This is being written in collaboration with my talented friend nightchild78. We are having fun bouncing ideas off each other, and sharing in the excitement of watching this story unfold!

Special thanks to Rose Malmaison for making the image to go along with this fic!

Categories: NCIS/Torchwood

Rating: M

Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer / Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper.

Pairings: Tony/Gibbs, Jack/Ianto, Tosh/Owen.

Warnings: Swearing, slash, Mpreg, explicit sexual situations.

Spoilers: Set during the 6th season of NCIS and after Children of Earth for Torchwood. Mentions of the episodes SWAK and Requiem for NCIS, and for the episodes Cyberwoman, To the Last Man, Dead Man Walking, A Day In the Death, Exit Wounds as well as the whole of season 3 of Torchwood. Miracle Day never happened.

Disclaimer: We don't own these characters. We just like to play with them.

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

"Does everyone have to be here?" Tony asked uncomfortably, giving Gibbs a pleading look.

Gibbs squeezed Tony's hand. "Ordinarily, I'd say no," he answered. "But there's nothing ordinary about what's happening to you. So if this is actually what it seems to be, then we'll need all hands on deck."

Tony felt he was in some bizarre nightmare as he lay on a table in autopsy. Gibbs was holding his hand, while Abby, McGee, Ziva and Jimmy Palmer stood around, watching in curiosity, as Ducky ran the doppler over his stomach.

It was a simple, no frills portable ultrasound machine that really looked more like a laptop to Tony's eyes. The images it produced were crude, but they were enough to confirm the pregnancy. The faint sound of a heartbeat seemed amplified in Tony's shock and disbelief, like an intruder knocking within his body's walls.

"Well, this is fascinating!" Ducky exclaimed, looking at the image on the screen. "From what I can see, your body chemistry has been altered drastically! You are indeed growing a baby inside your uterus!"

Tony's eyes widened, and he shook is head frantically. "I'm a man...I'm not supposed to have a uterus. I shouldn't be pregnant!"

"Well, I don't know what to tell you," Ducky said apologetically. "But this pregnancy is very real and I can clearly see a uterus attached to your rectum!"

McGee's eyes were so wide that they seemed about to fall from their sockets. Jimmy looked paler than some of the residents in the morgue, and likely to faint at any moment . As for Ziva, her jaw was clenched so tight, it was a miracle she didn't break a tooth.

Abby seemed to be the only one who was excited by Ducky's announcement.

"Aww!" she cooed. "It's definitely hinky, but... Wow! You're gonna have a little Tibbs baby!"

Tony glared at her.

"Wait until you grow a three-piece service, then tell me how fascinating you find it!" he snapped.

Abby pursed her lips.

"Well, actually, I've always wondered how -"

"Abby..." Gibbs warned her, his tone for once devoid of his usual kindness.

"Get it out," Tony pleaded, looking at Ducky. "Please get this thing out of me..."

Ducky's eyes didn't miss the look of profound sadness on Gibbs' face at Tony's words, but he refrained from reacting.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't even if I wanted to," he informed Tony as he wiped the gel off of his belly. "I don't have the proper equipment here. And I doubt a traditional hospital would know how to handle a case as disconcerting as yours."

Tony looked frightened by this news and began hyperventilating. He was clearly having another panic attack.

"Shh...Tony. It's gonna be okay," Gibbs whispered, instinctively massaging soothing circles on Tony's tummy. "Breathe with me, Tony...breathe..."

After a few minutes, Tony's breathing returned to normal and he slowly began to calm down, his eyes fixed on Gibbs.

"I'm scared," Tony whispered, his voice a choked sob. "How could this happen? What am I gonna do?"

"We are gonna get through this together," Gibbs promised, pulling Tony's shirt down to allow him some modesty.

"How?" Tony asked, slowly sitting up. "You heard Ducky. It's not like there are any doctors around that know how to treat a pregnant man."

"You might be wrong about that," Abby suddenly chimed in.

All eyes turned to the goth forensic scientist, and Tony felt relieved to not be the center of attention, if only for a minute.

"Abby, please," Gibbs sighed. "This is not the time for antics."

Abby pulled a face, clearly offended by Gibbs' assumption.

"I'm serious. I have a friend who used to work for a very high ranking organization. Well, it's a bit hard to explain, but she is used to handling very sensitive material, and the people she works with have had some pretty freaky cases!" Abby explained.

