Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Past, Present and Future another NCIS story

(Revised items in bold and underlined)

Chapter 11      The Surprise (REVISED)

Jethro had finally returned to work last week and the cases kept coming.  He decided to postpone any major change in his career path.  He enjoyed his job and would continue with it for the present. Margie was out of the country at a conference at which Director Vance was also an attendee.  Jethro and Margie talked each night. Everything and everyone was doing well.

Bishop and Reeves were in Scotland on a case.  Torres and McGee were on ship in Norfolk on another case and Jethro was in DC working a case from his desk.  Abby was busy in the lab but she acquiesced to having help.  The new technician was named Casey.  She was great and she got along well with Abby, which was a huge plus. Drs. Mallard and Palmer kept autopsy humming like a well-oiled machine.  All was right in the NCIS world. 

---------------------------------------------------------  

Two weeks later all members of Jethro’s team had returned to the office.  Jethro and Margie are scheduled to have lunch together today.  They will meet at a bistro near Jethro’s office.  Jethro arrives first and waits near the door for Margie.  She arrived soon after and they enter and place their orders.  They eat and chitchat for a while and then Margie excuses herself to the ladies room.  In the ladies room Margie vomits.  The food evidently doesn’t agree with her stomach.  She rinses her mouth, brushes her teeth and washes her hand. She’s glad that she keeps a toothbrush and toothpaste in her purse.  Margie returns to the table.

“Are you all right Margie?  You took a mighty long time in there.  I was tempted to go look for you.”

“I’m fine Jethro just a little upset stomach.  I guess the food didn’t agree with my stomach.  Maybe they used a different sauce or seasoning this time because I’ve had this dish before without having such a reaction. I’m fine now.  How’s your food?

“It’s good. Do you want some of mine?”

“No, I’m good. I’ve had enough to eat.  Any way it’s getting late and we both need to return to our offices.  Are you finished?”

“Yes, I’m finished.  Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, I’m sure Mr. Worry Wart.  Come on let’s go.”

They leave the bistro; kiss good-bye and head in opposite directions.

Later that night at home Jethro and Margie sit down for dinner and have a pleasant meal.  No stomach problem at all.  They are both relieved.  Margie doesn’t like to take medicines so she just drank a glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda to settle her stomach and that worked.  After dinner Jethro went down to the basement to work on ‘something’ and Margie sat at the dining room table working at her computer.  She spoke with a cohort on the west coast and messaged them some files.  With that done she retired for the evening.  Jethro soon followed her and they showered and retired to bed.

That weekend Margie had a 10k racing event.  She and Lydia usually participate each year. Margie convinced her running group to also run and everyone had a great time.   Margie was so glad to continue her running.  She had a marathon scheduled next month and she was excited about it.  She knew that she had physical exam a week before the race and that was good. That way she would be assured that everything was well with her given the events of a few years ago, the poisoning.  She made certain to keep a tight rein on her health.  She had many years ahead of her and she wanted to enjoy them all.

A month later Margie went in for her annual physical.  They did the usual tests, the usual blood work and such.  Everything looked fine.  As she was talking with the doctor in the office the doctor’s assistant knocked on the door and motioned to the doctor.  The doctor excused herself and spoke with her assistant.  The doctor frowned and then turned to Margie. Margie had had the same doctor for years so they were on a first name basis.

“Margie we need to take another urine sample and another blood sample.  Evidently there was some mix up in the lab. We will put a rush on it and we should have the results in 10 minutes.”

“Sure Miranda no problem.  I know that you wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary.  Mistakes happen.”

Margie took the cup from the assistant and went to the rest room to ‘fill the cup’.  She then went to the hematologist station and gave more blood.  She returned to the doctor’s office to wait. Miranda wasn’t in her office when Margie went in so Margie just sat on the sofa in the office and skimmed through the magazines there.  Just as Margie returned the magazine to the stack Miranda came into the office. Margie looked up at Miranda and Miranda had a worried look on her face.

“Miranda what did you find?  What did the tests show?  Is this a by-product of the poisoning from almost two years ago?  What is it?”

“Margie, wait a moment. I will tell you everything.  No it has nothing to do with the poisoning.  You are clear from that.  That is no longer a worry.”

“Then why do you have that scowl on your face.  Give me the hard facts.  What do I have?  Is it fatal?”

“No it’s not fatal and stop jumping to conclusions.  It is usually a normal event but for someone your age it is not usual.  Margie you’re pregnant.”

“I’m what? There has to be some mistake. I’m too old to be pregnant. Are you sure you did the right tests, did you use my samples and not someone else’s?  What am I saying of course you didn’t?  I trust you Miranda so tell me the prognosis. I’m certain that you don’t have too many, no let me rephrase that, you don’t have any women in their fifties who are pregnant.  What are the risks?  I’m in good health so can I carry this pregnancy to term?”

“I wish that I could say yes but I really don’t know.  You’re right I don’t have any women in their fifties who are pregnant but with today’s medical advancements there’s no reason why you shouldn’t carry this pregnancy to term.  You didn’t know that you were pregnant did you?

