Chapter Fourteen: In The End
Just breathe, Tony." McGee coached, rubbing his lover's back gently. Tony was perched on the edge of the bed, his face buried against McGee's chest, cringing in pain as yet another contraction came and went.
Tony relaxed as the contraction ended, frowning up at his lover. "You wanna switch? Cause I'm totally ready for this to be over."
The younger man chuckled and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "I know," He said. "You're getting so close. The doctor's very impressed with you."
"Chalk it up to willpow...aaah!" He cried out, another contraction tightening his stomach muscles.
Dropping his head to McGee's shoulder again, the older man tightened his grip on his waist. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes as he pulled away, left slightly breathless by the force of the last contraction.
"I t...think that was the worst one yet. Y... You think they'll let me quit and come finish next week?"
"I thought you were ready to get him outta there?" Abby asked as she stepped back into the room, offering her friend a sympathetic smile. "How are you holding up?"
"He's doing good," McGee said proudly as he ran his fingers through the Italian's hair, scratching his scalp lightly.
"They're getting worse," Tony muttered miserably.
"You're getting close though. Shouldn't be much longer."
"Everyone's been saying that for the last three hours."
"Well, you're closer now than you were yesterday."
"Did you come in here to torment me or do you actually have a purpose?"
"Yes to both questions. McGee, your parents are here."
"I'll go see them in a little while."
"Go now," Tony muttered as he pulled away. "I'll be okay until you get back."
"Are you sure?" McGee asked, frowning slightly as he pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead.
"I'll stay with him til you get back," Abby offered.
"Go ahead," Tony urged, nudging him gently. "I'll still be here when you get back."
Nodding slightly, McGee waited until the Goth moved to take his place before he pulled away. "I'll be back in a few."
Abby watched as McGee hurried out of the room before she turned back to Tony, wrapping her arms around him.
He dropped his head to her shoulder, allowing her gentle hands to soothe him until his stomach tightened in another contraction.
"Ah fuck," he cried, gripping the bed as he clenched his teeth against the pain.
"Its okay Tony. You're doing so good. I'm so sorry I called you a wimp earlier."
"I c... can't do this anymore," he cried hoarsely, his breathing ragged as the pain finally subsided. "I don't... Fuck!"
It was all he could do to keep from crying as the Goth's arms tightened around him. "It's going to be okay," she whispered.
"I'm... Trying to hold it together, Abs. I'm... Poor Timmy looks like he's going to puke everytime I have a contraction and I... I just... I can't do it anymore!"
She held him tightly, whispering what she hoped were reassuring words. Glancing over his shoulder, she frowned slightly at her lover, who stood by the doorway, completely unnoticed by the distraught man in her arms.
"It's all gonna be worth it," she reminded him. "As soon as you see that sweet little boy, you'll forget all about this."
She could feel him trembling slightly as she held him. "You wanna lay back down? You might be more comfortable."
"N...no. It hurts my back too much. W...where's Timmy?"
"Still out talking to his parents. You want me to go get him?"
"Don't leave."
"Okay," she whispered, offering Gibbs a slight smile as he backed out of the room quietly.
----
"McGee."
Glancing up at the sound of his boss' voice, McGee pecked his mother on the cheek and pushed himself to his feet.
"How is Tony?" Ziva asked from across the waiting room. "When can we see him?"
"He's hangin' in there. It looks like he's still got a little ways to go but he's gettin' close."
Turning his attention back to his Junior Agent, Gibbs motioned to him before stepping out into the hallway.
"I should uh... Get back in there. We'll keep you guys updated."
"Say hello to Tony for us."
Nodding in response, McGee followed after his boss, frowning slightly when he found the older man leaning against a wall, waiting for him.
"Uh... Everything okay, boss?"
"I don't know, McGee. You tell me. There a reason why you're putting off going back in that room?"
"I uh... I'm just... You know, my parents are here and uh..."
"Uh huh. Listen," he said, pushing away from the wall before he headed down the hall to where his Senior Agent was being kept. "I know its hard to watch, knowin' ya can't do anything to make it easier or less painful. But no matter how hard it is for you, it's a hell of a lot harder for him."
Stopping in front of the window, Gibbs crossed his arms over his chest, watching as the grown man inside nearly came apart in his girl's arms as another contraction started.
"He seems to deal a lot better with those when you're in there... Any idea why?"
"N... No," the younger man responded, his face going pale as Tony's strangled cry reached his ears.
Gibbs reached over, slapping the clueless agent on the back of the head. "You can't look like you're gonna pass out everytime he has a contraction, McGee."
"I... I don't..."
"He needs you to stay calm for him."
"I'm trying!"
"Well try harder," Gibbs growled. "Or maybe you should go back into the waiting room and let Abby handle it, since you don't seem to be able to!"
Turning back to the window, McGee watched as his lover practically collapsed in the Goth's arms.
Not bothering to respond to the silver-haired man, McGee pushed past him and made his way into the room.
"I'm back, T."
Pulling away from the Goth, Tony plastered a smile on his face at the sound of the younger man's voice.
"Hey," he greeted, unsuccessful at keeping the pain and sheer exhaustion out of his voice.
