NCIS: Ages & Stages: Growing Up McBaby

Chapter 10

It was the morning of Admiral John McGee's funeral and the temperature was hovering at freezing. Gibbs shifted in his seat as the Chaplain prepared to speak and wrapped his arms around Tim as a brisk breeze blew through the tent. Even though he'd prepared his little guy for the winter elements, sitting stationary in the freezing cold didn't make it any easier. Penny and Sarah had decided to keep the Admiral's interment to a small family affair after the huge memorial that had taken place earlier that morning. They knew it would be difficult for Tim to sit through the plethora of invited speakers, but still wanted to include him in the service. Gibbs was grateful they only expected Tim to attend the graveside service, as he had been extremely fussy over the past few days. He was cutting a new tooth and the pain along with the continued nightmares was taking its toll on both of them. The sheer exhaustion and lingering effects of his concussion caused the days to go by in a blur and Gibbs was ready to restore normalcy to both their lives. They were scheduled to meet with an attorney tomorrow regarding Tim's adoption and he hoped after that they could settle into a routine as father and son.

He was thrust from his reverie when he heard the first gunshot in the seventeen-gun salute. Frightened, Tim's eyes widened and he shrieked as the shots continued to ring out. Gibbs sighed; he should have known the tribute could possibly scare his boy. Sarah, who was sitting next to them, gave Gibbs a sympathetic look as he turned Tim to face him. The youngster immediately buried his face against Gibbs' chest and covered his ears. Tony, who was sitting a row behind the family with the rest of the team, tapped Gibbs on the shoulder. The older man turned briefly and shook his head when Tony motioned to Tim. Gibbs knew DiNozzo was asking if he wanted him to take Tim away, but that would have caused more of scene than was warranted. Besides, Timmy had been really clingy lately and Gibbs wasn't sure what the toddler's response would have been. Finally the gunshots stopped and the Chaplain returned to the casket to conclude the service.

Familiar with military funerals, Gibbs knew the rifle volley was imminent and tightly wrapped his arms around Tim. Once the three volley shots were fired, a bugler began to play 'Taps' while the honor guard started folding the American flag that had been draped over the casket. It was then that Gibbs felt comfortable in turning Tim so he could see the rest of the ceremony. Watching through hooded eyes, the toddler was entranced by the folding of the flag and leaned over to touch it when it was presented to Penny. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Penny laid her hand over Tim's, encouraging Sarah to follow suit as the three McGees shared a loving moment. After the honor guard saluted the Admiral one last time and marched away, the Chaplain motioned for Sarah to join him near the casket.

Maggie squeezed her daughter's shoulder in reassurance and smiled as the younger woman dabbed the tears from her eyes and joined the Chaplain. Laying her hand upon the casket she blinked back tears and took a deep breath. "My dad loved this country and worked hard to protect it. However, a deep love for your country doesn't come without sacrifices. My brother, Tim and I would sometimes go a year without seeing him. Although there were times we wished he were around to coach soccer or go on bike rides we both knew he had an important job to do. We were proud to say that our dad helped protect this country along with the millions of other military personnel that came before and will come after him." Pausing to collect her emotions, she sniffled and continued; "I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are really going to miss him. Love you, Dad."

Kissing two fingers she laid them on the casket and gestured for Penny and Maggie to join her. Slightly outside the tent lay three baskets decorated with red, white and blue ribbons. Each woman grabbed a handle on a basket and opened it. The mourners gasped as a fury of doves flew from each basket and circled in the sky.

"Now that's what I call a twenty one dove salute." Tony whispered as Sarah, Maggie and Penny returned to their seats. Once the mourners paid their final respects and filed out it was time for the family. After Penny and Maggie said their goodbyes, Sarah took Tim from Gibbs' lap and walked over to the casket. Brother and sister stood together for a few moments, Sarah occasionally leaning in to whisper in Tim's ear. Noticing the tears in his sister's eyes, Tim's bottom lip quivered and he reached over to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Upon the tender moment, Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around him and sobbed. The younger woman's reaction was contagious and soon Abby, Penny and Maggie were weeping loudly. Even Gibbs caught himself blinking back tears when he realized Sarah was not only crying for the loss of her father, but in some ways the loss of her older brother.

