Thank you for your continuing support.
Thursday morning found Ziva and Tony on Gibbs' doorstep well before daylight. Ziva's car was laden with food that she had been busy preparing all week, in addition to the gnocchi, lasagna and pasta bake that Tony had made for them too. "Ziva, is there any food left in your house?" Gibbs worried, pulling open his wallet to give her some money.
"Don't you dare, Gibbs." Ziva warned him. "He is my little brother and she is now my little sister. I like taking care of my family. I understand the taskforce is part time, but he will have cold cases, computer forensics, courses up to here." Indicating her eye level with her hand. "And field work. Kelly is working full time and studying. I need to know they'll be eating healthy, wholesome foods. Not living on what little take out there is available and toast. Plus Tim is still recovering, no? He is supposed to be taking it easy."
Ducky managed to manoeuvre the food into the coolers and into Tim's SUV.
"We'll call you when we stop in Richmond for breakfast and check in." Ducky reassuringly told the younger duo while Gibbs hitched Kelly's boat the back of the SUV.
"Do you have full cell phone batteries?" Tony asked, slightly worrying. It was a long drive for anyone to make, but the older two gents were near and dear to him, so he'd worry all he wanted. "Car chargers, emergency packs, t-"
"DiNozzo?!" Gibbs chastised. "We've made longer trips than this before. Need I remind you that this is Tim's car? Our tech guru, slash genius. It has every gadget and gizmo imaginable and then some more."
"I have taken the liberty of pre-programming the GPS and it tells me we will be there in six hours, including a coffee and bathroom break. Five and a half hours if we drive straight through." Ducky added. "We will see you Sunday night."
"Both of us will be there." Ziva added, leaving no room for an argument with Tony . "Safe travels, give them both a kiss from me." Ziva kissed both Ducky and Gibbs on the cheek.
The older men said their goodbyes and drove out of the driveway, just as the first streak of orange met the dark sky. Tony wrapped a friendly arm around Ziva. "Breakfast?" He offered, trying to cheer the young Israeli woman up. "I'm buying"
"I wish we could have gone too." Ziva added. "We could have surprised Tim and Kelly. But you have to testify to IA tomorrow in Abby's hearing."
"Halloween is only three weeks away Ziva. We will be seeing them soon."
The week had moved at a fast enough pace for the young lovers who became acclimatised faster than they thought they would. An appointment with a local doctor Tuesday was scheduled, then delayed to Thursday due to a family emergency and the wait was nerve racking for them both. For once they both wished they were in DC and it was Ducky or Andrew they were seeing instead. The pregnancy tests were positive and the dating scan was scheduled for the day before Halloween.
Jackie regularly joined them for coffee at the diner they'd found. She had been eagerly waiting for them after the doctors appointment. "How'd it go?" Jackie asked as soon as they sat down. True her word, she hadn't told a soul about the baby, not even her husband Leon Vance.
"Good," Kelly said indicating to waitress she wanted decaf. "We have to tell Dad when he arrives tomorrow."
"Are you worried?" The older woman asking, touching Kelly's hand.
"Wouldn't you be?!" Tim asked, slightly terrified. "I have to tell Gibbs I got his daughter pregnant." Tim rested his elbows on the table and put his head in his hand. It was safe to say, Tim was worried!
"Hey," Kelly started. "It takes two to tango, Tim. I was the guilty party here. Who forgets to take the pill for three days?"
"Both of you are very high strung at the moment." Jackie placated. "You need to calm down. Go for a walk, a picnic, get a massage, have a nap. Anything, really. The stress isn't good for Kelly or the baby, and it's not going to help you recover, Tim. You need to relax."
"You're right." Tim said smiling at Kelly. "I have the perfect idea."
Jackie had to leave for her PTA meeting, but not before issuing an invitation for a Sunday late lunch, after Gibbs and Ducky left for the airport. Leon didn't have to fly back to DC, as the taskforce began Monday morning. "What did you have in mind?" Kelly asked cosying up to Tim on the front porch swing.
"Some cuddling on the front porch swing, a nap and a pizza subs on the dock for a late lunch."
"Mmm" she sighed, "sounds heavenly. Dad and Uncle Ducky will be here tomorrow too. You still taking Dad to the office?"
"Yeah, he wants to see a few people he knows here." Tim replied and Kelly closed her eyes.
