Forgiveness
Navigating the busy streets of DC, Gibbs glanced over at his girl, his frown darkening as he watched her swipe at the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.
“I should have known something was wrong,” she managed, her voice thick with emotion as she continued glaring out the passenger side window. “He wasn’t feeling well today! I should have known. I should have gotten Ducky to check him out!”
“Abs…” Gibbs sighed, reaching over to grasp her hand in his, threading their fingers together. “There’s no way anyone could have known what the hell was goin’ on. Tony didn’t even know.”
“I read up on all of this, J,” she cried, pulling her hand away. “Before we ever went through with any of it, I read everything I could find! With the all the stress he’s been under, I should have known!”
“If you believed every bad thing in one of those damn books, DiNozzo would have had to live in a bubble,” the silver-haired agent snorted. “Just because you read about it doesn’t make you an expert on the subject. There’s no point in blamin’ yourself over this, Abby, because you didn’t know.”
The Goth fell silent save for the quiet sobs that continued to escape her. After receiving the call from McGee, she’d promised herself that she’d stay strong, knowing that Tony would need her once she arrived, but her resolve hadn’t lasted long. A million different thoughts were running through her head as Gibbs drove, each more disturbing than the last.
As he pulled up in front of the hospital, she was hit with the most frightening thought of all: should Tony actually be in labor and the doctors were unable to stop it, there was no way her babies were going to survive. It was too early.
Reaching for the door handle, Abby paused at the feeling of her lover’s hand on hers, preventing her from exiting the car.
“Abby,” Gibbs said quietly, frowning when she tried to pull away from him. “Look at me.”
Turning back to him with tear filled eyes, she sniffled, trying to get herself under control. “What, J?”
“You go in there, you keep yourself together,” he warned. “And I mean it. You said it yourself, Tony’s under enough stress and if you go in there cryin’ all over the place, you’re only gonna make it worse.”
For a moment, she was angry with him. She didn’t like the implication that she’d do anything to upset her Italian any further but after a second, she nodded. “I know,” she conceded grudgingly.
“Good,” he said, offering her a rare smile as he leaned over the console, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Take a minute and get yourself together. I know you’re concerned, but right now, Tony’s the main focus. Got it?”
Nodding solemnly, Abby took a deep breath, attempting to get her emotions in check. Pulling the sun visor down, she checked her reflection in the mirror, swiping at the unattractive makeup streaks on her cheeks before she turned back to Gibbs. She was positive that Tony would notice the redness around her eyes, but there wasn’t much she could do about that.
“I’m okay now,” she said, and though her voice was hoarse from crying, Gibbs believed her.
“Alright then. Let’s go, huh?”
----
McGee looked up as Abby and Gibbs entered the waiting room, his hand resting reassuringly on the small of her back. Josh was sitting on his lap wearing his Batman pajamas, his finger firmly in his mouth and his blue blanket laced between his fingers.
“A’tie Abby!” he cried, his voice cracking as he reached for her. “Daddy boo-boo!”
“I know, little man,” she whispered, lifting the child from his father’s arms, allowing him to cling to her. “I know.”
Gibbs took a seat next to his junior agent and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. “How’s he doin’?”
McGee shook his head, running a hand over his tired face. “I don’t know. They took him back as soon as we got here. Wouldn’t let me go with him because I had Josh.”
The silver-haired man sighed quietly. “Go. I’ll keep Josh out here with me. You and Abby go see Tony.”
“Boss…”
“No, it’s not a discussion.” Standing up, he pulled the younger man out of the chair and nudged him toward the door. “No ‘Boss’ here tonight, Tim.”
Offering his agent a rare, reassuring smile, Gibbs made his way over to the corner where Abby was still trying to calm the little boy. He was trembling against her, his breaths coming out in ragged little spurts as he pressed his face against the woman’s shoulder.
Glancing up at her lover as he approached, Abby swiped at the tears on her cheeks with her free hand. “He’s so upset, J,” she sniffled, rubbing Josh’s back comfortingly. “He doesn’t… he doesn’t understand what’s going on.”
“I’ll take him,” Gibbs said quietly. “You go back with McGee to see Tony,” he instructed, lifting the crying child from his girl’s arms.
“I go see Daddy!” Josh cried, reaching for Abby again. “I go see Daddy!”
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” Abby promised, her voice cracking at the sight of the little boy’s tears. “I promise.”
“I go see Daddy!”
“Go,” Gibbs ordered, settling himself down in one of the chairs with the distraught toddler.
