(A/N and Disclaimer: Nothing's ours. Absolutely nada. Kaput. Got it? Very well then, we may continue.
Someone asked me where I got the name Minerva from in Chapter 1; it's from the Greek goddess of intellect (for the daughter of 'the wise one') and I just liked the name. Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 1, hope you like this part. Okay, here we go…)
Tim couldn't focus. The next half hour was a blur; it felt like he was watching a scene without really being a part of it. He knew the doctor was talking about things like 'awareness'…'support'…'specialist education'…he knew Gibbs was consoling Abby and she was nodding and saying it could have been worse. Every so often Tim felt Abby's eyes on him and was careful not to meet them. He couldn't hear her; he couldn't hear any of them. For now, his world was as silent as Caitlin's – but he knew, after a while, normality would return to him and he would be able to take in what they said. For Caitie; who moments ago had been complete and perfect, that would never happen.

He reached out his arms and motioned for Abby to give Caitlin to him. He stared at her; she seemed like the only real thing in the room. He was aware of everyone watching him but he didn't look away from her. He looked into her eyes; her beautiful, two-tone eyes and her eyes looked back up at him, never leaving her daddy's face. He wondered if she knew her life had just been changed forever. Of course she couldn't. She was two hours old. How could she have understood the impact of the doctor's words before? She didn't understand. But he sure as hell did.

He turned away from Abby, looking pleading at him to say something, do something to show he was alright; from Gibbs, his face as unreadable as ever but sympathy in his ice-blue eyes; from Ziva, biting her lip and looking so sad for the three of them; from Tony, for once careful not to say anything or do anything to make things worse; from Ducky, who probably had a million facts about deafness to tell them but whose lips were sealed and whose eyes were understanding and sad. He didn't even register the presence of the doctor, the bringer of the news that had shaped – ruined, Tim thought bitterly - his little girl's life. He walked slowly over to the window, his back to the others. He didn't want their understanding, their commiserations. He wanted to be alone with Caitlin; for now. Abby needed him, but selfish as it was he needed time alone. It was alright for her, growing up with deaf parents and a fluent knowledge of sign language. But he, Tim, would never be able to communicate with Caitlin so freely. And knowing this almost made him angry at Abby, angry at the doctor, angry at Caitlin – angry at himself.
'Tim…-' Abby's quiet, sad voice broke into the terrible silence.
'Leave him, Abby' Gibbs spoke softly, placing a hand on Abby's shoulder. 'He needs time alone with his daughter. When he's ready, he'll talk to you. But for now, leave him be'
Abby looked up at Gibbs, her eyes full of tears and worry. He leaned down and hugged her like a father, and she buried her head in his shoulder.
'I know how hard this must be for you - all of you' the doctor cut in, earning a glare from Ziva. 'But you mustn't let your daughter's condition seem like too much of a negative issue. Nowadays, deaf people are seen not as a disabled community, but more of an ethnic group, with American Sign Language as their own language. Hearing people, particularly parents of deaf children, can get support from groups of others like themselves where they can learn American Sign Language to communicate freely with their children. There is no evidence to show that deaf children perform worse in school -particularly specialist schools with teachers able to communicate in sign language – than hearing children. As long as Caitlin is shown love, support and acceptance in her family and community, there is no reason she should not live a full and happy life'
Abby nodded, glancing at Tim. Tim kept staring straight out of the window.
'Abby's parents were deaf and they lead happy, normal lives and raised two healthy hearing children' Gibbs said. 'Deafness doesn't compromise quality of life unless the people around the deaf person lower their self esteem by showing shame in them because of their condition'

Tim knew this was Gibbs' hidden way of saying 'Put your own feelings on the back burner, we know you're upset but this isn't easy for Abby either'. But he was afraid of what he might say if he turned round now. He saw Tony put his arm around Ziva and knew that Abby needed his support – as he needed hers. Slowly, he turned around; and wordlessly went over to Abby. Sitting on the hard plastic seat beside her bed, he laced his fingers with hers and they sat in silence, looking down at Caitlin between them.

The doctor looked from Abby and Tim, to Gibbs; who gave him the kind of 'Leave. Now' look that made concrete wilt; to Tony and Ziva; standing quiet and subdued with their arms around each other, and Ducky; eyes lowered behind his glasses.
'If you need to ask me anything, please don't hesitate to call me' He said, as the nurse opened the door for him. 'We'll keep Abigail and Caitlin in overnight but you're free to go in the morning. A nurse will come in later to show you how to bath Caitlin. Until then…goodnight. And…sorry' he added, bowing his head as he left the room.
'We should probably go, too' Tony said, looking at Gibbs; who nodded.
'Yeah, I think it'd be best to leave you two alone with Caitlin for now' Gibbs agreed. 'Would you like us to bring some of your things from home this evening, Abby?'
Abby thought back to the sudden start of her labour; she hadn't brought her carefully packed hospital bag from home. 'Yes, please. Thanks for coming, you guys'
'We called your brother. He and your mother visit once you're home and settled' Ziva said softly. 'See you later; Tim, Abby, Caitlin'
'Goodbye' McGee said expressionlessly. He didn't take his eyes off Caitlin as Gibbs, Tony and Ziva left. Ducky, however, stayed in the room; looking hard at Tim.

