Happily, Ever After

Chapter 19

AN: I am so, so, so, sorry I have not updated this sooner. No excuses. My granddaughter is older now so maybe I can be more diligent on updating my stories.

It is a pet peeve of mine for someone to wait so long to update that I have to go back and read the first chapters to know what is happening. So here is short list of the highlights to catch you and me up.

Samantha and Gibbs ended Kindred Spirits leaving on their honeymoon. Gibbs surprised her by taking her home to Texas/New Mexico

Upon arriving in Texas our couple were caught up in a June tornado and Gibbs was injured.

Tim and Abby came to Texas to join them because Gibbs was hurt.

They drove to Roswell and Samantha's past with her father got in the way of the honeymoon. Tim was injured and Samantha was kidnapped.

While Samantha was held hostage by her father's corrupt ex-partner she helped a teenage girl deliver her baby a beautiful baby boy. She told Samantha she wanted to name him Tomas just before she died.

Gibbs came to her rescue and while they were trapped Samantha's worst nightmare was realized. Gibbs was bitten by a rattlesnake. But Tony and Ziva arrived just in time with anti-venom and Samantha saved Gibbs life. Gibbs and Samantha had decided to adopt Tomas Jackson Gibbs.

Kelly and Jackson decided to set up a nursery for Tomas as a surprise for Samantha and Gibbs.

During the night Jackson had a stroke and Kelly found him. The whole party returned to Washington so that Gibbs could sign the order to pull the plug on his father. He died quickly and the group was preparing to head to Stillwater for the funeral.

While returning in the plane Ziva told Samantha she was pregnant. Which of course Samantha had guessed. Gibbs also knew almost before Ziva did. Samantha insisted she tell Tony and upon returning Ziva told Tony about the baby. Tony did not take it well.

So this is where we are at the beginning of Chapter 19. Tony is dealing with what he perceives as his inadequacies of being a good father. He is scared to death that he won't be able to support Ziva. Ziva is afraid that Tony does not want the baby. She desperately wants to be a mother but she wants to share it with someone.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Samantha and Kelly Gibbs. Tomas is still too little to be much of a character but he sure can eat and burp like big brother Tony.

Previously on NCIS

Ziva sat down on her bed. She just shook her head. "How could he say such a thing, little one?" She rubbed her abdomen. "Your father will step up and be there for us. Your grandfather Gibbs will see to it." Tears began to fill her eyes. She had known Tony would be in shock but to suggest an abortion. Did he not know how much she wanted a baby? A chance for her to make up for her childhood, she wanted this baby very much.

Ziva lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. She could hear Tony in the kitchen. He was a good man and Senior was not the best role model but Tony was great with Kelly. She knew he would be a great dad.

Just then Tony walked into the room. He had spent his time in the kitchen to bolster up his courage to support Ziva despite his doubts. He already loved that baby. It was a part of her and she was his life. "Zi, are you still awake?" he whispered.

"Yes"

"I'm sorry. I was in shock." He crawled into the bed next to her. He placed his hand over the baby. "You in there kid. " He had seen her tears. He did not want her to cry. It had been his fault. "Sorry kid. I did not mean to upset your mommy. I want you as much as she does. I make a promise to you. I may not be the best dad but I try to be more like Grandpa Gibbs."

Ziva smiled at him. "It will be fine Tony." She was beginning to feel better. She knew he still had his doubts but he was Tony. It would be fine. She hoped. "Tony, all will be fine," she lied because was still having trouble believing it.

NCIS

Tony had spent almost an hour staring at the ceiling listening to Ziva snoring. "How am I going to be a father? I can't even stand holding a baby." He thought. "I've never changed a diaper. Don't even want to. "He had so many "what if" questions running through his head. He knew sleep wouldn't come unless he talked to Gibbs. He knew that Gibbs would give him one of his patented head slaps. But Gibbs had problems of his own. He was reeling from the death of his father and his injuries. Tony did not want to burden him with his problems but he had to talk to someone. "Sam" he whispered. "She said she would talk after I talked to Ziva."

