A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with more Persalle adventures for you. I apologize it took me so long to come up with the next story, but I've been busy with school and family, plus I wanted everything to perfect after 'Mr. and Mrs. Matthews' went so well. Thanks so much for all the love and comments I've received on that story! And now, the moment you've all been waiting for… you sent me so many prompts and I've asked opinions from so many people, and after careful deliberation, I decided this new story will be a sequel to 'Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,' with a twist! The storyline will be set ten years in the future after the fateful day that took place in New York City with the Livingston family. We'll see what Percy and LaSalle, as well as the NCIS team, have been up to and what things have changed in the decade they've shared together. Plus, I have quite a suspenseful storyline planned that will take place in present time, 2026, while providing flashbacks throughout the entire story so you can see how things have lead up to where they are now. Be prepared for laughs, smiles, tears, and hold your breath! This is going to be a multi-chapter. I hope you all enjoy what I have in store. (In regards to the "baby daddy" storyline currently taking place on the show, that will not affect my story whatsoever, this being fanfic and all.)
Please Review! I'd love to hear from you.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters affiliated with the T.V program NCIS: New Orleans.
…
"I'll ask this one last time Mrs. LaSalle,are you certain you have no clue to your husband's whereabouts?" the director of the FBI prodded, swinging his large frame around the table to take a seat adjacent to the woman in question. The mood between the pair had grown from uncomfortable to intense in the past few minutes.
"What do you mean am I certain? He's been missing seven hours and I'll I've been hearing from you and your people are empty answers! Why am I in question, exactly?" Sonja interjected, leaning forward, her fingernails digging into the table in the conference room positioned upstairs in the NCIS headquarters.
"You're not under investigation, if that's what you're asking," the man replied in his smooth baritone voice.
"I figured, otherwise I'd be downstairs locked in the interrogation room with you and your goons surrounding me." Sonja released an unsteady breath as she rubbed her arms in distress.
"Ma'am, I assure you, I am not here to be the enemy. All I'm trying to do is create a timeline from last night to this morning and determine how and where your husband may have been abducted."
"May have? God!" Sonja threw her head into her hands. "Chris isn't the kind of man to up and leave his team, not mention his family, without a moment's notice. Furthermore, how in the hell could an agent just vanish without a trace? I'm telling you something has gone terribly wrong."
"Yes, Mrs. LaSalle, I hear you and I'm inclined to believe that's true. In regards to your husband's character, when I began this position, I had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time two years ago. He seemed to be the perfect man to replace Agent Pride as the new Supervisory Special Agent on the NCIS team. He's done a spectacular job ever since. He displays kindness, responsibility, toughness- everything a leader of a team is required."
"Then if you think you know him as well as you say you do, Mr. Hill, then you know that his disappearance has nothing to do with his own 'personal agenda'," Sonja air-quoted with a frown. "Speaking of Pride, I got word that he would be meeting me here soon. Do you have any idea if he's arrived yet?"
The director stared into Sonja's eyes, which were giving off a gloomy expression. The dark circles resting underneath them were evident. He sighed and turned away to press a finger into his earpiece.
"Do I have an Agent Pride in the building?" he mumbled, pausing a second or two with a nod.
"He arrived about five minutes ago," he promptly informed her, standing to button his suit.
"Great. Can I leave now?" Sonja jumped to her feet as she swiftly pulled on her discarded jacket.
"You are free to leave, Mrs. LaSalle. However, I do suggest you stay close to headquarters due to refusing our request to put you in a safe house. Creating a plan to stay with a friend for the time being would be a smart idea. I will spend most of the day interviewing Agent LaSalle's team as well as tracking down any possible witnesses. If I have any more questions for you, I'll give you a call." The man paused for a moment and cleared his throat, reaching out a concerned hand to touch her shoulder. "We'll find him. I promise."
Sonja glanced at the hand on her shoulder and brought her heavy eyes to meet his own.
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she whispered, breaking contact and sliding out the door.
