Post by cal54382 on Apr 12, 2015 1:03:10 GMT
To everyone's knowledge, Callen had never had a gathering at his house before. After all, five years before, he hadn't felt a need for a home of his own at all. The secrecy around the gathering was odd as well. It was obvious that something was going on but no one, not even Sam, knew what was up. Kensi was sitting back on the couch with Michelle, the only two girls in the room. Callen hadn't even arrived yet, so nothing was happening, and it was getting boring. The door opened and Callen came in. They could hear him talking, but not who he was talking to. Sam watched in amazement as hi partner came in, a woman with him. Surprise took over his expression, and his mouth dropped open. It was hard to see who was happier, Callen or the woman with him. Her eyes lit up more when she saw Kensi. Kensi hadn't been paying attention, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed a woman and looked up. Her surprise rivaled Sam's as she jumped from her seat and ran to hug the woman.
"I missed you," KC whispered to her best friend, hugging her close.
"Missed you more!" Kensi was crying from happiness. "Where have you been?"
"Around. I'll tell you later. I promise." She smiled at the blonde who seemed to be following Kensi with his eyes. "You must be Deeks. And this is Sam and Michelle."
"Who are you exactly?" asked Michelle.
"Her name is KC." Kensi moved away to let Callen explain things, since she had no clue, and found herself in Deeks' arms.
Callen filled them in slightly, that KC was very important in his life, that she'd moved to LA to be with him, and that she would be working at NCIS. "Hired by Granger, actually." Something he was sure Hetty was not happy about.
"On our team?" Sam asked.
"Well, right now I'm just going to be helping out where I can. Mostly in headquarters. He wasn't too crazy about me being in the field right now. Neither was G." She smiled at him.
"We're working together?" Kensi asked, hoping that it wasn't a joke.
KC nodded. "He talked about us partnering in a few months."
"Us who?"
"You and me. But if it happens at all, it'll be awhile. He also talked about Nell wanting to get into the field. Bottom line is that he realizes how shorthanded you guys can get at times and wants to help. So do I."
"Partner with my best friend? YAY!"
Deeks tried to hide his hurt. He wasn't as crazy about the idea.
Kensi turned. "Sorry, but I can have the best of both worlds then." She was grinning. "My best friend and my boyfriend."
"What qualifications do you have for being on our team?" Sam asked. "Besides the fact that you're...dating...my partner?"
"Sam!" Michelle gave him a glare.
"It's okay." KC faced him. "I've got fifteen years as a Marine. I realize it's not the Seals, but maybe it passes?"
"It's fine," Deeks said, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Not to mention that I've been trained by the best Marines and NCIS agent? Donald Blye," she nodded at Kensi, "and Jethro Gibbs?"
Sam shut up at that.
"Deeks is right, she's qualified," said Kensi.
Michelle nodded, silently coaxing Sam to apologize, which he ignored.
"Why don't we let you guys settle in. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Thank you," KC said, tired from her plane ride.
Deeks led Kensi out, Michelle doing the same with Sam. Kensi struggled though, not wanting to leave now that she had her friend back.
"He was fine. He's concerned," KC managed to tell Michelle before telling Kensi, "I'll call you. Promise." She hugged her. "You're right. He's cute," she whispered.
"You better call."
Kensi left with Deeks.
"That could have gone better. Could have gone worse too, I have a feeling," KC said as it was just the two of them again.
"I'm sorry about him. I don't know what's with him actually."
"He's being protective. I have to admit I was up in the air about Deeks too until tonight. It's understandable when you're that close to someone. He just wants to make sure I'm what's best for you. But I'm glad we waited to tell them about the baby. I can only imagine."
"You know Kensi will kill you when she finds out you didn't tell her straight away."
"I think she'll understand that tonight was not the time. I actually expected the question, but from Michelle, not Sam."
"Me too."
"Are you hungry? I think I'll give Kensi time to get home."
