Part 6

Several months later

"You're pregnant?" Dave asked with an excited gleam in his eyes.

This was what he had been waiting for, for the last 3 months, ever since he and JJ had been visited by Ducky so he could tell them that they could have children, though that wasn't the only reason for his visit of course.

"Yes, I am," JJ promised, even as she kissed him passionately. "Remember what Ducky said."

"He said you should be pregnant within a few weeks," Dave remembered.

"Well, it's been three months and I tell you right now I'm pregnant. I won't be surprised if I've been pregnant for at least a month."

It was three months ago that the Rossis had met Donald Mallard. He had calmly relieved their fears about not being able to have children. He had been gentle and understanding and while Dave had been rather upset at Timothy McGee spying on his credit card expenditures he also understood that it was a nonintrusive way to keep an invisible eye on him and Jennifer. He had accepted it, since none of his money had been stolen, but Ducky had promised when he had come with his mate, so they could meet her, that McGee would stop now. There was no need to anymore, since they were going to be keeping in contact.

Ducky just had wanted to know where he was until they actually met, something that Dave could understand, as it was easy to lose track of someone, since the world was such a big place. Both had promised to maintain contact, as it was always good to have friends that were just like yourself. It's not like Dave knew other immortals, though he was sure there was a few out there, well, besides Ducky, Abelia, Tim and Abby and their children. Both Rossis liked the Mallards a great deal, though they had yet to meet Tim and Abby, who were part of Ducky's extended family. They would eventually, Ducky promised, perhaps, if they came for Thanksgiving that was a few months from now.

"Ducky will be pleased," Dave said grinning from ear to ear.

"So will Abelia," JJ agreed, even as she kissed her mate passionately. "I'm so happy about this. I've been wanting children so badly with you."

"So have I," Dave agreed immediately. "It'll be at least twins and we'll both finally have what we want, a family."

"I'll get a doctor's appointment, just to see how far along I am," JJ said.

"That's a good idea," Dave said not having thought that far ahead. "Or maybe Ducky won't mind checking you. It's just that we know him and we don't know some strange doctor. If he won't take the responsibility then you can find a doctor."

"I don't think he's a baby doctor though," JJ worried. "He did work as a dead doctor for a lot of years."

"Yes, but I wouldn't be surprised if he delivered every single one of his wife's babies and probably also that redhead woman he was involved with before he met his mate. That long ago there likely wouldn't've been a hospital close by. Such things barely existed back then actually, especially in small villages. You had to depend on a midwife or someone who knew about birthing babies. You might've found a decent hospital in a major city like New York or London, but not somewhere with only a few hundred people. I have no idea if he has lived anywhere with a lot of people or stuck to small towns."

"Well, we can ask him anyway," JJ decided. "I really like him and Abelia too."

"So do I," Dave agreed. "At least now I know who changed me and the reasons behind it."

"Now, that was a revelation," JJ agreed, as she went into Dave's arms. "But you're right, at least now we know, and at least it was done for benevolent reasons."

"I'll email Ducky and see what he says," Dave said finally.

"Alright, I won't make a doctor's appointment until he responds," JJ agreed. "I know I'm pregnant, I just want to have a confirmed and have the doctor estimate how far long I am, but Ducky can do that much at least."

"I know we'll be friends for the next several hundred years at least," Dave said.

"I say we'll be friends forever and that's good," JJ said. "It's always good to have friends that are just like yourself."

"Now that's the truth," Dave chuckled feeling so happy he could burst.

