Title: Misconceptions 17/?
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 - Following a failed assault on a terrorist cell, Gibbs and McGee were trapped in the rubble for several hours, before being dug out and rushed to emergency surgery at Bethesda. Tony, Jimmy, Ducky and Abby waited anxiously for news.
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[17]
Time passed slowly. Ducky left the room on a regular basis. Officially it was merely to relieve himself. "A side effect of old age, I'm afraid," he had told them, perfectly willing to go into elaborate detail with many examples, about the effects of ageing on his bladder. Unfortunately none of the occupants of the room showed even a passing interest in his alibi.
Unofficially however, Ducky was getting regular updates on the condition of all the N.C.I.S. agents undergoing treatment at Bethesda. While Gibbs and McGee had been the most seriously injured of the survivors, there were several others who had required treatment as well. Some, like Cassidy Yates, had already been discharged, and had headed back to N.C.I.S. for debriefing.
Others, like Ziva, had been admitted for further treatment and/or observation.
On one of his 'visits to the head', Ducky had called in to see her.
A broken right arm, two cracked ribs, and a mild concussion had required her admission for observation. It had also required that she be woken every half hour or so to check on her condition which meant that by the time Ducky arrived, she was *not* a happy camper.
Ducky updated her as to the condition of the rest of the team. He also advised her that much as she might wish to leave the hospital, robbing the uniform off the next nurse who showed up to check her vitals was probably *not* a good idea.
"For one thing Ziva, my dear," Ducky had told her, with a twinkle in his eye, "As well as being nurses, they're all military trained...and in your present condition, I think they'd be more than a match for you. So unless you wish to find yourself scheduled for an enema first thing in the morning, I'd advise you to stay put."
"You make a good argument, Ducky," said Ziva, still a little groggy from the pain meds she'd been given. "Besides, I can only imagine Tony's reaction were I to show up in a nurse's uniform!"
Ducky sighed, "If I thought it would amuse him...I'd help you procure one...but I fear that Tony is beyond distracting...at least until there's news of Gibbs."
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Doctor Holliday was also contacted by Ducky during one of his 'excursions'.
Even though it was by now late in the evening, she was still hard at work, examining the victim's of the day's events. "I'm managing fine," she had told Ducky, "I've called in a few favors and gotten my pick of Pathology Residents from the hospital to give me a hand. Tell Jimmy he's to stay put, McGee needs him more than I do at the moment."
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Ducky returned to the room to find Abby pacing anxiously.
"Ducky!" she exclaimed when she saw him. "Thank God you're back!"
"What's wrong, Abby?" asked Ducky. Having just returned from the OR observation area, he knew that it couldn't be anything related to Gibbs or McGee. A quick glance over at the beds showed that Tony and Jimmy hadn't moved since he'd left. Both appeared to be dozing fitfully.
"What's wrong?"
"They need me back at N.C.I.S., that's what's wrong, Ducky," said Abby, her pigtails jigging up and down as she paced back and forth. "The debris from the blast site is on the way in, and the Director wants it analyzed a.s.a.p!"
"And she ordered you back to take care of it?"
Abby stopped pacing and looked at him, "Worse...she *asked* me to come it...." Abby's face was gloomy. "She said that it could probably wait until morning, that if I was needed here then not to worry. But she doesn't know anything about forensics and some of the explosive residue could deteriorate overnight, or it could get contaminated if I'm not there to check on it, and if it degrades then we might lose valuable clues in figuring out what happened, and the Director said she could call in Doctor Sheridan from the University, but he's all thumbs and Dammit Ducky, I don't know what to do!"
Abby finally ran out of breath and Ducky held out his arms to her, pulling her in for a hug. "Abby, my dear girl, you must do what *you* think best. But you do know that there really isn't anything you can do for Jethro and Timothy at this present moment."
"But what about Tony and Jimmy?"