"Are you saying I'm a freak?" Tony asked. He had been feeling abnormally insecure recently, and the surprise pregnancy wasn't helping.

Abby ran up and gave her friend a hug.

"No! Tony! That's not what I'm saying at all! I'm just saying that, compared to the other things they've seen, male pregnancy is almost normal! I really think I should get you in touch with them, Tony! If anyone can help you, they can!"

Tony placed his hands over his stomach, scowling disdainfully at the thought of the life that had taken up residence in his body.

"What do you think?" he asked, looking up at Gibbs.

"It's your call," Gibbs said supportively. "But, I have to admit that I'm at a loss. The way I see it, you don't have a lot of options."

After a moment of thought, Tony sighed heavily.

"All right. Go ahead and call your friend."

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

Tony was trying to rest on the cot in Abby's lab. The cot was sometimes a necessity for Abby, given her late hours, and at the moment, Tony was glad he could make use of it while Abby was making her call to those friends of hers who were supposed to be able to help him.

Tony needed to rest in his sick and weakened state. But his need for rest also provided a welcome excuse to avoid having to talk to anyone. He was still trying to process Ducky's extraordinary announcement. How could he even be pregnant? It felt like a cruel prank that everyone was playing at his expense. But he had seen it up there on the ultrasound. There was no denying the truth, but he couldn't even find a rational explanation for such an aberration. He had had enough X-rays throughout his career to know that if there had ever been something abnormal about his internal plumbing, it wouldn't have escaped the plethora of doctors he had dealt with. This whole thing was terrifying in itself.

Now, Tony mostly felt scared and alone. Who knew what this pregnancy would do to him? Was it even safe for him to be pregnant? Because, as far as he knew, men's bodies weren't designed to carry children. Moreover, considering there was no available care or support for male pregnancy, how could he safely have a baby? Did he even want to have this baby? As a man, he had never contemplated this kind of possibility.

But was he even really a man anymore? Suddenly, he had a uterus, which now had a baby growing inside of it. So what did that make Tony? Not male. Not female. Just some weird, sexless thing!

As supportive and understanding as Jethro was, and as kind as his friends had been so far, Tony couldn't help feeling he was all alone in this frightening, unfamiliar situation. It was all so overwhelming, that he could only cry, and he hated himself for that. He hated to feel weak and frightened. Goddammit, he was a federal agent! He had beaten nothing less than the plague! He should handle this better.

"Special Agent DiNozzo," a soft voice with a Welsh accent called to him.

Tony sniffled and wiped his eyes before turning over to see a handsome dark haired man in a suit smiling kindly at him.

"Oh man! This is embarrassing!" Tony sat up, scratching his head. "I -"

"No need to feel embarrassed. Your reaction is understandable, given your situation." The man held out his hand, helping Tony to his feet.

"Thanks, Mister..." Tony looked for his "visitor" badge, but there was none hanging to the lapel of the man's well tailored jacket, which was unusual. But then, what wasn't these days?

"Jones. Ianto Jones, " the man introduced himself with a slight bow, and something in his attitude reminded Tony of Ducky's distinguished demeanor.

If he hadn't felt so bad, Tony would have smiled at the obvious reference to the James Bond movies. But right now he was too scared and tired to enjoy the uncanny resemblance between the mysterious Ianto Jones and the famous secret agent.

"You Abby's friend?"

Ianto shook his head. "No. Not yet anyway. In fact, I only just met her," Ianto answered. "She's friends with Toshiko. But she did help us get established here in America, and for that, we owe her."

"I don't want to be rude, but who are you people exactly?" Tony asked.

"That's a long story," Ianto said with a soft laugh. "Just know that you can trust us. I can assure you that we're here to help."

Tony shrugged. "Not like I have much of a choice."

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

"I gotta tell ya, you're not doing great job earning my trust so far," Gibbs told Ianto, as he, Tony and Ducky sat blindfolded in the back of a black SUV, very similar to what Torchwood had in Cardiff. Abby sat up front with Ianto.

Ziva, McGee and Jimmy had been ordered to stay at NCIS headquarters and be ready to set off the next World War if they weren't contacted within two hours. They hadn't been too happy to be left behind, but Ianto had been adamant, and they had had no other choice than to submit.

