NCIS: Ages & Stages: Growing Up McBaby

Chapter 7

A/N I want to thank all of you for your kind words. With the holidays approaching I'm not sure when the next update will be, but I hope everyone has a wonderful time with family and friends.

XXX

Penny, Maggie and Sarah took a seat around the table. Sarah adjusted Tim in her arms and leaned back in the chair. With one arm wrapped around his back she used her chest to support the majority of his weight. Tim fidgeted briefly, but calmed down as Sarah rubbed small circles on his back. She continued the soothing motion until his breathing evened out, earning her a small smile from both Penny and Maggie.

"Poor guy is exhausted." Maggie whispered, once again in awe at how good Sarah was with him.

"Can you blame him? You literally ripped him away from the only family he's ever known. He's too young to understand why and it was obvious before Agent Gibbs put him in the car that he didn't want to be with us. Mom, what are you trying to accomplish by putting Timmy through all this stress?"

Maggie chewed on her bottom lip and shrugged her shoulders, "What do you mean? Taking Tim was the right thing to do because I'm his mother. I know you don't think so, but I love both of you very much. As a mother you want what's best for your kids and in my mind that was taking him with me."

"I understand where you're coming from Maggie, but you went about this whole situation the wrong way. I want you to take a moment and think about how you would feel if you were in Agent Gibbs' position. You have a baby with whom you've bonded and love like your own child. You've taken care of it for the past three weeks and then suddenly a stranger to both you and the baby shows up and suddenly decides the child is better off with them."

While Maggie pondered what Penny said, Sarah continued, "Abby told me Agent Gibbs had a little girl who was killed while he was in the Marines. She stressed that Tim had given him a new outlook on life and the two were inseparable. I'm not saying you don't love Tim, but don't you think after today's scare he would be better off with Agent Gibbs?"

"You said it yourself; raising Timmy is going to be a lot harder than you thought. You were only alone with him for an hour and a half, what do you expect it to be like for the next eighteen years?"

Exhausted and overwhelmed by the day's events, Maggie rested her elbows on the table, closed her eyes and massaged her temples. She knew they were right, the events leading up to Tim's disappearance had been frustrating, but the anxiety she felt during the time she believed he'd been abducted was unbearable. Although she would love to raise Tim again she was pushing sixty years old and her retirement plans did not include caring for a baby. Then there was her boyfriend, Nick who was six months shy of retiring and they had planned on traveling the world together. He certainly wouldn't be happy about having to raise a toddler especially since Tim wasn't even his own son. Opening her eyes she saw Penny and Sarah staring at her intently. Sighing, she looked over at her baby boy who appeared angelic and peaceful, sleeping soundly now that he felt safe. She never meant to hurt him or cause so much pain to Gibbs and the team, but she was his mother and when she decided to take him that's what she felt was best. Spending the afternoon with him made her realize she was wrong for thinking that and Tim would be better off with Gibbs. Even though it wasn't an ideal situation, it was what Tim wanted and she knew she had to get past that.

Drawing in a long breath she felt wetness on her cheeks and realized she'd been crying. Grabbing a tissue from the box she dabbed the tears away and sniffled. As she began to speak her voice cracked, "I think I've come to a decision."

Sarah's heart rate increased and she held her breath while she waited for her mom to continue. She hoped Maggie would make the right judgment, but with as stubborn as she'd been it wouldn't be a surprise if she wanted to try continuing to care for Tim. Penny's anxiety level heightened as she waited for Maggie to reveal her decision and she used a tissue to wipe the sweat from her brow. Her former daughter-in-law had always been very levelheaded and that's why she was surprised with the way she had reacted regarding the entire situation.

Wiping away the tears that continued to fall, Maggie reached over and gently patted Tim's bottom, "As much as I would love to continue caring for my baby I'm realizing it's not in my or his best interest. However, I still want to be part of Tim's life, I want all of us to be in his life but perhaps on a smaller scale than caring for him twenty four hours a day. As much as I thought he would eventually be happy with me, I've come to realize that's not going to be the case."

Squealing loudly, Sarah quickly covered her mouth with her hand and sat still as Tim stirred in her arms. Repeating the same soothing motion as earlier she held her breath hoping her sudden lack in judgment wouldn't wake the toddler. When Tim let out a small snuffle and burrowed closer to her neck she exhaled and reached over to squeeze her mom's hand.

"I'm proud that you made the right decision. I'm sorry for being rude; it was only because I knew how much Timmy was hurting. After all the times he's protected me it was only right that I return the favor."

