(A/N and Disclaimer: Again, we own absolutely nothing. Nada. Rien. We planned on making this another one-shot to follow on from the first two but it kind of snowballed and we decided to make it a four-chapter short story. Chapter 2 is being written as we speak. Also, this is Kelsey's first fic so be kind when reviewing. I personally think she's done a good job. Like it, love it, hate it - leave a review and tell us so.
This fic is dedicated to: Rhi and Jo, for being Rie's hardcore NCIS fan-buddies for life; Lydia and Nicki, for putting up with her obsession; and Pauley Perrette for being a legend in Kels and Rie's eyes. Done? Ok, lets get going...)
Abby McGee had long ago learned that pain and love worked together. It just seemed to come naturally. Before Tim, there had been her impressive, ongoing list of boyfriends who caused her nothing but aggravation and hurt – the absence of love, which not even a constant supply of work and caffeine could cure. With Tim, there had been the protection from suffering and the security that Abby had longed for – the absence from pain, which made her love him even more. Pain and love seemed to contradict yet compliment each other – and Abby had never felt this stronger than now, looking at the face of her beautiful child after nine hours solid of ripping herself apart to deliver her firstborn to this world.
'Oh, my God' she whispered, the grip on Tim's hand that had been at a vice-like pressure for several hours waning as her hands instinctively reached towards her baby.
'You did it, Abs' Tim said softly. 'We did it'
'It's a girl' the smiling nurse said as she passed Abby and Tim's newborn daughter to her parents. 'Six pounds, eleven ounces. Congratulations'
'Hello, little one' Abby said, taking her daughter in her arms and leaning against Tim, who put his arm around both of his girls. Looking up at her husband, her eyes shone with happiness. 'Is this really ours?'
'She's ours, Abs' Tim said, his voice cracking with joy. 'She's our baby girl'
They looked in awe at their new daughter, lying contentedly in Abby's arms and blinking serenely up at her parents as if to say 'Where am I?'
'She's so perfect' Tim said. 'You did great, Abby'
'I couldn't have done it without you' Abby said, as Tim kissed her temple. They smiled at each other and then returned their gaze to their baby.
'What should we call her, Timmy?' Abby said quietly; before the nurse returned, popping her head around the door.
'Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. McGee; but you have visitors. They seem to be friends of yours, I did say that Abigail-' (Abby winced, grimacing at the use of her full name) '-would be very tired but they did seem very insistent. A Mr DiNozzo, Mr Mallard, Miss David and Mr Gibbs-'
'Should have guessed' Tim smiled.
'Send them right in' Abby said, sitting up a little, moving carefully with her daughter in her arms.
It had been good, Tim though to himself, having their friends from NCIS present all through Abby's pregnancy. They would never forget the looks on their friends faces when Abby broke the news to everyone, only days after finding out herself (and running around the house yelling for Tim before flinging herself on him screaming 'We're having a baby, Tim!').
Tony claimed to have seen it coming all along, even though he had almost passed out at the news. Gibbs murmured something about Rule 12 going all to pot with this team but hugged the prospective parents proudly and congratulated them like a proud grandfather-to-be – which, in a way, he was, looking out for Abby like a daughter all these years and treating Tim like a fond father-in-law since he married Abby. Ziva had blessed the unborn baby in Hebrew before hugging Abby, and had been a happy companion for the mother-to-be on her shopping trips for baby clothes and antenatal classes which Tim was unable to make. And Ducky had immediately begun to ramble about the benefits of pregnancy, and was reminding Abby to take folic acid before Tony and Gibbs whisked him out of the bullpen for celebratory drinks with the rest of the team.
They had become almost like extended family to the McGee's during Abby's pregnancy – and now, with their daughter finally here, there were no people they would rather share their joy with. He looked at Abby, gazing at her daughter in awe and compassion, and knew she felt the same way.
Barely a moment later Tony, Ziva and Ducky came bursting into the room in an excited babble of sound- 'Is everyone okay? What did you have? Abby, are you alright-'
'Everyone's fine, we're all fine!' Abby assured them all, beaming. 'Thanks for coming back, you guys-'
'Coming back? We haven't left since we got here with you two! Gibbs has been through about twenty cups of coffee-'
'Sixteen' Ziva corrected Tony with a smirk.
'-fine, sixteen cups of coffee and has been pacing the corridors like a clockwork toy on overdrive for about four hours. Ducky's been quizzing the student nurses on their medical training and telling them about the best way to perform autopsy examinations on decomposed bodies-'
'Tony…' Tim tried, glancing down at Abby and his daughter.
'-Ziva's been getting tetchy and snapping at everyone for no apparent reason and I've been wired waiting for something to happen with you guys' Tony rounded off.
'Well, something has happened' Abby smiled, holding up the blanketed bundle in her arms slightly. 'Little one, say hello to Aunt Ziva, Uncle Tony and Uncle Ducky – wait, where's Uncle Gibbs?'