Dave kissed JJ on the lips before he went to email their new friend Ducky.

~~~Dave and JJ~~~

"I was expecting your call any day actually," Ducky told the Rossis as soon as he arrived. "I thought you would probably want someone like me to be your baby doctor. I was sure you wouldn't want some stranger and while we've only known each other a short time I was sure my services would be requested."

"And if you had been wrong?" Dave asked amused.

"Then I would've been wrong," Ducky shrugged. "I've learned how to anticipate how people act most of the time though. Not always, just a lot of times. Alphas like you, tend to be wary of strangers around their mate, even supposed professionals and this is even more true when they're pregnant. Of course, if I wasn't around you would have accepted a strange doctor, but you would watch them carefully until you were sure of their intentions. This would be especially true in your case considering you watched two of Jennifer's incarnations die."

Dave was nodding at this because it was true.

"He's right," Dave told JJ. "I'm going to be very protective of you and the babies you're carrying, even more protective than normal, especially since this is the first time you've been pregnant. My instincts are going to be extremely high for the next few months. I'll try my best not to smother you too much, but I make no promises. After you get pregnant for the second time my instincts will likely die down some."

"I'll let you know if you're being smothering," JJ told him and Dave chuckled nodding.

"Thank you for doing this Ducky. We really appreciate it," Dave told the man who nodded.

"You're quite welcome Dave," Ducky said. "I'm happy to help in any way I can. I became a healer to help people."

"So, do you have to have a degree as a baby doctor? Or is it just what you learned, as you went along?" JJ asked.

"There was no way for me to get a degree in it, as I was too old to go into it as a profession. I'm afraid my credentials are fake, but I was born so long ago..." Ducky shrugged. "I know what I'm doing anyway and nobody will be able to tell that my credentials aren't real, Tim made sure that."

"So how did you get by before you met Tim McGee?" Dave asked.

"Back in those days those kind of things weren't really checked for unless some doctor made a major mistake. It was nearly the perfect kind of crime. It's kind of like putting the wrong father on a birth certificate, it's nearly never caught."

"So, you helped your wife to give birth?" JJ asked.

"Yes, I did, every time," Ducky said. "Of course, I was all prepared to take take her to the hospital in case the baby was feet first or something, but so far that hasn't happened. Of course, we've only had one at a time, not twins or more."

"But we're talking about at least twins here not just a singleton," JJ said.

"I know how to do a C-section and there no danger of infection because you're immortal now JJ. I picked up the skills long before an education was required. While I would love to go to college, there's no way they'd let me into classes to become a doctor, because I was nearly 40 when I was turned immortal. I was actually quite an old for a man of my time. No, careers like that are geared towards young people. I can't exactly tell them that I'm immortal after all. They'd never believe me and likely consider me delusional at best."

"This is very true," Dave agreed.

"Alright then, I want you to be my doctor, Ducky, until after these twins are born," JJ said.

"How do you know it's not triplets?" Dave asked JJ.

"Because I really don't have the body to have that many. I'm of average height and slender," JJ told him. "Also, both Mary and Lydia, my former incarnations only had twins, so I suspect that's all I'm going to have too, since they were me. I just think it's more likely that I'll only have twins, instead of triplets. I don't know where my feelings are coming from just that they are very strong."

"She does have a very good point," Ducky said Dave nodded.

"She does," Dave agreed. "Sometimes an Omega just knows how many she's having, even when there's no proof. We'll just assume it's twins until proven otherwise."

"So how far along am I?" JJ asked Ducky.

"I would estimate no more than six weeks," Ducky said after examining her. He had brought his medical bag with him and gave her a very thorough examination. He listened to her heartbeat did several other things to her. "I won't draw blood, because you're not going to have anything wrong with you, since you're immortal, so it's not necessary."

"They are such advantages to immortality," Dave said and Ducky nodded.

"Yes, they are," Ducky agreed. "I truly believe we're still around to do as much good in the world as we can, by helping those in need."

"I wouldn't still be around if you had changed me back when I was still unconscious," Dave pointed out. "I would be long buried in the ground."

"That's true," Ducky agreed soberly. "I had a very strong urge to change you and I'm sure it came from Isis, though I could be wrong. I did indeed watch you for some time from the edge of the forest, so I didn't lie to you about that. I could have gone around your village, but when I decided to do that I had the urge to stay, which I'm sure came from her. I have no doubt she still affects my life even today. When I get strong feelings I listen to them, as it usually leads me into helping someone that needs it."

"It's hard to imagine any god still being around, even if they existed at one point in time," JJ commented.

"I know it is," Ducky agreed. "Still, I have no doubt that Isis affects my life, even in this future time. Just think about the fact that immortals shouldn't exist, but they do, even if there's only a few of us out there. Immortality by today's science is supposedly impossible. Sure, authors write about immortality in sci-fi, but it's still a concept that isn't supposed to be real."

That was a good point, JJ admitted, so maybe supernatural beings besides immortals did exist after all and were subtly affecting the lives of certain mortals and all immortals.

"You're right as you should be at this stage," Ducky pronounced. "I want an appointment every couple of weeks just to make sure you stay on schedule."

"So, everything's okay?" Dave asked.

"Everything's splendid," Ducky promised Dave. "I know you're worried and I don't blame you, considering this is the first children you're ever going to have with JJ, but everything's fine I promise you."

"Don't worry so much Dave, giving birth is a natural process and so is being pregnant," JJ tried to assure her mate who still looked faintly worried.

"I'll stop worrying after these babies are born not before," Dave told JJ seriously.

"Everything will be just fine," Ducky promised before taking his leave, promising to return in two weeks for a checkup and making JJ promise to call him if she had any problems.

~~~Dave and JJ~~~

"Oh, Dave you shouldn't have," JJ protested, when Dave presented her with an oblong jewelry box. It had to be a necklace or possibly a bracelet JJ knew, and likely very expensive. Dave was nothing if not generous and kind and he had been spoiling her rotten ever since he had found out that she was pregnant three months ago. She was absolutely enormous and still had two months to go before the babies were born, something that Dave was eagerly anticipating. Dave was always rubbing her naked belly, obviously looking forward to the twins births and JJ couldn't blame him for that, because she was as well.

Ducky had been marvelous with her and Dave definitely approved of his kind bedside manner. He was never impatient or rushed, but always patient with all her questions. JJ supposed that Ducky had plenty of time to learn patience in his centuries or perhaps it was just part of his natural personality.

"I wanted to," Dave told her with a charming grin. "You've made me so happy over the last nearly 6 years."

"It's not like it's all one sided," JJ told him as she kissed him passionately. "You've made me very happy to and having children with you is just icing on the cake, especially since we both feared..."

"That we wouldn't be able to have any," Dave finished when JJ paused.

