Stuck In The Middle (With You)
Pulling up in front of the house, Abby shifted the hearse into park, swiping at the remaining tears on her cheeks. Reaching over, she picked up the ultrasound picture, tracing the small outline with a quiet sniffle.
Her fingers were trembling slightly as she finally pulled her gaze away from the grainy picture. Grabbing her bag from the passenger seat, she climbed from the car, kicking the door closed with her heel before she hurried up the walkway.
Gibbs met her at the door, though the smile slipped from his face as he spotted the tears. "Oh Abby..." He sighed, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her. Pulling her close, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
A quiet sob escaped her as she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his chest.
"It's okay," he whispered, closing his eyes as he breathed in her scent. "We can try again."
Pulling away, she swiped at the tears on her cheeks, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. "Try again? We don't have to try again, Jethro." She pressed the ultrasound picture into his hands, watching as he squinted at it momentarily before a look of recognition dawned on his face.
"This...? It worked?"
"He's a little over four weeks. It worked," she confirmed, laughing through her tears as she wrapped her arms around him again, pressing her face against his chest.
He held her against him, the picture still clutched in his hand as he kissed the top of her head. "Y'know," he pulled away, glancing down at her with a smirk. "It's good thing it worked."
"Why's that? I mean, other than the obvious."
"Because I made your favorite dinner to celebrate," he grinned. "C'mon." Draping an arm around her shoulders, he hugged her against his side as they made their way inside, wearing identical grins. They'd had a difficult time of things as of late, but for the first time in a long time, Gibbs knew it was all going to be alright.
::::::
"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, da--"
"Joshua! Please." Tony snapped, opening his tired eyes to see his 2 year old son frowning up at him.
McGee looked up from the dishes at the sound of his lover's voice, having never heard him speak to their son in that tone. "C'mere, J," he called, wiping his hands on a dish towel.
The young boy was whimpering by the time he reached the kitchen, his eyes wide in shock. McGee knelt down in front of him and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Daddy's just tired, J. It's time for bed, alright? Why don't you go get your jammies out and I'll be right there."
The blue eyed boy nodded, running into his bedroom when his father stood up to talk to Tony. Tossing the towel onto the counter, he made his way into the living room, his eyebrow arched. "Wanna tell me what that was all about?"
"I don't feel like playing right now," the older man muttered, not meeting his partner's eyes.
"And I completely get that. But Josh? Yeah, not so much. You can't snap at him like that."
"I know that, Tim."
"Then why'd you do it, T? If you knew that you shouldn't?"
Tony pushed himself off the couch and sighed. "You think I wanted to see our son look at me like he just did? I just...I need some time to think."
McGee cocked an eyebrow at him before he shook his head. "Yeah, okay. Well, you take your time to think, I'm gonna put our boy to bed."
"Timmy," Tony sighed, running a hand over his face. "Please don't be mad."
"I'm not mad, T, but I'm not happy with how you talked to Josh. I know you had a crazy stressful day, but that's not his fault."
The Italian sighed, watching as the younger man left the room and went to get their son ready for bed. He stretched, attempting to relieve the pressure in his tense muscles before he headed toward the master bedroom.
He sat on the end of the bed and pulled his t-shirt off, tossing it across the room to the hamper. Dropping his head into his hands, he sighed again, feeling bad for the way he talked to both his lover and his son.
"You alright?" McGee asked, standing in the doorway, watching him carefully.
"No...not really."
"Well, at least you're being honest," he chuckled lightly, climbing onto the bed and sitting behind the older man. "It's more than I expected from you today."
"Hey! I've been doin' good. I haven't hid anything from you since..."
"Since last Monday, when you told me that the DVR ate my recording of Shark Week?"
"Well..." He shrugged. "I don't like sharks."
McGee chuckled, reaching up and rubbing Tony's bare shoulders. "I know," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.
The older man smiled at the feeling of his lover's lips on his neck. "I'm sorry, Timmy."
"I know you are. Come up here," he said, patting the space next to him. "I'll rub your back."
Not needing to be told twice, Tony shifted on the large bed, crawling up to the pillows before he settled himself on his stomach. Closing his eyes, he sighed quietly, his head pillowed on his arms as McGee knelt beside him, lowering his hands to his back.
"You wanna talk?" McGee asked as he started out at Tony's shoulders, frowning at how tight his muscles were.
"Not... Really," the older man managed, a soft moan escaping him as he allowed his lover's hands to relax him. "Mmm. You're so good at this."
"I know," McGee grinned, leaning down to kiss his partner's bare shoulder blade.
They were quiet for a moment, the only sound filling the otherwise silent room was Tony's heavy breathing as McGee worked the knots out of his back and shoulders.
"I don't think I wanna do this, Tim."
