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So, please enjoy, NCIS is not ours, and see ya in chapter three.
PEACE OUT...
NCIS
Tony smelt pancakes when he opened his bedroom door, wafting down the hall. They actually smelt pretty damn good, his stomach growled. He moved out of the room, leaving the door open, heading down the hallway. He barely spared glances at the photos he passed, already too freaked. He did look into rooms as he passed them: A bathroom, a guest room, Katie's room, and…
He stopped at a room with a closed door, purple and blue letters across the door saying: Jenny. He grabbed the knob and turned, pushing the door open. Inside was a sky blue room, a giant plate glass window letting in a stream of sunlight. The room was cluttered with some baby furniture: A crib was crammed into the corner, a half together stroller lay on its side, and a bassinet, still in the box, sat on the floor. A dresser was sitting next to the window; two boxes labeled Katie's Baby Clothes were stacked on top. A car seat sat next to the boxes, bumblebees splattered across the seat cover. Blankets were piled into the crib, each a variety of pale blues and purples. And a few other odds and ends also littered the floor.
Tony let his eyes scan the room a second time before he backed out, closing the door behind him. So, Katie and Jenny. Both named for women Tony couldn't save. He wasn't sure whether to be okay with that or not.
He slowly crept down the steps, the smell of pancakes getting stronger, and stopped at the bottom. To his left was a dining room. An average sized mahogany table sat in the middle of the room, matching chairs surrounding it. A light hung above the table, and even off Tony could tell it could easily brighten the entire room.
To his right was the living room. Tony recognized his forty-two inch flat screen from his apartment and the plethora of DVDs he had spent most of his adult life collecting. The sleek, black couch was new, as was the matching easy chair and coffee table. Bookshelves were built into the back wall, full of books.
Tony's gaze broke away from the living room; he continued to follow the smell of pancakes. He walked along the short hallway, passing another bathroom, and stopped just outside of the archway leading into a large kitchen.
In the far back corner there was a round table, four chairs surrounding it, with a sliding glass door behind it. More sunlight spilt in from several windows, reflecting off the shiny, black counter tops. An island had three stools sitting under it; Katie sat at a fourth one with her stocking feet dangling above the ground. Ziva stood at the stove, flipping pancakes, an already full plate sitting next to her arm.
"Daddy made a Mickey Mouse pancake once," Katie said and giggled.
"Why is that funny?" Ziva questioned curiously.
"It felled apart," she whispered around more giggles. Her laughter cut off when she spotted Tony. "Hey, Daddy," she said brightly. "Are ya awake, yet?"
"Yeah," he muttered still reeling that his 'vivid dream' had made him a Daddy. Because that's what he was calling this situation until a better explanation came along: a 'vivid dream.'
"Can you get the orange juice?" Ziva questioned stiffly still irked about his behavior from earlier. Well, I'm having a crisis. Sorry if I have upset you.
"Yeah," he said and moved toward the fridge. He opened the door, first noticing the lack of beer. Either Ziva didn't want it where Katie could find it, or a pregnant Ziva didn't want beer in the house. The latter explained McGee's comment about whatever he had been drinking. Of course, whatever the reason Tony wasn't exactly thrilled. He really needed a drink about now.
"Did ya find it?" Katie called from her stool.
"Yeah," Tony replied finding it behind a jug of lemonade. He closed the door with his foot, carrying the carton over to the table. Soon after, Ziva brought the pancakes to the table; Katie slid from her stool and followed her mother.
About halfway through breakfast, Ziva excused herself to use the bathroom. Katie watched her go saying, "Mommy pees a lot 'cause she gots a baby in her. But she didn't eat baby Jenny 'cause I asked her." Tony snorted, nearly choking on his orange juice. Coughing, he put his glass down. "Are ya okay?" Katie flashed him a worried look.
"Yeah," he replied. Tony watched as Katie returned to her pancakes, wondering what traits she had picked up from him… Wait, what? Why would I wonder that? He shook his head and said, "Hey, Katie."
"Yes Daddy?" she looked up, her green eyes meeting his. He opened his mouth, unsure what to ask her. What did someone ask a three year old? What would she understand? This is one reason why I don't spend time with children. Finally, he just took a breath and asked, "Are you excited about baby Jenny?"
