Sorry for the huge delay - my little one has had covid. With all of her medical problems, we had a lengthy admission to picu and paediatrics and that was the last thing we've needed. She's home now and we're slowly catching up. Please bear with me :)
The lullaby Jackson is referring to is Brahms Lullaby. :D
The following morning Vance received word that the threat had been neutralised against both Vance and Tim. Being the early risers Gibbs and Tim had the coffee going as Vance stumbled into the kitchen. "Well, well, well, … look what the cat dragged in." Vance teased Tim and winked at him. "What exactly do you have to say for yourself?"
"I'm not sorry." He answered, grinning at Vance, cheekily.
"Hey Leon," Gibbs greeted him, grabbing the man's attention. "Have you met my future son-in-law?" Gibbs asked, as Leon's eyes widened in surprise that Gibbs already knew Kelly's answer.
"Congratulations." He said, shaking Tim's hand and then Gibbs' hand.
"Shhh, Gibbs." Tim hushed Gibbs. "Kelly doesn't want anyone to know until she tells Jackson and Ducky at Thanksgiving. Since you won't be there for thanksgiving, we'll tell you and Jackie soon. But don't want to risk Ziva and blabbermouth DiNozzo finding out."
"Finding out what?" Ziva asked suddenly, joining them in the kitchen with Kelly.
"Hey baby, morning." She said, kissing Tim and hugging him tightly. She was wearing Tim's MIT tee, Tim's boxer shorts and her black satin robe.
"Morning." He said smiling at her, pulling her towards him and holding on to her tighter, not wanting to let her go.
"Give it a rest, you two." Gibbs teased with gentle laughter, as he gently tapped them both on the back of their heads, playfully.
After a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast, they packed up their belongings and headed to their respective homes. The MCRT didn't fly out until later in the evening and with Tim's car destroyed in the firefight, Gibbs suggested that they fly out with them. Letting the house be repaired by insurance while they were away.
With Tim's new promotion fresh in her mind, she took her cell into the basement to call her friend Betsy to see if she could do her practical placement for her course at Georgetown Med.
Gibbs, Tony and Ziva followed Tim and Kelly back to their home to meet Teen to assess the damage and board up the front of the house. Kelly had already called the insurance company and they were sending an agent to collect the car on a tow truck for assessment this morning.
"Hey babe," Kelly called out to Tim, opening the dishwasher. There was a device, latching it closed that wouldn't allow it to open. "Something's wrong with the dishwasher." Tony and Ziva were out the back on the deck with Gibbs enjoying their coffee's. Tim had been there too, until she'd called him in.
Tim took a peak inside and calmly said to Kelly to take her tea outside and send her father in. Gibbs gently opened the door. "Is that what I think it is?" Tim asked Gibbs, praying he was wrong.
"Sorry Timmo, you're right." Gibbs confirmed and he tried to get a better look. Whoever had installed it had done a stellar job. They couldn't open the door any wider without activating the timer. The timer only had three seconds left, not enough time to leave the house safely.
"Go" Tim told Gibbs, "get Kelly and the others as far away as possible."
"No, you're not staying." Gibbs argued vehemently. "Tim!" He begged.
"Think my hands just activated the secondary trigger." Tim told him. "Call 911 and dispatch. HURRY!"
"Can you hold on?" Gibbs asked, swearing to himself. They shouldn't have to worry about bombs in their own home.
"Forever!" Tim promised. "Not blowing myself up now."
Gibbs rushed outside and quietly called Ziva over, he quickly briefed her to usher Kelly and Tony across the road and down to the jetty where they launched Kelly's boat on their first trip to Jacksonville, telling her to tell Tony to call dispatch. "They're on their way." Gibbs told him, coming back in.
"Go Gibbs!" Tim begged his future father-in-law. "I'll be ok." He promised.
"No way, Tim." Gibbs argued, again. "Not leaving you behind."
"Remember how you asked if I could hold on?" Tim asked Gibbs. "My hands are cramping and the pain is shooting up into my neck."
"Shit!" Gibbs swore, not bothering to censure himself. "Try to hold on." Gibbs begged, trying to clear a path out of the kitchen, out the sliding door and off the deck. He pulled out his cell and tried to call Vance, before it could connect he thought better of it and ended the call. 'What if it operated on mobile frequencies too, it'd activate anyway.' He thought.
They could hear sirens in the distance, but they were at least a good three to five minutes out. Gibbs held Tim his coffee mug and a straw, knowing that the coffee would distract him. Not really thinking of what would happen if he needed the bathroom and the bomb squad haven't de-activated it yet.
Gibbs looked Tim over. "Come on, Timmo. You've got this." Gibbs encouragingly cheered him on. He could see that Tim was struggling, especially with the pain in his neck, from the pressure Tim had on the trigger.
"Pain." Tim breathed out. "Getting unbearable."
"Breathe through it. Just breathe, Tim." Gibbs advised him. "You're doing good." He encouraged him.
A few more excruciating minutes passed and Tim was ready, mentally planning his run. The only thing that stopped him was the thought that 'what if one of them died? What would that do to Kelly?'
"Tell me about the wedding plans, what have guys talked about, so far?" Gibbs asked, trying to distract Tim from the pain.
"Kelly wants to get married at the Mayflower Hotel, in DC." Tim told Gibbs and he sucked in his breath sharply.
"Fancy!" Gibbs commented. "I'll have to buy a new tux."
"She wants it to be a mixture between fairytale and modern lux. We have some money, but I don't think we should blow all our savings on a fancy wedding. We should save some for a rainy day." Tim told to his father-in-law to be.
"Don't you two worry about the cost of the wedding, too much. Shanney and I started saving a long time ago for Kelly's wedding. I've got some money set aside to contribute." Gibbs told him. "Just try to give Kell the wedding of her dreams."
"The waiting list for that hotel is years long, Gibbs." Tim told him, trying to explain the dilemma. "Four years."
"I liked the Adam's House, the ballroom overlooks the Washington monument." Tim added. "Waiting list was a year, tops."
"You two have done a lot of talking about it, for a couple that just got engaged last night." Gibbs observed in a sing-song manner.
"We've occasionally discussed it, on and off since we moved out here." Tim told him, truthfully. "But last night she was too excited to sleep. She made me stay up all night talking it through."
"Hello," a voice called out. "Jacksonville PD - bomb squad." They introduced themselves as they came in via the back door. The managed to get Gibbs to wear a flack vest and bomb shield after he refused to leave Tim's side.
"All copies of all reports to go to NCIS, attention Deputy Director Leon Vance and to the FBI, attention Special Agent In Charge, Tobias Fornell, DC office. This is related to a joint case." Gibbs told them. "It's a triple trigger device, by the looks of it." Gibbs explained to the Commander. "A pressurised trigger in the latch, one on the hinge of the door and another one underneath the device."
"Are you an expert?" He asked Gibbs condescendingly. Gibbs had to resist the urge to head slap the young man
"Not exactly, but I do have the training, as both a federal agent and former USMC Special Forces. I have diffused bombs before, both bigger and smaller bombs and more complex set-ups than this one. Special Agent In Charge Jethro Gibbs, Major Case Response Team. This is my daughter and her partner's home. Special Agent Timothy McGee." He explained his background and introduced Tim.
