Leroy Jethro Gibbs adjusted the lamp for the millionth time and put the small paintbrush down to take a break from painting the intricate lettering. He placed the lid on the can of paint and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He heard the familiar click of heels on the wood flooring above him, and those high heels stopped clattering in the kitchen. Jethro listened to the sound of the refrigerator door open and close then saw his favorite redhead walking down into the basement moments later. With a smile softly on her face, Jenny held up the bag of take out food and then waved the two beers she held in her hands at him. "Break?" she asked as she walked towards the worktable. His stomach growled, and she smirked gently in response. "I'll take that as a yes."
Jethro took the two bottles of beer and easily opened them. "Whatcha got?"
"One of your favorites," she said as she opened the bag, moving away when he leaned over to sneak a look.
"Granville Moore's?" he questioned excitedly, looking like a child in a candy shop. Granville Moore's was one of their treasured spots, a gastropub with a healthy Belgian fetish. "Steak and cheese?" His mouth watered at the thought of the braised brisket, sautéed onions, cheddar cheese, and horseradish cream. It was pure heaven to his taste buds, and his wife was well aware of that fact.
His wife chuckled at him. "Of course," Jenny answered, handing over his sandwich and frites. Jethro pulled a stool over for his wife to sit. Jenny slipped off her heels and sighed at the relief. It had been an awfully long day and half a night in MTAC. Gibbs grinned at her and held his beer bottle up. She picked hers up and gently tapped her bottle against the neck of his with a satisfying clink. As Jethro took a bite of his sandwich, she stared at the boat cradle he'd skillfully crafted for their grandchild. "Jethro, it's perfect."
Unfortunately, he was too busy rummaging through the bag to have heard her compliment. She took a swig of beer and watched him scavenge through the bag like a raccoon raiding a dumpster. "Jethro, what are you looking for?" she asked with an amused smirk on her face.
"Did you forget the -?" Her shoving containers of dijonnaise at him shut him up quickly. "Thanks," he muttered sheepishly and opened the sauce, dipping two frites into it.
"It's perfect, Jethro," she repeated, gesturing to the cradle boat with a fry, only this time her tone of voice was a little less caught up in the moment.
Gibbs dipped his head in appreciation of her praise. He hoped Lizzie would be pleased with the surprise. He had finished the crib earlier than he had expected, but he'd been consistently working on it since the rush of the Thanksgiving holidays had passed. Desperate to be finished before the grandchild made his appearance, Jethro had decided that his grandson needed a cradle boat. Luckily, he'd found a set of plans for a 1:3 scale adaptation of a Flattie Skiff that was the perfect size to hold a little human and had swiftly got to work.
"What wood did you use?" she questioned, tearing her eyes away from the beauty of the piece and towards her husband.
"The boat's okoume and cedar over a backbone of quartersawn white oak," he told her.
"Copper nails and roves?" she inquired.
Jethro nodded. "Yeah," he answered, proud of his wife's knowledge and devoured more of his sandwich. Jenny took a small bite of hers and chewed slowly as her eyes examined her husband's handiwork. "Used Honduran mahogany for the boat's knees, transom, rub rail, and supportive davits."
"I have a stupid question," she announced.
He negatively shook his head. "It won't be stupid, Jen," he replied softly, taking a swig of beer. His wife rarely asked obtuse questions. He may not always have an answer to her questions, but that didn't make them stupid – just…thought provoking.
She smirked and turned to look at him. "Is it solid or can it be taken apart?"
"Through-tenoned and pinned with copper rod for disassembly. It's simple."
Jenny nodded her head. It was probably a good idea he had built it that way. Raising their own children had taught them how spontaneous life could be and planning for the unforeseen had been engraved into their minds from the first minute they held their children. She stood up and walked around the cradle boat, imagining what it would look like in Andrew's nursery.
"Jenny, do ya think DiNozzo will try to take it apart?"