"I can make dinner. Why don't you get a shower?"
"Thanks." She kissed him gently and went to take a shower. Right now all she had was a suitcase; her things were all being shipped, not that she collected much more than Callen had.
Callen was putting food on the table when she came back. "Take a seat, I will get some drinks."
She folded her legs underneath her, settling down on the couch. "Are you sure you don't need some help?"
"I'm good. You should relax."
"I'll have to learn how. We both will," she smiled when he joined her.
"Deal."
"This looks great." Although she wasn't showing yet, she'd moved past the sick stage to the starving one.
"Dig in."
She couldn't quite believe she was there. She'd never intended on getting serious with anyone, never intended on slowing down, on retiring, never even considered the possibility of children. Now it was all happening at once, but she'd never been happier. Callen looked over at KC and smiled, feeling content with his life. When Callen went to get his own shower, KC called her best friend.
"Finally! I've been waiting for you to call."
She felt like she was a teenager again, remembering herself laying across her bed at the Marine base, on the phone with Kensi until she could hear Donald on the other end, telling her it was way too late to be up, much less on the phone. "Ask questions, cause I don't know where to start."
"Where were you? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you answer my messages? What the hell is going on between you and Callen?"
"I was working, Kens. And this all came up all of a sudden when I got home. The last month has been...crazy, to say the least."
"Are you and Callen dating?"
"If you call dating seeing each other in between cases and missions. We're together, yes." She paused. "We're also pregnant."
Kensi was stunned. She didn't know what to say.
"Kens, you there?" She wasn't used to being in the same town with her, having a good connection, and she thought she'd lost it.
"You're pregnant?" she whispered.
"You're going to be an aunt."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just found out a month ago, Kens."
"You should have called!"
"Things were complicated. Callen's only known for two weeks."
"Is that why you moved here?"
"One of the reasons. The other was to be near Callen. And you."
"KC, I have missed you so much. Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"
"I've spent the past two weeks making sure everything lined up. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure. And then...I thought it would be better as a surprise. I didn't know Sam and Michelle were coming too."
"It was a good surprise."
"So that was Deeks."
"Yeah."
"I like him."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good, cause I really love him."
"It shows." She paused. "Kens, I don't have to report in for a few days. Is there a chance we can have a day together?"
"It's my day off tomorrow."
"Come shopping with me. Callen and I don't have anything and I need to start a nursery anyway."
"Baby shopping? I'm in."
"Good." They made the arrangements and said goodnight.
Callen was cleaning up when KC finished talking to Kensi. He came into the room. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. We're going shopping tomorrow. We'll talk more then." She started washing the dishes they'd used.
"Shopping for what? Kensi gets stuck in the stores."
"A nursery to start with." She wasn't much on possessions, but some things they needed.
"Well, I can make the cot, cupboards, drawers, things like that."
She smiled. "Crib, babe, and so can I." Gibbs had taught her how. "But there's a whole list of things that the baby needs, like bottles, clothes, diapers, blankets, that we can't make."
"Nell can make blankets. She's good at knitting."
She tried it more plainly. "You're scheduled to work tomorrow. Kensi is not. As much as I love you, we need some girl time."
"Get other stuff. I want to help with baby shopping."
Surprise and pleasure was written on her face. "I'll make sure some is left." She kissed him.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Callen couldn't help the smile that lit his face up.
**************
Kensi stopped outside Callen's house and got out, excitement filling her features as the door opened to reveal KC.
"Hey." She hugged her friend again, grabbing her bag before locking the house. "You ready?"
"Of course. I can't believe you're pregnant. I told Deeks after we hung up and I still couldn't believe it."
"Believe it. About fifteen weeks."
"Four months?!"
She nodded. "I'm due around July 4th, actually."
"Perfect. I have so much time to plan."
"It'll be here before you know it. Callen thinks we have all the time in the world for some reason."
"He's probably nervous."