"I'm gonna go back out, okay? I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'll be back in to see you in a little while."
Tony nodded weakly, gripping the side of the bed when he felt another contraction beginning.
Taking Abby's place, McGee wrapped his lover in his arms, rubbing his back gently.
"You're doing great, Tony." The younger man said, massaging his partner's scalp as the contraction got stronger. "I'm here, let it go."
The Italian hesitated slightly before finally giving in fully, collapsing forward against his lover in exhaustion.
"'M sorry, Tim." Tony apologized, the sound of his voice muffled by McGee's shirt. "I...I can't anymore."
"Shh..." He murmured into the older man's hair, holding him tightly as he trembled. "It's okay, you're doing great."
Tony nodded against his lover's chest, taking the calm moment to relax.
"You know what? We haven't picked a name yet." He said, rubbing Tony's back as he held him.
"You pick." The dark-haired man groaned, too exhausted to think about the naming process.
"No, no. If anyone is making the final decision on our son's name, it's you. You're the one doing all the hard work, T." He pulled back from the older man and grinned, kissing his mouth. "You can even name him Magnum if you want."
"That was just a joke, McGee. You know that." Tony explained weakly, reciprocating the quick kiss. "What about William?"
"Eh," McGee shrugged. "Joshua?"
The Italian cringed as another contraction took him over. He took a deep breath as it ended. "Guess that's the one. He's so excited to be named Joshua he can't wait to get out!" He mused, smiling at his partner.
The younger man grinned broadly. "Joshua it is then. And we decided on Michael for the middle name, right?"
Tony nodded, resting his head on his lover's shoulder. "Joshua Michael."
Dr. Simmons stepped into the room and smiled at the couple. "Sounds like a wonderful name. How's everything coming along?"
"He's doing great." McGee said, a proud grin on his face. "Tired though, and the contractions are getting more painful.
Dr. Simmons looked over his chart quickly and smiled back at the couple.
"Well, that won't be a problem for much longer, Tony." She said, motioning for him to relax back against the pillows. "We're going to take you in for a c-section."
"W...wait. You said...what's wrong with him?" The brunette asked, cradling his belly protectively.
"Your son looks to be fine, but your body is not cooperating with getting him out. You've been laboring for nearly 9 hours with no progress." She explained.
"So, the baby is okay, right?" McGee asked, holding Tony's hand tightly.
"The baby will be just fine. Now go ahead and relax, I'll have you moved to the OR in a few minutes."
Tony breathed a heavy sigh of relief, some of the tension in his shoulders disappearing almost instantly. "Thank God."
Leaning down, McGee pressed a kiss to his lover's forehead, smiling against him. "You ready for this?" He asked quietly as Dr. Simmons hurried out of the room.
"No," Tony admitted quietly. "But I don't think anyone's ever ready. I'll be glad when it's over though."
"You've done so good today, Tony. Everyone's so excited to finally meet this little guy," he said with a grin, resting his hand lightly on his partner's belly.
"Yeah," Tony said, smiling despite how utterly exhausted he felt. "I can't wait to meet him either."
"Well looks like you're about to get your chance," one of the nurses said as she stepped into the room, a bright smile on her face.
Tony could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest as McGee pulled away, offering him a reassuring smile. "I'll be right behind you, T."
----
Stepping into the waiting room, McGee rubbed a tired hand over his face before he addressed his anxious friends and family.
"They decided to go ahead with the C-Section. They've taken him down to prep him now."
"Is something wrong?" Abby asked, her eyes wide as Gibbs squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Nothing's wrong. Dr. Simmons says the baby looks good, it's just that he doesn't seem to be making any progress, so they're going to go ahead and get him out of there."
"How's Tony feel about all that?"
Turning to his mother, McGee offered a half shrug. "He was a little freaked out at first, but I think he's relieved. He's ready for this to be over. Today's been hard on him."
Standing up, Linda wrapped her son in a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Go on. Take care of them."
----
"Here you are, meet your baby boy." Dr. Simmons said, wrapping the baby in a blanket and handing him to Tony.
"Oh!" McGee exclaimed, unable to take his eyes off the small blue bundle. "Look at him!"
"He's perfect." The brunette whispered, looking up at his lover. "Who thought we would make such a cute kid?"
The younger man leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. "You did it, T. Look at our little boy. Joshua," he tried, grinning as it rolled off his tongue. "He looks like a Josh, huh?"
Tony grinned lazily up at his partner. "Well, go on. Go tell everyone the good news."
"He'll be moved to recovery in about 20 minutes." Dr. Simmons smiled. "We'll stitch you up, clean up your baby boy, then get you two to recovery, okay sweetheart?" She asked, patting Tony's leg gently.
"Okay, I'll see you two in a bit then." McGee said, pressing a kiss to the infant's forehead. "Love you, T."
"Love you too, Timmy."
Leaning down, McGee kissed his lover gently on the lips before he pulled away and headed back to the waiting room, unable to contain his grin.
"He's here!"
"How is Tony?"
"How's the baby?
"What's his name?"
"When can we see them?"
