NCIS: Ages & Stages: Growing Up McBaby

Chapter 32

Gibbs awakened the next morning to the smell of a deep aroma that had wafted upstairs. He sat up, inhaled the delicious scent and sighed. It was nice to have someone else around to make coffee in the morning. Flinging his legs over the side of the bed, he threw on his robe and slippers and padded down the hall to check on Tim. The toddler was still asleep and Gibbs knew the ramifications of waking a sleeping child. He continued downstairs where Jack was sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee, reading the newspaper. The older man lowered the paper when he heard footsteps and made a grunting noise as he motioned toward the coffee pot. Gibbs chuckled as he grabbed a mug out of the cabinet, filled it and took a hearty sip. They sat in companionable silence until Jackson stood to get another cup.

"Did you sleep alright last night, Leroy? Tim didn't keep you awake, did he?"

Gibbs shook his head, "Slept great. Tim is usually good about sleeping through the night unless he's sick, hurting or needs changing. What about you - did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. Almost as good as sleeping in my own bed." He paused, took a sip of coffee and continued, "So what's the plan for today? What can I do to help?"

"Well, for the most part we just need to decorate and get the food ready. I'm doing burgers and hot dogs on the grill, potato chips, pasta salad and Ziva's bringing her famous deviled eggs. Of course, no birthday party is complete without cake and ice cream." Gibbs took a deep breath and sat back in his chair, looking anxious. "There is one thing that you could do for me."

Jack knew the look on his son's face and carded his fingers through his hair, "What is it, son?"

"Tim's biological mom will be here today - she's coming all the way from Texas. Sarah, Tim's sister will be here to keep an eye on her, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to take on that responsibility as well. Obviously I don't want you to follow her around like a lost puppy dog, but if things start to get hinky it would be nice to have another buffer around."

Without hesitation, Jack spoke, "No problem, Leroy. How do you think Timmy will react to her presence? It's been over a year since she saw him, right?"

Gibbs nodded, "Except for the pictures I've emailed to her. Tim will either remember her or he won't - I guess I'll cross that bridge once we get to it. If he does remember, Maggie will have to realize how hard it'll be for him."

Jack stood and went to the refrigerator, "I hope for both their sakes that Tim doesn't remember. It will give them a chance to start over. My poor grandson should not have to think about all the terror he went through with that woman, especially on his birthday.

By this time there was noise coming over the baby monitor, signaling Tim was awake. Gibbs scooted his chair back from the kitchen table and stood, "You going to make breakfast, while I take care of the little guy?"

"Yep, pancakes, bacon and eggs."

"The same birthday breakfast that you used to make for me when I was a kid."

"You betcha! It's time to resurrect some Gibbs family traditions."

"Damn straight! I guess I'll save Tim's bath until after we eat. I'm sure he'll have syrup everywhere by the time we're done."

"Not to mention that he'll be hopped up on enough sugar to keep him going throughout the afternoon."

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again. Jack noticed and raised an eyebrow. "What were you about to say Leroy?"

"I was going to say that you only have a second birthday once, but obviously that's not true in Tim's case. It's his day and I plan on spoiling him rotten."

Tim cried out for his daddy again over the monitor and Jack chuckled, "Your prince is awaiting his royal treatment." Gibbs hurried upstairs with Jet hot on his heels, almost tripping the older man as he cut in front of him to get to the door.

"Damnit Jet! You have to stop doing that! Why is it that animals feel the need to take their owners out by walking in front of them?" He took a deep breath and gave Jet an admonishing look as he turned the door handle and entered Tim's bedroom. The older man's attitude changed when he saw his son bouncing up and down in his crib.

"Happy Birthday my big boy! Can you believe you are..." Gibbs held up two fingers and continued, "two years old today? Where has the time gone?"

Tim babbled happily as Gibbs gathered him in his arms and planted a big kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to give you as many kisses as I can before you start getting too old."

"Lub u Dada!" Tim squealed, tightening his grip around Gibbs' neck.

"I love you too, kiddo."

