**Chapter Twenty-Five -- Heaven**
**Two Weeks Later -- February 20, 2011**
Tony groaned when the alarm clock started blaring in his ear, startling him awake. Rolling over, he swatted the offending device with his hand, sending it flying off the opposite end of the small nightstand.
"It's way too fuckin' early for this shit." He mumbled, pushing himself up to a sitting position. He glanced down at his girl, still sleeping soundly at his side, her hair spread over their pillows. "Good to know that she still sleeps like a rock."
Abby didn't move a muscle as he slipped off the bed and walked to the corner of the room to check on their daughter. She was wide awake, looking up at him with a big smile on her face. "You have a surprise for Daddy, don't you, princess?"
The little girl gurgled her response and he leaned down to pick her up out of the crib, wrinkling his nose at the smell. "Aww...lucky me." He said sarcastically, smiling as he laid her on the changing table and opened her diaper. "And it's not even my birthday!"
Emma gurgled again, grasping his finger in her pudgy little hand when he put it within her grasp.
"How am I supposed to resist your charms?" He chuckled, finishing the diaper change and cradling her against his chest. "Alrighty, you wanna help Daddy finish packing, or go see if Auntie Britty is awake yet?"
Glancing down at the little girl in his arms, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, deciding to see if Britty or Bradley were awake. While the majority of their packing was finished, he wanted to make sure that they had everything and he knew that would be easier if someone else was watching Emma. Besides, he was sure that his girl's family would want to spend as much time with the baby as possible before they flew out for DC later that afternoon.
The Italian made his way downstairs and wasn't too surprised to see Britty sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee while Bradley scrambled some eggs for their breakfast. "Good morning, guys."
"G'morning, Tony." The redhead greeted, smiling brightly as she reached for the infant he was carrying. "Abby still sleeping?"
He nodded, stepping into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Yeah. I got some packing to finish, and she needs to get her rest. I'm sure we're gonna have visitors 'til all hours tonight."
"Well, of course!" Britty said, tickling her niece. "Who wouldn't want to see this angel?"
"I would say they'll spoil her rotten, but after the diaper I just changed, I'm pretty sure she already is." He chuckled, drinking the strong coffee quickly. "Alright. Time to work." Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead. "You be good for your Auntie and Uncle."
"She will be." Bradley said, taking the infant's bottle out of the refrigerator and handing it to his wife.
Tony nodded and went back up the stairs, pulling out the last empty suitcase from the closet. They had most of their belongings shipped back to DC already, seeing as Abby had driven with them in the back of her no-longer-existent hearse.
He started pulling the clothes out of the dresser, being sure to set the maternity clothes aside for Britty. The suitcase was a messy heap when he was done with it, but before Abby could wake up and insist on folding every piece, he zipped it up and took it downstairs.
He dropped it next to their other luggage that was waiting near the door and entered the living room with a sigh. "There." He said triumphantly, plopping down in the recliner across from his girl's brother. "Done."
The slightly older man glanced at him quickly before returning his attention to the video game he was playing. "So, did you actually *pack* the suitcases, or did you just throw all the clothes in there?"
The Italian flushed slightly, peeking at the suitcases near the door. "You know...I packed 'em."
"Yeah." Bradley snorted, pausing the game and dropping the controller on the coffee table. "That's what I thought." He stood up and carried the luggage into the living room, dropping one in front of the younger man. "We're repacking. I do not wanna hear it from B when Abby calls her tonight after she sees these."
They sat silently and unpacked the suitcases, folding the clothes neatly and placing them back inside, making sure that Abby would be happy with the result. They were almost done when Abby came down the stairs, calling for her lover.
"In here, baby." He said, immediately regretting his decision to call her in when he saw the look on Bradley's face.
"You're on your own." The older man whispered, getting up from the couch and heading for the kitchen.
The Goth entered the living room and sat on the couch, looking at their luggage curiously. "What's up with these?"
"I...uh, I didn't wanna wake you, so I brought 'em downstairs to pack."
Bradley coughed loudly, poking his head into the living room. "Liar."
Tony glared at his girl's brother before he offered the Goth a sheepish smile.