It took another twenty minutes to disarm the bomb and as soon as Tim was free Gibbs pulled him into his arms and started rubbing his shoulder. "Let's get that shoulder looked at." As he ushered Tim from the house and down the side of the house towards the waiting crowd.
"Tim!" Kelly called out to him and he pulled her through the crowd as the medics looked him over. Gibbs went and waited by Vance, looking up he watched as Kelly sat beside Tim on the back of the ambulance.
With a questioning look Vance's way, he followed Vance's eyes and spied that both Tony and Ziva were each on their cell phones. Tony was unintelligibly yelling into his cell and Ziva was speaking Hebrew very fast and erratic.
"How'd you get him to not let go?" Vance asked, wondering how Tim managed to apply the same pressure consistently for so long. "He must have been in agony with his shoulder."
"Asked him about their wedding plans. I'm going to need a pay rise to afford for this wedding, Leon." Gibbs grumbled good-heartedly at Leon. "She wants a fairytale, modern lux wedding. We're talking three piece tuxes, long fancy gowns, flowers and crystal chandeliers."
Vance laughed at his friend. "Sounds like you need a second job, not a pay rise."
"Wonder if I could sell a kidney?" He asked in jest. "Seriously though, Shan wanted Kell to have a big white wedding. She wanted Kell to have everything she ever dreamed of. We've been saving since the day she was born."
"Yeah, but she's marrying Tim." Vance reasoned "Mr 'I hate being the centre of attention.' McGee."
"Let's hope he can convince her to tone it down a little." Gibbs wished and realised that it might be futile. He saw the look on Leon's face and grinned, before amending his statement. "Or tone it down a lot."
With Tim finally cleared, but the crime scene not, Kelly and Tim had to stay in Jacksonville another day. But the MCRT returned to DC and Vance set them up in the Vance family home's spare room. Jackie and Kelly cooked a small turkey and they had an early thanksgiving dinner with the Vance family. "This has actually worked out well." Leon told Tim, as they ate dinner that night.
"Can I wish this year was over already?" Jackie asked with a sigh.
"Not quite." Kelly told her. "Make sure you're all back in DC by New Years Eve."
"Why's that?" She asked and the kids looked devastated, knowing they're trip was about to be cut short.
"Tim and I are throwing a big New Years Eve party. We'll be celebrating our engagement." She announced and Jackie squealed in excitement.
"Oh my goodness!" She gushed, taking Kelly's hand and admiring her beautiful ring. "Congratulations!"
The kids were grinning, really excited. "Dad, we have to come back early now!" Jared told Leon.
"Yeah Dad, I've never been to an engagement party before." Kayla agreed, already planning to beg her mother for a new dress.
"This ring is beautiful, stunning Tim. Simply gorgeous." Jackie told Tim. "You did good! Where did you get it?"
"It was my Mum's." Kelly told her proudly, with a dreamy smile plastered on her face.
"Gibbs gave it to me, before it was Shannon's it belonged to his Mother's - Anne Gibbs, Jackson's wife. Before that, it was his Grandmother's - Esme Gibbs, Jackson's Mother."
"Wow!" She commented amazed. "All Leon got from my father was a lecture about how he'd never amount to anything."
Tim was sure Jackie didn't finish that story deliberately, because her children were at the table.
"You can't tell anyone yet. Not until we've told the DC crew." Tim reminded them, knowing Kelly wanted to share the news herself, especially with Jackson and her Uncle Ducky.
Later that night, Jackie and Leon were in bed and were talking in low voices. "You knew?!" She accused gently with a faux pout. "You didn't tell me." She pouted, this time meaning it.
"Only because Tim needed me to sneak the ring through security at the airport." Leon explained, truthfully.
"I didn't see it at security." She commented.
"Lucky for me, Jared and Kayla decided to fight and you were distracted, dealing with them." Leon said gratefully, hoping to avoid his wife's wrath.
"We have to think of an amazing wedding gift for them. They've become such good friends." Jackie told him.
"It's probably going to be different with Tim and Kelly, when we move to DC." Leon tried to explain to her.
"Just keep your friendship away from work. Draw clear boundary lines. You two did ok, when you were working here together." She advised her husband. "I'm sure that it'll be fine."
"So wedding present?" Jackie asked, nudging her husband for an idea.
"Yeah … something great." He told her. "No idea what yet."
Kelly and Tim both hitched a ride to the airport with Vance who offered to drop them off the following morning. They packed their carry on luggage each and two huge suitcases each. As it now looked like they'd be flying home to DC. The insurance company was taking their times to approve the payout for the car.
"You sure you're going to be ok? I can have someone meet you at the airport. Gibbs, maybe, or Agent Dorneget ?"
"We'll be fine on the shuttle, Leon. My cars in Dad's garage, next to his truck. I'm sure Dad will have it ready for us again." Kelly told him. "He knows we don't have a car and he's expecting Tim at the yard."
Kelly and Leon hugged, he kissed the young woman's cheek and shook Tim's hand. Leon called out "Safe travels" with a wave and he watched as the duo made their way through security and into the departure terminal.
Kelly relaxed against him as he sipped his black hot coffee while they waited for their flight to board. "Tim, I know we're planning an engagement party for New Years Eve somewhere, we should really book something. Otherwise we have 75 people coming to nowhere." Kelly suggested.
"Once we land, I'll head in for a couple of hours and get work out the way. Tonight, we can get take out from Servetti's and cozy up in front of the fire and start doing some serious planning."
"I kind of, already invited Uncle Ducky to dinner. Dad's working, on call, I think. I thought we should tell he and Grandpa together. They should probably know before Thanksgiving, they're family." Kelly suggested. "We should probably get your family on Skype tonight and tell them too."
"I thought about that and already sent text messages and emails, requesting they join us. My Grandmother Penny will be on too, you'll have a chance to finally meet her. She doesn't know that your pregnant yet. But it should be fine with her. She's a very liberal woman. She's one of the first women who refused to change her name when she married Grandpa McGee." Tim explained the matriarch of the McGee family to her. "Oh and one more thing, never ever refer to her as a Grandmother." He made the sign of execution by making his forefinger into a knife and running it across his neck.
"Looking forward to meeting her." Kelly said optimistically, but Tim heard the dread and worry in her voice.
"Don't worry, she'll love you because I do." Tim promised.
After landing and deplaning at Dulles, they were headed into the arrivals area, on their way to baggage claim, surprised to see Ducky and Jackson. "Surprise!" Ducky exclaimed as he took Tim's and Kelly's bags and hugged them both tightly. "I have missed you both and yet, it's barely been two weeks since you were here last."
"Yeah and think of all that's happened, someone tried to kill Tim. Twice!" Kelly Gibbs spat out, angrily.
"Kel!" Tim hushed, trying to censor his fiancée. "We're in public, remember?" He prompted.