"Please don't take it personally," Ianto said apologetically, his eyes locked on the road and the heavy traffic of the early evening. "In our field of expertise, secrecy is the key and moreover, we can't afford to let certain people know our location. We don't foresee any problems. It has nothing to do with you, but caution is parent of safety. In case anything goes wrong, we don't want to have to give Tony Retcon considering in his condition. Hence the blindfolds. Consider it as the lesser of two evils."

"'Retcon'? What the hell is 'Retcon'?" Gibbs asked with a frown.

"Simply put, it's an amnesia pill," Ianto answered, glancing into the rear view mirror.

"Oh, that's comforting," Gibbs snorted sarcastically.

"Don't worry, guys," Abby tried to reassure them. "Tosh said - " Abby stopped talking, as the car hit a huge pothole and she heard Tony whimpering softly.

"It's okay,Tony," she said soothingly, turning around and taking hold of his hand. "If I trust these guys, you can too."

"Is this really necessary?" Ducky asked. "Tony only just found out he's pregnant. He's already scared and confused, and you blindfold him and shove him in the back of the car. Of course he's upset! It's a wonder he hasn't had another panic attack! And if we leave Tony in your care, wouldn't we find out your location anyway?"

Ianto considered what Ducky had said for a minute. It was a risk, but these three hardly seemed a threat. Abby trusted them. And the whimpers of the pregnant man sitting behind him made blindfolding them seem almost cruel.

Ianto sighed. "It does seem rather unreasonable." he agreed. "Fine. You can take off the blindfolds. If Jack has a problem with that, I'll deal with him. "

"Not afraid of a little punishment?" Abby quipped.

Ianto gave her a sideways glance.

"Yeah, I heard about you guys," she said with a mischievous grin.

Ianto simply blushed in confirmation.

"For the record, I'm fine!" Tony insisted, clearly embarrassed, as the three men took off their blindfolds. "The bumps in the road just gave me nausea."

Gibbs put a comforting hand on Tony's knee.

"There's no shame in being afraid sometimes," he said. "You've had a lot to take in today."

Tony smiled, placing his hand on top of Gibbs'. This gentle, tender side of Gibbs, the side so seldom seen by others, was a big part of the reason Tony felt so safe and cared for in their relationship. For the first time in his life, he didn't have to pretend.

Looking back at the couple, Ianto smiled. "Try and trust me, Tony. We want to help you."

"It would be easier to trust you if I knew exactly what you do," Tony told the Welshman.

"There's no way to answer that without it sounding like a lie. It really must be seen to be believed," Ianto laughed. "Jack will explain in further detail later. But, as Abby may have already told you, we mainly monitor alien and paranormal activity, and hunt down and contain threats to the human race. "

"Uh huh..." Gibbs said skeptically. "Are you saying that Tony's pregnancy falls into one of those categories?"

"It might not," Ianto told him. "But it's not exactly something that happens every day now, is it? I believe you'll find we are uniquely qualified to help."

Gibbs looked over at his pregnant lover. Tony was trying not to let on how scared and uncertain he was feeling, but, as usual, Gibbs could see right through him. So, even though Gibbs still had many questions, he decided to keep any further doubts about this strange organization to himself. He knew that, at that time, more than anything, Tony needed to feel secure.

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

"Do you think they're on to us?" Jimmy asked, squirming in the back seat of McGee's car and already regretting his decision to follow McGee and Ziva when they had decided, in spite of Gibbs' orders, to tail the mysterious black SUV.

"Hard to tell in the dark," McGee answered from the driver's seat, rolling his eyes.

Watching the light change, they waited for the SUV to move. However, it remained in place.

"Come on! What are they doing? Why aren't they moving?" Ziva asked in frustration.

"I don't remember inviting you to the party," a strange voice from the back seat said, startling them.

McGee and Ziva turned their heads to see a handsome man sitting beside Jimmy. He was pointing an old fashioned gun at the head of the young ME assistant, who looked like he might vomit. The man looked to be about Tony's age, with blue eyes, and a sparkling smile that brought out his dimples. Yet despite the undeniable charm he was radiating, there was something dangerous in his eyes that made them uneasy.

"Look, mister," McGee started, trying to keep his nerve. "I don't know who you are, but we're federal agents, and - "

"Oh, I know all about you, Agent McGee," the man said darkly, his grin morphing into a feral smirk.

Ziva, quick to react, pulled her gun out on the man, but he too was quick, and snatched it right out of her hand without blinking an eye, his own gun still firmly directed to Jimmy's head.

"I wouldn't try anything stupid if I were you, Officer David."