Gibbs was relieved that Sarah and Timmy had formed a bond in such a short amount of time. Growing up as an only child and wishing he'd had a sibling, he was happy that Sarah and Tim would still be in each other's lives. Although their relationship as siblings had changed, it made him feel better knowing that if anything happened to him, Tim would still have Sarah along with the rest of the team.

"Dada?"

Shaking his head as if to clear it, Gibbs looked up to see Tim's inquisitive green eyes watching him. Glancing around, he realized everyone had gathered outside the tent and was huddled together. Tim reached out his tiny arms and leaned down, desperate for the feeling of security from his daddy.

"C'mere big boy." Gibbs soothed as he took Tim from Sarah's arms and stood up.

Wrapping his free arm around Sarah's shoulder he guided them out of the tent to meet with the rest of the family.

"You could have held on to him, Sarah."

Sarah chuckled lightly, "Believe me Agent Gibbs, I tried but Timmy wanted to go back with you."

Squeezing her shoulder in reassurance, he responded, "Don't take it personally, kiddo. It's been a long week for all of us and Timmy is still worried about being separated again."

"Can't say I blame him after all my mother put him through. Hell, put all of us through. Thanks for bringing him today, it really meant a lot to us."

Gibbs nodded, "You know you are welcome to visit Timmy whenever you want. It's important that he has you in his life."

"I'm glad you feel that way because I don't know what I would do without him. It's also important we have an opportunity to make new memories together."

As they approached the others a strong wind gust ripped through the cemetery causing Tim to cry out and bury his face in Gibbs' warm coat. Unable to stand seeing his friend in discomfort, Tony removed his winter coat and covered the youngster with it.

"Anthony, while I applaud your thoughtfulness it's not smart to go without a coat in this weather. I don't want you to catch a cold my dear boy."

Tony rubbed Tim's back and turned to Ducky, "Timmy needs it more than me right now, Ducky. I don't mind giving the shirt - or in this case - coat off my back for my little buddy."

Maggie was shocked at the lengths she'd seen Gibbs' team go to for one another over the past few days. She'd been even more surprised when Sarah mentioned the entire team was attending the funeral to support Tim. Her son had mentioned to her a few times how much they were like a family and now she finally understood what he meant. Knowing how much they cared for one another, she was confident Tim would grow up surrounded by a loving family.

XXX

During the long journey back to their cars it was decided they would meet for lunch at a small Italian restaurant not too far from Arlington. Gibbs was a bit hesitant about meeting for lunch as it was close to Tim's naptime, but figured this would probably be the last meal the entire McGee clan would have together for some time. He wanted Tim to be able to spend as much time with Sarah and Penny as possible. When they arrived at the restaurant Tim was dozing and whined as Gibbs unbuckled him from the car seat and gathered him in his arms.

"Shh it's okay, sweetie." Gibbs soothed, gently patting Tim's bottom, "Daddy's got you if you want to go back to sleep."

Tim mumbled incoherently, stuck his thumb in his mouth and snuggled against Gibbs' shoulder. The last of the team to arrive, they met the others inside and waited to be seated. When Tim saw everyone he perked up and lazily reached out to Ziva. The Israeli was shocked that Timmy chose her over Tony, but Gibbs wasn't surprised. The two hadn't spent much time together and he knew the toddler enjoyed cuddling with Ziva just as much as he did with Tony. As with any child, it depended on Tim's mood and Gibbs was relieved his boy was beginning to trust others again. He handed Tim over to Ziva as the hostess signaled their table was ready and the group followed her to a spot near a giant stone fireplace.

"This is nice and cozy." Ducky acknowledged as he shed his coat and took a seat between Maggie and Penny.

