby. "Ok, I'll let that slide as long as she's in there 'cause there's no way she hears anything but your voice, but as soon as she's out you'll talk like a human being to her."
"Am I you dada?" Tony was saying, then he heard what Gibbs had said. "Yeah, I will," he told him. "Anyway, your dad's probably done with dinner...I'll go see if he needs any help and bring yours up to you. Want me to eat with you again?"
"I'd want to sit at an actual table for once, but since I can't have that...how about you bring in the small table from the spare room and you and dad both eat in here? I hate it that he has to eat alone when you're eating with me." Gibbs offered.
"Sounds like a plan," Tony said and went downstairs to make it happen. They all ate dinner in Gibbs' room and once they were done, Tony offered to do load the dishwasher so that Gibbs and Jackson could have some time alone to talk.
Gibbs lay back on the hospital bed. He had been annoyed that Tony had called an ambulance to bring him to the hospital for the check up. However, he could barely sit up anymore with all the weight he had gained and he didn't think he could get into the car - or out of it.
Tony was pacing around the room, waiting for their doctor to appear. Gibbs had been on bed rest for the past two months and as time went on he was getting more grouchy without his coffee and the ability to work on his boat, but Tony had told him time and time again that he could barely stand and there was no way he could reach the boat to work on it. "Only two more months of this and we'll have our daughter," Tony told Gibbs to hopefully cheer him up a little as he'd seemed less than impressed when the medical transport arrived to take him to the hospital for a check up.
"Two months seem like an eternity." Gibbs muttered, looking around. "Where the hell is the doctor, anyway?"
"She'll be along in a minute," Tony mumbled. "Is she awake?"
"Well, she hasn't kicked me yet." Gibbs said, sounding a little worried. Ultra sounds always made him nervous.
"She's probably sleeping," Tony reassured Gibbs. Just then, the doctor appeared.
"How are we all feeling today" she asked.
"I'm fine, but grumpy there might try and convince you that bed rest is not needed for the last two months," Tony replied, smiling
Gibbs rolled his eyes when the doctor said 'we' when she actually meant 'you'. And then threw an evil look at Tony. Ok, so maybe that was what he was going to do, so what? "I'm ok." Gibbs answered. "Just have to pee like every five minutes."
"It's because baby is sitting on your bladder," the doctor said, "now, time for your check up. I need to do a quick internal to check everything's okay there. You've had no pains or anything else since your last check up?"
"Nah, just when she kicks me, but that's alright. She's a pain in the ass, just like her dad." He grinned.
The doctor helped Gibbs get into position and then did the internal, after five minutes she said. "You can put your legs down now, everything’s fine. I'll call the transport to come and take you home and I'll see you in two weeks."
Gibbs was relieved that everything was alright. He let Tony and an orderly help him into a wheelchair and then onto the gurney of the ambulance. His stomach started hurt a little from the sitting up and lying down.
Once they got home, Jackson greeted them with a late lunch. "What did the doctor say?" he asked as they sat down at the table to eat. Tony was giving Gibbs a reprieve from eating in bed seeing as he'd been up and about for the hospital visit.
"Everything's ok." Gibbs answered and then took a deep breath. His stomach was hurting quite a bit by now. "Actually, I'm not really hungry." He said.
"You want to head upstairs and lie down?" Tony asked, looking concerned. Maybe the hospital trip had tired Gibbs out more than he originally thought.
Gibbs was about to nod, but suddenly a stabbing pain went through him. He cried out at the sudden pain.
"What's wrong? Gibbs?" Tony asked, standing up and heading over to where Gibbs was sitting.
Gibbs grabbed the table for support. "Tony, I think....arg..."
Jackson stood up and went to the phone, "I'm calling an ambulance," he told Tony.
Tony supported Gibbs. "Does it feel like it did when you were in labour before?" he asked, worrying
Gibbs' jaw was set as he tried to suppress a cry. He nodded.
"At least your water's haven't broke-" Tony started, when water stared to drip from Gibbs' pants. "Oh Christ! Jackson tell the dispatcher, he's in pre-term labour and his water's have broken!"
"So much for bed rest!" Gibbs muttered annoyed about himself that he hadn't realized it earlier, but another contraction squeezed in him.
