*The Reveal*
Maggie was now three months pregnant and beginning to show. Nothing in her closet seemed to fit right any more.
"Just go buy something that fits." Gibbs was getting exasperated with Maggie as he finished dressing for work. "Wear one of my shirts."
"Oh, yeah, like that won't scream 'Hi, I'm pregnant, I have to wear my husband's clothes.' "Maggie finally found a pair of khakis that gave her some wiggle room and a button down shirt she could wear untucked.
"So, maybe it's time we let everyone in on the secret." Gibbs walked over to Maggie and hugged her from behind. "It's only a matter of time now that I've put you on my insurance. Someone is going to notice the bills from Dr. Richman's office and put two and two together."
"Okay, how do you want to do this? Do you want to call your dad tonight? I can invite Jamie over. Tony too. "
"You sound worried about telling Jamie." Gibbs commented.
"I am. I don't know how he'll feel having a brother or sister so much younger than him." Maggie finished dressing and turned to her husband. "Speaking of that, do you have a preference?"
"On who to tell first?" Gibbs teased.
Maggie threw a pillow from the bed at him. "Smart ass."
Gibbs stopped Maggie from making the bed and made her sit beside him. "Only that he or she is healthy. That you and the baby will be fine."
"So when time comes, and I have the ultrasound, do you want them to tell us?"
"Nope. I want to be surprised." He gave her a quick kiss. "Okay."
"Okay."
"Yeah Dad, I know." Gibbs sat in his car at the NCIS lot. "It was really a surprise too."
"Son; I'm so happy for you both. Is there anything you need? I can come up and help out. Do things around the house so Maggie can rest."
Gibbs laughed at how excited his father sounded.
"I think maybe when it's closer to the due date. I'll need someone here to keep an eye on her so that she does take it easy."
"Doc says she'll be fine right." Jackson wanted to know.
"She can still run when she wants too. She's in great health and the baby is doing well too."
"You tell her people yet?"
Gibbs knew his father meant Tony and Senior.
"We're telling Jamie and Tony next and then she'll try to track her father down."
There was silence on the line.
"Dad, you okay?" Gibbs asked.
"Leroy, I adored Kelly, you know that don't you?"
"Yeah Dad, I do."
"I don't want to lessen her place in my heart. I'll still love her as much as I do this new young'un."
"I know dad. I will too."
Maggie called Jamie and Tony and invited them to dinner on St. Patrick's Day. Next to Thanksgiving Dinner, St. Patrick's Day dinner was her favorite to cook. The only problem this year, the strong smell of boiling corned beef and cabbage was making her nauseous.
"Smells good." Gibbs commented as he came into the kitchen with fresh Irish bread from the bakery.
"If you say so." Maggie replied as she put the lid back on the large pot that held potatoes, carrots, cabbage and corned beef. "Personally, it's killing me."
"Open the window." Gibbs said and realized she already had. "It won't be much longer." He kissed her on the cheek.
"I don't know Gibbs. I don't remember being this sensitive to smells before. Everything is just stronger."
"Thank God I don't wear cologne. But I did notice you stopped wearing your perfume."
"I love my perfume, but even the tiniest just makes me gag. It should pass soon. I kind of miss lighting my Yankee candles."
It took him a little while to adjust to that, to having scented candles in the house, when he moved in with Maggie. Fortunately, Maggie's taste in candles didn't go the flowery route. She liked the nature scents and he grew to like them too.
"Hello Hello! Happy St. Patrick's Day!" Tony called out from the front door. Tony came into the kitchen carrying a bouquet of green tipped carnations and a 6-pack of Guinness Beer.
"For you Mags." Tony handed the flowers to Maggie and kissed her on the cheek.
"And for you Boss." He handed the beers to Gibbs. "Smells good. I may not be Irish, but I love when my sister makes boiled dinner." Tony looked at Maggie who was putting the flowers in a vase. Maggie had on leggings and a sweater on. "Mags, married life must agree with you. Look like you've put on a few pounds."
Tony turned away from Maggie and Gibbs grabbed her wrist before she hit her brother with the spoon in her hand.
"So, when's Jamie getting here? He called me this morning and told me he was coming."
"Hey Mom…Gibbs." Jamie called from the front door answering Tony's question.
"In here Jamie." Gibbs answered. He put his hands on Maggie's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.
Jamie walked into the kitchen carrying a pot of shamrocks and more beer.
"When do we eat?" Jamie asked impatiently.
"No hug for your Mom?" Maggie walked over and hugged Jamie.