Making her way over to McGee, Abby wiped her eyes once more before she forced a smile. “How are you doing?” She asked quietly, her voice trembling just slightly. “J told me what happened today.”
“I’m okay,” the agent responded quietly. “I’m on suspension for three days, but it was worth it. I can’t believe I was ready to throw everything away. I don’t… I wouldn’t blame him if he never forgave me.”
“You know that’s not going to happen, Timmy. Tony loves you. Everything’s going to work out.”
“You really believe that?”
“I do,” she promised, leaning over to peck his cheek gently before she wiped the lipstick smudge away with her thumb. “I’m sorry too, you know. I’ve been… harder on you than I probably should have been, but"“
“No, I get it. You were looking out for Tony. I’m just glad that somebody was,” he assured her, offering a half-hearted smile as they made their way down the hallway. They paused long enough at the nurse’s station to find out where Tony was being held before heading in that direction.
Pausing just outside the room, McGee turned to Abby, forcing a smile. “You uh… you go on in. I don’t know… that he’s going to want to see me.”
“Timmy, I"“
“Please. I don’t want to upset him any more and I just… If he’s okay with me comin’ in, that’s fine, but I don’t wanna just barge in there.”
Nodding in understanding, Abby pressed a kiss to his cheek once more before she pushed the door open, tears filling her eyes almost immediately at the sight of her friend.
“You think I’d be used to seeing you in a hospital bed by now,” she teased, her voice cracking as she made her way over to him.
“It does seem to be a reoccurring problem I have, huh?” He asked, lifting his eyes to meet hers, offering a tired smile.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. Still hurting pretty bad, but they said the pain should be easing up soon,” he said, motioning to the chair next to the bed. “Sit.”
Dropping into the chair beside him, she reached over, gripping his hand in hers as she looked him over from head to toe slowly, as if trying to assess his condition. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m okay,” he assured her, squeezing her hand. “The babies are okay. Apparently, a ridiculous amount of stress can bring on premature labor. Who knew, right?” He snorted, though he cringed at her quiet gasp. “Hey, everything’s okay though.”
“They were… they were able to stop it though?”
“Oh yeah. No worries. I’ve still got four incredibly long months left to go,” he promised, resting his hand on his swollen belly.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Abby offered him a shaky smile. “You scared the shit out of everyone, T. Josh is an absolute wreck. Apparently, the nurses wouldn’t let Timmy bring him back here to see you and he’s just so worried.”
“Let him know I’m fine,” the Italian said, frowning at the thought of his son upset. “And get Gibbs to go uh… talk one of the nurses into getting him back here. If anyone can do it, bossman can,” the man snorted, dropping his head back against the pillows when another spasm went through his lower stomach.
“You okay?” Abby asked, not missing the look of pain that crossed his face.
“’M fine. They told me it’d be awhile before they stopped completely,” he groaned, closing his eyes until it passed.
Bringing her friend’s hand to her lips, she pressed a gentle kiss to the back of his knuckles before she released him, pushing herself to her feet. “I’ll go let Josh know you’re okay and see what we can do about getting him back here to see you. Anything else you need?”
He hesitated for a moment, biting his lower lip thoughtfully before he nodded. “Yeah. Can you uh… send Tim back? I mean, he’s… he hasn’t left or anything… has he?”
“He’s waiting right outside. He wanted me to make sure it was okay for him to come in first. Want me to send him in?”
“Please.”
Nodding, the Goth leaned over, pressing a kiss to her Italian’s head before she pulled away, running her fingers through his hair gently. “I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. And Tony?”
“Hmm?”
“Take it easy on him. He knows he’s screwed up and I think he’s missing the hell out of you.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he promised, the faintest hint of a smile on his face as he settled back against the bed, waiting for the younger man.
Glancing back at Tony one last time, Abby made her way back out into the hallway, offering McGee a slight smile. “He wants to see you,” she said quietly.
“How is he?”
“He’s doing better. Says he is, anyway. You know how he is though. He gets a paper cut and he swears he’s going to bleed out, but infect him with the plague and he doesn’t open his mouth to complain.”
“Did you… did you believe him? About being okay, I mean?”
“I believe that he’s really going to be okay,” she said, pressing a kiss to her friend’s cheek. “Go on in and see him. I’m going to see what we can do about getting Josh back to see him for a few minutes.”
“Thanks Abs,” he said, releasing a quiet sigh before he ran his fingers through his hair.
“Go, Timmy.”
Nodding, the younger man stepped into the room, his hands trembling slightly as he made his way over to the bed.