'Coffee number seventeen' Ducky and Ziva said together. Tim and Abby laughed.
The newly-appointed aunt and uncles crowded round to get a good look at the newborn.
'Where's the other one?' Tony asked, breaking the mesmerized silence. Abby and Tim exchanged quizzical looks.
'Which other one?'
'The other twin' Ducky replied.
'Twins?' The new parents raised their eyebrows this time.
'You were expecting two to pop out of there…right?' Tony asked.
'Are you kidding me? I thought I was about to die just having the one' Abby said, shaking her head. 'What gave you that idea?'
'You told us' they answered in unison.
'What?' Tim asked. Abby furrowed her brow, looking at Tony, then Ziva, before starting to laugh.
'Oh, you guys! I made a joke when I was about five months gone to Ziva about how it'd be a kick if I was having twins because my body was going crazy with just one' She shook her head, in amused exasperation, looking at the confused female officer. 'I was kidding, Ziva! Joking, you know? And now everyone thinks I was expecting two all along-'
'Twins do run on my grandmother's side' McGee mused. 'But no, we've only got the one. Our little girl' he said, smiling down at the baby. Abby lifted her arms and McGee gently eased the yawning newborn out of her mother's arms and into his own, rocking her gently as her eyelids began to flicker and droop.
Ducky, Ziva and Tony all looked on at the family tenderly, until Tony spoke again.
'We had names picked out for you guys and everything' he said. 'We thought – if you had one boy and one girl, that is – you'd name them after your two favourite people. Ziva-'(here, Ziva raised her eyebrows sceptically and Abby and Tim glanced at each other) '-and T-'
'Don't even say it, Tony' Ziva said, punching her other half's arm lightly. 'I know for a fact that if this baby is to be named after any woman, it will not be me'
'Not that we don't love your name Ziva' Tim said. 'But we decided a long time ago that if it was a girl, we'd name her after…Kate'
'I don't think there's any other name for her' Abby added quietly, looking at her daughter asleep in her father's arms.
Everyone let out a breath – apart from Tony, who was still trying to get his word in.
'Okay then - Kate and-'
'Gibbs' Tim. Abby, Ducky and Ziva said. Tony looked sceptic.
'Gibbs? What kind of a name is Gibbs?'
'Not his last name, Anthony' Ducky admonished good-naturedly. Everyone looked at Tony expectantly.
'Tony, what's Gibbs' first name?' Abby said, smirking at her friend and colleague.
Tony bit his lip, not noticing the door opening quietly behind him...
'...Gibbs?' he asked warily.
He was rewarded with a slap to the head as Gibbs himself entered the room behind him.
'Not that I'd want my awful names inflicted on any baby, DiNozzo, but the fact that we've worked together wor years and you still don't know my Christian name amazes me' Leroy Jethro Gibbs said, striding into the room and throwing an empty coffee cup into the bin by the door. Tony rubbed his head wincing.
'If you hate your names anyway, why did you slap me?'
Gibbs shrugged. 'Force of habit?' Buthe wasn't looking at Tony. His gaze was locked onto Abby.
Everyone stepped sideways to let him through as his blue eyes rested on Abby; lying looking tired but ecstatic in bed, next to Tim; looking every bit the proud new father with a tiny, pink-faced baby in his arms.
'Is everything okay?' he asked, uncharacteristically softly.
'Yes, everything's fine' Abby said. 'There's someone we'd like you to meet'
Tim stepped forward and laid his daughter carefully in Gibb's open arms.
'This is our daughter, Caitlin McGee'
Everyone held their breath to see what effect this would have on him.
Gibbs smiled, his sharp eyes taking on a new tone of almost fatherly affection as he looked at the sleeping baby.
'She is beautiful, Tim, Abs. Congratulations'
'Yeah, congratulations you guys' Tony added. Ziva and Ducky nodded.
'You did great, Abs' Ziva said, mimicking Gibbs, and everyone laughed.
'You guys…you'll all be godparents, right?' Abby said tentatively. 'We'd love it if you were – the Director too, even if she is caught up in a conference today'
The rest of the team exchanged looks, before nodding. 'Thank you, Abby. We would all be honoured' Ziva smiled. 'I am sure Madam Director would not object either'
'When are you planning to have Caitlin christened?' Ducky asked.
'In about two months, when things get a bit more settled. It'll take us a while to get used to being a family of three' Tim said, Abby nodding her agreement.
'Does she have a middle name?' Gibbs enquired, not taking his eyes of Caitlin. Tim looked at Abby.
'We didn't really think of one – we knew if it was a girl that we were going to name her after Kate. What do you think, Abby?'
Abby looked for a long moment at her daughter before replying.
