Chapter 7
Dabi was six months pregnant, and because of the twins, she wasn't walking so much as she was waddling.
So far, the pregnancy was proceeding normally, with the only concerns being Dabi's blood pressure.
Then the day came that Dabi's belly made reaching the bakery counter next to impossible.
"So basically I'm on mat leave until further notice," Dabi said, swinging herself in Abby's chair.
"Is the twins' room done?" Abby asked.
"Just got to put the bassinet together."
"So you're going to keep them together as much as possible?"
"Yeah, until they're older, and then we'll go from there." Dabi groaned softly as she tried to get comfortable in the chair. Right now she was wearing an oversized USMC t-shirt, leggings, and a denim and sherpa jacket; she looked nice, but she still felt like an oversized whale. "I feel huge," she groaned. "The twins are kicking the hell out of me, and it feels like I have to pee every ten minutes."
Abby smiled in sympathy at her. "You're just about in the home stretch. You'll be okay. How's everyone else doing?"
"All good. Leo's settling into his new job, Sara's giving Owen and Mary a run for their money, oh and Ginger was arrested for trespassing and breaking her restraining order," Dabi said.
Abby's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"
"Seriously. She showed up at the bakery while I was out with Nana at a doctor's appointment, and Goldie, one of my favourite Fronts, recognized the bimbo. She played nice while another girl called the cops. Busted!"
Abby laughed. "Nice!"
"And the best part is, it was caught on camera. Last I heard, the judge wasn't too happy with her. She's currently facing a five thousand dollar fine, and she was told that if it happens again, she will face jail time."
"Even better. What did Leo say?"
"He was pissed to the point he reached out to Ginger's parents. Told them everything, even showed them a couple of pictures of me and the belly. They were not happy about the situation and promised him they would do what they could to help curb Ginger's behaviour."
"Hopefully that works," Abby said.
"Apparently Momma got pretty upset with Ginger when she found out I was pregnant with twins. She said Ginger's behaviour was the last thing either of us needed."
"She's got that right."
"So hopefully she'll be out of our hair for a bit. In the meantime, I need a favour."
"Okay."
"Would you be willing to put together an emergency birth kit, and keep it either here or in the crime scene truck?"
Abby grinned. "You don't trust the twins, do you?"
"Not in the slightest. I keep having nightmares about giving birth in the elevator or some such place."
"Oh no," Abby said, laughing. "Okay, if it makes you feel safer, we will put together an emergency birth kit, and we will put it in the crime scene truck. We'll even talk to Ducky and find out what he suggests."
"Thanks," Dabi said, watching as her friend went to her computer and started looking up what they would need for an emergency birth kit. She groaned softly as one of the twins kicked down. "Be right back. I just got kicked in the bladder again."
Abby laughed.
In the end, with a bit of help, they put together a kit. Two baby blankets and caps of neutral colours in case the ultrasound was wrong, two umbilical cord clamps that would arrive in the next few days via courier, a blanket for Dabi, gloves, bottled water, the works.
"You feel better now?" Gibbs asked later, seeing the labeled bin that Palmer was putting in the truck. He had been told of what was going on, and privately thought it was a good idea.
"A bit. Maybe I'm just being paranoid," Dabi admitted, "but I can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen. And the doc's worried about my blood pressure, so I'm doing everything I can to try and keep my stress level down, which includes doing everything I can think of to reassure myself that things will be okay."
"Everything will be okay," he said, giving her a hug.
"Hope so. Wanna go fish shopping later this week?"
"Fish shopping?" he asked, confused.
"Fish shopping. Remember that big aquarium in the living room? According to the fancy schmancy tests, the tank is ready for company beyond Bobby the Betta, so I can now add more fish, which means I can watch the cats clobber themselves even more."
Gibbs laughed. "Good stress reliever there."
"Exactly."
"What are you going to put in there?"
"I have no clue. That's what you're there for."
"Me? Why me? It's your tank!"
"And your darn bright idea!"
"I suggested a tank, I didn't say get the biggest one the store had! I was taking about a nice little five gallon or something for a betta or something like that!" Gibbs protested. "It's not my fault Leo liked the idea so much!" Leo had liked the idea a lot, having always wanted to get a tank as a kid. The end result was a fifty-five gallon aquarium tank that was now sitting in the living room with a pretty white and red male betta known as Bobby.
"You two are spending way too much time together. You're getting to be a bad influence on each other," Dabi gripped. Gibbs laughed.
A month later, Ginger made a bad mistake.
Angry at the recent charges of harassment and trespassing, she tried to confront Dabi and Sharee, who had been out shopping. An hour later, Gibbs was down at the Falls Church police station, quietly having a word with Detective Paul Dockry, an old associate from a prior case and the son of a former Marine buddy of Gibbs.
