When a Child is Born.
Abby stood in the bathroom looking down at the single blue line, she felt sick she needed to sit down. Why did she feel as blue as the line, she should feel ecstatic. Maybe, just maybe this was not such a good idea, but now she had no-one to turn to, no-one who would understand or care.
-oOo-
"Abbs, what you got?" Gibbs ordered as he entered the lab carrying a caf-pow. Abby took one look and began to pale, but smiled sweetly and placed by the mouse, she would pour down the drain later. "What you got?" she would have loved to have said a "bun in the oven", but didn't, the fewer who knew at the moment the better.
"Not a lot….definitely a .22, funnily for too long, women were told that if they wanted to carry a sidearm they needed a "ladies' gun," usually a tiny .22 or .25 automatic with so little power it might or might not stop a charging gerbil," Abby continued, But now the trend is moving toward the small .38 Special revolver, the snubnose .38 is becoming the classic "ladies' gun" for modem times," she finished now smiling at Gibbs.
"Good girl, so we are maybe talking someone over 50?" as he turned and strode out the lab. Abby waited then went to the sink, brought up her lunch and then poured the caf-pow down the sink.
-oOo-
Abby gingerly made her way down to autopsy; it was the only place that was cool enough as she was having a hot flush.
"Good afternoon Abigail, and what have I done to have the pleasure of your company."
"Oh nothing Duks, just it is a bit warm in the lab, you know, what is it they say chilly for June?" laughing, "Oh Ducky is that a Danish Blue cheese baguette?" eyeing up the meal on Ducky's desk.
"It is my dear, I do like a bit of smelly mouse on a crispy roll with a little iceberg lettuce. The lettuce tends to clean the palate and the teeth as one goes," Dr Mallard continued.
"Oh may I….please I am absolutely starving?" as Abby looked at Ducky and then the sandwich.
"Of course, but one thing my dear, are you eating for two. I mean as a professional Doctor, and I did do General Practice for a while, you have a certain glow about you. If you are, may congratulate you and who is the father? Do we know him?"
As Abby looked at Ducky and then her feet, she whispered, "No, Ducky I don't know the father."
"Oh," Dr Mallard replied now looking at Abby concerned.
"Ducky please may I sit down, I just feel light headed sometimes."
"But of course," as Ducky helped Abby to his desk and a chair, "Would you like a cup of tea. I'm afraid I'm not very good with women, especially pregnant ones."
"It is ok Ducky really, I do like tea it is one of the few things I can drink," Abby now replied.
"Do you wish to talk?" Dr Mallard began to ask.
"Ducky, my body clock was ticking…I went to that clinic…..the one Tony used….."
"Oh no, he isn't is he?"
"No Ducky, I asked for someone with intelligence, integrity and of course a sense of humour," Abby added now smiling.
"Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"
"I'm not sure I want to know…..should I? Abby continued after a slight pause.
"Well I would say yes. Since you are on your own, I think you should know so you or should I say we can plan accordingly," as Ducky now patted her knee, as Abby smiled a watery smile.
Chapter 2
"What's up with Abbs, she seems to be withdrawn and if I didn't know better fat," Tony asked stuffing the pastrami into his mouth, "Mmm mmmmmmmmmm" now licking his fingers.
"You are disgusting Tony," Tim replied, "But I would say her age. I mean when women hit 30 their hormones start to go funny."
"You know this?" Ziva frowned looking at the boys.
"Oh yeah, known fact, also lack of sex and the metabolism slows down."
"I could say the same of men your age Tony," Ziva retorted back, "But should we tell Gibbs?"
"Tell me what?" Gibbs ordered, rounding Ziva's desk carrying coffee.
"That Abby is acting strange," Tony replied.
"Noticed," came the reply.
"Are you not worried, Gibbs?" Ziva questioned.
"Nope, prob some Doc changed her pill and too much of some hormone," Gibbs replied sitting down and turning on his computer.
"Well am not convinced," as Ziva got up and headed for Abby's lab.
