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, Boxed In, Hiatus Part 2, Escaped, Singled Out, Bury Your Dead, Chimera 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.
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For several minutes, everyone just watched and waited as Tony remained unconscious.
"Jethro, we - " Ianto began.
"It's okay," Gibbs interrupted, eyes locked on Tony's lifeless form. "You did everything you could. I appreciate it."
Gibbs took a deep breath. As much as he didn't want to, he knew that someone would have to bring up the truth none of them dared to speak of.
"Tony's not gonna make it, is he? Be straight with me."
Owen hesitated for a moment. "Probably not," he finally answered, looking down solemnly. "I'm sorry."
Circling a hand on Tony's belly, Gibbs couldn't stop the tears. "Can the baby be saved?" he asked with a hoarse voice.
Owen nodded. "It's a possibility, yes."
"Then promise me you'll do whatever you can for our little girl. If Tony dies, I don't want it to be for nothing," Gibbs said, pleading with his eyes.
"Yes. We'll do everything we can," Owen promised.
Jack walked to stand beside Gibbs and put his hand on Gibbs' shoulder, the sadness in his eyes comparable to when he'd held a dying Ianto in his arms.
"You're welcome to stay here with us after the baby is born," he offered. "I want to take care of my family, and you're part of it as much as Tony is."
Gibbs just nodded sadly. "I don't think I can make it without Tony," he said thickly.
"Um...I'd hold off on the funeral arrangements if I were you," Tosh said with a small smile, nudging him gently.
Everyone's eyes turned to gaze upon Tony's face. Green eyes blinked up at them, as if seeing the world for the first time.
Mesmerized by the sight before him, Gibbs smiled down tenderly at Tony, his lover's eyes the most beautiful thing he could recall seeing in a long time. "Hey there, Tony. I sure have missed you."
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Exiting the elevator, Ziva could clearly hear a chorus of voices in the bullpen. As she set her bag down, she saw McGee, Jimmy and Abby chatting excitedly at McGee's desk.
"Ziva!" Abby bound over, hugging her before she'd had a chance to ask what was going on. "He's awake!"
Ziva's eyes widened in excitement. "Really?! That's fantastic!"
"Doctor Mallard just called me,"Jimmy said, clearly overjoyed. He and Tony had become good friends after Gibbs left for Mexico, and Tony's coma had been especially hard on him.
"Did he say how...our friend is doing?" McGee asked, glancing surreptitiously around him. Since others might be listening in, nobody dared speak Tony's name.
"No. He didn't say much, really,"Jimmy said, looking thoughtful. "He actually didn't sound as happy as I thought he would. I wonder why that is."
"Why don't you go find out for yourself?" Vance entered the bullpen with a ghost of a grin on his face. Though he'd never admit it, he had been worried about Tony, too, and to hear that his condition had improved was a relief.
McGee looked puzzled. "Director, are you sure?"
Vance nodded curtly. "I need my agents at the top of their games. I can't have you distracted. Take the morning off to visit him. But I want you all back here after lunch."
Abby bounced excitedly. "You got it!"
"Thank you so much, Director!" Jimmy's face lit up as he he led the group to the elevators. Vance smiled after them, then he pulled out his phone and dialed his wife's number.
When they arrived at the Torchwood mansion, emotions were running high. Recent events had cause them to face up to their own behavior, and suddenly, McGee, Ziva and Abby felt very ashamed. As for Jimmy, he had almost lost one of his few true friends. A man who was also often underestimated and misunderstood. Though he had been far kinder to Tony than the others, he now realized that he hadn't appreciated him in the way that he should have. That was going to change.
Ianto opened the door, greeting them with a bittersweet smile that made everyone uneasy. Shouldn't this be a day of celebration?
"Before we go any further, I have to warn you that everything didn't go as well as we could have expected." He paused and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid Tony is not as you remember him," the Welshman informed the group before leading them into the bedroom. "Though I suppose this is better than the alternative he was facing."
Entering the bedroom, they saw Tony sitting up in bed, green eyes turning to them upon their arrival. The ventilator had been replaced with a nasal cannula, and he was now wearing clean red pajamas.
