Note – slight spoiler for episode 19 of the first season 'Dead man talking' along with 'Bêta Noire' (But you already knew that)
Additional Note – I should have mentioned earlier that this is in the same 'verse as my other NCIS fanfiction incase anyone has any questions about the plot or pairings that might show up. (Though the Mpreg and Slash in the story's summary should have given you a hint)
Anyway, on with the show.
Chapter Two – April
April 12th
It's a perfect spring day.
Birds are singing.
There isn't a cloud in the sky.
And Gerald is truly and utterly bored.
He's at home all alone in the middle of a Monday.
After a month and a half of not being a work, Gerald has finally run out of thing to do.
At a typical job, he could have been at work up until his last trimester.
But NCIS is not your typical job
The Director made this perfectly clear.
Director Tom Morrow is straightening up his desk when he looks up and sees Ducky and Gerald in his doorway.
"Gentlemen, please come in," Tom says as he walks around his desk and stops in front of it.
He starts talking again before either man has the chance to sit down, "I want to say I'm sorry about yesterday. Things like that have never happened before and I'm sorry it happened but I can assure you that it will never happen again."
Tom smiles before concluding, "So please don't you two do anything rash like quitting on me."
"Thank you, Tom for your concern," Ducky says then shares glances with his mate. "But that's not why we wanted to meet with you."
Tom smiles with relief then gets back to the matter at hand.
"Well what is it?" Tom asks seeing the worried look on the men's faces. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," Ducky assures him then looks over at Gerald. "Nothing could be further from the truth. It's just…"
Ducky stops talking – for once unable to find the right words to say so Gerald helps him out, "I'm pregnant."
"Congratulations," Tom says smiling. "How far along are you?'
"Three months," Gerald supplies.
"Months?" Tom asks sure he had heard it wrong.
"Yes," Ducky says finally finding the words to speak. "We only found out yesterday. Gerald didn't have any morning sickness."
"We don't know what NCIS's policy on pregnancy," Gerald says nervously almost like he doesn't want to know the answer. "So we thought it would be best to talk with you about it."
The director informed them that Gerald might destroy evidence by throwing up on a crime scene or body – even thou Gerald hasn't thrown up at all.
The ringing of the door bell pulls Gerald out of thoughts about the past.
Slowly as to not get a head rush, he stands up from his position of lying on the couch placing a hand on stomach that shows his pregnancy a bit and makes his way towards the front door dodging stepping on any corgis' tails as he goes.
The door bell rings a second time before he reaches the door.
It is ringing a third time when Gerald opens the door.
Standing on the other side is his older brother Wood and his grandmother Miz Coretta.
"Hi, Gerald," Wood says with a smile.
Gerald blinks not believing what he is seeing, "What are you doing here?"
"After leaving a message like you did?" Miz Coretta's voice is stern but loving. "Do you really have to ask?"
Gerald smiles fondly, "Come in,"
Gerald's family follows him into the living room.
"Where is that mate of yours?" Miz Coretta asks as she sits down on the couch that Gerald occupied just moments ago.
"Donald's at work until five," Gerald states an approximate time knowing that his mate could be held up far into the night if there is a bad case to solve.
Miz Coretta raises an eyebrow to this, "And you're all alone in this big house,"
"Victoria, Donald's mother should be back from her bridge game by noon," Gerald explains as he takes a seat next to his grandmother. Instantly one of the dogs climbed onto his lap. "And the corgis are good company."
"You look tired," Miz Coretta says looking over Gerald's face. "Go take a nap while I make lunch."
Gerald smiles at her care but still he tries to protest, "You don't have to…"
Miz Coretta stops him mid-sentence with a wave of her hand.
"I could help." Gerald offers with not much hope of her saying yes.
"No you won't," Miz Coretta says confirming Gerald's suspicions. "I won't let my great grandchild be put into danger which can easily prevent."
Miz Coretta smiles at him, "Now go take your nap."
Gerald smiles back, "Yes, Miz Coretta,"
"So Jett just sat down," Miz Coretta's voice float up the stair into the ears of the recently woken Gerald. "He was arrested and put on trial."
Gerald makes his way down stairs sitting listening to his grandmother's voice, "In court he said his peace and by using the laws passed years before did he win the case."