"Anthony DiNozzo." She growled. "How many times have I told you that the suitcases have to be packed?! You can't just throw the clothes in there!"
"It's not really a big deal."
"Maybe not for you, because you don't have to deal with it when we get home!"
He didn't say anything, pulling her down onto his lap instead. "'M sorry." He whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her neck.
"Unfair." She pouted, wiggling in his arms. "So unfair."
"Maybe..." He chuckled, his lips still brushing over her neck. "But I can't help it if it works."
"Okay, now that's hardly appropriate for the baby." Britty teased, walking into the living room with Emma in her arms. "Look at the big mess Daddy made, Em!"
"How do you know it's my mess? Abby coulda done it. She's very messy."
The Goth elbowed him gently, lifting her daughter out of the redhead's arms. "Mommy's not messy."
"Hah! You clearly don't remember how your apartment looked before you left!"
"That wasn't my apartment. It was yours. And...if I remember correctly, I'm the one who kept it clean most of the time. I can only imagine what it looks like now."
Tony frowned, looking at his little girl. "You're the one who made me fire Alicia. She kept the apartment really clean. Like...sparkling."
"My sister? Making you fire a maid because she was jealous? Nooo..." Bradley chided, only to be elbowed by his wife.
"I was not jealous. She was gouging you, Tony. I mean, seriously? 500 dollars a month to come once a week? And it only sparkled because I was goin' behind her and cleaning too."
"She was only coming once a week?" He asked, his frown deepening. "She told me three times a week."
Abby smirked. "See? You didn't even pay attention to how often the place was gettin' cleaned. I told you it was a good thing to get rid of her."
"I am way too busy to pay attention to that kind of stuff."
"What about me?" She gaped, sliding off his lap and onto the couch next to him. "You only work when you have a case. I have to do forensics for every NCIS case in DC, and some from Norfolk."
The Italian opened his mouth to respond when Bradley cut him off. "Okay, knock it off you two. Gimme the baby and go get ready, or you're gonna miss your flight."
She handed her little girl to her brother before pushing herself off the couch. "C'mon, T. If you're lucky I'll let you wash my back." She teased, smirking over her shoulder at him as she made her way toward the stairs. Tony jumped up and followed her, leaving Bradley and Britty rolling their eyes.
**1330 Hours -- New Orleans International Airport**
"And you're sure you have everything?" Britty asked, shifting Emma in her arms as she looked over her sister-in-law carefully, ignoring the sting of tears behind her eyes.
"I think so. If you find anything we might have left behind..."
"I'll put it in the mail." the redhead finished, sniffling ever-so-slightly.
"Thank you guys so much for letting us stay with you." Tony said, ruffling Jack's hair playfully. "Don't know what we would have done without you."
"Don't be stupid." Britty sniffled. "You just make sure you get back here soon. And I expect lots and lots of pictures of Em. I want an email every week."
"Of course!" Abby smiled. She lifted her sleeping daughter out of her friend's arms and set her in the car seat that Tony was holding. "I'm gonna miss you, B." She said, springing forward and wrapping her arms around Britty tightly.
The Italian turned toward Bradley and stuck his hand out. "Thanks again, man. For everything."
"It was nothin'. Just take care of her." He warned, shaking the younger man's hand. "And that little girl. I don't wanna hear any different."
Tony nodded. "I can't even imagine doin' anything else. Baby? Almost ready to go?"
The two women separated, wiping their eyes. "Yeah...almost." She crushed her brother in an embrace, feeling more tears fall from her eyes as she breathed in his scent.
"Love you, Abs. We'll see you soon, okay? Take care of our princess." Bradley whispered, running his hand through her hair. Pulling back, he tipped her head up so she was looking into his eyes and signed *Proud of you* into her hand.
Her eyes watered more, and she reached up to swipe at the tears before they fell down her cheeks. "Okay, Jackie...your turn." She grinned, pulling her nephew close. "You take care of your Mama." She whispered, placing a kiss to his forehead.
"Final Boarding for flight 593 New Orleans to Washington DC."
"C'mon, Abs. We gotta go." Tony said, shifting the car seat in his hands.
