Chapter Text
May 2003, Gibbs Family Home, Alexandria, Virginia
The following morning, Gibbs was relieved to see that neither Kelly nor Tim had woken before him. Last night had been an emotional and traumatic experience for the three of them. The aftermath had been so calm, and Gibbs had managed to keep his head long enough to help Tim get Kelly up the stairs and into bed, before he had ventured back downstairs, to the basement.
In the privacy of the basement, Gibbs allowed himself to weep. He grieved for the loss that Tim and Kelly had experienced. He grieved for them, crying over the pain they were both enduring. The pain of watching his daughter in agony. The pain of watching Tim suffer alongside her. The anguish on his son-in-law's face as he watched his wife in pain. Most of all, he grieved the loss of his first grandchild.
He was angry too. Angry at the world. Angry at how everything had played out. Angry he didn't have the words and couldn't find the words to comfort them. Regrettably, he was angry at the fact Shannon wasn't here still. It was times like these that he missed her the most. Times like these when he could have used her guidance.
Finally exhausted enough to relax his mind, Gibbs made himself a bed on the sofa. The last conscious thing he did before sleep finally claimed him was that he had sent Ducky a text message. He had asked him to stop by in the morning to see Kelly and Tim.
He woke the following morning to an out-of-body experience. He wasn't used to waking up to Ducky and Tim hovering over him. "What the hell?" he asked in a gruff, snappy voice, as he came to consciousness. His bad mood from last night was still evident.
"I do apologize, Jethro. Your text message did alarm me, so I came over earlier than usual." Ducky apologized profusely. Tim nodded and headed back upstairs to find some clothes. He had seen and heard Ducky's car pull up and had gone to the front door to meet him. "Timothy, let me in; you do look rather peaked. Is everything OK?"
Jethro said to his friend, "I need you to look over Kelly and Tim. Tim will be taking a personal day." He continued, "They gave Kelly some medication. She had a miscarriage, Duck. It did a number on her. Tim and I had her in the shower, massaging and supporting her."
"Misoprostol?" Ducky asked, and Gibbs just shrugged his shoulders. Ducky had heard of the new use for the drug but had never seen it in action before. "It's a new drug for this purpose; I don't know much about it, I am afraid."
Gibbs confided in his friend. "Duck, I watched Shannon give birth to Kelly. Last night, that was worse than watching Shannon deliver her. The kids were pretty upset," he said. "I was upset when I found out. It was bad, and they were both reassuring me it was okay. Duck, I didn't know, only suspected, that they had been trying for a baby."
"I am sure they are both fine. I dare say you feel like that because no parent ever wants to see their child in pain. Yes, that includes Timothy. Your son in-law is like your son, in your heart and there is no crime in that, Jethro." Ducky persisted. When it came down to the nuts and bolts of the situation, Ducky could be more stubborn than Gibbs. "But more importantly, you do not look okay. Let me look you over, first and then I will get to the other two."
"Fine!" he said, sullenly. Gibbs only gave in to his friend to avoid the inevitable argument. He knew he was fine. Kelly was his priority.
May 2003, Washington DC, Navy Yard, NCIS HQ
"What do you reckon, Kate?" DiNozzo asked her, as she walked in. He didn't even offer a good morning and she was borderline late. Tony had been awfully surprised to find that he had been the very first one in the office out of their team. Tony leaned back in his chair; his feet propped up on his desk. A GSM magazine was perched on his lap, as he awaited Kate's answer.
"Good morning to you too, Tony." She quipped with a dry grin. "No Gibbs? No McGee?" She asked, looking around the squad room. No one had ever beaten Gibbs into the office before.
Kate went over to his desk, to investigate his trash. How many empty cups that were in the trash would be telling of if Gibbs had been in the building, at all. Kate did a double take as she saw no empty cups in the bin.
Coming back to stand in front of Tony, she swiped her hands at his feet, to get him to lower them to the ground. "I told you no Gibbs." He chuckled at her. "No McGee didn't a surprise. Gibbs probably canned his ass last night, who would dare have a family emergency on the clock?"
"There are cold cases waiting to be solved, Anthony." Ducky lectured sternly as he approached the duo from behind. "Let's go." He said eagerly, as he took a seat behind his friend's desk. "Oh, and Agent DiNozzo, Gibbs was kind enough to remind me that a head slap was a very good motivational tool for you, if you did not listen to me."
"Ducky, where is Gibbs? Should we be worried?" Kate asked. Unlike Tony, she was alarmed to learn that she was here before him.