In the confusion, the SUV in front of them turned and cars behind them promptly started honking.

"I think you're blocking the traffic, Agent McGee. Gear up," the man ordered, while promptly sticking Ziva's gun into one of the pockets of his long coat.

"No," McGee countered, a lot more calmly than he felt. "I won't go anywhere as long as you're threatening us. "

The man let out a chuckle and shook his head, before looking down at the Webley in his hands.

"Don't worry. I don't intend to use this on Mr. Palmer, or either of you. But I could hardly let Miss Mossad here skewer me with one of her knives before I even get a chance to properly introduce myself to you. It would have been very inconvenient."

McGee raised a dubious eyebrow. "Inconvenient" would certainly not be the term which he would have chosen to describe it.

"And you are...?"

The man slowly lowered his gun. Next to him, Jimmy let out an audible sigh of relief.

"Captain Jack Harkness, at your service," he said with a wink, calmly holstering his gun.

"Where are we going?" McGee asked cautiously, hoping to dispel the palpable tension in the car and also to put a stop to the honking outside.

"Where you wanted to go, Agent McGee," Jack said, leaning back into the seat."Into the hole of the White Rabbit." He smiled, more genuinely this time. "I'll show you the way."

As the car slowly pulled over, Jack then looked to be speaking into an earpiece.

"Looks like we have a few extra guests, Tosh. Be prepared to receive them."

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

They had driven for about half an hour, until they stopped in front of an old house in a smart suburb. It was difficult to make out details of the place in the dark, but Gibbs estimated it had been built sometime in the 1800s. It was a very spacious home, with large sash windows. More like a mansion, really, and had most likely originally belonged to a well off family.

Everyone was now gathered round a large conference table in the library of the house, all waiting for answers.

They had been herded in so quickly by the handsome stranger who had commandeered McGee's car, that no proper introductions had been made.

Since their arrival, Tony had been uncharacteristically quiet, keeping his eyes to the floor. Gibbs sat next to him, holding his hand, and glaring at Ziva, McGee and Palmer in turn, furious with them for putting themselves in danger. Ducky was scolding Jimmy for going along with McGee and Ziva. Abby sat talking excitedly to a Japanese woman with an English accent.

Ianto was leaning casually against the frame of a large bookcase with his hands in his pockets. On the other side of a large window, a pale man with a sullen face was occupying another corner of the room, while the last member of the Torchwood team, who seemed to be also its leader, stood near the door, arms crossed.

Suddenly, the man with the long military coat whistled loudly, turning everyone's attention to him.

"All right, everybody! We've been brought together tonight under some unusual circumstances," he began.

" 'Unusual circumstances'...Welcome to Torchwood," Ianto quipped, eliciting a giggle from the Japanese woman.

The stranger simply winked at Ianto, and it was clear there was something between the two of them. This, Tony thought, must be the mysterious Jack.

"First, I think introductions are in order," the man said. "As some of you already know, I'm Captain Jack Harkness. You've already met the dashing Ianto Jones."

Ianto nodded and smiled, waving to the others cordially.

"Seated at the far end of the table is the brilliant Toshiko Sato, our tech analyst, and the lanky fellow in the corner is Doctor Owen Harper. Together, we're Torchwood.

When I said 'unusual circumstances', I meant unusual for you. Because as far as we are concerned, we've seen and done things in our careers that you might find unbelievable - "

"Hey. I'm a pregnant man. At this point, I'll believe anything," Tony interrupted, trying to maintain his sense of humor in this admittedly strange and frightening situation.

Jack laughed. "Yes, Tony. I suppose it's the kind of experience that tends to open up your mind to new realities. And we'll get to those realities later. But right now, Tony, we need to address the issue of your pregnancy."

"Are we even certain that Tony is really pregnant?' Tim asked. "I know we have all seen the images, but is there a chance that it isn't what it looks like?"

After a quick exchange of glances, Owen stepped forward and took the floor.

"All the results Doctor Mallard sent to me corroborate this hypothesis. I double checked all of them and there is no doubt about the reality of this pregnancy, as unlikely as it may seem."

"But how -"

"That a good question, but I don't have the answer yet. I'm running more tests at the moment, so maybe I'll be able to tell you more soon. Right now, I don't have a clue. All I can say is that Tony is indeed pregnant with what looks like a very ordinary six week old embryo."

Jack turned towards Tony and Gibbs.