She nodded, pulling away from her family and offering a bright grin. "See you later."
"Have a safe flight, Abby-cadabby." Bradley grinned, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist and pulling her close to him. "Call us when you get in."
"We will." Tony called, draping his arm around the Goth's shoulder as they made their way to the plane.
They boarded and took their seats, buckling Emma's car seat onto the chair next to Abby. She smiled weakly and looked down at her hands, only relaxing when her lover pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her head.
"Get some rest, baby. We'll be home soon."
**Three Hours Later -- Dulles International Airport**
"Abby...sweetheart, wake up." Tony whispered, shaking her gently. "We're about to land."
She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, feeling the baby squirm against her chest. Picking her up, she put Emma back in her car seat, strapping her in for their descent.
Despite the fact that she'd been dreading the flight home with an infant, she was pleased that the baby had been on her very best behavior. Aside from a slight meltdown when Abby couldn't find her bottle fast enough, the little girl barely made a peep.
She shifted anxiously in her seat as they waited for the passengers to be let off, wondering who would be waiting for them. The whole team, she hoped. While she'd seen Gibbs just a few weeks ago, she was looking forward to seeing them all.
Tony took her hand in his and squeezed reassuringly as he picked up the car seat and led his girl off the plane. He watched as she shifted her carry-on nervously, her hand fidgeting at her side.
"Hey...what's the matter?"
She shook her head. "Nothin'. Just...weird bein' back in DC."
"We'll go back soon, okay? And maybe we can talk them into coming for a visit too." He promised, offering her a smile.
"Okay." She said, forcing a smile as she reached for the baby carrier.
He handed Emma over and took her bag from her hands, pressing a kiss to her cheek. They hadn't gotten far when they heard McGee's voice as he called out for them. They spotted him waving frantically with Ziva standing behind him, a bright smile on her face.
"Well, there they are." Tony grinned. "C'mon, baby."
The pair made their way across the terminal to where their friends were waiting for them. Even though Tony had enjoyed his time in New Orleans, he had to admit he was glad to be back.
"Tony." Ziva greeted smoothly, offering him a smile before she turned and hugged Abby, excited to see the baby.
"Glad to have you back, Tony." McGee said, holding his hand out to the older man.
Setting the carry-on down, Tony slapped his hand against McGee's with a grin. "Glad to be back, Probie."
They paused for a moment before McGee moved, pulling Tony in for a hug.
Both women looked up from the baby carrier slowly, their eyes widening when they caught the two men hugging. They looked at each other briefly, as if trying to decide whether or not to say anything when Abby decided to speak up.
"You two gonna make out? 'Cause Zee and I can give you a minute if you want. But I'd kinda like to watch, if you don't mind."
They broke apart almost immediately, clearly embarrassed. Ziva and Abby chuckled, turning their attention back to the baby.
Tony cleared his throat and moved over to his girl, pressing a kiss to her lips.
She chuckled when they parted, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You don't have to prove anything to me, DiNozzo. This gorgeous baby is all the proof I need."
"She is beautiful, Abby." Ziva smiled, cradling Emma in her arms. "She looks just like you, except for the blonde hair."
"Tony's eyes. And I can tell already she's gonna have his big feet." The Goth said. "I had blonde hair as a kid. It didn't get dark until I was 5 or 6."
"I can't imagine you as a blonde, Abs." McGee smiled, looking over the Israeli's shoulder at the baby. "Well...except for that Marilyn Monroe costume. That was nice."
The senior agent reached over and smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Paws off, McSuckup." He teased, kissing his girl's neck gently. "He's right though, baby. That costume was hot."
She elbowed him. "You're way too comfortable here, you know that? Have you been using the last 5 months to think up new ways to torture Timmy?"
"Maybe..." He teased, earning himself another elbow in the ribs. "Ow! Okay...let's get goin'. Em drank her last prepped bottle on the plane and I know you don't wanna nurse her in the middle of the airport."
Tony picked up their carry-on and the empty baby seat, wrapping his arm around Abby's waist again before they followed McGee and Ziva to the car.