'Timothy, I know this might not be the most convenient of times, but could I speak to you for a minute?' he asked gently.
Tim looked up at him, and nodded. Passing Caitlin to her mother he stood up and followed Ducky out into the corridor; the rest of the team had left already.
Tim expected Ducky to berate him for not supporting Abby as well as he should in their situation. Instead, the older man placed a hand on the young agent's shoulder, and sighed.
'Timothy, I can't pretend to know exactly how you're feeling. I can guess how hard it must be for you and Abby knowing your daughter will be deaf, while you can hear'
Tim closed his eyes, and clenched his fists.
'I…she was so perfect. She is so perfect. But she'll never be able to hear me tell her that' he replied in a hollow voice, his voice cracking from emotion and half an hour of silence.
'She is still your daughter, Tim. With your brain, picking up American Sign Language won't be a problem to you. And you won't find a more experienced speaker than your wife' Ducky reminded him. 'It's early days. Things will begin to fall into place when you've faced the facts, hard as it may be. But you know that out whole team is there for you and Abby, no matter what happens'
Tim managed a small, grateful smile. 'Thanks, Ducky'
'Any time, Timothy. Go on' he said, standing up and gently pulling Tim with him. 'Abby needs you with her'
Tim nodded, and Ducky turned and walked away down the corridor. Tim opened the door to Abby's room and returned to her side. She looked up at him, and though he couldn't smile yet he put his arm around her. They sat gazing at their daughter in total silence, barely breathing.
Words would come, when the news had begun to sink in. But not yet.

The next few hours passed in near-silence. Abby kept giving Tim almost frightened looks, which he managed to return with the most genuine smiles he could manage. Truthfully, he had no idea what to say to her. He knew she probably felt the same way he did about Caitlin's condition; and he knew she wanted to talk to him about it. She wouldn't be his Abby if she didn't. But he didn't feel ready, so they barely spoke throughout that evening. Tim left the talking to Abby when the rest of the team dropped in later on to bring Abby her overnight bag and say hello; this time, with the Director. (Everyone was careful not to mention the way Gibbs and Jenny entwined their hands as they looked at little Caitlin sleeping in her garish plastic crib at the foot of Abby's bed. They valued their lives more than that.) Once the team bade them goodnight, the couple lapsed back into the uncomfortable, monosyllabic atmosphere that they had unconsciously adopted since finding out about Caitlin's deafness. Instead, they silently drank in every detail of their daughters face as they watched her, for need of something - anything - to focus on other than the still-raw truth of her deafness.

Her eyes were slowly turning from blue to clear, vibrant green like both her parents', save for the section of her irises that were already turning hazel. The doctor was right, they really were interesting eyes. Each passing hour she seemed to look more like her parents. Tim could already tell that she had the same direct stare as Abby from the way she focussed on things when she was awake. If she knew how to smile, Abby decided, then her smile would be exactly like Tim's - eyes first, mouth second. Though from the way he was acting now, so different to his proud fatherly joy immediately after Caitlin's birth, Abby wasn't sure if he would ever really smile again. When she was asleep, hey eyelids flickered in a dream like Abby's did even without caffiene; and occasionally she breathed out through her nose in a soft sigh that seemed to echo round the room. Her parents heard it, even if she couldn't.
Their first night with their daughter was one of the longest of Abby and Tim's lives. They couldn't wait to get Caitlin home - but for completely different reasons than before. More than anything Tim wanted to be in their own house and feel like something was finally normal again.

'We're home' Tim said, as he opened the front door. It was the first time he had spoken to Abby or anyone else all morning, and she was glad of it. Maybe now things would begin to turn slowly into a situation they could make sense of.
Perhaps not. Abby and Tim spent most of the morning sorting out baby supplies and getting the house back in order - Ziva appeared to have turned out half of Abby and Tim's bedroom trying to find Abby's overnight bag (which, incidentally, had been next to the umbrella stand in the hall the whole time) - that they barely had a moment together. Between checking on Caitlin, feeding her and straightening out their scattered posessions, Abby barely saw Tim for most of the morning. However, at around noon she popped back into the nursery to check on her sleeping daughter and found Tim sitting holding her - amongst Caitlin's crib, changing table and other furniture - in the rocking chair Gibbs had given them at their baby shower. It was only a month ago and it seemed like a lifetime. Already time seemed split into two halves: the half where they knew of her deafness, and the other of blissful ingorance.

