She smiled. "Shortbread is one of my favorites. It is delicious, Ducky. Thank you for inviting us."

"Oh no, my dear. The pleasure is entirely mine." He looked at Ziva. "How have you been feeling lately? You seem, I don't know, different somehow."

Ziva lowered her eyes and looked sideways at Tony. He had an "I really hadn't noticed look on his face" so she knew he was not ready to share their news.

Because I keep forgetting: I do not own CBS or any of its affiliates, NCIS or any of its character.

Chapter Twelve: "Catching Up"

"Really, Ducky? I do not feel any different. I hope it is in a good way in any case."

"Oh, yes, of'course. You always look lovely, Ziva. But you seem particularly…luminous."

At that, Ziva blushed. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"No, it is fine Ducky. I am always embarrassed by compliments. It is just my nature."

They spent another hour in each other's company. It became clear that Karina was more than ready for a nap, so they said their goodbyes and promised to come again soon.

On the drive home, Tony spoke up. "That was really nice. I'm sorry we didn't think to bring Karina to visit Ducky sooner."

"I forget sometimes that he is not always at the family get-togethers. I did worry for a second there about his comment about you looking different."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "I was stunned when he said that, but I saw the look on your face and knew how to proceed."

"And I feel bad as well we have not made the effort to see him more often. We have not invited Jimmy and Breena over by themselves either. We should do that, too."

Tony nodded in agreement. He looked in the rearview mirror. "Baby girl is out like a light. Hope that doesn't mean she'll want to stay awake tonight."

Ziva sighed. "Well, at least it is the weekend and we do not have to get up too early."

"Tomorrow is the welcome home for Lily, so that is all we need to think about."

August 18, 2013- Gibbs' and Mimi's Home

Mimi made Lily stay in bed with her leg elevated at least an hour until the family started showing up.

She protested bitterly over it. Bailey was at his post, watching over the sick and wounded.

He was overjoyed when Gibbs and Mimi came to pick him up after spending the night with Bridget.

But when they brought Lily home, he immediately attached himself to her side and hadn't left it since.

"Lily, you were just in a serious car accident. You have a cracked rib. You do not want to push this."

"Your body needs to heal and you can only do that by resting."

"And I don't want you clumping around all day on those crutches. They are to be used to get you from one seat to another. Don't fight me on this."

Lily gave in, because she knew her Mom was right. Her ankle still hurt and she had more discomfort from the rib fracture than she thought she would.

"Also," Mimi began, "You are not to spend the entire time everyone is here on the phone with Sean."

"They are coming to visit with you, not watch you ignore them while you talk to some boy."

Lily smiled. "Mom, Sean is not 'some boy.' But I wouldn't do that."

"I already told him I would be incommunicado for most of the day."

Gibbs walked in and planted a kiss on top of Lily's head. "How are you feeling?"

"You have that little crease between your eyes like your Mom gets when she's worried about something."

Mimi looked closer at Lily. "Honey, if you need something for pain, you need to tell me."

"I'm not going to shove these pills down your throat, but if you need one…"

Lily sighed. "Maybe just some Extra-Strength Tylenol. I don't want to be knocked out while everyone is here, or worse, drooling."

Gibbs suppressed his chuckle at that. "Hey, everyone is coming to see you but that doesn't mean they don't get that you are injured and probably in pain and may need to take a break from everyone."

"You are not supposed to be the life of the party today."

"Yeah, that's Jethro's job." Mimi laughed. Gibbs glanced at her, with his "you're kidding me, right?" look. "That'll be the day." He retorted.

"Here." Mimi handed Lily a pill. "Yes, it's a Tylenol No. 3, but you should be fine. It may make you drowsy, but not for long. Take it."

Lily obediently took the medication her mother had given her. Mimi ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "Thank God you are ok."

Lily lay back and looked at her Mom and Gibbs. "I'm sorry I caused you so much worry."

"What did I tell you about apologizing?" Gibbs said.

"Rule #6- It's a sign of weakness." Both Lily and Mimi answered.

Gibbs nodded, and headed back downstairs.

"Bailey! Quit licking my toes! It makes me move my foot too much." Lily requested.

Non-deterred, Bailey moved up to lay beside her, first giving her cheek a lick, then settling himself close against her uninjured side.

Lily scratched his head. "You are the best boy ever!" Bailey looked up at her and grinned.

Around noon, the guests started arriving. Tim and Abby showed up first, with Abby holding a huge bouquet of black roses.

At first, Mimi was shocked, but then she remembered it was Abby and took them from her to put in a vase.

Jimmy, Breena, Jamie and Ducky showed up next. Everyone hovered over Jamie, who was still pretty uninterested in doing much of anything other than eating and sleeping and other baby bodily functions.

But he did open his eyes wide at the volume of the conversation. He tried to track with his eyes what was going on, but it was too much.