McGee couldn't help but laugh at all the questions being fired rapidly at him, as he was in better spirits than he'd been all day. "Tony's doing fine. Tired, of course, but completely ecstatic. The baby, Joshua... well, we're going to call him Josh, but he's just... completely perfect. I can't wait for you guys to see him! They're stitching Tony up and cleaning Josh up but it shouldn't be too long before you guys can see them."
Standing up, Linda wrapped her arms around her son in a hug, swiping at the tears on her cheeks at the news of her first grandchild. "I'm going to go call your sister. She said she'd try to make it here in the morning if he came tonight."
Nodding, McGee hugged her back, squeezing her gently before he pulled away. "I'd better get back in there. The nurse said she'd come out and get you guys when he's allowed to have visitors!"
"We'll be here," Gibbs assured the young man.
OoOoOoO
Shifting slightly on the bed, Tony groaned quietly as the movement jostled him.
"How ya' feelin'?" McGee asked quietly from where he sat, their son cradled in his arms.
"Little sore," Tony admitted quietly, though he couldn't help but grin sleepily. "How's he?"
"Perfect," McGee responded quietly as he pressed a kiss to Josh's forehead before he stood slowly. "Here."
He winced slightly as he sat up, allowing McGee to place their son in his arms carefully.
"I can't believe how small he is. He definitely *felt* a lot bigger than this."
"It's always the smaller ones that pack the most punch," Abby greeted from the doorway. "Are you feeling up to a quick visit?"
"From you? Any time babe," he assured her with a smile.
"What about me?" Gibbs asked with a smirk as he followed the Goth into the room.
"Uh... Of course, bossman."
"How ya feelin', Tony?"
"I'm good to go. I'll be ready to come back to work next week," he teased.
Rolling her eyes, Abby pulled away from Gibbs and made her way over to her exhausted friend. "You say that now but when it comes time to leave this sweet little boy, we'll have to drag you back kicking and screaming."
"You're right," Tony conceded with a nod as he kissed their son's forehead.
"You guys need to have more babies, T. Your kids are way too cute to stop after just one."
"Bite your tongue! I'm never doing this again. You have any idea how much that shi--crap hurt?"
"But you did so well. Can I hold him?"
Nodding in response, Tony allowed the Goth to lift the baby from his arms before he settled back against the pillows, wincing slightly.
"You are just too adorable, sweetheart," Abby cooed softly. Looking over at her lover, she offered him an encouraging smile. "Isn't he cute, J?"
"Uh huh," the older man responded, grinning in spite of himself. "Not bad, DiNozzo. Not bad at all."
"You wanna hold him?" Abby offered.
Hesitating for a moment, Gibbs looked to Tony for a nod of approval before he lifted the baby out of Abby's arms, cradling him gently.
It had been years since he'd held a newborn, but as he settled the child against his chest, it felt like it was just yesterday that he held Kelly for the first time.
Looking over at Abby, he noticed the unshed tears behind her eyes and it was then that he made up his mind.
"Almost makes ya wanna have one, huh?" He asked.
"Almost," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah... Me too."
OoOoOoO
Slipping back into the dimly lit room, McGee was surprised to see his lover still awake.
"You should be sleeping," he scolded gently, though he smiled sympathetically as he walked over to the bed, sinking down in the chair. "Can't sleep?"
"Nope. I thought that would change once he was out," Tony complained tiredly, shifting slightly on the bed.
Scooting closer to the bed, McGee reached up, running his fingers through Tony's hair as he scratched his scalp lightly. "You did so well today, Tony. I can't even tell you how proud I am of you."
"It really sucked there for awhile," he said, unable to stifle a yawn. "I'm glad it's over." He groaned quietly as he moved the wrong way, pulling on his stitches.
"You should try to get some rest," McGee urged.
"Can't sleep," he sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I've been trying."
The two fell silent as McGee continued scratching his scalp, hoping that the motion would lull him to sleep as it usually did.
"Y'know," Tony mumbled sleepily, "this time next year, Josh'll have a playmate. I bet you twenty dollars."
"Why do you say that?"
"Didn't you hear Abby and Gibbs when they were in here earlier? She'll be knocked up before Christmas."
"I don't know about that," McGee laughed. "I don't think Gibbs'll go for it."
"Are you kidding me? Whatever Abby wants, Abby gets. You should know that by now."
Snorting quietly, McGee leaned down and kissed his lover's lips gently. "I think you're starting to get loopy from a lack of sleep. Rest."
Tony didn't have the energy to protest as he relaxed against the pillows, yawning again as McGee pulled the blanket up over him. "Love you, Timmy."
Grinning brightly, McGee settled back into the chair, his fingers linked with Tony's as the older man drifted off slowly. "Love you too, T."
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: Are you kidding me? THREE chapters in three days? Heck yes! There's only one more chapter to come after this one, which I'm hoping I'll be able to get out tomorrow night. As always, a huge thank you to my bffl Kelley for talking me through all the baby stuff and for helping me to get this chapter out of my head and down onto paper (or... technically print, I guess). Thank you for everyone who took the time out to review after the last chapter! This one is for you. And remember: Tony loves reviews better than painkillers and McGee.