“H… Hey,” he managed.
“Not gonna bite.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to bite,” Tony said again, eyeing the younger man carefully. “You can come closer.”
“Oh… right. I just didn’t… well, I don’t… I… Uh… how are you?”
“I’m okay. Don’t know that I would have been had you not brought Josh back when you did but I’m… okay.”
“You scared the hell out of me, Tony,” McGee accused, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “And the worst part? Knowing that all this shit was my fault!”
“Timmy, this wasn’t"“
“It was! I don’t know what the hell I was thinking! I don’t know what… what I have to do to fix this, but I swear to God, Tony, if you just… give me a chance to do it, I will. I don’t… I don’t wanna be away from you and Josh anymore.”
Swallowing hard around the lump that had formed in his throat, Tony sat up slightly, reaching for McGee when he stepped closer. Pulling him into his arms, he held him as tight as possible, tears stinging his eyes as he breathed in the scent he’d missed so much over the last week.
“I’m so glad to hear you say that,” the Italian managed, his voice muffled by McGee’s shoulder. “I want you to come home.”
McGee’s chest ached at the feeling of hot tears seeping through his shirt. Closing his eyes, he held Tony against him, rubbing his back gently. “I’m so sorry, Tony. God, I’m so, so sorry.”
Pulling away after what felt like an eternity, Tony swiped discreetly at his eyes before he laid back against the pillows, reaching for McGee’s hand. “We still have a lot to work on,” the Italian cautioned, his voice slightly hoarse. “But I meant it when I said I wanted you to come home.”
The younger man squeezed his hand gently, glancing up when the door opened and their two year old came barreling toward them at full speed.
“Daddy!” He cried, jumping onto McGee’s lap and scrambling onto the bed, burrowing himself next to Tony’s side under the blankets. “Daddy, me ‘fraid!”
“I know you were, buddy. Were you a good boy for Gibbs?”
Gibbs nodded from the doorway as he leaned against it. “He’s fine. Worried about his dad, though.”
The Italian nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around the little boy. “Yeah, I know.”
“You tummy feel good now, Daddy?”
“Yeah, a little bit, buddy.” Leaning down as best he could, he pressed a kiss into Josh’s hair and smiled when the little boy relaxed against him, poking his chubby fingers into his mouth. “He’s gonna fall asleep.”
“Probably,” McGee agreed with a nod. “He’s been fightin’ it since we got here. I should probably get him home and into bed.”
Sensing Tony’s hesitation to allow his partner to leave, Gibbs barely suppressed a smile as he pushed himself off from the door frame, stepping farther into the room. “I’ll take him with me,” he offered. “You can come pick him up when you’re released.”
“Boss, you don’t"“
Gibbs silenced McGee with a glare. “Don’t think DiNozzo wants you to leave, McGee. Josh’ll be fine with me for the night, right kiddo?”
Glancing up curiously at the older man, Josh pulled away slightly from Tony. “I go wis you, Gi’s?”
“Yeah, if ya want.”
“And A’tie Abby?”
“I think Abby’s gonna stay here with your Daddy tonight.”
“J, are you"“
“You’re not gonna get any sleep anyway,” Gibbs snorted, grinning at Josh when the boy held his arms out for him. Lifting him off the bed, he settled the child against his chest. “We’ll be fine.”
“If you have any trouble out of him, just call and I can come pick him up,” McGee said, pleased that he wouldn’t have to leave his lover’s side.
“We’ll be fine,” Gibbs repeated, leaning over to peck his girl on the lips. “You gonna tell them goodnight, Josh?”
“Nigh’ nigh’,” Josh mumbled, snuggling closer to Gibbs’ chest.
“Goodnight, buddy. Love you.”
“Love too, daddy.”
“I’ll walk down with you and give you the car seat,” Abby offered, holding her hands out for McGee’s car keys. Digging them out of his pocket, he handed them to the Goth before he settled himself in the chair beside the bed again, his fingers still laced with Tony’s as Gibbs and Abby made their way out of the room, Josh already fast asleep in their boss’ arms.
Releasing a quiet sigh, Tony turned to the younger man, frowning when he noticed the cut on his partner’s lip. “Tim…” Reaching out, he turned McGee’s head to get a better look at it, cringing slightly when he winced. “What happened?”
“Long story,” the junior agent snorted, wincing again when Tony ran his thumb over it gently.
“I didn’t even notice it earlier,” Tony said, his frown darkening. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” McGee assured him. “Besides, you were a little preoccupied earlier.”