"Exactly," JJ agreed, even as she snuggled into his arms, which wasn't very easy to do nowadays considering the size of her stomach. Still the size of her stomach thrilled her, because it meant that she was pregnant, something she had wanted so badly and now, she was very close to giving birth, just a few more weeks.

"Well, that fear has now been officially quashed," Dave grinned. "I hope we'll have many children over the centuries."

"Me too," JJ immediately agreed, even as she took the oblong box from Dave and tore off the wrapping paper until she could open it.

Inside was a beautiful turquoise necklace, that JJ fell in love with immediately.

"Oh, Dave, it's gorgeous," JJ exclaimed.

"I'm glad you like it so much," Dave said, even as he kissed her temple.

"And why not? It's a gorgeous piece of jewelry," JJ said.

"Here let me put it on you," Dave requested with a playful pout.

JJ moved her hair out of the way instead of answering verbally, and Dave took that for the permission it was, placing the necklace allowed his mate's neck.

"There you go. Now, it's even more lovely, then it was in the box," Dave said.

JJ blushed at the implied compliment, though Dave was good at those. With Dave, JJ knew that he was always sincere, which was what caused her to blush not the words themselves.

"Thank you," JJ said that she kissed him passionately.

"It was my pleasure I promise you," Dave said, once the kiss had broken. "To have children by you, my mate, is a dream come true for me."

"For me as well," JJ agreed tenderly, kissing him again.

~~~Dave and JJ~~~

Weeks later twins were born, which made Dave absolutely ecstatic. That JJ had been right and it was just twins, made Dave promise himself that he would trust her instincts more from now on.

No, C-section was required this time, though JJ had been willing to go through it and Ducky had been willing to perform one if necessary. Dave was grateful for Ducky's caring and willingness to help. Ducky had tried to not accept the large fee that Dave gave him, but Dave had insisted and finally Ducky had given in thanking him graciously.

What Ducky did with the money was his business and he might just decide to give it to charity, which was fine.

"I'll be here next time you need me whether that's not for a year or two or not for 10," Ducky promised. "I'm always happy to be of service, especially to people I now consider friends. You can never have too many of those, especially ones that it just like yourself."

This was true, Dave reflected.

"So, what are you going to name these beauties?" Ducky asked.

"I shouldn't tell you without JJ, but she's sleeping," Dave said, glancing towards the bedroom. "She probably won't mind though. Since we didn't know what we were going to get we argued about names for several months, but finally, decided on Donald if one was a boy and Roselle if one was a girl. We picked out several different names for both sexes."

"You named your oldest son after me?" Ducky asked touched.

"You've been such a big help to us ever since you turned up in our lives without asking anything in return, except our friendship, that JJ and Abelia thought it was proper for us to name one of our children after you. At least the two of you won't get confused, because you usually go by Ducky instead of Donald. How did you get such a moniker anyway? I've been meaning to ask you but I have been rather distracted lately," Dave asked curiously

"Oh, that's simple, Jethro gave it to me," Ducky said smiling, a little sadly, as he remembered his longtime friend Leroy Jethro Gibbs. "If he gives you a nickname that means he really liked you and that you have a friend for life. I don't think he ever realized that it's a very ironic nickname, because of Disney's character Donald Duck, who was created in 1934 by Walt Disney, and my last name happens to be Mallard. I doubt the irony ever occurred to Jethro."

"Mallard is just another name for duck," Dave realized and Ducky nodded.

"Exactly, which is why I said it was rather ironic. It's the only thing Jethro ever called me. He never called me Donald or Dr. Mallard."

"Nor any variations of Donald," Dave added.

"No, he never called me Don or Donnie, as to him I was Ducky and nothing else. Come to think of it, he probably did so because my last name was Mallard. We helped solve so many murders together, that I lost count a long time ago. Still, we brought a lot of bad people to justice and that should be all that matters," Ducky said smiling.

"You miss him," Dave commented and Ducky nodded.

"I do and likely will for the rest of my very long life. He was not an easy man to get along with, but we were friends before his wife and daughter were killed and he was a completely different then. Shannon was a beautiful woman, a redhead, but she was also kind. Kelly was a charming little girl, and she was only eight years old when she was killed. The death of his wife and daughter devastated Jethro, as you know and he changed after that into the irascible man I knew. Even though his attitude took some getting used to, he still had compassion, especially for children, who we encountered on cases every once in a while.

"If I lost Jennifer now that wouldn't just make me hard to deal with I'd seek my own death I promise you," Dave said Ducky nodded.

"I wouldn't blame you if that occurred, but luckily, JJ is now like you and not much can kill an immortal, though it's still possible of course," Ducky said.

"I know," Dave promised, as he showed Ducky out the door so he could head back to his wife.

The two of them promised to visit each other, even when JJ wasn't pregnant and it was a promise they both intended to keep. The two families would remain friends for many centuries and the Rossis would get to know Tim and Abby McGee and well as Ducky and Abelia better. The Rossis would also be Godparents to quite a few of the Mallard children over the next few centuries and as their family, expanded that just made them happier.

Life and the moment was just perfect and it would remain so for quite some time.