Gibbs reached down to feel Tim's diaper and could tell he needed a change. "Let's get you into a nice dry diaper and go downstairs for breakfast. Grandpa Jack is making your favorite - pancakes!" Tim's eyes widened as Gibbs tended to him. It was only on rare occasions that they had pancakes, mainly because there was no time in the morning to make them and clean up afterwards. Tim didn't bat an eye when Gibbs removed the rest of his sleeper and picked him up to bring him downstairs. Jack grinned as he heard the pitter patter of tiny feet scrambling toward the kitchen. The older man turned just in time as Tim enveloped his legs in a hug.

"What happened to your clothes young man?" Jack asked, lifting Tim into his arms. He turned to Leroy and chuckled, "My grandson is not in the 'I would rather be naked' stage yet, is he?" Gibbs laughed and shook his head, "I forgot I have that fun to look forward to. I figured when he's done with breakfast, I can just take his diaper off and plop him in the bath and not have to deal with sticky clothing. I bumped the temperature up a few degrees so he doesn't catch cold."

Jack tapped Tim's nose, inadvertently dusting it with flour as he said, "Your daddy is always thinking one step ahead of everyone else, kiddo." Knowing that his son was sensitive to certain irritants Gibbs reached over to brush the flour off Tim's nose. It was too late though, as the youngster let out a series of sneezes.

"Bless you!" Both men responded once the sneezing had stopped.

"I'm sorry, Timmy. I didn't mean to make you have a sneezing attack."

Gibbs grabbed a tissue from the box and wiped Tim's nose, "Don't worry about it, Dad. How could you have known? Tim had terrible allergies when he was on my team so I had Ducky test him. I wanted to know if he'd had them his entire life or if they started as he got older." Taking Tim into his arms, he continued, "It turns out that he's allergic to cats, dust and a variety of other pollutants. That's why I like to keep the house clean. I won't contribute to making my son sick."

The older man patted Tim's back, "Sorry again, kiddo. Perhaps I can make up for it with some delicious pancakes?"

Tim clapped his tiny hands together in excitement as his daddy buckled him into his high chair, snapped on the tray and tied a bib around his neck.

"What can I do to help, Dad?"

"If you want to fry the bacon I can concentrate on the eggs and pancakes."

"Sounds like a plan. However..." Gibbs grabbed a sippy cup from the cupboard and poured some milk into it, "I know my son will be asking for milk while we're trying to finish breakfast so I'll do that first."

Jack chuckled as he finished mixing the pancake mix and fired up the griddle. Once the griddle was hot enough he poured the batter on it, making several large pancakes. As he waited for the bubbles to appear around the edges of the pancakes he poured the scrambled egg mixture into the frying pan and turned on the burner. Gibbs worked next to him, lining a pan with large strips of bacon and firing up the heat.

"Been far too long since we worked in the kitchen together."

Gibbs twisted his lips; "I can't remember when we spent time together in the kitchen." He paused, adding, "Except for meals."

The older man patted his son's shoulder, "Ah, I don't expect you to, Leroy. I believe you were a couple of years older than Tim is now. Anyway, you used to love to help your mom or me when we cooked meals. My repertoire wasn't even close to anything that your mother could cook, but I had a few recipes that I wasn't half bad at making."

Leroy made a face, shuddering at the thought of one of his father's recipes. Jack knew what his son was thinking and at the same time they blurted out a response.

"Except for my stroganoff."

"Except for your stroganoff."

They laughed at their silliness and as they finished cooking breakfast Tim began to get restless. The smell of hot pancakes, eggs and crisp bacon filled the downstairs and the little guy couldn't wait any longer. He was hungry and wanted to eat now!

"Hurwy Dada!" He wailed, flashing his puppy dog eyes and patting his cute little tummy when his daddy turned around.

"We are sweetie. Everything's finished. Grandpa and I just need to put it on plates and we'll be ready to eat."

Tim kicked his legs impatiently, occasionally banging his fists on the tray of the high chair. As Gibbs cut Timmy's food into smaller bites he looked over at him and cleared his throat, "Do you want to have a timeout before breakfast?"

The youngster's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Sowry Dada n Gwapa."

