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The Award Ch3

The next day in the bullpen Gibbs is reading through the reports of the team when his phone rings it is Ducky inviting him to lunch.

'I was going to have lunch with Jen,' Gibbs answers.

'I think you'll find she already has a lunch appointment.'

'So I'm second choice'

'Something like that, I'll come up at about one.'

Ducky has been thinking carefully how to approach Jethro, he knows him well and it will be difficult to get him to speak openly.

At lunch Ducky asks after Jenny.

'She's fine Duck, gets a bit of morning sickness but otherwise appears really healthy'.

'And you, how do you feel?'

Jethro glances up at Ducky with a confused look, 'I'm fine'.

'Just fine'.

'OK, I'm happy, overjoyed, I never thought I'd be a father again'.

'How does that make you feel, being a father again?'

'You trying to shrink me Duck?'

'You've rang Jenny twice since we've been here.'

Jethro is silent

'What happened to Shannon and Kelly was not your fault.' Ducky continues

'I wasn't there if I'd been there I could have done something.'

'No Jethro you couldn't have done anything, sometimes you need to be able to accept that you can't always protect the ones you love.'

'I'm going to protect Jenny and our baby'

'I've no doubt you are but you are not going to be able to be with them all the time.'

Ducky carefully continued his conversation with Jethro trying to get him to rationalise his fears, to become a little less obsessive. He knew he'd got through a little when Jethro responded by saying 'I'll think about it Duck'.

He managed to get Jethro to set a lunch date for the following week and hoped that what he was saying would help his friend accept that he could not always be there for his wife and child.

The day of the scan arrived, the appointment was first thing in the morning, Jethro had warned his team he would be getting in late and Jenny had done likewise with Cynthia. No reasons for the delay were given by either of them.

Tony was again trying to convince everybody that the Director was pregnant, McGee however wasn't convinced and had accepted Tony's bet. McGee had also made a similar bet with Abby and was really hoping the Director was not pregnant otherwise he would be seriously out of pocket.

'Ziva, are you going to put your money where your mouth is?'

'Tony, I have not yet come to a decision, I will wait a little while'

'OK, well probie that 30 bucks will come in useful with Christmas coming up soon, I might get you a present.'

At the hospital Jen had been checked out and everything was looking good, Dr Barts seemed to be a little nervous around her and Jethro especially when his boss turned up.

'How are you Director?' Dr Knight asked

'Call me Jenny and I'm fine.'

'Ducky asked me to keep an eye on you but everything is going to plan.'

'Thank you'.

Dr Knight held out her hand to Gibbs 'and you must be the father'.

Gibbs just nodded taking her hand in a firm grip.

'Well let's get things ready so we can look at the baby.'

Jenny lay down on the table as the gel was carefully spread over her abdomen.

The sensor was placed over her and an image appeared on the screen.

Gibbs was the first to speak, 'You need to check out the equipment doctor you've got a double image'.

'That's not a double image, your wife is having twins, the doctor moved the sensor around a little more, 'identical twins.'

Jethro and Jenny look at each other stunned. Dr Knight finished off and then spoke to them both about having twins, giving them some more literature on what to expect.

The couple were still in shock when they pulled into the office car park. Jethro helped Jenny out of the truck telling her that she can still surprise him.

'Let's not tell anyone yet, I want to keep it our secret for a while,' Jenny says to Jethro.

'Ducky will ask how it went today'

'OK, just Ducky then, it'll be Thanksgiving soon why don't we invite the team over and we can tell them over dinner.'

'Are you up to entertaining, I don't want you tiring yourself.'

'I'll be fine Jethro', Jenny is still slightly amused over Jethro's attentiveness.

Jethro continued 'I didn't think you liked cooking.'

'Is that your way of saying I'm not very good in the kitchen.' Jenny is a little annoyed with Jethro's thoughts on her cooking. 'Anyway I never really have time to cook, so I haven't really had much practice.'

Jethro decides not to press the point he can help her if necessary although he knows his own culinary skills are limited.

Later that day Jenny walks down to the bullpen.

'Director', Tony says, 'Gibbs is down with Ducky'. Tony is looking at Jenny with a slight leer on his face, letting is eyes wander over Jenny's body.

Jenny ignores him and invites Tony, McGee and Ziva to Thanksgiving. They all respond positively, and she leaves to make her way downstairs. She walks into Abby's lab hearing the familiar music. Abby is studying something under a microscope but she turns around as soon as she notices Jenny.

'Director, what can I do for you?'

'Abby, Jethro and I would like you to come to Thanksgiving dinner – the rest of the guys are coming.'

'I'd love to Director would you like me to help in the kitchen.'