'I thought…other than Caitlin, I liked Minerva as a name'
Tim smiled again. 'Caitlin Minerva McGee. I like it'
'It suits her perfectly. And you two will be fantastic parents' Ducky said. Abby and Tim could only smile. Their lives, for now, were complete and perfect and there was no place either of them would rather be than with their new daughter and their closest friends.
There was a moment of tranquil silence before the door opened and the nurse returned.
'Mr and Mrs. McGee; if it's okay by you we'd like to take your daughter to examined thoroughly – just to rule out any health problems'
'Of course' Abby said quickly, and the nurse walked over to take Caitlin from Gibbs into her own experienced arms.
'Do you have a name yet?' she asked.
'Caitlin Minerva McGee' Abby and Tim answered together, linking their hands as they spoke.
'Oh, how lovely. We'll bring her back shortly' the nurse said, smiling at the assembled group as she left the room.
'Bye, Caitie' Tony called softly as the nurse whisked Caitlin away. Everyone smiled, and began to talk animatedly about the new arrival. Tidings of new life brought out the best in everyone.
'Who do you think she looks most like?' Tony asked. Abby and Tim looked at one another.
'I'd say she looks more like you, Abby. Did you see the shape of her face? Just like yours'
'Your nose and your shape eyes, though, Timmy. I think she'll look like both of us really' Abby replied. 'Blonde hair, though. I had hoped she wouldn't turn out like me, but-'
'Your hair's naturally blonde, Abs? You never told me' Gibbs said. 'I couldn't picture you with anything but black hair, even as a baby'
'I've been dyeing it since I was in elementary school. Dark blonde isn't a very Goth look' Abby mused. 'I thought about letting it grow out and go natural but I'd look like Pepé le Pew gone wrong on Halloween'
'Fair do's' Ziva laughed. 'But it looks like little Caitlin will be following in your footfalls, no?'
'Close enough' Abby grinned. Tim kissed her lightly, and put his arm around her.
'I can't wait to take her home' he said quietly, as everyone else began talking again.
'Me neither. It seems like we've been waiting forever for this. But we've got Caitlin now, we've got our house and we've got each other. And this lot' Abby said with a small smile. 'Everything's so…perfect right now. I never knew it would turn out like this'
'I'm glad it did' Tim replied, squeezing her hand gently and sitting down beside her. 'Everything's going our way'.
The infectiously happy atmosphere continued for almost half an hour. Tony and the others had decided to go out and celebrate Caitlin's arrival later that evening, and Abby was just telling Gibbs he'd better bring her back a Caff-Pow when the nurse returned, holding Caitlin; with a severe-looking doctor behind her. Abby held her arms out and took Caitlin, as everyone fell silent looking almost fearfully at the doctor.
'Mr. and Mrs. McGee, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you concerning your daughter'
The atmosphere in the room dropped by degrees. Gibbs glared at the doctor for being the bearer of bad news and Abby looked anxiously at Tim, drawing him closer to her. He swallowed. 'What is it?'
'Your daughter has sectoral heterochromia'
Tim looked uneasily around the room as Abby's eyes welled up with tears.
'What does that mean?' Gibbs said sharply, noting Abby's tearful face.
'Please, please don't let our baby die; I'll do anything-'Abby began, a single tear falling down her cheeks and onto Caitlin's blanket. Tim held her closer, still looking at the doctor with a mixture of fear and aggravation.
'What does that mean for Caitlin?' he asked, loudly. The doctor looked a little stunned.
'No, no, that's nothing to worry about. All it means is that your daughter will have eyes with two different colours present in each iris. Look at her'
Everyone crowded in to look at little Caitlin. Blinking her big eyes bemusedly up at everyone, they could indeed see that her eyes were turning the trademark McGee green of both her parents; but with definite streaks of brown in the corner of each eye.
'It won't affect her vision and it won't harm her health in any way. Your daughter will just have interesting eyes, that's all' the doctor said. Abby half-laughed and blinked to clear her tears; but Tim was still looking uneasily at the doctor.
'Then…if that doesn't mean anything…what's the bad news?'
All eyes were on the doctor as he swallowed slowly before speaking. You could have heard a pin drop.
'Mr. McGee, I'm sorry to have to tell you…but tests indicate that your daughter is profoundly deaf'
The silence seemed to echo round the room as everyone looked at Caitlin, then Abby, then finally McGee. Abby pursed her lips, nodding her head slowly and taking a deep breath before looking at her husband.
'Well…it could have been worse. We'll get through this. Won't we, Tim? Tim? Tim...?'
Tim couldn't speak. All he could think about was that his own newborn, beautiful daughter would grow up isolated in her own silent world – unable to ever hear her Daddy say he loved her...
(Like we said, Chapter 2 will be coming up shortly. In the meantime, hit the blue button and tell us what you thought? We'd really appreciate it, and we can't get better as writers if people don't give us some direction. Gracias.)