Gibbs huffed, "That's what I thought. I don't want to have to give you a timeout on your birthday." He carried Tim's plate to the table and put it on the high chair tray, "Here you go, sweetie. Pancakes, eggs and bacon - a meal made with love for my special baby boy."

By the time the Gibbses finished breakfast it was evident that all the sugar Tim had consumed was starting to take effect. He was fidgeting in his high chair, desperately trying to remove the tray in order to get down.

Jack glanced over at Leroy and huffed, "You better let him down so he can run off some steam before you give him a bath."

Gibbs stood to grab the baby wipes off the counter. As he opened the container and removed a few of the wipes he said, "Good idea, Dad. This wasn't exactly the plan, but I'd rather have him run around down here than splash me with water." He took a few steps toward Tim and continued, "You've got to sit still for me, kiddo. I have to get all the syrup off you before you can go play."

Tim settled down considerably, allowing his daddy to wipe his hands and face. Once Gibbs thought the little guy was clean enough, he unsnapped the tray and lifted him out. The older man planted a kiss on his cheek and chuckled, "You still taste like syrup, buddy." He patted Tim's bottom a few times and lowered him to the ground, "Off you go, kiddo. Grandpa Jack and I are going to clean up the kitchen."

They watched the toddler take off to the family room and heard the storage bin of mega blocks being dumped on the floor. Gibbs ran his fingers through his hair and huffed, "It sure is hard to keep the house clean with a two-year old. I really wish I had another spare room down here that I could turn into a playroom. Tim's too young to be climbing up and down the stairs and besides the guest room, there's no other enclosed spaces down here."

Jack sat in thought for a moment and then spoke, "What about if you move the guest room upstairs?"

Gibbs shook his head as he collected the plates from the table and began rinsing them. "I don't want you to have to traipse up and down the stairs when you're visiting. The same goes for the Kleins and Ducky. Most of the time it doesn't matter if there's toys everywhere. I don't want Tim to think that he's not allowed to have fun and make messes."

The older man chuckled, "Your mother and I didn't have to worry about that with you. Even as a child, you were a minimalist. You had this wooden truck that you played with and took everywhere. I'll never forget the time the truck was accidentally left in the grocery cart and you cried for days until your mother was able to track it down. I think it's still at the house in some old boxes; next time you visit, we'll look for it."

"I loved that truck. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you built it for me."

"You bet I did, son." Jack rose from his seat to pour another cup of coffee, "When I had some free time I would go out to the garage and work on it. It took me a while, however, I finished in time to give it to you for your 2nd birthday."

"I hope that we have time to finish Tim's bedroom furniture before he outgrows the crib."

Jack patted his son's shoulder and smiled, "Let's make an effort to put some serious work into it while I'm here."

Gibbs scrubbed the final dish, rinsed it under the water and placed it in the drying rack. "That would be good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little boy to bathe before all our guests arrive."

XXX

The two Gibbses parted ways to get cleaned up for the party. When they met downstairs an hour later, Tim was squeaky clean and looked adorable in his Thomas the Train shirt and blue jeans.

"T'mas" Tim squealed, pointing to his shirt as Gibbs lowered him to the ground and straightened his clothes.

"We're big fans of Thomas, aren't we, Timmy?"

Tim nodded, babbled incoherently and took off toward the family room. Gibbs understood some of what his son had said and was about to explain to his father when the doorbell rang.

"That should be Tony and Ziva. They promised to stop by and help decorate before the other guests arrived. When Gibbs opened the door several balloons smacked him in the face.

"Sorry about that, Boss! I told Ziva that we didn't need this many balloons."

Gibbs moved aside to allow Tony and Ziva to enter with the balloons. It took some tricky maneuvering to get them all inside, nevertheless they managed. There was a giant Thomas balloon, along with a large "2" and several other bunches in primary colors.

Jack stepped forward to give Ziva a hug, "That's quite a selection the two of you brought. How did you manage to fit them all in the car?"

Ziva hugged Jack warmly, whispering in his ear, "You do not want to know." As she pulled away from his embrace, she winked and smiled.

"I closed my eyes and let Ziva drive. There was barely any room in the car and I'm still surprised we made it in one piece."