Tony, who was still trying to warm up from being without a coat sat closest to the fire while Abby and Sarah took seats next to him. Ziva slid in next to Penny leaving the seat at the head of the table for Gibbs.

"You need a highchair for this little cutie?" The hostess asked, gently patting Tim's back.

Gibbs nodded and smiled warmly, "That would be great, thanks."

Ziva sat Tim in her lap facing the others and with help from Gibbs, removed his coat. The older man fixed Tim's collar and tie then removed his own coat and leaned back in the chair.

"Aww my grandson looks so handsome." Penny gushed and ruffled Tim's hair. Abby squealed when she saw his outfit and couldn't help but take a picture for his scrapbook. Gibbs had gone shopping and purchased gray dress pants, a black dress shirt and a gray, black and white striped tie. It was only when he was getting ready that morning that he remembered that he owned a similar shirt and tie and thought it would be fun to match his son. He wondered how long it would take his team of trained investigators to realize they were matching.

While they waited for their waitress and looked through the menu, Penny and Sarah raved about which dishes were their favorites and which ones they'd tried before. Gibbs was busy skimming through the menu looking for something for Timmy to eat when he felt his boy tugging on his shirtsleeve. Lowering the menu from in front of his face he brushed Tim's hair back and asked, "What do you need sweetie?"

Tim rubbed his tummy and grinned, "Ba ba?"

Gibbs' heart melted at the innocent smile that appeared on his baby boy's face. How would he ever be able to say 'no' to such a face? Ruffling his hair, Gibbs reached for the diaper bag as the waitress approached the table. Removing the bottle from the bag he grimaced at how cold the milk was and worried Tim wouldn't drink it.

"Sorry kiddo it's cold from being in the car and daddy doesn't have a way to warm it up. I know you're hungry so do you want to give it a try and see if you like it?"

The toddler shrugged his shoulders and shivered as he picked up the cold bottle and brought it to his lips. Hesitantly taking a few sucks, Tim allowed the milk to dribble out of his mouth and onto the table. Whining that the temperature was too cold for his sensitive mouth he threw it down and pounded his tiny fists on the table.

Gibbs could feel everyone staring, wondering how he was going to react. Calmly picking up the bottle and placing it upright he tilted Tim's chin with his finger and waited until he made eye contact.

"That's a big no no, Timmy. We do not throw things to get our way. Okay?"

Tim's bottom lip poked out and he nodded solemnly.

"Sowry dada."

"Apology accepted, son."

The waitress who had witnessed the tantrum cleared her throat and said, "We have a microwave in back that I can warm the bottle in. I have a daughter about his age that refuses to drink really cold milk too. It would be my pleasure to heat it up."

"If it's not too much trouble that would be fantastic. Thank you!"

The waitress smiled and grabbed the bottle off the table, "Not a problem. I've already taken everyone else's drink orders but what can I get for you?"

"Coffee...black..."

"Of course, I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu and I'll be back with your drinks." Pointing to a page on the menu, she added, "The kids menu is right here or if you want the portions are big enough that you could probably share with your son."

"Thank you." Gibbs responded and continued to browse the menu.

The waitress returned a few minutes later with their beverages and handed the bottle to Gibbs, "You might want to test that before you give it to him. Different babies prefer different temperatures so I'll let you be the one to decide if it needs to cool down before you give it to him." While the waitress distributed everyone's drinks, Gibbs tested the bottle and found it to be the perfect temperature. Handing Ziva a bib he waited until she tied it around the toddler's neck before handing over the creamy liquid. Timmy leaned back against Ziva's chest and eagerly grabbed the bottle from Gibbs causing everyone to chuckle loudly. Tim's eyes widened with surprise and it wasn't until Ziva raised the bottle to his lips and encourage him that he started sucking aggressively.

"Poor baby was hungry." Abby declared as all eyes watched Tim contentedly suck on the bottle.

"He hasn't eaten since breakfast so it doesn't surprise me." Gibbs replied as the waitress made her way around the table taking everyone's order. When she got to Gibbs she glanced between father and son and gasped, "I can't believe I didn't notice this earlier but are you two wearing matching outfits?"