"It's going to be fine, Gibbs," Tony told him. "Just because she's coming today doesn't mean she won't be okay."
"The ambulance is on it's way," Jackson reported. "I'll go back a bag for you. Do you need anything specific?"
"PJ, towels, underwear...Gibbs muttered, trying to remember, "toiletries...doesn't really matter...we can get it later." He said between pants.
"Okay," Jackson said, leaving the room.
"Let me time them," Tony said, "tell me when the next one finishes and I'll see how far apart they are."
Gibbs took a deep breath..."I think that was one..." He breathed deeply..."Arg, there's another he finally said."
"That's nine minutes, man, she's coming quickly. If that Ambulance doesn't hurry up, I'll be delivering her myself!" Tony joked, but he was pretty worried. He looked out the window in time to see the Ambulance round the corner. "Come on, let's get you to the door, they're here. JACKSON! The Ambulance is here."
"I've got your bag. You want me to come and wait or stay here and wait?" he asked Gibbs.
"No room in the ambulance....we'll send McGee over to pick you up." Gibbs promised as he was already helped onto the gurney. The EMTs quickly checking his blood pressure and pulse.
"How frequent is he?" One of them asked Tony.
"Nine minutes to the second," Tony replied.
"How many months?" the paramedic asked.
"Seven, we just got back from a check up when this happened. His waters broke," Tony told him. They loaded Gibbs into the ambulance and Tony quick dialled McGee to inform him of what was going on and to pass onto Vance that Tony would be taking his leave from today and also to ask him to bring Jackson to the hospital. Before long they were speeding towards the hospital, there would be no attempts to stop the labour now that Gibbs' waters had broken, their daughter was being born today and Tony prayed to a God he only spoke to on special occasions to ask that he allow them to have their daughter delivered safe and healthy. "How you holding up, Gibbs?"
"It hurts." Gibbs admitted. "But the pain between the contractions isn't as bad as it was last time." He said, being a little relieved. He knew the birth would hurt like hell, but this seemed a little more text book than the false alarm before.
"Well, once you've been checked over, they can give you something to help with the pain," the paramedic said, smiling.
"How close are we?" Tony asked.
"We should be there in a few minutes."
"Okay, is his OB meeting us on the labour and delivery ward?" Tony asked.
"I should expect so," the paramedic informed him.
"Okay, she knows your case, Gibbs, she'll sort you out. Just think about meeting our daughter and you'll get through this," Tony told Gibbs, trying not to panic, but failing.
Gibbs nodded. "Tony, make sure they don't give me anything that could harm the baby. I don't want any more risks for her. I don't care how much it'll hurt. She has to come out ok." He said with slight panic in his voice.
"I promise I won't, Gibbs and you can squeeze my hand the whole way through," Tony reassured Gibbs. They arrived at the hospital and were rushed up to a delivery room. Gibbs was taken straight in, but Tony had to stop and gown up. He didn't have a chance to tell Gibbs he would be there in a second and he was worried Gibbs would think he'd abandoned him.
Everything happened in a rush and it wasn't before he had been pushed into the delivery room and actually stood that he tried to reach for Tony's hand, but didn't find it. He looked around. "Where's Tony?" He grabbed a nurse by her scrubs. "Where's my partner?" He barked.
"He's just getting scrubbed up," the nurse replied, shocked by Gibbs' tone. "Now we need to get you undressed and into a gown."
Tony rushed into the delivery room all ready just as they were lifting a naked-except for the gown, Gibbs onto the delivery table. His legs were put in stirrups and a midwife was talking to him. Tony took his place by Gibbs' side and grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze to let him know he was there.
Just as the midwife stopped talking, the doctor arrived. "Okay, so this is a little earlier than planned, but you're six centimetres dilated, so soon you'll start pushing your daughter into the world, are you ready? Want any pain relief?"
"He wants something that won't harm the baby," Tony said.
"He can have gas and air, it's the safest pain relief during labour," the doctor said and motioned for a nurse to set it up and explain how to use it to Gibbs. "I'll be back when you're ready to push, but until then conserve your energy, we need to get little one out as quickly as possible so you'll need all that energy for pushing." With that, she left.