The older man chuckled as Ziva elbowed Tony in the stomach, "I told you we would make it. My driving skills, especially under pressure, are impeccable."

"Yeah, well we're lucky the shop is only a few miles away. It's a good thing we didn't get pulled over by Metro for poor visibility."

By this time Tim had heard Tony and Ziva's voices from the other room and toddled into the entryway. Upon seeing the balloons he stopped dead in his tracks to stare at them with amazement.

"I think he likes them." Gibbs laughed, quickly grabbing the camera to take a few pictures of the adorable look on Tim's face. The toddler was becoming more and more expressive and Gibbs knew his son would appreciate the pictures, as he got older.

Tony laughed as he gathered the little guy in his arms and kissed his temple, "Happy Birthday, kiddo!" Tim continued to stare at the balloons, eventually noticing the 'Thomas' balloon.

"T'mas!" He screeched, excitedly pointing at the balloon and then back at his shirt.

Ziva nodded, tugging at the toddler's shirt. "You are right, Timothy. Tony and I got you a Thomas balloon, but you are also wearing a Thomas shirt." Extending her arms, she gasped when Tim fell into them. "Oh! You are getting so big! Happy Birthday, sweetie! I cannot believe that you are two years old today." Tim sighed as he wrapped his arms around Ziva's neck, laying his head down on her shoulder. Tony enjoyed watching his girlfriend's interactions with the little guy, knowing someday she'd show the same love to his own child.

After watching the two for a moment he turned to Gibbs, "Boss, do you mind helping me get the rest of the stuff out of the car?"

Gibbs motioned for the younger man to follow him outside. "We only have forty five minutes until the guests start to arrive."

"Sorry Boss. It's just..."

"You're ready to have a kid?"

"Yes. Well..." Tony paused; he wasn't surprised that boss knew what was on his mind. After all, he was the all-knowing and powerful Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Laughing nervously, he continued, "Maybe."

The older man chuckled as he removed the bags from the trunk. "Which one is it, DiNozzo?"

"I don't know. The thought of being a father scares the hell out of me."

"That means you're ready, Tony. That type of fear only occurs once you've spent hours and hours of thinking what your life would be like with a kid. It won't be easy and there will be moments when you doubt your decision, but once the baby arrives, you can't imagine your life without him or her there. How does Zeever feel about it?"

Tony lifted a large gift out of the trunk and grinned sheepishly, "I know you didn't want us to bring gifts, but it's my job as Tim's uncle to spoil him rotten. Besides, when I saw this at the store it was too perfect not to get for our little guy." He closed the trunk and continued, "Ziva and I have had conversations about having kids and I believe she's ready. However, there's a lot of stuff we have to consider beforehand; marriage, jobs, housing."

Once the car was empty the two men headed back inside. When they reached the door Tony turned around to face Gibbs, "Please don't say anything to Ziva about our conversation. She doesn't want to add any pressure to our relationship."

Gibbs turned the handle on the doorknob and whispered, "Your secret is safe with me, son. However, I think the two of you would make great parents. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

"Thanks Boss. Now it's time to party! Let's get moving before the rest of the family starts to arrive."

XXX

Ziva helped Gibbs in the kitchen with the food, while Jack and Tony hung the decorations. By the time two o'clock rolled around the house was cheerfully decorated and food prepped to go on the grill. The Palmers were first to arrive with little Stella and the two toddlers took off for the toy bins as soon as Breena put her down. It was a far cry from their first encounter on New Year's Eve as the youngsters had become best friends. Ducky and Abby arrived next to wish Tim a happy birthday and greeted the others. Gibbs was hanging up coats when he heard a car door slam. His heart started beating faster and he had a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Jack noticed the sudden change in his son's demeanor and knew that could only mean one thing: Maggie had arrived.

All of Gibbs' limbs became weak as there was a knock on the door. The chatter from the other room rapidly died down as everyone looked at Gibbs to gauge his reaction. All it took was one look from the older man and Tim was securely tucked in DiNozzo's arms while Abby grabbed Stella. Confused as to why they were abruptly torn away from the castle they were building they fidgeted to get down until they heard the second knock that piqued their interest.