"I have to say, Tony, that you're doing great for an ordinary man. Don't take it wrong, that's a compliment. Where I come from, male pregnancy is a fairly normal occurrence. In fact, 40% of the Earth's men are able to have children."

"And where is it that you come from? Mars?" Ziva asked in a challenging tone, glaring darts at Jack.

"Actually, the 51st century," Jack answered, ignoring Ziva's hostility.

"You come from the future! Like in H.G. Wells !" Jimmy exclaimed with awe.

"Kinda," Jack confirmed with a shrug, as if it was the most natural thing. "By that time, humankind has evolved to the point that a man can safely carry a child to term. Additionally, they are able to receive prenatal treatment that addresses their unique needs as pregnant men."

His expression became concerned as he looked at each of them in turn.

"Tony doesn't have these luxuries. Pregnancy promises to be a difficult, and most likely dangerous ordeal for him. Should he choose to keep this baby, he is going to need your full support emotionally, and in some cases, physically."

He paused a moment, then carried on.

"While we at Torchwood will do our best to address Tony's unique needs and find out how all of this happened, we will need to work together with you, the people who know him best. We need to operate as a team. And Tony, I want you to carefully consider whether or not you want to keep this baby. Because, while there are risks and hardships ahead in a male pregnancy, there is also no reason why you shouldn't bring this child to term. It's important to keep both sides of the issue in mind. Just remember that it's ultimately your decision.

Once again, Owen stepped in.

"There is no hurry, though. You're still in the early stage of pregnancy, so take as much time as you need. Even if you chose to abort, you'll have to wait for at least a couple of days. From what I saw in your test results, you're slightly anemic and dehydrated, which increases the risk of hemorrhaging during the intervention. "

Tony nodded in understanding. This had to be one of the most difficult choices of his life, and he felt absolutely overwhelmed with emotion.

"Now," Jack continued. "Back to Torchwood. After all, it's only fair that you know what you're getting into. First, to assure you that we're not lying about what we do, I think it's best to show you who we are. The very fact that we're even here with you tonight is testament to the miracles we encounter regularly."

Walking up where Tony was sitting, Jack kneeled down so that he was at eye level with him and held the pregnant man's hands, giving him a calming, reassuring look. Strangely, Tony felt safe around Jack, even though they had only just met. There was something about him that Tony found comforting.

"Tony, you might find what you're about to see upsetting. But please be assured that no one is going to get hurt or killed. No matter what it looks like, I need you to remain calm. It's important in your condition."

"Okay..." Tony said, surprised at how familiar this stranger felt to him.

Standing up, Jack gave Tony's shoulders a gentle squeeze before once again addressing the group. He then pulled out Ziva's gun, which he had yet to return. A weapon they were familiar with. One that they knew was not a toy or a prop.

Putting the gun against his side, Jack pulled the trigger, tumbling backwards with a shout of pain.

Abby clapped her hands over her mouth and squealed. Ducky and Jimmy were already on their feet, rushing to help, while the rest of the NCIS team just sat in wide eyed disbelief. Except for Tony, who was doing his best to remain calm, closing his eyes and trying to take deep breaths. Seeing Tony's struggle, Gibbs took him into his arms protectively and held him close.

The Torchwood team, on the contrary, seemed completely unfazed by what had just happened, with the exception of Ianto who was clearly unhappy.

"Holy shit!" Jack cried out, pressing his hand against his bleeding side. "It hurts like hell!"

"It serves you right," Ianto muttered, as he handed Jack a handkerchief. "You know I hate it, and yet you still can't help making an exhibition of yourself."

"Sorry, but I just tried to be explicit," Jack explained.

"Then find another way the next time," the younger man scolded.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Ducky intervened. "But don't you think that we should call an ambulance? This wound is very serious, and dare I say life threatening."

Jack smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Doc. Everything is under control."

With that, he lifted his hand holding the handkerchief along with the hem of his bloodied shirt, revealing the unbroken skin of his abdomen. At the same time, the bullet fell on the hardwood floor with a thud.

Everyone visiting from NCIS gasped, stunned by what they had just witnessed.

"You see?" I can't die!" Jack told them, standing up. "Well, I can't stay dead, anyway."

"But...how is that possible?" Jimmy asked in disbelief.

"Interesting story, actually!" Jack said. "Let me explain."