"Is that helping with the pain?" Tony asked Gibbs, motioning to the mouth piece now between Gibbs' teeth.
Gibbs shrugged a little, not really sure if he should talk with this thing in his mouth, but then he nodded as the pain subsided a little.
The doctor was back two hours later when it was time for Gibbs to start pushing their daughter into the world. "Okay, guys, this is it. The head is out so the hard part is over, I need one last big push from you, Jethro and your daughter will be born," she told Gibbs.
Tony helped Gibbs sit up and held his hand as he pushed hard. After a few moments, they heard a cry and then it was over. She was born.
Gibbs slumped back into the pillows and watched in awe as a nurse held out the little pink - and mainly bloody red - baby for him to see. He smiled slightly as she cried full and loudly.
"You did it, Gibbs, we have a daughter!" Tony said, tears of happiness welling up in his eyes. "Can I hold her?"
"Not yet, we have to weigh her and clean her off and check her over," the doctor said and the baby disappeared from view. Tony tried to stand on his tiptoes so he could still see her, but couldn't over the huddle of medical people checking his daughter was healthy.
"Hey," Gibbs said and pulled on Tony's hand to make him kiss him. "She's alright?" He said and asked at the same time.
"I think so, we need a name...I've been thinking and I have an idea," Tony told Gibbs, giving him another kiss. He was overwhelmingly proud of Gibbs for bringing him the little, bloody, miracle.
Gibbs couldn't get the smile off his face, now that his daughter was born and healthy. "What's your idea?"
"How about Grace Kelly Gibbs?" Tony asked. He'd included Gibbs' first daughter's name so that part of her would live on with their daughter.
Gibbs looked at Tony shocked for a second, ready to snap at him for such a thought, but then he realized that Tony was trying to be supportive, and yeah, he actually like the idea. He smiled and nodded. "Grace Kelly." Then he grinned, "Wonder where you came up with Grace." He joked.
The doctor turned round, holding Grace. "She's fine, a little small, but considering she's two months premature, that's normal. She has healthy lung and heart sounds and I don't see any need for her to go to the NICU. Would you like to hold your daughter?" she said to Gibbs.
"God, yes." He said and held out his arms. He took the little bundle and smiled down at her. "Hey, Grace, welcome to the world...you've been awaited by a lot of people." He softly kissed her head. "She's so beautiful." He said with tears in his eyes as he looked up at Tony.
"Look at her, she's got your smile," Tony cooed.
The girl giggled slightly as Gibbs tickled her belly. "And your laugh." He smiled a little wider. "You want to meet your Daddy? Huh, do you?" He looked at Tony. "C'mon, I'm sure you wanna hold her.
"Erm, I do, but I've never held a baby before...I don't wanna drop her," Tony said.
"Your father wants to know if he can come in," the nurse who'd been looking after them asked.
"Sure." Gibbs said and sat up a little, carefully. "C'mon, Tony, sit down on the bed."
Jackson entered the room. "Oh my god, is that my granddaughter?" He asked, stroking over the baby's head.
"Yeah, Grace, meet your grandpa." Gibbs whispered.
"Grace?" Jackson asked.
"Grace Kelly." Gibbs added with a grin, that somehow was more an honest and tired smile.
Tony sat on the bed and Gibbs passed Grace over to him, he was a little nervous but after a few moments he felt like he had a good hold of her and his fear disappeared. "Hi, Grace, I'm your other daddy. The one that made goo goo noises at you when you were in papa's tummy," he cooed. He really couldn't believe that he was now a father. He looked at Jackson. "Would you like to hold your grand daughter?" he asked him.
"Of course I would." Jackson smiled widely and leaned his cane against the bed. He carefully took the baby from Tony. "She looks just like your mother, Leroy." Jackson said and Gibbs rolled his eyes.
"I think she looks more like Gibbs than me," Tony added. A nurse appeared in the doorway.
"We're going to move you and your daughter to a room now, if that's okay," she said.
"Can I carry the baby?" Jackson asked.
"No, it's hospital policy that she needs to be moved in the crib, just in case of any accidents," she told him. Jackson passed Grace to the nurse, who then put her down into the see through crib and a porter pushed her and Gibbs' bed along to their new room.
