Author's Note: In this chapter, finally, Suzanne will acknowledge and learn she is pregnant. It seems that everyone, except Suzanne and Jethro, know she is expecting.
"Quick, Quicker, Quickest! Q. SMG, SG: thanks for all you do!"
Suzanne's desk was the closest from the Oval Office, just a few steps. It was bare, except for a small honeymoon picture, a desktop computer and her name plaque—Suzanne D. Gibbs. She carried the bag at all times and kept it close by, pulling out the scheduling book and her computer tablet. The work-related items remained in a black backpack, the same cloth pack she carried at Georgetown.
His appreciation was expressed in writing. Her Expo marker and pad sat beside the desk. It was a good way to start the day. If a song associated the work ethic of Suzanne McNamara Gibbs was the classic Nobody Does it Better. The President came out of the Presidential library, singing his own version.
"Nobody does it quite the way you do—Susie: you're the best!"
"I bet Jethro says that too…" Claudia muttered, smiled and winked.
"I do not talk about my sex life at work." Suzanne whispered, slightly grinned and glanced down in embarrassment.
"Why not? We talk about everything else except work." Claudia said.
Linda chuckled.
"Well, another crisis averted..." Suzanne eased in her chair. "The retool worked..." She reached for the phone, dialed several numbers. "Now I can concentrate on the Latin America junket."
Her White House schedule was much lighter after their emergency Sunday and Makeup Monday. For the time being, she was riding the desk, mainly researching and scheduling for their next trip was to Latin America—Suzanne's specialty—in another month.
"Buenas Dias. Como esta usted? Ayudarme, por favor."
"Hey, the President wants another person to travel along in Latin America." Suzanne whispered, still waiting for a response on the main telephone.
"My grandchildren are coming that week." Linda responded once the opportunity was revealed. "I want to spend time with them."
Claudia was also fluent in Spanish and wanted to attend. Since Claudia was officially appointed in the Press Corps, it was within reason for her to attend. Suzanne learned from Linda and the others she was originally a finalist for the Assistant position and instead was denied the position. She'd rather make lodging accommodations than type memos and meeting notes. Suzanne made several calls to arrange the trip, holding on the telephone for several minutes.
"Suzanne, I've been cleared for Latin America." Claudia returned to the office, files in hand.
"Well, Managua should help all of us get over the cold…" Suzanne continued typing away at her desk, sipping water and nibbling on saltine crackers. "I think I spent too much time in the cold."
"Finland was three weeks ago." Linda commented. "You're still feeling rough?"
"She's pregnant, Linda."
"I'm not pregnant." Suzanne remained in denial, chuckled.
"Newlywed, I know the symptoms: morning sickness, headaches...fainting spells..." Claudia leaned against her desk.
"You fainted?" Linda asked, her face showing concern.
"Lightheaded...while in Australia." Suzanne's eyes rolled at Claudia.
"It's like you want me to have a baby..."
"I miscarried when Will and I first got married."
The laughter subsided. Suzanne glanced over at Claudia, noticed sadness in her face.
"Claudie, I..." Suzanne struggled with the sudden news.
The phone chimed, thankfully, and interrupted further questioning.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Gibbs..." She answered. "Just one moment please, Senator. He's expecting your call." Suzanne with a touch of a button, buzzed the President's desk.
"Senator Hopkins on Line 1, Mr. President." Suzanne rerouted the call. She walked to Claudia's desk, simply placed her hand over hers and looked into her eyes.
"I didn't know." She whispered.
"Suzanne...it's a blessing." Claudia softly chuckled.
"I learned a while ago I couldn't conceive." Suzanne whispered, looking down. "That's why I think it's a really nasty cold."
"Line 2, Mrs. Gibbs." The operator called on the intercom.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Gibbs." Suzanne answered. "Oh, hi, honey…" She gave the stare to both Claudia and Linda as she continued her conversation with Jethro.
"I'm on hold with Managua, scheduling a trip...yes, Managua. We're going to Brasília. I'll see you tonight? Yes, I'm cooking dinner. Okay. I love you too." She disconnected the line, still holding for a representative in Nicaragua.
"Newlywed..." Claudia laughed. "You are pregnant."
"Oh, that would really make your day." Suzanne whispered, covering the mouthpiece. "Hardy har-har-har…"
"It'll mean you'll ride the desk while I travel with the President."
"I'll ride the desk." Suzanne said. "The way I've been feeling…" She sighed.
"I do have a pregnancy test in the desk…" Linda whispered. Both Suzanne and Claudia gave an inquisitive look. "I picked up one at Safeway."
"I'm not doing that at work." Suzanne said, filing paperwork as she searched through her appointment book. "I won't even ask why…."
"It's in the kit…" Linda said. "We do prepare for everything."
Suzanne threw up her hands in disbelief, laughed.
"I need to call Dr. Pauley anyway; I need a script for my thyroid medication before heading out to Latin America." The line trilled, meaning the line was connected.
"What's the quote for tomorrow, Linda?" Claudia asked. "The President requested one for the Press Corps meeting."
"I'll get it." Suzanne, still on the phone extension, reached for one in the jar and read it aloud.