**Gibbs' House**
The sun was down when they pulled into the driveway at Gibbs' house, parking behind his pickup truck. McGee and Tony turned around from their places in the front seat, checking to see how the girls were doing, when Ziva smacked them both upside the head.
"Eyes up front, you two. This is not a creep show."
"Peep show, Zee." Abby corrected, chuckling. "Just hand me her blanket. It's cold out anyway."
The Israeli picked up the black blanket that was covered in little pink stars, helping Abby to drape it over her shoulder, providing her with some modesty. The group climbed out of the car and headed inside, where they were immediately met by Ducky and Jimmy.
"Hey, Duckman. Palmer." Tony smiled, shaking their hands before leading Abby to the study and helping her sit down, allowing her to finish feeding their daughter. He gave her a kiss and turned to leave the room, nearly running straight into Jimmy. "You, Autopsy Gremlin. Out."
"I...uh...I...I..."
"Just go, Palmer. She'll be out in a few minutes." He said, steering the younger man out of the study and closing the door behind them. They rejoined the group in the living room, when the Italian realized that their boss was missing.
"Uh...where's Gibbs?"
"Oh! He is downstairs, working on that cursed boat, I'm sure." Ducky said, looking up at him. "Timothy, why don't you go tell him that everyone has arrived."
Tony shook his head, motioning for the younger man to sit down. "I'll go. I...uh, need to talk to him about something anyway."
He turned and headed for the basement door, opening it and heading down the stairs quietly.
"Welcome back, DiNozzo."
"Uh...thanks." The younger man said, pausing momentarily on the stairs before continuing to the basement floor. He walked over to the boat and ran a hand over the smooth ribs, collecting his thoughts. "Gibbs...about what happened during the case..."
The silver-haired man set down the paintbrush he was holding and picked up his glass of bourbon, taking a sip. "Want some?"
"No. I...uh, don't drink anymore. Not since Em came." He took a deep breath and leaned against the workbench, looking at the older man through the open sides of the boat. "I'm sorry about takin' off like that. And I know how you feel about apologies, so you don't have to get into that."
"You got a point to this, Tony?"
"Well, I...I guess I need to know if I've still got a job. I mean, Abby's not working, and I've got a family to support now." He stated, feeling his back straighten slightly. "Wow. I have a family."
Gibbs chuckled. "Took you 7 weeks to put that together?"
"I guess I never really thought about it before." He blushed slightly, looking around the large basement. "So, uh...why hang out down here? Palmer irritate you that much?"
The older man smirked, shaking his head. "No. I had a little project to finish."
"I'd say you're pretty far from finishing the boat, boss." Tony joked. "Not...not saying that you *can't* finish it...just that..."
"C'mere." He said simply, motioning for his senior agent to walk around the boat. When he got to the other side, he pointed toward a toy chest that was sitting on the floor, painted pink with 'Emma' written across the curved lid in black. "Thought she'd need a toybox."
The Italian looked over at him, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Gibbs. I'm sure she'll love it. I know Abs will."
He nodded, setting his glass down on the boat and pushing past the younger man gently, heading for the stairs. He began climbing, looking back down at him when he reached the top. "You comin'?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah." He said, following the silver-haired man. They entered the living room and Tony grinned when he saw his girl sitting on the couch, watching as their daughter was passed around the room.
"Gibbs!" She cried, jumping up and crushing him in a hug. "Where have you been?"
"It's good to have you back, Abs." He said, peeling her off of him and kissing her cheek.
"We're glad to be home." Tony smiled, wrapping his arms around her tightly.
Ziva smiled at the couple, looking down at the infant in her arms. "When are you two going to have another one? It is best when the children are close in age, yes?"
They looked at each other, tense smiles on their faces. "I don't think we're gonna be ready any time soon. This one was hard enough." The Italian said, squeezing his girl's hand reassuringly.
McGee chuckled. "How could it have possibly been hard for you, Tony? You weren't the one in labor." He stopped suddenly, noticing the look that passed between the lovers. "Hey...I was just kidding."
"No. It's alright." He sighed, looking down at Abby. "It was hard for both of us. Obviously it was worse for Abs, but..."