"Right, let's get the bags." Jackson said, steering his grand-daughter to baggage claim. "Got enough luggage there, Tim?" He teased the younger man.
"Too right," Ducky teased too, jovially agreeing with Jackson. "It looks like you're moving back here."
"We are." Tim admitted, smiling at the duo. "Just under twelve days I start my new post. You're looking at Balboa's new Senior Field Agent."
"Congratulations and welcome home, my lad." Ducky told him, shaking his hand.
"That's great Tim." Jackson added, shaking his hand too. "Let's get the bags and get to the car before they fine you, for all your unclaimed luggage."
At the house, Ducky helped Tim with the luggage. Tim thanked Ducky for fetching them from the airport, which Ducky was happy to do. Tim kissed Kelly goodbye and caught a ride with Ducky to the navy yard. Upon arrival, Keith the security guard welcomed Tim back to DC.
"McGee?" Matt Balboa asked as he saw the elevator open and Tim get off. "You're early."
"Just here to see Gibbs." Tim told him. "Thanks for picking me to be your SFA."
"It was no contest, Tim. The others were duds." Balboa replied. "Gibbs is due back any minute, he's down in the lab with Kasie. Seeing as you are here, gun range in 20 minutes?"
"Absolutely, I'll just take a seat and wait for Gibbs." He said as he made his way around into his old bullpen, sitting at Gibbs desk. "Have to report to him, still."
As usual, Gibbs hadn't locked his work station, relying on the fact no one would dare sit at his desk, as a security measure.
"Probie," Tony greeted. "I'm warning you, Gibbs isn't in a great mood, he's going to murder you. Sitting at his desk, drinking his coffee and using his computer. You do like to live dangerously, though, don't you?"
"I'll survive." Tim smirked, it was his coffee, not Gibbs' coffee. After all, they frequented the same coffee cart on base and the same cafe on base. Gibbs may have left his workstation open and Tim may have found a clue as to what the team was working on.
"Hey Stranger," Jimmy greeted him warmly, as he entered the bullpen. "Where's Gibbs?"
"Right behind ya, Jim." Gibbs said striding in, fresh coffee cup in hand. "What have ya got?"
"The murder weapon." Jimmy answered proudly. "He was murdered by this small pallet." He said, producing a small specimen jar. "About to take it to Kasie in the lab, see if she can match it to a gun."
"Good work Jim." Gibbs said, patting his back in appreciation.
"I have something to add." Tim said coming out from behind his former boss' desk, taking the clicker to their plasma. "That pallet is from a small arms paintball gun like this." He said putting a picture of the weapon on the plasma. "Only has a maximum range of six feet."
"That's great work, Tim." Gibbs said proudly, smiling at him. "Not even your case. How hard was that, DiNozzo?"
"I'm sure I would have worked it out eventually." Tony grumbled, annoyed at McGee for interfering in their investigation.
"He's only been here for two minutes, Gibbs." Matt Balboa added from over the partition. "Tim, when you're ready?" Gibbs watched as Tim and Balboa headed off, go bags on shoulder, weapons on their hips and into the elevator.
"That's how you solve the case, Tony." Ziva added, before redirecting her attention to the cctv footage she had been reviewing. "Only person within a six foot radius was Admiral Peterson."
"Let's go pick him up." Gibbs told the team as they trio geared up to arrest their murderer.
"Hey!" Gibbs called out as he came through the front door, after his work day was done. "Where did you and Balboa run off to today? You missed all the fun of arresting an Admiral and a fleet commander, thanks to you and your find."
"Firing range." Tim replied, giving him the option of a mug of hot, freshly brewed coffee or a bottle of beer. "That privilege can be all yours. It's not worth the paperwork. I was just nosing around your desk, waiting for you."
"You know, you really threw Tony off his game, nosing around my desk like that." Gibbs told Tim, taking the coffee mug, chuckling. "Flirting with danger, like that. Don't worry, it does Tony good to get his feather's ruffled like that once in a while. Seriously, that was good work today. I'm impressed. Nice to see all those workshops weren't a complete waste of time."
"Meanwhile, Ducky's ten minutes away, go wash up." Tim told Gibbs, hurrying him along. "Dinner's almost done."
Almost, exactly ten minutes later Ducky pulled up. Kelly and Tim had been in the kitchen for over an hour, preparing a delicious dinner of chicken breasts with lemon and tarragon sauce, baked potatoes and grilled green beans and grape tomatoes. "Dinners ready." Kelly called out as Gibbs bought Ducky into the dining room.
"What's this?" Ducky asked Gibbs in a teasing manner. "Dinner on fine china and in the formal dining room. In all the years I've known you, I think we've only eaten in here, three times total. What's going on?"
"It was Kell's idea." Gibbs told him as if that explained everything. The dinner table was set beautifully with linen napkins, a linen table cloth, delicate silverware, fine crystal glassware and a fine merlot opened and breathing.
"Take a seat, Uncle Duck." Kell said, kissing his cheek hello. "Grandpa, do you want some wine too?"
"Thanks Kel-bel." Jackson replied as Gibbs poured three glasses of wine and Grapetiser mineral water for Kell.
"Dinner is served." Tim announced bringing out their meal, on a serving platter.
"Timothy, Kelly, this looks delicious." Ducky said as his mouth watered.
"Thank you, Uncle Duck." Kelly said.
Dinner was thoroughly enjoyed, and Tim had served a decadent chilled lemon pudding with raspberries and whipped chantilly cream on top. "We have an ulterior motive for asking you for dinner, Ducky." Tim began, reaching for Kelly's hand under the dining table, giving her hand a small squeeze in support. Gibbs gave Tim and Kelly an encouraging smile. "We're about to let you in on our little secret."
"On Friday night," Kelly began, smiling softly at Tim. "Tim took me to dinner at our favourite restaurant on the estuary of New River. After dinner, we walked along the esplanade, we stopped and watched the lights twinkle on the water and there was a few flurries of snow fluttering down. He asked to marry him and I said yes."
Ducky and Jackson were both speechless, for about five seconds. "Congratulations!" Ducky gushed, proudly. He was trying to hold back his tears of joy at the engagement news.
"Congratulations sweetheart!" Jackson echoed. Kelly offered her left hand over the table for the two elder gentlemen to admire the ring that adorned her finger. "That's my Anne's ring. It was your Mumma's too, and my Mumma's. Now it's yours Sweetheart. How?"
"My father-in-law actually." Gibbs told Jackson. "He removed it from Shanney's hand and gave them back to me, he told me to keep them for Kelly. When Tim asked me for my blessing a while back, I gave him the rings with my blessings."
Hugs and kisses were shared and Ducky toasted the happy couple. "We'd like to announce our engagement at your annual thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night, if that's ok with you, Uncle Duck?"
"I'd be honoured and I have the perfect champagne that we can toast your engagement with. I'll have it chilling all ready to go tomorrow night." He said, truly touched. "Have you told your family yet, Timothy?"
"We have a Skype call scheduled very shortly. I'm sure they will all be over the moon for us." Tim told them. "Penny's finally near civilisation. She hasn't even met Kelly yet, so they'll be able to meet too."
