Title: Misconceptions 12/?
Author: Ceindreadh
Email: Ceindreadh@eircom.net
Website: n/a
Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.
Fandom(s): NCIS
Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, M-PREG, Angst/hurt-comfort
Pairing/Characters: Gibbs/DiNozzo, McGee/Jimmy
Rating: T
Warnings: THIS IS AN M-PREG FIC. If you don't like M-Preg then don't read it. If you read it anyway, then don't go complaining to me that you don't like it *because* it's M-Preg
Later chapters *will* feature minor character death, just so you know.
Disclaimer. I don't own the NCIS characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.
Notes: Thanks to FatCat for her Beta'ing
I was going to go into this whole pseudo-scientific explanation as to how M-Preg works in this universe, but then I thought, Feck it. It works, and that's it.
Previously on NCIS. Tony's having Gibbs's baby, Jimmy is having McGee's. Ducky's mother died and the team attended her funeral and then had a wake back at Ducky's house.
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[12]
"You...you're leaving..." Jimmy's face was pale as McGee quickly ushered him to a chair.
"I'm sorry to have broken the news to you so suddenly, Jimmy," said Ducky. "But I've been at N.C.I.S. for a long time now. With Mother's health being so bad in recent years...I felt I needed the stability it brought. But now I feel it's time for me to resume some of my travels. Mother used to love hearing about the many places I visited, but I was never able to bring her with me. Now...now I will." He could see his guests exchanging glances. "Of course I shall have to find homes for the dogs. My neighbors have agreed to adopt some of them, but they don't really have the space for the whole brood."
Ducky could see Tony's face light up as he turned towards Gibbs, "Jethro, you've got a big house..."
"Not that big," growled Gibbs. "Besides, in case you've forgotten, there's going to be a baby in the place in a few more months...you really want dogs as well?" He turned to Ducky, "No offence Ducky, but I've heard of too many cases where pets didn't take too kindly to a new additions to the family."
"Oh it's quite alright, Jethro," said Ducky. "Why I could tell you any number of similar tales."
The conversation moved on and the subject of Ducky's resignation didn't come up again until he was bidding his guests farewell.
"I...I'm going to miss you, Doctor Mallard," said Jimmy, as he and McGee were leaving.
"I know, my boy," said Ducky. "I know. But I won't be leaving immediately. It'll take time to sort things out, make plans. But rest assured, I shall make sure that whoever my replacement is." Ducky reached out and patted Jimmy on the shoulder, "He or she will be made very well aware of just what a gem of an assistant they'll have in you."
Jimmy managed to hold it together until later that night. Curled up in bed, McGee's arms around him protectively, he lay there and wept for Mrs. Mallard, whom he had always been very fond of, and for Ducky, whom he loved and respected as if he were his father.
"He's not going to be gone forever," said McGee, wishing he knew the right words to help Jimmy. It tore him up inside to see Jimmy hurting like this and to not be able to make the pain go away.
"I know...I know," said Jimmy, brushing the tears from his eyes. "It just...so much has happened...so much has changed in the last year or so. I just always thought that no matter what else changed...that Doctor Mallard would always be there..."
"He'll be back," predicted McGee confidently. "He said he was going to start off on a few short trips. And he promised he'd definitely be back when the babies are due."
"It won't be the same."
All McGee could do in response was to hold Jimmy closer.
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Several miles away, although no tears had been shed, the Gibbs/DiNozzo bedroom was equally gloomy.
Gibbs was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall. He still couldn't believe that Ducky was really going to leave N.C.I.S. All these years, agents had come and gone, but Ducky had been the one constant in both N.C.I.S. and Gibbs's life.
Gibbs felt the mattress dip as Tony kneeled behind him. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around him, and Tony's chin rested on Gibbs's shoulder.
"You're going to miss him." It was a statement, not a question.
Gibbs absently took Tony's hands in his and squeezed them, "That I will," he said, softly.
"Well then," said Tony, pulling his hands free and clapping Gibbs on the shoulders. "In that case, we'll just have to give him one hell of a going away bash. Maybe get Abby and Ziva to jump out of a cake or something."
"Is *everything* an excuse for a party with you, DiNozzo?" growled Gibbs in mock anger as he turned to look at Tony.
"What do *you* think?" grinned Tony.
"I think that while a party is a good idea, maybe we ought to keep it low key."
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The going away party was about as low key as Gibbs expected from something planned by Tony...as in, not very. Lack of time had managed to curb much of Tony's excesses, as well as Gibbs's insistence that the whole thing be tasteful, and mindful of the fact that Ducky was still mourning the death of his mother.
"So no strippers then, right Boss?"