Gibbs laughed; out of all the people to notice they were dressed alike he didn't expect it to be the waitress. It suddenly dawned on the others as Ziva lifted Tim's bib revealing a similar tie to Gibbs.

"Oh my god, that's so adorable Gibbs!" Abby shrieked, pulling out her camera she continued, "You have to let me take a picture of the two of you before we leave!"

"Can you send me a copy, Abby?"

Abby nodded; "Of course, Sarah."

"Me too!" Penny responded, taking a notepad out of her purse and jotting down her email address.

The waitress lightly touched Gibbs' arm, "I hope you weren't trying to keep that a secret."

"No I wasn't but I was waiting to see how long it took them to notice. My family is very observant so I'm surprised it took them this long."

"Well I agree with the rest of them, it's adorable and you should do it more often. My husband can't wait for us to have a little boy so they can dress alike. Now, enough about me, what can I get you for lunch?"

"I'll have the cheese tortellini with a couple of meatballs." Folding up his menu and handing it to her, he continued, " I'm going to share with my Timmy so if you could bring an extra plate that would be perfect."

"No problem." Looking around the table to make certain she'd taken everyone's order, she smiled, "I'll go put your orders in but feel free to let me know if you need anything else."

Gibbs took a sip of coffee and chuckled when he glanced over to check on Tim. Ziva was holding the bottle while Tim absentmindedly played with her hair.

"I see Timothy still has a fascination with women's hair."

Everyone turned toward Maggie as she ran her fingers through her own hair. "From a very young age Timothy was always playing with my hair. He would twirl it or simply run his fingers through it. It seemed to pacify him and eventually he grew out of it, but we never quite figured out why he enjoyed playing with it. Watching him play with Ziva's hair is bringing back lots of memories."

Ducky smiled and patted her hand in reassurance, "Many children find comfort in blankets or stuffed animals. It appears playing with a women's hair is Timothy's way of connecting with certain females. It's perfectly normal and as you said eventually he'll grow out of it. It's nothing to be concerned about."

Ziva nodded and kissed the top of Tim's head, "I do not mind. If it allows Tim to feel a stronger connection with me then that is fine by me. I find it to be endearing and sweet."

Tony rolled his eyes and reached for the bread basket, "Yeah, yeah that's all very sweet Ziva, but I'm starving."

Abby nudged Tony with her elbow causing the younger man to inhale deeply and yelp, "Hey, what was that for?"

"Ruining a perfectly sweet moment with your constant obsession with food!"

"What can I say? I'm a growing man!"

"DiNozzo, the only growing you're going to be doing is outward if you don't watch your carb intake."

"Thanks for the reminder, Boss." Tony mumbled as he shoved a piece of buttered bread into his mouth.

The others laughed and continued to feast on the variety of fresh warm bread. While they were waiting for their meals, Maggie thought it would be a good opportunity to ask some questions. Clearing her throat and making eye contact with Gibbs she said, "Tell me Jethro, are you dating anyone right now?"

"MOM!"

"Maggie, that's none of our business!"

"What do you mean it's none of my business? If Jethro is going to adopt Tim I would like to know if he has any women in his life who are going to be around my son."

"Mom!" Sarah admonished her once again; horrified Maggie was asking such personal questions.

Tony, Ziva and Abby found Maggie's question mildly amusing and were anxious to hear Gibbs' response. They were curious about how open he would be about past relationships and waited with bated breath.

"It's okay, Sarah. To answer your question, Maggie, I don't have anyone special in my life right now except for Tim and I suspect it will stay that way for quite a while. He's the number one priority in my life and that will never change."

Maggie nodded thoughtfully and responded, "That's good to hear, Jethro."

