Title: Misconceptions 27/?
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
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. At Ducky's for Thanksgiving, Tony started having contractions and Jimmy's water's broke. Gibbs and McGee insisted that they head to the hospital to be checked out.
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[27]
Tony was still grumbling about his missed dessert when they pulled into the hospital grounds. Gibbs had been tempted to stop the car and swat him, but he knew that this focusing on something mundane was Tony's way of dealing with a situation.
"McGee," said Gibbs, as he stopped the car. "Wheelchairs, now."
"On it, Boss," said McGee, opening his door.
"Wait a minute, Jethro," said Tony. "I am perfectly well able to walk..."
"More like waddle," muttered Jimmy, earning himself a glare.
"Okay," acknowledged Tony, "Waddle...but whatever, I'm pregnant and probably in labor...but I'm not sick..."
"OB-GYN is on the fifth floor and the elevators take forever," said Gibbs.
"So I'll gladly sit in a wheelchair," continued Tony without missing a beat. "What you waiting for Probie?"
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As luck would have it, Doctor Wu was indeed on duty that evening. "I get Christmas and the Chinese New Year," she said with a smile as she greeted the foursome, "My colleague gets Thanksgiving and St. Patrick's day."
Gibbs didn't like to admit just how relieved he was to see her on duty. He knew that all the OB-GYN's were more than qualified. Heck, he'd had Abby run background checks on them making sure there was nobody working there that didn't deserve to, but it was most reassuring to know that the same doc who had brought them so far, was now going to be there for the end.
But even Doctor Wu's reassuring presence still couldn't stop Gibbs from thinking of the last time he'd been in this situation. And while he knew that Tony wasn't Shannon and that there was no reason to believe that this birth would be anything other than straightforward, still he worried.
"Okay, Tony," said Doctor Wu when she'd finished her exam. "Well, I hope you didn't have plans for the rest of the evening." She smiled at him, "This time it's no false alarm."
"Oh boy!" said Tony, biting his lip. "It's...it's really happening..." Gibbs squeezed his hand.
"I'll be back to check on you in a few hours," said Doctor Wu as she pulled off her gloves."
"You...you're not staying?" said Tony. "What if something happens?"
"You're not the only one having a baby tonight. The Nurses will be in and out to keep an eye on you, and if you need anything just push the buzzer." Doctor Wu made a note on the chart and then spoke to the Nurse, "Have a portable oxygen set brought in, just in case."
"Wait a minute," said Gibbs, "What do you mean 'just in case'?"
Doctor Wu looked at him in surprise, "It's just as a precaution. In case Tony's lungs aren't up to the strain of labor. I explained it to Tony at one of his appointments, let me see, about six weeks ago."
Six weeks ago, Gibbs had been still convalescing and had had to miss one of Tony's pre-natal check ups. Now he looked at Tony, "Something you forgot to mention to me?"
"It's nothing," said Tony. "She's just being overcautious.... But I'm fine; I haven't had a problem with my lungs in over a year. I'm okay Gibbs."
Gibbs turned back to Doctor Wu. "Doctor Wu, a C-Section would cause less of a strain on Tony's body, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, of course, I suggested that option be considered..."
"No," said Tony, firmly. He pulled on Gibbs's hand. "Jethro...I don't want a c-section...not unless it's necessary. I can do this...I don't need to take the easy way out..."
Gibbs stroked the side of Tony's face, "Tony, nobody's gonna think less of you for having a caesarean. This isn't about proving yourself...what matters is getting both you and the baby through this safely, that's all that matters."
"I know...and if it's safer for the baby then I *will* have the c-section...but can't we just see how it goes first?"
When Tony looked at him in *that* way, Gibbs found it difficult to deny him anything. "Okay," he said finally. "But if Doctor Wu says you *need* the op, I don't want you arguing, okay?"
"I wouldn't dare!" Tony winced and squeezed Gibbs's hand tightly until the pain died away.
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Several hours later, Gibbs found himself pacing the corridors of the hospital. Tony had ordered him to go and find some food and coffee or something, "Just cause I'm on ice chips, doesn't mean you need to go hungry," he had said, practically ordering Gibbs out of the room. "Go! And don't come back until you've eaten."
"You bossing me about already?" Gibbs had teased, but he hadn't been able to completely hide the worry he was feeling. He hated all this waiting about...he especially hated that there was absolutely nothing he could do to help things along. All he could do was hold Tony's hand during the contractions and try to reassure him that everything was going to be okay.
"Gibbs!" McGee's voice made Gibbs look up as the younger man limped towards him. "Gibbs, any news?"