"Oh, yes," she replied nodding. "Mommy says I gets to be her helper. I can't wait." she beamed, returning to her breakfast. "But you already asked me that, silly Daddy."
"Did I?"
"Yeah, when you told me about Jenny. 'Cause that's when Mommy told me I gets to be her helper," she responded as if he should have known that. And he would have, if this were his life. But it wasn't. It was a 'vivid dream' that he really had to wake up from. But whenever that was going to be, he didn't know…
NCIS
"No," Tony said the moment they stepped out of the house. "I'm not letting you drive."
"I have been here for almost four years, I can drive a car Tony," Ziva snapped not relinquishing the keys.
"I'd rather make it to work safely," Tony responded making a final grab for the keys, managing to get them. Ziva growled. This was normal, familiar for Tony, until Ziva picked Katie up and carried her to the car. That usually didn't happen after one of his and Ziva's playful arguments.
He moved toward the Honda, stopping. "Where's my car?"
"That is your car," Ziva said putting Katie in the back seat, strapping her into her booster seat.
"No, my car is a classic, this is… this isn't."
"Oh, the gas nuzzler?" Ziva responded shutting the back door.
"It's guzzler, and yes."
"It is in the garage. You usually do not drive it to work anymore. Not with Katie at least."
"I don't…. And I…" internally, he growled again, but continued toward the Honda. After throwing his and Ziva's bags in the back seat, he slid behind the wheel, hating the thing the moment he shut the door. It just didn't feel right, it wasn't his car.
Once Ziva had gotten into the car and belted up, Tony started it and backed out of the driveway, snapping his seatbelt into place the moment he was on the road. He threw the thing into drive and started down the road. Ignoring the fact that he was missing the familiar hum of the engine in his car, he started to wonder what had changed at work. Stuff had to have changed. Maybe Ducky had gotten married in this reality, maybe Palmer was a woman. Maybe Probie was twelve times cooler, didn't know Klingon, and could actually speak more than fifteen words without mentioning computers or jetpacks or anything remotely McGee-ish.
When they were on the naval yard and parked, Tony looked up at the building. There was nothing different about the NCIS building. And, if he were being honest, he was kind of disappointed. He was really hoping to see something out of the ordinary. It would have made his 'vivid dream' a little less vivid.
"Can you get Katie out of the car?" Ziva asked pushing her door open. And, without explaining why, she headed into the building.
"She gots to hit the head again," Katie said quickly. "Did I use that right, Daddy? The potty is the head?"
"Yeah," Tony responded getting out of the car. He opened the back door, staring at the booster seat. He could figure out how to get her out, it wasn't rocket science.
It took him almost two minutes to get the stupid thing to unlock, Katie not helping with her useless advice. Of course, Tony didn't tell her it was useless. He heard that kids didn't respond well to yelling, and if he opened his mouth to point out that Katie was not, in fact, helping he was bound to yell. So, he just kept his mouth shut.
Once she was free, Tony picked Katie up and moved away from the door. He shut it, putting her back on the ground. Automatically, she grabbed his hand. Unconsciously, he tightened his hold on her as he walked her toward the other side of the car. Once he had collected both his and Ziva's bags, they walked inside the NCIS building.
Since he had no clue where to take her-he hadn't exactly been anywhere near the daycare at the naval yard-Tony just took Katie to his floor. He hoped someone could take her to where she was supposed to be. Ziva, perhaps, or one of the other parents. He was sure there had to be parents, on his floor, who brought their kids to work.
When the elevator opened, the first thing Katie did was scream, "Uncle McGee!" her hand ripped from Tony's grasp and she ran across the floor toward the bullpen, throwing her tiny arms around McGee's legs when he stood up.
"Hey, munchkin," McGee said when she broke away from him.
Tony followed Katie's path at a slower pace, stopping at his desk. He watched McGee for a second. Same clothes, same hair, same dorky aura; it seemed McGee was still McGee. Tony wondered what Jeanne saw in him. It couldn't have been the same thing she saw in Tony. McGee and Tony were just too different.
"Is Mommy still peeing?" Katie asked McGee unashamed.
"Caitlin," Ziva's voice cut across the room. "How many times do I have to ask you not to ask people that?"
