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Ch 5
"Tony what aren't you telling me?" Gibbs asked a week after Evan had been born. Tony and Gibb's were in the nursery giving Evan a bottle. At Tony's confusion, he elaborated. "You and Jeanne are moping. You're fine around the kids and usually me but something's wrong, is Evan okay?"
Tony sighed and looked the baby boy in his arms, he loved this time of their lives but this would be the last time he would enjoy it.
"Jeanne and I both knew we wanted kids when we got together, we weren't sure on how many but we figured we would figure it out as we went. It seems its been figured out. Without our input."
"What does that mean?" Gibbs was confused now and angry that Tony hadn't talked to him earlier or he hadn't figured something was up sooner.
"After the birth, Dr. Louv recommended that Evan be our last. We're both getting older and she doesn't think Jeanne would be able to handle another. We've always had trouble getting pregnant, that's why the kids are far apart. And Dr. Louv says that Jeanne should consider getting a hysterectomy in a year or two for her health. I guess I've always known I wanted a big family especially with Jeanne. After my childhood I didn't want any of my kids to be lonely or never see their parents. After James, I just wanted more and more. I thinking around five but I guess we'll stick with three." Tony finished a bit sadly.
"I'm so sorry Tony. You two are good parents, I can see you with ten kid and doing fine but there's always adoption-any kid, no matter where they're from would be lucky to have parents like you two."
"Thanks Jethro…" He trailed off unsure what else to say, "I appreciate that."
The DiNozzo/Gibbs household fell into easy rhythm. Jeanne went back to work after two months after Gibbs returned; Tony took more time off to spend with Evan and the other two. When Gibbs returned he worked on his boat, ran errands and drove Olivia and James to practices and events so Tony wouldn't have to strap Evan in every time he went out. Though Gibb's and Tony would take Evan out when everyone else was gone. One of them would strap Evan to their chests and go for long walks or Tony would take Gibb's to places he found while having time off with Olivia and James. The two became even closer.
Jethro had returned stateside the week before Thanksgiving and stayed until Christmas with Abby, Tim and the twins. He had a great time but missed the DiNozzo's like crazy. He returned to celebrate the New Year with them.
November 15th.
Gibbs had been surprised when he opened the front door to see Tim standing on the stoop looking at a paper confused.
"Tim! What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked shocked.
"I was in Paris on business and Abby thought you might need a ride back home."
"Abby, huh?" Gibbs laughed as he ushered Tim into the house.
"Well Abby, the kids, me. Since I was in the neighborhood and have the private jet I thought it would be more convenient…for you, of course."
"Right, right. Paris is only a short six-hour drive from here and I have a plane ticket for two days from now. You couldn't wait?"
"Actually we flew the plane here and I figured, why wait?"
"Sure Tim. Sounds good, I hate flying international."
"I know, boss." Tim responded fondly as he was cuffed up the head for the comment. "Is Tony here?" He asked looking around anxiously.
Of course, he's Mister Stay at Home Dad. Can't get rid of him." Jethro teased. "Jeanne and Tony had their 3rd child two weeks ago, they're both home. Olivia and James are at Jeanne's mothers house, they have a short holiday at school so they went to the country."
"Abby told me about Olivia and James but I didn't know they had another, that's great! A girl or boy?"
"Boy, name's Evan. Cutest little thing, next to Archer and Agnus of course." Gibbs teased as he led Tim into the kitchen.
"Of course." Tim rolled his eyes.
Gibbs smiled as he entered the kitchen where Tony was cooking while holding Evan and Jeanne was sitting with her feet up peeling potatoes. If Abby and the kids were here, life would be perfect, Gibbs thought.. Tony and Tim had both grown tremendously over the past decade. Tim, now had a spine of steel, which he needed with all the politics he had to deal with. Tony had softened, grown into himself, he had become more comfortable.
"Hey Jethro, who was at the door?" Tony asked without looking up.
"My ride back to the states."
"Huh?" Tony looked up at that. "Tim!!" Tony's eyes became impossibly wider before he came around the counter to hug Tim.
Gibbs stepped in first.
"No squishing my grandchild, he'd be scarred for life."
"It's so good to see you, Tony." Tim gushed as the two embraced. "Abby's going to be so jealous!"
Tony laughed at that. "It's good to see you, Probie. I heard you went and got a grown up job. What were you thinking?" Tony teased.
"We can't all just laze around and do nothing like you Tony." Tim teased back, Gibbs had told him and Abby Tony's story after Gibbs had found Tony. They both knew how hard Tony had had it and how things had finally turned out for him.
Tony sighed. "Ahh, yes we can't all be as lucky, right hun?" He asked Jeanne who was still sitting.