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs was happy when the tables turned and Maggie began asking Tony, Ziva and Abby about their love lives. The three stammered and appeared uncomfortable as she bombarded them with questions. By the time the food arrived they all breathed a sigh of relief and dug in as fast as they could to avoid answering any more questions. Relieving Ziva so she could eat, Gibbs placed Tim in the highchair and dished some pasta out for him. He didn't expect him to eat much as he had almost completely finished the bottle before lunch arrived and was surprised when Tim dug in. Everyone enjoyed their meal as they casually talked about the adoption and how Ducky's longtime friend and attorney Walter Richardson had agreed to draw up the papers. There was a discussion regarding Tim's name and how Maggie agreed to allow Timothy McGee to become Timothy McGee Gibbs. She mentioned they hadn't given Tim a middle name because she and John couldn't decide upon one and instead left the boy with a name to which they did agree.

By the time lunch was finished Tim was getting fussy and needed a nap desperately. He'd been passed between Sarah, Abby and Tony and Gibbs could tell his poor baby was exhausted. It was close to two hours past his naptime and he was surprised he'd lasted as long as he did. He couldn't wait to get home, snuggle up and enjoy a nice long nap with his son. There were other responsibilities at home he needed to tend to, but nothing more important than being with Tim. Once the check was settled and the waitress took a group photo, Abby requested a photo of father and son dressed up in similar outfits. Gibbs was afraid Tim wouldn't smile in any of the pictures, but with Tony standing behind Abby making silly faces, the Goth was able to capture a couple of good ones. As they walked to the car, Maggie and Gibbs reconfirmed the meeting time with the attorney and agreed it was in Tim's best interest to do it at Gibbs' house. Ducky and Penny would serve as witnesses as the older man had agreed to drive his friend to the house.

Sarah, Penny and Maggie gave everyone quick hugs and said their goodbyes, thanking everyone for supporting the family and attending John's funeral. Tony shivered as the McGees got in the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "I feel the need to go home and shower after Maggie hugged me. There's something about that woman that doesn't sit right with me Boss."

Ziva chuckled, "You are just upset that you found someone who is nosier than you, DiNosy."

"DiNosy? Really that's all you've got?" Tony scoffed as Gibbs rolled his eyes and headed to the car.

"I appreciate you all coming today for Tim, but I have a little boy who can barely keep his eyes open and needs a nap. I'll be in touch after the adoption is finalized."

Finally giving into the exhaustion, Tim's head lolled to the side and Gibbs raised his eyebrows slightly proving his point. Abby and Ziva gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and Ducky soothingly ran his hand through Tim's hair.

"Might I suggest you nap while Timothy does, Jethro? The poor fella isn't the only one who is looking a little rough around the edges."

"You read my mind, Duck." Gibbs replied as he maneuvered Tim into the car seat and buckled him up. Turning, he gave Ducky a quick hug and whispered in his ear, "Did you talk with Penny regarding Maggie's drinking the other night?"

"I did and the McGees have everything under control. Your only concern should be taking care of the wonderful gift you've been given."

Gibbs pulled away from the hug and squeezed Ducky's shoulder, "You don't have to tell me twice. I really appreciate you recommending Walter on such short notice and that he's willing to help."

Ducky laughed, "I've gotten him out of more pickles than I care to mention. He owed me a huge favor and I'm happy to use if for this joyous occasion. I love being Grandpa Ducky."

"You're a great grandpa too, Duck."

The older man smiled and allowed Abby to step forward and give Gibbs a hug, "Good luck tomorrow, Gibbs. Timmy is lucky to have a great dad like you."

Kissing her on the cheek, he responded, "Thanks Abs that means a lot coming from you. Like I said I'll let you all know once the adoption is finalized."

Bidding farewell Gibbs jumped in his car and turned the heat on full blast. While he waited for it to warm up he couldn't keep his eyes off his baby boy fast asleep in the back seat. The love he had for Tim reminded him of the first time he laid eyes on Kelly when she was born. An unconditional love and bond that no matter what life threw at them they would always be there for one another.

XXX

A/N All the information regarding the Admiral's funeral was researched on the Internet. I know there is a lot more that takes place, but for the sake of this story I decided to focus only on a few specific points.