“But what happened?”
“Let’s just say I finally came to my senses about Eric.”
“He did that?! I’ll kill that little sonofa"“
“I already took care of it, Tony. We don’t have to worry about that little shit anymore. By the time Gibbs and Ziva finished with him this afternoon, he was turning in his resignation to Vance.”
“Oh no,” Tony said, shaking his head. “You’re not skating over this one. I want the full story. And you better not leave any details out!”
----
Stepping into the hospital room, Caf-Pow! in hand, Abby couldn’t help but smile at the sight of McGee curled up in the chair next to Tony’s bed, snoring softly. It had been a long night and after the kind of week that her boys had, she was surprised that he’d lasted this long.
“Finally gave in, huh?” She asked quietly, making her way over to the other side of the bed, reaching for Tony’s hand as she settled into her own chair.
“Yeah,” Tony responded, a tired smile on his face as he shifted slightly on the bed. “You should probably try to get some sleep too.”
“Nah, I’m good. Gimme a Caf-Pow! or six and I can go for days. Still doing okay?”
“Mmhmm,” he said quietly, rubbing his stomach gently. “A little nauseous from the medicine they gave me, but the cramps have stopped, thank God.”
“I’m glad,” Abby smiled, squeezing his hand as she took a sip of her drink.
“You thought of any names yet?” The Italian asked, stifling a yawn.
“A couple,” she responded cryptically, her smile softening slightly. “Still have to run them by J though.”
“Bet you’re glad they’re not boys, huh? Not gonna have to pass on Leroy or Jethro,” he snorted.
Giggling quietly to herself, the Goth shook her head, taking another sip of her drink. “That wasn’t very nice, Tony. You know he wouldn’t make me pass on those awful names. He hates them. Why do you think I…” She trailed off at the slightly dazed look on her friend’s face. “T? You okay?”
“I’m not… I…” He searched for the right words before he turned to look at her, his eyes wide. “I forgot how weird that was.”
“What?” She asked, sitting on the edge of her chair. “What’s goin’ on?”
He said nothing as he moved her hand to rest on his belly. A quiet gasp escaped her at the gentle fluttering she felt inside him. “Is that…?”
“’S the first time they’ve done it.”
She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes as she held her hand there for a moment before she pulled away, sniffling quietly. “S… Sorry. I know you don’t like when people touch your belly.”
“C’mon, Abby. Of course you can. They’re your babies,” he reminded her, swallowing hard as soon as the words left his mouth. Over the course of the last five months, he’d had a million different feelings about the children growing inside of him, though this was the first time he realized that when it was all said and done, they weren’t his to keep.
It hurt more than he thought it would.
::::::
Stepping into the hospital room, Gibbs couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of Tony, McGee and Abby all passed out in various sleeping positions.
“Daddy s’eepin’?” Josh asked, peering up at Gibbs with a slight frown.
“Yeah, they’re still sleepin’. Why don’t you go give Auntie Abby a big kiss and wake her up?”
Grinning up at the older man, Josh released his hand and ran around the bed to the chair the Goth was currently sleeping soundly in. “A’tie Abby?” He tried, giggling at the quiet noise that escaped her. “Her is snortin’!”
“Yeah, she snores loud, huh?” Gibbs laughed.
“I do not,” Abby mumbled as she sat upright in the chair, groaning as her back cracked loudly. Glancing down at the little boy, she offered him a sleepy smile before she lifted him into her arms, kissing his cheeks. “What are you doin’ here so early, you little stinker?”
“I not stink,” Josh frowned, giggling again when Abby tickled his sides.
“Sure you do,” Tony offered from the bed, forcing his tired eyes open with a smile at the sight of his son.
“Daddy!” Josh squealed, wiggling in Abby’s arms as he reached for his father. “I see Daddy!”
“Alright, alright. Hold on,” Abby laughed, leaning forward to deposit the little boy onto the bed.
“How ya feelin’, Tony?” Gibbs asked, smirking as Josh snuggled up against his father’s side.
“Much better today, boss. Hopefully they’ll let me go home soon.”
“With the way you like to irritate hospital staff? Surprised they haven’t kicked you outta here already.”
“They tried,” McGee muttered, barely stifling a yawn as he sat up in the chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “How was Josh last night?”
“Ah, he was fine. Told ya he would be.”
“Were you a good boy for Gibbs?” Tony asked, pressing a kiss to the top of his boy’s head.
“I goo’,” Josh confirmed with a nod, snuggling even closer. “I miss Daddy.”