"He was at first. Now he was a little hurt that we were going baby shopping without him, wants to build all the furniture for the baby..."
"That's sweet."
"It really is. It's...It's not exactly what I thought would happen at first."
"What do you mean?"
"It was a shock. To both of us. It wasn't exactly something we planned or even discussed."
"But it's so cool."
"Kens, we are, were, in a different situation than you and Deeks. A workaholic Marine and a workaholic NCIS agent who don't live in the same country, much less the same city. It's amazing we got together enough to get pregnant, much less raise a kid."
"But you're living here now, right?"
"Right. And I've got a new job. I'm not a Marine anymore, which will be...an adjustment. As will living every day with anyone, even Callen."
"You'll be okay. I'll make sure of it."
"It will be great to see you more. And I'm sure I'll adjust. It's just...that's what I meant when things have been happening in the last month."
"Do you want this?"
"Yeah. I'm beginning to."
"Good. Now, we have lots to do today, so we should really get going!"
They walked into the mall together. Kensi headed to the closest toy store. It seemed like a safe place to start, so KC went with her. Kensi had already found the baby toys and was busy looking through the selection for something special.
"Honey, what are you looking for?" KC asked her, trying to keep a smile from her face.
"Not sure, just looking at the moment."
All the toys that KC could find were for older kids, so she went to look at the books. The ones she could remember her own mother reading to her, she got. After another ten minutes, Kensi found KC. She had a basket now, half full of toys for the baby, as well as some toys that were for older babies.
"Honey, it'll be a long time before we can grow into some of this."
"That's okay. When the baby gets there, you'll have them already."
"And I won't have an excuse to go shopping with you." She teased.
"We can still shop. The baby will need more than this."
She finally gave in, sensing she wasn't going to win the argument.
"Next stop, clothes."
"This ought to be fun."
"Do you know what you're having?"
"Not for another month."
"Okay, so we get white, yellow, light green clothes for now."
"Purple."
"Okay. Purple."
They walked to the baby clothing store. Kensi went straight to the bodysuits, picking out several that were purple or white. There were a few things of green she found that she liked as well.
An hour passed before they finished with the clothes. "You hungry?"
"Always."
"Lunch is on me. Let's go."
KC chose one thing from several different places, but only let Kensi pay for one, the one her friend ate at.
"What's next?"
"Actually...I'm getting pretty tired. Maybe just two more stores and we go home?"
"Okay."
They went by the bedding store, not to get anything, just to get ideas of what she would want.
"I can get Deeks to help me and we can get you a car seat and a walker."
"Honey, we can come back. We don't have to do everything today. Besides, I promised Callen that we'd save him some stuff too."
"I know. He can get other things. I want to get the walker at least for the baby shower."
"So when are you and Deeks going to give me a nephew or a niece?"
Kensi smiled. "Maybe soon. We are trying."
"I thought so." She smiled.
"Do you really like Deeks?"
"I do, honey. I think he's good for you."
The smile Kensi gave her was huge. "I know we work together, but he's the best. Better than even Jack."
KC got quiet at this.
"Is something the matter?" Kensi asked.
"I saw Jack. Overseas."
"Really? Was he mean to you? Cause I'll beat him up if he was."
"I don't want you to have anything to do with him. You're much better off."
"Only if you promise to tell me if he does something mean to you."
"It's not likely."
"Okay." Kensi looked around. "You know, I missed this."
"I missed you."
"I missed you more."
"Want to bet?"
"Okay."
KC sat down on the bench quickly.
"You okay?"
"I guess I'm just a little more tired than I realized."
"We should go home then. You can come over, or I can stay until Callen gets home."
"Would you mind? We can always come back later."
"Of course."
They loaded their purchases and went back home.
Kensi carried everything inside and helped KC inside.
"I'm okay, Kens. I just got hot and tired."
"Just want to be careful. Rest."
"You want to watch a movie?" She asked, settling down on the couch.