"Tony!" Abby ran up to him, hugging him gingerly. Not only because he still seemed very fragile, but also because she felt incredibly ashamed by her past actions, and nervous about facing him. Pulling away from the hug, she noted that Tony didn't seem angry. In fact, he didn't really react to her much at all and somehow, that was even worse.
"Tony, we were all so worried about you," she said, waiting for some kind of reaction. When he only stared up, blinking at her, Ducky interjected.
"I'm sorry, Abby, but it seems that the oxygen deprivation that occurred just before Tony's coma has left him with some brain damage. He hasn't spoken a word since he's woken up, and needs assistance with simple tasks.
Abby stared at him in shock. "You mean..."
"Yes, my dear. Our friend is going to need as much help as we can provide him."
"Still glad to have him with us, though," Gibbs commented, entering the room.
Upon seeing the father of his child, Tony grunted, reaching out his arms. Gibbs gave him a tender embrace, before sitting beside him on the bed.
"Hey, Tony." Gibbs spoke to Tony as one would to a pet, or a very small child. "Look who came to see you," he said, pointing to Jimmy, McGee, Abby and Ziva.
"So this is it. We've lost him, haven't we?" Jimmy asked dejectedly, fighting back the tears which were welling up in his eyes.
"No, no, Mr. Palmer," Ducky insisted. "He has still come back from the brink of death. So long as he is alive, I am willing to accept his current state, however unfortunate it may be."
McGee nodded sadly. "I guess that now, the best thing we can do is just to support Tony. We failed him before. I'm not gonna let that happen again."
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"Impressive!" Jackie commented, stepping out of the car and surveying the massive estate before her. "You said this place belongs to Tony's grandfather?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes," Vance confirmed warily as they made their way up the walkway. Jackie had a big heart. It was one of her best qualities. But she had no idea what she was getting involved in. A pregnant male agent was a tricky enough situation. The fact that he was the grandson of Torchwood's immortal leader complicated things even further.
"Oh, look! I see him out back!" Jackie pointed, indicating Tony in his wheelchair, being pushed by Jack. "How many babies has he got in there?" She added under her breath. "He's big as a house."
"I'm pretty sure it's just one," Vance said with a faint grin as they walked towards the garden.
"Excuse me, sir!" Jackie called. "We're here to see Tony!"
Jack's brows furrowed in anger at their approach and he instinctively raised his hand to the butt of his Webley. He walked to meet them, just out of Tony's earshot, but close enough to keep an eye on him.
"Director Vance, what are you doing bringing your wife here?! I'd think that you, of all people, would appreciate the need for secrecy!" he hissed under his breath.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Vance asked defensively, placing himself in front of his wife in a protective gesture.
"Don't insult my intelligence with questions like that," Jack snorted. "You may not exactly be an open book, but I was still able to read beyond the cover!"
"Hey!" Jackie interjected. "Cut it out, both of you, please! I have no reason to divulge your whereabouts to anyone. I'm simply here to support Tony. I know what it's like to have a high risk pregnancy, and I figured he could use a friend. Someone who understands what he's going through."
Jack looked Jackie up and down. She seemed decent enough. Certainly a more friendly presence than her husband. But Tony had already been through so much, Jack was hesitant to let anyone new in. He needed to protect the only family he had.
"Just give me a moment," he finally said, stepping away and making a phone call.
"He looks so frail," Jackie observed with worry. "My experience is nothing compared to what poor Tony is going through. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll really be any help at all."
"Only one way to find out," Jack told her, placing his phone back in his pocket. "I asked Jethro, and he's all right with you being here." He extended his hand to Jackie. "Jack Harkness, I'm... one of Tony's friends."
"Jackie Vance. Though you obviously knew that already," she joked. Though she didn't enjoy the initially icy reception, she had to respect a man who looks out for his friends like that.
Frightened whimpers and grunts called their attention back to the man who was the reason for the unexpected visit. Tony had never left their sight, but being left alone for the past few minutes had left him scared and agitated.
The trio walked over to Tony, Jackie standing in front of him.
"I'm sorry, Tony, that was pretty rude of us, leaving you alone that that."
Tony smiled at her, recognition present in his eyes.
"Uh!" he grunted, motioning to his right.