His voice was so quiet, that for a moment, McGee wasn't sure if he'd actually spoken or if he'd imagined it.
"It's kind of late for that, T."
"I know but I just... I didn't actually think it would work but it did and I don't think I can do it again."
Frowning, McGee pulled his hands away from Tony's bare skin and laid down beside him, though his face was hidden by the pillows. "Look at me, Tony."
"I don't wanna," he muttered.
McGee sighed quietly, reaching out to run his fingers through his lover's hair. "You're gonna be okay. This isn't going to be easy, but you're gonna be fine."
"It's different this time. I feel worse than I did with Josh and I just... I'm older, we have a two year old and I... What the hell was I thinking?"
"You were thinking about helping Abby."
Lifting his head off his arms, Tony sighed and turned onto his side, his face turned down in a frown as he played with the fabric of McGee's shirt absently.
"I didn't mean to hurt Josh's feelings."
"He'll be over it by morning. You know how that boy is. He doesn't let stuff bother him for long."
"I'm gonna go in and apologize to him," he decided, pushing himself up off the mattress.
"Tony..." McGee groaned, rolling into his back. "He's asleep. You're gonna wake him up, then it'll take forever to get him back to sleep."
"I don't care," he retorted, climbing off the bed. Shivering slightly, he grabbed his discarded shirt and pulled it down over his bare chest before he hurried into the hallway.
Pausing at his son's door, he released a quiet sigh before he pushed it open, smiling affectionately at the sight of his son curled up in the race car bed, his favorite blue blanket clutched in his fingers.
He made his way inside quietly, his feet barely making a noise against the carpeted floor.
A quiet sigh escaped the little boy as he turned over in the bed, his thumb making its way into his mouth as he slept.
Kneeling beside the bed, Tony reached out, running his fingers through his shaggy hair gently.
He smiled when the boy turned into his hand, a little grin on his face as his eyes fluttered open.
"Daddy?" He mumbled, looking up at his father.
"Hey J," Tony whispered, not wanting to wake him up too much. "Daddy's sorry for yellin' at you."
"'S okay. You seepy."
"Yeah, buddy. Daddy is sleepy. C'mere."
Josh climbed into his fathers arms, settling his head against his shoulder comfortably. Within minutes, the boy was back to sleep. The Italian made an attempt to lay him back down, only to realize that he was clinging to his t shirt for dear life.
Sighing, Tony climbed onto the car-shaped bed and laid down, his long legs hanging off the end of the small bed. He drifted off a few minutes later, the stress of the day finally putting him to sleep.
::::::
Six Weeks Later...
"T?" McGee asked, walking into the kitchen and leaning on the counter, watching the older man as he rifled through the cabinets. "Whatcha lookin' for?"
"I don't know," he mumbled, moving from the pantry to the refrigerator. "Just hungry, but I can't find anything that sounds good."
"Come to bed. You shouldn't really eat this late anyway."
It was nearly midnight, and McGee knew that they needed to be at work in less than 8 hours, not to mention the 30 minute drive to drop Josh off at his parent's house for the weekend.
"You're not really gonna deny me...OH!" Tony cried, turning toward his lover, holding up a jar of mayonnaise. "Wanna do me a favor because I'm your favorite person in the whole wide world and I bore your child?"
"That's a mouthful. What do you want?" The younger man asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.
Tony smirked. "Some chicken nuggets from McDonalds...please?"
"McDonalds? This late?" McGee sighed heavily. "Just tell me you're not gonna eat them with that," he said, pointing at the mayonnaise.
"What's wrong with--?"
"I don't even wanna know. Just...ew. You're really gonna make me regret making fun of your peanut butter banana sandwiches, aren't you?"
"Listen, don't knock the peanut butter banana sandwiches until you've tried them, okay? They're really good."
"Whatever you say," McGee responded, snorting as he shook his head. "I'll be back in a few minutes then. Anything else?"
"Mmm... I wouldn't say no to a chocolate milkshake."
Wrinkling his nose in disgust, the younger man made his way into the hallway, grabbing his jacket.
"You're the best," Tony grinned, following after him.
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, cocking an eyebrow at his lover. "But I'm warning you, T. You better not give me any trouble getting up in the morning or I swear there will be no more late night McDonalds runs. You got it?"
"I hear ya," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Hurry up and get outta here. This kid is apparently starving."
"Sure, blame it on the baby," McGee smirked, pressing a light kiss to his lips. "I'll be back soon."
"You know, on second thought, get me a large order of fries too, huh?"
"You're seriously going to regret this in the morning."
Tony ignored him, waving him off before he made his way over to the couch, sinking down on the plush cushions. A quiet sigh escaped him as he lifted his feet to rest on the coffee table. He groaned, feeling the waistband of his pants digging uncomfortably into his belly. Taking his feet off the table, he stood up and untied the strings in the pants, loosening them slightly.