Abby sat on the outside glider holding him, with Breena right beside her. "He's absolutely beautiful, Breena. Which is ok to say about a boy baby."

"He will be handsome when he grows up a little, but to say he is beautiful right now…"

Breena touched her arm. "Thank you, Abby. I think he is beautiful, too." Abby smiled and touched his blond hair.

"I hope Tim and I are as lucky one day." She said wistfully. The baby woke up again and was staring at wonder at Abby.

"You are so precious; yes you are, aren't you? You little cutey!" Abby cooed at him.

Tim was watching Abby from the doorway, a smile on his face, but a worried look too. "What if something was wrong and they couldn't get pregnant? What would Abby do?"

"McGee, you look worried. Are you afraid Abby might try to smuggle baby Palmer home in her purse?" Gibbs clapped Tim on the shoulder.

Tim opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Gibbs frowned. "Is everything ok?"

Tim hesitated for a second. "Boss, I know this is a celebration for Lily coming home after her accident, but can I talk to you…privately?"

Gibbs tried to not look too surprised. "Sure Tim. Let's go downstairs."

He went up to Mimi and whispered in her ear. She also looked surprised and a little concerned, but nodded her head.

They both headed down to the basement. "Is this a bourbon talk?" Gibbs asked.

Tim looked startled. "What? No! I mean, not in the middle of the day. Sorry, Boss, I wasn't implying that it was wrong to drink bourbon in the middle of the day, or that you drink it in the middle of the day…"

"McGee! What is it? Just spit it out."

Tim started to pace. "Well, you saw how Abby was with Jamie. She's been that way since Karina was born."

Gibbs looked confused. "Well, you two are getting married next month if I remember correctly."

"What's the problem? Do you two have opposite ideas about whether or not to have children?"

"No, Boss. That's not it. We've talked about it and we definitely want to have at least one child."

"But Abby…she's obsessed with it. I am getting worried."

"What if, for some reason we aren't able to have children? What will she do?"

"Will she blame me? Will she leave me?" Tim let out his real fear.

Gibbs sighed and walked up to Tim. "What makes you think you might not be able to have children, Tim? Is there something you haven't shared with Abby?"

Tim looked confused at first, and then understood what Gibbs was asking. "No, no. At least not that I'm aware of."

He hesitated. "Boss, please don't tell Abby I told you this. We've already started trying."

"And it didn't work." Gibbs guessed.

Tim nodded. "We found out the day Lily had her accident. It was a double whammy for Abby."

"Well, it doesn't always work the first time." Gibbs told him.

"I know that; Abby knows that. But somehow, she has just got babies on the brain."

"She was so broken up when she got…well, you know." Gibbs smiled slightly, a little TMI.

Gibbs sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Tim. If you love each other and really want a baby, then keep working at it until it happens."

"If it doesn't happen, as heartbreaking as it may be for you; you may have to consider other options."

"But the important thing is to love and support each other through this. And don't let blame become a part of your vocabulary."

"It won't help, and it will definitely hurt the people you love most."

"Thanks, Boss. I feel better." Just then a commotion could be heard upstairs.

"Sounds like the DiNozzo family just arrived!" Gibbs quipped

"Greetings one and all!" Tony said as he strolled in with Karina, pushing her in the stroller with one hand and holding a large satchel over his shoulder.

Ziva brought up the rear with Bridget, Karina's baby bag and a gift for Lily. "What's in the bag?" Abby asked, as Tony let it fall off his shoulder to the floor.

"This, my favorite Forensics Genius, is what parents bring to entertain their children when they go visiting."

Inside was a multitude of toys, since Karina was at that curious stage that nothing kept her attention for very long; a pad for the floor in case she actually decided to stay in one place, and her pack-n-play in case they really needed to pen her up.

"Wow." Abby looked shocked at everything they had brought.

"And I have several changes of clothes, diapers, baby food, milk, juice, water, teething rings and medicine, wipes, creams; need I go on?" Ziva smiled at her friend.

"I did not think so. Abby can you help me put away the things that need to be refrigerated?"

Abby walked like a zombie behind Ziva. She had no idea that a baby was all this.

Under Ziva's instructions, she put the teething rings in the freezer and then helped her with the milk, juice and water.

Mimi was just as shocked at the number of items they brought. "Are you moving in?"

"I mean, you live just around the corner if you needed to go get something." Inwardly, she was laughing. "How were they going to manage with two babies?"

Tony grinned. "We like to be prepared."

"Ya' think, DiNozzo?" Gibbs just came back from downstairs. He promptly got the pack-n-play and set it up. He looked at Ziva. "You want this inside or out?"

Ziva thought about it. "It is such a nice day, I think outside. I will not be letting Karina crawl about the grass, so she will need to be…"

"Put in a cage?" Gibbs asked with a grin. "Come on! All kids need to play in the grass and the mud and get dirty."