"The excessive increase of anything causes a reaction in the opposite direction—Plato."
"That would be the quote of the day…" Suzanne said, rolling her eyes.
At the urging of colleagues, she scheduled an appointment with the doctor. It so happened a last minute cancellation occurred during lunch. Suzanne knocked on the door.
"I'm going to see Doc Pauley during lunch, if that's okay." She shared with the President. "Everything's done, including the daily logs and notations..."
"Everything okay, Q?" The President continued reading.
"Just getting my refills done before we leave out."
"Take the afternoon off." The President suggested. His focus returned to Suzanne. "Maybe he can tell you once and for all you're pregnant."
Suzanne stared in surprise.
"That's right..." he nodded, grinning. "Q, everyone knows you're pregnant."
"That obvious?" She chuckled.
"Little subtle hints, like the smell of coffee making you sick to the stomach..." he continued. "Much as you love caffeine...I knew something was up...or out."
"Oh, God." Suzanne covered her face.
"That's what got you in trouble the first place!" The President knew when to use humor. The two also shared a special relationship-more than employer-employee and close, like brother and sister.
"You and Jethro made a Gibblet...or is it Gibble?" He laughed. She smiled-slightly.
"Get the confirmation and I'll see you tomorrow...Mama."
The general question was asked—'is there a possibility you could be pregnant?' She answered with a maybe. The nurse asked the last menstrual cycle, Suzanne could not easily remember. Then again, she always had irregular cycles. It did not surprise her that one was missed.
A half-hour passed. Finally, Dr. Pauley returned.
"Doc, you need larger gowns..." Suzanne joked. "Maybe I can have two...one for the front, the other like a jacket..."
"Mrs. Gibbs, I just received your lab results; you are pregnant." The doctor announced.
Her colleagues' suspicions were correct. Suzanne was shocked, one of the five stages of acceptance.
"Pregnant?!" Suzanne repeated. "I can't be pregnant! I've lost 20 lbs!"
"You can if you're having sex …" The doctor chuckled. "I can safely conclude that within the last three months, you've had sex..."
"Yeah, with Jethro." Suzanne continued joking.
"Wait." Suzanne's hands swayed back and forth. "I'm two months along?"
Two months ago...Suzanne thought, even chuckled with a mischievous pitch.
"It happened when I came home from California..."
"You two are young enough to produce children, Mrs. Gibbs." The doctor finished. "Obviously, it was not a planned pregnancy?"
"Well, not right now…" Suzanne said. "We just got married. I just started a new job, graduated from law school…" She paused.
"My God, I'll be 48 when this baby graduates from high school! My husband will be…73?!"
The doctor chuckled. "Looks like you have a lot to discuss with your husband."
As she left the doctor's office, arranging another appointment, she thought to herself 'How in the world am I going to tell Jethro?'
Suzanne went by NCIS to see Jethro, since she was not far from the Yard. The desks were empty. It was during work hours. She stood in the area, glancing at the desks, thinking about a year ago where she delivered wisecracks and food, flirted with Jethro. Five years of flirtation, of quiet desire, longing...they married. Suzanne thought about the changes and wondered how to prepare for the upcoming life event. Inside was another life, growing and thriving.
"Suzanne?" Ducky walked around the corner, noticed her standing alone.
"Hi, Dr. Mallard."
Ducky hugged Suzanne. "Looking for your husband?"
"I am." She nodded. "I took the afternoon off and thought I'd surprise him."
"Well, he's actually in a meeting with Director Vance." Ducky informed her. "The rest are at a seminar."
"Oh..." Suzanne was quiet. "Well...I guess I'll see him at home..."
"Are you in a rush?" Ducky asked, suggesting a tea-date in his office. "I've always enjoyed your company."
"I'd like that."
Dr. Mallard was accustomed to death and always regarded Suzanne's personality as a breath of fresh air.
"How did you get out of the seminar?" Suzanne sat down in the chair.
"I began with my days in Edinburgh..." Ducky chuckled. "That'll usually do the trick."
Ducky started the tea.
"So, my dear. Tell me about work."
"Nothing much to tell..." Suzanne began, smiling. "We're leaving for Latin America in another week or two." She coughed, felt as if she was sick to her stomach. Within moments, it passed.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Mallard. I'm fighting this cold..."
"This is decaffeinated tea; it will help with your morning sickness." A moment passed. Ducky handed the cup to Suzanne. She sipped but stopped, shocked that her dear friend knew of her condition before saying anything.
"Dr. Mallard? How did you know...?"
"I had my suspicions..." Ducky chuckled. "First, you look like hell..." Suzanne retrieved her compact mirror and immediately noticed the bags underneath her eyes.
"I also noticed your fingers at the ceremony-a little swollen." It was too late to cover her hands. Ducky grabbed a clean washcloth and ran cold water, cautiously ringing out the excess water.
"Suzanne, have you eaten anything today?"
"Crackers." Suzanne answered. "I kept down some tomato soup."
"That's a start..." He smiled. "It will get a little more easier once you finish your first trimester." He gently dabbed the cloth across Suzanne's face. "You look exhausted."