Once there Tony picked up his daughter and gazed at her, Gibbs yawned. "Are you tired?" Tony asked him.
"I just gave birth. What do ya think, Tony?" Gibbs asked but sat up anyway to look at his daughter.
"I can give Grace her first feed, if you want to catch some sleep. I'll stay here until you wake up, I promise. I wouldn't want Grace to be on her own, her first night in the big wide world," Tony replied.
Gibbs nodded. The others would have to wait for tomorrow, he was tired as hell.
Ziva, McGee, Abby and Ducky were waiting for visiting hours to officially start before going into Gibbs' room, where Tony and Grace were also sleeping. Tony had called them all late the previous night to let them know that Grace Kelly Gibbs had made an appearance into the world two months early, but was still healthy and happy. Abby had brought the clothes she'd knitted and had taken McGee and Ziva shopping that morning for presents for the new family. Jackson had left late the night before and had said he would come in the following afternoon.
Once the clock struck midday, Abby burst into the room where Gibbs was giving Grace her lunch time bottle. "Baby! Little Grace! Love the name, by the way, can I hold her?" she asked, making a bee line for Gibbs and Grace. Tony was still passed out in a chair next to Gibbs' bed.
Gibbs looked her up and down. "Take off the collar, then you can hold her. I don't want you to poke out her eyes." He put down the bottle and raised her to his shoulder to help her burp.
Ziva snorted when she saw Tony, "He looks like he was the one who went through labour,"
Abby took off her collar and picked up Grace. "Ooo, she's so sweet, she has your smile, Gibbs, her little eyes light up. She's beautiful, congratulations!"
"Here," McGee said, handing Gibbs a bag containing his present. "Should I wake Tony?"
"No, he's been up all night with her while I slept." Gibbs said but knew it was only a matter of minutes before Tony woke up. "And thanks for the presents; I'll wait till Tony's up to open them."
Ziva added her present to the small pile on Gibbs bed. "Would you mind if I held her?" she asked Gibbs. Before he could answer, Tony opened his eyes and yawned.
"Ah, you're all here, now where's my precious daughter?" he said.
"I've got Grace," Abby said, "want me to hand her over?"
"Yeah, I need a morning snuggle after all the screaming she did last night. I have to know she hasn't grown to hate me in the last few hours," Tony said, taking Grace from Abby. "Ooo...presents. Can we open them?"
Gibbs chuckled. "I only waited for you to wake up. Oh, and you can hand her to Ziva, as soon as you reassured yourself that she still loves you." He shook his head, "I swear, that DiNozzo-charm seems to be very effective on every single Gibbs you meet. She wasn't crying that much."
"Okay, Ziva, you can have a cuddle, she still loves me," Tony said, handing Grace over and diving for the presents. "Whose this one from?" he asked holding up a badly wrapped present.
"That would be me," Ziva replied.
"Oh, okay." Tony opened the present and in it was an outfit for Grace and a book called "What to expect the first year". "Thanks, Ziva, she'll look adorable in that! Your turn, Gibbs," he said, as he showed the outfit to Gibbs.
Gibbs grabbed the bag McGee had brought. Quickly he unwrapped the present inside and grinned. "A little NCIS jacket, that's cute...where did you get it?"
"Well, got a little black jacket, that wasn't too difficult, and then I had NCIS stitched to the back. I mean, this is our first official NCIS baby, right?" He grinned a little shyly.
"Ah, that's sweet, McGoo. Thanks. You want to hold Grace?" Tony asked, taking the baby from Ziva. "Gracie, you wanna meet your Uncle Probie?"
McGee looked nervous, but Tony showed him how to hold her and pretty soon Grace was resting comfortably in his arms.
Gibbs smiled. Oh, yes, this was exactly the company in which he was comfortable to raise his daughter. "Tony, you wanna unwrap what Abby has brought?"
Tony grabbed Abby's gift, he'd seen the booties and hat that she'd knitted but she'd obviously bought more. He opened the bag and pulled out a tiny dog collar "Wow, Abs," he said, unsure of what to say. He looked to Gibbs for help.