"You put on weight Mom?" Jamie looked down at her.
"See…." Tony pointed at Maggie. "That's what I said."
Gibbs pushed the plates at Tony and gave him the look that screamed knock it off.
"Sorry Mom, I made plans for later." Jamie admitted.
"Female plans?" Tony asked his nephew. Jamie didn't answer, he just blushed.
"Okay then, you can slice the Irish bread Jamie, put out the butter and vinegar." Maggie instructed them.
Tony put out the plates while Gibbs drained the pot with the dinner in it. He took the meat out and set it on a platter to cut while Maggie brought the bowl of potatoes, carrots and cabbage to the table. The smell was really getting to her and she tried hard to hide it.
"You okay Mags? You don't look too good." Tony's face showed concern for his sister.
"I'm good Tony." Maggie told him. "Can you grab the pepper from the counter?"
The meal was served and everyone sat down. Tony opened the Guinness' and handed them out.
"I'm good Tony." Maggie turned her beer down.
"You must be sick Mags, you never turn beer down. You barely have any food on your plate. You coming down with something?"
"Tony, leave Mom alone. I'll eat what she doesn't want." Jamie smiled.
Maggie picked at her food. She wasn't sure how they were going to tell Jamie and Tony their news. She was lost in her own thoughts when Jamie tried to get her attention.
"Mom."
"Sorry, what did you say?"
"I was telling you about work."
"I'm sorry Jamie, I was distracted."
"More like out to lunch Mags." Tony said between bites. "
Maggie tried to eat, but she could only manage a few bites of carrot and some Irish bread. She wasn't completely paying attention to the conversations at the table. She was trying to figure out how they would break the news.
"Looks like your addition is coming along nicely." Tony commented making Maggie's head snap up.
"What?"
"The addition. To the kitchen." Tony pointed over to where the room had been framed on the outside. "Looks like you're adding to the second floor too."
"Across from our bedroom. You can stay there next time Tony." Gibbs kidded Tony.
"I'll stick to the couch. Thank you."
"When are they breaking through to here?" Jamie asked.
"Soon. Next week I think." Maggie answered.
"You doing any of the work Gibbs?" Jamie inquired.
"When it's ready. I'll do the interior stuff."
"Mom, you going to paint? You love painting."
"Anyone want another?" Gibbs asked as he got up to get another beer.
Tony took the offer and Gibbs brought Maggie more sparkling water. Tony was intrigued now. His investigator mode swung into action. Maggie wasn't drinking any beer at all and he knew she loved Guinness. She also loved boiled dinner and she barely touched anything but a small part of the meat and some carrots. He looked over at her stove. Maggie always had a candle burning. Maggie loved Yankee Candles. He always gave Maggie a gift card to Yankee Candle for her birthday. She always had a candle burning. Maggie looked tired too. It even looked like she'd put on some weight and that wasn't Maggie. She was super careful about her health and loved the feeling she got from working out. Even her boobs looked different. Not that he'd spent much time thinking about his sisters boobs, but he knew they looked … different. Tony thought about it all for a few minutes and slowly it dawned on him. The last time Maggie didn't drink Guinness and looked tired and couldn't stand candles was when she was pregnant with Jamie.
Gibbs sat at the table drinking his beer. He could see the wheels working in Tony's head. The minute he put things together he looked from Gibbs to Maggie and back to Gibbs again.
"Tony, can you help me grab some more wood outside. It looks like rain later." Gibbs nodded his head to the door and walked towards it.
"Yeah, sure Boss." Tony put his napkin down, stopped next to Maggie and started to say something in her ear.
"Today Tony." Gibbs ordered.
Maggie knew why Gibbs had pulled Tony outside and now she had to find a way to tell her son.
"Gibbs." Tony reached the garage behind Gibbs. "Is Maggie pregnant?"
Gibbs squared his shoulders and looked Tony straight in the eye. He was expecting Tony to have a negative reaction. "Yeah, she is." He answered and waited.
Tony smiled broadly. "Really? After all these years! That's awesome Boss. Congratulations." Tony surprised Gibbs by hugging him.
Gibbs stepped back and looked at Tony. This was not the reaction he expected. Tony saw that.
"Really Gibbs, I'm thrilled. You're amazing with kids. Maggie's amazing with kids, she's a great mom. When is she due?"
"Around September."
"Have you told Senior yet? He'll be thrilled."
"Maggie wanted to wait til we told you and then she'd try to get in touch with him." Gibbs explained.
Tony's eyes widened and he yelled aha. "That's what the room is for on the second floor. For the baby."
