Scenes From a Marriage

X …And Baby Makes Three

Jenny Shepard, almost eight months pregnant and feeling every day of it, finished loading the dishwasher, turned off the kitchen lights and headed upstairs to bed. It had been a long day at the end of a very long week. Even if she hadn't been pregnant she would have been exhausted by the week's activities. Between meetings with the heads of other federal agencies about national security issues and budget meetings with the Secretary of the Navy she also had to squeeze in running her own agency. Plus deal with Jethro demanding, for some unknown reason, that he had to finish the nursery this very week. Then today happened.

As she stepped into the doorway of their bedroom she saw Jethro sprawled on the bed sound asleep. His hair was still wet from the shower and he was clad only in pair of boxers featuring Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Her favorite pair. Jen stood looking at her husband and sighed heavily. He had killed someone today and contrary to what his team or other agents might think that was not something he took for granted. She knew all about the shooting and why it had happened and that he had had no choice in the matter but none of that made it any easier for him. She knew he was almost always the one to take the shot that would kill a suspect because he didn't want his agents to have to deal with everything that went along with that act. He tried to spare them, even Ziva, the inevitable questions and guilt that went along with taking the life of another human being. No doubt today had not been any different. They had all gone into the warehouse together but when the situation began to get out of control he made sure he was the one in position to take down the bad guy. The fact that his actions had saved the lives of a mother and her little boy would help tomorrow but tonight, all that had mattered was what he had done today.

Of course they didn't talk about all that when he came home. They never did. Not anymore. Years ago she had managed to get him to tell her about a shooting and had all but forced him to tell her how he felt about it. That was the one and only time she pushed him to talk about a killing. Now she didn't need to hear him say the words. She could look at him, read his body language and know what was happening behind those cool, blue eyes. Now she just made sure she was there when he got home; there with food and drink and comforting arms to hold him. Killing was something he was trained to do but not something he took lightly or that he wanted to; even when it involved bad guys.

Jen smiled at the image of Jethro so sound asleep. In truth he was probably more 'passed out' than asleep. He had been up until all hours every night this week and the case had consumed them all for the past three days. When he came home tonight he went straight to the basement and after they had eaten supper he said he was coming upstairs to do something in the nursery. That was where she had expected to find him when she came up but when she had looked in the newly redecorated and furnished room he wasn't there and she couldn't see that he had done anything in there. Seeing him sleeping, Jen went back to the nursery, turned on the mobile that hung over the baby bed, and sat in the rocking chair dreaming about their child. When the mobile ran down Jen reluctantly got up and went back to the bedroom.

Jethro was now snoring lightly. Jen changed into some comfy pajama pants and a top and settled on the bed to read. Once she was sitting comfortably against the headboard, pillows at her back, Jethro wriggled over next to her. He was on his side with his back against her hip. She reached over and ran her fingers lightly through his hair before settling her hand on his arm. He never moved and the snoring went right on. The book she was reading didn't hold her interest tonight. She found herself watching Jethro sleep and marveling at how much their lives had changed in the past few months. After almost twelve years of marriage they were going to have a baby. Jen looked down at her favorite person in the world and smiled. It never ceased to amaze her how much she loved this man. Even after all these years he still took her breath away.

Jen finally gave up and put her book on the bedside table and turned out the light. She wriggled down in the bed and tried to get comfortable by rearranging her pillows. Being this far along in the pregnancy it was getting more difficult by the week to find a good sleeping position. She was trying not to awaken Jethro but eventually her need for comfort overruled her good intentions and she had to nudge him to move over. He did finally, and she managed to get settled. As she was about to drift off she felt Jethro roll over and the next thing she knew he was kissing her.

"Hi."

"Hi yourself. I'm sorry if I woke you up but I have trouble getting fixed these days."

"It's okay. Anything I can do to help?"

Jen turned on her side so they were facing each other. "You could kiss me again."

"Gladly." Jethro traced his thumb across her lips before he leaned down and captured her mouth in a kiss that told her he needed more than just kissing tonight. "God Jen. I need you."

"I know. I'm right here Jethro. Let me take care of you tonight, okay."

His response was lost in her kiss and for the rest of the night he was lost in her loving him.

The next morning dawned clear and sunny so Jethro and Jen decided to take the boat out thinking it would probably be their last chance to go sailing before the baby came. Already, Jethro was a little nervous about being away from solid ground with Jen so far along. She overruled his concerns though and they had a glorious day on the water. Jethro was really in his element handling this boat and Jen loved to watch him sail her. She was so relaxed when they were sailing it was as if the world ceased to exist beyond the boat and the water around them. Of course having Jethro half naked in the sunshine was always a plus in her mind.

Monday intruded on them soon enough and it was back to the grind but only for two more weeks for Jen. They had agreed she would stop working two weeks before her due date just as a precaution and to give her time to "organize' everything at home. Jethro had no idea what else could possibly be organized but he wasn't about to argue with Jen and Neomi especially when Abby and Ziva joined the fray. Somewhere along the line he realized he had lost control of his household and that it was now being run exclusively by the women in his life. He secretly hoped this child was a boy; at least that would even his odds at home.