"Let's go to bed for that nap." Kelly said seductively as he kissed Tim, trying to entice him inside out of the usually warm midday sun.
"Shouldn't we have told them we're coming in early, Jethro?" Ducky asked. They were on the outskirts of Richlands, hurtling towards Jacksonville. They had made excellent time so far. "We're a whole day early. What if they aren't home?"
"We wait, Duck!" Gibbs answered flippantly, before getting serious. "I was going crazy in DC. Thought DiNozzo and Ziva might have had a clue, they've pretty much ignored me week. Although, I heard Tony tell Balboa I was in 'papa bear' mode to explain my mood." Ducky laughed at his friend. Tony had hit the nail on the head. Tony, Ziva and he had many conversations this week about Gibbs and his antsiness. Before the young duo had decided to leave Gibbs to himself this week.
"Trust me Jethro, we've all noticed! The whole building did. Vance was surprised you lasted until Wednesday night before asking to have today off as well to leave early. Vance and I had a running bet to see how long you lasted." Ducky teased his friend.
Kelly was resting quietly with her book, they'd had lunch on the dock and she was back under the porch with her book and a pitcher of iced water and strawberries. Tim had left her to go for a run as part of his PT, he needed to build back up his stamina. He'd been gone almost an hour now and she was totally engrossed in her book, not hearing the car pull up. "Hey baby!" Gibbs greeted her, having made it silently all the way up on to the porch. Kelly jumped in fright at the sound of her Father's voice and jumped up and rushed to hug him, surprised by his unexpected presence.
"What are you guys doing here so early?" She asked, as she hugged her Uncle Ducky too.
Tim approached the trio, unknowingly, on the porch, his body was drenched in sweat, from his run. His face was red and flushed. Not expecting visitors nor seeing the car or boat, he'd come up the porch from the opposite end of the deck. He had stripped off his shirt to pat his face down. "Timothy!" Ducky called out and Tim froze. He rushed to throw his tee back on. Ever since the attack only Kelly had ever seen him shirtless. He felt self-conscious about the almost healed scarring. "How are you?" Ducky went to hug him and stopped, seeing him cover himself back up.
"Sorry, let me go shower and I'll hug and shake your hand." Tim apologised.
"Nonsense, we came in early. You weren't expecting us." Ducky chastised. "Go shower, my lad, then we can say hello properly."
"He's self conscious about the scars." Kelly explained as soon as Tim was out of earshot. "I've told him not to be, but he doesn't listen." She said exasperated.
"Not so fun, when the stubbornness is on the other foot, hey?" Gibbs teased her in jest. "He looks like he's doing better, how's he really doing?"
"Surprisingly better." Kelly's answered. "His PT is amazed at how far he has come. He's finished with the hydrotherapy, although we got a membership to the local pool, hoping to use it for exercise over winter. It's just that scarring, it bothers him."
"Get some bio-oil and vitamin E onto it, maybe it'll minimise a bit. Unfortunately time is all it needs to fade." Ducky advised her.
"His therapist said the same thing. Let me make some coffee and tea. Come inside." Kelly invited her father and her Uncle Duck into the house.
Gibbs and Ducky were suitably impressed by the house they'd chosen. Looking around while the coffee brewed and the kettle boiled the older duo were distracted by the view from the back deck to hear Tim come down stairs, freshly showered and kiss Kelly hello. As she stood at the bench, his arms wrapped around her waist and his hand splayed across her non-existent bump. Gibbs and Ducky turned to see if the drinks were ready yet and caught Tim whispering softly in her ear as his hand on her stomach lazily drew patterns on it.
Ducky went to greet Timothy hello, but Gibbs stopped him silently. He was watching Tim and Kelly gently. He watched the myriad of emotions cross both their faces but most of all, he saw the love they have for each other shine through. "I think everything's going to be ok, Duck." He whispered, so softly Ducky barely heard him.
"Timothy, my lad!" Ducky greeted him. "You're looking really well." He added as the hot drinks were served.
"We weren't expecting you two until tomorrow." Kelly stated.
"Surprise!" Gibbs grinned at her.
"We need to unload the car soon and return the agency sedan." Tim reminded Kelly.
"Yes and I have a mountain of food from Tony, Ziva and myself. Hope there's plenty of room in the freezer." Ducky added.