"Have you planned anything yet, for the wedding?" Jackson asked.
"Just that we'll be having an engagement party on New Years Eve, somewhere here in the city." Kelly told them, sharing another secret smile with Tim.
The tablet began ringing in the other room as Ducky, Jackson and Gibbs broke open a new bottle of bourbon, the good stuff. "Hey!" Kelly answered, as everyone slowly joined in the conversation. Phil was in his office at the White House, as was Clay in his office at the Pentagon, Clare was in their family living room, Lucy was in her apartment, Sam was in her house in Louisiana and Penny was in her office at the University, where she was currently teaching, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "Everyone here?" Kelly asked as Tim joined her in one of the arm chairs.
"Penny!" Tim greeted his grandmother. "This is Kelly. Kel, this is my Penny." Tim introduced them with a cheeky grin.
"I can see that dear." Penny told him, curtly. "Kelly it's lovely to meet you, although to be fair I didn't know you existed until two minutes before you answered the call."
"You've been away too long then, Penny." Clay told her. "Kelly's been adopted and accepted by our family for quite a while now. They're a beautiful couple. Clare's been begging them to come visit up on the Cape, too."
"My tour has been extended too." She announced. "I won't be back until the end of next year now." Penny said, with little emotion or regret at the announcement and how it may affect Tim.
"You'll miss the birth of our baby!" Tim pouted, he felt slighted and hurt that the baby's Great-Grandmother wouldn't be home in time to meet their baby.
"Baby?" Penny asked. "Timothy McGee, you got a girl pregnant?! How could you? You wonder why your Father and you fought all the time, you never listen to anyone. Always doing your own thing."
"Enough Penelope!" Phil chastised her, cutting off her rant. "John had his own issues with Tim that was unconnected to Tim's listening skills. He's over eighteen. Both physically and in the eyes of the law he's an adult. He's old enough to make his own decisions, too. You can't lecture him anymore."
"Ok, both of you stop it!" Tim snapped, getting fed up with them all. "I, ... Ah we, that is, ... were calling with some news we want to share with you all. Didn't expect to be grilled for my life's choices, Penny. Didn't expect it, but not surprised!" He said glaring at Penny with a frown.
"What's your news, honey?" Clare asked, breaking through the thick tension between the Jarvis-Davenport family and the McGee matriarch.
"First up, I got promoted and I'm moving back to DC." Tim announced before cutting off their well wishes and congratulations. "Secondly, this is the main reason we set this up. On Friday night, I asked Kelly to marry me. She said yes."
All of a sudden there was an explosion of well wishes and excitement. Tim turned the tablet around to show Gibbs, Jackson and Ducky having a celebratory drink too. Penny didn't react to anything, she didn't congratulate them, or even react. She simply disconnected the call. "We're having a huge celebration of our engagement in DC on New Years Eve, location to be confirmed soon. Hope you all can make it." Kelly told them.
All of them agreed and they would make sure to be in DC in plenty of time. They were all excited to be attending, too. "I'll be there, but Will is working." Sam told them, referring to her longtime boyfriend and father of her baby. He was in a band, so it was highly likely he'd be busy that night. Tim had known and expected that, already.
"We'll tell you where it is, just waiting to hear back from a couple of places." Tim promised them.
"Need some help getting a last minute booking, call me. I have all sorts of contacts in and around DC." Phil told them before signing off.
"Congratulations again, guys." Clay added before he too, signed off.
One by one, the rest of them signed off, before it rang again. A single call from Penny, this time. "Timothy!" She greeted him firmly. "What's this about a baby and marriage?"
"I have been with Kelly for almost a year now, Penny. We're having a baby, due in May and I asked her to marry me." Tim told her. "You can either support us, or you'll miss out on being in our lives." Tim felt a hand clasp his shoulder and looked up to see Gibbs hand clamped down in support, just like that day in Penny's kitchen when the Admiral had been murdered.
"I just don't think that you're in a position to be a father, Timothy." Penny told him, trying to make her Grandson see her point of view. "You're only just where you want to be now, career-wise. Do you really want to throw that away for a chance to be a father?"
"Yeah, I do. If they're your real feelings then, Penny I don't think you can be in our lives." Tim told Penny. "I have nothing more to say to you." Tim's hands hovered over the disconnect button.
"You're just like your father Timothy, too stubborn and too bull-headed, you allow women to just walk all over you. You've allowed this woman to trap you." Penny argued with her Grandson. "Get out while you still can."
"That woman is going to be my wife, whether you like it or not. You will treat her with respect." Tim told Penny in a low, angry voice. "Until you can treat Kelly and our unborn child with respect, you're not welcome in our lives. I have nothing else to say to you. Goodbye!" Tim disconnected the call.
"Proud of you, Timmo." Gibbs told him after Ducky had left and Jackson went to bed. "It's not easy to stand up against a loved one like that."
"She's just like the Admiral, always controlling." Tim told him with a sigh. "If it comes down to choosing between Kelly and the Grandmother that's never been there for me. Kel's going to win, hands down every time."
Gibbs wasn't sure if that required a response from him or not. "How's the engagement party planning going?"
"Good, got a meeting on Skype meeting Wednesday." Tim told him.
"Do I get to know where?" Gibbs asked the duo, trying to garner more information from the couple.
"It's a surprise, Dad." Kelly told Gibbs. "We'll tell you soon."
The following day was successful for Tim and Kelly, they managed to secure a location for their engagement celebration/New Years Eve party. They parted ways and Kelly met up with her friend Natalie and they went shopping. Tim met Gibbs for an early light lunch before going off in search of a new car. The insurance company had finally paid out on Tim's car and surprisingly, he got almost what he'd originally paid for the car. He and Kelly had shortlisted three cars they both liked from looking online and Gibbs was along to help Tim test drive them.
In the end, Tim settled on the same car he previously had, in the newer model, which also included heated seats and a higher safety rating that the model Tim's had. Placing the order for the car that would hopefully be delivered before Christmas, otherwise it would be early in the new year.
Kelly had made some berry compote for go with the traditional Israeli cheesecake Ziva had made for dessert. Jimmy and Breena had bought a huge assortment of delicious baked vegetables, Tony of course made his traditional pasta bake as an entree, Gibbs got his traditional bread rolls from their favourite bakery, Tim had made a green salad to go on the side with the mains and had also made a charcuterie board for some pre-appetiser nibbles. Jackson had picked up some nuts and dried fruits to nibble on, Fornell bought his traditional after-dinner bottle of scotch and Kasie - who was the newest guest to the Mallard manor family thanksgiving dinner bought some red and white wines.
"Happy Thanksgiving" Ducky toasted everyone before he served Tony's pasta bake. After the disaster and Penny's reaction to Tim's news the night before, he had left the news in Kelly's hands to announce, despite Gibbs, Jackson and Kelly all telling him, he did nothing wrong.