"Gibbs is momentarily delayed." He advised them, as he leaned back and enjoyed watching the pair scurry off and get to work.
Seeing Gibbs arrive, Ducky stood up and nodded to him, before retreating to his own assistant, in his own domain. Gibbs had to groan at the thought that Ducky had felt DiNozzo had warranted being watched. That was telling of what kind of day it would be.
Kate noticed that Gibbs arrived and had picked up working on whatever case file Ducky had been working on. The profiler in her was wondering if something more than what she knew was going on. Gibbs kept glancing over at McGee's desk.
When Tony decided to break for a coffee break, Gibbs told him to get enough for everyone because they were going to be going over to the archive rooms afterwards to look at the evidence that belonged to this cold case.
With Tony gone, Kate slowly and stealthily approached Gibbs' desk. "Is McGee, OK? Is his wife, OK?" She asked, after her teammate and his wife's well-being. Giving Kate a blank stare in reply, she grinned at him. "I figure that's why you were late. You were still concerned when I left last night." Plus, Ducky had been in the bull pen 'babysitting' Tony, their very own x-rated Peter Pan. Ducky was their teammate's wife's godfather and Kate knew the importance of that in Catholicism.
"Don't you have a job to do?" He grumbled in reply, and she made a hasty retreat to her desk. "Kate?" he said softly after a minute of her working again, minding her own business. "He could probably use a friend, but not today. He will be back tomorrow."
Kate gave him a straight lipped smile and nodded at him. Unlike DiNozzo, Gibbs knew that Kate had been sincere in her care and concern for McGee and his wellbeing. Two weeks ago, he had come back into the squad room after a meeting in the Director's office. They were on the late shift and Tony was not there, he probably with Abby in the lab, having his break in there. Gibbs had found Tim and Kate, on the floor behind Kate's desk. Each with their coffees and the cookies that Kate had baked and brought into the office that day. In that moment though, he didn't see Tim, the agent. He had seen Tim, the little boy.
July 4th, 1984, Alameda, Gibbs Family Home, California
Kelly's little friend from the housing lot on the other side of the base had arrived and the two of them had scampered off once he had arrived. Shannon hadn't been surprised when Kelly had invited him over and Tim immediately had accepted, saying he would be just reading a book at home.
"Timothy walked here, Jethro." Shannon told him, in a disappointed voice. Over the last three, almost four months that the kids had been friends, Shannon and Gibbs had been mentally cataloguing the parental figures around the young man. Shannon had met his mother a couple of times before she passed, as had Gibbs. They had both met the paternal grandmother, Penny a few times, but were yet to meet the boy's father.
It made Gibbs angry that the father was so remissive of the shy young man with the green eyes. He had never understood how a parent could care so little about his child. "Shan, the base isn't exactly shady."
"It doesn't matter, Jethro." Shannon argued with him. It was a familiar argument between the two.
Gibbs was preparing to grill to celebrate the day, but first, he had been tasked by his wife to fill up their portable pool. The beach on base had been packed out with military personnel and their families for the last three days and neither Shannon nor Gibbs had the energy to deal with those crowds.
The portable pool had been a gift for the Gibbs from Kelly's grandfather at Christmas time and it had been the right occasion for them to open up and use. It was one of those pools that had a steel frame and a vinyl liner. It was three foot deep and had a ladder that sat astride it.
The plan had been to grill, eat then swim. But Kelly and Tim were eager to swim, as was Shannon and who was he to disappoint them. They had all agreed to have a swim first and work up an appetite and eat later in the day. Gibbs had set the pool up right next to the back patio decking, so that it was easier for them to get in and out of and gave them somewhere to sit on the edge. Gibbs helped Kelly into the water first. While Shannon held back with Tim. Tim had never been swimming in a pool before, only the ocean, so he was a little unsure. Shannon tried all the usual tactics to encourage him to come into the water, to no avail. But it wasn't until Gibbs had an idea to get him in the water. Asking Shannon to stay with Kelly, Gibbs joined Tim on the edge of the pool.
"The water feels good on your feet, hey?" Gibbs asked, as he climbed out of the pool and sat beside Tim. "Do you like to swim?" He asked Tim after loitering a moment longer.
"Sure, I do." Tim looked at him and gave him a shy smile. It was the first smile that Gibbs had ever received from Tim for no reason. "I...I haven't been in a pool before. What is so good about a pool? We live near the beach."