"Jethro would you like me to get it?"

Ducky could see that Gibbs was struggling to take the three steps he needed in order to open the door. After a few deep breaths Gibbs felt his feet shuffling along the ground until he'd reached the door. Gathering every last bit of strength and support from his family, he opened the door. He gasped when Maggie threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly, "It's good to see you Jethro. Thanks for inviting me to the party."

"You're welcome. Please come in and say hello to everyone else."

When Maggie didn't loosen her grip around Gibbs' neck Sarah loudly cleared her throat and pulled her mom away.

"Geez Mom! Let the man breathe!"

Maggie released her grip and took a step back, allowing Sarah to come forward to give Gibbs a hug. "It's nice to see you again, Gibbs."

"You too, Sarah!"

Noticing the anxiety on her face, he paternally brushed her bangs over to one side, "Everything is going to be fine. We're here to celebrate Tim's birthday and have some fun. Tim has been asking when he was going to see you again."

Sarah appeared to relax at the thought of seeing her little brother and smiled broadly as she heard the sound of tiny feet bounding in her direction.

Once Tim heard Sarah's voice he slid down DiNozzo's legs and hurried toward her. The younger woman reached down, gathered her brother in her arms and spun playfully in circles. All eyes were on the siblings as they shared a special moment together. "It's so good to see you again Timmy!" Sarah panted as she stopped spinning and worked to regain her equilibrium. "I've missed you so much little bro" Once her eyes were able to focus she examined every feature on Tim's face, "I can't believe how much you've changed in a couple of months." The toddler gurgled happily, wrapping his arms around her neck and squeezing tightly.

"I bet you don't remember me, do you son?"

Gibbs swallowed hard, this was the moment he'd been fearing since they last saw Maggie. Tim slowly lifted his head from Sarah's shoulder to look at Maggie before bashfully hiding his face again. Maggie reached over and gently rubbed his back, trying to coax the toddler to look at her. As Tim continued to cling tightly to his sister, Maggie huffed, "I figured he wouldn't remember me. Hopefully he'll feel more comfortable around me by the end of the day." She stared at Tim until movement in the other room caught her eye, "I'm sorry, everyone. I saw you when we first came in, but once Tim appeared it was if you all disappeared."

Ducky smiled as he grabbed her hand and welcomed her with a warm kiss on the cheek, "That's perfectly fine, dear. Come along and I'll reintroduce you to everyone else."

As Maggie and Ducky walked away Sarah leaned over and whispered to Gibbs, "Well, that went better than I expected." She ran her hand down Tim's back and continued, "Do you think Tim remembers who she is?"

"I think she's familiar to him, but he doesn't remember everything that he went through the last time your mom visited. If he did, I think there would have been a lot of screaming and tears. Hopefully he doesn't remember at some point during the party so we can all enjoy a nice afternoon together."

"That's what we're all here for. I'm going to go say hello to everyone."

Gibbs watched as Sarah walked away, Tim still cuddled close to her until he saw Stella playing with toys. The older man chuckled as the little guy squirmed to get down to go see what his friend was doing. Once Sarah lowered him to the ground he took off to finish building the tower they'd started earlier. While the kids played, the adults used the time to get reacquainted. Jack and Maggie hit it off right away, reminiscing about their own childhoods as they watched the kids. Sarah told everyone about her new job as a blogger for a popular website and that she was also writing a book in her free time. As they were chatting Tim toddled over and pulled on Gibbs' shirtsleeve.

"What is it, son? Are you hungry or do you need changing?"

Tim blushed, burying his face against Gibbs' leg. The older man gathered him in his arms and stood, "If everyone wants to head outside there's cold drinks in the cooler. Once I get done with Timmy, I'll fire up the grill and start cooking lunch."

As soon as she heard the word 'outside' Stella ran toward the porch door, incessantly banging her tiny fists against the glass.

Jimmy ran his fingers through his hair and huffed, "Stella! Please don't bang on Uncle Gibbs' door. This is not our house and I don't want you to get hurt."

Ziva laughed as she reached down to pick the little girl up and cooed, "Do you want me to push you on the swing?"