“I missed you too, buddy.”
“What about me?” McGee asked, holding his arms out for Josh, grinning when the toddler scrambled across the bed, practically leaping into his arms.
“Miss too.”
Hugging his son tightly, McGee pressed a kiss to the top of his head, unable to stop the grin on his face.
Pushing herself to her feet, Abby made her way over to Gibbs, wrapping her arms around his waist as she pressed a kiss to his lips. “You make out okay with Josh?”
“Mmhmm. How are you? Did you get any sleep?”
“A little,” she said, smiling up at him. “I got to feel the babies move last night.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yep. First time they’ve moved, apparently.”
“They just wanted to reassure their mommy that they’re okay,” Tony said, offering his Goth a slight smile, ignoring the twinge in his chest.
Turning back to her friend, Abby leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “You’re the best, T,” she said sincerely, offering him a bright smile.
“That’s what they tell me,” the Italian responded smugly, relaxing back against the pillows.
The sound of knocking on the doorway caught their attention, and turning back, they spotted the Doctor poking her head into the room.
“Good morning,” Doctor Simmons greeted brightly. Though Tony had initially used Abby’s doctor while undergoing the initial procedure and subsequent appointment to ensure that it worked, he’d soon switched back over to his own doctor. “How’s my favorite patient feeling this morning?”
“Much better,” Tony assured her.
“Wonderful. I’m so glad to hear that. I wanna do a quick examination, just to make sure everything’s still okay and then as long as there aren’t any issues, we’ll see about getting you out of here. Sound good?”
“We’ll just be outside then, Tony,” Abby said, making her way over to McGee to take Josh from him.
Waving the trio off, McGee resumed his place beside Tony’s bed, reaching for the older man’s hand as Doctor Simmons prepared for the exam. “You okay, T?”
“I’m fine,” Tony said with a tight smile as he closed his eyes, releasing a quiet sigh.
The examination didn’t take long at all, and before he even knew she was finished, Doctor Simmons was pulling off her rubber gloves with a bright smile. “Okay, Tony. Everything looks good. The babies are doing just fine.”
“I get to go home now?”
“Uh huh. There’s something I need to discuss with you first though,” she warned. “And I’m afraid you’re not going to like it.”
“I already don’t like the sound of this.”
“Though we can’t be sure, we’re pretty sure that the premature labor was brought on by stress. You admitted when you were brought in that things had been really hectic lately and I’m going to be honest with you: that worries me.”
“It’s all going to be okay now,” the Italian said, frowning slightly. “I’ve worked everything out.”
Doctor Simmons nodded, offering an apologetic smile. “I believe you but I’m not still not willing to take a chance. We were able to stop the labor this time with medication, but if this happens again, we may not be so lucky.”
“So… what are you saying?”
“I’m recommending bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. Please tell me you aren’t serious, Doc. That’s four more months!”
“I am well aware of that, Tony, but like I said, we can’t take chances with this.”
“Four months in bed?” He asked miserably.
“At this time, I’m putting you on what’s called modified bed rest. You aren’t restricted to just your bed, but you’re to stay off your feet as much as possible. No standing for long periods at a time. No driving, no heavy lifting. If you aren’t in bed, you’re to be on the couch or in a recliner resting. I want to see you again in three weeks and depending on how you’re doing then, we’ll either continued with the modified plan or change you to a more restrictive form.”
“Four months?” He asked again.
Reaching over, she patted his leg gently, offering a sympathetic smile. “I know it sucks honey, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’m going to go get your discharge papers ready, along with a couple sheets on modified bed rest. Like I said, I want to see you in three weeks to check you over again, but if you have any issues before then, you call me right away.”
Watching as she walked out, it took every bit of Tony’s will power to keep from screaming in frustration. Though he knew that what the doctor was suggesting was for the best, he wasn’t thrilled at the idea. He was an active person by nature and the thought of spending the next four months doing nothing more than being a couch potato was less than appealing.
He was positive he was going to go crazy.
With McGee’s help, he changed out of the hospital gown and back into his clothes as they waited for Doctor Simmons to return with his discharge papers.
“You decent?” Abby called from the doorway, shifting Josh in her arms.
“Yeah, c’mon in,” Tony called, not bothering to hide the disappointment in his voice.
Stepping into the room, with Gibbs in tow, she offered Tony an apologetic frown. “We heard about the whole bed rest thing. I’m really sorry, Tony.”
Waving his hand dismissively, the Italian forced a smile for her benefit before he held his arms out for his son. “Come here, buddy.”