"Tony, Director Shepherd is going to be there...what do *you* think?"
"I think maybe we'd better get some male strippers in as well...yeouch!" Gibbs's hand made contact with Tony's head and he started to yelp and then stopped.
"What?" said Gibbs, seeing the expression on Tony's face.
"Nothing Boss...it...it's just that it's been a long time since you've swatted me."
Gibbs swallowed hard, realizing that Tony was right. "I...ever since...ever since we had that fight...Jimmy getting hurt...the stuff that McGee said...it sort of felt too much like I was hurting you...being an abusive partner..."
Tony clasped Gibbs's face in his hands. "You would *never* hurt me...I know that...I've always known that...don't you know that by now?"
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In the end, it was a small gathering of Ducky's closest friends and colleagues from N.C.I.S. A meal at Ducky's favorite restaurant, followed by drinks and dancing.
Ducky barely sat down all night, so much in demand was he as both a dance partner and a source of conversation. His replacement as Medical Examiner, a Doctor Dawn Holliday, had also been invited, and the party was proving an ideal place for her to meet her new colleagues.
Abby had been prepared to dislike her on principle, but Ducky had taken her aside and asked her to give Doctor Holliday a fair chance. "For my sake, Abigail," he said, while squiring her around the dance floor.
"Ducky," protested Abby, "You know I'm not like that..." She quailed under Ducky's gaze and had the grace to blush, "Okay, okay, I know I treated Ziva like crap when she first got here."
"It wasn't Ziva's fault that Kate died," said Ducky, carefully. "And it's not Dawn's fault that I have chosen to leave. She's a fine M.E. and she'll be an asset to the agency."
Abby gave him a big hug, "It won't be the same without you, Duck man."
"I should certainly hope not. You will look after them all for me, won't you my dear?"
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It was late in the evening and Gibbs was sitting watching the dancers when Director Shepherd joined him.
"Tell me, is there something in the water cooler down in the bullpen?" she asked.
Gibbs looked at her as if she'd grown another head...or gotten a new haircut, as she continued, "Because I'm trying to think of another explanation for the fact that three quarters of my major case squad will be taking parental leave at around the same time."
"Ah," said Gibbs.
"Well might you say 'ah', Jethro." Jenny sipped her drink. "I'll have to bring in a whole new team to cover for you."
Gibbs shrugged, "Personnel deployment is your problem, Jen," he said. "All the paperwork's been submitted on time from my end. You can't penalize us for becoming parents."
"I'm not looking for a fight, Jethro. I'm just saying that the timing could have been a little better." She took another drink, "I didn't even think you wanted kids."
Gibbs knocked back his drink and stood. "Tony and I accept your congratulations, *Director* Shepherd. We'll be sure and not let our being parents affect our work. Anything else is our business." He stormed off towards the dance floor, where Tony was strutting his stuff.
"Mind if I cut in?" asked Gibbs, not waiting for an answer before he pulled Tony away from the group and into his arms. As luck would have it, a slow dance started just as that moment.
"You okay there, Jethro?" asked Tony, feeling the tension in Gibbs's body.
"I am now," said Gibbs, simply, as he tried make as much body contact with Tony as he could. "You think Ducky would mind if we left and had an early night?"
Tony looked at him carefully, "Isn't that something *I'm* more likely to say? What's wrong?"
"Nothing...everything..." Gibbs took a deep breath, "Is there *anybody* who doesn't know that you getting pregnant was an accident?"
"Well I wasn't exactly bragging about it," Tony hesitated before continuing, "Does it matter?"
"I just don't want anybody telling our child that they were an accident...a mistake...I don't even want people *thinking* it..."
Tony clasped Gibbs's face in his hands, "Unplanned does *not* mean unwanted, Jethro. Our child is going to know that...he or she...they'll know that whatever we might have been thinking before they were conceived...afterwards, we most definitely *did* want them...and it'll be the truth, Jethro...won't it?" Tony almost held his breath, waiting for an answer.
"Do you even have to ask?" said Gibbs, so softly that Tony could barely hear him above the music. Gibbs sighed and leaned forward until his forehead was touching Tony's. "I know that this didn't all start out the way it should have...and I just wish I could make it all up to you..."
"You don't have to...it's not how things start...it's how they finish that's important." Tony took Gibbs hand and placed it on his swelling abdomen, "And you're going to be here for the important part..."
"I will," said Gibbs. "I give you my word."
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To be continued
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ducky's mother has died and he's made a momentous decision.
Chapter End Notes:
I wrote a fic called Reality Check, which featured an M-Preg dream. Feedback was so positive that I decided to do the real thing.