Tony quietly slipped out of bed. He slipped on his shoes and quickly scribbled Ziva a note. He did not want her to wake up and think he had left her. "I couldn't sleep. Still upset about suggesting you might not want to keep our child. I can be such a butthead sometimes. I won't be gone long. Did not want to keep you awake? You need your rest my love. I love you and the little peanut more than you know. Tony." He left it on the pillow next to her and quietly left the apartment.

After the door closed Ziva rolled over and grabbed the note. After reading she smiled. She knew where he was headed. Where he always headed when things got tough. "Gibbs" she said to herself. "

NCIS

Tony drove straight to Gibbs' house and pulled into the driveway. Gibbs door which had always been unlocked before Samantha and Kelly was now firmly locked but all of the team now had a key. Not wanting to disturb the new family Tony quietly knocked on the door but nobody answered. He figured everyone was asleep since it was almost 0200. "Guess I will have to figure this out on my own." He said to himself. He looked into the large window and noticed Samantha asleep on the couch. Her sandwich sitting on the table and a baby monitor on the couch next to her. Nodding to himself he decided to open the door and go inside.

Locking the door behind him he walked in and sat down in the lounge chair across from Samantha. For some reason he remembered the day Samantha had found out that she was too old to have kids. She had gotten very, very drunk and was afraid Gibbs would leave her. "I wonder if this is how Ziva feels about having a baby." He whispered.

He hadn't realized that Samantha had woken up and was watching him. She stood up and put her hand on his shoulder. "Yes. That is totally how Ziva feels, Tony. She wants a baby so bad it almost hurts and she wants to share it with you." DiNozzo jumped when he felt her hand.

"Didn't mean to wake you up. Just have some things running around in here I can't shake." He tapped his head. "I screwed up Samantha."

"I bet you didn't. What did you say?"
"I asked her if she wanted to have this baby or not." Samantha smiled and gently tapped the back of his head. "Not hard enough Samantha. I need a full-fledged Gibbs slap."

"No you don't. You did not know at that moment what Ziva wanted. She is a very independent woman and having a child curtails that. Some believe having a baby is a choice you can choose not to do. I guess you can but in my opinion once you get pregnant you accept what life has given you. Besides Ziva wants to be a mother very much. A baby is a wonder. "

"I realize that now. I am just scared Sam. Senior was not the best role model for a father. Ya know."

"I have not had the pleasure but from what Jethro has said you might be right." Samantha smiled. "But you are not Senior. You are Tony DiNozzo and being a good father is more than biological. It is a choice." Just then she began to hear the sounds of her son waking up on the baby monitor. He was not a crier at first. First he would smack his lips and begin moving around in his crib. "Hold that thought. Tomas is calling me."

Tony looked at her strangely. "How do you know?"

"Listen." She held the monitor up to his ear. Tony listened. He could hear a small squeak and then a louder noise. "Sounds like I had better get up there before he lets out a wail that wakes Jethro." She smiled. "You stay right here Tony. You are about to get your first lesson in being a father." Samantha headed up the stairs.

When she stepped into their bedroom Jethro was leaning up on his elbow looking at her. "Sorry" Samantha smiled turning off the baby monitor and picking up Tomas. "I meant to get to him before he woke you." He looked up at her with his wide blue eyes. She kissed his forehead. "You hungry little man."

"Who were you talking to?" Gibbs asked starting to get up. "DiNozzo?" She nodded sitting down next to him. "Ziver must have told him about the baby. I need to go down and talk to him. I bet he is freaking out." He started again go get up. Samantha smiled and nodded.

Samantha reached across and patted his shoulder. "Relax Darling," she said leaning in to kiss him. "I've got this one or should I say Tomas and I have it." Gibbs kissed her back and then smirked at her.

"You sure."

She winked. "Your SFA or should I say son is about to learn his first lesson that he will make a great father. He has the ability. He just needs to know he can."

"I'll trust you with this. Wish I could watch." Gibbs smiled at her.

"He will do great. I'll take pictures," she smiled. She grabbed a diaper and wipes from the changing table and left the room. Gibbs just shook his head. He loved his wife so much. She would help DiNozzo with his doubts he was sure of it.