"It's just like the ocean, but it is better because there isn't any seaweed, fish, salt, sand or waves." Gibbs returned his grin. Today, he knew he would remember for a long time yet. Today was the first time that he had ever seen Timothy McGee have a conversation with him that wasn't under duress, in the throes of grief or because he had to. That Tim had asked him a question, willingly. "I like the beach too. The waves are calming, but today it is too busy, and we are going to play in the back yard, in the pool."
"Can we splash?" Tim asked Gibbs and impulsively kicked his leg in the water, making sure he splashed Gibbs with the water from his foot. The splash landed right in Gibbs' face with the water getting in his eyes. The splash had been tight on target.
Gibbs burst out laughing. It was a deep belly laugh, the kind that made his sides ache. He could not believe that Tim McGee had actually behaved like that. A typical little six-year-old boy, not the mini me that his father was hellbent on raising. "Sure, we can you cheeky monkey." Gibbs grinned at him and held his hands out to help Tim into the water. What he was not expecting was Tim to stand up and jump into them. "Oomph!" Gibbs made the sound, as he caught Tim and twirled him into the water. Gibbs was surprised to see Tim's eyes light up, a look of joy in them. "Now, let's go splash the girls."
Shannon had whisked Kelly up in a fireman's carry and tried to escape her husband and Tim's incoming attack. She had been really surprised that Jethro had been able to coax Tim into a conversation, let alone into the water and into his arms. With each adult holding a child, they let the kids duke it out in a flurry of splashes. Gibbs noticed that the kids were starting to get tired and called for a break. Shannon sat down on the bottom of the pool so that just her shoulders and head were out of the water. Tim and Kelly had managed to swap adults and Shannon encouraged Tim to sit with her while the father and daughter duo played a minute longer.
As Kelly finally tired, Gibbs noticed that Tim had all but curled up in his wife's lap and was cuddled into her. Shannon's hand brushing the stray wet hair off his face and Tim seemed to be reveling in a mother's touch. Something Gibbs was sure the young boy had missed, since his mother's passing last month. Seeing Tim close to tears, Gibbs called time on the pool. He had promised that they would go back in later, but they had to get out and eat some lunch now.
After they had eaten, Kelly and Tim were ready to go back in the pool, but the adults were still cleaning up the lunch dishes. Gibbs had handed them each a juice box and told them to sit in the shade and wait patiently. When he and Shannon were finally ready to go back into the pool, Jethro Gibbs found the two youngsters, leaning against the brick wall of the house. Their legs straight out in front of them, juice boxes between them, playing twenty questions.
May 2003, Gibbs Family Home, Alexandria, Virginia
After Ducky had examined both of them and found that whilst they were grieving, they weren't suffering anything untoward. Sure, Kelly should expect to continue the aftereffects, but as a doctor she already knew that, and she was mentally prepared for that. Tim offered to make her breakfast, but she declined. Her stomach was not feeling it.
Kelly moved out from their bedroom to stretch out on the sofa, while Tim opened up his personal laptop and began work on his novel. He was working on a sequel to his first novel that was currently in the printing phase of production. When Tim had managed to secure a publishing contract for his first novel in 2001, he had contracted Lindsay Nagle to control and negotiate contracts and organised his public relations commitments. She had also gone to bat for him and managed to secure a contract for the next three books, convinced that the first book would be a success. It had tested really well in the focus groups that the publishing house had conducted. The publishing company had high hopes for his first novel. He just hoped it translated into sales.
Kelly was proud of her husband, as was Gibbs and Ducky. Gibbs and Ducky being the only two other people who had known about the novel. The Adventures of LJ Tibbs: A gruff, heartbroken former Marine who put all or nothing into his job at NCIS, taking down the bad guys and thwarting terrorist attacks on home soil. The number of hoops that he'd had to jump through. First with NCIS legal team, the NCIS director, then clearance by the DOJ and DOD Thankfully, on his wife's advice, he had contracted Lindsay to help with the anonymity of his author status. She had also insisted that each person who read the novel and cleared it, signed a non-disclosure agreement. The irony not lost of Gibbs as quite often, in their job, they were required to sign them in order to work specific cases.
But Tim was sure to always make up cases from scratch, with no similarities to real life events. Although LJ Tibbs shared a rhyming name with Gibbs and the backstories were similar, when Gibbs had read the novel, he had thought that Tim's main character read more like the harsh and remissive Admiral McGee, rather than himself. And he was ok with that. He knew that his tough guy persona was strictly for work, that outside of work, he was a warm and loving father, father in-law and dear friend.
