A/N: Allow me to offer my profoundest apologies for the long delay. Not only have I been extremely busy, this is another bridge chapter, and frankly…I hate writing them. I really do. I always look at them and say, "Well, THAT sucks." So please forgive me for both the delay and the sub-par writing. I give you my WORD that the next chapter will be chock-full of yummy goodness. And it won't take nearly as long.

As the next few weeks passed, Kate was given the "all-clear" to return to work, she and Gibbs fell into something of a routine. He was surprised at how very domestic it felt, being with Kate, and even more surprised at how naturally he fell back into the routine of being one-half of a couple after his years of solitude. He slept at Kate's house more nights than not, but neither of them seemed willing to be the first to broach the topic of cohabitation. He had taken the step of buying an extra toothbrush to keep at her house, but that was as far as it went.

Kate remained free from morning sickness, but admitted that she was more exhausted than she had ever been in her life and most nights she was sleeping deeply by nine o'clock. Gibbs usually found himself next to her in bed, glasses pushed down on his nose, reading by the light of the lamp as she snuggled in next to him. During these quiet moments, he would often look over his glasses at her and smile as he watched her breathe slowly, surprised at his level of contentment.

It had not escaped the notice of his team that he was working far fewer hours these days, and he had overheard DiNozzo and McGee on more than one occasion gossiping in whispers while Ziva remained steadfastly silent. Gibbs grinned to himself around the corner as he heard Tony ask Ziva why she wasn't weighing in on the topic. Gibbs had no worries about Ziva breaking his confidence, and he smiled at her evasive reply. "Gibbs' personal life is none of my concern, and if you know what is good for you, it will not be your concern, either," she informed him icily. He wiped the smile off of his face and chose that moment to make his entrance.

"Somethin' you wanna ask me, DiNozzo?" Ziva laughed out loud and Tony shot her a glare.

"Uh, no, Boss." Gibbs suppressed a smile as Tony hightailed it to his desk and pretended to look busy.

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To Gibbs' great surprise, he found himself opening up more and more to Kate about himself. He told her, in detail, about each of his marriages, and he also shared the heartbreak he had experienced in losing Jenny—twice. Kate merely nodded in understanding with each of his revelations as she began to understand him more and more. His explanations made clear to her the reason that he had left her so abruptly before. She bore no ill-will toward him for his actions after hearing the anguish that he had suffered time and again because of love. It seemed to Kate that Jethro had suffered through more heartbreak than any man should in a lifetime.

"What was so special about her?" she asked him curiously as he spoke of Jenny.

He thought for a moment before responding. "I really can't say. It's not the sort of thing you can put your finger on. We just…connected." He shrugged.

"Like us," Kate interjected.

"Exactly," he said. "I thought Jen and I had a future together. But I was wrong."

"So you wondered if maybe you were wrong again," Kate concluded.

Gibbs nodded.

Kate sauntered forward in the direction of the couch, where Gibbs was sitting. She leaned down and lazily draped herself over the arm of it as she leaned close to him and whispered in a silky voice, "You're not wrong this time, J."

He allowed a small smile to move over his lips as he took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. "No. I'm not," was all he said.

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He surprised her one day when she asked him what his teammates thought of the fact that was going to be a father in a few months. "They don't know," he said mildly.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You haven't told your team?"

Gibbs shrugged. "It's not really any of their business."

Kate was confused. "But you talk about them as if they're family." With her prodding, Gibbs had shared enough stories that she felt as if she knew his teammates personally, despite having never interacted with any of them for more than a few moments. "Why wouldn't you want them to know? You'll have to tell them at some point, you know," she pointed out.

He nodded, silent.

"What's the problem, J?" Kate asked, genuinely baffled.

Gibbs sighed. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression—that he was embarrassed of her. "It's just that I'm normally…very private. I don't talk a lot about myself. It's easier for me if I keep my personal and professional lives separate…like I told you before." He paused. "And then there's DiNozzo," he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"What about him?"