'Thank you Abby yes, I'd love some help I will admit cooking is not my forte.'

Jen exits from the lab and goes to autopsy where she finds Jethro with Ducky.

'Congratulations, my dear, Jethro tells me your expecting twins,' Ducky says as he turns to greet Jenny.

'Thank you Ducky, I don't think it's sunk in yet, has Jethro mentioned Thanksgiving, you're welcome to bring your mother.'

'Thank you I'd love to come, Mother is in fact going away for a few days so I'll be by myself.'

Later that night as Jen and Jethro were getting ready for bed Jenny asks her husband if he would like to know the sex of their babies.

'Do you?' he responded

'I asked first'

'No I like surprises, but if you want to know, I don't mind.'

'I like surprises too, we'll wait until they're born.'

They settle in bed and Jen cuddles up to Jethro, kissing his face.

'You know Jen, you may be hopeless in the kitchen but you're pretty hot in the bedroom.'

Jenny gives a slight snort of indignation but then goes on to prove her husband correct.

Jenny decides to take the day off before Thanksgiving to buy food and prepare, Ziva and Abby have agreed to come after work and would be staying the night, the rest of the team would be coming over early the next day.

Jenny spent most of the day praying that there would be no case for Jethro's team that day she was really looking forward to preparing a meal for her friends. They had decided that they would tell the team of their news and future plans at the beginning of the meal.

Jenny had worked out the menu and was shopping accordingly, she was really glad Ziva and Abby had agreed to help her, perhaps she'd pick up some tips from them as she really was awful in the kitchen. She'd never really needed to know how to cook, that was now all going to change but as they said practice makes perfect and she was sure she'd soon learn the skills to prepare decent meals for Jethro and her unborn children.

Fortunately the team did not have a new case and Ziva and Abby drove to the Gibbs house early in the evening. Gibbs joined them a couple of hours later after finishing up in the office.

Dinner was ready when he got home, and he joined the girls to eat in the kitchen, they were very talkative so he didn't contribute much to the conversation. He finished his dinner and left them to it spending the rest of the evening in the basement.

The following morning the rest of the guys turned up fairly early. Tony manages to get Ziva by herself for a brief time.

'Well?' Tony asks

'Well what?' Ziva replies

'Is Jenny pregnant?'

'She hasn't said.'

'You've been with her the whole night and you still don't know, what sort of investigator do you call yourself?'

'An investigator who does not pry into the private lives of my superiors.'

Tony tries Abby a little later

'Hey Abbs any news on Jenny?'

Abby looks at Tony, 'I think our money is safe, Jenny did not drink last night even though Ziva and I polished off a bottle of wine.'

'No alcohol at all?' Tony asks.

'That's right'.

'Yeh' Tony shouts giving Abby a high five.

Later the team settle in the dining room, before starting the meal Jenny clears her throat gaining everyone's attention.

'Thank you all for coming today, you really are like an extended family to both me and Jethro. We have some news for you, I'm going to be leaving NCIS next year.'. every one is silent waiting for her to continue. 'I'm pregnant with twins..'

Before she could continue there was a huge shout from the table. McGee was forced to get out his wallet and he handed 30 dollars each to Tony and Abby.

'Have you been betting on whether I'm pregnant', Jenny sounds very indignant, 'Remember I'm still your boss until February'.

Gibbs also does not look pleased and McGee, Abby and Tony look a little worried as they wonder if he'll think of some unpleasant jobs that need doing next week.

Abby soon recovers her good spirits and asks for all the details, 'Do you know the babys' sex, when will they be born?', have you a date for the baby shower.'

Jen smiles, 'In answer to your questions 'No, we have decided we don't want to know, the expected date of birth is 1 June and no but you'll be the first to know.'

Abby gets up and hugs both Jenny and Jethro and soon the couple have been embraced by their whole team.

The day is a great success everyone is genuinely happy that Jethro and Jenny will soon be parents. Abby offers to be a babysitter when required and Tony echoes her

'Yeh, Boss anytime you want a sitter let me know.'

'So, Tony you'll be happy to change nappies and clean up sick.' Jethro asks.

Tony pales and adds 'What I meant Boss is that as soon as they're big enough to talk, walk, go to the toilet by themselves and play basketball I'll be happy to look after your children'.

Abby joins in 'We can all be their Uncles and Aunts', this is going to be fun I can't wait for June to come.'

Jenny smiles, 'It'll come soon enough, we have some more news, Jethro will be receiving the Navy Valour medal from the SecNav in January, you'll all be invited to the ceremony.'

Another round of congratulations was made although the team were all wondering whether Gibbs would actually show up for the ceremony.