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.

(Author's note: Regarding Tony types, given his speech problems, I figured it would also make sense if he knew in his mind what he wanted to say, but, even with the device, struggled with the right way to say it. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, that's why his typing sometimes seems stiff and childish. That, and it would take some effort for him to type.

Also, I would once again like to invite you to join my new LiveJournal community, Being Tony DiNozzo (beingtonyd). I just started it a few weeks ago, but there has been some good conversation, and new friendships formed. I've enjoyed talking to other people who share my love of Tony. )

RENASCENCE RENASCENCE RENASCENCE

Tony's eyes fluttered open as he felt warm breath on his neck, and fingers carding through his hair. Looking up, he saw Gibbs smiling down at him.

"Hey. Didn't meant to wake you," Gibbs whispered almost apologetically as he kissed the top of Tony's head.

Tony smiled, blinking himself into wakefulness. Looking in front of him, Tony saw Jack sitting in the recliner at his bedside. A magazine, which he had obviously been reading, was resting in his lap.

"Do you know why we're here, Tony?" Jack asked, his tone gentle and non confrontational.

Tony nodded reluctantly. He hated feeling put on the spot.

"Imm-ji," he murmured.

Jack nodded. "That's right. Tony, no one wants to make you feel uncomfortable. And I don't want to sound selfish but... I'd like to know more about the granddaughter I never had the chance to meet. Her loss was obviously a memorable, yet painful part of your life...and your mother's."

Tony closed his eyes and sighed. He hadn't spoken of Imogen in years. Not since his mother had died. The memory was too painful. He was only a small child at the time, so he didn't fully understand the situation. But he understood that his mommy was very sad. And his family was never the same after the loss. It was like a dark curtain had been drawn over their lives. After Annabelle's death, Tony's father had Imogen's birth record sealed, and ordered Tony never to mention her name again. So it had been over 30 years, and the hurt now felt fresh again.

But Jack was family. More than his own father had ever been. Family who had taken Tony in before he was even aware of their connection. The grandparent he hadn't known about, and a true reminder of his mother. Jack deserved to know what happened.

Tony finally nodded his consent.

"Thank you," Jack said softly, giving Tony a kiss on his forehead as he and Gibbs helped him sit up.

※

In the family room, everyone had tried to create an environment where Tony could feel at ease. If he was going to relive a painful memory from his past, they didn't want him to feel forced to do so. They didn't want Tony to feel as if he were being interrogated. After all, he'd been brave enough to bring up Imogen in the first place, thus indicating the extraordinary level of trust he felt towards those close to him. They intended to honor that trust by providing a comfortable setting where he could feel safe opening up.

So at first, everyone just sat, chatting casually. Ianto had purchased Tony's favorite strawberry cheesecake from the bakery, and Gibbs fed Tony a slice while everyone else sipped espressos. Tony couldn't help but to laugh when Gibbs confessed to Ianto that he could never go back to his old brew after tasting the Welshman's amazing coffee. If Tony hadn't heard it himself, he never would have believed it. He thought that Gibbs would be drinking that bitter swill forever.

After Tony had swallowed his last bite of cheesecake, he felt Gibbs' loving gaze on him.

"You ready now?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded. He was quiet for a moment, calling back old memories and trying to separate facts from emotions. He had never had the chance to work through what had happened when he was a kid. It wasn't until just before his mother died that he was truly aware of what had happened to baby Imogen. So even now, as an adult, his mind processed the memory as a 5 year old. In spite of the years that had passed, he still vividly remembered his mother crying; trying to hide the tears when she saw Tony. Holding onto him like he was the most precious of treasures. Making him feel like he was her entire world.

Worried a prolonged silence might cause the others concern, Tony finally began typing into his device.

[ "I was 5 years old. So happy! Have baby sister!" ]

Tony's smile was child-like and innocent. As if recalling the memory had taken him back to that time. And Jack found himself smiling as well, imagining what his young grandson might have been like. But his face fell when he saw a sadness mixed in with the innocence. Tony was beginning to look upset and distressed.

[ "When Imogen was born, dad take me to see her. Excited! But dad frowning. Look sad? Angry? Can't say. Dad not right." ]

Screwing up his face in concentration, Tony now made an attempt at speech.

"I...see...ma. B-but...da...g-go!"

"When you went in to see your mother, your father left?" Toshiko asked, leaning forward.

Tony nodded his confirmation. "Da...say...c-cah..." He held his hand to his ear, as if making a phone call.

"Your dad said he had to go make a phone call?" Ianto translated.

Tony nodded again, typing into his talk tech.

[ "But mom is crying. Why does dad make call? He not there. So I stay with mom. She hugs me. Say Imogen is with angels in heaven. Look after us. Say I am angel on earth."]

Tony put a hands to his cheek, wiping away a tear as it started to fall.

[ "Dad never around. When around he is yelling. Tell mom was her fault Imogen gone. But was not! She was good mom! Dad make her cry more. But I remember! I am angel too! So mom and me always together. I always tell joke. Make her laugh. I like to see mom happy. Want her to always be happy! She say I am light in her heart." ]

Tony paused, his expression becoming even sadder.

[" Then mom gone. With Imogen in heaven. I try make dad happy. But he does not want me. Can't make dad happy. Never." ]

Tony's tired fingers drifted off of the device, his head falling forward as he cried. His breath came in short, strained hiccups, and for a minute, it looked like he might stop breathing altogether.

Fearing another coma, and what further damage that might do to Tony, Gibbs rubbed soothing circles on his belly, in an effort to calm him. Meanwhile, Owen checked Tony's oxygen level.

"Shh...it's okay, Tony," Gibbs cooed. "Your mom was damn lucky to have her little angel with her after losing Imogen. The way I see it, you were her greatest gift."

Tony's breathing slowly steadied as he looked up at Gibbs, noting that he was talking to him the way he would a small child he was trying to comfort. And yet, there was nothing condescending or disrespectful about it. Gibbs simply wanted to help make him feel better. And Tony knew that he meant every word he said.

"Seems to me you and your mom have a lot in common," Gibbs continued, smiling. "Always taking care of others. Trying to make them smile. I finally understand why you do it."

Tony put his hand to his belly, stilling it on top of Gibbs' hand. He'd never thought of it that way. But maybe he really had been a sort of caregiver all these years. Always doing whatever he could to ensure the happiness of those around him, why he silently suffered. Living his life as the sad clown.

"Just remember that the happiness of others is not your responsibility, or your burden," Jack added, taking a seat on a nearby chair. "You're not alone, Tony. Not anymore."

Looking around at the loving faces surrounding him, Tony couldn't argue with that. Feeling a sense of belonging, Tony knew that he had finally found his family.