-oOo-
Ziva entered Abbys lab to see a sobbing woman
"Abby, what is wrong?" Ziva gently asked taking her arm, "Are you sick?"
"Yess…..no…yes…I don't know," Abby sobbed.
"Abby tell me please, are you pregnant?"
"Yes," as Abby continued to cry.
"How far, are you gone?" Ziva continued.
"3 months."
"So Gibbs doesn't know?" Ziva continued.
"Why is everyone so concerned if Gibbs knows," Abby continued not seeing Jethro appear through the door.
"Something, you girls not telling me?"
"No Gibbs," they replied in unison.
-oOo-
"Duks, what's wrong with Abbs?" Gibbs asked of the good doctor.
"She not said?"
"Nope, her and Ziva are acting kinda …hinky….well more womanly, and oh yes Ziva has taken up knitting," Gibbs continued.
"Knitting, now that is something Tony and Tim should watch out for, Ziva being able to kill with apaperclip."
"Dr Mallard, what is wrong and why is everyone avoiding my questions?"
"Jethro, you have been married 4 times, divorced 3, you have had many acquaintances throughout the years but you know so little of what makes women tick. Look at her for once."
"Ducky is Abby pregnant?"
"Yes Jethro she is…..and she doesn't know who the father is. She went to one of those clinics," Dr Mallard replied.
"So when is she due?"
"Christmas Jethro, Abby will have a Christmas child."
-oOo-
Chapter 3
As the months passed and Abby began to show, the boys became more brotherly, more gracious. They opened doors, they waited hand and foot on her, "Hey I'm not ill, I'm only having a baby."
"Did I mention that Baby is an anagram of Abby," Jimmy laughed.
"YES," they all shouted, "Several times."
Tony and Tim accompanied Abby the Pre-natal classes, and came away more exhausted than Abby, "Glad we don't go through that," Tony was heard to say.
"I am actually getting into this, I could quite become a father," Tim replied.
Gibbs he just worked away in the basement, he wouldn't let anyone know what he was working on. His own thoughts mixed, he always thought of Abby a daughter, so would this be what Kelly would have gone through, only Shannon would have been there for their daughter. The boys were doing good, and Jackie Vance was giving helpful advice.
It was late Christmas Eve that Gibbs got a call from Ziva, "It's time Gibbs, the boys are flapping and if I didn't know better Tony just fainted."
"I'm on my way," as Gibbs shut his cell, and picked up the gift.
-oOo-
He arrived at the hospital and made his way to the Maternity Unit, he found his team pacing the floor, "Think I need a cigar," Tony said.
"Gibbs, Abby has had the baby, she had a girl, the nurses are just cleaning them up and then we can visit," Ziva quietly told Jethro.
"Ms Sciuto will see you now," a nurse now said from the room. The team gingerly followed the nurse and saw Abby sitting up in bed holding her child.
"Hi Guys," she waved. The team looked at Abby, she had her makeup on and was looking wonderful, "I would like you to meet Kate, not Caitlyn, or Katherine, but just plain Kate," she smiled.
"She is…beautiful," Ziva replied.
"Wow, she is, isn't she, and as a surrogate father in future years I will certainly want to interrogate the would be boyfriends," Tony added.
"Abby, I have this I made…..I know you have the cot I made, but I just felt that this was what was needed for Christmas," as he unwrapped the pink crib with Gothic black figures.
"OOOohh Gibbs," as Abby almost dropped Kate in her enthusiasm to hug Gibbs, "Thank you," now placing the gurgling child in the crib.
"So when you come out, you are staying with me," Ziva now said, "That is, until we can get you day care for Kate."
"Actually Jackie Vance says she will step in and look after Kate, she says will do her good to have an interest again now her children are growing up. Personally I think she is suffering empty nest syndrome," Abby now smiled.
"I think team, we will let Abbs rest now, and we will drop by tomorrow," as Gibbs now kissed her forehead and then the child's, "Rest Abby, that's an order," Gibbs concluded, as he turned and left the ward a tear in his eye.