"So let me get this straight; your daughter, Dabi, is seven months pregnant with twins, and she decides to punch out a woman because the woman threw her drink at your mother-in-law, who also happens to be her grandmother," Dockry said, eyes a bit wide.
"Yes. Ginger Pickering has already been arrested several times for harassment and trespassing, and has a restraining order against Dabi, her husband, Leo, the bakery, and my house," Gibbs said, omitting the detail that he never married Dabi's mother. "She was ordered to stay away from them and to have no contact whatsoever with any member of the family or bakery staff."
"I see. What's her problem?"
Gibbs smirked. "She's Leo's ex-girlfriend, and Leo dumped her about a month before he met Dabi. She tried to get back with him, and he told her no."
"I'm guessing that's the polite version?"
"Yes."
"So a dumped ex-girlfriend with a very large restraining order, and multiple arrests and violations, verses a very pissed off, very pregnant wife, who happens to be the daughter of a former Marine. I'm guessing you taught her a few things?" Dockry asked.
"Oh yeah. And Leo taught her kickboxing, and she's friends with a couple of Navy SEAL guys. Plus, she owns a bakery, and according to that box over there, there's a couple of people, here, who are customers there."
Dockry glanced at the white bakery box on a nearby desk. Kranz Bakery was scrolled across the top. He sighed heavily. "Do you want me to get the charges dropped?"
"I didn't say that. I just thought you might want to know the circumstances behind the punch, preferably before Dabi's lawyer gets here, and he's a former JAG admiral."
"How the hell did she manage that?" Dockry demanded incredulously. Gibbs just smirked at him. "Never mind. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
An hour later, Dabi was walking out of the police station carrying two police teddy bears, escorted by Dockry, who was watching her nervously.
"She's not going to give birth right here," Gibbs said sarcastically.
"Oh I know," Dockry said. "But one of the ladies in Processing got a bit rowdy and Black Widow, here, she may be pregnant, but she's got moves that made the guys jealous."
Gibbs signed to Dabi, repeating what the Homicide detective was saying. She smirked.
"Pressure points are a bitch. What's going to happen to Ginger?" she asked.
"Oh, she's got problems, trust me," Dockry said, grinning. "Right now, as it stands, she's looking at time. It might not be a lot, but it might be enough to get her attention."
"Good," Dabi said. "Can I go home now? My back is killing me and the twins are practicing their kickboxing. And I need coffee. A large, triple triple with caramel." Then she paused. "And a triple cheeseburger."
"Lady, with the stunt you just pulled, I will buy you whatever the heck you want," Dockry said.
"Great! Can we start with a heating pad for my back?" Dabi asked hopefully.
Later, Gibbs had Vance staring at him in shock as he relayed what had happened.
"She punched out Ginger Pickering?" Vance repeated.
"According to the security guard who saw what happened, it was a beautiful punch, and it was deserved. It seems Sharee's got quite the mouth on her and she said a few choice words to Ginger, who responded by throwing her soda at Sharee. That was when Dabi punched her; laid her flat out on the food court floor. Ginger tried to have her charged with assault, but A.J. and Detective Dockry got the charge dropped when the circumstances were explained."
"And Ginger?"
"She's looking at time. The last time was her last warning, and according to A.J., Mom and Dad aren't helping her out of this one."
Vance sighed. "Remind me not to piss your daughter off, pregnant or not."
Gibbs smirked. "Yeah, that's what McGarrett found out when Millie punched out one of Governor Denning's former aids." Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett and his wife, Millie, were part of the Five-0 Task Force in Honolulu, Hawaii, and had become friends with Gibbs and his team after McGarrett and his team had helped Gibbs rescue Dabi when she'd been kidnapped by a dangerous gun runner. Later, McGarrett had chased after a former NCIS agent who had manipulated others into doing his dirty work for him, while raking in several million dollars in dirty dealings. They had stayed in touch with Dabi, and had been at Dabi and Leo's wedding via video conference.
"Oh no," Vance groaned.
"According to the email Dabi got, it seems Millie was about four months along, the guy got mouthy, made some comment about the little woman being at home where she belonged, instead of carrying around a gun and a badge, she was already having a rough day, she lost her tempter, and she swung," Gibbs said. "The guy was fired shortly afterwards."
"Yup, that sounds like something even Jackie would have done," Vance said, referring to his wife, who had been caught in a deadly crossfire that had also taken the life of former Mossad director Eli David. "She good, though?"
"Oh, she's fine, she's fine. Just tired and sore. You know how it is," Gibbs said.
"Yeah, I do, except she's carrying two, not one."
"It'll be over soon."
"That it will. What's the status of DiNozzo?" Vance asked, changing subjects.
"He's doing what he can to help Senior find that lady, and Abby's running her prints. Senior doesn't know that I know," Gibbs said.
"And that case with the wife and mistress? Where are you with that?"
"Getting a headache. I'll keep you posted," Gibbs said. Time to get back to work.