"Banning books from schools," Victoria Mallard comments. "What next? Saying what people can publish in the first place."
Gerald comes into the kitchen as Victoria continues, "That is the first amendment – freedom of speech."
Victoria places her tea cup down on the table when she notices the young man standing in the doorway, "Hello Gerald. Did you have a nice nap?"
Gerald smiles at the care Ducky's mother gives him before he responses in the same favor, "Yes, Victoria. Thank you,"
"Well lunch is already," Miz Coretta "There's turkey, chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, pineapple, applesauce, and fresh rolls."
Gerald gives a little chuckle, "Enough to feed an army,"
"Or someone pregnant," Miz Coretta says with an all knowing smile. "Now sit down and tell me about your job."
"I'll leave you two to talk," Victoria says standing up. "Thank you, Coretta for the lunch."
Victoria walks passed Gerald and out of the kitchen.
"You don't want to hear about that," Gerald whispers taking the seat Victoria was just sitting in.
"I asked you so that must mean that I want to know," Miz Coretta's voice is stubborn that Gerald knows all too well. She won't give up until she knows what she wants to.
"Ok," Gerald says giving in with not much of a fight. "I assist Donald in autopsies."
"And how did you get shot?" Miz Coretta asks fixing a plate for Gerald..
"A terrorist hid in a body bag and took Donald and me hostage," Gerald quickly tells not wanting to dwell on the memory too long. "While he was there, he shot me."
"Is he dead?"
"No.," Gerald admits with a sigh. "He got away,"
"Too bad," Miz Coretta says and places a plate full of food in front of Gerald. "Now on to more happy things tell me about my great grandchild."
Gerald smile happy to talk about his soon to be baby, "Well first of all, it's a girl,"
"Have you thought of names yet?"
"Not yet," Gerald gives her a crooked smile. "We don't want to jinx anything."
"Very smart of you," Miz Coretta comments. "But what about shopping for thing for her? Have you bought a stroller or a crib?"
"No," Gerald says.
"Have you at least painted the nursery?"
"We haven't even picked the room for the nursery," Gerald reluctantly confesses, not to happy with himself right now.
"Well that has to change," Miz Coretta announces. "After lunch, we'll pick the best room to put her in and have Wood clear it out."
"Where are they now?" Gerald asks as he looks around as if expecting for his brother to jump out from behind the kitchen island.
"Back at the hotel," Miz Coretta says.
"Hotel?" Gerald asks. "You could have stayed here."
"We didn't want to be a bother," Miz Coretta says.
"Never," Gerald says with a smile.
"That may be but we'll keep our hotel room so it's not crowded here," Miz Coretta declares. "Now eat up."
Gerald picks up a fork and dig in into the food.
April 14th
Two days later, Gerald is standing in the newly cleaned out bedroom that had been declared the perfect one for the baby with the location near Gerald and Ducky's room, discussing decoration plans with Miz Coretta and Victoria.
"Pink or purple?" Victoria asks holding up swatches for Gerald to look at.
"What about a soft green?" Gerald asks holding up a swatch of his own.
"Butterflies or birds?" Miz Coretta asks flipping though a book of wall paper.
"Zebras are nice," Gerald says, smiling at his grandmother when she looks at him.
"Clouds on the ceiling," Victoria says looking up.
Gerald smiles at the scene, "And grass on the floor."
"Grass?" Victoria asks a little confused.
"Yeah," Gerald says as if it wasn't that unusual.
Miz Coretta exchanges a look with Victoria before asking, "What kind of theme were you thinking of?"
"A zoo," Gerald says smiling. "With all different kinds of animals."
"That's… nice," Victoria says unable to find another word for it. "So zebras and monkeys?"
"And lions, and penguins," Gerald says picking up where his mother in law left off. "Beavers, rabbits, flamingos, otters, possums, bats, birds…"
"So all the animals?" Miz Coretta asks cutting him off.
When she sees his grandson's smile, she gives in.
"Ok. Let's get started"
"Perfect," Ducky says hugging Gerald from behind as he looks around the nursery that night.
Each wall was a different environment.
On one wall is an underwater scene with dolphins jumping out of the water near the ceiling and a iceberg jutting out of the water housing penguins, polar bears and a walrus.