Penny nodded and reached across the table for Maggie's other hand, "I know it's hard my dear; however, you've made the right decision. I'm sure Agent Gibbs will be more than happy to let us see Timothy whenever we choose. That will be something you need to discuss with him though."

Whimpering and squirming in Sarah's arms, Tim slowly opened up his eyes and blinked as they adjusted to the light. Bleary eyed he looked around the table and suddenly remembering where he was immediately burrowed his face back against Sarah's neck. Leaning down, Sarah soothed him, "Shh Timmy, everything is going to be all right now. Do you want a bottle?"

When she felt Tim nod against her neck she went to stand up but stopped when Maggie rose from her seat and headed to the small refrigerator in their room. Popping the bottle in the microwave she waited until it finished and handed it to Sarah, "Here you go my dear." Motioning toward the bedroom she continued, "I'm going to go in the other room so Tim will feel less threatened and actually enjoy his milk."

Sarah smiled warmly and whispered to Tim, "She's gone now, Timmy. Why don't you sit up so you can have some milk? I know after all the crying and screaming you've done today your throat must be raw. This will help soothe it, kiddo."

Tim slowly sat up and his eyes widened when he saw the full bottle of milk sitting on the table. Cradling him in her arms, Sarah inserted the nipple in his mouth and chuckled when he began sucking vigorously.

Penny watched for a moment, reveling in the fact that Sarah was a natural when it came to taking care of Tim. While she was sad adult Tim was no longer with them, she was happy Maggie had made the right decision regarding his care. She would certainly miss the activities they did together; long talks on the phone, dinner when she was in town, but realized they would still spend time together only it would be slightly different. Recognizing the bond between Tim and Gibbs, she had no doubt her grandson would be loved, protected and cared for properly.

"Penny, you okay?"

Snapping out of her musing, Penny nodded and patted Sarah's hand, "I'm fine my dear. I think I'll go call Donald and tell him Maggie's decision."

Slipping her cell phone out of her purse she looked around the room searching for a bit of privacy. Smiling, she made her way to the small couch tucked in the corner, sat down and scrolled through her contacts list. Upon finding Ducky's number she pushed the send button and waited as the phone rang.

XXX

As his cell phone continued to ring, Ducky shook his head as if to clear it and flipped open the phone.

"Hello?" He answered hesitantly, hoping Tim was okay considering the circumstances.

"Donald, it's Penny, but I'm sure you were already aware of that."

"Yes, of course I was aware. Is Timothy okay?"

"The poor kid has had a rough day. It's a lon..."

Before Penny had an opportunity to finish, Ducky interrupted her as the emotional stress of watching Gibbs completely shut down and of course Tim being taken away began to take its toll.

"Of course he's had a tough time. Do you know how heartbreaking it was for Jethro and the rest of us to watch young Timothy scream and cry as he was taken away?"

"Please understand it was not my decision. I wanted Timothy to continue living with Agent Gibbs."

Huffing, Ducky replied, "Perhaps you should have tried harder. Obviously there's a reason you're calling, what is it?"

"I wanted to let you know that Mag..."

Suddenly there was a loud crash and Ducky jumped out of his seat in a panic, realizing Gibbs was no longer in the family room. Quickly turning off the stove, he heard another crash coming from the second floor and quickly ascended the stairs, worried about what he would find. Reaching the top, he called out for Gibbs but instead was greeted by another loud bang. The door to Tim's room was slightly ajar and he stealthily approached it, dreading what he was going to find behind it. Carefully opening the door he could see bits of shattered glass sprinkled near the entryway along with muffled sobbing coming from deep within the room. Fully opening the door his heart skipped a beat when he saw thousands of tiny pieces of shattered glass covering the entire floor. The pictures or rather the frames the team had given Gibbs to complete the toddler's room were destroyed and the younger man was crouched down in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth on his heels, sobbing quietly.

"DONALD?"

Ducky startled as Penny's cry caught his attention. He'd completely forgotten he was on the phone with her. Taking a deep breath he quickly stepped back out of the room.

"Penny are you there?"

"I'm here, Donald. What on earth is going on over there? Is everyone all right?"

"Far from all right. I'm afraid Jethro is having a tough time dealing with the fact Timothy is gone. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tend to him."

"Wait." Penny paused, "The reason why I called is because Maggie has had a change of heart and decided that Timothy would be better off with Agent Gibbs."

Utterly amazed and a bit leery of what Penny said, he replied, "I'm sorry my dear, but did you just say what I think you said?"

