Title: Didn’t See That Coming - Chapter 6 – It’s In The Blood
Author: Xanfan
Rating: Some parts might be R or NC-17
Pairing: surprise M/M
Summary: My take on the Xander as a baby thing. The Initiative did even more bad things than we knew.
Spoilers: Up to beginning of Season 5 of Buffy and for Replacement; Up through season 3 of NCIS
Warnings: Slash
Disclaimer: 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.
Note: Spike is slightly more part of the gang than he was in canon at this point.
________________________________
Last time:
“If Agent Finn doesn’t object, I thought we would have Ducky draw a blood sample from the three of you so that we could have Abby run a paternity test, just to make sure. I don’t doubt your story Riley; I just would rather have my own people confirm it. You don’t know who could be influenced by those bastards who backed the Initiative,” Gibbs said firmly.
Riley nodded in agreement. “I didn’t really expect anything else Agent Gibbs.”
“Call me Gibbs, everyone else does,” Gibbs offered as they walked into Ducky’s domain.
“Jethro, Anthony, to what do I owe the dubious pleasure of your presence? And who are these two gentlemen with you?” Ducky asked, observing the baby in DiNozzo’s arms and the slightly hovering presence of large man at his side.
Tony cleared his throat, “You see Ducky, it’s like this….”
****************
Upon hearing the explanation for how the devastatingly cute baby currently being cooed at by DiNozzo came into being, Ducky merely tutted and shook his head and launched into a story about his younger days and a girl with a rather charming lack of morals, and motioned for them to follow him into his office for a spot of tea and blood letting. Riley followed, slightly dazed by the nonchalance of the medical examiner and his long winded tale, and oddly comforted the Giles-like accent.
After the tea had been started, Dr. Mallard proceeded to pull a needle and vial from his storage area and snap on a pair of latex gloves. It was decided that Riley should hold Xander while the blood was drawn to try and keep him calm and still. Tony was torn between reluctance and relief when he handed over the child to his father... other father: reluctance to part with such concentrated cuteness and relief at not having to hold the baby still while he was poked and bled.
"I'll just run this over to Abigail, shall I? Won't take me but a moment," Ducky stated when he was finished, while Riley soothed Xander and tried not to glare at the older man. Gibbs and Tony looked at each other.
"Ducky, I'll take it over and explain the situation, otherwise Abby will be pissed that she had to find out second hand. Besides, you have tea to serve," Gibbs said quickly, grabbing the vial of blood.
"Right then," Ducky said, moving to pull down cups and saucers from the cabinet above his tea pot. "Do you take cream and sugar, Mr. Finn?"
Riley, no rookie at the tea thing after many research sessions at Giles', knew how to answer that. "No sir, I wouldn't want to ruin it with any additives."
Ducky beamed over his shoulder in approval and poured them all a cup, Experience had him adding a splash of milk and two cubes of sugar to Tony's cup before adding the tea. Tony shot Riley a look of betrayal; Riley merely grinned in response.
Riley sat in the chair Ducky motioned him to, switching Xander to a semi-sitting/reclining position in the cradle of one arm and accepting the cup and saucer in the other. They all drank quietly for a few moments before Ducky opened his mouth to speak. "This does bring to mind an event from days with..."
Tony turned gratefully toward the door when he heard a sound from the outer morgue, only to shrink back in his chair when he realized it was Abby stomping in, followed by a not at all apologetic Gibbs.
"Give me the baby," Abby demanded, holding out her arms.
Riley just looked from Gibbs to Tony, tightening his hold on his son.
"Uh, Abs, don't you have a DNA test to run?" Tony asked hesitantly.
"I got it started already, nothing to do but wait, now. It's my turn to hold the baby, so make your baby-daddy hand him over," Abby said with a smirk.
Tony looked over at Riley apologetically. Riley looked at Gibbs, who just rolled his eyes and nodded. He put down his tea and gently maneuvered the baby to a position more conducive to handing him over. Abby expertly moved to support the baby's head by placing a hand under each armpit and splaying her fingers along Xander's neck. She brought the baby up to her face, eye to eye. Xander just stared in awe at the dark haired women with red lips and pale skin. He flailed an arm out and managed to catch a dangling black pigtail, batting it playfully.
Abby giggled in delight. "He's so cute," she squealed.
Riley just nodded at the truth of the statement.
Tony did too.
Gibbs and Ducky rolled their eyes in paternal indulgence.
After several minutes of her and the baby making faces at each other, Abby handed the baby back to Riley and turned towards Tony. "You are definitely going to have to move to a better place. You can't take a baby to your neighborhood, and your heat and water are always going out."
Gibbs stifled a grin at the dazed look on DiNozzo's face as his mind began to list all the things that he would have to change if he had a baby in his life.
Riley, on the other hand, was concerned that the NCIS agent would decide the changes were too much and not want to be involved in Xander's life.
After several moments of staring into space, DiNozzo shook his head as if to clear out the thoughts and said, "I've been meaning to move anyway."
Abby grinned and bounced over to hug her friend, then bounced over to hug the baby, and consequently Riley, because he was holding the baby. She hugged Gibbs and Ducky so they wouldn't feel left out, then gave a happy wave and left to go check on her tests.
"Where are you staying?" Gibbs asked Riley.
Riley gave the name of a moderately priced hotel that was in a decent, centrally located neighborhood. Gibbs nodded his approval.
"Hey boss, think you might be willing to host a team dinner tomorrow night, introduce Riley and Xander to the everyone and maybe we can talk more about everything?" Tony asked, knowing that Abby was right about not bringing the baby to his crappy apartment but also knowing that there would be hell to pay with everyone if they weren’t told about what was going on and introduced to his… son. Oh crap, he had a son!
"That work for you, Finn?" Gibbs asked, tacitly giving his approval of the plans.
Riley nodded his approval. "I hate to cut this short, but I better get this little guy back to the hotel so I can feed him and put him down for his nap."
Tony was handed the baby while Riley pulled the Snuggli out of his bag and maneuvered it on. Tony gave Xander a delicate kiss on the forehead and helped Riley strap the little boy onto his chest.
Gibbs and DiNozzo escorted Riley to the lobby and watched him leave.
"Everything's gonna be different now, isn't it, Boss?" DiNozzo asked.
"You have no idea," Gibbs said with a chuckle and a slap on Tony's back. "Just wait until you change your first diaper."
Tony stared at him in horror, making Gibbs laugh out loud.