What Mrs. Mallard Said - 36

Author: GataChica

Rating: M

Warnings: sexual situations

Spoilers: Untouchable, Bloodbath

Even though Jenny was under anesthesia, Gibbs kept talking to her and caressing her hair and face while the surgery was done. He couldn't watch the doctors work; between the curtain and the medical personnel his view was blocked. So he concentrated on Jenny, until he heard a tiny wail.

He looked up and saw a doctor carrying what looked like a baby monkey over to a table with bright lights. It took a moment for him to realize that this was their son. He was appalled at the baby's slight form; Gibbs didn't know that babies usually spent the last month before birth gaining weight.

He tried to look at the warming table, but again the doctors and nurses were in his way. "How is he?" he asked urgently.

"Sir, please move back behind the curtain."

"I want to see my son. I have to know that he's all right."

A woman detached herself from the circle around the baby and moved towards him. "He's doing very well for a 32-week baby. He is able to breathe and cry just like a full-term baby. He's very thin, but we will correct that soon." She smiled at Gibbs. "Do you have a name picked out?"

"Jasper Jackson Gibbs," he replied hoarsely. "Where are they taking him?"

"To the newborn ICU. All premature babies go there, even if they seem fine. The equipment and personnel available there can mean the difference between life and death if something goes wrong." Gibbs nodded. "You can go see him when the surgery is over."

"It's not over yet? What else is there to do?" he asked, alarmed.

The woman spoke quietly to one of the doctors working on Jenny. "They are putting her uterus back together, Mr. Gibbs."

"Just Gibbs," he said from force of habit.

"Okay. Anyway, your wife had a tear in her uterus; this is why she felt so much pain. She also lost a good deal of blood, but we're replacing it."

"Will she be all right?" he asked, his voice growing softer at the end.

The nurse looked at him and saw eyes that were on the brink of death, windows into the soul of a person who couldn't take much more. "They are very good surgeons. There is no reason to expect anything other than a full recovery," she reassured him.

He relaxed just a bit, just enough that she could see it, then returned to his post behind the curtains.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Are you sure that Mikel is still in prison?" Abby fretted, while walking up and down the sidewalk.

"Yes, Abby, we're positive," said McGee, back at NCIS. "He may have an accomplice, but he didn't physically do it."

Just then one of the EOD workers came up to Ducky, holding the pipe bomb. "Hold on, McGee." She hurried to Ducky's side.

"—can see that it isn't actually a bomb, although it certainly looks like one. It was meant to be found. Here's a note that was attached." He held up a piece of paper that said: "Are you afraid yet?"

A chill went up and down Ducky's spine. He knew enough about the psychology of killers to realize that this would only escalate until one or both of them was hurt, or NCIS caught the culprit. He hoped it would be the latter.

"The bomb is fake?" Abby was incredulous. "I don't get this, Ducky."

He really didn't want to explain the psychology to her unless he had to. "I believe the individual who planted this – let's call him or her the stalker – is more concerned with instilling fear than with causing actual damage." At least so far, he thought.

He could tell she wasn't happy with his explanation; perhaps she sensed it was not complete. "I hope that's it," she murmured. "What comes next?"

The EOD worker wasn't concerned about sparing Abby's feelings. "He may continue along this line, attempting to frighten you, or he may escalate until he does something dangerous." Ducky glared at him.

Abby nodded. "I see."

"Dearest, I think you should remain at home until this is over."

"No! They know I am here, and apparently they can get through security. Both of us will be better off at NCIS."

He conceded her point, and once the Morgan had been thoroughly searched for any further dangers, he and Abby climbed in again and made it to the Navy Yard in record time. Although there was a car behind them and another in front the whole trip, Ducky did not relish the thought of an "accident" – his car was too easily recognized.

When they arrived, they found that the building had been searched and extra guards were posted in the morgue and in Abby's lab. But before going to their underground workplaces, they stopped in the bullpen to meet with Gibbs' three agents.