The men and Kelly made light work of the car and the coolers. Tim, having suitably been chastised by Gibbs, Ducky and Kelly relented and excused himself to check his email.
Ducky and Gibbs took their hot drinks to the front deck, while Kelly went upstairs to see if Tim was ok. Finding him contemplating his navel, she smiled. She knew he was struggling at the thought of telling Gibbs and she, herself was slightly miffed they'd arrived early. She knew he'd made dinner reservations at a fancy, romantic restaurant in town to celebrate their six month anniversary, now they'd have to reschedule.
The balcony doors were open upstairs and before Gibbs could speak to Ducky, Tim's voice floated down to the porch below. "Kel, he's going to kill me." Tim worried.
"Hey, I'm the one who forgot to take the pill for three straight days." Kelly reminded him for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Yeah, but I always wear condoms." Tim argued.
"Tim baby, we were both there when we made the decision to stop wearing. We both made that decision. Together." She reminded him. "Besides you know I love it when you -" Kelly's voice immediately stopped as she heard the screen door on the house.
Ducky was feeling sorry for his friend and had slammed the door to let them know they were there. Gibbs didn't look like he could handle much more details. Ducky thought his friend was going to lose it soon.
"To be continued." Tim said.
"We'll tell them at dinner." Kelly said.
"Dinner! I'll call and cancel, I made plans."
"Six months, I know, just reschedule for next weekend. We'll celebrate our first date instead of our first kiss."
Tony's lasagne made an appearance as the front runner for dinner and Ducky and Tim were busy in the kitchen preparing a salad and some vegetables for side dishes. Gibbs and Kelly had taken the boat to launch into the water and moor at their dock.
"How are you enjoying it here so far? Have you made any friends?"
"We've become good friends with Mrs Vance and I imagine once Mike Santiago isn't staying with his in-laws, we'll be able to get together too."
"Deputy Director Vance's wife? How did that happen?" Ducky asked, laughing and Tim explained how they met and the ladies bonded over working together with babies, which in turn, Ducky laughed too.
Dinner conversation didn't lull, there was plenty to be had as Tim and Kelly shared stories of their adventures In North Carolina so far. "Ah, Dad." Kelly began hesitantly as Gibbs stood, with the intention of clearing the table. "We have something to tell you."
"I know." Gibbs said, closing his eyes briefly before taking Kelly's hand in his. "I know, well ... we know." he amended, including Ducky. "I found the test in the trash, after you left last week."
"Gibbs, we didn't plan o..." Tim began, but Gibbs cut him off.
"I certainly didn't think that you did, McGee. I can't say I'm not disappointed." Gibbs lectured. "Actions have consequences, isn't that what you told me?" Gibbs took a deep, cleansing breath. "But, I guess congratulations are in order." He finally said, kissing Kelly on the cheek and shaking Tim's hand.
"Yes, congratulations." Ducky added, shaking Tim's hand and hugging Kelly. "Once the shock wears off I imagine Jethro will be much more excited about the upcoming arrival of your wee one, my dear." He told Kelly. "And you, my dear boy. I think you're going to be an excellent father. You're already a wonderful partner to dear Kelly. I suspect that nothing will change."
"Thank-you Ducky." Tim said softly. "Like I said, it was a surprise to both of us. But I promise, I will be the best possible partner and father to Kelly and our child." Looking Gibbs directly in the eye, Tim made his point. "I haven't done anything untoward to make you think otherwise, have I? He asked, directing his question solely at Gibbs.
"No" He admitted. He hated himself, gone was the confident man he briefly saw before the dog attack. Back was the unsure man of his past.
"Then reserve your judgement." Tim advised firmly, in which Gibbs raised his eyebrows. 'Maybe the confident man was just lurking beneath.' He thought as he glimpsed the old Tim return.
"Besides, it's my fault." Kelly argued, like she had with Tim earlier in the day in their bedroom, upstairs. "I am the one who forgot to take my pill."
"We need to all put a pin in it." Gibbs said with a tone of finality. "What's done, is done."
"Look, I know I can't say anything to change your mind of me, or the situation Kelly and I are in." Tim began, making sure to catch Gibbs' eye and maintain contact with him, so Gibbs knew just how serious Tim was. "But you know me, know who I am and I've promised to be the best possible partner and father. What else can I do to make you see that? I get that you're not happy about it, but I guess I'll just have to prove to you that I can walk the walk."