It took Sonja all of two seconds to make it down the stairs and into the main floor, where she found Dwayne Pride leaning against a desk that used to be his own. When he caught sight of her, Pride launched himself forward and hurriedly met her in a hug, his reassuring arms embracing her. He pulled away, his hands remaining on her arms. His eyes distraughtly searched her face for answers.
"Sonja, I tried to get here as fast as I could. How are you doin'?"
"As well as I can, under the circumstances," she replied, wiping her nose.
"Is there any word about Christopher? Any leads?"
"No. Not yet."
"How is the FBI treating you? Do I need to speak to anyone? I most certainly can- ''
"Dwayne," Sonja breathed, pressing a hand to his chest. "I'm okay. They just finished interviewing me and I'm free to leave."
"Oh," he blinked. "That's good news. I assume you refused to stay in a safe house for the time being?"
"You know me too well."
Pride shook his head.
"Well, at least you aren't cooped up in that room. I wasn't about to let them keep you tied up all day, especially with the kids in mind." He dropped his hands and took a curious sweep of the room. "Where are the little rascals, anyway?"
He saw a smile tug at her lips.
"I called Sebastian this morning, and he graciously agreed to be an impromptu babysitter for me since he has an extra partner working in the lab. They should all be in the kitchen."
"Did he now?" Pride emitted a chuckle. "That doesn't surprise me one bit. Why don't we go check up on 'em? That is, if you're up to it. Don't let me rush you."
"I'm up to it. I always have time for my kids, no matter what."
Pride draped an arm around her as they made their way to the kitchen.
"You're an amazing mother, Sonja. I couldn't be more proud of you Christopher."
She gave a small smile, reaching up to squeeze his hand. When they approached the kitchen, the pair spotted Sebastian assembling a wooden railroad track atop the dining room table as two eager children watched in anticipation.
"Okay guys, I think I fixed the glitches that were giving our trains a bit of trouble the first go-around. This design should work for us much better. Why don't we give it a try?" he announced, standing back to appreciate his craftsmanship, his hands on his hips. The group of playmates hadn't noticed the new arrivals who stood away from the doorframe, unwilling to disturb their moment of joy.
"Yeah! Let's do it!" a small girl exclaimed, placing her train on the track. A smaller boy, who could barely reach high enough to move a chair, began to make noises of frustration and stomp. Sebastian smiled as he scooped him up and held him outward as he placed his train on the track. The boy gave a funny grin and looked up at the man for approval. Sebastian awarded his efforts with a 'thumbs up', and sat his own train on the track.
"Alright conductors, is everybody ready? Let's get these trains to their destination!"
Sebastian crouched down so he and the boy could both lay a hand on their locomotives, as the girl placed both hands on hers with a mischievous smirk.
"On the count of three, we'll push off and let them go. Whoever makes it to the train station first, wins. Do all players understand the rules?"
"Yes," she nodded, bouncing on her heels.
"What about you, buddy? Do you understand the rules?"
"Ummm…" the little boy's mouth fell ajar as he scratched his head.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a helping hand. As long as your sister doesn't mind," Sebastian told him, cranking his head to gage her reaction.
"It's okay," she shrugged. "He's just a baby, anyway."
"No! Max a big boy!" the little boy screeched, attempting to lunge at his big sister.
"Hey now, let's display good sportsmanship towards each other. No name-calling or raising our voices. Agreed?"
"Agreed," the girl sighed. The boy pouted, but nodded nonetheless.
The group turned their attention back to the task at hand and prepared themselves for the race.
"On your mark! Get ready! One, two, three- go!"
The trains whizzed away and hurtled down the track in three different directions until the girl's train hit the finish line as the boys' followed less than a second after. The trio exchanged glances until Sebastian spoke up.
"How does a three-way tie sound?"
"Do we still get a prize?" the girl questioned, batting her eyelashes.
"Absolutely!" Sebastian beamed, sitting the boy back on the ground. "I was thinking we could eat…Cupcakes!" he grabbed a plastic container off the counter and popped open the lid, revealing perfectly frosted baked goods with the addition of sprinkles.
"Yay!" the children exclaimed, jumping with glee.