Allowing his father to lift him onto the bed, Josh snuggled up against him again, releasing a content sigh. “We go home now?”
“Yep, in just a few minutes, buddy.”
“Actually… Gibbs and I wanted to talk to you about that,” Abby said, biting her lower lip slightly. “We were wondering if maybe we could take Josh for the afternoon.”
“Oh, Abby. You guys don’t have to do that.”
“No, I know. But I was thinking that it’ll give you and Timmy a chance to talk, you know? Without the distraction. We thought we’d take him to the park, get him some dinner and then bring him home a little later.”
“Are you sure about that?” McGee asked.
“Absolutely. We’d love to have him for a few hours.”
“Would you like that, J? You wanna go play with Auntie Abby and Gibbs?”
“I go p’ay? Boat?”
“Yeah, we can go see the boat again,” Gibbs promised with a smirk.
Nodding, Josh turned back to his father. “I go wis A’tie Abby and Gi’s,” he decided.
“Alright then. I guess we’ll see you later,” Tony said, pressing a kiss to the top of his son’s head before handing him off to McGee to do the same.
It wasn’t long after Abby, Gibbs and Josh that a nurse returned with Tony’s discharge forms and several sheets on modified bed rest.
It didn’t take long for Tony to sign off on the discharge papers and with his instruction sheets in hand, he allowed McGee to help him into the wheel chair, thankful to be free from the confines of the hospital room.
::::::
“Bed or the couch?” McGee asked as he pushed the apartment door open, glad to be back home with his lover.
“Mmm… That depends,” Tony responded, groaning quietly as he stretched, cracking his back loudly.
“On what?”
“You gonna lay with me?”
McGee was unable to stop the silly grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. “That an invitation?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Bed then,” McGee decided reaching for his lover’s hand as he closed the door and pulled him towards the bedroom. “You need anything before we lay down?”
“I could probably eat.”
“Anything in particular you’re hungry for?”
“Pepperonis.”
“I thought pizza made you nauseous?”
“Not pizza. Just pepperonis. I’ve been craving them since this morning.”
“You don’t want anything gross like… ketchup or raspberry jam to go on them, do you?”
“Actually, now that you mention it…”
----
Leaning back against the pillows, Tony released a satisfied sigh as he glanced over at his lover with a sleepy smile. It was all McGee could do to keep from laughing as he turned onto his side, wrapping one arm around his lover’s growing belly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
“That,” he said, nuzzling his neck, “was absolutely disgusting.”
“C’mon, you didn’t even try it. Pepperonis and mayonnaise is a perfect combination.”
“Makes me sick just thinkin’ about it,” McGee teased, smiling sadly at the feeling of the babies kicking against him. “Is it different this time?”
“A little bit,” Tony said with a slight nod. “Feels weird because it’s two of them. I can feel it in two different places.”
The younger man fell silent for awhile, enjoying the feeling of his lover’s body pressed against him. “I missed this, you know.”
“What?”
“Laying in bed with you like this,” McGee said quietly, closing his eyes as he breathed in Tony’s scent. “When I… when I said those things, Tony, I didn’t really mean them. I was just… I was angry and I"“
“I don’t wanna do this, Tim.”
“But I owe you an explanation. And an apology.”
“You don’t owe me anything. We were both wrong,” the Italian said quietly, turning onto his side. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to McGee’s, closing his eyes as he savored the feeling before he pulled away slowly. “What happened between us is over with. It’s not… It’s not something I want to dwell on any more.”
It was more than he deserved, McGee decided as he pressed himself closer to Tony, his arms wrapped around the older man as he hid his face against his shoulder. After everything he had put his lover through, he knew that he didn’t deserve Tony’s forgiveness, not this easily. But as he laid there, pressed against the man he loved more than anything in the world, he knew that no matter what, nothing would come between them again.
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: Now see? You guys didn't have to wait *that* long, did you? :) A huge thank you to my bffl Kelley for her help with this chapter, but an even bigger thank you to everyone who reviewed! I'm loving the amount of reviews I'm getting, so much in fact, that I managed to write this entire chapter in one afternoon! This story is actually drawing to a close. I have about five more chapters planned out before I'm finished, but I'm thinking about doing a third fic, so if anyone's interested, I'd like to know so I can make my decision! My mother is having surgery tomorrow, so while I'm hanging out in the waiting room for 5+ hours, I'm gonna try to knock another chapter out, but remember: reviews help me write faster! Also, Tony said to tell you all that reviews are better than pepperonis and mayonnaise!