Kelly had gone on up to bed, still peeved off that her Dad hadn't been a little more supportive of them. The three men were sitting on the sofa and recliner chairs watching a ZNN expose' story of illegal nuclear weapons and the search for them in the hot spots of the world. Twenty minutes into the expose' Ducky bid the two agents good night and headed up to bed too. The expose' was informative and Tim had been taking notes with a spiral bound notebook, the kind they use at school in his loopy scrawl. That had impressed Gibbs.
"It's not you, Tim." Gibbs said breaking the silence at the end of the story, as the credits rolled, but before the late night news began. "It's hard to let go of her. You're a good man, a good agent and a good friend. But she's my daughter, I have dreams for her. I want her to finish her degree, travel some more, then get married and have a baby."
"I want those things too, we wanted them, we planned for them, but this is the hand we've been dealt. Wanting and having those things are always an option for us, we're not taking them off the table. Kelly will be finished her degree before the baby comes, Gibbs." Tim reminded him. "She's flying through it. In December she's doing doula training. That alone, can make her a successful business woman. Doula's are so in demand right now. Jackie Vance is a doula trainer and has her own business. She's taking Kelly on to train her. Jackie's one of the most sought after Doula's in the country, Gibbs." Tim switched the tv off and turned to face Gibbs. "Travels always been an option. It just means we book for three people instead of two. Or Grandpa Gibbs gets quality time with his grandchild."
"Poppy Tim," Gibbs automatically corrected him. "I've decided I'm going to be Poppy. Dad's got the corner on Grandpa already."
"Poppy Gibbs, has a nice ring to it." Tim teased, gently.
"There's no one better I could want to be the father of my grandchild than you, that's the truth." Gibbs admitted. "I just worry so much."
"That's because you're a good Dad, Gibbs." Tim said. "Definitely better than my old man."
"Just promise me, you'll be good to her." Gibbs pleaded.
"Goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, I promise."
Gibbs lay in bed, there wasn't any need to get up at his usual 0500, he'd been out to kitchen to brew the coffee only to find that Tim had set the automatic timer and he had a cup ready for Gibbs, right on schedule. He'd meandered back to the bedroom at the silence of the house. The house's security alarm was set and he didn't know the code so he couldn't go for a walk or sit on the deck.
After last night, Gibbs felt pretty confident, he and Tim had once again, buried the hatchet. He knew, once again, that this incident was on him. He'd always seemed to struggle with reaching out to Tim. He'd wondered why for a moment and then he thought of Abby and how she'd interfered with them and their relationship. After her behaviour at the hospital, it wouldn't have surprised him if she'd been emotionally abusive with Tim or even emotionally manipulative too. She'd definitely played the team against each other to curry her favour.
"You ok?" Ziva asked Tony as they sat down to a breakfast catch up. "Yesterday was hard, wasn't it?"
"You're going to find out for yourself. Abby's lawyer is calling you to testify too. So I can't say anything to you about what was said." Tony sympathised with her.
'That was the truth,' Tony thought. 'Damn it, can't even warn Ziva how brutal it was. Poor Probie. All it takes is one seed of doubt and IA will cut Abby and all her shenanigan's loose.' Of course, it didn't help that Director Shepard was Abby's first witness. He'd stuck around to hear her say how Abby was unsurpassed in computer forensics and how Abby had taught Tim everything he knew. Unfortunately this wasn't like a regular trial, there was no objections and no one stood up for Tim and the slanderous lies the Director was spewing about his skills. Lies that no doubt Abby had told and lies that he was expected to tell, that couldn't bring himself to do. He'd caught her murderous glaze a few times. She'd had been furious with him, when she realised that Tony bought up the dog incident and her behaviour in the waiting room.
"Tony, you're dead to me." She threatened across the hearing room. "Dead to me, you hear me? No one will trace it back to me because I'm just that good. But one day, dead!" Her voice was getting shrilly, which Tony had always hated.
The Director had offered Tony no apology for Abby's threats and it made Tony curious. As he was leaving the hearing room Tony had spied SECDEF and SECNAV slipping in through a side door discreetly. They'd exchanged eye contact with him and with a tilt of the head from Clayton, Tony followed SECNAV himself back out of the room and over to the coffee cart. "Coffee sir?" Tony offered, not looking up at him.