A safari scene decorates another wall with a watering hole in the middle and desert animals surrounding it.
Monkeys are swinging on vines over a jaguar on the ground in the third walls jungle
Finally on the fourth wall is a meadow in a middle of a forest with all the creatures that dwell there.
The ceiling has several birds and other animals flying – from flamingos to toucans also bats, dragonfly, and a Chinese dragon that curves in and out of the other scenes.
"So I didn't go overboard?" Gerald asks with a little smile as he looks behind him at Ducky.
"No," Ducky says smiling back. "I love it and I love you."
"I love you, too, Donald," Gerald says and gives Ducky a kiss with all of his love for the older man.
Not to be out done, Ducky returns the kiss with just as if not more love.
April 17th
Wood Jackson takes the stairs two at a time as he goes up to the second floor.
The man takes determined steps down the hall and swings open the last door on the right only to stop at the sight of his younger brother sitting at a desk with his head down in concentration as he writes in a journal.
"Gerald?" His voice timid, showing none of the haste that brought him up to this point.
The man in question looks up from his writing and turns to face Wood.
"Can I come in?" Wood asks almost certain that he would receive a cold 'no' in response.
To Wood's surprise, Gerald smiles warmly at him and says, "Sure,"
Wood walks into the room and sits down on the bed.
"What are you writing?" Wood asks half wanting to know and half wanting to delay the reason he came up here in the first place.
"My OBGYN suggested I keep a journal while I'm pregnant," Gerald explains as he closes the book. "Mostly it has my worries and fears that I might mess her up in someway."
Wood leans forward and looks Gerald straight in the eyes, "I have no doubt that you will be a great parent,"
"But not perfect," Gerald whispers a frown crosses his face.
"No one is and no one should be," Wood says with a conviction that he knows what he is saying is the truth. "If I told you half the things I did wrong while raising Jett, we would be here all night."
Gerald smiles, "I'm not going anywhere."
"Well when Jett was 10, I lost him at an amusement park…"
April 16th
"Call me it you need anything," Miz Coretta says as she says goodbye at the end of the week.
"I will, Miz Coretta," Gerald promises.
"I want to be here for the birth," Miz Coretta continues as if Gerald didn't say anything.
"You will," Gerald says with a smile. "I'll call you first."
"Nonsense," Miz Coretta says. "First Ducky. Then me."
Gerald smiles at his grandmother and nods before turning to his brother.
"Tell Jett I said hello,"
"I will," Wood says then gathers his little brother in his arms. "I miss you."
Gerald hugs him back, "Miss you."
April 27th
Gerald looks at the front door as it opens in the middle of the afternoon.
"Donald, you're home early," Gerald says then he sees his mate's face. "What's wrong?"
Ducky's voice is heavy with sadness as he speaks, "Chris Pacci was murdered today,"
"Oh Donald. I'm so sorry," Gerald says hugging his mate. "Did they find the killer?"
"Yes," Ducky says hugging him back. "Jethro killed her,"
Gerald pulls back to look Ducky in the eyes, "Her?"
"Long story," Ducky says clearly not wanting to get into it. "The funeral is Saturday if you are up to going that is,"
Gerald pecks Ducky on the lips, "I wouldn't miss it,"
After the funeral, everyone went out for drinks at the bar Pacci frequented told by his picture hanging on the wall below the phrase 'Fallen in the line of duty'.
"You look good, Gerald," Kate says smiling at the young man.
"Thanks, Kate," Gerald says smiling back.
Abby hugs him, "How's my future niece treating you?"
"No complaints," Gerald says with a smile.
"Sit down," Kate says. "Tell us all about it."
Gerald sits down next to Ducky and looks around and his coworkers turned friends and now are closer to family and he has to smile.
"Well the nursery is perfect..."
End of Chapter
What show is Gerald's family from? (P.M. me with the answer which I'll give at the beginning of the next chapter)
Since they are only in this chapter and possible there for the birth, I didn't want to place this story under crossover (plus I wanted to see if any one would know what show their from)
Next up – May (hopefully appearing sometime this week)
Random fact – Penguins which are native to Antarctica, can also be found at the southern tip of South America.