Waiting

It had been hours since we had arrived at the hospital and the waiting was starting to take its toll on us. We just wanted everything to be okay; we wanted Abby to be okay. Jethro was pacing back and forth in the hallway we were in outside of Abby’s room. Hannah, Leah and JD had taken the younger kids down to the hospital café for lunch. I had wondered down to the maternity ward since we had been reassured by Abby’s doctor that it maybe awhile before Jacob and Addison made their debut.
I hadn’t been standing in front of the nursery long before Jen joined me.
“Looks like you have sided with Nick.” Jen said as she joined me at the nursery window.
“I haven’t Jen, that’s not going to change just because we’re in a hospital waiting for the arrival of our niece and nephew.”
“So you’re just missing the days when the girls were babies.”
“Is that obvious?”
“Kind of.”
“It seems like they grew too fast. One minute I am buying them Barbie dolls, coloring books and Disney movies, now I am buying them cell phones and cars.” I said.
“Well, the great thing about NCIS is that we are one big family. You can always help Abby with her kids; and buy them the little kids’ toys that you miss getting for your girls.”
“So what’s your reason for being in this part of the maternity ward? Your biological clock ticking?” I asked.
“Maybe it is, Jay.”
“But you have kids.”
“We both know having Abby, McGee, Kate, Tony and Ziva as my kids doesn’t quite fill the void. And you should know that Kelly will never consider me to be her mother.”
“Take it from a mother of three; sis, you have it easy. How did you get away from the others?”
“I told Jethro that I was getting him coffee.”
“Well we better get Jethro his coffee before he head slaps Tony.” I said.
Meanwhile back in Abby’s room things were progressing. McGee was slowly getting on Abby’s nerves. He didn’t realize that he had the easy job between the two of them.
“Stop being such a baby, Tim!” Abby said.
“I am just worried about you, Abs. And the kids.”
“If Kate, Ziva and Jaylyn can deliver twins then I can. For that matter if Kate can have two sets of twins then I can have ours.”
Back outside the room Jethro had gotten his coffee when we returned. The kids had to leave to go to their extracurricular activities; they had made us promise to tell them when the twins were born. After the kids left Abby’s doctor came out of her room to update us. Needless to say Abby’s doctor didn’t get to say much thanks to us, but when he did he told us that Abby was going to have a C-section to deliver Addison and Jacob.
Minutes later we could hear Addison and Jacob’s cries down the hall from the OR. Once the twins were cleaned up the nurse had allowed McGee to bring the kids out to see us before they were taken to the NCIU.
“Jay, Nick; we would like you to be Jacob’s godparents.” McGee said as he hand Jacob to me.
Nick could see how happy I was with a baby in my arms.
“We would be honored.” Nick said.
“Tony, Kate; we want you guys to be Addison’s godparents.” McGee said as he gave Addison to Tony.
“It would be an honor to be her Godfather, McDaddy.”
“Don’t worry; I won’t let him mess with her.” Kate said.
“Hey.”
Before long the nurse came and said that it was time to bring the twins to the NICU. We didn’t want to part with them; especially me. Once the orderlies left with the twins, the nurse said we could visit Abby in recovery. None of us could decide who would see Abby first out of all us.
“Gibbs and Ziva, why don’t you come back with me?”
They nodded yes and followed McGee back to the room.
When they had gotten into the room Abby had sat up in her bed as Jethro went to stand next to her and Ziva sat at the end of the bed.
“Here Gibbs, I want you to hold Jacob.” Abby said as she handed her son over to Jethro.
Ziva soon remember how good Gibbs was with infants.
“Addison, why don’t you go see your Aunt Ziva.” Abby said to her daughter.
Addison and Jacob were small, which was to be expected since they were born at 26 weeks; they were only five pounds each.
Ziva had stayed by Abby in case Addison had become too antsy and wanted to go back to Abby. It had been a while since Ziva held a baby; nine years to be exact. At one point Ziva took a slight break from talking baby talk to Addison when she had noticed that Jethro was sitting in an arm chair with Jacob.
“Jen was right, you are good with babies.” Ziva said to Jethro.
Jethro glared at Ziva. Lately Jethro has become a stickler for formalities.
“Come on Gibbs; drop the formality act, I don’t have to call her Director Shepard when its just the four of us in the room.”
Before long both babies were getting antsy and Abby was getting tired. Jethro and Ziva left.
“Take your time recovering, Abs; we can manage.”
Ziva rolled her eyes as she and Jethro walked out. She knew he was playing favorites again and Abby always benefitted when he did.
“What?” Jethro asked once they were in the hallway.
“You’re playing favorites again.”
Jethro scoffed at the notation. Once they had rejoined us, we had all left for the night. McGee as expected stayed with Abby and slept on a pull – away bed next to her.
“Thanks for making me a mom, Tim.”
“Thanks for making me a dad.”
When McGee had looked up to kiss his wife, he noticed that she was fast asleep.
“She deserves it, after all the work she went through to have Addison and Jacob. She is a fighter; just like the other moms on the team, all four of them.”
McGee then fell asleep next to Abby.