They found that only McGee was there, but he briefed them on developments. "Tony's at the prison where Mikel Mawher is, checking visitor records and examining his cell. Ziva is at your house collecting trace evidence. Did you bring the car into the evidence garage?"

"Why, no," Ducky replied with surprise. "I didn't even think about it. I was just concerned with keeping Abby safe."

McGee gave him an understanding smile. "I can take it in for you. I just need the keys."

"No! No," Ducky said hastily, remembering what Gerald had done to his car 2 years before. "I'll move it myself. Thank you, Timothy." He left quickly.

"Abby, I'm really worried."

"I know, Timmy. What have you been able to find out?" She knew there was more he wanted to say, but she also knew it would just make things more difficult if he said it.

"Uh – well – we think we found something on the security cameras in your lab."

"Really? What?"

"Nothing very helpful – just a green blur, but it was there around the time Tony was. In fact, whoever it was darted right past him."

"A green blur… hmm," Abby's eyes glazed over as she considered the possibilities. "What about the guest log? Did any kind of delivery person wearing green log in?"

"No," Tim replied with a sigh. "We're trying to check if he could have entered any other place."

"Not the evidence garage; there's just as much security there as the main entrance."

"Yeah."

They were both silent for several minutes, then Abby asked, "Do all deliveries go through the main entrance? What about large quantities, like refilling the soda machine?"

McGee looked dumbfounded for a moment, then his expression cleared. "The loading dock in the back." He hit himself on the back of the head. "What was I thinking? I didn't even check there."

Abby smiled. "It's not too late."

Just then Ducky exited the elevator. "Are you ready, Abigail?"

"Yes." She leaned over and gave McGee a peck on the cheek. "See you later, Timmy."

In the elevator, Ducky pulled the emergency stop and stood looking at her, one eyebrow raised.

"I was trying to make him feel better," Abby explained. "You know how much I love you, sweetheart."

"Show me," he said roughly, taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately.

She moaned against his mouth, opening her lips for his exploration. After awhile she was pushing him towards the wall, feeling the desire grow stronger with every second. Just when she thought she couldn't take any more, he pulled away. "Yes, that will do," he told her with a smile.

She was panting as she hit him playfully on the arm. "You tease!"

"As if you have never…."

"That has nothing to do with it." She started the elevator again, and when they reached the level of her lab, she reluctantly stepped off, blowing him a kiss. "Love you."

"I love you, Abigail."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Jenny woke to extreme nausea and an empty feeling. Although there was little in her stomach but gastric juices, she gagged as they climbed her esophagus.

Two nurses quickly moved to help her. One turned her on her side so she would not aspirate, and the other held a basin below her mouth. She coughed painfully and spat into the basin, falling backward as she ran out of energy.

"Let me get you some ice chips," the first nurse said. Jenny couldn't read the name on the nurse's badge because her vision was too blurry, but she hoped she looked thankful.

The second nurse raised the head of the bed so that aspiration was less likely, then took her vital signs.

There followed an indeterminate period of time during which she felt she had died and gone to hell. Everything hurt, she could barely moved, she had two IV's and the nausea continued to assault her in waves.

Eventually she progressed back to life and only wished that she were dead. She wondered where Jethro was, and then wondered why she was in the hospital. Her anesthetic-soaked brain had just begun to work out what happened when she saw Jethro sit down beside her bed.

"Jethro," she croaked, her throat and lips still too dry to talk properly.

"Shhh, it's okay, Jen. They're taking good care of you and the baby."

"Baby?"

"Yeah. Do you remember?"

She closed her eyes and thought. "I think so."

"He's in the newborn ICU. I've just been there and he's doing well. Mainly he's just skinny."

"But he's early." She was having trouble comprehending all this.

"Yes, eight weeks. That's why he's skinny. They tell me he will probably gain weight quickly." He looked a bit sheepish, in spite of being Gibbs. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you first woke up."

"It's okay. Can you get me more ice chips?" She looked at the pitcher on her bed table.

"Sure, Jen. I'll be right back." He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then whispered, "I love you."

He was gone before she managed to reply, but that was okay. He knew already.