"Sorry, Mommy," Katie said quietly. "But you weren't here. I hadda know."
"Why is she even here?" Ziva questioned looking directly at Tony.
"To see her Uncle McGee," Tony responded looking directly at McGee, who had yet to look at him.
"She saw him Saturday," Ziva said slowly.
"But who could really get enough of McGee?" Tony said sarcastically, without thinking. It was a comment he would make, not 'vivid dream' Tony. Or, he didn't think 'vivid dream' Tony would make a comment like that. Maybe he would. Jeez, this is confusing.
Before Ziva could respond, the elevators dinged and Gibbs stepped out of them. It was the moment of truth; would Gibbs treat Tony differently because he was 'married' to Ziva? Gibbs stopped, eyes flicking from McGee to Ziva to Katie to Tony. "You waiting for a formal invitation to sit down?" he asked walking past them, taking a seat behind his desk. Tony watched him go, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Nothing, not one insinuating comment about rule number twelve. Maybe he's saving the verbal thrashing for when Katie isn't around.
"Good morning, Mister Gibbs," Katie said smiling at him.
"Katie," he replied nodding once.
"I used 'hit the head' today," she informed him, her smiling widening.
"Did you?"
"I used it right, too. Daddy said so." she nodded glancing Tony's way.
"Good for you." he flashed her a small smile, sitting his coffee next to his computer.
"I suppose I should take her to day care," Ziva said moving toward Katie. "Since somebody decided not to, again." So, apparently it was a regular thing for 'vivid dream' Tony, bringing Katie to the bullpen. If Tony knew himself like he thought he did, and if the interaction between Gibbs and Katie meant anything, it was to keep Gibbs from being too Gibbs-ish. If only until 'vivid dream' Ziva takes Katie away.
Before Ziva could even make it five steps to the elevators two things happened. One: Gibbs phone rang and two: Abby came around the corner. Katie took one look at her, and just as she had with McGee, screamed, "Auntie Abby." she broke free from Ziva's grasp and raced toward the Goth.
Gibbs' eyes tracked the little girl's movements while he nodded. He hung up the phone and said, "Gear up." he glanced at Abby, who had just stood up from hugging Katie. "Take her to daycare, Abbs."
"Yes sir, Gibbs," she responded and mock saluted him. Tony could tell Gibbs internally rolled his eyes as he snatched his coffee off his desk and walked around it. Tony handed Ziva her bag before following Gibbs toward the elevators.
Overhead he heard the whoosh of the air conditioner starting up. But, as with his alarm clock, there was something different about the whoosh. That, too, sounded wrong somehow. But before he could give it much thought, he was already standing next to Gibbs in the elevator, Ziva and McGee in front of him, the doors closing on Katie's cheerful, "Bye guys…"
NCIS
Whoosh: the respirator caught McGee's attention when he stepped into Tony's room. Ziva was sitting next to his bed, her knees drawn up, watching him carefully. By the looks of it, she probably hadn't moved since she sat down.
"Hey," he said moving across the room, stopping next to her chair. She didn't respond, sparing McGee a single look before her eyes flicked back to Tony. Tim offered her one of the two coffees in his hand, studying the sling around her right arm from where she hit the dash.
"Still no change?"
"It has only been twelve hours. There is no real reason to worry just yet," Ziva answered slowly, waving her hand at the offered coffee. Despite her words, Tim could practically feel the worry rolling off the Mossad agent in waves. He, too, was also worried. Never before had he seen Tony like this. Not even when he had the plague. But, at least, he made it into the room; Abby just couldn't bring herself to visit Tony, opting to stay downstairs with Ducky and Palmer. And who knew where Gibbs had gone?
"I'm sure he'll be fine," Tim said slowly. "I mean, it's Tony. He's gonna pull through." Ziva nodded, still looking uncertain. McGee set one of the coffees on the tray bolted to the wall. He gave Ziva's shoulder a squeeze before leaving the room.
Outside he stopped for a second, trying hard not to think about his last confrontation with DiNozzo. 'Because I am the senior field agent and Ducky needs help. Now, get your ass up and help him.' McGee hadn't been happy and had said, 'You know Tony sometimes you can be a real jackass.'