Ducky glanced across the room and sighed, "I'll be here to look after them. And Gibbs would probably want you to find out everything you can about the blast. I'm sure he'll be expecting a full report when he wakes up."
Ducky could feel Abby sigh heavily before she pulled away. "I guess so Ducky," she said finally. "But you promise you'll phone me as soon as there's any news? I don't care if it's the middle of the night...I'll probably be pulling an all nighter anyway...and even if I'm not...I don't think I'll be sleeping anyway."
She gave Ducky a quick hug, "The guys are both asleep...I won't wake them...it took them long enough to settle down. Just tell them I'll be back as soon as I can."
Ducky waited until she had gone before settling himself back in his chair to resume his vigil once more.
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Tony watched as the casket was lowered into the ground. Tears in his eyes, he turned to Ducky, "He promised me, Ducky...he gave me his word...he said he'd be here for me...and he lied...he lied to me Ducky, he's left me on my own, just like my father did...everybody I love goes away and leaves me..." He sank to his knees, hands digging in to the ground beneath him. "I won't let you go," he started sobbing, "I'm supposed to watch your six, how can I do that if you're gone somewhere I can't follow, Gibbs, don't leave me." Tony started to crawl towards the grave. "Dammit Gibbs, wait for me..." He reached the edge and flung himself over it...and started falling...falling...
Only to wake up and see Ducky staring down at him anxiously. "Tony, are you all right?" he asked. "You were tossing and turning and talking in your sleep."
Tony pushed himself up to a seated position, "Gibbs...he was dead...Ducky, I watched them bury him...please, please tell me it was just a dream...I can't...I can't bear it if he's dead, I'll die as well..." He felt a pair of arms wrap around him as he sobbed, "I love him Ducky, I love him so much...I can't lose him, not now...I can't do this alone...I don't even know if I can do it with him..."
"Shh Tony," Ducky's voice was calm and reassuring. "Just let it out, you poor boy."
The storm of sobs passed eventually, and Ducky lowered Tony back down to the bed. "Feeling better?"
Tony nodded tiredly, "I'm sorry Ducky, I...I didn't mean to go all hormonal like that."
"Anthony DiNozzo, do *not* make excuses for yourself. You've been under so much stress...not just today, but over the last few months as well. You needed to let go, it's not good to keep things bottled up the way you do. It's not good for you *or* the baby." Ducky squeezed Tony's hand as he continued, "Tony, I was going to have to wake you anyway." He smiled reassuringly, "Gibbs's surgery went well, and they're moving him to Recovery. You'll be able to see him in about thirty or forty minutes."
"The hell with that, Ducky," said Tony, starting to sit up. "I'm not waiting that long..."
"Oh yes you will, Anthony," said Ducky in his most authoritative tone. "For one thing, no visitors are allowed in Recovery. You'll have to wait until they transfer him to I.C.U. And for another thing, you are not going anywhere until you've had something to eat and drink." He held up his hand to stop Tony's protests. "This is not a subject for discussion. One of the orderlies has kindly consented to picking up a pizza." He saw Tony's jaw drop, "Yes well, I'm not hard hearted enough to make you eat hospital food, and besides, an occasional treat does no harm." And the other reason, which Ducky wasn't going to say out loud, was that given Tony's lack of appetite over the previous hours, he had figured that he would need all the help he could get in tempting his taste buds.
"Okay," said Tony. He started to relax against the bed, only to tense up again as he asked, "And McGee? How...how's he doing?"
Ducky glanced over at the other bed to where Jimmy's body had tensed visibly at the mention of McGee's name. "You can stop pretending to be asleep, Jimmy. Timothy's surgery is progressing nicely, he's still stable, and the surgeon expects to be closing up within the hour. And yes, I've ordered pizza for you as well. So both of you, get up, stretch your legs for a bit, and make sure and wash your hands before you eat!"
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To be continued
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs and McGee are in critical condition. Will they survive?
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.