"Yes, yes I did. We'll bring him back tonight if that's okay with you. It's a rather long story and we have some details to work out, but honestly I couldn't imagine anyone else raising my grandson."

Chuckling, Ducky could barely contain his excitement. Peeking in the door, he noticed Gibbs hadn't moved and knew he needed to do something to break through his current barriers.

"Could you do me a favor and have Timothy say hello to Jethro? I'm positive that will bring him out of his funk until you arrive tonight."

"Of course. He's having a bottle, but I'm sure he would love to talk to his daddy."

While Penny went back to the table to join Sarah and Tim, Ducky maneuvered his way through piles of glass and took a seat in the recliner next to Gibbs. The younger man startled when Ducky laid his hand on his back then slowly raised his head from where it had been buried against his arms. His tear-stained cheeks were flushed and he trembled slightly as Ducky attempted to soothe him.

"Shh it's going to be okay, Jethro."

"Damn, Ducky. I miss Tim so much! What am I going to do without him?" Gibbs choked out, his voice cracking with every word as tears filled his eyes and he interred his face back in his arms.

Sighing, Ducky put the phone on speaker and spoke softly, "I have someone on the phone who wants to speak with you."

"Dada?"

Tim's sweet voice trembled through the phone line and Gibbs' head popped up so fast the older man had to steady him to keep him from falling over. An incredulous look appeared on Gibb's face and he looked to Ducky for confirmation.

Ducky smiled warmly and nodded, "Say hello to your son, Jethro."

Wiping his eyes and swallowing past the baseball size lump in his throat, Gibbs collected himself and finally felt comfortable speaking.

"Hi sweetie, daddy's right here. I love you and miss you so much, kiddo."

There was silence and both Gibbs and Ducky thought the line had gone dead until they heard Tim softly crying in the background.

"Mish u too dada!"

Penny got back on the line and sighed, "Agent Gibbs, Maggie has decided to allow you to raise Tim. As I told Donald it's a long story, but she feels you are better suited for him at this point in time. We'd like to bring him back tonight if that's okay with you?"

The news was almost too much and Gibbs dropped to his knees, his body swaying until he felt a strong hand steady him. Looking up he saw the comforting eyes of his good friend and smiled wearily. Opening his mouth to speak, all that came out was mumbled words and he once again looked to Ducky.

Nodding, Ducky responded, "That will be fine, Penny. Jethro is a bit overwhelmed at the moment but I assure you he is ecstatic to know that Timothy will be back with him soon."

"As you can imagine, Timothy is just as excited. These two were meant to be together and I'm glad I could be the bearer of good news this time. We'll see you sometime in the next few hours."

After hanging up from Penny, Ducky stood, grabbed Gibbs' arm and helped him to stand. "C'mon my dear boy, you need to rest."

"But..."

Ducky shook his head and gave Gibbs a look he rarely used, especially with the younger man. An expression that meant business and that his orders were not up for debate.

Gibbs chuckled, "You got the stare down pat, Duck."

"Well, yes, after many years of watching you, I've come up with one of my own."

Still holding onto the younger man, Ducky guided him around the shards of glass until they reached the door. Gibbs took one last look over his shoulder and sighed, "I really wish you would let me clean this up. I can't believe I ruined all these pictures."

"Stop being stubborn and worrying about who's going to clean it up. The most important thing right now is that you get some rest. You still have a concussion and were due for your pain pill over thirty minutes ago."

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Gibbs turned toward the kitchen, but didn't make it too far before Ducky steered him to the couch, fixed the pillows and motioned for him to lie down. Realizing this was not a battle he was going to win Gibbs submissively followed orders and plopped down on the couch. After covering him with a blanket, Ducky paternally ruffled his hair and spoke, "I'm going to get your meds, but I would like you to try and eat something along with them. Think you can handle some soup?"

"I'll try, Duck, but could you bring the medicine first?"

"Headache?"

Gibbs covered his eyes with his hands and groaned, "Yeah, really bad. And the light..."

Turning the lights off in the family room to ease Gibbs' pain, Ducky patted his hand in reassurance, "I'll be right back. Try and breathe through the pain my boy."

Nodding slightly, he grimaced as the throbbing in his head increased and he watched Ducky slip into the kitchen to retrieve his meds. Moments later he sighed with relief when a pill was placed in one hand and a glass of water in the other. After swallowing the pill he handed Ducky back the glass of water and snuggled deeper into the pillows. With the excitement of his baby returning home he didn't think he would be able to sleep. However, between the combination of exhaustion, pain medication and Ducky gently stroking his brow, he was asleep within a matter of minutes.