"Yes," Owen said, walking to stand beside Jack. "I think there are several things that require explanation. But for the moment, leave it to the professionals, small-ball." And with that, he vanished into thin air to a new chorus of gasps, only to promptly reappear moments later.

"Jack can't die. And me? Well, I'm still dead!"

"Settle in, kids!" Jack chuckled, still holding his sore side. "You're gonna be here awhile."

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

Briefing their guests from NCIS on the story of Torchwood, Jack's immortality, Owen's death, and Tosh and Ianto's resurrections had taken until after midnight, so Jack informed them that Ianto would be driving everybody home. He had been in this kind of situation enough times to know that, since they were likely all in shock from what they had learned, it didn't seem safe for them to drive home. Reluctantly, everyone agreed with Jack. The things they had heard, however unbelievable, were also undeniable, and they all needed time and space to wrap their minds around those new developments. Anyway, it was Friday night, and they didn't need their cars for work in the morning. Tomorrow, there would likely be much more to discuss. But right now, they were all too worn out to do anything useful, and Jack offered to pick up anyone who wished to see Tony in the morning. Ducky and Owen had agreed that Tony should be staying back at the house for observation. Of course, Gibbs would also stay with him. No one was crazy enough to try to keep them apart.

A first floor study had been converted into a bedroom for Tony and Gibbs, with various monitors and medical equipment available, should Tony need them.

Owen, satisfied with Ducky's preliminary exam of Tony, decided any further examination could wait until the next day. Though he did tell Tony he would likely be looking him over first thing in the morning.

Since Owen now lacked some of the fine motor skills needed to perform some of the examinations, he asked Ducky and Jimmy to act as his hands in Tony's prenatal care. Ducky accepted the offer without hesitation, happy for the chance to help his friend and dare he say a little thrilled at the idea of taking part in such an extraordinary medical experience. Jimmy was hesitant at first, behaving as if he was weirded out by the idea. However, all it took was piercing glares from Gibbs and Ducky for him to change his mind and forget all his qualms and insecurities.

Much to Tony's displeasure, their first job was to inject an IV into his hand, since he had been unable to keep anything down and had become dehydrated. Being poked in such a tender area proved almost too much for Tony after all he had been through during the last hours. His nerves were rattled, and were it not for Gibbs' calming presence, things would have likely gotten bad for him.

Once Tony and Gibbs were settled in for the night, lying in bed together in this strange new environment, Tony reached out his hand for Gibbs, trying his best not to think about the IV in his other hand.

"What a day, huh?" Tony observed.

"That's an understatement," Gibbs chuckled softly. "How are you doing?"

"Well, scared. Confused. Stunned. Take your pick. This doesn't feel real to me yet," Tony admitted. "I feel like Alice in Wonderland. And these people...They're...interesting. But...I don't know why...I feel like I can trust them." He thought back to the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness, and how kindly he had behaved, though it had only been their first meeting.

"Yeah. They're all right," Gibbs said. And Tony found this confirmation of faith from him comforting. Gibbs was very good at reading people, and had a fine tuned bullshit meter.

"Try and get some sleep," Gibbs gently urged, giving Tony a light kiss.

"I'll try," Tony said, the calm in his voice betraying the worry in his heart. "I love you, Jethro."

"I love you too, Tony. Goodnight."

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

As promised, Owen - with Ducky and Jimmy's assistance - examined Tony the following morning. Tony was more than a little displeased when Owen demanded yet another blood sample. But Owen insisted that there were some things a regular medical laboratory would not be able to test for, or even know to look for. So Tony suffered through being pricked yet again.

He also suffered through what he felt to be embarrassing personal questions about his sex life. But, as awkward as that had been, it did provide Owen with some needed information. Tony had been with men in the past, and been on the bottom a good number of those times, but had only now become pregnant. Moreover, none of his previous examinations had shown the existence of a possible uterus.

Therefore, Owen concluded, he must have come in contact with some sort of object or influence that worked with his body, making it hospitable for a growing fetus.

To complete the examination, Tosh ran a device over him and announced that there was no trace of "vortex energy". Tony didn't have a clue what that could be. But it seemed to be good news, since Owen informed him with a smirk that at least he wouldn't end up like John Hurt in Alien.

After the exam, Tony still found himself exhausted and nauseated. He simply wished to sleep, and didn't want to see or talk to anyone for awhile.

