Author's Note:
Here we go with the final chapter…
Thank you for reading & I have loved reading your feedback…
I look forward to your final reviews and feedback…
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As Gibbs turned away from the closed OR doors, Ducky walked up and embraced him.
"Ah, Jethro. Congratulations on the birth of your son and daughter. The nurses told us they're both doing very well despite arriving a few weeks early."
Tony and Ziva walked forward and Tony immediately sensed that something was wrong.
"Boss, are you okay?" he asked.
Ducky pulled away from Gibbs and said, "Jethro, what's wrong. You're as pale as a sheet. You'd better sit down."
"Is Jenny okay?" Ziva asked.
Once Gibbs was seated he swallowed deeply and said, "No… Jenny's… something's wrong with Jenny."
"Oh dear. What happened?" Ducky asked.
"She just passed out, Duck. One minute she was smiling and the next she was unconscious… and she was bleeding."
"Now Jethro, you need to calm down. It is common to have some blood lose during a caesarian section and in some cases blood pressure does drop suddenly…"
"Blood was gushing out of her Duck!" Gibbs shouted before dropping his head into his hands.
"Damnit." Tony swore as he saw the unshed tears in Gibbs' eyes.
"Tony, let's get Gibbs something to drink." Ziva said taking Tony's hand.
"Yes, that is a good idea." Ducky said before turning to Gibbs. "Jenny is a fighter Jethro and she will get through this fine, I'm very sure about that."
"God.. I hope you're right Duck. I can't lose her." Gibbs whispered.
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It was almost two hours later when Dr Malone stepped out of the OR.
Gibbs immediately got to his feet. Ducky stood next to him. The rest of the team stood a short distance away, not wanting to crowd Gibbs.
"Agent Gibbs, Dr Mallard…" Dr Malone said.
"How's Jenny?" Gibbs demanded.
"Let's take a seat." Dr Malone said.
"I don't want to sit. Just tell me!" Gibbs raised his voice.
"Jenny started hemorrhaging and even though we did everything we could, we could not stop the bleeding in her uterus."
"Ah hell! How bad is it?" Gibbs demanded.
"I'm afraid we had no choice but to perform an emergency hysterectomy."
"Oh dear." Ducky whispered.
"Jenny is very weak as a result of the blood loss and extended surgery. Her blood pressure is lower then I would have liked. She is in critical condition Agent Gibbs and how she responds to treatment over the next 24 hours will be crucial to her recovery. We will be moving her to the ICU shortly and she will be monitored 24/7."
"Can I see her?" Gibbs asked.
He could hear Abby crying behind him and the rest of the team shifting restlessly from one foot to another.
"Yes, once she's settled in the ICU." Dr Malone said. "In the meantime you can go and spend some time with your son and daughter if you like."
My son…
My daughter…
Oh God… they can't lose their mom…
Not like this…
Not without having a chance to get to know her…
"Thank you Dr Malone." Ducky said. "Jethro?"
"I need a few minutes Duck."
"Take all the time you need." Ducky patted him on the shoulder before walking to the rest of the team.
"Is he okay?" Tony asked.
"No, Anthony." Ducky sighed, shaking his head. "I suggest you stay with him while the rest of us head to the waiting room. He needs space but is in no condition to be alone."
Tony nodded as the rest of the team followed Ducky, Abby in McGee's comforting embrace and Ducky looping his arm with Ziva's for support.
Tony approached Gibbs cautiously, not wanting to intrude. He watched a myriad of emotions flirt across Gibbs' face. Anger, fear, sadness and utter helplessness.
Damnit, why can't things ever go smoothly..
Boss… I'm so sorry…
But you've got to keep it together.
Jenny will make it through this…
Gibbs ran a hand over his face as the OR doors opened and Jenny was wheeled out. He walked alongside the gurney and looked into her pale face. She opened her eyes for a nanosecond.
"Jethro…" She murmured.
Tears flooded Gibbs' eyes and he replied, "Hey there Mrs Gibbs to be."
Tony almost missed a step at that.
"Love you…" Jenny murmured.
"I love you too." Gibbs replied. "You hang in there and get better soon. Caleb and Mikayla need you… I need you."
"Mmm." Was all Jenny said in reply.
In the ICU, the nurses asked Gibbs to wait outside while they settled Jenny into her room.
"Caleb and Mikayla." Tony said. "Those are lovely names Boss."
"Yeah, Jenny's choice."
"She's going to be okay, Boss." Tony said. "You have to believe that."
"I don't know DiNozzo. My track record for happy endings is pretty much none existent."
"It's going to be different this time…" Tony said as Ziva joined them outside the Jenny's room.
"How is it different?" Gibbs raised his voice. "I had Shannon and Kelly and they were taken from me. Today I held my new born babies in my arms, I asked the woman I love to marry me and she said yes and then… and then this!" Gibbs threw his hands up in frustration.
"Boss, you need to calm down." Tony said.
"I can't… I just can't... and there's nothing I can do to change this…"
"I know of something that might help." Ziva said, as she took Gibbs' hand in hers.
"Come with me." She said as she led him away from Jenny's room.
She steered him to the neonatal ward, helped him into a gown, cap and mask and pushed him through the ward doors. A nurse met him and led him to the incubators at the end of the room and showed him his son and daughter. She showed him how to reach into the incubation unit to touch his babies. As soon as his fingers gently stroked Mikayla's arm, tears overflowed in his eyes.
He watched his daughter yawn and felt her tiny body shudder as he continued to stroke her. Her hair was a light red, orange and her eyes a hazel green. She was so delicate and beautiful. Gibbs' entire body shuddered, emotions overwhelming him.
Looking over to the other incubator, he noticed that Caleb was slightly bigger then Mikayla. His hair was a light brown and his eyes a greenish grey. His chin reminded Gibbs of Jenny's chin. He was perfect in every way.
God... I love you two more that I ever though it was possible to love anyone...
Gibbs stayed with his babies for over an hour, stroking and touching them, making promises to always be there for them and vowing to take care of them no matter what.
When he left his babies, he went straight back to Jenny's room. She was asleep, hooked up to multiple monitors and IV's including one with blood. He sat with her for the rest of the day, just watching her and praying that she would be okay.
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Exactly 6 months later on the 23rd of July at 10:30am, Gibbs and Jenny stood together in the gazebo in Jenny's garden. Gibbs held Mikayla and Jenny held Caleb. Tony stood behind Gibbs and Ziva behind Jenny. The rest of the team were seated at the elegantly set tables behind them, watching the proceedings.
"And now it is my pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Jethro." The minister said.
Everyone burst into laughter, cheers of joy and even a few tears.
Gibbs handed Mikayla to Tony and Jenny handed Caleb to Ziva.
They turned back to each other, stepped closer to each other and Gibbs wrapped Jenny in his warm and all-encompassing embrace.
"I love you, Mrs Gibbs." He smiled.
"And I love you, Mr Gibbs." Jenny smiled back.
Then Gibbs lowered his lips and kissed her deeply, reverently, reaffirming the vows and commitments he had made to her during their wedding ceremony. And Jenny returned his kiss with all the love and joy she felt in her heart.
This was meant to be.
They were meant to be together.
They were complete now.
Thank you God… for this previous gift… for this second chance... Gibbs sent up a silent prayer. I will take care of them … always…
xxxXxxx The End xxxXxxxx