"Sure. What do you want to watch?"
"You can pick."
Kensi picked a movie and put it on. KC settled down beside her friend, falling asleep before the movie reached halfway. A few hours later, Callen opened the door and Kensi shushed him.
Callen looked worried, but relieved that KC was being taken care of. "Is she okay?" He asked in a whisper as Kensi walked with him to the kitchen.
"Sleeping. She started to feel a little unwell at the shops so we came back just after lunch."
"I missed you," KC whispered to her best friend, hugging her close.
"Missed you more!" Kensi was crying from happiness. "Where have you been?"
"Around. I'll tell you later. I promise." She smiled at the blonde who seemed to be following Kensi with his eyes. "You must be Deeks. And this is Sam and Michelle."
"Who are you exactly?" asked Michelle.
"Her name is KC." Kensi moved away to let Callen explain things, since she had no clue, and found herself in Deeks' arms.
Callen filled them in slightly, that KC was very important in his life, that she'd moved to LA to be with him, and that she would be working at NCIS. "Hired by Granger, actually." Something he was sure Hetty was not happy about.
"On our team?" Sam asked.
"Well, right now I'm just going to be helping out where I can. Mostly in headquarters. He wasn't too crazy about me being in the field right now. Neither was G." She smiled at him.
"We're working together?" Kensi asked, hoping that it wasn't a joke.
KC nodded. "He talked about us partnering in a few months."
"Us who?"
"You and me. But if it happens at all, it'll be awhile. He also talked about Nell wanting to get into the field. Bottom line is that he realizes how shorthanded you guys can get at times and wants to help. So do I."
"Partner with my best friend? YAY!"
Deeks tried to hide his hurt. He wasn't as crazy about the idea.
Kensi turned. "Sorry, but I can have the best of both worlds then." She was grinning. "My best friend and my boyfriend."
"What qualifications do you have for being on our team?" Sam asked. "Besides the fact that you're...dating...my partner?"
"Sam!" Michelle gave him a glare.
"It's okay." KC faced him. "I've got fifteen years as a Marine. I realize it's not the Seals, but maybe it passes?"
"It's fine," Deeks said, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Not to mention that I've been trained by the best Marines and NCIS agent? Donald Blye," she nodded at Kensi, "and Jethro Gibbs?"
Sam shut up at that.
"Deeks is right, she's qualified," said Kensi.
Michelle nodded, silently coaxing Sam to apologize, which he ignored.
"Why don't we let you guys settle in. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Thank you," KC said, tired from her plane ride.
Deeks led Kensi out, Michelle doing the same with Sam. Kensi struggled though, not wanting to leave now that she had her friend back.
"He was fine. He's concerned," KC managed to tell Michelle before telling Kensi, "I'll call you. Promise." She hugged her. "You're right. He's cute," she whispered.
"You better call."
Kensi left with Deeks.
"That could have gone better. Could have gone worse too, I have a feeling," KC said as it was just the two of them again.
"I'm sorry about him. I don't know what's with him actually."
"He's being protective. I have to admit I was up in the air about Deeks too until tonight. It's understandable when you're that close to someone. He just wants to make sure I'm what's best for you. But I'm glad we waited to tell them about the baby. I can only imagine."
"You know Kensi will kill you when she finds out you didn't tell her straight away."
"I think she'll understand that tonight was not the time. I actually expected the question, but from Michelle, not Sam."
"Me too."
"Are you hungry? I think I'll give Kensi time to get home."
"I can make dinner. Why don't you get a shower?"
"Thanks." She kissed him gently and went to take a shower. Right now all she had was a suitcase; her things were all being shipped, not that she collected much more than Callen had.
Callen was putting food on the table when she came back. "Take a seat, I will get some drinks."
She folded her legs underneath her, settling down on the couch. "Are you sure you don't need some help?"
"I'm good. You should relax."
"I'll have to learn how. We both will," she smiled when he joined her.
