Mimi smiled. "Thank you, Agent Gibbs. However, I know my daughter. As much as she loves nursing, if she finds some other passion she will go after it. You may find that you have unleashed a monster."

Gibbs smiled. "Well, I won't encourage her unless you say it's ok. And it's Jethro." Mimi smiled. "I'll hold you to your word, Jethro."

"Good. Now go take care of my daughter up there. I've got a grandbaby I can't wait to see." Mimi gave him one last smile, then turned and headed up the stairs. Gibbs sat down in the rocker she had just vacated, shaking his head at himself.

Chapter Thirty-eight: "Staying Close"

Tony watched as Mimi, assisted by Lily, started their examination. The first thing they did was take Ziva's blood pressure. When Mimi made no comment, Tony didn't know if that was good or bad.

Next, she used a Doppler to listen to the baby's heartbeat. "Is it ok if Lily gives it a try?" Mimi asked Ziva. Ziva smiled. "Yes, she can try." Lily took hold of the transducer a little awkwardly, but with her mother's hand to guide her, she was able to move it over Ziva's swollen belly. She almost jumped when she picked up the baby's heartbeat.

"That was so awesome!" Lily whispered. Tony and Ziva looked at each other and smiled. Mimi made some complicated hand maneuvers on Ziva's belly, writing down her findings when she was complete.

Finally, she again took out the portable baby monitoring system, and attached it to Ziva. After a few minutes, strips of paper began to spew forth. Mimi took each one and scrutinized it as it was ejected from the machine. Finally, done, she went to the bathroom, washed her hands and pulled up a chair.

"Ok, first of all, I wanted to let you now that your iron levels came back a little low, but not so low that I am concerned that you may have been or are bleeding, so I am increasing your iron supplement."

"The baby has flipped and the head is now down, which is good because we don't want a breech birth."

Tony and Ziva looked confused. "What's a breech birth?"

Mimi looked at her daughter. "Lily?"

Lily got a big grin on her face. "Butt first!"

Mimi shook her head. "She gets such a kick out of saying that."

"Anyway, so the baby is turned, and has descended. Ziva, you should be feeling some relief from the pressure on your stomach and diaphragm. Your breathing may also be a little easier as well."

Ziva's eyes opened wide at that. "I was thinking it was easier to breath." She smiled at Tony. "That is good right? That the baby has moved downward?"

Lily giggled. "Unless you want to throw up the baby, that's the direction they need to go to get the frak out of there."

"Lily! How many times have I told you to quit saying that! And you know I don't like it when you swear but 'pretend' you aren't." Mimi was not amused with her only daughter. Lily looked upset. She looked at Ziva. "I'm sorry, I sometimes get diarrhea of the mouth." She slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oops. I think I am going to go see what Gibbs is up to." Lily practically ran downstairs.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, then burst out laughing. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Tony said.

Mimi looked at them. "Ok, first of all, I don't think Lily's actions were funny. But what are you talking about? You don't know a Lily clone, do you?"

Ziva got a huge smile on her face. "Well, if Lily suddenly starts dressing like a Goth, I would say we have an Abby clone!"

"Abby? The same Abby that is the best friend you can have and can be a calming influence if you threaten her?"

Tony eyes popped opened. "Now that is one scary amazing memory."

Mimi smiled. "If it's pertinent to my patient, then I am the memory queen. If it has to do with cleaning the gutters, or giving the dog a bath, then I am the memory moron."

Tony laughed at that. He paused. "You have a dog?"

"Was it the 'giving the dog a bath' that gave it away?"

"You know, I think I know where your daughter gets her personality from." Tony quipped. "What kind of dog do you have?"

Mimi smiled. "A Sheltie. The shedding is a pain in the ass, but I wouldn't give my Bailey up for anything."

"I like Shelties. They are very smart dogs." Ziva noted.

Tony looked at her. "Have you thought about us getting a dog?"

Ziva looked at Tony looked he had two heads. "Now, when we are about to have a baby?"

Mimi cleared her throat. "That is actually a good time to get a puppy. They get used to each other at the same time. There are not the usual jealousy issues. Believe me, it's hard to have a dog for three years then find out he can't stand the baby you just had. Guess who has to go?"

"The baby?" Tony offered. Ziva punched him in the arm. "Just be glad that Gibbs did not hear you say that! Tony, really."

Mimi just ignored Tony. "It works the other way as well. As much as kids all beg for dogs or cats or whatever pet they want, sometime the fantasy does not meet the reality and then again, you are stuck with a hard decision." Mimi glared at Tony, daring him to say the words.

"But we are getting off track here." Mimi steered the conversation back to Ziva. "Ziva, your blood pressure is just on the high side of what I want it to be. Again the baby does not appear distressed, but with the position change and descent, things could start moving."

"By that I mean you could go into labor within the next day or so. I don't want to put you in the hospital any sooner than you need to be, so I am going to give you a slight increase to your medication and I will be back tomorrow."

She looked at Tony. "I know this is your first Christmas together, but I must insist it be very low key. Gibbs can visit, but that is all. No one else, no calls, no texts, no emails. And I don't mean just to Ziva. I do not want you to read any to her from your friends."