She smirked. "Yes, life couldn't get any better. If only you could figure out the laundry then I could call life perfect."
"Tim, I want you to meet my wife, Dr. Jeanne DiNozzo. Jeanne, this is Timothy McGee, Director of NCIS. And I do know how to do the laundry, we just don't always get along."
"It's an honor to meet you ma'am. I've heard a lot about you from Gibbs." Tim said as he shook her hand waving her back down as she started to get up.
"Pleasure's all mine, Tim or should I call you Probie. All the stories I heard about you, I think only once Tony called you Tim." She teased.
"Some things never change." Tim said smiling.
"So you're taking Grandpere from us early?" Tony asked looking concerned, he knew Olivia and James would be upset at Gibbs leaving before they got to say goodbye.
"If it's alright with you, Grandpa is due home according to Archer and Agnus, all we hear is Grandpa home, Grandpa home. Multiple that by two and its quite a headache, even June at the daycare is begging us to bring you back so she can have a break."
"That June is one brave woman." Gibbs commented as he sipped on the fresh coffee Tony had brewed.
"Olivia and Jamie will be sad they missed you." Jeanne commented reading Tony's thoughts.
"I've set up the webcam on my computer so we can talk while I'm gone. That way we can still 'see' each other. I figure I can use it when I get back to talk to Archer and Agnus."
Gibbs went upstairs to finish packing while Tony and Tim continued to catch up in the kitchen. Tim sat at the table with Jeanne and played with Evan while they waited.
As they said goodbye, Jethro and Tony embraced and Tony whispered, "you are coming back, right?"
"As long as you want me, I'll be back." Jethro answered back giving Tony an extra squeeze.
Tony and Jeanne waved until Tim and Jethro were out of sight then returned back to the house with one less person to occupy it.
When Tim and Gibbs touched down in D.C. they saw Abby, Agnus, and Archer waiting for them on the strip and Gibbs felt welcomed home by the calling for Grandpa as he exited the plane.
After the New Year
Tony and Jeanne had gotten over their melancholy at having no more children and once in a great while talked about adopting or becoming foster parents. Tony wasn't sure about becoming a foster parent because he was unsure he would be able to say goodbye over and over again when the kids left, but they still talked about it to keep their options open.
At six months, Evan was sitting up and rolling over whenever he could. Olivia was working on a volcano science project and James was Oliver in the upcoming Deaf version of Oliver Twist. Gibbs was trying to help him with his lines but his FSL was slow in coming so he helped Olivia, which was much easier for him.
Gibbs, Olivia, Jamie and Evan were all sitting on the floor when Tony came back from his run. He usually tried to get it in before Jeanne came home for dinner.
He stepped inside the back door leaning against the wall. He was wheezing harshly and knew the onset of pneumonia probably wasn't far but at the moment he didn't care. He couldn't breathe and he needed his inhaler, which was in his bedroom.
Gibbs stopped talking to Olivia when he heard the back door open and shut. He waited for Tony to come through but nothing happened.
"Honey, keep looking for ideas and we'll pick one tonight, okay? I'll be right back, watch your brothers."
He found Tony leaning against the wall gasping for breath.
"Where's your inhaler? Or do we need to go to the hospital?" Gibbs demanded.
"Bedroom." Tony wheezed for an answer. Gibbs was gone and back before Tony was aware. He took deep pulls from the inhaler sighing as his lungs started to open up.
At this point he was sitting on the floor with his legs pulled up. He looked up resigned at Gibbs who was towering over him.
"You better keep Evan away." He said tiredly.
"Yeah, come on. Let's get you to bed and turn on the humidifier." Tony sighed as Gibbs hauled him up. The two made their way upstairs to Tony and Jeanne's bedroom. Tony quickly showered while Gibbs checked on the kids. He made sure Tony was comfortable before going down to start dinner.
"Tony still out for his run?" Jeanne asked as she breezed in and swooped down to kiss Evan and Jamie.
Gibbs gave her a look, the two of them had also spent a lot of time together and Jeanne could read Jethro almost as well as Tony could.
"Where is he?" She asked again.
"In bed, he was wheezing pretty bad after his run. Used his inhaler then got into bed around four he's been out ever since."
Jeanne let out a worried sigh. "I hope we can avoid the hospital this time. I'll go check on him then come back down to get his dinner."
"Don't worry I'll feed the kids and then bring both your meals up."
"What did we ever do without you?" Jeanne asked as she leaned in to give Gibbs a peck on the cheek.
"Starve?" Gibbs said cheekily, mission accomplished he thought as he got Jeanne to laugh as she walked away.