Suzanne thanked Dr. Mallard for the tea with a simple nod.
"We haven't discussed a family." Suzanne said. With Ducky, she divulged detailed specifics.
"PCOS-hormone imbalance problem which can interfere with normal ovulation." Suzanne looked down. "I was 17 when the doctors discovered it...told me I'd miscarry if I ever got pregnant...so, I never thought about children, even getting married."
"The Good Lord changes things." Ducky replied.
"I never expected to get married and pregnant." She laughed.
"And you...you'll make a wonderful mother!" He chuckled. "If you've had any doubt..." Ducky grabbed her hands, gave a firm squeeze.
"It's going to be okay, Susie." He kissed her on the forehead.
"Thanks, Dr. Mallard."
"Oh, of course, Sweetheart." Ducky whispered, hugged her once again.
Jethro emerged from his meeting after 4 pm, ran into Ducky.
"You still coming for dinner tonight, Duck?" Jethro asked. "Suzanne's making Paella."
"I think...you two need to be alone tonight." Ducky chuckled.
"If it's about my mother-in-law..."
"No." Ducky chuckled. "Susan's in Williamsburg getting ready for Solomon-College Experience weekend."
"Ah." Jethro nodded. "I forgot about that. It coincides with Founders' Day at the College. Suzanne wants us to go this weekend."
"Susan and I are fine, Jethro." Ducky was tidying the lab. "Lovely woman...lovely companion. I wouldn't mind seeing her on a regular basis." Ducky stalled in conversation, thinking of a good excuse to decline the invitation. He couldn't think of one and continued to ramble.
"Anyway...tell Suzanne that I will gladly have leftovers tomorrow."
"Duck, is there something wrong?" Jethro picked up on the conversation switch.
"Jethro..." Ducky began, then stopped, realizing it was not his place to tell. Ducky glanced at the clock, stating it was 5 o'clock.
"Go home to your wife." Ducky finished.
"Meanwhile, I will call Susan...see if I can take her out next weekend."
"You're right: I better go." Jethro slipped on his heavy coat. "She hates it when I'm late for dinner."
Suzanne thought of clever ways of sharing the news. Suzanne believed that Jethro should know first. Good food and conversation loosened Jethro from work-related stress. Suzanne came home and prepared dinner. The TV played in the background, and a commercial for 'the little blue pill' elicited a response, prompting her to click off the TV.
"This is the age of knowing what needs to be done..."
"Hell, he knows what he's doing..." She grinned. Though inexperienced, Suzanne gained confidence, knowing Jethro didn't have problems in that area of expertise and neither did she. "He's got me knocked up."
6 pm. He didn't need to stay behind at MCRT tonight.
Jethro parked his work car behind hers. She heard Fred's happy barks, indicating Jethro was home.
"Hi, Fred! Hi, Boy!" Jethro greeted, patting Fred on the head. Jethro took off the overcoat, placed it on the coat rack. Both walked into the kitchen.
"Hi, Suzanne." Jethro embraced his wife from the back, kissing her on the cheek and rubbing the top of her head. Suzanne chuckled and continued stirring the sauce. She tried leaving one hint: the sauce jar called "Prego." Suzanne left the jar on the counter, hoping Jethro would catch the title and associate it with the news. Of course, he was too tired to notice.
"Tonight's dinner is Paella and garden salad, without the chorizo—sausage." Suzanne announced. Jethro walked into the guest bathroom to wash his hands. "I wanted to try that new recipe from Lisbon."
"Well, it smells fantastic, Sugar." Gibbs replied. He reached for the place settings to set their dining room table. Suzanne pulled the items and placed them on the table.
She watched Jethro enjoying the dinner. Suzanne ate little food, whether sick or well. It was not unusual behavior. The timer chimed while the Gibbs' savored their meal.
"Something else, Suz?" Gibbs moaned in pleasure, mouth full of salad and relaxed. "I can't eat another bite!"
Suzanne moved away from the table.
"I have a bun in the oven."
Suzanne walked into the kitchen, literally retrieving the bread loaf. She couldn't believe how she delivered the news! Suzanne remained in the kitchen.
It took Jethro a moment to decipher the words. Happily, he left his seat and joined her.
"Susie?" Jethro tried holding back tears.
"Wait a minute! You're pregnant?!"
His smile and chuckle filled the room. Jethro lifted Suzanne into the air, twirling her around, holding her tightly in his arms.
"I'm pregnant." She whispered, simply smiled. Suzanne, confused about it all, thinking about her career, her life just beginning, asked herself:
"Now, what am I going to do?"
"Boss?"
Jethro Gibbs' mind was not on the latest case. It was noticeable to Tim McGee, who repeatedly called him.
"Boss?" Tim walked over to his desk, surprised that his boss was smiling. Quickly, he walked towards Tony and Eleanor, refiling and restocking.
"He's been like that for the last 10 minutes." Ellie said. "He called me Eleanor today."
"And boss didn't smack the back of my head..." Tony scratched the back of his neck.
"Boss, how's Suzanne?" Tony asked.
"Fine. Fantastic." Jethro said, glazed look across his eyes. "She's pregnant. I'm going to be a father."