"Perhaps when she is older but not today." They were staring each other down. "Whatever Mommy wants." Gibbs smiled. He obediently took it outside and set it up in a shady area on the deck.

Tony grabbed the other stuff and put it out of the way in the living room. He grabbed a couple of toys and threw them in the playpen.

He knew it would be a while before she got in there. She would have to make the social rounds with everyone first. Mimi got her first.

Karina loved Mimi and probably saw her as much as she saw her Mommy and Daddy.

"Momo momo momo." Karina said. She knew her name had that kind of a sound, but that it wasn't Mama.

Karina had never vocalized those words before, and Mimi suddenly found herself crying. Alarmed, Tony, Ziva and Gibbs rushed to her.

"What is it? What happened?" Mimi shook her said. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I started to cry. When I picked her up she said 'Momo momo momo."

"That's what we called our Grandmother, my Mom's Mom- Momo. It just brought back memories."

Gibbs put his arm around her. He looked at Tony and Ziva. "Happy memories. From what Mimi has told me, she was a lot of fun."

Karina was tracing the wet spots on Mimi's cheeks. "Boo-boo." She said. Mimi laughed. "No Sweetness, no boo-boos."

She hugged Karina tightly and then gave her a big smooch on the cheek. Karina laughed and held her face, patting it.

"Ok, who gets her next?" "Me, me, me…" Abby was holding out her arms. Mimi transferred Karina into Abby's waiting arms.

"Hey, where's the guest of honor?" Tony asked.

"She's upstairs under forced resting. If she had her way, she'd be down here going back and forth, in and out, with no regard to the fact that she has injuries that are still very painful and need healing."

"She'll be down in a bit. If she's awake, you can go up and visit her if you want, but only two at a time, well three if you have a baby." Mimi smiled.

Ziva touched her arm. "I can only dream that I am half the Mother you are, Mimi." Mimi's eyes misted again.

"Don't get me started, Ziva, but thank you. And you are a wonderful Mother. I don't think you have to worry about any comparisons."

Mimi turned to go upstairs. "Let me go check on Lily and see if she is up to seeing anyone. Her biggest concern will be if her hair looks good, so…" Ziva chuckled.

Mimi headed upstairs and peaked into Lily's room. At first, she thought she was asleep, but as she was about to turn away, Lily spoke up.

"I'm awake, Mom. Just listening to all the shenanigans downstairs."

Mimi smile apologetically at her daughter. "I think you aren't quite awake enough to get down the stairs on the crutches."

"Are you up for some visitors coming up to see you here?"

Lily sat up in bed. "Yes, but I need to look more like me and less like night of the living dead."

"Mom, can you hand me my make-up bag and a mirror?"

Mimi chuckled, she knew her daughter so well. "Don't try to cover up the black eyes."

"First of all, you'll look worse, and second: never underestimate the pity factor."

Lily looked at her Mother in surprise. "Mom, you have been holding back on me."

"Now if you could share with me some of your feminine wiles that will work with Sean, my life will be complete." Mimi out and out laughed with that.

"Oh, my…" Lily smiled at her Mom. "What?" Mimi just shook her head. "Ok, here you go."

"And remember what I said, don't overdo it with the makeup, try to look like you, but don't try to hide the bruises."

"Ok, Mom." Lily set up her mirror and opened her make-up bag. "Give me about ten minutes."

Fifteen minutes later, Tony and Ziva knocked lightly on her bedroom door. "Hello? Is there anyone in here in need of some special attention?"

Lily broke into a wide smile. She followed her Mom's advice, and applied her make-up sparingly.

She just put on a little mascara, some translucent face powder, blusher and some lip gloss.

She was unhappy she couldn't do more than run a brush through her hair, since she couldn't bring both of her arms up to braid her hair. The pain in her rib made it impossible.

"Where's Karina?" Lily asked.

"We were not able to pry her from Abby. You will see her later. How are you feeling?"

Lily shrugged. "Not happy that this happened at all. Three of my friends were injured, two seriously."

"But you are ok, and that is what matters to us, although your concern about your friends is quite understandable and admirable." Ziva said soothingly.

"And do not worry about the black eyes and bruising; they will go away." Ziva sat on the side of her bed, holding her hand. Lily suspected that Ziva was speaking from experience.

"How's the pain, kiddo? Like the purple cast by the way. Abby will probably be sad you didn't get a black one." At that Lily laughed, then winced a little.

"Sorry, Lily. I'll try not to make you laugh. Pain is no fun. Don't try to ninja through it, like Ziva does."

"First of all, you aren't trained to, and second, it delays the healing process."

"Thanks, Tony. I'll remember that." Ziva handed her a package. "We got you a little something."

Thanks again as always for your great support. Hope those affected by the hurricane are getting on ok.