Tony dropped his phone onto his desk in pure excitement, unable to get the black plastic back into the cradle. He jumped up from his desk and looked around the bullpen frantically. "Where's Gibbs?" He asked McGee, grabbing his bag from beside his chair as he did so.
"Um, don't know. Why? What's up?" McGee asked curiously, looking up from his computer.
Tony headed to the elevator, pulling his cell from his pocket. "It's time!" He shouted, smiling back at McGee. "She got here yesterday morning," he finished as the elevator doors closed and he pressed the button for Abby's lab, hoping his partner was downstairs with Abby and Ziva. He just caught sight of the broad smile forming on McGee's face as the doors finally clanged shut.
*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*
The ride down to Abby's lab seemed to take forever, definitely the longest forty five seconds of Tony's life. The doors finally opened though, and he stumbled into her lab.
"Have either of you lovely ladies seen Jethro?!" He asked breathlessly, holding himself up in the doorway.
Abby turned around, her slightly swollen belly brushing against the metal lab table as she turned. "Yep, he just left about ten minutes ago!"
"Damn it!" Tony cried, clutching the stitch in his side. "He's not answering his cell phone, do you know where he went?"
"What is wrong, Tony?" Ziva asked, approaching him with concern etched in her features. Tony laughed and wrapped her in a tight hug. She gasped as he swung her around in a tight circle.
"Nothing is wrong! If you see Jethro tell him I'll meet him at home, alright?" Abby clapped her hands excitedly and squealed.
"Is she here Tony?!"
Abby squealed again, and Ziva smiled widely when Tony released her and nodded.
"Yes, my angel of darkness. We're allowed to pick her up in a few hours. I need to go get a few things together." Abby squealed again, and rushed forward to pull him into a rib crushing hug.
"I'm so happy for you, Tony!" He hugged her back tightly, mindful of her ever growing baby bump.
"Thanks Abs," he whispered happily. He released her and flashed them one more dazzling smile. "If you see Jethro before I do, let him know I'm at the house." And with that he exited, leaving both women smiling broadly at each other.
*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*
The drive home seemed to take forever, just like the elevator ride to Abby's lab, even with him driving like Jethro. Tony fidgeted impatiently at every stop light and blew the few stop signs in their neighborhood.
When Tony finally pulled up in front of the house and jumped out of the car, he saw Jethro leaning against the Toyota Camry they'd purchased a few weeks previously. Tony glared playfully at his husband as he approached him, and to Jethro's surprise slapped the older man on the back of the head.
"I was looking everywhere for you!" Tony mock-growled, crossing his arms.
Jethro smirked at him and gestured toward the back seat of the car. "I know, they called me too. I figured I'd come home and get the stuff together so we could go as soon as you got home." Tony shook his head with a smile and leaned in to kiss Jethro.
"You're amazing, you are." He whispered, pulling away and grabbing Jethro's hand. "Can we go now?"
"As soon as you go pack her bag, I just finished installing the seat in the back when I saw you coming around the corner." Tony nodded, and dragged Jethro into the house.
Together the two men walked into the house and headed up the stairs to the former guest room. Pushing the door open, both men stepped inside and Tony went straight for the small dresser that sat underneath the window. Grabbing the soft gray and pink bag from on top of it, Tony shifted through it and thought about what he'd need.
"Where's the outfit we decided on the other night?" Tony asked, pawing through the bag. Jethro reached over to the small cradle that was sitting by the door waiting to be wheeled into their room and handed him the folded up garments. "Thank you," he said softly, packing it into the bag and then zipping it shut.
"That it?" Jethro asked, reaching out to squeeze Tony's shoulder lightly. Tony smiled his 1000 watt smile and nodded, practically vibrating with excitement. "Well let's go then!"
Tony grabbed the bag and slung it over his shoulder, still smiling.
*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*
Tony and Jethro pulled into the parking lot of George Washington memorial hospital thirty minutes later. Tony grabbed the bag again, and Jethro grabbed the car seat from the back seat, neither doing a good job of containing their excitement.
"You sure you're ready for this?" Jethro asked calmly, shutting the back door briskly and smiling at Tony over the roof of their car.
Tony smirked at him and came around to the driver's side. He slipped his hand into Jethro's and pulled him toward the hospital entrance. "I haven't been surer of anything since the day I married you, Jeth."
