For: NickyK
From: MissJayne
Title: Baby It's Cold Outside
Prompts:
Angst with happy ending
Jibblets (if you wish)
Snow or snowball fight
Mistletoe
"Do you think they'll be warm enough?"
"Jen, it's barely freezing and you've got two jumpers and a coat on them. They'll be fine."
"But there's snow and they could slip…"
"Put any more layers on them and when they slip, they'll roll."
Jenny Shepard eyed up the two squirming children she was attempting to corral by the back door, still worrying about Chrissie and Steph. They had never seen snow before and she was worried about their reactions. Mind, she worried about everything to do with them. Whether they were too warm or too cold, whether they were getting enough sleep, whether they were eating enough, whether they were eating the right foods…
Gibbs found this all faintly amusing. Having been a parent before, he was much more relaxed this time around. Even learning he was going to be a father to twins hadn't shocked him (although, as Tony had pointed out behind his back, it took a lot to faze Leroy Jethro Gibbs). He had settled back in to unexpected fatherhood with a carefree attitude, having learned from experience that kids had a habit of doing well no matter how much parents worried and fretted. As long as they were happy and smiling, he wasn't too fussed with the minor details.
"There's two of them and two of us," he pointed out, gently catching an escaping Chrissie and hauling her up into the air, causing her to giggle with glee. "Two highly trained federal agents, even if you have left the field for your office. I think we can handle half an hour of snow."
Jenny looked nervous, but eventually nodded. "If they start getting cold, we can get them back inside and –"
Gibbs decided to skip the mission planning and opened the back door. Steph toddled straight out, and he dropped Chrissie to the floor and guided her in the right direction. Jenny darted after Steph in case she somehow miraculously managed to find trouble in her first five steps outside, and Gibbs found himself following more leisurely.
Chrissie and Steph had stopped a few steps into the back yard, frozen in place as they tilted their heads back to the sky and stared in wonder at the few white flakes that were drifting unhurriedly through the frozen air. Gibbs smirked as he realized both their little mouths were open in surprise. Jenny paused, clearly satisfied that neither of her daughters was about to come to any harm, and took a moment to take in the beauty herself.
The snow had been falling for several days, only really slowing down for the past few hours. Gibbs had been outside and cleared a pathway through his back yard for his girls, but the snow was still scattered across the patio and grass. It looked like a winter wonderland picture on a Christmas card.
Steph spoiled the moment by losing her balance and sitting back down, with a little gasp of surprise. Jenny automatically sprang forward to protect her before noticing her daughter was fine. Gibbs allowed himself another smirk, moving forward and picking up some snow.
"Want to see?" He offered it to Chrissie who tried to take it from him, and then gasped when the cold, wet thing touched her skin. She poked it with a chubby finger, trying to work out how it could be so cold. Steph was busy trying to work out why the snow around her was so strange.
Gibbs looked over at Jenny, who still managed to look nervous. "See? It's fine. Give them five minutes and they'll be trying to eat it."
Immediately, Steph surpassed his estimation by putting some in her mouth.
On the whole, Gibbs felt the twins' first experience of snow had gone fairly well. They had eaten quite a bit of it, which had initially concerned Jenny until he had assured her he had checked the yard for any yellow snow before he'd let them outside. He and Jenny had shown them how to make little snowballs and snow angels. He had also managed to put a fair bit of snow down Jenny's back, causing her to squeal and the girls to giggle at the weird noises coming from their mother.
Thankfully they hadn't realized they could put snow down each other's backs, but perhaps Jenny had wrapped them too tightly for them to have succeeded even if they'd tried.
Now they were safely tucked up in bed, all warm and snug and dreaming of Christmas tomorrow. The tree was decorated, the presents had been slipped under it, the plate of cookies had been left for Santa (Gibbs had no intention of admitting he might have eaten an extra few), and the cards covered every surface, except for the ones that had been pushed down the back of the couch by the twins. There was no need to prepare Christmas dinner as Ducky had cheerfully invited everyone around for some of his spectacular food, after promising his mother really would keep her clothes on this year.
"Do you think we remembered everything?" Jenny asked, much calmer now her children were asleep.
"Ah, they won't remember it properly this year. Consider it a practice run."
"It's not very often we get those."
"Kids don't remember the little problems. They remember the love and laughter."
"I think we can deliver that tomorrow."
Gibbs paused for a moment. "I know something we have forgotten."
"What?"
"Mistletoe."
Jenny grinned at him. "Oh ye of little faith. Tony gave me some. And Abby. And Ziva. And Ducky, come to think of it."
"Do you think they're trying to tell us something?"
"I dread to think. Well, since they're clearly trying to tell us something, it seems a shame to let this mistletoe go to waste…"