"That...that's very nice of you...but I guess you'll understand that she can't really wear that, right? I mean..." Gibbs took the collar and twisted it between his fingers, "she could strangle herself with it."
Abby grinned. "Okay guys, quit with the worrying...I only put that in there to freak you out!"
"Okay, where's the real present?" Tony asked
"Here," Abby said, taking a package out of her pocket. She handed it to Tony who opened it. "Oh, Abby," he said, looking at the gift. It was a small, knitted teddy, in pink. “How did you know?" he asked.
"Ducky told me," Abby admitted, "I told you I'd find out somehow."
Gibbs shook his head smiling. "You really couldn't let it go, could you?" He couldn't care less, actually. "It's really cute, Abby, thank you." He looked at Tony, trying to figure out if this was the right time to talk about godfather and godmother.
Tony smiled at Abby. "Look, there was something Gibbs and I wanted to talk to you and McGoogle about, you mind giving us a minute, Ziva?"
"Not a problem, I shall get coffee for everyone, I'm sure Gibbs would like to have some after being deprived for seven months," Ziva said, leaving the room.
"Gibbs, why don't you explain?" Tony said, taking Grace from McGee as she started to cry and giving her a bottle.
"Well, you see...Tony and I have been thinking about who to make godfather and godmother of Grace...I mean, we obviously don't want Tony's father to take care of her if - god forbid- something happened to us. And my father's not the youngest anymore..." He took a deep breath, smiling slightly as he watched Tony with Grace. "We wanted to ask you guys if you wanted to take the job."
"I'd love to!" Abby and McGee said at the same time. Tony smiled. "See, Grace, they're already jumping in line to take care of you!"
"Oh and I'm sure there'll plenty of time to babysit for the two of you." Gibbs smiled widely, happy that they wanted to do it. "Who knows, Tim, you might even impress Tony enough that he'll stop with the nicknames."
"I doubt that, McGeekle," Tony said, laughing.
Gibbs just put Grace into her crib and watched her sleep for a moment but then a wide yawn spread over his face. The little one was really keeping them on their toes, though as cliché as it sounded, she was worth every sleepless night. He sighed and carefully sneaked out of the nursery only to fall onto the bed.
Grace opened her eyes and started to cry. "I'm coming, bubba," Tony called, not knowing that Gibbs was right there. He climbed the stairs carrying a bottle. "I thought you'd put her down for the night," he asked Gibbs.
"I just did." Gibbs muttered into the pillows now that he knew Tony was taking care of her he stayed on the bed. "I think she's playing with me."
"I'll try and settle her down," Tony said, watching as Gibbs slipped into sleep. "Gracie, you need to sleep, Daddy and Papa are tired that they're falling asleep standing up!" he told his daughter as he fed her the bottle. He didn't know how Gibbs was going to cope when he went back to work in ten days. After a few moments and only a few gulps of the bottle, Grace was back to sleep and Tony was able to lie her down and grab some sleep himself. Jackson had stayed for a few days after they got home from the hospital, but had left the day before because now it was time for them to get into their own routine without any help as before long they'd both be back at work with Grace in day-care.
Gibbs sat in the car, glaring at the building he was supposed to enter with his daughter. "You checked them, right? Criminal records and all?" He asked for the tenth time.
"For the hundredth time, I checked everything, I even made McGee hack their servers," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "Now, will you hurry up or we'll be late."
Gibbs sighed and got out of the car, carefully taking Grace out of the car seat. "My little princess is going to day care." He muttered to the baby that snuggled against his shoulder. "You're going to be a very good girl, right?" He said as he walked towards the day care centre and quickly checked that Tony had the bag and was following him.
"She'll be an angel," Tony reassured, "and she'll be fine." Tony had been back at work for two months, though this was Gibbs' first day back as Grace had turned three months a few days ago and his paternity leave was up. Tony hoped that he'd get better at leaving Grace as time went on.
Once inside they had to sign some papers and then Gracy was taken from them. "We'll be back real soon, I promise, Gracy." He said kissing her good bye.
They got back in the car and headed towards the Navy Yard, once there they went inside and took their places at their desks. They had only just sat down when the phone rang and they had a case. Tony guessed that meant their lives were back to normal.
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