"Hey. How about we decide on dinner, huh?" Gibbs interrupted, not missing the couple's hesitancy to speak about what had happened on the day of their daughter's birth.
"I vote for pizza." Tony said, offering his friends a sheepish grin. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had La Bella Pizzaria?"
"Not long enough." The ME said pointedly, ignoring Tony's cry of protest. "Perhaps we should do something a bit more healthy, hmm?"
"Pizza actually sounds perfect." Abby said, winking playfully at Tony.
"Thank you, Abby! C'mon, you guys know you've missed eatin' pizza with me?"
"I cannot speak for everyone, but I vehemently disagree with that statement. However, if it will spare us from your whining then I suppose it is a good idea."
"Exactly what I was thinking." The Goth teased.
"Oh, very well then." Ducky sighed. "Pizza it is."
Jumping up from the couch, Tony hurried over to grab the house phone from Gibbs' outstretched hand. "What does everyone want?"
After collecting various orders, the Italian stepped into the kitchen to place the order before he returned. Making his way over to the couch, he lifted his little girl out of Ziva's arms when she held her up in offering.
"I believe she has left a present."
"Great." He snorted, though he couldn't help but grin at his daughter.
"I can take care of her, T." Abby offered.
"Nope, I got it. I'll be right back. Just gonna go take care of this." The Italian said, picking up the diaper bag from the floor as he headed into the study to change Emma.
"He is quite the father, yes?" Ziva asked, watching him leave the room.
Gibbs laughed. "Shoulda seen him in the hospital. Was afraid to look at her, forget doin' anything else."
"But you helped him with that." Abby smirked, looking up at the older man. "Taught him everything he knows. He's a good Daddy."
Ducky nodded. "There was no doubt in my mind that Anthony would make a wonderful father one day, despite the challenges in his childhood."
"You guys talkin' about me again?" Tony smirked, stepping back into the room carrying his daughter. He carried her over to Abby and leaned down to peck her on the lips before handing the infant to her. "We're all clean, Mommy."
"Oh, good. Nothing I like more than a clean baby." She grinned, resting her head against her lover's side when he perched himself on the arm of the couch.
The group chatted for about a half an hour, until the doorbell rang. Tony popped up and answered the door, paying the delivery man before taking the pizzas into the living room and sitting them on the table.
"Dig in." He said, handing Abby a slice before grabbing two for himself.
Ducky glared at the younger man from across the room. "You hardly need two pieces at once, Anthony. There are 4 pizzas here, surely there will be enough for seconds."
Stacking the pieces on top of one another, Tony opened his mouth, taking a bite of both pieces at once. "Wha' was tha' Duck?" He asked, his mouth full.
The older man groaned, shaking his head at the agent. "Nevermind, Anthony. Nevermind."
Conversation was pleasant throughout dinner, mostly centering around catching each other up on what had happened over the past five months in both New Orleans and DC. Though Abby tried desperately to join in the conversation, she could feel herself drifting off. She was leaning heavily against Tony's side, her eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.
"Perhaps it is time for us to call it a night." Ducky said, smiling fondly at the exhausted Goth. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to catch up soon."
"Definitely, Ducky." Tony smiled, shaking the older man's hand as he held Abby and Emma close to him. "Thanks for coming over."
"It's good to have you both home again." He grinned. "Come on, Mr. Palmer. I'll drop you off on the way home."
Gibbs stood up and walked the two men out and closed the door behind them before gathering the pizza boxes off the coffee table. He walked into the kitchen to throw the boxes away, leaving his three agents sitting in the living room with the sleeping Goth and her baby.
"We should go too. You guys need a ride home?" McGee asked, stretching his arms above his head before pushing himself out of the chair he was sitting in.
"They're stayin' here, McGee." Gibbs stated, leaving no room for argument.
"Gibbs..." Tony started, stopping at the pointed look that his boss gave him. "Right. We're staying here, I guess."
"Tell Abby I will call her tomorrow, yes?" Ziva asked, glancing at the sleeping Goth and the little girl she held closely.
"Wait a sec." The Italian said. "I...well, Abby too, but she's sleepin'. We wanted to ask you two a favor."