"Wait a minute. Cupcakes before lunch? That doesn't sound like a good idea to me," Sonja piped in, alerting them of her presence as she stepped through the doorway, Pride following close behind.
"Mommy!" the girl squealed, racing to leap and wrap her arms around her neck. Sonja, being nearly knocked over, braced herself as she regained balance. A warm smile spread across her lips.
"Hi, baby. Have you been a good girl for Uncle Sebastian?"
"Oh, yes. I've been having a great time!"
"Mama! Mama!" the little boy yelled with excitement, toddling over to her on his chubby legs. Sonja, with only one arm available, reached out and grabbed him to bring him in close before he could trip and hurt himself, burying her face in his short brown curls. She held her kids in her arms as Sebastian slammed the container shut and hid it behind his back.
"Sonja! Yeah, Vivian and Max have been really good kids for me. But as the for the cupcakes," he rocked on his heels as he cleared his throat, "I was totally going to feed them lunch first, obviously, because that's the responsible thing to do-''
"Don't worry about it, Sebastian," Sonja cut in with a soft laugh. "I know you meant well."
Sebastian caught a glimpse of Pride in the doorway and broke into a huge grin.
"Dwayne! So good to see you, man. The gang could really use your presence around here today."
"Hey there, Sebastian. It's good to see you too," the agent softly replied, a smile on his face.
"Oh my gosh! Uncle Dwayne!" Vivian cheered as she broke away from her mom and latched onto his leg.
"Dwayne, Dwayne!" Max giggled, rushing over to grab hold of the other available leg.
"Hi, kids. Wow, have you guys gotten big since the last time I saw you! How old are ya now?" the retired agent patted each child on their head before he bent down to meet them eye to eye.
"I'm six years old," she smiled, twirling her long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. Her chocolate brown eyes were the very reflection of her mother.
"What about you, Max? Do you know how old you are?" Pride asked him.
The boy wrinkled his small nose and he exchanged glances between his mother and his sister for encouragement.
"Come on, honey. You know. Show Dwayne how old you are on your fingers," Sonja insisted, lifting his chubby hand for emphasis. Max's hazel eyes journeyed over his hand as he pushed each finger down, one by one, until he found the correct number and presented it to Pride.
"You're two?" the agent delightedly chuckled. "I can't believe it. It feels like both you and your sister were born just yesterday."
"I agree with that. I can vividly remember when Sonja hit about eight months of pregnancy with Max, and LaSalle couldn't keep his head straight with worry that she was going to go into labor. He even started calling Patton my name, and me 'Patton!'" Sebastian laughed, absentmindedly rubbing the stubble on his chin.
"I remember," Sonja whispered, eyes downcast. "He probably called and texted me at least fifty times a day."
Sebastian, realizing he hit a sore spot, crossed his arms with a bite of his lip.
"Oh, I'm sorry Percy. I didn't mean to-"
"Where's Daddy?" Vivian spoke, returning to her mother's side. "Why isn't he at work?"
It took Sonja a moment to collect her thoughts as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
"He's on a work trip, baby. I told you before we came over here to see Uncle Sebastian."
"Why couldn't Sebastian come to our house? All our toys are there," the girl puzzled, taking Sonja's hand.
Sonja shut her eyes as she took in a deep breath.
"Listen, Vivian. You and your brother keep your mama busy at home every day, so all your family at NCIS wanted to give her a break so we could spend some time with you two," Pride interrupted with a gentle smile.
"You mean like a vacation?" she eagerly clapped, eyes aglow.
"That's exactly what I mean. How about I add to the fun and make us all some yummy lunch? Are ya hungry?"
"Yes! Yes!" the children cried, hurriedly running over to the dining room table to clear off the train track in preparation for food.
Sonja pressed a hand to her heart and exhaled, making eye contact with Pride.
"Thank you," she mouthed.
Sebastian came over to Sonja to share a small word.
"Hey, uh- I just wanted to let you know we'll get you whatever you need. You know that, right? If you need someone to talk to don't be afraid to find me. We're all family here." Sebastian hesitantly placed a hand on her arm. "I didn't mean to make you upset earlier. That was my fault."