She nearly spit out her beer at the thought of DiNozzo messing with Jethro's hard work. If Tony ever attempted to take the cradle boat apart, he'd have a death wish. Gibbs smirked and offered his wife a napkin when she sat back down on the stool. The two continued eating their late dinner and enjoyed the comfort of sharing a meal together. Jenny leaned over him and dipped a fry into the sauce, catching his eye. He shook his head at her and wiped some horseradish cream from the corner of her mouth. "Thanks," she said with a smile. "How are you sneaking it in without Elizabeth knowing?"
Gibbs grinned mischievously and finished off his beer. "I got an informant that told me she'll be out of the house for most of the day."
"Ah," Jenny said with a nod. "Wait, where will she be?"
Jethro shrugged his shoulders. "I think she's going into work."
"On a Saturday?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, Jen. Tony said she's finishing up projects before her maternity leave. She doesn't want anyone else to do them," he paused and peeled the label off the empty beer bottle. Elizabeth was just like Jenny in that sense. Both believed they were the only one who could complete a job properly and to the right standard. "Wonder where she gets that from," he added sardonically.
She cut her eyes at him and propped her elbows on the table. "Can I finish the name?" she shyly asked.
"Yeah, go ahead," Jethro responded, standing to his feet. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. As she opened the small can of gold paint, Gibbs took the bag filled with dinner trash and jogged up the stairs. Jenny dipped the brush into the paint and used careful brushstrokes as if she were creating the next critically acclaimed masterpiece of art. When Jethro returned to the basement, she had finished the last three letters of her grandson's name. She glanced at him and giggled when he gave her a thumbs up, pleased that her work was up to his standard. Minutes later, the pair climbed the stairs together and shut off the lights.
On Saturday morning, Jethro woke up early and silently slipped out of bed. He looked down at Jenny sleeping peacefully and lightly kissed her forehead as not to wake her. While she snoozed, he made coffee and took Cooper for his morning walk. Jethro was surprised to still find his wife sleeping when he entered the master bedroom. Knowing she had worked herself even harder than usual lately, he shrugged his shoulders and headed into the bathroom for a shower. Fifteen minutes later, Gibbs was clean and dressed, ready for a day of putting the finishing touches on his grandson's nursery. He had breakfast at the diner, loaded the back of his truck with the crib and cradle boat, and waited for the call from his son-in-law to inform him the coast was clear. Finally, DiNozzo called him close to 8AM, and he drove to Arlington.
Tony met his father-in-law outside the house. He had the garage door open and waiting. Jethro backed his trusty old Ford into the garage and exited the vehicle. "DiNozzo, I thought you said she was gone," Gibbs barked and stared at the black Jeep Grand Cherokee.
"Boss, Liz left over twenty minutes ago. She took my car," Tony stated.
"Why'd she take your car?"
"She drives mine when she misses her Mustang," the younger man explained. Months ago, Elizabeth had traded in her beloved Mustang GT for the more practical SUV. Tony still felt guilty over it, but she had chosen to get rid of hers instead of him parting with his cherished vintage muscle car.
Gibbs nodded his head and let down the tailgate of the truck. Somehow, he and Tony effectively managed to get the furniture into the house without one murdering the other or damaging the older man's handiwork. Jethro carefully placed the cradle boat onto the carpeted floor and straightened it, looking around the nursery. The walls were a beautiful powder blue. He remembered overhearing Lizzie tell Jenny about finding the color; it was called nautilus – whatever the heck that meant. The curtains were a simple dark navy, and there was a ship's wheel hung on one of the walls. Elizabeth had painted an anchor across from the ship's wheel. Andrew's name in cursive script split the anchor in half. Whenever Gibbs saw his daughter's artistry, it always made him wonder where she inherited that talent because she never ceased to blow him away. He put his hand on the back of the glider in the corner and rubbed his thumb over the soft upholstery. His eyes drifted over, and Jethro took a few steps towards the built out closet and examined the work closely. He'd suggested a contractor that he knew for the work. From the door, Tony silently watched his father-in-law take in the room.
"When he gets older, Liz is thinking that a bench could be built in there and be a reading nook for him," he explained. For now, it was where the changing table was located. They both know that wouldn't be needed forever, and the space would too soon be vacated.