"Yup." Gibbs nodded.
"You know Gibbs, I'd make an amazing Godfather." Tony said in his best Godfather impression.
"We haven't gotten that far yet Tony."
"You telling Jamie tonight?"
"That was the plan." Gibbs admitted.
"Let's go and tell him."
Gibbs and Tony walked to the back door and heard the yelling. Gibbs took the steps two at a time and burst into the kitchen as Maggie sat with tears in her eyes as Jamie was yelling.
"How could you! Could you be any more selfish? You could die. How many times did you tell me that you almost died with me? Is having a child with Gibbs more important than being here for me?"
Gibbs and Tony were struck silent at Jamie's outburst. Jamie grabbed his jacket and shoved Tony out of the way to get to the door and slammed it behind him. Gibbs started after his stepson, but Jamie wouldn't stop. He got into the car and screeched off. When he got back into the kitchen, Tony was holding Maggie as she cried.
"I never thought he'd be upset Tony." Maggie sniffled.
"He'll come around Mags." Tony said as he looked at Gibbs. At least he hoped his nephew would come around.
Gibbs tried unsuccessfully to reach Jamie several times during the night. Maggie had gone to bed obviously upset. Gibbs understood Jamie's anger. He was angry too at the thought of possibly loosing Maggie. But Jamie shouldn't have taken it out on his mother. Gibbs didn't want Maggie to be upset; it wasn't good for her or the baby. He thought about driving over and having a man to man with his step-son, but stayed with Maggie. He needed time to calm down too.
"You certainly are chipper this morning." Ziva commented seeing Tony's smile as he came off the elevator.
"That I am. That I am."
"Would you like to share this happiness with us?" she asked.
"Not til the Boss gets here." Tony put his coat over the divider and sat down at his desk.
"The Boss is already here." Gibbs commented coming around the corner.
"Can I tell them Boss? Or do you want the honors?" Tony followed Gibbs to his desk.
"Call Abby up first. Don't think she'd want to hear this second hand."
Tony picked up Gibbs' phone and told Abby to come up. "Ducky?" Tony held the phone to his ear.
"Already knows."
"Really? Huh. Man can keep a secret." Tony mused.
"That's why he knew already." Gibbs shuffled some papers on his desk. He was curious as to the reaction the others were going to have. They all waited patiently until Abby came up from her lab.
"What is this secret?" Ziva and McGee joined Tony in front of Gibbs' desk.
"Someone keeping secrets?" Abby asked.
"Apparently Tony is." McGee commented.
"Oh no dear Elf Lord, it is not I who is keeping the secret." Tony grinned. "Drumroll please."
"DiNozzo." Gibbs warned.
"Okay Boss, here goes." Tony turned to Abby, Ziva and McGee. "Maggie and Gibbs are expecting."
Three jaws dropped open and three sets of eyes were wide as they looked at Gibbs. He looked up to see their faces.
"What? Didn't think I had it in me?" he smirked.
The silence broken, Abby jumped up and down and ran over behind Gibbs and wrapped her arms around him. "You're going to be an awesome Daddy."
McGee congratulated Gibbs. "That's great Boss. When's the baby due?"
"September."
"How is Maggie feeling?" Ziva asked.
"Better than the first few weeks." Gibbs admitted.
"I take it the good news has been revealed." Ducky joined them in the bull pen.
"You knew?" Abby looked at Ducky. "You never said anything!"
Ducky bowed his head. "A gentleman keeps his promises."
Gibbs let Ziva hug him and McGee shook his hand.
"Hey, what about the Uncle to be. Don't I get any congratulations?" Tony stood with his arms apart.
"Change a few diapers and then we'll talk." Gibbs sat back down. "Now back to work."
Abby and Ducky went back downstairs, McGee and Ziva to their respective desks.
"Boss, did you ever get in touch with Jamie?" Tony leaned forward and whispered quietly.
"Nope."
"Do you want me to go and talk to him? It's quiet around here. Maybe it'll be easier for him to talk to me." Tony offered.
Gibbs thought about it for a moment. Jamie had been close to Tony for a long time; maybe he'd open up to his uncle.
"Go. Be back in an hour."
"Got it Boss."
"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Tony presented his badge and ID to the corpsman at the door. "I'm looking for Lance Corporal Jamie Sullivan."
"Over in mechanics." The corpsman told him.
Tony walked over to the garage area where jeeps were left when they needed maintenance. Jamie's specialty was explosives, but sometimes, when he was frustrated or needed to think, Jamie liked to work on cars. A trait he inherited from his father. Judging from the way Jamie left the night before, Jamie must be very stressed out. Tony walked over to where his nephew was bending over the engine of a jeep.