"I've got it," Clayton pulled out a couple of notes and ordered his own coffee. To anyone who looked on, it looked like two random strangers waiting for their orders.
"I know you can't talk about it, but you can nod along with my theories." Clayton said softly speaking. "You know I like Agent McGee, right?" Tony nodded in the affirmative. As the waited for their coffees by the end of the cart. "You know I know him through his father?" Tony nodded again, remembering he saw SECNAV at the Admiral's funeral. "Did you know he's my nephew?"
Tony froze, he had absolutely no idea that Tim was Clayton Jarvis' nephew. Crap! Haze the rookie was one thing, but he knew that he himself had teetered on the fine line between bullying and hazing a few too many times. "No" Tony managed in a raspy voice.
"Relax Agent DiNozzo," Clayton said softly. "I know, I've spoken with Tim and there's no animosity whatsoever there now. I believe he and you have sorted your issues out." Tony breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you detect any truth in the testimony of the Director of NCIS?"
Tony caught his gaze and smiled at him. Clayton Jarvis was the one who'd given him the appointment time and he'd been pissed to see he wasn't called up first, as he'd been told he would be. The sly SECNAV Jarvis couldn't witness her testimony due to the autonomy of power. NCIS was independent of the navy and USMC, with the power to investigate within. "It was a load of horse …. manure."
"Very apt." Clayton praised. "NCIS can't investigate themselves. That's the FBI's jurisdiction. Do you have a contact at the FBI your on good terms with? I'd prefer it to be a buddy of yours, than a buddy of mine."
"Not me personally," DiNozzo began softly, lowering his voice. "But Gibbs has a FBI buddy he shares an ex wife with. Agent Tobias Fornell. Probably doesn't think much of me and even less of Ziva. But thinks the sun shines out of Tim's ass." Tony chuckled softly.
"Get him to meet me in Gibbs' basement at 2100 hours tonight." Clayton began. "Write up everything from the testimony, with evidence to back your statements up, discreetly, and join us. It's time to take Jenny Shepard down too." Clayton picked up his now doctored coffee and walked away.
'Why does all this have to go down when Gibbs is out of town?' Tony mused and sighed loudly before heading back aboard the navy yard.
"Why me?" Ziva asked, breaking Tony's reverie. "She and I have never gotten along. She knows that I am on Tim's side of the argument."
"I don't know Ziva." Tony admitted. "Blackmail maybe?" For a moment, worry flashed across her face and the two shared a telepathic thought. 'Ari FUCKING Haswari.'
'Abby was going blackmail Ziva into badmouthing Tim and praising her in order to garner Ziva's support.' Tony thought. 'This isn't good.'
"I'll let myself get terminated from NCIS before I disrespect Tim." Ziva said vehemently. "Tim's my friend. He was my first friend here, I was lonely and he reached out to me. Somehow, he snuck under my armour and into my heart. He's like my little brother in my heart and my loyalty to him will not be questioned." She vowed.
Making an executive decision, Tony lowered his voice so it was barely audible. "We better get this to go, we've got work to do." It was time to bring Ziva up to speed. Orders from IA be damned.
Morning pleasantries aside, barely a word was spoken between Kelly and Gibbs. Ducky was still sleeping and Tim had left an hour ago on his run. Kelly had informed him he was taking the long circuit and would be gone almost ninety minutes. "It takes time to build his stamina back up, but he's back to work Monday." Ducky had been asked by Vance to assess Tim for field duty on Sunday morning before they returned home and sign off on it, when they'd been in DC on Wednesday night. "He says he's almost there. But he can run harder and faster than ever before and he's losing weight and gaining muscle faster than he was before the attack." Kelly worried.
"If it was up to me, I'd say he's ready, but he has to satisfy Duck." Gibbs explained, unsure whether Kelly knew the process yet. "Duck's a hard taskmaster. I should know more than anyone else on my team." That had gotten a smile out of her.
"He said you need to go into the office today." Gibbs had plans to go by himself. But he supposed it made sense. They had an agency sedan from the motor pool still and Tim would want to drive his car, now they had it here.