Abby carefully walked towards her husband, feeling almost nervous of him. He saw her, and smiled briefly.
'I couldn't resist' he said. 'I didn't wake her, don't worry'
'She's a deep sleeper' Abby said. 'It's fine'
Tenatively, she put her hand on Tim's shoulder and was relieved when he didn't shrug her away. Instead, he looked her in the eye for the first time in almost a day.
'Abby, I'm sorry-'
'It's fine' she said again. 'Really' she added, at the disbelieving look on his face. Tim shook his head.
'This is as tough for you as it is for me. You put yourself through hell to give birth to Caitlin and then we found out-'
'I know' Abby cut him off gently, leaning her head on his shoulder with a small smile. 'But - Tim...why didn't you talk to me?'
Her anxious question was met with silence but Abby wasn't giving up now.
'Timothy...'
'I was scared' he said simply. 'Scared of what I might do or say. I was upset and I was angry - not at you!' he said, as Abby's eyes became ominously watery. 'Never at you' he added softly, putting an arm around her and cradling Caitlin in the other. 'I didn't know how to deal with this - any of it - and I didn't want to say something I didn't mean and hurt you'
Abby nodded. 'I should have tried harder to understand or to talk to you'
Tim sighed. 'I - I always imagined, even before we got pregnant, of what our first daughter would be like. Just like you. Smart and beautiful like you. Going on to do great things, have a good, happy life. A full life. A - a normal life' he finished. Abby removed her hand from his shoulder and looked at him hard.

'Being deaf doesn't mean our baby isn't normal' she said sharply. Tim looked right back at her.
'I didn't mean-'
'Yes, you did!' Abby said. If Caitlin hadn't been asleep in Tim's arms she would have been yelling.
'My parents were deaf. They got good jobs, had good friends, raised two good kids. Their lives were normal even if they did communicate differently. Caitie isn't any different to them - or to us. So she can't hear. Does that make put her in a lower class to another little girl her age who can? No! I know how hard it is - I'm her mother, Tim. All those things you said - Caitie can do all them and more, deaf or hearing. You're her father! You should love her no matter what'
'I do' Tim said softly, and those two words, thought spoken softly, contained so much emotion that Abby fell silent.

'I love our daughter, Abs. She's not even a day old and I would kill for her - I would die for her. She's part me, part you and something completely new and unique and I love everything about her. I want more than anything to watch her grow up and be proud of her, standing there telling anyone and everyone 'That's my little girl, my little Caitie'. But it's not her - it's me...'
'What's you what?' Abby said, her gaze softening as Tim looked down at Caitlin.
'I don't speak ASL like you, Abby. I'm scared I'll never be a part of Caitie's life - a proper father' Tim said, and Abby saw his eyes fill with tears too. 'You can teach her sign language, you can talk to her - but I'm worried that'll never happen for me. I love her, Abby - but I'll never be able to tell her that'
'Timothy McGee' Abby said, and Tim looked up. Her green eyes were blazing with emotion. 'Don't. Ever. Think. That. So you don't know ASL - yet. Did you not listen to a word the doctor - or Gibbs, or me - said yesterday? There are hundreds of groups and classes we can go to, all three of us, for you to learn sign language. Once you learn, you'll be able to talk to Caitie as well as I can. And I'll teach you too' she said, cupping his face with her hand and stroking his cheek. 'We've got each other and we've got Caitie. You can do this. We can do this - as long as we can talk things through instead of spending hours in total silence acting like thing will get better if we're quiet enough'
Tim nodded, swallowing to clear the lump in his throat that had formed as Abby spoke. 'Thanks, Abby'
'I love you' she reminded him, kneeling on the floor beside him. 'Never forget that'
'I love you too' he replied. 'And I won't'
Abby smiled and gave him the thumbs-up. He put his arm back around her shoulder and they sat watching Caitie sleep.
'By the way, Abby' Tim said, after a long pause. 'You have a beautiful daughter'
'We really do' she replied. Tim smiled, the first real smile since they found out about Caitie's deafness, and kissed Abby, then Caitie, gently on the foreheads.

There are good silences and bad silences. Timothy McGee had finally learned the difference.

(A/N: Wow, I managed to get the second chapter written and up the day after the first. Please tell me what you think, big thank-you to everyone who's reviewed Chapter 1 already. Chapter 3 is on the way. Merci, et au revoir.)