"Here." Gibbs handed over the cup and a bakery bag with a flourish.

Fornell's eyebrow went up when he saw the muffin. "You must want something, Gibbs."

"What? Can't a guy be a good mood?"

"You? No. Has something happened to McGee? You need me in some plan against the CIA?"

"Nah, the CIA's behaving, mostly. They let us keep Davidson's research files to help McGee and they're covering all his expenses." Gibbs rolled his eyes at Fornell's expression. "Thought I'd celebrate with my friend, Tobias. I'm going to be a dad."

Fornell almost choked on his coffee. "He's keeping it?"

"Yep."

"And you're the biological father?"

"Yep." Gibbs watched the reaction over the rim of his cup.

"And you're okay with this?"

Gibbs' smile widened. "Yeah, I am."

"Well, congratulations, I guess."

"We're having a boy." Gibbs fumbled in his jacket pocket before pulling out the pictures.

Intrigued, Fornell set his coffee between his feet and the bag next to him on the bench to carefully look at them. By the time he got to the last one, he was smiling. "Good looking kid already."

"Were you expecting any less?"

Tobias hated to break the mood, but felt like it was his obligation. "You know it's going to be different this time, don't you? I mean, no matter how much you try, even joint custody is a long way from being a happy family. McGee will need a house close to yours so you're both in the same school boundaries, stuff like that."

"He's staying with me, it's working out fine." Gibbs shrugged as he took back the pictures. "Look, I know it won't be easy, but we'll figure it out as we go."

Fornell studied him for a long minute. "Never figured you for a man that built his life on hopes, Jethro."

"Maybe because this is the first time in a long time I've had hope in my life, Tobias. Enjoy your coffee; I'm going to go buy my boy a stuffed animal and then pick up Tim."

He didn't say anything until Gibbs was half way out of the park. "Good luck, my friend. If anyone deserves happiness, it's you." A raised hand was the only sign that he'd been heard.

-NCIS-

Jackie was folding laundry when she heard the front door open, followed by the sound of her husband calling out for her. She instantly relaxed and answered as she met him in the kitchen. "Leon, what are you doing home? It's not even lunchtime."

"Didn't want the kids to overhear." Jackie had moved to the sink to fill the tea kettle and he followed to stand behind her. "Our forensic scientist was able to determine paternity from the recovered files. It's not mine."

"Oh." Jackie realized that she wasn't as happy as she thought she should be. Leon wrapped his arms around her waist and she nodded, even though he couldn't see her face. "That's... good, I mean it's for the best. Who's..."

"Gibbs."

Jackie set the kettle down and leaned heavily on the counter. "I know he's been supportive of Tim, but is he happy about it?"

"Yeah, honey, he is. He's happier than I've ever seen him, even asked about taking paternity leave. He wants to be there every step of the way. Jethro will be a good dad to that little boy."

"It's a boy?"

He turned her and pulled her close. "Today's ultrasound was pretty conclusive, so was the file Abby found. Tim is carrying Jethro's son."

"I know I should be relieved, Leon." Her voice broke and she shook her head as he pulled her close.

"But you were already imagining first Christmases and baby snuggles, even if it was just part time." She let out a soft sob and he kissed her head. "Me too. We both remember those days and we miss them. Gibbs remembers those days too, and he misses them more than we could ever imagine."

Surprised, Jackie leaned back to look at her husband while he told her what she'd never known about the driven man that appeared so cold at times. "His daughter and first wife were murdered when he was stationed overseas. That's... that's the kind of thing that leaves a terrible hole in a man's heart, Jackie."

Things were beginning to fall into place for her. "He's never let himself love again, has he?

"Nope, not until he had to face the possibility that this child was his, and now that he knows..."

"Where does Tim fit in with Jethro's dreams?"

Leon pulled her close again. "I think we're just going to have to wait and let them find their own way, Jackie. I can tell you this much – they both care about the other more than they're willing to admit." There was a pause, then he could feel her smiling against his neck.

"Maybe we can help them along?"

-NCIS-

There was a lot more variety in baby supplies now, compared to when Shannon was expecting and Gibbs made a mental note to have Abby help him get a current copy of the safety regulations for baby furniture. His eyes widened as he walked through the rows of strollers, some with four wheels, some with three, while some were just an empty frame waiting for a separate car seat to be latched into place.

That took him to the wall of car seats, where the options and variations were just as dizzying. It was there that a clerk took pity on him. "Can I help you find a car seat?"

Gibbs gave her a slight smile. "Probably not yet. We're only sixteen weeks. I really came in for a teddy bear."

He wasn't the first overwhelmed father-to-be she'd had in the store. "Well, you have some time, but remember that most hospitals suggest that you get the installation of your car seat certified at least a month before the baby's due."

He hadn't heard of that before. "Certified?"

"Oh, yes." She walked over to a standard bench seat on display, obviously from a mid-sized car. Several different car seats were piled up nearby. "You'll need to prove that the seat can be secured properly in your particular car and that you can place it and remove it easily. Most parents like the infant seats with the base that stays in the car rather then thread all the straps through the seat every time. If you have more than one car, you can buy multiple bases. Do you know if your car has specific tie-downs for a car seat instead of the standard seat belts?" She saw the glazed over expression and handed over a stack of pamphlets with a laugh. "Here, read through these while you're deciding. In the meantime, let's go pick out a bear for your little one."

It wasn't a bear, but a bunny, that Gibbs picked out and made from the softest fabric he'd ever felt. It came in every pastel color imaginable, but it was the blue one that Gibbs bought along with a blanket made of the same fuzzy fabric.

His path to the front registers took him past the infant clothing and by the time he had his wallet out, he had several sleepers and a pack of bibs.

Back in the car, Gibbs didn't start it right away. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he'd known for years. "Hey, Dad, any chance you can get away from the store for a few days? Got something I need to talk to you about, but it's not something we can discuss over the phone and I can't leave DC."

He smiled at the worry he heard in the older man's voice. "No, it's nothing bad, I promise. It's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time.

"Call me when you get your flight information, I'll pick you up at the airport.

"No, Dad, we need to talk before you get to the house.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Taking a deep breath, Gibbs closed the phone. That was going to be an interesting conversation.

a/n - Your reviews have been wonderful, thank you. A quiet chapter this time, but we did need a bit of a reality check to remind Gibbs that it might not be as easy as he thinks.

Everyone have a good day yesterday? Quiet for me, but I do know of a young soldier that I've mentioned recently who spent some time on the phone with his girlfriend's parents before going to a jewlery store. I'm waiting to hear what happens.