Satisfied his friend was sleeping soundly Ducky returned to the kitchen and placed the teakettle back on the stove. Firing up the burner, he sank into one of the chairs, removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. Sighing heavily, he was mentally and emotionally exhausted by the day's events and knew there would still be Maggie McGee to deal with later on. Although Penny had informed them that Tim would be returned, he was positive that wasn't without stipulations. As long as Gibbs and Tim remained together, he was sure they could work out arrangements that would satisfy everyone. He wanted to inform the team, as he knew they were each grappling with the loss of Tim and subsequently how Gibbs had treated them, but decided it would be best to wait until the toddler was once again in their possession.

It wasn't until the kettle began to whistle and Ducky stood up that he realized how truly physically exhausted he was. Glancing at the time on the microwave, he decided he had enough time for a power nap before heading upstairs to clean up Tim's room. Pouring the boiling water into a mug and inserting the tea bag, he set the alarm on his phone to wake him in forty-five minutes and joined Gibbs in the family room. After checking on the younger man, he stoked the fire, dropped down into the overstuffed chair and propped his feet up on the ottoman. Taking a few sips of tea while watching the roaring fire, he felt his eyes grow heavy and his body start to relax as he followed Gibbs into a peaceful sleep.

XXX

Awakening with a start, Ducky blearily glanced around the pitch-black room, the only source of light coming from the dwindling fire. He could make out Gibbs' form on the couch and wondered what time it was. Certainly it was early evening as the sun had set and he panicked thinking he'd missed a call from Penny. Illuminating his cell phone, he drew in a deep breath when it showed no missed calls, but he still wanted Tim's room cleaned up by the time they got there. Wondering why the alarm never went off, he stretched and swung his legs over the side of the ottoman. Standing up, he groaned at the stiffness that had set in, but overall felt refreshed after his two-hour nap. Quietly adding more logs to the fire, he jumped when Gibbs suddenly spoke, "Have a nice nap, Duck?"

"My God, Jethro! You mustn't scare an old man like that!"

"Sorry. I woke a few minutes ago and you looked so peaceful I didn't have the heart to wake you." Clearing his throat he continued, "I never got to thank you for all you did for me today. I was acting..."

"You were acting like a man who just lost his child. Unfortunately, you've been through the same trauma twice and I can't begin to imagine what was going through your mind. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if you'd ever recover from losing Timothy. Not that you've recovered from losing Shannon and Kelly, but I think having that little boy has given you a second chance to share all the love and emotions you keep bottled up inside. Timothy needs that love more than anyone and I know you can provide it to him. Obviously Maggie has realized that too otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to give him back."

"I hope she doesn't change her mind once she gives Timmy back to me."

"I don't believe Penny would have called me if there was any doubt. How's your headache? Did the medicine help?"

Gibbs chuckled, "Well it certainly knocked me out. There's a dull throbbing, but it's not too severe right now. If I need to take something before the McGees arrive I think I'll stick with over the counter pain relief. I want to make sure my brain's not a foggy mess until after they leave. Speaking of which they could be here at any moment." Motioning to the scrubs he was still wearing from the hospital he continued, "I'm going to go upstairs and clean up. If that's all right with you, Duck?"

Ducky nodded as he reached down, grabbed Gibbs' hand and helped him sit up, "That's fine, but no showers until tomorrow. The frost bite on your back and legs will not take kindly to hot water right now."

Swaying as he stood, Gibbs was relieved when Ducky wrapped his arm around his waist to steady him until he regained his equilibrium.

"Whoa, thanks, Duck. I guess the pain medication is still in full effect."

"C'mon, I'll help you upstairs." Ducky replied and began guiding Gibbs toward the stairs before the younger man could object.

Once they reached the top of the stairs they parted ways, Gibbs went to his room and Ducky headed toward Tim's room to get a clearer picture of what needed cleaning. Switching on the light the older man grimaced at the amount of glass that ladened the floor. Sighing, he carefully collected the pictures, most of which were salvageable and stacked them on the dresser. Realizing it would be easier to clean up during the daytime he backed out of the room and shut the door.

Stopping at the stairwell, Ducky called out, "Jethro, I'm going downstairs to make some soup. Don't take too long, I'm assuming the McGees will be here soon and I want you to eat before they arrive."

"Okay, Duck."