Between dinner and dessert, Tony was complaining that, once again, he'd eaten too much already. Kelly stood up suddenly. "I'd like to make a toast." She said raising her glass filled with soda line and bitters. "First to Ducky, for hosting this amazing meal and once again, you've outdone yourself. I'm truly thankful that I have you in my life Uncle Duck. I'm thankful for my new friends Tony, Jimmy and Breena. Thankful for my new sister that I've gained in Ziva. For my Uncle Toby, for always keeping Dad on his toes, for Grandpa, for coming all this way to celebrate with us. I'm thankful to you Dad, for bringing Tim into my life, if you'd never hired Tim, then I'd never have met Tim - the love of my life. Most of all, I am thankful to you, Tim. For everything you do for me, for all the love we share and life we live together. But most of all, I'm thankful that I'm going to be your wife."
Gibbs watched for everyone's reactions. "Slàinte" Ducky toasted the loved up couple. "This calls for some champagne." He hurried off to the kitchen and quickly returned with two bottles of chilled champagne a bottle of sparkling apple juice, bottles he'd pre-chilled earlier, just for the occasion. "Breena my dear, in the cupboard behind you is a gold tray with some glasses on it, if you could please bring them out for me, that would be a huge help." As Breena moved to help Ducky, the news seemed to sink in for everyone else.
"Congratulations guys." Tony said scooping Tim into a half hug and fist bumping Kelly, still afraid of her growing belly. The story Ziva told him of Kelly yelling at Gibbs, Vance and Ducky, scared him stiff.
"Yes Congratulations! I was not expecting to hear such fantastic news." Ziva added excitedly, hugging and kissing them both.
"This is the best news ever." Jimmy gushed as he shook Tim's hand and kissed Kelly's cheek.
Tony started cackling like a hen in a hen house, all of a sudden. "Gibbs is going to be your father-in-law, Probie." He panted in between laughs. "Oh Probie, poor you. Let me guess, you played rule eighteen. There's no way you manned up and asked for permission."
"Actually, since we are both adults, we don't need Gibbs' permission, Tony." Tim told him proudly and Tony was shocked at Tim's response.
"He did ask for my blessing though." Gibbs said proudly "and it was happily given."
"It's not like you really had a choice, though Boss. Probie knocked your daughter up." He told Gibbs and Gibbs head slapped the man, hard. He was getting frustrated at Tony.
"Not my choice who she marries, DiNozzo, it's Kelly's decision who she marries." Gibbs told him. "But I'm going to be honoured to have Tim as a son in law."
"Can I gag him, Gibbs?" Fornell asked. "Seriously though, Congratulations you two. Planning a wedding Tim, I don't envy you a bit." Tobias shuddered at the memory of when he and Diane married and what it was like planning the wedding.
Breena was handing out the champagne flutes to everyone to toast the newly engaged couple and she handed a special flute to Kelly, one with sparkling apple juice, not champagne in it. "Don't worry about Tony, he's got foot in mouth disease." She told Kelly with a wink. "That was better than his reaction to the news of my engagement to Jimmy. Tony doesn't handle commitment very well."
"Can I just say this has been one of the best thanksgiving dinners I've ever been to?" Kasie added. "It was like dinner and a show. Plus Tony got a verbal and physical smack down!"
"Always a good night when I get to smack DiNizzo." Gibbs stated, sending a conspiratorial grin and wink towards Kasie.
"Thank you all." Tim told them, humbly and grateful. "We are having a big engagement party to celebrate on New Years Eve at the Mayflower Hotel. You're all invited."
"A party?" Tony asked, "now you're talking!" Getting excited about their engagement.
"It's formal dress." Kelly told Tony. "That means suit and tie." Gibbs, Fornell and Ducky exchanged a look between the three of them.
"Hey boss, are you gonna moonlight or just get a second job?" Tony asked in jest. "The Mayflower Hotel, that's a pretty snazzy place for an engagement party."
"Shut up, DiNozzo!" Gibbs warned him, knowing Tony was just digging a deeper hole for himself.
"Shutting up, boss." Tony answered automatically, in self-preservation mode.
After dinner was over and everyone said good night to each other, Gibbs Jackson, Kelly and Tim arrived back at the Gibbs family home. Jackson immediately headed off to bed. "So you two are really getting married?" Gibbs asked as the trio settled in on the sofa and Jackson headed off to bed, having partaken in a little too much bubbly.
"Yeah Dad, you already knew that." Kelly told him, worrying her Dad might be finally losing the plot or that Tony had finally driven him crazy.
"I know, but you guys have an engagement party organised, now." Gibbs explained, hoping to pry some more details from the couple.
"That reminds me, you two are meeting Tony at his tailor's shop in North park tomorrow morning. Tim has the address. You two are getting new suits for the party." Kelly told her father. "The suits we talked about Tim!" She reminded him with a look.
"Right, we need new suits." Tim confirmed to Gibbs, causing Gibbs to chuckle at the young man and his antics.
"Ok Kell!" Gibbs replied, hoping to keep her delicate balance of hormones in check.
The following morning at 0700 hours, Gibbs was surprised to hear someone knocking on his front door and opened the door to see Jackie Vance on the doorstep, alone, rental car in driveway. "Come in." He told her, ushering her in and out of the cold. "For future reference, it's always unlocked, just come in. Is everything ok?"
"Of course it is, why wouldn't it be?" Jackie asked, smiling and reached up and kissed his cheek as she let herself into the Gibbs family home. "Is Kelly ready yet?"
Gibbs was extremely confused as he poured his a cup of coffee for the wife of his almost new boss. Kelly appeared in the doorway shortly after, wearing slacks and blouse with ankle boots, blazer and over coat slung over her forearm and a sleepy Tim in his NCIS sweats by her side. "Morning Dad." Kell kissed him as she poured coffee for Tim and made a cup of tea for herself. Tim practically inhaled his coffee and went back for seconds which made Gibbs chuckle. In all the time he and Kelly had been together he'd never seen Tim anything less than put together first thing in the morning.
"Hey Jackie." Tim finally greeted the woman, warmly after he'd consumed his second cup.
"I see you're more human now you have caffeine in you." She teased her young friend.
"We'll see you two later on today." Kelly said kissing Tim goodbye before she and Jackie climbed into Jackie's rental and sped off down the street.
"What was that?!" Gibbs asked Tim as he returned from his shower so that the two of them could meet Tony at his tailor's shop.
"Beats me." Tim replied, hoping he pulled off a flippant attitude to throw Gibbs off their trail. They weren't ready to let him in on their secret yet.
On the way to the shop, Tim was in his own little world when suddenly he was pulled back into reality by Gibbs. "What's Kelly and Jackie up to today?" Gibbs asked suddenly and Tim knew he was one question away from his future father-in-law interrogating him.
"House hunting maybe or some kind of shopping." Tim answered. "Honestly I wasn't really listening to her." Gibbs glared at him with that new information and Tim hurried to explain with a sly grin. "I had other things on my mind, last night. She was wearing this cute, little, barely there …"
"Got it!" Gibbs said slapping his future son in law gently on the back of the forehead. "She may soon be your wife, but she's still my daughter." He reminded Tim.
"She might be your daughter, may become my wife, but will always be the mother of my child." Tim answered Gibbs in return, cheekily.