They were still smiling stupidly at each other when the receptionist cleared her throat, blushing furiously. "Can I help you?"
Jethro turned to her and nodded. "We're here to pick up our daughter, she's in the nursery on the third floor."
The receptionist smiled pleasantly. "You the Gibbs family?" Tony and Jethro nodded. "I'll just need to see some identification, and have you fill out these forms that the adoption agency left here for you and then we will get you up to your little girl. Have you decided on a name yet?"
Tony and Jethro looked at each other again and nodded. "Caitlyn. Caitlyn Jennifer Gibbs."
*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*
Tony tentatively reached into the clear bassinet and picked up the white swathed bundle that sat inside it.
"She's so small," he whispered in awe, cradling Caitlyn's head gently in one hand.
The nurse standing beside them nodded, "She was only 5 pounds 14 ounces when she was born, and 16 inches long. She's 5 pounds 6 ounces now." Tony's head shot up, and he frowned at the nurse.
"Is it normal for them to lose weight like that? There's nothing wrong with her right?" There was a note of panic in his voice, and Jethro just wrapped an arm around Tony's waist and pulled them against him.
The nurse smiled at Jethro sympathetically. "This your first, darlin'?" Tony nodded and she smiled softly at him. "It's totally normal for them to lose weight after they're born honey, she's healthy as can be."
"Oh," Tony said softly, trailing his knuckle down Caitlyn's cheek. Jethro pulled out his phone and snapped a picture, just as Tony looked up and smiled at him.
"What was that for?" Jethro hit send on his phone and slipped it into his pocket, reaching out to take Caitlyn from Tony.
"Abby. Promised I would get a picture of you holding the baby for the first time." Tony relinquished their newborn daughter and Jethro cradled her expertly against his chest for a few moments, staring at her in awe.
"Hey Katie," he whispered, rocking her gently when she opened her eyes. "I'm your papa, sweetheart." Katie seemed to understand that she'd always be safe in his arms, as she yawned cutely, turned her face toward his chest and closed her eyes again. Tony surreptitiously snapped a picture with his phone and then turned to the nurse.
"We can take her home now, right?" The nurse nodded, smiling at them fondly.
"Of course Darlin! Let's get her a change, and get her strapped into the seat so I can sign off on the safety check and you're good to go." She stepped away from them for a few moments to gather Caitlyn's hospital things: a half used package of diapers, wipes, an unopened package of diapers, a few burp cloths and receiving blankets, Caitlyn's baby bracelet and discharge packet, a box of premixed disposable bottles and sterile disposable nipples, and several cans of formula made their way into a complimentary Enfamil diaper bag along with a pamphlet full of formula and diaper coupons from the hospitals sponsors and donors.
By the time she turned around, the two men had Katie dressed in a pink and white checked sundress, a white head band, and white crib shoes. Jethro was clipping the tiny infant into the car seat, and carefully adjusting the straps so they fit properly.
"Alright, who's going to carry her out?" Jethro motioned to himself, so she handed Tony the bag she'd put together. Quickly checking the straps she nodded contentedly. "Well boys, you ready to blow this joint with the little lady?"
"Never been more ready for anything," Tony told her happily, handing Jethro Katie's blanket so he could tuck it around her.
The three adults made small talk as the rode the elevator back down to the lobby, all three of them smiling. Tony left them standing at the curb to pull the car around.
"Thank you for taking care of Katie," Jethro said quietly, smiling down at the sleeping infant.
"It's what I do, Agent Gibbs. She's a wonderful baby, it was a joy." She put her hand on his arm familiarly as Tony pulled to a stop in front of them and smiled. "The three of you are a lovely little family."
"Thank you," they told her. Tony hugged her tightly as Jethro loaded Katie into the car, taking her by surprise.
"Take care of yourselves!" She shouted as Tony and Jethro climbed into the car and pulled out of the parking lot carefully.
*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*
Tony shifted Katie in his arms as he climbed the stairs to the nursery, Jethro following with one of the premixed bottles in his hand. "Do you want me to wash the bottles we bought when we put her down?" Jethro shook his head.
"Already did, Tone. I put them in the sterilizer before I followed you up here." Tony nodded with a happy little sigh as he opened the door to their bedroom and headed straight for the rocker that they'd placed there. "Worn out?"