Descending the stairs, Ducky turned on various table lamps to give the family room a soft glow. He knew Gibbs was hurting more than he let on and the bright lights would only be a hindrance as the night wore on. Straightening out the blankets and pillows he then went into the kitchen and grabbed a few cans of chicken noddle soup from the pantry. After putting the soup on to cook, he started a fresh pot of coffee and knew the aroma would have Gibbs in the kitchen in a matter of minutes. Setting to work on some dishes, Ducky couldn't help but laugh when he heard Gibbs making his way into the kitchen.

Taking a giant whiff, Gibbs sighed contently as the familiar blend wafted through his nose and tickled his taste buds.

Ducky smiled, it was good to see his old friend returning. Motioning to the spoon on the counter, he said, "Jethro, would you mind stirring the soup while I finish up these dishes?"

"Of course not." Grabbing the spoon, he began stirring the soup then poked around in the pantry looking for a box of crackers. Retrieving a box, he placed them on the table and returned to his position in front of the stove. The soup and coffee finished at the same time and once drinks were poured they both took a seat at the kitchen table. They ate in companionable silence although Ducky could tell Gibbs was anxious, not only by the look on his face, but also by the tapping of his foot. Once they finished, Ducky reached across the table and gently grasped the younger man's hand, "Everything is going to be okay, Jethro. You two were meant to be father and son. Timothy only knows you as his daddy, no matter what Maggie McGee tells him."

Standing up, Gibbs collected the dishes and placed them in the sink. "That's not what I'm concerned about, Duck. Obviously since the first meeting went so well," he chuckled, rolled his eyes and continued, "My concern is what stipulations Maggie is going to make regarding Tim. I think I have a right to be anxious about that."

"Of course you do, Jethro, but I meant what I said. No matter what requests Maggie makes as long as you have Timmy by your side then it shouldn't matter."

After pouring another cup of coffee, Gibbs went to return to his seat, but froze when he saw a pair of headlights flash through the family room windows.

"I think they're here. I'm fairly certain I saw a car pull into the driveway. What should I do? What should I do?"

Gibbs was frantic, anxious but above all, ecstatic in just a few moments his baby would be back in his arms again.

Ducky smiled, stood and patted him on the back, "Let's wait for them to come to the door that way Maggie won't feel like she's being bombarded in an attempt to get to Timothy."

Pacing back and forth across the kitchen, Gibbs' heart skipped a full beat when the doorbell rang. Retrieving the cup of piping hot coffee from the younger man's shaking hands, Ducky ushered him to the front door.

"I think it's only right that you do the honor, my friend."

With a smile so big it could have split his face in two, Gibbs unlocked the dead bolt and flung open the door.

"DADA!" Timmy squealed, bursting into tears when he saw Gibbs waiting with open arms.

"Hey, kid...kiddo" Gibbs choked out as he extended his arms and took the toddler from Sarah. Wrapping his arms tightly around Tim's trembling frame, he nuzzled close to the youngster and rubbed small circles on his back.

"Shh Timmy, everything is going to be fine. I missed you so much." Gibbs whispered as Tim's grip around his neck tightened while he continued sobbing.

"Me mish u dada. I lub u."

Attempting to hold back tears, Gibbs broke down when he glanced up and saw the smiles and tears on the others faces, including Maggie.

Making eye contact with her, he mouthed, "Thank you." Seeing the tears well up in her eyes made him realize they'd eventually come to accept each other and the love they shared for Tim.

The pair embraced for a while longer until Ducky suggested they make themselves comfortable. Tim, however, was glued to Gibbs and it took Ducky and Sarah working together to remove his coat. Once they were seated, Gibbs was able to coax Tim to sit in his lap so he was facing everyone. Draping his arms around Tim's belly, Gibbs exhaled as the toddler leaned back against his chest and wrapped his tiny hand around his thumb.

"That's the most relaxed I've seen Timothy all day." Maggie commented as the little guy stuck his thumb in his mouth and began sucking.

Sarah nodded, "Even though he felt comfortable with me, my mom's right, Timmy truly looks at peace here."

Kissing the top of Tim's head, Gibbs was euphoric as he inhaled the unique baby scent that always accompanied the toddler. Tim squeezed his finger tighter and shifted his body so he could see Gibbs' face. Batting his long eyelashes, he popped his thumb out of his mouth and whispered, "Weally muh dada?"

Gently stroking the youngster's cheek, he smiled, "I'll always be your daddy, sweetie. Whether you're five or thirty years old." Using two fingers he placed them over Tim's heart and continued, "Wherever you are, if you need me, I'll always be right here."

Tim nodded slightly, reached up and laid his tiny hand over Gibbs' heart. Flashing him a mostly toothless grin, he whispered, "Me too dada."