The Italian frowned, pinching the skin around his belly button sadly. Even when he'd been pregnant with Josh, he barely gained any weight until he was almost five months along, and here he was at less than three months, already starting to show.
"But yet you just had to go with McDonalds," he muttered to himself before he sank back down on the couch, snatching the remote off the coffee table before he propped his feet back up with another sigh. He flipped through the channels absently, waiting for his lover to return.
It was nearly a half an hour later when McGee returned, carrying a small bag of chicken nuggets. "Here you go," he said, handing it to his lover.
"Thanks, Timmy," he smiled, pulling the younger man down for a kiss.
"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, taking a seat next to his partner. "They were out of french fries apparently and the milkshake machine wasn't working."
"I don't even care. I actually had to let my pants out while you were gone," Tony complained, ignoring the disgusted look on McGee's face as he dipped the chicken pieces in the mayonnaise.
"Already? Weren't you closer to 5 months with Josh?"
"Yeah. But thanks for rubbing it in." He pouted. "And here I thought you liked me for me."
"Aww, you know I do, T," McGee said, rolling his eyes. "You know, your eating habits aren't helping your weight gain. Especially not that mayonnaise."
"Ugh... I don't need a lecture, McGee."
"I'm not lecturing, Tony. I'm just saying, if it's bothering you so much, quit eating such fattening stuff. Especially so late at night. It's not good for you to eat this late anyway."
"I can't help when I'm hungry!"He protested, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Just because you're hungry doesn't mean you have to eat chicken nuggets and mayo, T. You could find a healthier alternative."
Tony fell silent at that, dropping the uneaten nuggets back into the bag. Shifting just slightly on the couch, he dropped the bag onto the coffee table before he sat back, staring blankly at the television.
Glancing over at his partner out of the corner of his eye, McGee frowned, nudging him gently in the side. "Hey... what's wrong?"
"'M not hungry anymore," he muttered quietly. "Think I'm gonna head to bed. Thanks for running out for me."
He pushed himself to his feet, grabbing the discarded bag and jar of mayonnaise from the coffee table.
McGee watched him go, frowning as he dropped his head back against the couch. He hadn't intended to hurt Tony's feelings, but apparently, that's exactly what he'd done.
He sighed, pushing himself off the couch and heading toward the bedroom. Tony was already back in bed, facing the far wall, his back to his lover.
"Tony?"
The older man ignored him, pretending to be asleep. He hoped that McGee would leave him alone, and the whole thing would blow over by morning.
"I know you're awake."
"How can you possibly know that?" He asked, flopping onto his back and scowling at the younger man.
"You never sleep on your side. Not when you're really sleeping." McGee paused, sitting against the pillows. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It doesn't matter anyway, Gibbs would kill me if he found out I was eating this crap. So, can we just drop it?"
He pulled Tony closer to him, snuggling deeper under the blankets. "You know its not that easy."
"Sure it is. See? I'm already over it."
McGee chuckled, pressing a kiss to his lips. "You're still hot, you know."
"Aren't you required to tell me that? Since I had your kid and all?"
"Nope." He pulled the older man over to lay on top of him, enjoying the feel of his body. "I love you, T. That's not changing any time soon."
Tony snorted, rolling his eyes as he pecked McGee's lips. "Love you too." He moved off of his partner, laying back against the pillows with a quiet sigh.
Turning onto his side, McGee draped an arm over his lover's middle, pressing light kisses against his chest. "I really am sorry for hurting your feelings. I'll make it up to you if you're not too tired," he smirked.
Cocking an eyebrow at the younger man, Tony couldn't help the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Too tired? Me? Never. What did ya have in mind?"
"I'd rather show you." Reaching over, he turned off the lamp beside the bed before he rolled over, claiming his lover's lips.
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: First of all: SORRY FOR THE WAIT, YOU GUYS! Holy cow! I don't know what the heck the problem is but I have been seriously unmotivated lately and because of that, I was slacking off like you would not believe! A huge thank you, as always, to my Cali Kelley for helping me write this chapter. I would be lost without you! A huge thanks to everyone who took the time after the last chapter to review. It's because of you that I was able to get this out at all!
Just a quick note: I know I'm skipping time pretty frequently, but it's kind of necessary to get to the good stuff! So please, just hang in there! Also, just so you know, the beginning of this chapter takes place immediately after the last, a little later that evening! I hope you guys enjoy and please remember: Tony loves reviews more than race car beds and chicken nuggets.
Just a quick note: I know I'm skipping time pretty frequently, but it's kind of necessary to get to the good stuff! So please, just hang in there! Also, just so you know, the beginning of this chapter takes place immediately after the last, a little later that evening! I hope you guys enjoy and please remember: Tony loves reviews more than race car beds and chicken nuggets.