Sonja grasped his hand with a smile.
"Sebastian, I could never be mad at you. You've been an amazing friend to LaSalle and me for all these years and I'm so blessed you're in our lives. I'm sorry if I never let you know that. As most are aware, I'm not the best at sharing feelings."
"You and me both," he grinned. "Thanks, Sonja." He patted her hand as he left to rejoin the children.
Sonja discreetly met Pride in the kitchen as he was assembling ingredients for a specific dish.
"Before I throw anything on the stove, if I'm not mistaken, your kids aren't vegan, are they?" it was posed as a serious question yet his eyes were playful.
"Oh no. LaSalle made damn sure of that," she scoffed, a hand on her hip. Pride's laugh bellowed throughout the room.
"That's what I thought. Just wanted to make sure so I didn't have their mama comin' after me."
Pride slid Sonja an apple as she stood by his side, silent, yet urgently tapping her foot. She wordlessly accepted the fruit, taking a large bite as she pondered. It was the first time she'd eaten all day.
"What do you think they want with him? Why do you think they took him?" she mumbled almost as if she were talking to herself.
"I'm sorry I can't answer that. Boy, I sure wish I knew."
"He's only had this job for two years, how many enemies could he have made? I just don't understand," she fumed. "Do you think this might have something to do with our past cases? Maybe even someone from Chris's detective days?"
"It's most certainly a possibility. I've been wracking my brain and throwing out ideas to everyone I can, but no one has got back to me with any new information," he replied heavy-heartedly as he lined up various spices for the meal.
"And what's so important about today? Why take him today and not yesterday, or last week?" Sonja continued, resting the back of the apple against her chin.
"That's what I plan on finding out. That may be the million dollar question to unlocking the answer to this whole thing."
Sonja averted her eyes and looked off in the distance with an intent stare, her brow becoming wrinkled. Pride could see her knuckles going white from the pressure she applied to the apple. He coughed in an attempt to gain her attention.
"Let me remind you, you don't have any form of clearance around here, if you may be thinking of inserting yourself into situations which might land you in hot water with our FBI friends," Pride delicately muttered as he chopped up various vegetables, voice low to keep their conversation private.
"I know that," she huffed, her teeth ripping into the apple with frustration. "I haven't been an agent for six years. But my husband is the head of this team and he's missing. I can't just stand here and do nothing while some psycho could be lashing into him!"
"Don't talk like that, Sonja," he reprimanded. "You are doing something. You're taking care of your children, answering any questions asked of you, boosting the moral of this team-"
"That's not enough."
The disconcerted stay-at-home mom tossed the fruit in the trash, and found a seat in one of the barstools her and LaSalle ate lunch in nearly every day as NCIS agents years ago.
He sighed, laying the knife down.
"Okay, let me ask you this- what do you want to be doing?"
"Trying to find witnesses, for starters! Canvas the area for any clues. Check security cameras. Talk with LaSalle's team members- and that's just the tip of the iceberg."
"You don't think the FBI and NCIS are doin' just that, right this very second?" Pride questioned, a brow raised.
"I'm sure they're doing something like that! But I guarantee you I can do it twice as better." Sonja nearly shouted as her voice rose several levels, pounding a fist into the counter as her eyes swelled with tears.
Her reaction caused the children to look in her direction with curiosity before Sebastian drew their attention back with a card trick. Pride exhaled with relief before he spoke.
"I bet you could, Sonja. You were one of my best agents. But this time around is different, we both aren't on the team anymore and we both have different priorities we got to stick to. Your emotional attachment to this case could get you in a big heap of trouble and I'm not going to stand by and watch that happen."
"But Dwayne," she choked. "This 'case' is Christopher. What happens if they don't find him? What am I supposed to tell our kids?"
Agent Pride reached out and took Sonja's hand into his own.
"You'll tell them their daddy is safe and he's coming home. That's what you're going to tell them."
…
As the small group finished off their hearty bowl of stew around the dining room table, Sebastian pulled out his cellphone and typed a quick text.