"Touché." Gibbs told him. "I should know better than to debate logistics with a writer."
"Like needling a seamstress or teaching the teacher?" Tim asked.
"I surrender, already." Gibbs laughed and held his hands up in the air in a mocking tone. "Nothing like a touch of word play with the writer. By the way, your new book is amazing, I couldn't put it down. You've definitely been busy down there in North Carolina."
"Not really, half of it was written here in DC. There's another book that'll be released in the new year, that was written in North Carolina." Tim told him.
"Geez, you're a machine. Do you ever sleep?" Gibbs asked jokingly, before he realised that he probably didn't sleep as well as he should. He himself barely got six hours and knew Tim ran on less sleep than he did - most of the time.
The suit measurements went well and Tim treated Gibbs to a coffee at the diner afterwards. "Look at you!" Elaine exclaimed to Tim, pulling him for a quick hug and holding him at arms length to examine him. "You look great Tim. We've missed you and Kelly around here." She told him.
"We've missed you too. Found a diner in Jacksonville, but it's not yours." Tim told her in a whisper.
"Tell Elaine the rest." Gibbs prompted him, encouraging him to open up more.
"Oh and I've been transferred back to DC. We're coming home." Tim told her and she congratulated him.
"That's not all. We have an exciting year coming up, Tim here, is marrying my Kell." Gibbs said proudly. "And they're got a baby on the way."
"Aww, congratulations. You know, I thought she might have had a bun in the oven. Kelly doesn't turn down my boozy coffee sponge cake for no reason at all." Elaine told Tim with a wink. "My guess is the baby's due around in April or end of April."
"Second week of May." Tim confirmed, with a shy smile.
"She wasn't as far along as I thought." Elaine replied. "Congratulations Grandpa."
"Poppy, Grandpa is due here any minute! You already knew, Elaine?" Gibbs asked shocked.
"Been waiting for ya to tell me for a while now, Gunny." Elaine said with a wink as she filled his mug. "Like I said, at their going away party, Kelly said no to my boozy coffee cake. She loves that cake."
"We didn't find out until after, only suspected." Tim explained to Elaine that Kelly had probably been erring on the side of caution. "Do you still close every New Years Eve?" Tim asked, hoping that their long time friend could make it to their engagement party without losing a day's trading.
"Yep, it's one of our two days off for the whole year. Why?" She asked, suddenly curious what Tim was up to.
"Wanna come to a party, on us?" Tim asked. "Dress in your Sunday best for our joint engagement party and New Year's Eve celebration bash. We've booked the District Ballroom at the Mayflower Hotel in the city."
"Tyson and I will be there." She confirmed, referring to her husband who helped her run the diner.
Tim and Kelly flew out on the 1900 flight to Jacksonville, alongside Jackie and Jackson, who offered to come along as originally planned and help them pack up their belongings. While Gibbs met his friend Tobias for late dinner at their favourite steakhouse. "So father of the bride?" He teased his friend as soon as the waitress left with their orders. "I can't believe that Kelly is getting married. Where has the time gone, Gibbs?"
"Tell me and we'll both know." Gibbs quipped. "But Tim's good for her." He admitted. "I wasn't sure in the beginning, but I was wrong. Rule fifty-one, Tobias."
"He is good for her and I'll happily admit that I had been wrong in the beginning." Tobias replied.
"You were looking out for her, nothing wrong about that." Gibbs told his friend, pseudo brother. "Tim had some other news he didn't announce at thanksgiving dinner. I don't know why he didn't announce it, though." Gibbs began explaining. "They'll be all moved back in with me permanently, within the next week. Tim got promoted to a SFA position on Balboa's MCRT team."
"Hell Jethro, that man's crazy smart. He's going to be running NCIS soon enough." Tobias told his friend his opinion of the newest member of the Gibbs Family. "I stayed with them for two weeks. I had no idea how smart he actually was. Or that he has a doctorate in Justice and Criminology, no less."
"Yep, I can see him as Director one day, too. Kelly already knows enough about procedure and policy at NCIS to a good Director's wife." Gibbs told Tobias.
"We need to find out what that former Director's beef is with him. So that she and Abby can leave him alone and let them live their lives in peace." Tobias added, after he'd heard from both Leon and Gibbs what had happened in their home in North Carolina, he also had read and printed the copies of the reports from the Jacksonville PD Bomb Squad too.
"What do ya got?" Gibbs asked his friend, referring to the FBI's investigation into Jenny Shepard and Abby Sciuto and their attacks on Tim and Gibbs.
"Nothing, no leads worth pursuing yet. If anything pans out, I promise that I'll bring you in, my friend." Tobias told him.
As their mains arrived the topics turned to Kelly making Gibbs get a suit tailor-made for the engagement party and Jackie's peculiar arrival earlier in the day. "I'm telling ya, it's weird." Gibbs said suspiciously. "Kelly just keeps saying she wants everyone looking their best and wants me and Tim in a suit we haven't worn for work before."
"Makes sense, she's marrying Tim, not NCIS." Tobias told him. "But I agree, something's up with this engagement party of their's. Who goes all out on an elegant engagement party at the Mayflower Hotel of all places?"
"They do. I think this part of it, is all Kelly's doing." Gibbs told his friend. "The Mother's Day before Shanney died, we'd been arguing a lot in the lead up to it, about how I'm never home and to make it up to both of the girls, I booked us a fancy high tea at the Mayflower. All of us dressed in our very best and had an elegant high tea there. It was the last time the three of us went somewhere together. She could be trying to keep Shanney's memory alive and involved in her engagement."
"Could be, or it could be a surprise wedding?" Tobias offered. "Ducky seemed to think that might be a more plausible possibility. We were in the library discussing it over scotch after everyone else left."
"What the hell is a surprise wedding?" Gibbs asked, never having heard of the phrase before.
"Ask everyone to show up to a party and 'surprise, it's a wedding.' That's a possibility, too." He explained to Gibbs flippantly.
"On New Years Eve, I highly doubt it." Gibbs answered, "besides who wants their wedding anniversary to be on New Years Eve?"
"So where did Mrs Vance and Kelly go?" He asked Gibbs.
"House hunting, most likely, just like Tim thought." Gibbs told him. "He is the newly appointed Director of NCIS. The press releases went out this morning."
"Ok, I'll give you that one." Tobias conceded that particular point.
"Do you think, and stop me if you think it's weird, should I encourage Kell to invite Diane to the engagement? We were married for six years. If it were Emily getting engaged …"
"Uncle Gibbs would definitely be getting invited." Tobias finished his friend's thought. He had been pondering how to bring it up with his friend. Especially since Tobias knew that Diane was planning on reaching out to the young woman that she considered a second daughter. "I think Diane would be touched. I know for a long time after you guys split, Kelly and Diane were still talking to each other. I'm sure Emily and Kelly keep her abreast of what's happening in both our lives."
"Diane always knew she couldn't take Shannon's place in Kelly's life." Gibbs stated firmly, "She always respected Kelly like that. She helped me raise her through the bulk of those crucial pubescent years. The invitation should come from me though, not Kelly and Tim."