“No I did not. It never crossed my mind.  I thought that I was too old to get pregnant so I have not used any contraceptives of any sort.  Now that I think about it I have been nauseous for the past several weeks. Do we know how far along I am?”

“No but we will soon.  I need for you to return to the exam room and we will do an ultrasound.  We will be able to tell how far along you are in the pregnancy.  Now Margie with your advanced age this is considered a ‘high risk’ pregnancy.  We will need to monitor you frequently.  Also I would advise that after we finish the ultrasound that we do a NIPT, a noninvasive prenatal test, to rule out Down’s syndrome.  The results usually take a week but we have a lab here and we can have the results in an hour.  I know that it’s lot to digest but the sooner that we conduct these tests the better that we can plan on how to have you have a healthy baby and to keep you healthy.  Are you ready? Do you want to call your husband? Do you need a moment?

“Miranda, I don’t shock easily but this has really knocked me for a loop.  Yes I’m ready to return to the exam room.  I want to know what we’re dealing with. I don’t want to call my husband just yet.  I’m just trying to settle all of this in my brain right now and I don’t want to have to…  No, I won’t call him just yet.  He would probably faint because that’s what I feel like doing right now myself.  Okay let’s do this.’

Miranda walked with her friend Margie to the exam room and instructed her assistant to contact the necessary personnel for the ultrasound and the NIPT.  Margie entered the exam room, disrobed again, sat on the exam table and prayed.  She prayed for peace, she prayed for a healthy child, she prayed for an understanding husband, she prayed for her health, she prayed for the medical staff that would treat her and then she thanked the Lord for this blessing.  

Margie never thought that she would have children.  She knew early on that her job would make it quite difficult to bear and bring up a child.  She refused to marry for the sake of marrying and with her mantra of ‘no sex without love’ that narrowed to zero any candidates for marriage.  No one had captured Margie’s heart until she met Jethro again.  He captured her heart when she met him all those years ago but they never saw each other again.  She didn’t regret the choices that she made in her youth. They made her who she is today. She’s proud of who she is and she loves herself.  She will love this baby.  A baby!  She smiled.

Miranda and her staff conducted the tests.  The ultrasound revealed that she was 12 weeks pregnant and that she was having twins.

“Wait what did you say Miranda?  I’m having twins and I’m twelve weeks pregnant.  How could I be that far along and not know it?  Are the babies all right?  Can we tell the sex yet?”

“Margie, calm down everything is fine.  You are in great health.  There is no indication that there is anything wrong with the babies.  If I can get them to move a bit maybe we can see, oh look here what is that, ah yes there he is, oh and he has a sister. It looks like you have a set of fraternal twins.  Now let’s conduct the NIPT.”

Margie lay on the table overwhelmed by all of the information and the emotion she was feeling knowing that she was having a baby.  Not just one baby but twins.  Not just twins but a girl and a boy.  She gets a boy and a girl all in one shot.  She felt so blessed. She cried tears of joy.  Now she wished that Jethro were here with her.  But she was right not to call him because he would have had an accident on the way if she had called him to come to the doctor’s office.  He would have thought that she was dying.  I can’t blame him though.  We’ve had some rough times since we came together but now we are having babies.

Since Margie has to wait an hour before she has the results of the NIPT she decides to call Jethro.  After she dresses and goes to the room next to Miranda’s office to wait she sits and dials his number.  He answers on the second ring,

“Hi how did the physical go are you back at your office.”

“No I’m still at the doctor’s office.  Can you meet me here you know where it is?  And before you ask it’s nothing bad but something showed up in my blood work and they had to run more tests.  I’m waiting now for the results and I want you here when the results come.  Can you come now?”

“Margie are you okay?  What are you not telling me?”

“Jethro I don’t want to have this conversation on the phone so can you please come now?”

“I’m sorry, I’m on my way.  Everything will be fine.  I love you.”

“I love you too Jethro.  See you soon.”

Jethro hung up the phone and told his team that he had to leave. They asked if everything was okay and he nodded yes.  He thought to himself that he hopes that everything is okay.  He made his way to Margie’s doctor’s office and arrived at the room where Margie was waiting just as Miranda entered with the results from the NIPT.

“Mr. Gibbs I’m glad that Margie called you. This is a very joyous occasion.  Margie I have the results of the NIPT.  Do you want me to read them before or after you update Mr. Gibbs on the results of the earlier tests?

“Miranda, first just tell me if the NIPT indicate any problems.”

“No it does not.  Everything is perfect.”

“Great, then can you just sit with us while I tell my husband the news.  Do you have any smelling salts handy because we might need them?”

“Don’t worry about that Margie we will handle whatever happens.  I will sit over here out of the way while you talk with your husband.  I will answer any questions that he has.’

“Thank you Miranda.”

“Margie why would I need smelling salts.  Is something seriously wrong with you?  What is it?

“Jethro I’m pregnant?  I’m pregnant with twins, a girl and a boy.  As Miranda just said the tests show that the babies are fine.  Jethro, did you hear me?  Jethro, Jethro are you all right?