"Hey everyone, sorry to be a party-pooper but my guy in the lab just sent me a text and says he needs me to come back in. We have a bunch of important business to take care of." Sebastian intended the last bit of his announcement to be for the children, sending them a wink across the table. They covered their mouths with laughter.
"Alrighty then. If anything interesting happens, could you give me call? I'd love to know," Sonja smiled, though her intentions where crystal clear. Sebastian received the message with a stern nod.
"Will do. Okay, kids, give Uncle Sebastian a big hug!"
The children obliged his request by hopping out of their chairs and wrapping their arms around him as he stood. An audible sigh of contentment slipped passed their lips.
"I had so much fun with you guys. I should be back by the end of the day. In the meantime though," Sebastian glanced from Sonja to Pride, "Maybe you could hang out with Uncle Dwayne? He's pretty cool, right?"
"Yeah! He's the coolest," Vivian smiled. "If it's okay with Mama."
The children unlatched themselves from Sebastian and looked towards their mother, awaiting her answer. Sonja shrugged as she nudged agent Pride.
"It's fine with me if it's fine with him."
Pride couldn't hide his smile.
"Are you kiddin' me? Of course I want to hang out with you guys. How does playing another game sound?"
"Yay! I love games. I'm so excited! This is the best day ever," Vivian grinned, grabbing ahold of her brother and rushing to retrieve more toys. Sebastian gave the adults a wave and exited the kitchen, his phone to his ear.
"The best day ever," Sonja mumbled with a sigh. Pride patted her leg.
"Now then, how about you get some coffee and take a break for a bit, huh? I've got the kids. Go take some time for yourself."
Sonja looked into her friends concerned eyes and decided that she didn't have the energy to argue, and accepted the offer. With the kid's busy rifling through a duffle bag of toys, Sonja poured herself a steaming cup of coffee and made a quiet exit from the room, finding herself back on the main floor with desks and monitors surrounding her.
In the six years Sonja had spent as a stay-at-home mom, she had only revisited her workplace at NCIS probably six times, once a year, for the annual Christmas party that took place there and afterwards at Pride's bar. Technically, seven, if she were to count her wedding day six years ago, when she and Chris felt a little reckless and took off during their reception to break into the headquarters and dance over every square inch. Sonja's heart warmed at the memory of their giggles and kisses and the way LaSalle would gather the train of her wedding dress as they attempted to make it up the stairs to the second floor. She hadn't realized that in her revelry, she had somehow made her way over to LaSalle's desk, the same in which Pride had occupied not so long ago. Her hand landed on one of the several picture frames scattered amongst paperwork and folders, as she slowly brought it towards her face. Sonja grinned, immediately recognizing the moment froze in time. It was a picture taken by a complete stranger one year ago on LaSalle's phone, depicting their time at the local zoo. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and the sun shined perfectly on their happy faces. Sonja was standing to the left of LaSalle, her curly brown hair long and free as she sported a tank top and jean shorts. Her hand lay on the stroller containing baby Max, only one year old at the time. A slobbery smile was spread across his face as he held a stuffed monkey close to his chest. LaSalle, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans with a ball cap, had a grinning Vivian resting atop his shoulders. He had a hand wrapped around Vivian's leg, while his other arm settled on Sonja's waist. A second after the snapshot was taken, a bunch of balloons flew past the family and Vivian insisted they run after them, prompting LaSalle to dump her off his shoulders and take her hand, flying through zoo like crazy people. Sonja was nearly crying with laughter as she pushed the stroller after them, begging them to slow down. She could remember the mischievous smile LaSalle flashed her as he and his daughter continued chasing the balloons until they eventually caught them near the reptile exhibit. Soon after that, the family proceeded to get their faces painted. Sonja was a tiger, LaSalle a lion, Vivian a zebra, and Max got a sloppy interpretation of a giraffe because he wouldn't sit still. Sonja pulled her phone out at the end of the day and took a picture of them on her front-facing camera. Sonja had a cheesy smile, LaSalle crossed his eyes, Vivian stuck out her tongue, and Max had his hands on his cheeks. That picture, to this day, was still the wallpaper on her phone. Though, checking her phone was no easy task, unless she briefly viewed her notifications or called LaSalle's number for the thousandth time which automatically went straight to voicemail. It was painful to look at the family photo and realize they might never go to the zoo again. It was painful to ponder the idea of LaSalle never being in their family again. The only reason Sonja ever decided to get married or have kids, or even so much as dip her toes into a new way of life was because of him. Nothing was possible without him. The only man in the world that she trusted and loved with every fiber of her being was gone, and she knew if she couldn't find him no one would.