Stella gurgled happily as Tony opened the door and the unseasonable warm breeze coursed through her hair. The rest of the adults followed the couple outside, some choosing to gather around the swing set, while others grabbed a beverage and sat on the patio. After she decided what to drink, Maggie cracked open a can of soda and sat down next to Ducky.

"Dr. Mallard, I was wondering if you could tell me how Tim is developing."

Ducky took a sip of iced tea and sat back in his chair, "I would be glad to my dear, but I think you'd get better results if you ask Jethro. After all, he Tim's father and spends the most time with him."

"I intend on doing that as well, however, I'm asking more from a medical standpoint."

"Well, shortly after Jethro adopted Tim I ran a battery of tests on him. Based on those tests I came to the conclusion that he was perfectly healthy. Nevertheless, it's imperative that I continue running tests to make sure he's progressing on schedule. There might be some issues that we have to deal with, but right now he's growing and learning at the same rate as his peers."

Maggie breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good to know. Jethro has sent me pictures and shared milestones that Tim has conquered, but he's never talked about his health."

Jack, who had been listening closely to the conversation piped in, "Don't worry, Maggie. Everyone is extremely protective of Timmy and they're not going to let anything bad happen to him."

"Oh, you don't have to tell me that. I learned my lesson after the last time. There is one thing I was wondering about." She paused and took a sip of soda before continuing, "When is Jethro going to start potty training? I think now that Tim is two years old, he could begin those steps."

"Because he's not ready."

Startled, Maggie grabbed her chest, "Geez Jethro! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!"

Gibbs slid the screen on the porch door open and stepped outside, "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you like that. My father and Ducky saw me standing here and I thought that you did too."

He knew Maggie hadn't seen him. If she did, she wouldn't have asked Ducky about potty training. By this time Stella saw her buddy was back and babbled incoherently for Tim to join her on the swings. The little guy kicked to get down from his dad's embrace and hightailed it to the swing set with the rest of the group. He squealed excitedly when Abby lifted him into the swing and began pushing. Gibbs had to laugh at how the group was separated. Tony, Ziva, Abby, Jimmy, Breena and Sarah hung out with the kids, while Maggie, Ducky and Jack sat on the porch.

"I guess this is where are the old folks are hanging out, huh?"

"You got that right, son. Do you need any help with the food?"

Gibbs grabbed a soda, popped the tab and took a long, hearty drink. "Nah, Ziva and I got everything prepped beforehand. All I have to do is turn on the grill and wait for it to heat up."

The others watched as he turned the gas on and lit the grill. Once satisfied with the amount of heat it was generating he sat down to watch the kids play. He could feel Maggie staring at him and turned his chair to face her. "Tim's turning two years old today and he's not ready for potty training yet. Besides the fact that I feel he's way too young, he's not showing any interest in it either."

"Sometimes kids need a push, Jethro. I should know, I raised two successful adults."

Gibbs could feel his blood pressure start to rise. Sarah told him that Maggie was a raging alcoholic during most of their childhood and Tim had been the person she always counted on. He knew this wasn't the time or the place for that conversation and he shifted his focus to Maggie's initial question.

"You're right, sometimes kids need a little push, but this situation is not one of them. When I feel the time is right, that's when I'll start potty training. In the meantime, I don't mind changing diapers, it gives me and Tim a chance to bond."

Maggie huffed, "Well, even though I don't agree with you I suppose I have no other choice."

It took every bit of willpower Gibbs had not to make a scene and tell Maggie to mind her own damn business. He knew that she wanted him to explode in a fury of anger and there was no way in hell he was going to give her that satisfaction. However, that didn't stop his face from becoming flushed as a deep shade of red spread across his cheeks and continued up his ears. Glancing at the two older men for reassurance he took a few deep breaths and retorted, "Nope, there's nothing you can do about it. I've done a great job of raising Tim so far and there's nothing you can say or do that would make me change my parenting style."

Ducky could feel the tension mounting and decided to intervene before Gibbs or Maggie said something they would regret. "Must I remind you two that we're here for Timothy's birthday? This is not the time or place to argue over who has better parenting skills."