Gibbs shook his head, "Tony ordered me to get some caffeine into me. Said it was probably going to be a long night and he didn't want me passing out on him. What about you? How's Jimmy doing?"
McGee pulled a face, "Well I never knew that Jimmy had such an...extensive vocabulary! Honestly Gibbs, he was having a contraction and I asked him was the pain really bad...and I was trying to be sympathetic, but he gave me such an earful! Then he told me to get out of his sight. I...I didn't know what to do..."
Gibbs patted McGee on the shoulder, reassuringly, "McGee, when somebody's in labor, they're likely to say some things they don't mean. Jimmy's under a lot of stress right now, he's just lashing out at whatever target is close by."
"So he didn't really mean it when he said he wished I'd never laid a hand on him?" McGee yelped as Gibbs swatted him. "Ouch!"
"Ya think?"
McGee rubbed his head warily. "I guess you've been in this situation before, Gibbs." McGee regretted his comment as soon as he saw the look of pain flash across Gibbs's face.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was several days after the explosion. McGee and Gibbs had been officially taken off the critical list and for almost the first time since the incident, it was just the two of them in their shared room. Jimmy and Tony had been escorted home by Ducky, and McGee was much reassured, knowing that his Jimmy would be properly looked after in his absence.
McGee shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable. It wasn't easy; his leg was immobilized in a cast and there wasn't that many positions to choose from...plus it itched like hell under the plaster. Glancing over at the other bed in the room, McGee could see that he wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping.
"Gibbs, are you awake?" McGee spoke softly, just in case his roommate *had* already managed to fall asleep. He knew that even an injured Gibbs was well capable of kicking his ass if his sleep was disturbed. There was no answer, and McGee was about to give up and try again to get back to sleep, when finally Gibbs spoke.
"Yeah, McGee...I'm awake."
"I just wanted..." McGee swallowed hard before continuing, "I wanted to say thank you...for keeping me going while we were trapped. If I'd been on my own...I don't think I'd have made it."
"Don't underestimate yourself, McGee," said Gibbs. "You're stronger than you realize...you had Jimmy and the baby counting on you...you weren't gonna give up on them, no matter what the situation."
"Maybe...but on my own I could have panicked...maybe injured myself even more. I just wanted to thank you for being there." McGee hesitated for a while before continuing, "And I...I also wanted to say how sorry I am...about your daughter."
Gibbs turned in McGee's direction, a look of shock on his face, "How...who...who told you..."
"Um, you did, Boss...at least I think you did..." McGee rubbed his head, "It's sort of fuzzy, what happened while we were under the rubble. But I remember you talking...I remember you ordering me to stay awake...and you were talking about your little girl. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."
"No," interrupted Gibbs, sighing heavily. "It's okay..."
There was silence in the room for a few minutes before Gibbs spoke again, "Tony doesn't know."
"About your daughter?" McGee couldn't hide his surprise.
"Don't look at me like that," growled Gibbs, "What, you think I can just say 'hey DiNozzo, the last kid I had was murdered because of me, but no worries, I'm sure lightning doesn't strike twice'."
"I...I'm sorry, Boss, I didn't mean..."
Gibbs rubbed his head wearily, frowning as he felt the bandages he still wore, "No, it's not your fault." He sighed heavily, "Tony *has* got the right to know...and I'll tell him...when the time is right."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
McGee rubbed his head warily. "I guess you've been in this situation before, Gibbs." McGee regretted his comment as soon as he saw the look of pain flash across Gibbs's face.
Gibbs shook his head. "I was on a training mission when Shannon went into labor a month early. It was a survival exercise...no radio contact. By the time I got back to civilization...Shannon had had to cope with it all on her own." Gibbs couldn't help but feel a stab of pain at the memory. Even though all his immediate circle now knew what had happened to Kelly, Gibbs still found it difficult to talk about her. With an effort, he collected his thoughts.
" McGee, you get right back in there and you apologize to Jimmy for being such an ass."
"But I didn't..."
"It doesn't matter. You just say whatever it takes to keep Jimmy focused on what he's doing. That's all that matters right now. You hear me?"
"I...yes, yes Boss." McGee turned and limped away, stopping only when Gibbs called after him.
"And McGee...you might want to get a cup or something before you go back in."
McGee looked at Gibbs with a puzzled expression on his face, "A cup?"
"Yeah...next time Jimmy pitches a fit, he could well go for the source of all his troubles." Gibbs smiled evilly as McGee's face paled slightly. "Go on, Tim. Give Jimmy my best."
"Yeah...and mine to Tony," said McGee absently as he returned to his lover's side.
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To be continued
Author's Chapter Notes:
And it's off to the hospital for our pregnant pair.
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.