"Sure, Tony. What's up?" The junior agent asked, sitting back down in the chair and leaning forward on his knees.
"Well, um...you guys know that I'm not very religious or anything, but Abs and I wanted to ask you to be Emma's Godparents."
"Of course!" Ziva smiled, her eyes watering slightly. "I would be honored."
McGee grinned. "Absolutely."
"Thanks, you guys. It means a lot to us." Tony said, glancing down at his girls. "Abby was sayin' something about having her baptized next month? It's the soonest that Bradley and Britty can make it up here."
"Oh, about that. My mom wanted me to tell you that she'd make Emma a christening gown if you need one."
"Bradley's going through their parent's things looking for Abby's gown. But tell her thank you...for the offer and for the box she sent for Christmas."
"Will do. We'll see you guys later." He said, following Ziva out of the house.
Gibbs released a sigh when they left, looking over at the Italian that was sitting on his couch. "The guest room's ready for you, I put a bassinet in there for Emma."
Tony chuckled, looking over at his boss. "Where did you get a bassinet, Gibbs? Did you just..." He stopped suddenly, realizing where he had gotten the piece of furniture. "Kelly?"
The older man nodded. "Don't know why, but it was still in the attic."
"Boss...we don't wanna bring up any bad memories or anything."
He waved the brunette off, a small grin crossing his face. "Those memories? Those are the good memories."
The Italian was silent, leaning down and picking Emma up from Abby's arms when she started to squirm. "Shh...wanna go see your Grandpa Gibbs?"
"Grandpa, DiNozzo?"
"I just...she deserves a grandpa. Unfortunately, Abby's dad isn't around, and my dad...well, something tells me he'd be less than interested." He hesitated, handing his daughter to the silver-haired man. "Besides, you've been more of a father figure to me than my dad ever was. I don't know that I wanna risk him screwing up her life as much as he did mine. She deserves better than that. So much better."
Gibbs nodded, looking down at the small bundle in his arms. "You're right, Tony. She does deserve better than that."
The younger man smiled, turning back to Abby. "I'm gonna take her upstairs. You mind sitting with Em for a minute?"
"Yeah, go."
"Thanks." Tony said, leaning down and picking the Goth up. Shifting her in his arms, he carried her up the stairs and laid her in the bed, glad that she had decided to wear her pajamas on the plane.
Slipping her between the blankets on the guest bed, he covered her up and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before leaving the room. He went back downstairs, stopping in the doorway to the living room when he heard Gibbs talking to the baby.
"You know, Emma...I'll admit that I didn't have a lot of faith in your Dad at first." Gibbs whispered to the little girl. "He...his father wasn't exactly a role model for how to be a loving dad."
He sensed that Tony was standing behind him, but he continued talking to the infant, knowing that his agent needed the reassurance, though both of them would be uncomfortable with sharing it outright.
"But I know now that he's gonna be a good dad. He loves you so much...princess." The younger man could hear the slight hitch in his boss' breath at the use of his daughter's pet name and he cringed slightly, wondering for a moment how much damage having Emma around was doing to the older man. "I can tell by the way he can't take his eyes off you whenever you're in the room. The same way I was with my little girl."
Gibbs paused, looking into her hazel eyes and smiling. "You remind me a lot of her. I'm just sorry you won't be able to meet her."
"Hey Gibbs." The Italian spoke up quietly from the doorway, not wanting to spook the older man, even if he was fairly sure he was already aware of his presence. "Got her talkin' yet? I figured if anyone could speed a baby's development, it'd be you." He joked.
Pushing himself to his feet, he smiled down at the baby once more before placing her in her father's arms. "She's perfect just the way she is, DiNozzo. Don't ever forget that. Cherish every day."
He nodded. "I intend to. Thanks, boss."
Gibbs clapped a hand on the younger man's shoulder before turning, headed for the basement. "Breakfast at 0700, Tony."
"Got it." He watched Gibbs walk away, disappearing to the basement before looking down at his daughter. "I think you may fix him just yet, Em. C'mon. Let's go to bed."
Chapter End Notes:
"Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys