"No mate, you've got it all wrong." Reeves was leaning on the cubicle wall behind his desk, in a fierce debate with Torres.
"I'm tellin' you, I talked to Abby, and her stats don't lie!"
"Actually, Nick, they do lie. In case you've forgotten the Bishop date-o-meter?"
He shuddered, but then grinned. "Not jealous are you Reeves?"
"She's my mate, why would I be jealous?"
Nick rolled his eyes, "Abby said-,"
"I know what Abby said, and I'm telling you, Abby is wrong."
"Not so loud, man! She'll hear you!"
"She's down in the lab, she won't hear me."
"She won't hear you, but the rest of the office can," Bishop said, walking in and dropping her bag behind her desk. "Are the two of you actually gossiping right now? What if Gibbs comes in?"
"Oh look at Miss Goody two shoes over here. For your information, Bishop, we are not gossiping," Nick said, offended.
"Really? Then what are you doing if you're not gossiping?"
"There's a little wager going on in the office," Reeves explained, shooting a look of loathing at Nick, who made a face back. "Over whether the McGees are going to have a boy or a girl. And Nick and I are on opposing sides."
"Which is which? Nick, I'm assuming you're on the boy side?" Ellie asked.
"Wow," he replied, looking even more offended.
"No, that would be me," Clay said calmly.
"Nick, you think they're having a girl?" she asked, surprised.
"Yeah. Do you think Tim will tell us?" Nick asked.
"Maybe if we bribe him?" Reeves offered helpfully.
"How about some pepper spray?"
"We are not pepper spraying Tim to find out! And besides," Ellie said, biting her lip. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't know."
"What do you mean he doesn't know?" Clay asked, horrified. "He's the father, isn't he?"
"Maybe they wanted to be surprised?" she suggested.
Nick shook his head. "Not our Timmy. He hates surprises."
Ellie groaned. "Fine, I'll bite. What's the pool?"
"It's up to a hundred bucks says it's a girl."
"And a hundred and fifty for a boy," Reeves continued.
"Gentlemen, is that an appropriate use of your time during office hours?" came a voice from behind them, and all three turned around, looking guilty, to find Director Vance standing there, arms crossed. Though he did look slightly amused, they were all awaiting the scolding they'd receive.
"Uh, no sir," Reeves spoke first.
"That's what I thought." Vance smirked. "Fifty bucks says it's a girl."
"What? You're siding with him?" Reeves asked, outraged.
Nick merely grinned. "Are you actually condoning this, Director?"
"Not officially. Morning Agent McGee," he said, as he left, and Tim walked in.
"Morning Director Vance." Tim saw the three of them huddled together, and knew something was up. He dropped his bag behind his desk, and looked at them. "... What's going on?"
"Nothing, Tim. We were just having a little chat. How's Delilah?"
"She's good. Doc said she's doing fantastic so far… and the baby is perfect."
"Speaking of the baby," Nick said, despite glares from both Ellie and Reeves. "Do uh… Do you guys know what you're having?"
"No. We wanted it to be a surprise," he replied.
"Ha!" Ellie cried, triumphant. "Told you!"
"Okay, what's going on?"
"Scuttlebutt can wait, Torres," Gibbs said, walking in and catching the weird tableau playing out in front of him. "Grab your gear."
"We got a case, boss?" McGee asked, momentarily distracted.
"Yep, and Reeves is coming with us." Clay, who'd been trying to sneak away while Gibbs' attention had been focused elsewhere, sighed, caught out.
"Yes sir."
Gibbs looked at his team, and shook his head. "Do I wanna know what you're gossiping about?"
"We're not gossiping, we're just-,"
"Discussing my personal life, which counts as gossip!" Tim complained.
Gibbs laughed, slapping Tim on the back as he walked by. "Get used to it, Tim. Kids are worse."
"The difference is, boss, that I didn't sign up to be a parent on this team. That's your job."
"My job is to make sure ya don't kill each other," Gibbs said with a grin.
Tim raised an eyebrow. "And that's not parenting?"
"Yeah, yeah, all right." Gibbs watched as Tim walked to the elevator, followed closely by Bishop and turned to Reeves and Torres, who looked like two boys expecting punishment.