"What? As a peace offering? You want to make peace with her?" He asked.
"More like an olive branch of truce." Gibbs laughed. "For one night. After all, fighting with Diane is the best part of being divorced from her."
"Agreed." Tobias said, raising his glass to that. "Cheers."
Back in Jacksonville, Kelly, Tim and Jackson arrived to find that the house was still not released from the Jacksonville PD. Leon arranged for temporary lodging for them on base and under the supervision of the Jacksonville PD bomb squad commander, all of their possessions were removed from their home.
They're taking the older Gibbs to their favourite fancy restaurant for dinner one last time the following evening. Tim had to work a half day and Kelly and Jackson hit the shops starting their Christmas shopping. Somehow Jackson had manoeuvred Kelly into a baby store for 'just a quick look'. Kell was sidetracked looking at cute little baby outfits and when she found Jackson he was listening to the melody that various crib mobiles played. "Ah Kel-bel, there you are." Jackson greeted her, as she caught up to him. "Which one do you prefer? The elephants or the rabbits?"
"The elephants?" She answered, unsure of what had been happening. Surrounding her Grandfather was all these different crib mobiles, open and the sales girl was slowly repackaging them and putting them back on shelf.
"The elephants it is, Kel-bel." He smiled at her in a megawatt grin. As he took the elephants with him and they made their way to the register.
"Here" Jackson told Kelly as they sat down to lunch at the diner. "From me, for the baby. It's first gift from Great-Grandpa Jackson. You're Dad's not wanting to be called Grandpa, right?"
"He's Poppy, thanks Grandpa, but you didn't have to get the baby a gift." Kelly told her Grandfather, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly.
"I did actually because that mobile plays the same lullaby your Great-Grandma Esme used to sing to me, the one she sang to your Daddy too. She taught it to your Grandma Anne and she'd sing it to your Daddy too. When you were born, I taught it to your Mumma and Daddy. Now your little one can learn it too, from you and Timothy. I had it in an old music box at home but it stopped working when you were small. I didn't think I'd ever hear it again." Kelly was tearing up, seeing her Grandpa looking overwhelmed with emotion as he explained why that melody was so special to him. "I'm not going to be around forever Kel-bel and this isn't the only child you're going to be blessed with. My memory needs to live on and it will in this sweet, sweet melody."
"Does it have a name?" She asked, completely ignoring the fact that one day in the future she might lose her Grandpa and that Jackson was aware of it.
"I'm sure it does. Your Great-Grandma Esme would have written it down somewhere. But I don't know the name of it." Jackson replied before complaining. "Come on Kel-bel, let's eat. I'm starving."
"Eat light Grandpa, the food is amazing tonight and we have an early dinner reservation." Kelly advised him, before they settled in and had their meals.
"Welcome back, heard you impressed both your new boss and your old one." Leon teased him as he came in to start his day. Today, he was officially wrapping up his duties on the taskforce. He'd have a couple of days to finish up paperwork and by the middle of next week he'd be leaving North Carolina to return to DC. To live at his father in law's house.
"My new boss is easily impressed and the old one, let's just say maybe he'll appreciate what he's lost now." Tim chuckled.
"I'll say." Vance told him conspiratorially. "How'd the announcement go?"
"Ok, except for a couple of notable people." Tim replied, as he reached over to boot up his system.
"Ignore them. People like that ain't worth your time." Leon advised him, pulling up the chair in front of Tim's desk, taking a seat.
"Neither are able to be ignored. DiNozzo, he's problem is he's just against commitment. My grandmother Penny, she's really angry. I haven't even seen her in over a year. Before that it was two years. She's been often absent in my life, but thinks she should be in control of it. Her work and her students are more important than her family. She's exactly like the Admiral." Tim explained the situation with the McGee family matriarch and Vance remembered what Gibbs had said about her when Tim had been attacked by the dog.
"Not a quality you share with either of them, my friend." Leon reminded him, as a matter of fact. "Of course, your firecracker of a fiancée has a lot to answer for there."
"Did I hear fiancée?" Grady interrupted them. "Everyone little Timmy got engaged!"
"Thanks for sharing that private information with the rest of the group." Tim remarked to Grady dryly, who was just as irritating and condescending as his predecessor Driscoll. "By the way, my name is Tim, it's not Timmy or little Timmy, it's Tim."
"Grady!" Vance bellowed in his best Director's voice! "Unacceptable! I run a tight ship here. You're a special Agent, not a special idiot. We have policies in this workplace regarding confidentiality, bullying and a code of conduct of which all employees must adhere to. Let's discuss today's violations in my office."
Tim ignored most of the chatter from the other workstations and focused on his own work blocking everything else out. A knock on his desk caught his attention and he looked up to see Teen knocking. "Hey, I heard a little birdie finally popped the big question." Teen teased in a low voice, pulling a chair up close to sit by his desk.
"Well yeah." Tim blushed, minimising the screen he was working on. "You speak with Kell?"
"Gibbs, actually. He told me to come find you." Teen admitted with a sheepish smile. "Well?"
"Yeah, I was hoping to treat you to lunch." Tim told her truthfully. He didn't want to mention their engagement party in the squad room because with the exception of Leon, Teen, Mike and his wife Kathryn. No one else from NCIS Carolina's office is invited . "Tell you all about it over lunch?"
"Well, lead on Macduff." Teen retorted.
"Cute, real cute." Tim deadpanned with a cheeky grin. "Even though that's a misquote. That's been around for about 160 years, it's actually 'lay on, Macduff.'"
"That should teach me. Trying to smarten myself up. I'm on a path to self betterment." Teen explained.
"You're plenty smart already, Teen. Come on, I'll tell you why over lunch." Tim hurried her away from his bullpen and down to the cafe for lunch.
"Hey" Gibbs greeted Tim as he answered the ringing tablet as soon as he entered their base housing that afternoon.
"Oh hey," Tim replied surprised, he'd been expecting Teen to call, not Gibbs. "Kind of early for you to call, is everything ok?"
"Yeah, was hoping to catch you and Kell. Needed to check something with you guys really quick."
"What is it? Maybe I can help." Tim offered.
"Have you discussed inviting any of my ex-wives?" Gibbs asked, hesitantly.
"No, we hadn't. But Kelly only kinda liked one. Not the other two." Tim told him and Gibbs didn't look surprised.
"Yeah" Gibbs said, running his hand over his head in frustration. "I know."
"Look, best to leave that decision to you two to sort out." Tim laughed, steering clear of that one. "She should be home any moment though. Her and Jackson went Christmas shopping in Jacksonville. While I caught up with Teen for lunch today, causing a SFA on the taskforce to think I'm now cheating on your daughter with Teen."
"Wait, I thought Driscoll was re-assigned to the San Diego Field Office."
"He was and his replacement, Grady, is even worse."
"It's almost over and done with, Tim. We all know you're not and in three more days you won't work there anymore. We do need to work out how to get Kell's boat back home, though."