"Looking for bombs?" Tony said as he came up behind Jamie.
"Jesus Uncle Tony, you scared the hell out of me."
"Don't let Gibbs hear that I snuck up on a Marine. He'll never let you live it down."
Jamie made a dismissive noise and picked up a rag to wipe his hands.
"That why you're here Uncle Tony? Gibbs send you?"
Tony looked at his nephew. He wondered when the skinny kid with freckles had disappeared and become a muscled Marine. If Tony was going to get through to him, he had to treat him like a man, not a kid.
"You were pretty lousy to your Mom last night."
Jamie shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the floor.
"So you don't care that your mother cried herself to sleep last night?"
"She's got Gibbs. She'll be fine." Jamie pouted.
"Listen Marine. Stop acting like the 5 year old brat you used to be when you couldn't get the Transformer you wanted." Tony got in Jamie's face. "Your mother is pregnant and you are acting like a spoiled brat. She needs you to be happy for her and Gibbs."
"And what if I'm not!" Jamie stood nose to nose with Tony. "She told me she almost died when she had me. What if this time she does? Then where does that leave me?"
"With a little brother or sister who will need you and a stepfather who would need you too."
"And what if I don't need them?"
"Then you'll be all alone and regret that you were ever this much of a brat to your mother."
Tony held his stance and watched a range of emotions wash over Jamie until Jamie slouched back to lean against the jeep.
"I don't want my mother to take the chance. She's too old anyways."
Tony laughed and leaned next to Jamie against the jeep.
"I dare you to say that to her face."
Jamie snuck a look at Tony. "She'd have my hide."
"No kidding."
They were quiet for a moment.
"Look Jamie. Yes, when your mother had you, she had a tough pregnancy. In the end, you were fine, maybe a little puny, and kind of wrinkly looking."
"Gee thanks Uncle Tony." Jamie elbowed him.
"But she was fine. And that was over 25 years ago. Your mom is in great health, the doctors even said so. Things have come a long way since then. But it would really help if you'd go see her and apologize for what you said."
"I'll call her later."
"No." Tony cut his nephew off. "You will go see your mother in person. Man up. Be a Marine."
Jamie nodded his head. "You're right."
"I know I'm right. Now tell me more about this hot girlfriend of yours. You seal the deal yet?"
It was a warm March night and Gibbs convinced Maggie they should go out to eat. They went to Amici's in Georgetown. Maggie loved their cayenne steak and had her first official craving for it.
"You'll regret the heartburn you'll have later." Gibbs said as he held the car door open for her.
"Maybe, but the baby wants it." She smiled at him and took his hand as they walked through the parking lot.
"That going to be the party line now? The baby wants it? "Gibbs teased.
"So it won't work when I say the baby wants to fool around?"
Gibbs made a face at her. "That doesn't sound right."
"You're right." Maggie agreed. "It doesn't."
"But if you say you want to, then I'm all in." Gibbs held the door open for her. There was a method to Gibbs madness. After Tony got back and filled him in on what happened with Jamie, Jamie called. He wanted to know if Gibbs and Maggie would join him for dinner. Gibbs agreed.
"Your party is already at the table." The waitress smiled at Gibbs and Maggie.
"Party?" Maggie asked.
"That would be me Mom."
Jamie stood up and kissed his Mom on the cheek.
"That's if you wouldn't mind me eating crow for dinner."
Maggie reached up and pulled her son into a hug. "As long as it's cooked well." Maggie whispered in his ear.
The three of them sat down at a small table and ordered drinks and appetizers.
"Do you want to tell me what's got you so upset about the baby?"
Jamie sipped his beer and looked into the foam on the glass sliding down the inside.
"I was afraid something would happen to you." He confessed. "And I was mad at Gibbs for getting you pregnant."
Maggie reached out and covered her sons hand with hers.
"Jamie, don't you think Gibbs and I researched all the possibilities? My doctor is a specialist. She says everything will be fine. And I'm 45, not over the hill you know."
Jamie nodded.
"This may not have been planned but it is a blessing. I'm doing everything that they tell me to and will take every precaution they say."
"Like no more running?" Jamie asked.
"See. Even he agrees." Gibbs smirked.
"Seriously. The two of you." Maggie laughed. "I'm not going to wrap myself up in a cocoon and come out with the baby in September."
"Will you stop working?" Jamie asked. "I mean the baby is due in September and that is when school starts and all."