Jethro nodded his head, imagining his grandson sitting there and reading when he was older. He smiled then pointed to the ship's wheel. "Crib there?"
"Yeah," he replied and helped Gibbs move the crib into its place.
It took several hours of moving and rearranging, but the two men finally got the nursery almost completed. Tony pushed in a storage crate, and Gibbs looked at him strangely. "What's all that?"
"Since we've done all this, why not put everything else in?"
"Everything else?" Gibbs questioned, glancing at the ceiling. He hadn't noticed the decorations around the light fixture.
Tony noticed what had caught his father-in-law's attention and smiled with pride. "That was Lizzie's idea to make it look like a compass."
Gibbs stepped over and looked at the contents of the bin. It was filled with more decorations and accessories for the room, most of which were nautically themed and just to his daughter's taste. He took out his phone and dialed his house, brows rising in bewilderment when it rolled over to the answering machine. Both men's hearts stopped beating when they heard Maggie barking, and the front door close. "It's too early! She can't be home!" Tony shouted in a whisper, panic surging through him and adrenaline pumping in his blood.
"It's me!" came Jenny's voice as she walked up the stairs. Minutes later, she entered the room with cups of coffee from Starbucks in a cardboard holder. She laughed at the look of sheer relief on Tony and Jethro's faces. "Did you think I was someone else?" the redhead inquired with a glint in her eye.
Jethro snatched his coffee from his wife and flopped onto the ottoman in front of the glider. "Not funny, Jen," he griped.
She smiled back at him sweetly. "Thanks for letting me sleep late," she said to her husband and turned to Tony, handing over his coffee. Tony thanked her and watched her sit down next to Gibbs. Maggie dashed into the room and pushed her head against Jenny's knee. Jenny scratched the dog's ears and looked around the nursery, taking the whole ensemble in.
Jethro nudged his wife with his elbow. "Hey," he said.
"Hey yourself," she said back. "What do you want?"
"Wanna decorate?"
"What?"
Gibbs looked at his son-in-law and signaled him to make a move. With his foot, Tony pushed the crate towards Jenny and grinned. "Decorate," the silver haired agent reiterated.
"Oh, I see," Jenny responded and leaned forward, looking into the box. "I can do that, but I have a condition."
Jethro rolled his eyes, and she swatted his shoulder causing him to nearly spill his coffee. He glared, and she gave a scalding look right back to him. "You two get out of here, so I won't be bothered."
"Done," her husband instantaneously replied and pulled DiNozzo out of the room with him before the younger agent had the chance to screw the whole thing up.
It wasn't difficult for Jenny to put the finishing touches on the nursery. She and her daughter had similar taste, so it wasn't hard for her to place things where or how Lizzie would want them. She hung the framed family photos on the wall near the glider. While Jenny worked, she silently laughed to herself at how the men acted as if decorating was neurosurgery. Jenny put the bedding on the crib and the cradle boat. Within the hour, she was finished and proud of herself. She left the room and made her way downstairs where she found Jethro and Tony in the living room. Maybe they were channel surfing. They couldn't honestly be watching that movie willingly, but her son-in-law and husband were completely engrossed in the movie. When she laughed loudly, Gibbs quickly changed the channel. She lunged forward and put her arms around his neck. "No, sir. You were caught red-handed watching Runaway Bride."
"Tony made me watch it," her husband grumbled, sounding just like a child passing the blame.
"Uh huh," she murmured skeptically.
Gibbs shook his head and puts his hands over her arms. "Finished?"
She nodded and kissed his cheek. "It's finished. If Lizzie doesn't like anything I did, she'll change it. I'll leave you two to watch Runaway Bride."
"We weren't watchin' that," Gibbs growled defensively. He grumbled to himself when his wife pinched his cheek and patted his shoulder. As Jenny left, Jethro turned to his son-in-law. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I figured I'd keep my mouth shut."
Jethro rolled his eyes. Of all the times for DiNozzo to be quiet, he chose that moment. Tony changed the channel back to the movie, and the two sat quietly and continued watching Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Halfway through the movie, Tony's phone rang. He looked over at his father-in-law. "It's Liz."