"Deal."
"This looks great." Although she wasn't showing yet, she'd moved past the sick stage to the starving one.
"Dig in."
She couldn't quite believe she was there. She'd never intended on getting serious with anyone, never intended on slowing down, on retiring, never even considered the possibility of children. Now it was all happening at once, but she'd never been happier. Callen looked over at KC and smiled, feeling content with his life. When Callen went to get his own shower, KC called her best friend.
"Finally! I've been waiting for you to call."
She felt like she was a teenager again, remembering herself laying across her bed at the Marine base, on the phone with Kensi until she could hear Donald on the other end, telling her it was way too late to be up, much less on the phone. "Ask questions, cause I don't know where to start."
"Where were you? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you answer my messages? What the hell is going on between you and Callen?"
"I was working, Kens. And this all came up all of a sudden when I got home. The last month has been...crazy, to say the least."
"Are you and Callen dating?"
"If you call dating seeing each other in between cases and missions. We're together, yes." She paused. "We're also pregnant."
Kensi was stunned. She didn't know what to say.
"Kens, you there?" She wasn't used to being in the same town with her, having a good connection, and she thought she'd lost it.
"You're pregnant?" she whispered.
"You're going to be an aunt."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just found out a month ago, Kens."
"You should have called!"
"Things were complicated. Callen's only known for two weeks."
"Is that why you moved here?"
"One of the reasons. The other was to be near Callen. And you."
"KC, I have missed you so much. Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"
"I've spent the past two weeks making sure everything lined up. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure. And then...I thought it would be better as a surprise. I didn't know Sam and Michelle were coming too."
"It was a good surprise."
"So that was Deeks."
"Yeah."
"I like him."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good, cause I really love him."
"It shows." She paused. "Kens, I don't have to report in for a few days. Is there a chance we can have a day together?"
"It's my day off tomorrow."
"Come shopping with me. Callen and I don't have anything and I need to start a nursery anyway."
"Baby shopping? I'm in."
"Good." They made the arrangements and said goodnight.
Callen was cleaning up when KC finished talking to Kensi. He came into the room. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. We're going shopping tomorrow. We'll talk more then." She started washing the dishes they'd used.
"Shopping for what? Kensi gets stuck in the stores."
"A nursery to start with." She wasn't much on possessions, but some things they needed.
"Well, I can make the cot, cupboards, drawers, things like that."
She smiled. "Crib, babe, and so can I." Gibbs had taught her how. "But there's a whole list of things that the baby needs, like bottles, clothes, diapers, blankets, that we can't make."
"Nell can make blankets. She's good at knitting."
She tried it more plainly. "You're scheduled to work tomorrow. Kensi is not. As much as I love you, we need some girl time."
"Get other stuff. I want to help with baby shopping."
Surprise and pleasure was written on her face. "I'll make sure some is left." She kissed him.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Callen couldn't help the smile that lit his face up.
**************
Kensi stopped outside Callen's house and got out, excitement filling her features as the door opened to reveal KC.
"Hey." She hugged her friend again, grabbing her bag before locking the house. "You ready?"
"Of course. I can't believe you're pregnant. I told Deeks after we hung up and I still couldn't believe it."
"Believe it. About fifteen weeks."
"Four months?!"
She nodded. "I'm due around July 4th, actually."
"Perfect. I have so much time to plan."
"It'll be here before you know it. Callen thinks we have all the time in the world for some reason."
"He's probably nervous."
"He was at first. Now he was a little hurt that we were going baby shopping without him, wants to build all the furniture for the baby..."
"That's sweet."
"It really is. It's...It's not exactly what I thought would happen at first."
"What do you mean?"
"It was a shock. To both of us. It wasn't exactly something we planned or even discussed."
"But it's so cool."
"Kens, we are, were, in a different situation than you and Deeks. A workaholic Marine and a workaholic NCIS agent who don't live in the same country, much less the same city. It's amazing we got together enough to get pregnant, much less raise a kid."