Owen and Ducky agreed that Tony should rest, and so he spent a good deal of the morning in a fitful sleep. Ducky also informed them that he would put Tony on sick leave for the next few days in the guise of a gastroenteritis, in order to give them more time to figure out what was going on.

Throughout the morning, visitors came to look in on him. Most of the time, Tony pretended to be asleep. He didn't feel like discussing the difficult decision he was facing regarding the baby, and he knew that everyone had their own opinions on the matter.

Gibbs came to see him. "He would never pressure me to keep this baby. But it is also his baby... Shouldn't he have a say in this? I can't face him now," Tony thought.

Abby came. "No. She's made her opinion abundantly clear. She doesn't see anything wrong with all this madness. I can't deal with her intensity right now."

Ducky came. "He's too close to Jethro. Of course he wants me to keep the baby."

Surprisingly, when McGee came to see Tony, he actually welcomed the visit. McGee had no fixed opinions on the matter. He was about as objective as they came and seemed almost as awkward as Tony about what was happening. Oddly enough, he was probably the only person Tony felt he could be completely honest with at the moment.

"Tony? You awake?"

"Yeah. Come on in," Tony nearly whispered. He didn't want to risk anyone else hearing him.

McGee sat down at the foot of the bed, looking unsure of what to say.

"Looks like you were right, McPsychic," Tony joked, recalling their conversation in the men's room a few days earlier.

McGee laughed. "Yeah. Who knew I had 'the gift'?"

Tony sat up, wincing as the IV tugged at his hand slightly. "You and Ziva are probably loving this. Picturing me pregnant and emasculated. Waddling around with a huge belly full of baby."

"Not at all," McGee protested. "It might have been funny to imagine it. But the reality is different. I keep thinking about what that Jack guy said last night, and I'm worried about you. Listen, Tony, you have been there for me in the past and I'm not sure that I have ever repaid in kind for what you did for me. I'm fully aware that I should have behaved like a better friend to you, especially when you were in charge of the MCRT. But now, I'm going to be here for you in any way I can. Just let me know what you need. You have my full support. "

Tony blinked, taken aback by the directness of McGee's words. Over the years, the two men had become friends. But there was always that playful, brotherly teasing between them. Tony knew that McGee would always be there when he needed him. But McGee had never come out and said it in so many words before.

Smiling his gratitude to McGee, the look on Tony's face communicated more than words ever could.

"Could you make my decision for me?"Tony half joked. Whether or not he should keep the baby was the only thing occupying his mind at the moment, and he knew the choice would be harder to make with each passing day.

"Sorry. I can't do that," McGee said apologetically. "But I can listen if you want to talk it out."

A chuckle burst out of Tony. "We sound like a couple of women."

"Yeah," McGee laughed. "But right now, this is the best I can do for you."

Clearing his throat and crossing his long legs, Tony looked down into his lap.

"You know what the nice thing about being a man is? You don't have to worry about getting pregnant. Or so I thought. And yet, here I am. I'm mostly just stunned right now. I never thought I'd have to face this kind of decision. And I don't need anyone to tell me what a miracle this baby is, or that it's a second chance for Jethro to be a father -"

"Tony," McGee cut him off. "Breathe."

McGee watched as Tony took a few calming deep breaths.

"That better?" McGee asked, once Tony had appeared to calm down.

Tony just nodded.

"All right. Now, put aside your shock, fear and worry about being pregnant. Try not to think about what you perceive as your lost masculinity. Trust me, pregnant or not, you're still as manly as can be. Don't worry either about what other people think you should do. If this baby had come to you in any other way, would you want it? If you and Gibbs adopted a baby, or had one through a surrogate, would you be happy about it?"

"I don't know," Tony admitted. "Jethro and I haven't been together very long. I hadn't thought that far ahead. "

"Well, now, you're gonna have to," McGee said. "Imagine you've been together a year or two. How would you feel about starting a family with Gibbs?"

Tony pondered McGee's words for a minute before answering.

"I feel safe with Jethro. Protected. He looks after the people he loves, and I couldn't think of a better man to start a family with."

Tony had a far off look in his eyes, and his smile communicated absolute love and adoration.

"So, you want to keep the baby, then?" McGee guessed.

"Still not sure," Tony sighed. "But you've certainly helped me to put things in perspective.

Tony took Tim's hand in his and squeezed it.

"Thank you."

Tim nodded solemnly. "Any time, Tony. Any time."

A relieved smile softened Tony's features. Somehow, his heart felt lighter.