Tony was still sitting in the lounge chair when Samantha came downstairs. Tomas was starting to fuss quietly. Samantha walked up to Tony. She put a pillow under his left arm. "Ok, Lesson 1. Holding a baby."

Tony looked horrified. "He's crying, Sam. You better do it and I will watch."

"No!" she said firmly. "I have to heat his bottle and you need the practice. Put your arm on the pillow. I will hand you Tomas." Tony nervously put his arm on the pillow. Samantha carefully placed Tomas in the crook of his arm. Then she grabbed his other hand and placed it under his little bottom. Tomas immediately stopped crying and opened his little mouth like a little bird reaching for a worm. "Hang in there sweetheart. It's on its way." Samantha noticed the fear in Tony's eyes. "Relax Tony. He won't break. If he starts crying talk to him and pat his little bottom gently. He will be ok. Crying is a baby's way of communicating. He is not sad just hungry." Samantha smiled as she walked toward the kitchen to warm up Tomas' bottle.

Tony looked down into Tomas' blue eyes. "Hey kid. Sorry I'm new at this. Truthfully you scare me to death. Your mama is a natural at this. I'm not sure I can do this." Tomas looked into his eyes. He was so trusting. His mouth started to form a smile or at least it looked like he did. Samantha stood at the door to the kitchen smiling holding Tomas' bottle. Tony smiled. "Samantha, he smiled at me. He really did." Tony almost yelled at her.

"He has gas Tony." She replied matter of factly. She smiled as she handed him the bottle. "Now place this next to his mouth. He will do the rest."

Tony placed the nipple next to the little boy's cheek. He latched on to the nipple and began to suck down the milk. "Man this kid eats like a pig." Tony laughed watching the little boy.

"Jethro says he reminds him of you." Samantha giggled.

"Very funny, Boss." Tony replied looking up the stairs.

"Just wait." She took the bottle and the baby continued sucking and made a funny face. Tony looked at Samantha with a slight angry face. "He swallows air when he drinks so you have to burp him. He can't do it by himself." Tony gave her a confused look. "Lift him up on your shoulder. Like this." She demonstrated how he should do it. He looked at her strangely. "Trust me."

Tony lifted little Tomas up to his shoulder. He gently patted his back barely even touching him. Samantha chuckled and grabbed his hand. "You really have to hit him a little harder to force the burps out. He won't break." Tony continued to pat him when a huge burp could be heard.

"Did that come from him?" Tony replied astonished.

"Yep. Now do you know what Jethro says?"

Tony's face turned beet red. "Very funny. Very funny. What do I do now?"

"Let him finish off his milk and do it again." Samantha informed him. She then checked Tomas' diaper. "Then you will have to change him."

"Me! Samantha. I, I, I, I can't. "Tony stammered.

"Sure you can. Look how good you have done with this." Samantha grabbed her camera and quickly snapped a picture of Tony feeding her son.

After a final burp Tony looked up at Samantha with fear in his eyes. "Ok, I guess I am ready. Not sure I want to do this."

"Look Tony. He is wet and needs to be changed or he will get sores on his little tush. A parent has to do it since he can't do it for himself. Babies start out helpless but they learn fast. You learn with them. You don't have to know it all at once. Just love them and try your best is all that matters. You will be ok." Samantha told him as she spread a blanket on the couch.

Tony carefully stood up and walked over to the couch. He was so nervous he was not holding Tomas securely and Tomas started crying. Tony started shaking. "Relax. Pull him closer to you. He does not feel safe." Tony pulled the little baby closer and he immediately stopped crying. "See. You have the touch Tony. That little boy feels safe with you. Ok let's get started. Lay him down on the blanket."

Tony sat down on the sofa. "Do I need to hold him on here? Can he roll off?"

"Not yet. He can kick and wave his hands that is about all. Now unsnap his little sleeper and remove his feet." Tony followed her instructions with a look of panic on his face. "Relax Tony. He won't break." She pointed to the tabs on the sides of the diaper. "Open them up. Now slip the new diaper under the old one and gently pull the old one off leaving the new one under it." Just then a fountain of pee shot up and hit Tony in the face. Samantha quickly snapped a picture. "Oh Tony I'm so sorry. I forgot to tell you to cover up a certain body part. Sometimes it shoots you in the face." She started laughing so hard.