Time passed. DiNozzo discovered he had been impersonated by three other men, courtesy of a former date that he'd unintentionally neglected, Leah Ramsey, who turned out to be much more than she appeared to be, especially when one fake Tony DiNozzo turned up dead.
Dabi was at week 34 with the twins and she was restless. She was also bored and a bit lonely. Leo was at work, the bakery was busy, Abby was in court, and Gibbs was on a ship in Norfolk with Ellie. Even Tony and Tim were off somewhere.
Ducky looked up when the doors hissed open, and he smiled when he saw who it was. "Looking for company, my dear?" he asked.
Dabi smiled. "Do you mind?"
"Not in the slightest. I'm just doing some rather boring old paperwork. Nothing that can't wait, and your company is always welcome," he said, getting up and fetching her a chair. "Is it raining out there?"
"It was starting to when I came in. Long range forecast said we might get stormed on," Dabi said, taking off her rain-splattered jacket. As she did, she felt her phone vibrate. Taking it out, she glanced at it; it was a notification from the Weather Alert app. "And we have a thunderstorm warning. First major thunderstorm of the year." Her brow furrowed in concern. "Will Dad be okay?"
Ducky smiled at her reassuringly. "Those navy ships are designed to handle thunderstorms; I'm sure he'll be just fine." While he went to start their customary pot of tea, Dabi sent Gibbs a message, not knowing if he would get it or not, but hoping for the best.
Batten down the hatches. Major thunderstorm warning here.
A moment later, she got a reply.
Hatches battened. We're heading out to ride out the storm, but the captain says we should be okay. You okay?
I'm with Ducky. We're good.
Good. Love you.
Lu2
Dabi looked up when Ducky appeared in her line of sight. "He said the captain is taking the ship out to ride out the storm but that they should be okay."
"Good. Good. And here you go, my dear," he said, handing her a cup of tea.
"Where's Jimmy?"
"Ah, Mr. Palmer had a pediatric appointment for Victoria, and Breena has her hands tied with multiple embalmings today, I'm afraid. Such are the joys of parenthood."
And for the next hour, they chatted comfortably, as was their custom these days. Dabi even made use of the heating pad for her lower back, which was bothering her particularly bad that day, a heating pad that Ducky had put in his desk weeks ago, when Dabi had started visiting.
Then it happened.
Dabi didn't hear the explosion or the crashing noise, but she did see the table rattle and the lights flicker. "Ducky?" Then the lights went out, leaving them in complete darkness. "Ducky?" she cried out, reaching out for where she knew he'd been sitting. She felt his hand grip her and she reached for her cellphone. Thumbing it on, she shined the light at Ducky, who was looking very concerned. "Shouldn't the back-up generators have kicked in by now?" she asked. Just as she said that, the emergency lights in the morgue kicked in, providing a dim glow. Ducky held up his hand and let her go for a moment, heading for the storage room. He was back a moment later, carrying two large battery-operated lanterns. The lanterns cast a warm glow around the morgue. "What just happened?"
"I'm not quite sure, but from the sounds of it, I'd say either a lightning strike blew a transformer, or we had a power grid explosion, but since the back-up generators are working, we should be okay," Ducky soothed. "However, for safety reasons, I think we'd best go upstairs."
Dabi nodded and stood up, but froze when she felt something wet gush down her legs, soaking her jeans.
"Umm, Ducky?" Dabi said nervously, feeling a sudden pain lance through her back.
Ducky glanced back at her and his eyes went wide when he saw the problem. He quickly went to his desk and got a pH strip test kit. A quick test of the fluid turned the strip dark blue, indicating a high pH. "Oh dear," he said.
"Ducky, this is a really bad time," Dabi said, eyes wide.
"With babies, there is no such thing as a bad time," Ducky said. "They come when they come. How far along are you?"
"About thirty-four we-ow!" Dabi yelped, holding her back as a sudden surge of pain lanced through her.
"Have you been feeling this long?"
"On and off all day. And I've been restless," Dabi admitted, trying not to panic.
"All right. Do you know where the scrubs are?" Dabi nodded. "Do you feel comfortable changing into a pair?" Dabi nodded and headed for the storage room, where she knew the scrubs were kept. Meanwhile, Ducky called Base Security to see if it was safe for them to travel. He was shaking his head when Dabi came out. "What's wrong?" she asked, when he ended the call.
"It was a transformer that was hit, and we have a downed line. Unfortunately, it's not safe to travel right now, and the nearest hospital that might be able to handle our current situation is about half an hour from here," Ducky said.
Dabi opened her mouth to say something but nearly hit the floor when another surge of pain went through her. She cried out and Ducky went over to her, doing what he could to help. "Ducky, I think we have a problem," she whimpered when the pain finally let up.
"So it would seem, my dear," Ducky said. "So it would seem."