"Gibbs… wanna make a bet?" Torres offered, despite a glare from Reeves.
Gibbs chuckled. "Ya really want me in on this, Torres?"
"Why not?" he asked.
"His gut. That's why," Reeves said grimly. "It skews the odds."
"Oh." Apparently that thought hadn't dawned on Nick before. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"Can ya at least save it for when McGee isn't in earshot?" Gibbs asked, exasperated.
"Off the record, Gibbs, what do you think they're having?" Nick asked, clearly hoping for an answer.
"Nick, that is not fair-," Reeves cut in, but Gibbs grinned.
"They're havin' a McGee, Torres." He grinned. "And a new member of the family."
Nick made a face. "That sounds a little too domestic for my taste."
"It would," Reeve said, rolling his eyes.
"Less scuttlebutt, more murder solving!" Gibbs said, pointing to the elevator.
They hurried off, followed by Gibbs, who was grinning to himself.
XNCISX
"So… if Gibbs is acting as your dad, and Ducky is acting as my dad… what about the rest of the team?" Delilah asked.
"What about them?" McGee asked, picking up the plates to take into the kitchen. "They're the team."
"That's funny," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I meant what will peanut call them?"
"Oh." He blinked, and then sat back down. "I'm not really sure."
She giggled. "I notice that you're not disagreeing with me about Gibbs being your dad."
"He is like a dad to me. And right now, he's the only one I've got, Dee. And he did give me a family heirloom watch. That says something."
"So he's Grandpa Gibbs," she said, a patient smile on her face.
McGee grinned. "He'll love that, I'm sure."
"Never mind what he thinks of it, I'll love it. And besides… it might be the closest thing to a grandchild he ever has," she said softly.
"True." He was struck with a sudden thought and laughed. "Oh God. Uncle Nick and Uncle Clay."
"Uncle Tony," she continued with the joke, laughing too. "And Uncle Jimmy for good measure."
"Aunt Abby, Aunt Ellie… Oh no." He paused. "Uncle Leon?"
She choked on her drink, and giggled through the juice dripping down her face, and managed to gasp, "Uncle Leon! Tim, I can't…" The two of them were both laughing, caught up in the moment. Choking back the last of his uncontrollable laughter, Tim passed her a napkin. She managed to wipe her face off, her face flushed with laughter and happiness, and he found himself staring at her.
He often caught himself watching her doing the simplest things. But then, it had been the simplest things, the little things about her that he'd craved when he'd been stranded in Paraguay. The little things like the sound of her laughter, or the sparkle in her eyes… It was as though he craved her presence, in a way that transcended simple marital bonds. Their futures were inextricably linked from now on, but even without the baby, he couldn't imagine a life without her.
She'd caught him staring, and smiled. "Everything okay?"
"Dee, do you know how lucky I am?" he managed, feeling his eyes welling up with tears. In the horrible nights when he couldn't sleep after Paraguay, she had been there for him. His rock, and his shelter from the storm in his own mind. She hadn't fixed him – he doubted he would ever quite be the same whole Timothy F. McGee he had been before Paraguay – but she had offered a place of rest where he could stay while he healed himself.
She smiled, though he could see that she was teetering on the edge of crying herself. "Don't cry, Tim, or I'll start blubbering too, because of these stupid hormones!"
"I love you," he said, an honest confession. The first time he'd said it… It had taken so long. They'd exchanged I love yous whenever possible… And then when Malik had struck, he remembered the confession, the blurted words. "I love you." Not the first time he'd said it, but maybe he'd meant it more than he had any previous time.
She reached over, taking his hand in hers. "And I love you, Tim." She paused. "You're always watching me… it's because of Paraguay, isn't it?"
"Yeah." He looked down at their linked hands, knowing that if he looked her in the eye, he wouldn't be able to conceal his absolute terror. "All I could think of down there was that if I ever saw you again… I wouldn't take it for granted. And I just kept thinking… when we were down there, never knowing if we'd live another day…" He paused for a shaky breath. "I wasted so many years, Dee, before I asked you to marry me, when I would have married you in the bullpen with Vance officiating."