"That wasn't nice Samantha." Tony grumbled but then he started to laugh along with her. "Please tell me this happened the first time Gibbs changed his diaper."

"Of course. Remember he had a girl. They don't do that." Samantha snickered. Samantha handed him another diaper and they started again. This time no fountains and he did an excellent job of changing a diaper. "Now sit down in the chair and start rocking him back to sleep."

Tony smiled and did as he was told. Slowly two little blue eyes started to close. He looked up at Samantha. "You will make a great dad. He trusts you. That all being a good father is. Trust and Love, that is all it takes."

"What makes you so confident as a parent?" Tony whispered.

"Tony, remember I had a little sister much younger than me. I helped with her. Oh and it is that little thing as a masters in early childhood education." Samantha sat down on the couch next to the lounge chair. "Tony being a parent takes work but it is worth it. "Just then there was a creak on the stairs. Both adults turned toward the sound and saw a still very sleepy Kelly walking towards them.

"What's up kiddo? "Tony asked quietly.

"I had a bad dream." She replied standing between Samantha and Tony. "It was scary."

Tony reached out to her with his free hand. "Come here kiddo. Tell us about it."

"I saw Grandpa when he was sick. He was not moving and breathing funny. Then he sat up and screamed and then fell back dead." Kelly told him.

Samantha started to speak but Tony held up his hand. "Hey you had to deal with a very scary thing for a seven-year-old. It is hard. But you were responsible and got him help."

"It wasn't enough. He died anyway. If I had woken up sooner, he might still be alive."

"No baby. He had a stroke. That is bleeding in his brain. It happened. He was basically dead when it happened. The doctors could not stop it. You did your best Kel. Sometimes even if we do our best it is not enough. It is not your fault. It just happened." Tony continued.

"You sure Tony. I couldn't have done anything." Tony nodded. Kelly walked around the chair and gave him a hug. "Thanks Tony. I love you."

"I love you too, Kiddo." Tony smiled wrapping his free arm around her.

She looked over at her mother. "Mama, are your sure Dad is not mad at me?"

"He loves you Kelly. He is very proud of you." Samantha replied walking over and kissing her daughter on the forehead. "You think you can get some sleep now. We have a very, very long day tomorrow."

"I think so. Will you tuck me in?"

"Of course. "Samantha grabbed her daughter's hand and started toward the stairs but stopped. She walked over to Tony who was looking down at the sleeping little boy in his arms. "I want you to think about something Tony DiNozzo. What you just did. That was what a good father would say. I think you will do absolutely wonderful. Think about it." She kissed him on the forehead and then turned toward her daughter.

"Hey Sam, thanks." Tony replied, "I can't wait to see my own child's little face and hands."

Samantha turned and gave him a salute. "Mission accomplished then DiNozzo." She grabbed Kelly's hand and started up the stairs. She had some pictures to send Ziva once Kelly was asleep.

NCIS

After Kelly was peacefully back asleep in her bed, Samantha went back downstairs to check on Tony and her son. What she was when she descended the stairs brought tears to her eyes. Tomas was laying securely in Tony's arms and Tony was comfortably asleep his head drooping toward the pillow he was using for an arm rest.

Samantha couldn't help but grab her phone and snapped another picture. She then quickly sent them to Ziva with the message. "Tony is here and all is ok. Do you want me to wake him and send him home?"

NCIS

Across town Ziva was curled up on her bed trying to remove the worries about Tony from her mind and get some sleep. Her phone buzzed. She looked down at it through her tears. As she read it she could not help but smile at the pictures Samantha had sent. She quickly answered the text. "Looks like things are going fine over there. Let him rest and send him back to me in the morning"

A few minutes later she received another text. "Sure thing Ziva. If you are feeling like it meet us here for breakfast."

"Sounds good. Thanks you Samantha. I think I can rest now."

Samantha responded with a smiley emoji. Ziva reached over to the bedside table and got a tissue and wiped her face. She then pulled the blanket up around her and fell asleep almost immediately. She spent the rest of the night dreaming of her new family.