"He wants you to take him to the sunflowers. We've got some still blooming in the hothouse over there," Jack explained, pointing ahead. "They were his mother's favorite, and the sight of them seems to sooth him."
"Is that right, Tony?" Jackie asked.
Tony nodded, a faint, sad smile ghosting his lips.
"I'm guessing she's been on your mind a lot lately. A mother's guidance can be comforting when you're about to become a parent yourself."
"Eh," Tony grunted, tears forming in his eyes.
Jackie dried Tony's eyes with her thumb, smiling at him gently. "I know I can't compare to your mother, but I'd like to do what I can to help you through this transition. Is that all right with you, Tony?"
Tony's face brightened. He appeared comforted and relieved as he grunted his approval.
Smiling, Jackie stood up and released the brakes from Tony's wheelchair. "All right, then. I'll take you to the sunflowers, and we can have a little talk."
"How's he doing?" Vance asked, watching his wife wheel Tony through the garden.
"Small improvements," Jack answered, eyes following his grandson. "He's able to loosely hold things now, and participate in some of his self care, with help."
"But still no speech?"
Jack sighed. "No. According to Owen and Ducky, the oxygen deprivation that Tony experienced just before falling into a coma caused a small lesion on the part of his brain that controls speech. But he seems to recognize people, and he reacts to each individual appropriately. Call it wishful thinking, but I haven't given up hope that Tony's speech will return someday."
"We can only hope," Vance said.
"Really?" Jack raised a dubious eyebrow. "You, of all people, want Tony to talk again?"
"Sure." Vance smirked. "I'm not a complete bastard."
RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE
"Tony?" Abby peeked nervously into the bedroom. Though she was unsure of how much Tony understood, she still felt compelled to apologize for her previous behavior.
Looking in, she was surprised to see an unexpected visitor sitting at Tony's bedside.
"Oh. Mrs. Vance. Hi," she greeted awkwardly. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Hello, Abby," Jackie smiled warmly. "Yes, Leon told me about Tony's condition, and I wanted to offer my support."
"Huh. Well, the Director swore not to tell anyone about Tony. But I guess he thinks he can make an exception for his wife." Abby, hands on her hips, had suddenly taken on a defensive tone. It was clear she wanted to protect her friend's privacy.
"Well...I kind of coerced the truth out of him," Jackie admitted, laughing. "I'm sure he hasn't spoken a word of it to anyone else. And I promise you, my lips are sealed."
Abby studied Jackie's face for a moment. She'd only met her a few times before, but she seemed like a sweet person. Her eyes fell on Tony's hand holding Jackie's on his lap. He was comfortable with her around. Maybe she should give her the benefit of the doubt.
"All right," Abby finally said, her features slowly melting into a smile. "If you passed Jack's inspection, and Tony wants you around, I guess that's good enough for me."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Jackie said sincerely, smiling at Abby warmly.
Abby bit her bottom lip."Can I, uh...can I have a few minutes alone with Tony?" she asked, nervously fidgeting with the handle of a large cloth bag.
"Sure," Jackie said agreeably, before turning back to Tony. "I'll be back in a few days", she promised, giving his knee an affectionate squeeze. "Take care, Tony."
Tony smiled at Jackie as she left, then looked warily at Abby, who sat, looking anxiously at him. Seemingly searching for the right words.
"Um...Tony, about the way I acted before...I'm sorry. It was selfish and mean. I'm happy for you guys. It's just weird for me. You're like a brother to me, and Gibbs is like a father to me. So it's like my brother is having my father's baby and -"
"Agh!" Tony grunted impatiently, cutting short her rambling.
"Sorry, Tony," Abby said sheepishly. "You're right. This is not about me. What I'm trying to say is that I love you guys, and I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that I always thought I was Gibbs' favorite, and that he saw me as a surrogate daughter. I knew where I stood. Then you and Gibbs got together and you got pregnant almost immediately."
Abby looked at Tony, vehemently shaking her head.
"And it was great. Really great. I didn't lie. I was very happy for you, guys. But suddenly my world turned upside down and I didn't know where I stood anymore. Gibbs stopped paying attention to me. He was only focused on you and the baby and... I'm sorry. I was jealous of you. I'm aware that I tended to intrude into your relationship and your pregancy, and I want to apologize for that. I had no right to act the way I did and I hope you'll forgive me for that."