"I don't really have a great desire to sit around listening to him crack jokes about 'the Bossman nailing the hot young doctor,' or listen to another damn word about how many times I've been married and what odds he's laying that you're the next ex-Mrs. Gibbs," he muttered.

Kate snorted. "I need to hang out with this guy," she laughed.

Gibbs glanced at her sharply. "No, you don't. Unless you want to experience firsthand the carnage that is Anthony DiNozzo trying to woo a woman. And trust me, he'd try," he grunted.

"That bad, huh?"

"Pretty much. He's a good guy, really," he said, and his voice was full of affection. "But he's got a lot of insecurities. Fancies himself a huge ladies' man."

"And what of your other team members?"

Gibbs cracked a smile. "A motley crew. There's the Mossad assassin—Ziva," he clarified, "the MIT-trained computer whiz that can hack anything, anywhere, anytime—that would be McGee, and our resident forensics specialist, Abby, who is the happiest Goth girl you've ever seen—though she's not technically part of our team. She's my favorite," he said, unabashedly.

"And why is that?"

He tilted his head to the side. "She's not afraid of me."

"Why would anyone be afraid of you?"

He smiled sardonically. "I have…a way…on the job. I don't like to fool around, and I bark a lot, or so I'm told." He shrugged. "Abby is never fazed when I snap at her, and she's always unfailingly happy. It's endearing and innocent, in a way. She's so unique."

"And Ziva? Is she afraid of you?"

"Definitely not," he answered, amused. "Ziva fears very little. Perhaps emotional attachment." He paused. "She and I are a lot alike in that respect." He paused again. "She saved my life." Kate raised an eyebrow. Gibbs shared—very briefly—the story of Ziva's half brother and Kate's eyes widened in awe. He sensed that Gibbs had a great amount of respect and affection for Ziva. She wanted to know more, but didn't want to push. She decided to change the subject.

"What about Ducky?"

"Our medical examiner—the one who stitched me up before, when I got shot at. Scottish. Loves tea. Likes to tell long, rambling stories that never seem to end," he quipped. "I've known him the longest. A good friend," he noted.

"You know, I'd like to actually meet these people in a social situation," she said pointedly. "Unless," she needled, "you're ashamed."

"I'm not ashamed, Kate," he growled. "I just don't like opening myself up for—"

"For what?"

He sighed. "I don't know."

"I think you just don't like opening yourself up, period," she said seriously, eyeing him contemplatively. "But you don't seem to have a problem with that when it comes to me," she said. "Why is that, do you think?" she asked curiously.

He met her eyes without hesitation. She saw nothing but openness there. "I couldn't say," he said evenly. "There's something about you that makes it easy to open up." He glanced away. "I find myself wanting to share things with you."

"Mmm," was all she said, smiling as she reached for his hand.

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The next Tuesday, he let himself into her house after work and all was silent. It was her day off, and he wondered if she might be sleeping. Her exhaustion had been overwhelming, and he was concerned because she continued to push herself at work, while spending every spare moment sleeping at home. In fact, her fatigue was so pervasive that it had been two weeks since they'd made love. He wandered back to her bedroom and was surprised to find her bed empty. He heard running water and, pushing open the door to her bathroom, found her soaking languidly in the big garden tub, her thick hair knotted atop her head. "Mmm, hi," she said placidly.

"Hi," he answered. "How was your day?"

"Lazy," she smiled. "I slept through most of it," she said sheepishly.

Gibbs smiled indulgently at her. "Good. Your body is working hard. You deserve the rest." As he spoke, he moved toward the tub, removing his shoes and socks. He rolled up his pants legs and stepped into the tub, seating himself on the edge. Kate responded to his gesture by maneuvering herself obediently in his direction. She relaxed against the side of the tub as his strong hands gripped her shoulders and massaged gently. "How do you feel?" he asked quietly.