"I haven't really thought about it yet. I just want to get through to the last day of school and then see what happens."
The waiter came and took Maggie's order and Gibbs and Jamie split a pizza.
"Mom, you'll regret that later." Jamie commented when he heard her order.
Maggie rolled her eyes. "The two of you. Honestly. And don't tell Abby what I ordered.
Gibbs looked at her quizzically.
"Abby sent me a three page email earlier, must have been after you told them. She congratulated me and then went on and on about advancements in obstetrics and gave me a list of food that is good for pregnant women. And a list of products to avoid."
"Do you want to know what you're having?" Jamie wanted to know.
"No. I want it to be a surprise. We want it to be a surprise." Maggie corrected herself.
"Can I know? I mean the doctor can tell me and I'll keep it a secret."
"No. You don't keep secrets well. You never have." Maggie laughed.
Over dinner they talked about Jamie's job, he told them a little about the girl he was seeing and about the plans for the addition to the house.
Maggie excused herself from the table to use the ladies room. When she was washing her hands, a woman appeared next to her at the sink. Maggie made eye contact with the woman in the mirror. The woman was staring at her.
Maggie nodded her head. "Hello."
The woman just looked at her. Well, nice chatting with you; Maggie said to herself and turned to leave.
"You must be wife number 5." The woman said.
"Excuse me?" Maggie said stunned as she turned to face the woman.
"Tobias told me Leroy had married again. He forgot to tell me Leroy was going to be a father too."
"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Maggie was getting angry at this woman.
"I'm wife number 2."
Maggie looked at the tall red headed woman. This was who Gibbs married after Shannon. The one who married Tobias too.
"You're Diane." Maggie watched as Diane continued to stare at Maggie's belly. It began to creep her out and she turned on her heel and left the bathroom.
Gibbs and Jamie were laughing about some of the things Jamie had to do on base. Gibbs was taking a sip of his beer when he saw Maggie coming out of the bathroom and saw the look on her face.
"What's wrong? Are you okay? Is it the baby?" Gibbs stood up as Maggie got to the table and put his hand on Maggie's belly.
"No. I just ran into Diane in the ladies room." Maggie made a dismissive gesture. "I think I want to go home."
"Diane? My ex-wife?" Gibbs looked over Maggie's shoulder to see Diane walking towards them.
"Hello Leroy. I guess congratulations are in order."
"Diane." Gibbs said flatly. "I see you've met my wife Maggie. This is my stepson Jamie."
"And you have a stepson too. Isn't that nice. A readymade family."
Gibbs didn't say anything.
"You should get used to that Maggie. The silent he doesn't say anything Gibbs. He'll show up sooner or later and you'll end up in the I can't replace Shannon ex-wives club."
"Diane that's enough." Gibbs told Jamie to walk Maggie to the car. Jamie stared at Diane and wondered what Gibbs saw in a woman who could be so mean. He took his mother by the arm and led her to the front door. Gibbs stood staring at Diane.
"No hug hello for your first ex-wife?" Diane asked.
Gibbs didn't answer. He motioned the waitress over and asked her to box up the pizza and walked to the cashier to pay the bill.
"Does Tobias know you're going to be a father again?" Diane followed him to the front of the restaurant.
"Yes." Gibbs said as he thanked the cashier and left the tip.
"And no one wanted to tell me."
Gibbs turned to face Diane. "Why would I make sure you knew? There is no reason for me to tell you."
"I just thought…"
The cashier gave Gibbs back his credit card, Diane noticed that Shannon's picture wasn't in its usual spot. She put her hand out to stop him from closing the wallet. Where Shannon's picture used to be there was one of him and Maggie from their wedding day.
"Guess she won't be joining the ex-wives club." Diane moved her hand away.
"No. No she won't." Gibbs turned his back and left Diane standing behind him. He never loved her, but he told her that he did like her. For a time he continued to like her, even when she tried to compare her current husband to him. Maybe she would now, once and for all just let him go.
Maggie was leaning against Gibb's ruck talking to Jamie while they waited for him.
"Please tell me the left overs are for me." Jamie eyeballed the pizza box.
"No. They're for me. You can take a slice to go."
"Gee thanks." Jamie opened the box to see two slices already wrapped in foil. He gave his mother a hug and kiss and held the door for her to climb into the truck.
"Thanks Gibbs." Jamie hugged his stepfather.
"Any time."
Gibbs got into the truck and started the engine.
"So, I shouldn't expect a baby gift from Diane should I?" Maggie asked.
Gibbs smiled. "Nope."