7 years earlier…
"A little to the right. A little to the left. A little more. There. Right there. It's perfect, don't you think?"
"I think my arms are about to fall off. Why do ya like this darn paintin' so much, anyway?"
LaSalle finished hanging the ginormous canvas on the wall and stepped off the ladder, wincing as he nursed his shoulder. Sonja whacked him on his back.
"Excuse me? Meredith Brody gave this to us as a housewarming gift! I'm sure as hell going to hang it up."
"You're goin' to hang it up? What have I been doin' for the past thirty minutes then?"
"You've been doing everything except making me a drink," she teased, planting a kiss on his cheek. LaSalle let out a sigh and shook his head, patting her on the butt.
"Who knew movin' into a new house was so stressful!"
"Really? You thought it'd be easy?"
"Gosh, I don't know, Percy. It's not like I've ever bought a house with a woman before," he grinned, meandering passed boxes to reach the liquor cabinet. Sonja rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Why, exactly, did I agree to do this again?"
"Because ya love me," he winked, holding up a bottle of rum and vodka in each hand. "What are ya thinkin'? I've only unpacked these two so far."
"A rum and coke will be fine. Do you want to get take-out or find something to make here later? I have no idea what to do for dinner," Sonja replied, stacking boxes in the dining room.
"Uh, what about just stayin' home and findin' somethin'? I'm pretty sure I saw some pasta floatin' around here not too long ago!"
"Okay," she laughed. "Then pasta it is."
LaSalle found his way back through the kitchen and handed her the drink, standing back with his hands on his hips to admire their work.
"By tomorrow I think this place could be lookin' pretty damn good!"
"Yeah, maybe by tomorrow night. I thought we agreed to sell some of our junk that neither of us need anymore? Why does one man need five boxes labeled 'high school'?"
"Hey now, I was a stud in high school, and I got plenty of trophies and memorabilia to show for it," he refuted, scooping up a ball of bubble wrap and tossing it at her with a huge grin.
Sonja chose wrapping paper as her weapon and threw a heaping pile of it on top of his head, narrowly escaping spilling her drink.
"Whatever you say, babe, but don't be surprised if you look through our attic years from now and only find one box left," she smirked, her eyes playful.
"Now, what kinda thing is that to say?" he mused, his voice husky. LaSalle wound an arm around her waist and pulled her into him until they were chest to chest. "It's okay though. I'd rather let go of anythin' in the world but you."
"You've always been such a softie," she whispered, placing her palm on the back of his neck. "That may be my favorite thing about you."
"Really? I coulda sworn we were in bed the other day, and you told me your favorite thing was when I-''
Sonja pressed a finger to his lips.
"You're really great at ruining the moment too," she sighed, suppressing a giggle. Sonja kissed him on the nose and slipped her glass into his hand. "I'll take another one of these, if you don't mind."
"Not at all. What are ya thinkin' of unpackin' next? I can track down all our kitchen supplies if ya want." LaSalle bent down to sweep their trash to the side to make a path.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. I was thinking I might take a quick shower before we start dinner." Sonja looked down at her wardrobe and cringed. "This sweatshirt is disgusting and these jeans have seen better days."
"Oh, come on. So what if movin' in gets us a little dirty? I think ya look beautiful."
"You're supposed to think that, goofball."
"What about your drink? Should I make it and bring it upstairs to ya?"
"No, that's okay. Just keep working on the kitchen and I'll be back soon."
"You got it," he smiled, using a spatula to wave goodbye.
When Sonja deemed herself clean, and comfortably clad in a pair of leggings and a simple cotton dress, she made her way down her newly carpeted staircase and found LaSalle lounging on the couch watching a show on their flat-screen TV.