She giggled, and he managed to look up at her then, only to find that she was crying. "It practically was like that, wasn't it?"
"Dee, I-," he paused, unsure of what to say next.
She squeezed his hand. "We just attract trouble, don't we?"
He grinned, the seriousness of the moment fading a little. "I like to think it's me."
She giggled, squeezing his hand again. "Tim? We're okay. Okay?"
"I think I'm more than okay. I have a good job, a great team, a beautiful wife and a baby on the way. I couldn't ask for a better life," he said.
"That makes two of us." She smiled at him, and he stood up, walking around the table to lean down and kiss her thoroughly, and she smiled into the kiss, happy to have her husband back.
They broke apart when the ringing started, Tim's laptop going off with the ringtone indicating that Tony was calling. He sighed, and then grinned down at her. "One day, honey, I promise I'll kiss you properly. No interruptions."
She looked after him, slightly stunned. "That wasn't properly?" she asked, smiling to herself.
Tim was occupied with setting up his laptop, setting it down on the coffee table. "Hey Tony."
"Tim, it's so good to see you." Aside from a quick phone call from Delilah to find out that Tim was indeed alive and safe, they hadn't caught up in a while. And seeing Tony's face made the whole ordeal feel a bit more removed from his warm living room. "I'm so glad you're not dead."
"That makes two of us."
"Also if I was there I would headslap you. What were you thinking?" he demanded.
Tim smiled tiredly. "I wasn't."
"Are you holding up okay? How's Delilah? And the baby?"
"When did you turn into such a worrywart?" Tim asked back.
"When I became a dad. You're in for a real treat, Timmy."
Tim rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I'm doing okay. As well as can be expected. Delilah is fantastic. Baby is good. We're all good here."
"Good! Now, do you know when the baby is due?"
"The doctor is saying around or after November 21st."
"And you wanted me to come for Thanksgiving?" Tony asked, insulted. "The little McGee could be here by then! I could've missed it!"
"Tony-,"
"Wait, I'm still invited for Thanksgiving, right?"
"Well, Tony, I was thinking, maybe you'd want to wait til Christmas, because it's a bigger holiday-,"
"Timothy Farragut McGee, do you honestly think I'm going to wait until Christmas to see everyone?"
"You've waited this long," Tim pointed out teasingly.
"Where's Delilah? I need her to headslap you!"
"Hey Tony," Delilah said, coming into the living room.
"Wheels! It's good to see you! Whoa." He blinked, staring at her, and then grinned. "Looking good, Mrs. McGee… Y'know if I didn't know better, I'd think you were pregnant or something!"
"You're very funny, Tony. How's Tali doing?" she asked.
"She's good. She accidentally learned a swear word when daddy burnt his hand making her lunch, and has repeated it several times… much to the joy of Senior who's been laughing his head off every time. I tried to tell him he's encouraging her but he wouldn't listen."
"Sounds very domestic, and unlike you, Tony," Tim said with a smile.
"Just you wait, Tim. Someday all this will be yours," Tony teased.
"Someday soon," Dee reminded him, and they shared a smile. Tony faked a gagging noise.
"Spare me from your mcgoo-goo eyes," he pleaded. "So Tim, Delilah here told me that you two are hosting Thanksgiving this year!"
Tim gave his wife a dirty look and she grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, Tony, apparently."
"Tim, do me a favor and ask Gibbs when the McBaby is due? His gut is more trustworthy than any doctor, and I don't want to miss it."
"Why are you so eager to be here, Tony?" McGee asked. "Worried you'll lose out on your rights as their uncle?"
"No," Tony said, in a tone that made it obvious that it was a contributing factor. "Tim, you're a brother to me. And maybe I wasn't there when you proposed… or when you got married, or when you got pregnant…"
"I'm kinda glad you weren't there for that, Tony," Dee cut in, and Tim laughed.
Tony rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't miss this for the world! My little probie is all grown up and about to be a dad! How could I not be there?"
"Okay, okay, you've made your point."
"Oh, hey, speaking of, Senior wants to get the baby something… but he doesn't know what."
"He's not buying the baby Scotch or cigars," Tim said firmly.