Her last two weeks at work were relatively quiet much to Jen's relief. Assistant Director Leon Vance had been assigned to act as her replacement during her maternity leave. He arrived the second week and they spent most of that last five days getting him up to speed on everything and everyone there. Jen hadn't told Jethro but she was seriously considering not going back to work after the baby was born so she paid close attention to Vance as a means of gauging his fitness for her job. She decided by Friday afternoon that he would probably do just fine there. Once he figured out how to deal with Jethro that was.

The next two weeks with Jen at home and Jethro working loomed as a significant challenge on the Monday he went back to work without her. By noon on Tuesday both Jen and Neomi were exhausted from answering the phone every time Jethro called to check up on Jen. She finally told him if he called again she was going to do him serious bodily harm when he got home; the kind of "harm" he would not enjoy. He didn't call again until he was on his way home.

On Wednesday of the second week Jen woke up with a feeling today would be the day. She didn't say anything to Jethro lest he refuse to leave the house. When Neomi arrived she helped Jen pack her bag for the hospital and took it downstairs to the foyer. Jen took a long, relaxing shower, shampooed and fixed her hair and gave herself a manicure. When Jethro called at noon she told him she thought it would be a good idea for him to come home. She sounded so calm he thought she just wanted them to have lunch together.

Lunch was not going to happen today however. By the time Jethro arrived at the house, Jen was having contractions regularly and increasingly close together. As he opened the front door, Neomi went past him carrying Jen's bag to the car.

"It is time Senor Gibbs. She is in the living room waiting for you."

Jethro stared after the housekeeper with his mouth open. "Neomi, what are you saying?"

Neomi looked at Jethro as if he were a child. She smiled at him and said, "The baby, Senor, the baby is coming. It's time to go to the hospital."

By this time Jen had managed to get to the door and she reached for Jethro's hand. He finally shook himself and realized what was happening.

"Damn, Jen I thought you just wanted to have lunch together. Why didn't you say something on the phone?" Jethro took Jen by the arm and helped her to the car.

As she settled on the seat Jen grinned at him and replied, "Because I didn't want you to kill yourself or someone else on the way over here. Besides, we have plenty of time, I think."

"You think? Have you been timing your contractions?"

"Well, of course. They're about four minutes apart right now."

"What?! Damn, Jen, do you want our baby to be born in the car?"

"Oh for heaven's sake Jethro calm down. Anyone would think you'd never done this before. Please slow down, you're making me nervous."

"Sorry. Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel fine. I'm excited and ready to see our baby."

Jethro reached for her hand as another contraction swept over her and she gripped it with a force Jethro was sure would only get stronger as the day went along.

They reached the hospital and while Jen was being situated in her room Jethro called Ducky to let him know what was happening. Doctors and nurses came in and checked Jen's progress and told them the baby was definitely on the way. Jen just rolled her eyes at that announcement and Jethro couldn't resist laughing.

Left alone in her room the nervous couple looked at each other and smiled happily. "We're finally going to be parents, Jen. I want you know I love you and no matter what you say to me in the next few hours I will still love you."

"Are you afraid I'm going to threaten you Jethro? Going to tell you to never touch me again?"

"Yeah something like that. But don't worry I won't take it personally."

"Okay. Oh, Jethro, I'm nervous. I can't believe in just a few hours we will finally see our baby." Just then a hard contraction hit Jen and she squeezed Jethro's hand forcefully.

Three hours and a severely bruised hand later, Jethro cut the umbilical cord and held his son for the first time. When he handed the baby to Jen he saw the realization of what they had done on her face and knew she was crazy in love with their son already. They examined each and every toe and finger before reluctantly handing him over to be cleaned, weighed and measured. A short time later the nurse handed baby Gibbs back to his beaming parents. He was now clean and wrapped securely in a soft blue blanket and sporting a blue knit cap.

Jen couldn't take her eyes off her son. She also couldn't stop saying "our son" every few minutes. Jethro sat and watched the two of them and knew there would never be a better day in his life as long as he lived. They both knew Jackson would be their only child which made him even more precious to them. Ducky was the first of the team to be introduced to the baby. Of course he cried when he was told the name they had chosen. After Ducky, the rest of the team was allowed in the room and they all ooohed and aaawed over the baby until Jethro finally threw them out two hours later.

The new parents spent the rest of the day napping and eating and taking turns holding their baby boy. When they finally gave up for the night Jethro sat on the side of the bed and kissed Jen goodnight.

"I love you, Jen. Thank you for giving me a son. You are going to be such a great mom, I can hardly wait to see you in action."

"Oh Jethro, I love you too. And you are very welcome but you do know you had something to do with all this too. I'm so happy for you to have a son, Jethro. You will be such a wonderful father. I feel like I'm living a dream right now. I love you so much."

"It's no dream Jen. That sweet little baby is very real and in a couple of hours he's going to hungry so why don't we get some sleep while we can. Goodnight, mom. I love you."

"Goodnight, I love you back."

Hours later, in the middle of the night, the new father was awakened, not by his newborn son but by his cell phone.

"Jen, I need to go help DiNozzo with a scene. I'm sorry. I'll be back in a couple of hours with some real coffee. I love you."

Jethro kissed his wife and son goodbye and quietly left the hospital room. The dream they were living was about to be shattered.

END

A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging. Not really but anyway, the next Scene is already written and will be posted tomorrow.