"Hey! I thought we agreed you would work on the kitchen while I was in the shower, not testing out our couch," she exclaimed, approaching the living room with her arms crossed. LaSalle craned his neck to flash her his million watt smile. Sonja raised a brow.
"Now Darlin', if ya would have just took a moment instead of gettin' on my case, ya would have noticed the kitchen is unpacked and ready to go! Take a look, won't ya?"
Sonja disbelievingly flipped around and gasped at the sight. There were no longer cardboard boxes strewn throughout the space, and every appliance and decoration was set up to perfection. For that matter, after taking in the rest of first floor, there were absolutely zero boxes to be found. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were spotless and tastefully arranged. The carpet appeared freshly vacuumed and the hardwood floors swept, nearly sparkling.
"Christopher," she mumbled, stunned. "How in the hell did you do this all by yourself?"
"Well…" he coughed, clearing his throat as he stood. Sonja was once again taken aback, as she noticed he somehow miraculously had time to change his clothes as well. When she had left to take a shower he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Now, his attire consisted of a good pair of jeans and one of his Henley long-sleeved shirts. He ran his fingers through his hair, his cheeks slightly flushing.
"What are you wearing? LaSalle, what's going on? You know I hate surprises-''
"Surprise!" came a loud cheer that reverberated throughout the house. Sonja held her heart in shock as Pride, Sebastian, Patton, Gregorio, Loretta, and Brody popped out from behind a wall that had been concealing their presence. They all laughed at Sonja's reaction as many of them placed containers and platters of food on the dining room table.
"As you can see, I had a lot of help gettin' this house together," LaSalle grinned, making his way over to Sonja, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I couldn't have done this without them. Thank you all."
"I wanted to help spruce up the second floor but LaSalle adamantly wanted me to leave that up to you, being the lady of the house and all," Gregorio smirked, sticking her hands in her pockets. Sonja felt her heart warm at her friend's sentiment. Out of all the people in the world, she never thought her and Tammy would have grown as close they did. After she decided to transfer from the FBI to NCIS, the team felt good again. Whole again. Everything had changed for the better.
"You guys planned a housewarming party without me? How is that even possible?" Sonja laughed, crossing the room to embrace each guest in a hug.
"Boy, it sure wasn't easy," Pride chuckled.
"It wasn't easy for me either, you know," Sebastian piped in. "Do you know how hard it is for me to keep a secret that long?"
"Oh, believe me! We know, Sebastian," Loretta sighed.
"Meri, I'm so glad you could make it," Sonja smiled, taking the hand of her ex-team member. "How long will you be in town?"
"Not very," she solemnly replied, though eyes bright. "I figured I might stick around a day or two to catch up with everyone. Work keeps me busy, but I wouldn't miss this for the world. I love that painting, by the way." Sonja grinned at her acknowledgement.
"You guys really found a nice place. It definitely suits you two," Patton congratulated. "If you need me to hook up a sound system or anything like that, just give me a holler."
"Thanks Patton, we sure will," LaSalle nodded.
"Well, can we get you guys something to drink? I see we don't need to make anything to eat," Sonja sent a faux scowl to LaSalle. "Definitely don't need to find that box of pasta."
"Would ya mind lookin' in the liquor cabinet for a bottle of whiskey, honey? I swore I bought one the other day and I wanted the boys to try it out," LaSalle sweetly asked, as the others looked on.
"If it's your whiskey, why don't you want to look for it?" Sonja replied, although she was already halfway to the cabinet.
"I know I'm bein' a pain, just take a look, would ya please?"
"Okay," she shrugged, opening the door to search for the desired alcohol. "I don't see any whiskey in here LaSalle!" she called, rifling through various bottles and mixes. "Should I bring something else over?"
When there came no response, Sonja became agitated and slammed the door shut.
"Listen, I don't know what you're trying to do here but-''
The words fell off her tongue the minute she turned back to the group of friends and saw LaSalle halfway in-between the living room and dining room, down on one knee, with a black box in his hand. The house was quiet as Brody was already wiping away a stray tear, and as Sebastian pulled out a video camera and began recording.
