Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any of their characters, plots ect… If I did, Twilight would never have happened. I am in Twilight Denial…. I do however, own Tiana, as well as anyone else you don't recognize….
Chapter Twenty:
It had taken Tony almost an hour to persuade Tia that thumping Gibbs for interrogating him would perhaps not enhance their burgeoning father-daughter relationship. She had reluctantly agreed with him, but decided that messing with his mind would be a fitting way to punish him. A few phone calls later and her plan was under way.
The next morning, Tia sent Tony off to work with a smile and a kiss, something that should have sent alarm bells off in his head as Tia was usually dead to the world in the morning. He'd made the mistake once of waking her up before he left for work, and had been forced to explain the resulting black-eye to his workmates. But Tony's mind was focused on the 'Three Of Eight' case and the attempted murder of General Bradbury, not totally on Tia as it usually was, so Tony left for work completely unaware that his day was about to get very interesting.
Once Tony had left, Tia called Abby for a chat, then quickly showered and dressed before settling down with her knitting to wait for phase one of her plan to arrive.
Abby and McGee had been about to play 'rock-paper-scissors' to decide which one of them would have to tell Gibbs about their baby when Abby had answered her phone. Tia had mysteriously asked them not to tell Gibbs until the end of the day, and had warned Abby that she was coming in to visit and was bringing a present with her. So McGee was relieved, he wasn't in imminent danger of being killed by Gibbs just yet, but curiosity about Tia's present to Abby might kill him first.
Later that morning, Tia flashed her fake badge at security and was happily waved through. She shifted Abby's present to a more comfortable carrying position and headed down to the lab, a cheeky smile on her face as she walked.
Abby was in the middle of comparing fibres under the microscope when the sound of a crying baby caused her to spin around, thinking that she was hallucinating when she caught sight of Tia standing at the entrance to the lab carrying a baby capsule and a nappy bag. Abby was speechless for a few minutes, Tia's lips curving into a smile at her friend's stunned reaction "You bought me a baby?" Abby asked in amazement and Tia laughed "Yes and no" Tia began as she carried the capsule into the lab and placing it on Abby's desk "I got you one of those baby dolls that they give to teenagers to show them what having a baby is really like" Tia explained and Abby felt relieved "Oh good, because I was wondering where you got a baby from at such short notice" Abby joked and Tia grinned happily "I figured that you and Tim might want to practice your parenting on one of these babies before the real deal came along. The only thing I ask is that I can borrow it to mess with Gibbs and Tony for a few hours" Tia requested and Abby grinned impishly and nodded before moving closer to the doll-baby to learn how it worked.
Tia strapped the baby carrier containing the doll-baby to her chest, scooped up the nappy bag and went in search of Gibbs. She found Tony toiling away at his desk, and the complete and utter look of shock on his face was priceless "Hi baby" she greeted, blowing him a kiss and waving at Kate "Hi Kate" she greeted and turned back to Tony who was still stunned into silence "What have you got for me DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as he entered the bullpen and Tia turned to face him, and watched as he too, stared at her in shock. "What is that, Tiana?" Gibbs asked after several silent minutes and Tia smiled innocently "It's an education tool. I got it so Tony and I could evaluate our parenting ability, for when we have kids" Tia explained sweetly. Kate snorted softly from behind her computer monitor, having just received a rather informative email from Abby, and settled down to watch the entertainment. Tia held the doll-baby out to Tony "Baby, can you watch the baby for a little while, I've just got to go and snag this guy and then I'll come right back" Tia promised with a sugary sweet smile on her face as she passed the doll to Tony who was about to reach for it when Gibbs intervened "This is a federal office building Tiana, not a daycare centre so you're just going to have to take the...baby with you" Gibbs ordered and caught the relief in Tony's eyes "And what are you doing here anyway?" he asked and Tia stepped back, hurt flashing in her eyes for a millisecond before she regained control "I've got a meeting this afternoon and was just dropping by to let Tony know I'd be home late, and to reassure you that I hadn't actually left the bloody country" Tia announced scathingly before she picked up the nappy bag and flounced out of the office.
Gibbs was staring at the space where Tia had stood a minute before and out of the corner of his eye he caught Tony glaring at him "Smooth boss, real smooth" Tony said and settled back at his desk and got back to work.
Tia headed for the lab, and Abby's reassuring presence, to return the doll. She ran through how the doll worked, how you fed it and settled it and all the other mysterious doll-baby stuff and promised to leave her phone switched on in case Abby had any problems. She hung out with Abby for a bit longer before heading out to work. In the hall outside the lab McGee caught up with Tia "So I guess we're going to have to tell Gibbs about the baby now?" he asked miserably and Tia nodded "May the force be with you, young jedi" Tia giggled and then she practically bounced down the hall and out of the building.
As Tia left the building she noticed a vaguely familiar man staring at her. She stopped walking and returned his stare, her brain working furiously to remember where she'd seen him before. Just as the light-bulb went off in her head and she recalled where she'd seen him before, the man jumped in a nearby taxi and sped off. Tia growled softly and dug her cell out of her bag to call her friend from Department of Defence to call in a favour.