"No, I just… is it going to be a Tim Junior or a Delilah Junior?"
They exchanged a look. "Why does everyone insist on knowing that?" Delilah asked, shaking her head.
"Yeah, that's weird, it reminds me that the team was asking today-," he was cut off by Tony clearing his throat.
"Ahem, so do you know or not?"
"We do not know, Tony, but we're so glad you asked," Delilah said with a smile. "And tell Senior he doesn't have to get us anything."
"Well, I would, but he has a soft spot for children, and my daughter is seriously spoiled by him, so please, I'm begging you to let him give you things," Tony said. "I'm desperate here. My apartment is full."
"Okay, okay, we'll let Senior buy us something."
"Are the two of you having a baby shower?"
"My sister has taken control of the baby shower, but she's letting Abby help-,"
"God help us all," Tim said and Delilah elbowed him for interrupting.
"Do you plan on being there?"
"Do you have a date set?"
"We were thinking November 7th," Delilah said.
"And where are you having it? The bullpen?" Tony asked, amused.
"No, Tony, we are not."
"We're having it here," Dee said. She and Tim exchanged another look, saying as much with their eyes as the words they weren't saying, in that odd way that married couples managed to communicate without saying a word.
"Yep."
"Do I sense some tension over there?"
"No, it's just not a very big apartment."
"Well don't worry. Senior has a place closer to DC now, so we'll be staying there when we visit. Not enough room in Casa de McGee for Tali and I. As fun as that would be to watch, I'm pretty sure your head would explode, Tim."
Tim grinned. "I'm learning here, Tony."
"Yes from a stack of parenting manuals the size and thickness of Tali's skull," Tony said with a grin. "Our resident Autopsy gremlin told me."
"Jimmy," Tim muttered.
Delilah laid a hand on his arm to stay any murderous thoughts he might be having. "So when will you be coming?"
"How about I come for the baby shower, and just stick around?"
"I thought men weren't allowed at baby showers?" Tim asked.
"Is that going to stop you from going, Tim?"
"No…"
"Me neither."
"Don't worry," Dee said to Tim. "We're definitely dragging Nick and Clay along too."
"I can't wait," he replied dryly.
"So I should get plane tickets ready to come for the seventh?" Tony asked.
"That would be great Tony. Thank you."
Delilah smiled. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about, so I'll just be going. The table's not going to clear itself."
"I said I'd clear the table," Tim said, half standing and she shot him a look. He sunk back into his seat.
"I've got it, Tim. Now talk to Tony. Bye Tony!"
"See you Wheels. Take care of yourself."
She smiled, and then went into the dining room, to take the plates. McGee watched her leave, only to see that Tony was staring at him. "What, Tony?"
"You're a lucky man, Tim."
"I know," he said softly.
"How are you doing?"
"I've been worse."
"You've also been better." Tony had an uncanny knack for ferreting out the truth when it came to Tim. "She's amazing, Tim."
"I know. I don't deserve her."
"Don't say that, Tim!"
"You don't understand, Tony."
"Oh? Enlighten me as to how, McGee."
"I missed two months of the pregnancy. Two months that I'll never get back."
"I understand perfectly, Tim. Remember? I didn't even know I had a daughter until she was a toddler. I missed too much, years that I'll never ever get back. But I'm here now. And so are you, and maybe we're a couple of idiots, trying to be parents, but… we're here. And alive. And we are parents, Tim. That's what matters, right?"
"I just feel so guilty," the words were soft, so that Delilah wouldn't hear them.
"I know, Tim. But you know what you do?"
"What?"
"You cherish that wife of yours, and that baby, because this is happening. Ready or not, you're going to be a dad. And yeah, you missed two months, but you're gonna be there for the rest of it, right?"
"Of course."
"Then you've learned, Tim. I'd even call that character development." He took a deep breath. "I miss you, Tim."
"And I miss you, Tony."
"You haven't replaced me yet?" Tony asked, smiling.
"As a best friend? No."
"Bishop will be so disappointed." He sighed. "Hang in there, Tim. And I'll be there for the seventh."
"Okay. And Tony?"
"Yeah Tim?"
"Thank you."
"No problem, McPapa. What are friends for?"