"We're in the temp base lodgings. The trailer is in Vance's garage and the boat's still moored." Tim explained their situation.
"What if you guys sold it and I gifted you three the one I'm building now, it won't be ready until the baby's old enough to go on board anyway. I could make it into a family vessel easily enough." Gibbs offered.
"Sounds like another decision for you and Kell."
"I think I better just try her cell." Gibbs laughed. "Her and Jack could be shopping 'til midnight though."
"Thank goodness the shops close at six around here." Tim laughed. "Besides we have dinner reservations at 1900 tonight."
"I'm sure they're not far away." Gibbs reassured him. "Have Kell call me back after dinner."
"So this is the infamous restaurant on the estuary New River." Jackson said, looking around the room. This Tim Tim had requested their favourite table overlooking the water. "Look at that view."
"See the lookout over there, Grandpa" Kelly asked. "Tim asked me to marry him right there."
"Beautiful place." Jackson commented, looking out on to the water again. The waitress came and they ordered some drinks, all choosing to steer clear of alcohol and sticking to the non-alcoholic choices.
As they ate, Kelly told her Grandpa about the first time Tim bought her here and what he promised her down there on the lookout. "I knew back then that I was going to ask you to be my wife." Tim said with a smile. "Like I told Kelly, everyone needed time to get used to the idea. I don't think that Gibbs and I would get along as well as if I proposed back then. We both needed time. He needed to get used tot he idea and to me, I needed to prove that I was a man of my word."
"For what it's worth, I knew when I saw you two on that first trip to Stillwater." Jackson told him. "I was watching the two of you on the Saturday morning, as you two we're getting ready to go into town. Then I saw it as you two strolled down Main Street, hand in hand. You stopped and Kel-bel looked up at you and you were looking at her. I just knew, you guys were in it for the long haul."
"I'm going to miss this place," Kelly sighed sadly.
"But back to Virginia, we have Servetti's." Tim supplied. "You're not going to be pregnant forever and soon enough you'll be able to have Chianti again, beer, bourbon, wine, tequila, anything alcoholic that your tastebuds desire."
"If we're having all that, Grandpa or Poppy better be baby-sitting." Kelly joked. "But I do miss our Servetti's and Chianti date nights."
"We're going to have to find a rental too. The townhouse is leased until end of July." Tim suggested, finally verbalising their living situation. "Maybe we can get a short-term apartment. We've got the baby due in May too."
"Nonsense!" Jackson chastised Tim. "Leroy wouldn't hear of it, I'm sure you three will be plenty settled upstairs in Leroy's home. He wouldn't want you to waste your money on a rental and he will relish the extra time with his grandchild. Plus, I can come to stay more frequently. My young assistant Cooper wants to buy me out. Retirements finally calling my name."
"Let's just get through this move, first." Kelly told them both.
After dinner, Tim paid the check and the trio headed back to base. Tim got changed and headed over to Colonel Henderson's office for a meeting, while Kelly spoke with her father on tablet.
Gibbs was pottering away, tidying up after dinner when the tablet rang. Grabbing it, he settled himself on the sofa and answered it, surprised to find Kelly on the other end. They touched on the boat, which Teen said she'd buy off Gibbs and Gibbs was planning to start a savings account for the baby with it. He wasn't sure how to bring Diane up. But Kelly saved him from having to do so by asking him if they should invite Diane. "She was my stepmother the longest, we should invite her. She's not going to start any crap there." Kelly stated.
"It's Diane, her crap is always a possibility." Gibbs advised Kelly.
"Let me call her and see if she wants to come to the engagement party." Kelly offered. "I'm sure she will come."
"When are you two flying in permanently?" Gibbs asked his daughter, secretly looking forward to both of them coming home, to stay.
"Saturday morning, our flight gets in at 9am."Kelly told her father.
"I'll be at baggage claim with a trolley by 9." Gibbs confirmed as he blew a Kell a kiss goodbye and disconnected the call.
Tim's final days in the Carolina office were slow, but productive and peaceful. Jackson had departed for home on the Thursday morning and it had just been Kelly and Tim for their last night in base housing. "This is it," Leon said to Tim, late Friday afternoon. "I'll see you in DC for New Years."
"In your best, I hope?" Tim asked.
"Jackie said she's going to organise our clothes." Leon said dramatically, knowing what his wife was like when they attended a social event together.
"Great. We'll see you there." Tim said, pleased Jackie was taking control. Jackie had been bought up to speed and let in on on their true plans.
"I'm looking forward to it." Leon stated, "but can I just say, it's been a pleasure working with you and getting to know you away from DC and out from under the MCRT shadow?"
"Thanks, we've enjoyed our time down here, but we must go where we're needed." Tim said softly.
The two men shook hands and waved off one another before Tim headed back to the base housing, for their final inspection, which went as planned. After that, he and Kell would spend their last night at the hotel across from the airport, before flying on to Dulles in the morning.
The following morning, Tim secured a luggage cart from the check in and met Kell in the lobby. The bellboy helped him load their luggage onto the cart. With another six large cases in total and a small carry on, Kelly and Tim made their way across the road, to the terminal to check their luggage before finding some breakfast in the terminal.
With their luggage checked and loaded, breakfast found and eaten, coffee consumed, Tim purchased a book and Kelly a bridal magazine and they settled in to wait for their flight to be called.
The flight was unremarkable and landed promptly at 0855, as scheduled.
"We're home." Tim whispered to Kelly as they made their way down the gangway, into the terminal and onto baggage claim. Kelly stopped Tim, just before they reach baggage claim. "It's time, Tim." She told him smiling widely, her hands resting on her small baby bump. "We've got to tell Dad the truth about our engagement party."
"In the car on the way to the house." Tim confirmed, pulling her into a hug and kissing her softly right there in the busy terminal.
"There you two are." Gibbs teased. "We're you two the last ones off the plane or something?"
"Something like that." Kell quipped, winking at Tim.
"Let's grab our luggage and get back to the house." Tim added, before Gibbs suddenly head-slapped him.
"It's not the house Tim, it's your home now, too. You're both welcome to stay as long as you like." Gibbs reminded him. "It's our home, all of us."
Gibbs and Tim made light work of finding the bags, which made Gibbs grateful and Tim was glad that they had paid the extra money to have their bags checked as priority luggage, so they wouldn't wait too long for their luggage.
"Out with it, you two." Gibbs said as soon as they were on the freeway to Alexandria. "You two have been keeping a huge secret from me, since the two of you got engaged. You've been like the cat who got the cream."
"You know we're having a huge engagement party, right?" Kelly asked and Gibbs nodded at her. "We're having a surprise wedding. You can't tell anyone and we mean anyone. Only you and Jackie know. That's it."
"Married? On New Years Eve? Are you two crazy?" Gibbs asked, laughing at his daughter and future son-in-law. "Tim, you could have told me sooner."
"We couldn't risk anyone, especially Jackson finding out." Tim explained.
"Exactly how are you two planning to pull this off?" Gibbs asked through his laughter.
"Easy" Kelly answered, as her and Tim told Gibbs exactly how the night was going to play out.