"You're right, Duck." Gibbs slid his chair back and stood before continuing, "The grill should be ready to go now, I'm going to go inside and get the hot dogs and hamburgers to cook."

Jack watched as his son retreated inside and was about to get up to follow him when he heard the group that was down by the swing set start to approach. Tim was happily perched on Tony's shoulders, while Stella got a ride from Jimmy.

"The kiddos were thirsty so we decided to take a little break."

"There's juice boxes, sodas and water in the cooler, Abby."

Abby nodded, affectionately squeezing Jack's shoulder in thanks. She opened the cooler and dug through the ice until she found two juice boxes. Tim and Stella squealed in delight as they watched Abby and Breena unwrap the straws and stick them into the boxes.

Breena chuckled as she motioned at Tony and Jimmy, "Unless you two want to risk the possibility of a juice shower, then I suggest you take the little ones off your shoulders."

The two men glanced at each other and made a face. Neither one of them wanted to be treated to juice running down their backs. To the disappointment of the toddlers, they simultaneously reached up and removed them from their shoulders. However, their displeasure didn't last long as they were immediately handed the juice.

"Tank u!" Timmy shrieked, stuffing the straw in his mouth and taking a drink.

Stella mumbled a similar response and the two friends held hands as they explored the deck.

"They're so adorable!" Maggie gushed as she snapped a few pictures on her phone.

"Yeah, they've become best friends. Tim wasn't thrilled when he first met Stella, however, that's all a distant memory now."

"I'm just so glad that Tim is making friends, hopefully they're friends he'll have for life."

While the younger crowd got drinks Gibbs appeared at the porch door carrying two plates. Opening the door Ziva offered to take one of the plates, "They look delicious!"

"They'll taste even better once I cook them, Zeever." He showed Ziva where to place the plate and continued, "I also have some veggie burgers for the vegetarians in the crowd."

As Gibbs worked the grill the group reminisced about their favorite Tim stories. Ziva started with her babysitting experience when Tim turned the kitchen into a wintery flour land. Everyone laughed as she pulled the pictures up on her phone and passed it around. Before Gibbs knew it everyone was going around the table telling a funny story. It was perfect for Maggie and Sarah as the stories were new to them, giving them insight into Timmy's childhood. He'd have to remember to thank Ziva later for coming up with such a brilliant idea.

Everyone's bellies ached from laughter when Gibbs declared that the food was ready. Once the little ones were served the adults went through the serving line and filled their plates before taking a seat back at the table. Maggie chose to sit next to Tim as the rest of the group waited for the toddler's reaction. However, Tim was too busy eating to worry that a strange woman was sitting next to him. Once everyone was finished Ziva grabbed her camera and started taking photos. She knew that Gibbs would want copies for Tim's scrapbook and was able to get lots of candid shots. There were a few group pictures amongst the bunch and Ziva learned it was nearly impossible to get everyone to look in the same direction. It didn't take long before the kids wanted to go play again and Ziva followed them down to the swing set, while Maggie helped Gibbs with the cake. Helping him remove it from the box she sighed, "I never thought we'd be celebrating Tim's second birthday again. Perhaps one of my grandkids, but never my firstborn."

Gibbs nodded, "I can imagine how difficult this is for you."

Maggie fiddled with her hair, undoubtedly thinking about what to say next. Finally, she took a deep breath and continued, "My ex-husband was ecstatic when he found out we were expecting a little boy. Unfortunately, as Tim became older and interested in math and science, John had a hard time connecting with him." She paused, gently grabbing Gibbs' arm, "Please don't let that be the case between you and Tim. He deserves to grow up with a caring and loving father."

"I assure you that I love Tim more than anything in the world. I know not everything will be perfect all the time, but we'll work it out and move on. That's a promise that I intend to keep."

Maggie squeezed Gibbs' arm, wiping tears away from her cheeks. Sniffling, she took a deep breath and sighed, "Let's go have some birthday cake."

Gibbs carried the large cake out to the deck, while Maggie followed along with the smash cake. Ducky and Sarah had already covered a portion of the deck with plastic, placing Tim's high chair right in the middle of it. Gibbs whistled that it was time to have cake and laughed as Tim squealed for joy as Jimmy lifted him off the swing and placed him on the ground. The youngster took off excitedly and before Gibbs knew it, he was ascending the stairs with a confidence he'd never seen from his son.