Tim returned from his workout and wordlessly, headed upstairs with a nod in greeting. Gibbs noticed that Tim didn't strip off his tee today, like he had yesterday when he hadn't known they'd arrived. 'Was he really that self-conscious of his scars?' Gibbs thought. 'He has no reason to be, they should be worn like a badge of honour. Lesser men would have succumbed to an injury like that. Tim should be proud he survived.'
Kelly had followed him silently upstairs and it took all of Gibbs' willpower not to follow them and physically remove her from the bedroom.
Ducky made his presence known as Tim and Kelly returned, both of them showered and dressed. He noted Kelly's hair was wet also and Ducky shook him from his reverie with the loaded question of the day's plans. "I need at least three hours for my assignment to be completed." Kelly droned, not sounding happy about it. "Sorry, it's due Monday morning and I need to get it perfect. Can't afford to retake any classes now." She teased and lovingly stroked her invisible baby belly.
"How about Gibbs, Ducky and I head into NCIS for a couple of hours and meet you at the diner for lunch?" Tim offered and Kelly kissed him.
"Sounds like a plan, Stan." She laughed and he swatted her ass playfully.
"Afternoon nap?" Tim teased gently and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Afternoon nap?" Tim teased gently and she nodded enthusiastically.
It'd been a long time since Shannon had Kelly, but that was Shannon all over. She had napped every afternoon of her pregnancy for at least ninety minutes. Every. Single. Day. He remembered and smiled. 'Oh Shan, I wish you could be here with me. Kell has a baby on the way.' Gibbs reflected. 'Probably only a matter of time before Tim's popping the question. He's a good guy Shan,' Gibbs vowed to the memory of Shannon in his head. 'He's everything we dreamed of when the doc placed her in your arms. I'd never tell him that of course. We've always had our ups and down, Tim and I. But I swear Shan, there's none better out there than Tim.'
The drive to Camp Lejeune, where the Carolina's office was located, was surprisingly quick. Traffic was light and it made Gibbs happy that it'd be a stress free commute for Tim. They'd followed in his SUV and the base security didn't second guess their presence after producing their NCIS identification.
The older duo had met up with Tim out the front of the building and the trio made their way through NCIS security. "Gunny Gibbs, as I live and breathe." Buddy the security guard greeted them. "How the hell ya been?" He asked as he pulled Gibbs into a manly hug.
"Been great Bud," Gibbs beamed and winked at Tim. "Tim's one of mine, he's starting here on Monday. He's on the taskforce."
"Yikes," Buddy winced. "Apparently, there's a certified genius on that taskforce. Apparently, he's so smart, people find his mind intimidating. Especially when he gets his babble happening." Gibbs laughed wholly, as did Ducky. A very happy, jolly laugh and Tim put his hand in his head in embarrassment.
"I'm sure Tim can hold his own." Gibbs smirked as he ushered Tim and Ducky through security. "As I said, he's one of mine."
As they trio entered the lift they all looked at each other and burst out laughing. Pressing level four, for the Analyst floor. Tina was antsy. She hadn't seen Leroy Jethro Gibbs since 99 in Russia and it had been briefly from across the room. "Gibbs, get into these arms you punk!" She shouted across her bullpen as soon as they turned the corner into her area. She flung herself into her childhood friend's arms, inhaling his unique Jethro Gibbs' scent.
"Hey Teen," he kissed her cheek as she pulled away from him. "Sorry to hear about Nicholson. He was a good man."
"Thank you Leroy." Gibbs rolled his eyes at her and Ducky and Tim exchanged an amused look. "We were married just shy of forty years." She explained, before nodding hello to Tim and Ducky. "Coffee?" She offered and lead the trio back downstairs and into a side café which was in the foyer of their building. Which Gibbs liked, he liked knowing that Tim didn't have to go through security every time he went for coffee. Especially with how much coffee Tim actually consumed. Some day his young agent consumed as much as he did.
They took the isolated table down the far side, of the dining area. Quickly giving their orders she was internally happy that Tim drank straight black coffee like her and Gibbs. "Tea and bow tie, Ducky? Will wonders ever change?" She teased the Scottish man and he smiled at her.
"Oh Tina, I have missed your dry wit." He gushed, winking at her. Before the conversation flowed on. Tim sat quietly, as he took it all in. Drinks were quickly finished and Mike Santiago had met Ducky and Tim and ushered them away to 'check out the digs' as he put it.