Now, he wished he hadn't said that. Unintentionally, DiNozzo had saved McGee's life. The entire backseat of the car had been totaled; no one would have survived if someone had been sitting back there. If Palmer hadn't had a doctor's appointment, if Ducky didn't need help with that body, McGee would have been dead. It wasn't the first time he had escaped death, and it was a scary thought he didn't want to think about…
NCIS
Abby hated when anybody close to her was hurt. She had lost too many good friends, had to mourn too many good people. And she wasn't ready to lose another.
She looked up when Tim returned; he moved toward her and took a seat in the vacant chair next to her. She glanced over at him, watching as he put his coffee down. She let her eyes move away from him, zeroing in on Palmer. Jimmy's knees had been bouncing for the past fifteen minutes, his hands clenching and unclenching into fists. Abby knew how close he and Tony had gotten since Gibbs' hiatus. She even knew how Tony bounced ideas off of Jimmy when he was stuck (despite the fact that DiNozzo tried to be sneaky about it).
Ducky had been trying and trying to call Gibbs, but had yet to get a hold of him. Abby figured Gibbs was still talking to the driver of the delivery van, trying to figure out what had caused him to plow through that red light. The same van that landed Tony in this awful place…
Abby's vision blurred and she sniffed. She had told herself no more crying, crying wasn't helping Tony, but she couldn't help it. Tony was in a hospital, hooked up to God knows what, barely clinging on to life. And she couldn't bring herself to go see him. She was such an awful friend.
A choked sob left her throat; tears started rolling down her face. McGee pulled her into a hug, rubbing small circles into her back. He kept repeating, "It'll be okay."
"N…no, it won't," she stammered out after the third time. "T…Tony's hurt, he… he…" she couldn't finish her sentence, just buried her face deeper into McGee's jacket.
"Hey," he said pulling her away from him, so he could look in her eyes. "I'll tell you what I told Ziva. He's going to be fine. He's Tony, he'll pull through."
"How," Abby hiccupped, "is Ziva?" McGee didn't respond, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth. "That good," she hiccupped again, "huh?" Abby took a deep, shuddering breath and moved away from McGee.
"Are you hungry?" McGee asked suddenly getting to his feet. "I could get you something from the cafeteria. Maybe something from the vending machines."
"No, Timmy, I'm fine," Abby said pulling her knees up. "Just sit down." he nodded, sitting back down. He grabbed his coffee off the small table, taking a sip before offering it to Abby. She wasn't a big coffee drinker, but she did appreciate the heat warming her cold hands.
The room fell into an uneasy silence. Broken up by deep breathing, the creaking of chairs, and Ducky periodically checking his voicemail. Abby was about to take out her own phone, maybe give Gibbs a call herself, but thought better of it when he slipped into the room.
"Jethro, where have you been?" Ducky asked before anyone else could open their mouths.
"Did you talk to the delivery guy?" Abby demanded before Gibbs could answer Ducky's question.
"Yeah," he responded quietly.
"And?"
"The street cam matches his story."
"And?"
"He blew the stop light."
"So, you're saying Tony and Ziva ended up here because some idiot decided to look away from the windshield?"
"Yeah," Gibbs replied sighing. "He's been arrested for reckless driving."
"He deserves worse," Abby muttered bitterly. Gibbs didn't verbally respond, but the look on his face told Abby he agreed whole-heartedly with her.
"Did anyone get any work done on the case?" Gibbs questioned after a long pause. No one said anything, Palmer and McGee trying really hard not to look Gibbs in the eyes. "Look, we aren't doing DiNozzo any good sitting here. So, head back to the naval yard and get me some results on the dead girl." Nobody moved. "NOW!" Palmer, McGee, and Abby scrambled to their feet.
Abby followed McGee from the room, Jimmy right behind her. She glanced behind her one last time, watching as Ducky opened his mouth to say something. But before she could hear the comment, Tim had already ushered her into the elevator.
As much as Abby wanted to stay at the hospital, camp out in the waiting room, she knew Gibbs had a point sending them away. A girl was dead; her killer was still at large. If Abby couldn't be there for Tony, she could at least catch the SOB who unintentionally caused his and Ziva's accident by murdering some poor Marine's daughter…