"I'm sure Ziva knows that they miss her, want her and the baby to be well, and want you both to have a nice holiday. There, it's been said. No need to repeat it from anyone else."

Ziva slumped into her pillow. She had so looked forward to having everyone over for the Holiday, even if it was not all at one time.

Mimi sat on the bed. "I know you are disappointed Ziva, but you'll have Tony and Gibbs."

Ziva wiped away a tear. "I know. I am acting like…"

"A very hormonal mother-to-be?" Tony offered helpfully. After the looks he got from both women he decided he would excuse himself from the room.

He found Lily downstairs with Gibbs, laughing as she described what she had said to Ziva. She clamped her mouth when she saw Tony. "Hey, no worries about me, Little Abby." Tony looked in the fridge.

"Little Abby?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah. Wait until you see full Lily mode, then picture her with an Abby outfit. Undeniable."

Gibbs regarded Lily with an amused looked on this face. "What? Who is this Abby person? Are you making fun of me?" There was a hint of "don't mess with me" attitude in her voice.

"Oh, yeah. I can see it." Gibbs threw a Frito at Lily. "Being compared to Abigail Sciuto is one of the highest complements that can be given."

Lily regarded Gibbs and Tony. She looked like she was struggling with something. "What's on your mind, Lily? " Gibbs asked, eyeing Tony.

"My mom really wants to me a nurse, and don't get me wrong, I love it! But that is all I have ever known! I want to know what else is out there. Maybe…there is something else…something I have never considered or…never even heard of."

Gibbs considered his words carefully. "Lily, when you were in high school did you go through all the career event things, take aptitude test, all of the other college required entrance exams?"

Lily looked surprised. "Well, of'course I did or I never would have been accepted at Florida. But I never went to a career fair, because…"

"Because you wanted to be a nurse, so why bother to look at anything else, right?" Lily nodded her head. "Mom wanted me to go, but I didn't see any reason to. Maybe now I'm thinking I should have, and it's too late."

Tony sat down next to Lily. "Hey kid, it's never too late. You want to hear my story?" Gibbs groaned, but Tony ignored it. "I was a jock at OSU. Big-time. Want to know what my major was? Phys-Ed! Not a real stand out for companies looking for talented people."

"When I was in Baltimore during a basketball game, I had the privilege to save a small boy from a house fire. Unfortunately, I couldn't save his sister." Tony paused, the memory still painful.

"That was a defining moment in my life, and from that point on I knew I wanted to be a cop. To make a long story short, while I was a cop in Baltimore, Gibbs and I met during a bust. The next thing I know, I'm in HR at NCIS applying to be an agent."

He rested his head on his crossed arms that were resting on the table. "It's funny how certain events can have such a profound effect on our lives that they literally change them. If I hadn't joined NCIS, I may have run across Gibbs again now and then, but we wouldn't have a relationship."

"I wouldn't be working with the best and most talented group of people in the world, who are not only my co-workers but my friends. But more importantly, I never would have met the love of my life, who in now in bed trying to be good so we can have a beautiful baby."

Lily burst into tears and hugged Gibbs, much to his surprise. Tony blinked several times. "Hey, I thought it was my story I was telling." Lily ran to Tony as well and hugged him too.

"You are both so amazing and extraordinary." Lily wiped away her tears.

Gibbs looked at Tony. "Lily, would you like to see my boat?"

She looked up at him. "The one you are building in your basement?"

Gibbs smiled. "That would be the one." Lily clapped her hands and pranced around the table. "That would be awesome, can we go now?"

"Lily, I can't just take off with you without your mom's permission. If you come back tomorrow, we'll ask your mom. I live just around the corner, you can walk there."

"Walk where?" Mimi just came down the stairs, catching Gibbs' last words. "Gibbs' house." Lily answered. "He builds boats in this basement, Mom. In his basement! He asked me if I wanted to see the one he was working on. Please, can I see it?"

Mimi looked at her headstrong daughter, then looked at Gibbs. He smiled at her and she felt her breath catch at little bit. Somewhat disconcerted, she answered. "We will be back tomorrow. You can go then."

"Yay!" Lily did a perfect pirouette. "Maybe you can come too, Mom!" Mimi looked startled at that, but Gibbs eyes looked like, almost daring? A challenge?" Mimi smiled at her daughter. "Maybe I will. I think this boat is a figment of his imagination anyway." Tony burst into laughter at that but quickly stopped when he saw the look on Gibbs' face.

Tony turned to Mimi. "How's my girl holding up?" Mimi smiled. "Less sad, but still not happy." She turned to Gibbs. "Maybe you can spend as much of your free time here. Oh crap! I didn't mean to imply you had nothing else to do, especially for the holiday."

Gibbs stood up and put his coffee cup in the sink. "Always planned to spend it here." He looked at Tony. "Call me, DiNozzo. For any reason." He stopped and turned as he was heading out the door. He smiled slightly, then left.

Thanks for hanging in there and waiting for these updates. No computer for two weeks was hell. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things.