"Gibbs, tell me. How is my goddaughter doing?" Teen asked, emphasising goddaughter for Gibbs' benefit. She had chastised Gibbs for not giving her the heads up that Kelly was moving here. She and Tim hadn't specifically asked them to keep their news to themselves, but Gibbs knew enough that the first twelve weeks were generally kept quiet until the risk of miscarriage passed.
"She's good Teen." He decided not to share their news yet. Tim would be working closely with her and he knew of their friendship. But Tim was a private person and Gibbs realised he was going to have to start taking Tim very seriously. "She's powering through her midwifery degree, gonna become a doula. Whatever the hell that is." Gibbs gushed proudly at Kell's plans.
"Doula, wow!" Tina said, suitably impressed. "A doula is a professional labor assistant who provides physical and emotional support to the mum and her partner during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. For instance, a doula might physically comfort through techniques such as touch and massage and assist with breathing." She explained, knowing Gibbs had no clue. "Ducky would make an excellent doula. But it's mostly a female dominated profession."
"Ah." Gibbs said wondering why people would actually pay for service like that. He didn't realised he'd voiced his own question out loud until Tina answered him.
"It makes life easier, studies have shown the benefits outweigh the risks tenfold."
They began walking back to her desk, where they'd agreed to meet up with Mike, Ducky and Tim. "Quickly, anything I need to know about Tim?" She asked, grabbing his arm to stop Gibbs from entering the elevator.
"If you think something is bothering him and he says no, don't believe him. Back off, but don't believe him. He does things in his own time and in his own way. It won't make sense to anyone but him. But if you push him, he'll shut down."
"Is he going to be ok? Working with Vance's certified genius?" Gibbs laughed out loud before taking in Tina's worried expression.
"Oh Teen, he's going to be fine." Gibbs placated. "The man's got four degrees and a doctorate, pretty sure he's the genius the whole building is buzzing about." Tina's jaw would have hit the floor if it were physically possible. "Tim's crazy smart, but he doesn't lord it over people. He barely likes people knowing. Don't know why Vance is so weirdly proud of that."
"Tim's too young to have that many degrees." Was the first thing out of Tina's mouth before she could stop it.
"Well yeah, known him since he was 21. He'd not yet turned 22 and just finished his doctorate. You can't tell him you know! You know?"
"Course not." Tina answered, as if she were a co-conspirator in some evil scheme.
"Tell ya a secret?" Gibbs offered to distract her from Tim and his brains for a minute. "Remember ya mum said from the first time she saw you and Nicholson together she knew he was the one for ya?" Tina nodded and smiled at the memories that flooded back to her with her friend's question. "Tim's going to be my son in law one day, mark my words."
Gibbs gave her a rare megawatt grin, telling her all she ever needed to know about Special Agent Timothy McGee, as Gibbs lead her to her desk to meet up with the others.
Vance was supposed to be packing up his belongings. Jenny Shepard had returned from assignment last night, as planned and he would be headed home to wife and his kids. He'd noted that DiNozzo and David were studiously working away. Which wasn't odd, except he knew they were working cold cases and he expected a bit more banter, especially since Gibbs was away for an extended weekend.
"Everything ok here, DiNozzo?" Vance asked as he took a seat behind McGee's /TAD's desk. "Anything I can help with?"
"Nah," Tony answered, "just trying hard to solve this cold case. It was one of ours, one of Kate's."
"Because if you're working on anything that would benefit a team mate" Vance said, lowering his voice as he joined DiNozzo by David's desk, "One who's being victimised by the current female Director and currently on a taskforce team. I want to help, no need to help. My skills aren't up to par as McGee's, but I have done some hacking."
"We'll keep that in mind, sir." Ziva said.
"You do that, meanwhile I'm finishing up at the navy yard today. If either of you need anything, don't hesitate to email me."
"I need something." Ziva said, coming to stand in front of the Acting Director. "Thank you." She said, offering her hand. "For taking care of my little brother, McGee. Give him a kiss for me and watch his six."
"I promise you both, I have his back." Vance vowed and Tony shook his hand too.
Tim never ended up cancelling their dinner reservations, having put them to the back of his mind and forgotten them, once again. Ducky and Gibbs assured them that they should go and enjoy themselves anyway, that the older duo would be fine without them. They were going to drop a line off the dock after dinner and enjoy themselves in the peace and quiet.