Jethro sat there stunned.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He thought, ‘how could this be?  They’re too old to have children.  At least I thought that Margie was too old to have children.  We’re having a baby. We’re having two babies.  The babies are fine.’

Jethro turned to Margie, took her in his arms and hugged her. He then took her chin in his hand, turned her face to him and said, ‘thank you’.

“Are you happy about this Jethro.  I am.”

“Yes Margie I am very happy about this.  Is it safe for you?”

At that point Miranda explained to Jethro all the same things that she told Margie.  They will monitor her closely and frequently but Miranda did not anticipate any problems.  Because Margie is in such great physical health that increases the probability of a problem free pregnancy.  Miranda asked if they had any more questions and they both stated that they did not at this moment.  Miranda left them there to discuss things privately.

“I apologize for not calling you earlier Jethro but I was just overwhelmed thinking about having these babies.  I’m glad that I came to my senses and finally called you and you made it here just in time.  Are you happy about this Jethro?  I know that it is a huge surprise and we didn’t plan for this but are you really happy?  You can tell me if you’re not and I will be okay with that.  Not really but I will say that I am okay with it.  I’m having these babies.  Whatever I have to do I’m having these babies.  Are you happy Jethro?”

“Alexis Marjorie Gibbs I am happy, I am beyond happy that I’m going to be a father.  Don’t ask me that again okay.”

“Okay.”

“You do know that we will have to make some changes to make ready for these little bundles of joy.  It’s been a long while since I’ve had to care for a baby.  You’ve never cared for one so we have a lot of learning to do. I won’t even talk about how old we are.  That doesn’t matter.  We’re having babies!!”

And then they kissed each other.  They were so happy and so in love.  The kiss was getting a bit intense and they came up for air.

“That’s how we ended up in this predicament mister.”

“Well I didn’t do it by myself missy.”

“No you didn’t and I enjoyed every single moment of bliss.  Jethro we’re having babies!!”

“Yes we are. Are you ready to go home now or are you going back to the office?”

“No let’s go home.  Once Miranda told me the news I called my office and took the rest of the day and tomorrow off. What about you, do you need to return to the office?

“No when you called I took off the rest of the day too.  Come on let’s go home.”

“Wait! Here are the pictures of the ultrasound.  Say hello to your son and daughter.”

Jethro looked at the pictures and was overwhelmed. Tears welled in his eyes but he did not cry.  He thanked the Lord for these blessings.

“Okay let’s go home.  We have a lot to talk about.  Do you want me to pick up some food on the way?  I want you to drive straight home, no stops, no detours, understand?”

“Yes sir. I love it when you get all demanding.  It’s very sexy.”

“Margie are your hormones out of whack already?  Let’s go.”

“Does that really happen my hormones will go out of whack?  I have to ask Miranda at the next office visit.  I’m ready.  I will see you at home.”

Jethro walked Margie to her car.  Got her settled in, kissed her good-bye and left to pick up some food.  He arrived home with the food and found Margie sitting on the sofa in the living room.  She was grinning from ear to ear. Jethro took the food to the kitchen, placed it on the counter and returned to the living room.

“Why are you smiling so?”

“For the same reason that you are smiling.  We’re having babies.  ‘Margie and Jethro in the tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g.  First come love then come marriage.  Here come Jethro with a baby carriage’.  I am so happy.  I never thought that I would have children and now I will have two.  We will have two. We will not just me.  That is worth a smile.  Who do we call first or do you want to wait and we two just dwell in this euphoria?”

“Let’s wait and have tonight to ourselves.  Agreed.”

“Aye, aye sir. I agree.  Let’s eat,”

They sat at the dining room table and ate their dinner.  Margie went up to shower and Jethro cleaned up. Jethro met Margie in the bedroom after his shower.  They lay on the bed and held each other.  

“I never told you this Jethro but I fell in love with you when I met you in Paris.  You had my heart.  I met other men after you but you had my heart.  I am so thankful that you are in my life now.  You have given me these two gifts that I’m carrying in my belly.  They are our love manifested.  Thank you for your gift.”

“I love you Alexis Marjorie.  You have given me a gift too.  Not only these babies that you carry but every day you give me your love and I am thankful.  Yes these babies are a symbol of our love.  You will be a great mother.  I’ve been a dad before and I never thought that I would be again but I was wrong.  You have given me so many things that I thought that I wouldn’t have again. What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You’re a good man Jethro.  What you did was opened your heart to love and love came in and dwelt.  See I told you that we’re living our happily ever after. I told you.”

“Yes you did.”

Margie turned to her night stand and tapped play on her iPod, the song wafted through the speakers,

‘And in the morning when I kiss his eyes
He takes me down and rocks me slow
And in the evening when the moon is high
He holds me close and won't let go
He won't let go

He fills me up
He gives me love
More love than I've ever seen
He's all I've got
He's all I've got in this world
But he's all the man that I need’

(All the Man that I Need, Whitney Houston)

She kissed his eyes and then she kissed his cheeks and then she kissed his lips.  They made love sweet and slow.  They fell asleep holding each other close.