She lowered her eyes to her hands, nervously playing with the seam of plaid on Tony's lap for a moment before she looked up again.
"And just so you know, Tony, you look great! You're skin looks amazing, and you're totally rocking the pregnancy glow! And just think! You're carrying this beautiful little baby girl that's probably gonna grow up to be smart, loyal, funny, strong and good looking - a great combination of you and Gibbs!"
Abby felt relief wash over her when she saw Tony's face break into a small smile.
"Tony, when you were in a coma, everyone was really scared and worried about you, and we all realized that we haven't been very nice to you. Everybody feels really bad about it. But I swear things will be different from now on!"
"Hah." Tony, his eyes wet with tears, reached out his arms to Abby, inviting her to hug him.
Standing up, Abby, who was also tearful, leaned over, embracing her friend.
"I got you something," she told Tony, reaching into her bag and pulling out a large stuffed pig. "I call him Monty. But you can change the name if you don't like it. He's like Bert. See? "
Abby squeezed the toy, resulting in a loud fart-like noise, which caused Tony to laugh. His laughter, bright and cheerful, was a sound that had long been absent, and Abby found her heart gladdened to see the look of pure happiness on his face. It was carefree, and almost child-like. A look that Abby had missed dearly.
"I gotta get going now," Abby said, handing Tony the pig. "I just stopped by to say I'm sorry, and I love you." She paused tentatively before asking "Are we good?"
Tony replied by pointing the pig's butt at her and squeezing.
"I'll take that as a yes," Abby laughed, giving Tony one last hug before leaving.
RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE
The house was bustling with joyous energy as everyone gathered for Sunday brunch. Jimmy, McGee, Abby and Ziva had all come come to share in the meal, and everyone was looking forward to a carefree visit with those who had become closest to them.
The smells of hot coffee, crisp bacon, and warm, fluffy pancakes filled the air. Everyone moved into the dining room, gathering around the long, rectangular table. Gibbs poured a glass of water for Tony and cut up a few pancakes into bite sized pieces for him.
"So have you thought of any baby names yet?" Abby inquired, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.
Gibbs sighed, running a hand through his hair."No. Tony and I never had that conversation. As things are now, it'll probably be up to me to name her."
"You can't give up on Tony!" Abby insisted. "Things will get better for him after the baby is born! I know it!"
Tony, who Gibbs had parked at the corner of the table, sat looking on, unnoticed.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Ducky warned. "While it's true that Tony will likely regain some physical strength after giving birth, the damage has been done. His lungs are in a worse state than before. He will likely be on oxygen for the rest of his life. Additionally, we don't know if there will be any long term damage to his organs as a result of bring compressed."
No one seemed to notice as Tony's fingers fumbled to pick up a piece of pancake. His pleading whines were muted by the lively conversation around him.
"And we still don't know if he'll ever speak again," Jimmy added sadly, as he bit into a piece of bacon.
"For Tony, not being able to talk, must be hell!" Ziva quipped, chuckling behind her glass.
"It's not funny," Gibbs told her with an icy glare.
"I-I know, and I'm sorry," Ziva stammered contritely. "I was just trying to lighten the mood."
"The point is," Jack interjected, in an attempt to diffuse the tension, "after this baby is born, she might not be the only one who needs to be taken care of. Which is why I offered to let Tony, Jethro and the baby move in here permanently. We certainly have everything needed to provide for Tony."
Meanwhile, their topic of conversation whined in frustration. He hadn't had a bite to eat, his fingers betraying his mind's intent. As a shaky hand awkwardly reached for his glass of water, the drink was knocked from the table, unseen and unheard amongst the chatter.
"That's very generous of you, Jack," McGee said, smiling at the immortal.
"I look out for my family." Jack smiled back.
"Well," Ianto began. "I-"
Suddenly, a loud, angry crash resonated across the room, as a plate hit the wall. Everyone turned to look at Tony with amazement. Shaking and covered with food, he sat glaring at them with a look of anger, hurt and frustration.