"Good," she said. "In fact," she said, twisting her head around to look at him mischievously, "I think I have a bit more energy than I've had lately." There was a twinkle in her eyes as she turned and reached for his collar, pulling him down toward her. He acquiesced easily, sliding into the tub into her arms, clothes and all.

"Mmm," he murmured, sinking down onto his knees in the water as she kissed him. "Gun, badge, wallet," he mumbled against her lips, fumbling to remove the aforementioned items before they were ruined. Kate laughed and grappled for his gun and badge as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket. Kate tossed the gun and badge roughly on the counter as Gibbs followed closely with his wallet. Once he had removed the valuables, he sank into the water with her and allowed his lips to tangle mercilessly with hers. She tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it carelessly to the side. She sighed happily as she ran her hands over his bare shoulders, caressing his muscles. She moved her hands south, and was aroused as she felt his muscular pecs. When she reached his waist, she made quick work of his belt and began to shove his pants roughly down his hips. He shifted his hips in accommodation as he buried his lips in her neck, kissing her ravenously. She palmed him eagerly, and his lips trailed down to her breasts. He trailed his tongue gently, experimentally, over the nipples that had been unbearably sensitive of late and was pleased when he received nothing more than a mild moan in response. He tenderly took a nipple into his mouth and sucked reverently until she jerked his head up and kissed him hungrily. He pressed his erection against her and began to spread her legs in anticipation. He wanted nothing more than to make love to the mother of his child, and he ached for her. He positioned himself and as he entered her, she grunted softly and pulled away.

"Not comfortable, oof," she muttered as she pushed up out of the water. "Bed," she commanded, stepping out of the tub and quickly drying herself. Gibbs stood and watched her move, aroused. Pregnancy was a turn-on for him. He had never been as physically attracted to Shannon as he had been when she was carrying Kelly and the same was true for Kate. He looked appreciatively at Kate's already-swollen breasts and curving hips. Her stomach was still taut and flat, but the weight she'd managed to gain had gone to all the right places, transforming her from too-thin to curvaceously feminine. Sighing with pleasure, he followed her into her bedroom and scooped her up just before she reached the bed, laying her on it gently. She grinned at him and he crawled onto the bed with her, straddling her legs as he leaned down to kiss her slowly. After a moment, she broke the kiss, growling, "Forget the foreplay. I want you inside me. Now." Acquiescing, he shifted so that he was between her legs, and entered her for the second time. Kate made a noise that was part sigh, part murmur and allowed her eyes to roll back in pleasure. "Damn, J. That feels amazing," she mumbled, bucking her hips against him. She reached up to grip his shoulders as she moved more insistently against him. He pressed himself into her, wondering how long he could hold off. It had been a long two weeks. Kate gasped beneath him as he moved, and before long, she was uttering, "More…more, J. Don't stop," between gasps. She was tight and the pleasure was intense; he felt his control slipping. He supported himself with his left hand as he grasped her left breast with his right hand, kneading it.

"How close are you?" he muttered as he willed himself to hang on.

"Go," she mumbled against his neck, and he felt the subtle change in movement that indicated that she was climaxing.

"Come for me, Kate," he breathed as he watched her. The sight of her beneath him, gasping in pleasure, was too much for him, and he let go, plunging over the edge with her. They moved together, and he noted that she was gasping more loudly than she ever had before. "You okay?" he asked her when they collapsed against each other a moment later.

Kate's eyes were wide as she stared at the ceiling, breathing heavily. "Oh…my…god. That was incredible. I've never had an orgasm that powerful in my entire life, J."

Gibbs smirked. "Pregnant sex can be pretty intense."

Kate turned her head to look at him. "Speaking from experience?" she grinned. "Did Shannon…?" she trailed off.

He smirked again and nodded. "Oh, yeah. It was bad. I didn't think I was gonna be able to keep up with her."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "And…how old were you then?"