Tony nodded and reached out for the bottle, popping it into Katie's mouth with practiced ease. "Been a long day, and night." They'd only been home with Caitlyn for about three hours, but he was already exhausted. Jethro chuckled softly, and ducked out of the room to pull the cradle into their bedroom from the nursery. He had a pair of pajamas slung over his shoulder.
"Foot of the bed alright with you?" He asked quietly, not wanting to disturb Katie who was drifting to sleep eating her bottle.
Tony shrugged, his eyes already closed. "Whatever you think is best works for me, I'm just ready to hit the sack." Jethro snorted and rolled his eyes.
"You think you're tired now..." He said sarcastically. "Just wait until the first cold, or ear infection, or-"
Tony shushed him playfully, and got up, dropping the empty bottle in the trash. "Blasphemy!" He chastised. "I don't know who you're talking about, but Katie would never do that to her Daddy, right angel?" Tony finished, looking down at Katie as he spoke. Jethro rolled his eyes again and took Katie from him, placing her against his shoulder and giving her a few quick pats on the back. She let out a low burp and they both smiled.
"I'll change her and put her to bed, alright? Go down and call that Chinese place that delivers, we need to eat." Tony nodded and pecked Jethro on the lips, and kissed Katie's baby soft head.
Tony called the restaurant on his way down the stairs and quickly placed their orders. When he made it to the couch, he flopped down on it unceremoniously with a happy sigh.
Jethro came down the stairs a few minutes later with the baby monitor in his hand. The sight of Tony asleep on the couch made him stop in his tracks. He remembered Shannon doing the same thing in the early days after they'd brought Kelly home. He shook himself from the memory and moved over to the couch, shaking Tony's shoulder gently.
"Tone, you need to get up so you can eat when the food gets here." Tony opened one bleary eye and nodded.
"We haven't even had her home for a whole day and I'm exhausted Jeth. Does it get easier?" Jethro gave him a crooked smile and tapped his thigh. Tony scooted over and the older man lowered himself onto the cushion next to him.
"When Shan and I first brought Kelly home I'd find Shannie sleeping just about anywhere. In Kelly's room leaning against the crib, in the bathroom, at the kitchen table, one time I even found her asleep in the shower." Tony chuckled and leaned heavily into Jethro's shoulder. "It got easier, when Kels was a few weeks old. Shannon got her on a fairly regular schedule, and they both started getting enough sleep. I think part of the tiredness in the beginning was that the excitement of finally having Kelly home exhausted her."
"That's probably part of it with Caitlyn. I've been wired for the past week. I'm glad Vance is letting us take paternity leave." Jethro nodded and wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulders, pulling him close. Men in the agency only got four weeks of paternity leave, so they had to split it up so they were able to stay with Caitlyn until she was old enough to attend the childcare center at the Navy Yard. They were taking a week together, and then Tony was going to stay with her for the rest of his leave and Jethro would leave work again and stay with her another three weeks.
"Thank you, Tony." Jethro whispered suddenly. He carded his hand through Tony's disheveled hair.
Tony lifted his head from the other man's shoulder and looked at him. The confused look on his face was endearing. "For what, Jeth?"
"For saving me from myself. For loving me. For understanding that I will always love Shannon and Kelly. For telling me it was okay for me to love another child like I loved Kels, and making that happen with you." Tony rolled his eyes and slipped his hand around the back of Jethro's neck, pulling him into a heated kiss. When he pulled back from the kiss he let his forehead rest against Jethro's.
"You are painfully oblivious sometimes, aren't you?" Tony snorted back a laugh when he felt Jethro nod. "None of that is anything you have to thank me for, Jethro. I told you two years ago that I wanted to spend my life with you, through the good times and the bad times. I'm not your ex-wives, I'll never expect you to get over your first family."
"I know Tony. That's why we work, why we were able to have Katie. One of the biggest reasons I love you so much." Gibbs pulled Tony in for a gentle kiss and wrapped his arms around his husband tightly.
A soft cry over the baby monitor made them both smile, and Jethro stood up with a soft smile. "Sit tight, I got her this time."
Tony smiled and nodded, his eyes already drifting closed again. For the first time in his life the younger man was perfectly content.