"Why ya tellin' me? Answer it," Gibbs said gruffly.
Tony answered the phone. "Hey babe," he spoke into the phone and listened to his wife talk rapidly. He sat straight up. "Liz, I'll come get you. Baby, calm down. I'll be right there," he told her calmly.
Gibbs stood to his feet at the same time as DiNozzo did – ready for action. "What's wrong?"
"The car won't start. The hormones have kicked in, and she's having a meltdown."
"Want me to go with you?"
DiNozzo appreciated the offer but turned it down. He told Gibbs to stay at the house, and he went to pick up his wife in Langley. On the way, it started raining, and it made the usually quick drive slightly longer. He cleared security at the front gate and steered the SUV towards his green Mustang. Lizzie jumped out of the car and straight into her husband's arms. "It won't crank at all. I think the battery's dead," she told him in a rush and wiped at her eyes. "I couldn't find my pass to get back inside. I had to sit in the car." Her teeth chattered a little, and she shivered as she stood in front of him.
"It's fine, Liz. It's fine," he said soothingly. "We'll leave it here and pick it up later. Get in the car before you catch a cold."
She opened the door and climbed into the passenger side, turning the heat up higher. Tony removed her purse and briefcase from the car. He took the keys out of the ignition and locked up. Soon, they were driving back to Arlington. Tony reached over and took his wife's hand. "Better?"
"How much of a maniac did I sound like on the phone?" she questioned, cringing.
"Not too bad," he answered.
Elizabeth smirked. She knew he was lying to her. "These hormones," she muttered and rested her hand on her swollen abdomen.
Tony laughed softly and squeezed her hand. "Do I need to stop anywhere before we go home?"
"No, I just want to go home and sit down. I can feel my ankles swelling," she informed him with a sigh and turned the volume up on the radio. She let the leather seat recline back and closed her eyes, drifting into a nap.
At home, Tony parked in the garage and slid out of the vehicle. He opened Elizabeth's door and unclicked her seatbelt. "We're home," he stated softly.
"I'm comfortable for once," she grumbled.
He frowned and put his hand on her stomach. "Liz, c'mon," he said gently. He knew his wife would not appreciate being left in the car even if she was currently comfortable. She shook her head, and he lifted her into his arms. Lizzie groaned and held onto him as he carried her into the house. She yawned and covered her mouth. Once inside, Tony put her down.
"You're not carrying me upstairs?" she asked, pouting.
Tony pointed to the silver haired man standing in their living room. "I think he wants to see you."
Elizabeth turned her head and smiled widely. "Daddy!"
Gibbs strolled over to his little girl and hugged her gently. He held her close and stroked her hair. "You okay?" His voice was sincere and made his little girl's heart swell.
"Much better now," she said into his shoulder. Without much effort, her father could just always make everything better.
He kissed the top of her head and pulled back from his daughter. "Gotta show you something."
"Okay," Elizabeth replied and took his outstretched hand. She let her father lead her up the stairs, and he stopped outside the closed door of the baby's room.
"Close your eyes," he instructed.
Without a complaint, she closed her blue green eyes and waited for further instructions. Gibbs opened the door and gently pulled her inside the room. He stood beside her in front of the crib and nudged her. "Open 'em," he whispered.
Lizzie opened her eyes and stared at the crib. It was absolutely perfect. She ran her fingertips along the smooth wood of the darkly varnished rail and felt her eyes wet with tears. "Daddy," she gasped.
"Merry Early Christmas," her father uttered softly.
She delicately dabbed at her eyes and bit her lip, admiring the effort and hours he put into the woodwork. "It's beautiful. It's – I love it!" She turned and hugged her father tightly. He put his arms around her and felt the surge of pride run through him.
"There's more, Lizzie."
"What? More?"
He nodded and turned her to the cradle boat. Lizzie swallowed hard and looked at the cradle. She stepped closer to it and trailed the golden letters. "Daddy, this is – this is," she stopped speaking, too overcome to say anything more.
Jethro dipped his head to hide his blushing cheeks and put his hands in his pockets. He watched his daughter inspect the cradle boat and continuously wipe at her eyes. She looked up at him and hugged him a second time. "I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you too," Gibbs replied.