The older man scooped him into his arms and peppered his face with kisses. "Happy Birthday, kiddo! Three cheers for the birthday boy!"

When Gibbs gave DiNozzo a nod the younger man lit the candle on the cake and the group began singing Happy Birthday. Tim blushed, occasionally burying his face against Gibbs' shoulder as the attention focused on him. Ziva and Jimmy made sure to get plenty of pictures and video of the occasion to be looked back upon in later years. Gibbs leaned over to help Tim blow out the candle to a thunderous round of applause. As soon as the hooting and hollering stopped, Gibbs stripped Tim down to his diaper and put him in the highchair. The toddler was unsure of why he wasn't allowed to wear clothes until a small cake was placed in front of him. Tim's eyes glistened with excitement as he looked up at his daddy and back down at the cake.

"Dig in, Timmy. It's all for you."

Camera flashes and video recordings began as Tim grabbed a fistful of cake and shoved it in his mouth. A roar of laughter frightened the little guy and he was on the verge of tears until Gibbs leaned down and whispered reassuring words in his ear. After that snafu Tim continued eating cake until it was thoroughly covering his face, hair and upper body. He had fun playing in the icing while the adults enjoyed their cake and talked about their plans for the fall.

Jimmy and Breena were taking a fall road trip while she was still allowed to travel now that she was pregnant. Tony and Ziva's plans were vaguer, but the group knew that an engagement was likely on the horizon. Abby mentioned she was taking an extended vacation with her biological brother Kyle; however, they hadn't decided where they were going yet. Sarah's plans were to continue writing her book and being able to spend as much time as possible with her baby brother. Jack and Ducky mentioned they both had projects to keep them busy and were looking forward to the cooler weather.

Gibbs had noticed that Maggie had been quiet since their conversation in the kitchen and now it looked like her wheels were turning. Once the chatter died down she cleared her throat and stood, "I have an announcement to make."

As soon as she had everyone's attention she continued, "I haven't told Sarah this yet, but I'm planning on moving back to the East Coast. I realized that life is too short not to be around my kids. I want them to know me as a person they can trust and rely on."

Gibbs choked on the soda he was drinking and started coughing violently. Tim became alarmed and started crying as Abby pounded heavily on the older man's back. Still trying to catch his breath Gibbs reached over to comfort his son. Abby lifted the frightened little one out of the highchair and onto Gibbs' lap. Gibbs could feel the sticky icing smearing against his clothes and arms, but it was all a blur. As long as he knew that Tim was with him that was all he needed.

Sarah felt the tips of her ears becoming warm with embarrassment and anger. Maggie had never mentioned moving to the East Coast and she knew it could become problematic for Gibbs and Timmy. "Mom! What about your life in Texas?"

"I don't have a life in Texas anymore, Sarah. Carl and I broke up; I need to be out of the house before he gets back from his next business trip.

"I was talking with Jethro earlier and I realized that I'm missing out on a lot of milestones in Tim's life. If I'm a car drive away I'll be able to see both of you more often."

Gibbs couldn't handle any more of Maggie's shenanigans and calmly stood up, clutching Tim close to his chest. "Tim and I want to thank you all for coming to his birthday. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go get him cleaned up. DiNozzo, will you please show Maggie to the door. She's not welcome at my house anymore."

They all sat stunned as Gibbs walked inside and out of sight. Tony rubbed his hands together in excitement. He'd been waiting for the opportunity to stick it to Maggie McGee since she tried to take Timmy away.

"I can tell that I'm not wanted here and I certainly don't need a Federal Agent to escort me out."

"I don't care what you want lady. All I know is that Gibbs wants you out of his house and I have no problem enforcing his wishes." DiNozzo followed her through the house where Maggie stopped to grab her purse and coat. As Tony opened the door she snarled, "I want you to reiterate to Jethro that I have the right to move anywhere in this country. Even if that means in the house right next door. Don't worry - you haven't seen the last of me!"