Kelly went upstairs and Tim used the downstairs bathroom, at Ducky's insistence to get ready. Tim wore the grey Armani suit Tony had convinced him he needed to buy and paired it with a white shirt and a ink black pencil tie. Kelly had her little black spaghetti strap dress that was asymmetrical at the bottom and her black stiletto heels. She was taking advantage of the fact that soon the dress wouldn't fit her and she'd struggle to balance in those 4 inch heels. With the added height, it put her an inch shorter than Tim.
"Lookin' very sharp there, Tim." Gibbs said as he came out of the bedroom Gibbs was using, meeting Tim in the hallway unexpectedly.
"Thanks Gibbs." Tim smiled and he began fidgeting with with his tie again.
"You seem nervous, is everything ok?" Gibbs asked suddenly taking in Tim's overall demeanour.
"I'm good." Tim reassured him and they both headed into the living room.
"You look amazing, Kel." Tim gushed as she made her way downstairs. She'd loosely curled her long golden auburn locks and pinned it up in a loose bun with tendrils falling across her face.
"What Tim said." Gibbs said smiling. He didn't know exactly what they were celebrating or why they'd made plans, but looking at the two of them, together, made his heart ache a little. 'They look good together.' Gibbs thought to himself.
"I need to get a photo." Ducky gushed. "For my desk and possibly my hallway wall. You both look stunning." He rushed off to grab his new cell phone that had camera built in.
"Good idea, Uncle Duck." Kelly gushed and handed Gibbs her phone with the camera app open. "Stand back a bit and get the whole dress, soon I'm not going to fit in to this dress." Gibbs snapped quite a few from far away and even more up close. While Ducky snapped away too. Before Tim ushered Kelly out the door and reassured the men to help themselves to anything in the house.
The restaurant was beautiful and it looked out over the estuary of New River, they were seated by the large windows and had a serene view of the water and the navigational lights on it. The water sparkled in the moonlight. "Wow," Kelly gushed. "Jackie wasn't kidding , this place is really romantic."
"After dinner calls for a riverside walk, I think." Tim agreed, adding his idea into the mix.
Dinner was eaten and they talked of their future plans. Trips they'd planned to take, exploring the areas. Places they actually planned to fly to visit. Their plans for once they were back in DC.
After dinner, Tim wrapped his arm around Kelly and lead her for a leisurely walk down to the lookout that overlooked the estuary to the navigational boating lights that twinkled off the estuary. "Kel," Tim whispered softly, not needing to tilt her chin up to meet her eyes. He secretly enjoyed that for one night, they were almost the same height. "One day, I'm going to ask you to marry me, but not today and not right now." Tim admitted, kissing her.
"Oh, wow, Tim." Kelly said, feeling defeated. She'd thought her and Tim had been on the same page about everything, now she felt on an uneven foot.
"Let me explain," Tim said, gauging a negative reaction from her. He knew she had her father's temper. "We're there, we're ready. But Gibbs, Ducky and the other's, they're not. They still think of 'Probie' me, expecting me to crash and burn. The only way they can see me…us, and see the changes we've made in us as a couple and us, individually, is time."
"Besides, I respect your father way too much, to just propose without asking his permission," at Kelly's horrified look, he rushed to continue. "Not that I need his permission. Actually, permission is the wrong word….Blessing….. that's the word I meant. See, I love you so much you twist my tongue and scramble my brain." He joked, kissing her.
"Let's go home, tell them we're tired and go to bed." Kelly offered, winking at Tim and they slowly meandered their way back to the car.
"Do you think…?" Gibbs began, then stopped himself. He and Ducky were sitting on the end of the dock on a couple of camp chairs that Tim had unpacked from his SUV earlier in the day. Their rods in the rod holders on the edge of the dock, lines in the water and each nursing a bottle of beer. Ducky had indulged, not normally one for beer, but beer Tim had bought was a local, microbrew and the doctor found it surprisingly pleasant.
"Do I think, what? That Timothy will be your son in law one day? Yes, but I believe that after everything that's happened. They may just run off to Las Vegas and get hitched, instead." That made Gibbs laugh out loud. He knew Ducky was joking and it made him feel like everything was going to work out.
The young couple arrived home and noticed all the lights in the house were out, except the front porch. Tim pointed to the dock, spying the two men sitting there, rods now out of the water, clearly in a deep, serious conversation.