"But you're living here now, right?"
"Right. And I've got a new job. I'm not a Marine anymore, which will be...an adjustment. As will living every day with anyone, even Callen."
"You'll be okay. I'll make sure of it."
"It will be great to see you more. And I'm sure I'll adjust. It's just...that's what I meant when things have been happening in the last month."
"Do you want this?"
"Yeah. I'm beginning to."
"Good. Now, we have lots to do today, so we should really get going!"
They walked into the mall together. Kensi headed to the closest toy store. It seemed like a safe place to start, so KC went with her. Kensi had already found the baby toys and was busy looking through the selection for something special.
"Honey, what are you looking for?" KC asked her, trying to keep a smile from her face.
"Not sure, just looking at the moment."
All the toys that KC could find were for older kids, so she went to look at the books. The ones she could remember her own mother reading to her, she got. After another ten minutes, Kensi found KC. She had a basket now, half full of toys for the baby, as well as some toys that were for older babies.
"Honey, it'll be a long time before we can grow into some of this."
"That's okay. When the baby gets there, you'll have them already."
"And I won't have an excuse to go shopping with you." She teased.
"We can still shop. The baby will need more than this."
She finally gave in, sensing she wasn't going to win the argument.
"Next stop, clothes."
"This ought to be fun."
"Do you know what you're having?"
"Not for another month."
"Okay, so we get white, yellow, light green clothes for now."
"Purple."
"Okay. Purple."
They walked to the baby clothing store. Kensi went straight to the bodysuits, picking out several that were purple or white. There were a few things of green she found that she liked as well.
An hour passed before they finished with the clothes. "You hungry?"
"Always."
"Lunch is on me. Let's go."
KC chose one thing from several different places, but only let Kensi pay for one, the one her friend ate at.
"What's next?"
"Actually...I'm getting pretty tired. Maybe just two more stores and we go home?"
"Okay."
They went by the bedding store, not to get anything, just to get ideas of what she would want.
"I can get Deeks to help me and we can get you a car seat and a walker."
"Honey, we can come back. We don't have to do everything today. Besides, I promised Callen that we'd save him some stuff too."
"I know. He can get other things. I want to get the walker at least for the baby shower."
"So when are you and Deeks going to give me a nephew or a niece?"
Kensi smiled. "Maybe soon. We are trying."
"I thought so." She smiled.
"Do you really like Deeks?"
"I do, honey. I think he's good for you."
The smile Kensi gave her was huge. "I know we work together, but he's the best. Better than even Jack."
KC got quiet at this.
"Is something the matter?" Kensi asked.
"I saw Jack. Overseas."
"Really? Was he mean to you? Cause I'll beat him up if he was."
"I don't want you to have anything to do with him. You're much better off."
"Only if you promise to tell me if he does something mean to you."
"It's not likely."
"Okay." Kensi looked around. "You know, I missed this."
"I missed you."
"I missed you more."
"Want to bet?"
"Okay."
KC sat down on the bench quickly.
"You okay?"
"I guess I'm just a little more tired than I realized."
"We should go home then. You can come over, or I can stay until Callen gets home."
"Would you mind? We can always come back later."
"Of course."
They loaded their purchases and went back home.
Kensi carried everything inside and helped KC inside.
"I'm okay, Kens. I just got hot and tired."
"Just want to be careful. Rest."
"You want to watch a movie?" She asked, settling down on the couch.
"Sure. What do you want to watch?"
"You can pick."
Kensi picked a movie and put it on. KC settled down beside her friend, falling asleep before the movie reached halfway. A few hours later, Callen opened the door and Kensi shushed him.
Callen looked worried, but relieved that KC was being taken care of. "Is she okay?" He asked in a whisper as Kensi walked with him to the kitchen.
"Sleeping. She started to feel a little unwell at the shops so we came back just after lunch."
