Warnings: Spoilers for "Spinning Wheel"

A/N: Found this on my computer the morning. I had forgotten to post it before Christmas!

"A Wonderful Life"

Ellie Bishop looked at the happy, smiling baby in her arms and couldn't help but smile at him in return. Jack cooed, quite content with the attention that he was getting from his father's co-worker since his mother was very busy getting dinner on the table for the team. "You little flirt," Ellie teased the baby, "You really are just like Daddy."

Leah smiled while she set the table. She had sent Tony and Tim out to get a few things while she finished dinner and Ellie entertained the baby. "He does enjoy being with the ladies more than men. Considering that his father and grandfather are such ladies' men... I'm not surprised."

Jack grinned and kicked his legs. He really was the happiest when the women in his life gave him attention, but he didn't mind spending time with Tony, Tim or Gibbs. His mother or another female were just his preference.

"Before I left the NSA, Jake and I discussed having kids," Ellie said, softly, a sad look in her eyes. "We never did come to an agreement."

"Ellie, I hope you don't think that if you'd had a baby things would have been different," Leah told her.

"No. I don't think kids would have made a difference," Ellie replied, standing up with the baby in her arms. "It would have made things worse."

Leah watched as Ellie went to put Jack in his play-pen. The demise of Jake and Ellie's marriage had been a hot topic between Leah and Tony—fears that their marriage could end up the same and vows to make sure it didn't. "Things will look better once the divorce is finalized," she reassured the other woman. "And you get a new place—completely Jake free."

Ellie stroked the baby's cheek with her thumb before turning away to help Leah finish with the table. "I have a few appointments set up after the holidays. Until then, I'm fine staying in the hotel."

"Hotel? Ellie you don't have to stay in a hotel!" Leah said with a shake of her head. "You can come stay here with us! Or I'm sure Gibbs would gladly give you his guest room."

"I don't want to impose," Ellie replied. "The hotel is fine until I find something permanent."

"If you ask me I would have kicked Jake out."

"Okay, ladies," Tony announced, using his hip to open the apartment door, "we're back. And I think we bought out the entire ice cream supply at the store."

Leah snatched the bag out of his hand. "Stop exaggerating."

Tony smiled at her, wistfully. "I'm not—he only had one gallon of vanilla ice cream left."

"You know... if you tease the chef you do not get dessert."

"Alright, I'll stop."

Jack let out a cry to demand someone's attention. His father went to get him out of the play-pen and immediately the infant stopped crying, gurgling and cooing now that he had what he wanted.

Tony sat down on the sofa with Ellie, and while he listened to Tim and Leah's conversation about the food in the kitchen, he softly asked her, "Are you going to be okay, Bish?"

Ellie nodded her head. "Yes. Might take a little bit of time but I think I mourned my marriage a long time ago." She ran her finger along Jack's soft cheek, getting a smile out of him. "This is the best for the both of us."

Tony set his jaw. "Yeah," he said, then covered Jack's ears with his hand, "But Jake didn't need to be such an ass about it." He watched a smile cross her face. She didn't look like someone that was this strong, considering how tiny she was, but he'd learned that she was tough enough. Still... this was his "little sister" and he hated how Jake had treated her. "If you want my opinion you were too nice."

"Now you sound like my brother, George," Ellie said. "He wanted me to bust a few of Jake's belongings. It's not worth it."

"It would have made you feel better."

"Tony, I'll be fine."

Leah was bringing dinner to the table and ended the conversation. Tony got up and placed Jack in his bouncy seat near the foot of his mother's chair so he could still see her while she ate, otherwise, he'd cry throughout dinner. As they all settled down to eat, Tony realized that Ellie was telling the truth. She was going to be fine because the team wasn't going to let her not be fine

Already that day they had gone above and beyond to locate Ducky's brother, they'd do the same for Ellie. Because that's what you do, Tony reminded himself. He glanced down at Jack. His son smiled up at him. Even the baby, in his own way, had helped his aunt Ellie feel better that night.

Only three months old and Jack already understood the unspoken rule.

As the days wore down to Christmas it was quiet around NCIS.

Ellie had gone home to Oklahoma; Ducky was spending time with Nicholas and his brother's family; Jimmy and Breena were visiting Jimmy's mother; Gibbs had requested that the team be on desk duty until after the holidays, and Tony and Tim spent the days catching up on paperwork, making idle chit-chat.

Tony, thoroughly full from the office Christmas party, headed home early on Christmas Eve. Jack was dressed in red pajamas that said Baby's First Christmas when Tony arrived home. His little eyes sparkled and his cheeks pulled into a smile when he saw his father. In the last few weeks he had started to respond to his parents more, at three months old he'd lost his newborn face and did indeed mirror Tony.

Seeing Jack respond to him like this always made his stomach flutter just a little bit. It was hard to believe some days how fast this little baby had won over his daddy's heart but Tony was completely smitten with him.

Tony smiled down at the baby and gently lifted him out of his swing. "Hey little man. You look already for Santa to stop by tonight. Now, I know we don't have a real fireplace or chimney, but don't you worry—Santa is magical—he'll find a way into our apartment to leave you gifts." It warmed his heart and filled it with joy when his son smiled and cooed at him. Tony grinned at the baby and gave him a soft kiss. "Where's Mommy, huh?"

Leah appeared in the living room, in her pajamas as well—a navy blue Henley shirt and red plaid flannel pants. "Mommy went to get ready to watch the movie with Daddy. I made us some hot chocolate and popcorn."

"Sounds great," Tony said, rocking Jack in his arms. "I'll just go put the little man to bed."

"Can you double check and make sure he has everything in his bag for the flight on Saturday?" Leah asked, flopping down onto the sofa.

"Already three months old and you've traveled more than some adults," Tony muttered as he carried Jack into the nursery.

Jack was already asleep before Tony laid him in the crib. Finding the bag with his son's things, Tony looked through to make sure that Leah had packed everything. Of course she had, but when she went away solo, before the baby, she'd always had Tony double check her things. Putting the bag back, Tony flipped the monitor on and leaving the door ajar, joined Leah.

Leah was munching on popcorn waiting for him. "Is the bag all set?"

Tony sat down with her and put his arm over the back of the sofa. "Yes. The bag is all set."

"Is he asleep?" she asked, snuggling closer to him.

"Fast asleep," he assured her, kissing her cheek.

"Should we watch the movie?"

"Yeah."

Leah reached for the remote and pressed play. Tony pulled her closer as the music began to play and It's A Wonderful Life flashed across the screen. Smiling to himself, he could help but feel that it was, indeed, a wonderful life.