"How is it coming along?" Kelly asked her husband, interrupting the silence. It was the fifth time in three hours that he had gone to the coffee pot in the kitchen. She had been dozing, but she could hear his movements. Besides trips to the coffee pot, she could hear her husband pacing down the hallway and tapping his fingers on the edge of the laptop. Something he did when he needed to think, and the thoughts weren't coming to him.
"I do not feel like I am going to be very productive today." Tim confessed to his wife with a kiss to the forehead. "I don't want to leave you, but my mind is on the office and not on my novel."
"Go into the office, I will be fine." She encouraged him. That had been the truth, the cramping had all but eased. She was still bleeding, but it wasn't any worse than a usual period and that could be managed. "Ducky checked me out and I am good. Go." She reiterated to her husband. "I know you; your mind is not going to settle until you sort out the mess at the office."
"You are the best; I promise I will cook your favourite dinner. Mac and cheese with meatballs." Tim called out, as he made his way up the stairs to change, ready to head into the office.
"I want chicken and vegetable risotto." Kelly called back with a slight hint of laughter to her voice. Mac and cheese may be her comfort food and her favourite, but she quite often preferred the risotto. No one made risotto quite like Tim. He had a secret ingredient that he refused to share with everyone.
"Done." He grinned at her, and she smiled. It had taken her a bit to get used to the fact that her husband was now a field agent, but she was proud of him.
May 2003, Washington DC, Navy Yard, NCIS HQ
Arriving at the bullpen after eleven, Tim was surprised to see his entire team at their desks, working quietly. He assumed that they were still completing their AAR's and their case reports. Tim attempted to slip into his desk undetected, but Tony looked up and caught him.
"Ah, McTardy, so nice of you to arrive." Tony jeered at him, trying to bait the young probie into an argument. Perhaps he was just looking for a source of entertainment to break up the monotony of the morning. "All the real work has already been done."
"Can it, DiNozzo." Gibbs warned him, looking up to see his son in-law walking to his desk. His go bag slung on his shoulder and his service weapon in its holster, on his hip. Gibbs got up and walked over to Tim's desk, standing in front of it, dropping his voice low. "Is everything ok? If you need more time?"
"I'm good, Gibbs." Tim replied, looking up at Gibbs. Tim noticed in his peripheral vision that both Tony and Kate were paying close attention to him. "My wife sends her thanks at the offer of a day off, but she would prefer I am in the office."
Gibbs chuckled. That sounded like his daughter, alright. "Well ok then." Gibbs smirked. "You give Mrs. McGee my best wishes." Gibbs stood taller and slipped into his Supervisory Special Agent in Charge persona again. "I need your case reports and AAR for the last the case, McGee."
"On it, boss." Tim snapped immediately, grateful that his mind had something constructive to focus on.
It wasn't until lunch that Gibbs disappeared for a coffee run and Tony disappeared down to the lab, that Kate had a chance to see if McGee was ok. Tim had been steadily working away on his reports when Kate had approached his desk, stealing Tony's chair so she could sit beside him, and they could speak in a low voice without the risk of being overheard. "Are you ok, Tim?" She asked, using his first name. She had always called him McGee, when in reference to professional things and Tim, when it was personal. She was like Tim in the respect, she needed clear boundaries between the two. "Is your wife, ok?"
"No, but she will be." Tim replied. He wasn't expecting Kate to ask him if they were ok, and he didn't know if he should say something or not. He had been caught off guard. When it didn't look like her teammate was going to be more forthcoming with information, Kate let the topic drop. She didn't want to push him to talk about something that he clearly wasn't ready to discuss. "Hey Kate?" Tim said, looking up at his teammate and a woman who was becoming a friend, as well as a mentor. "Thanks for asking. Maybe ask me again, when it's not as raw."
He knew his father-in-law was lurking nearby. Tim could smell the distinct aroma of coffee that clung to him, like a comforting security blanket. "How's those reports coming, McGee?" Gibbs asked, as he came to stand behind Tim, inside his personal space. With one had on the back of his chair, he leaned in close to look at his progress. "Are you sure that you're ok to be here?" He asked in a low voice, barely a whisper.
"Yes, Gibbs." Tim replied, in an octave below a whisper too. Looking up, they saw Tony return to the bullpen. Gibbs grinned, he decided to needle DiNozzo a little bit and get back at him for his remark when Tim had arrived in the bullpen.
"That a boy!" Gibbs praised Tim, loud enough for Kate and Tony to hear, before ruffling Tim's hair like he used to when Tim was younger.