Elizabeth was so lucky to have him as a father, and she knew A.J. would be just as lucky if not more to have this man as a grandfather. She glanced at her husband over her father's shoulder. "Did you two plan all of this today?" Her eyes glistened with content emotion.
Tony nodded his head. "We did it while you were at work. Jenny put the finishing touches."
Lizzie's eyes scanned the walls of the room and the glider in the corner, smiling in complete approval at her mother's decorating. "It's perfect. So perfect," she murmured happily. "Where is mom?"
Gibbs shrugged his shoulders. "Probably buried under a stack of paperwork," he commented. All three of them knowing it was the truth.
Elizabeth laughed softly and eased down into the glider, propping her feet on the ottoman. She kept staring at the cradle boat and the rest of the room.
"Liz?" Tony spoke, interrupting her moment of contemplation. His wife looked up at him. "I'm going to start on dinner," he said and left the nursery to let Elizabeth have time with Gibbs. Tony planned on making spaghetti and meatballs.
Jethro put his hand on the railing of the crib and touched the soft fur of the ivory teddy bear. He smirked softly at the bear and examined the sailor's uniform the stuffed animal was wearing.
Elizabeth looked over at her father. "Want to stay and eat with us?"
"Nah. I might take your mom out."
"She'd like that," Lizzie commented, smiling softly at her mother and father's relationship.
Gibbs glanced at the doorway of the nursery and sat down on the ottoman, careful of his daughter's feet. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and propping his hand under his chin. "Lizzie, we gotta talk," he told her, meeting her eyes.
"About?" she inquired, removing her feet from the ottoman and sitting up straighter. Her father wasn't a man of words. He very rarely was the one to approach matters of great discussion and hearing him tell her they had to talk only made her worry.
"His name," Gibbs stated.
"Daddy, you don't like Andrew?"
"No, I like Andrew."
"Then what's the problem?" his daughter asked in confusion.
"Jethro," he muttered. "I don't want him gettin' in fights in pre-K."
Elizabeth laughed softly and took her father's hands. "Daddy, can you keep a secret?"
He stared at his daughter in mock indignation and dismay. She shook her head and tapped his wedding ring. "Can you keep a secret from mom?"
Jethro cleared his throat and gave a short nod before grinning devilishly. "I'm all ears." The fact that he might – for once - know something his wife didn't appealed to him immensely.
"You cannot tell her whatsoever. I want it to be a surprise. His middle name isn't Jethro. We decided on Jasper," she finished softly.
Her father swallowed down the emotions rising in his throat and put an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders, pulling his little girl close to him in a hug. Jethro placed a fatherly kiss to her temple and rubbed her back. "Lizzie, she'll love it. She'll cry, but she'll love it."
Elizabeth pulled away from her father and delicately wiped at her eyes. Her father squeezed her hand, and the two sat in silence for several moments. Finally, Gibbs stood and looked down at Lizzie. "You gonna stay up here for a while?"
"Yes," she replied. "Is that silly?"
"Nope," her father answered, smiling sentimentally. "Your mom would do it all the time."
Lizzie smiled softly and rubbed her abdomen in circles to ease the baby's tossing and turning. Jethro leaned down and kissed her cheek. She beamed up at him with a bright smile and sparkling eyes. "Thank you for everything today."
He smiled at her and headed for the door. If she was anything like her mother, she would want to sit by herself in the nursery to think and dream about the future. Jethro remembered how Jenny would sit for hours in the nursery. He assumed it was comforting and peaceful.
"Daddy," she said softly.
Gibbs stopped and turned around to look at his daughter, waiting for her to continue with her train of thought.
"I bet that was easier to get out of the basement," she stated, waving her hand to the cradle with a smirk resting firmly on her face.
Her father grinned and walked out of the room. He jogged down the stairs and hollered a goodbye to DiNozzo. When he got into his truck, he had an ear-to-ear grin on his face. Before Gibbs had backed out of the garage, he was on the phone with his wife chattering away about how much Elizabeth had liked the early Christmas gift.