Gibbs grinned. "Twenty-five."

Kate nodded. "Hmm. And now you're fifty-one. You might have to hire someone," she needled him playfully.

"Hey, I resent the implication," he muttered. He leaned up on one elbow and placed a gentle kiss to her throat. "I guess I'll have to take one for the team and devote all of my energies to keeping you sexually satisfied."

"Good," Kate replied. "You ready to go again?" She laughed at the look on his face. "Kidding, J."

Gibbs laughed and pulled her closer, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep.

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It was early November when Kate went back for her next check-up. Her doctor, Chris, placed the Doppler over her belly to see if he could discern the baby's heartbeat. A moment later, when the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of the baby's heartbeat met his ears, Gibbs found himself unable to swallow over the lump in his throat. He looked at Kate and was surprised to see that her eyes were bright with unshed tears. He reached for her hand, and when she squeezed back, he found that she was trembling.

"Heart rate is 148," Chris said.

Gibbs furrowed his brow. "Isn't that kind of fast?"

"Nope. Perfect for a developing baby. Everything's fine, Jethro," he reassured. "All right, Kate, you're, uh," he consulted her chart, "eleven weeks and everything looks perfect. I'll see you back here in four weeks, ok? I'll do an ultrasound and see if we can see the gender, but don't hold your breath—sixteen weeks is about the earliest we can usually see it."

Kate nodded. "That it?" she asked as he headed for the door.

"Yep. Get outta here, and Kate—" he stopped and looked at her pointedly.

"What?"

"Take it easy on the working out, okay?"

Kate grinned. "Scout's honor," she said.

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Gibbs stood at his closet door and pulled his dress blue uniform out. It was still in the dry cleaning bag, and he had to make sure it still fit. If it didn't, he'd have to have it altered in a hurry. Tugging his t-shirt and jeans off, he pulled the uniform off the hanger and was gratified to find that it still fit like a glove. Glancing in the mirror, he was pleased with what he saw. He then walked to his bedside table and opened the drawer, removing a small box. He removed the ring within and slipped it into his back pocket, ensuring that its outline couldn't be seen through the material. Engagements might be comically old-hat to him, but Kate had never been proposed to before, and he intended to do it right.

A/N: A little bit of pregnancy info for those who may be unfamiliar or have questions. First, let me give you my qualifications—in addition to having BEEN through two pregnancies, my undergrad degree is in biology. So you can trust anything I write that has a medical/scientific slant to be accurate. Nothing annoys me more than blatant inaccuracies when dealing with pregnancy in fanfic. So here we go: weeks of pregnancy are calculated NOT from the time of conception but from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). So when the baby is actually conceived, you're already at the two week mark, and when you miss your period (roughly two weeks later) and realize you're pregnant, you're considered to be four weeks along, even though the baby itself is only two weeks old. Due dates are calculated NOT by the size of the embryo itself, but from the date of the LMP (the traditional way of doing this is take the first day of the LMP, go back three months and add one week to get the due date. So if the LMP started August 15, you'd go back three months to May 15, and add one week, making the due date May 22.). If the LMP is unknown, then they use embryonic size. If the LMP *is* known, then the due date never changes, regardless of the baby's size. For example, my son was gigantic (9.5 pounds at birth), but his due date never changed because I knew EXACTLY when my LMP was (and he arrived one day before his due date, so we were right on). An average woman delivers around the 40 week mark (38 weeks after conception). Other erroneous assumptions: not all women get sick (I never threw up or even thought I would with either of mine), and the average pregnant woman is either A) horny as all hell, or B) instructs her husband that if he wants to keep that thing attached, he better keep it the hell away from her. Not much middle ground there. I decided to make Kate fall into the A category because, well…it's just funnier that way. If I left anything out that you may have a question about, please ask. Wouldn't want to cause confusion with any of the pregnancy stuff.