"LaSalle…" Sonja whispered, her feet glued to the floor.
"You kinda look like you're frozen," he chuckled. "Should I come over to you, then?"
When there came no response, LaSalle gathered himself off the floor and took four whole strides before he was in front of her, and took her hand without hesitation. Kneeling, he looked up at Sonja's beautiful, yet shocked face.
"So," he began, taking a deep breath. "I've rehearsed this in my head probably a thousand times, and I still don't know where to start."
"Anywhere. Start anywhere." Sonja's voice was gentle yet sure as she gripped his hand in her own.
"We've only been datin' each other for almost two years now, but I've known ya a couple years longer than that," he began. "And it's safe to say you're the greatest friend I've ever known. It seems strange to be down on one knee, proposin' to ya, while talkin' about bein' friends- but that's where everythin' started for us. City Mouse and Country Mouse," he smiled, beginning to get teary-eyed. "Our relationship has been a dog-gone roller coaster. We've had our ups and downs, our fair share of fights and laughs. But as partner's go, you're the absolute best. As friends go, there's no comparison. As girlfriends go, I'm hopin' you'll be my last. I've discovered after spendin' so many missions with you and nearly losin' you a few times, there really is no me without you. The first time we ever hugged, the night you diffused the riverboat bomb, I felt a sense of peacefulness with you in my arms. It felt like I was home. There's no one else I would rather take on life with, than you. I know ya got my back, and I promise I got yours. Because of you, I'm the man I always wanted to be, the man I always had the potential to be. You changed everythin' for me. I love you, Sonja Percy, and it would make me the happiest man in the world if ya would do me the honor of bein' my wife."
LaSalle released Sonja's hand to open the tiny black box, which exposed a fourteen karat white gold, round-cut diamond engagement ring. LaSalle glanced down at the ring and grinned, beaming back up at her with glossy eyes.
"What do ya think? Will you marry me?" he whispered, as if it were only the two of them.
"You are unbelievable," Sonja replied, wiping her eyes with the back of hand. "I don't even know what to say."
"A 'yes', would be nice," he laughed, taking her hand once more.
"Yes," she smiled. "Yes, I'll marry you, LaSalle."
LaSalle swiftly removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her ring finger, revealing a perfect fit. The couple emitted a sigh as he rose to his feet and met her lips in a kiss, Sonja's arms looping around his neck. The group of on-lookers began cheering once more. As their lips departed from one another, Sonja brought him close into a hug.
"I love the ring. I love you," she whispered, lifting her hand to admire the rock.
"I'm glad, I love you too."
"Thank God that's over, because if I had to go one more day with this secret, I would go insane," Sebastian exclaimed, stowing away the video camera.
"Really, dude?" Patton rolled his eyes. "This ain't about you!"
"Congratulations, you two," Gregorio winked as she patted them. "I knew you were made for each other."
"Thanks, Tammy," Sonja replied, as she and LaSalle turned to face the group.
"Watching that moment was definitely worth flying out here for," Brody sniffled, gazing from one friend to another. "I'm so happy for you."
"I think we should propose a toast," Pride announced, popping open a bottle of champagne. Loretta handed everyone a glass as Pride worked his way around the room, filling each vessel to the brim. Pride then filled his own glass and raised it high as each person followed suit. He cleared his throat before speaking.
"Cheers to Christopher and Sonja. May married life be all you want it to be, and may there be more good days than bad. Congratulations. We love you guys."
"Cheers!" came the jubilant response, as glasses clinked. The room erupted in conversation and giggles as Loretta took the opportunity to unveil all the food on the dining room table.
"Meredith, would you be a dear and help me set out the plates and silverware? I think it's about time for dinner."
"Of course," Brody smiled, gathering up the needed supplies.
Sonja found herself departing from the festivities as she journeyed towards the window in the living room, as she gazed outside, the fall leaves swirling down the street.
"Where are ya runnin' off to?" a deep, southern voice inquired, as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her torso. LaSalle laid his chin on her shoulder.
"I'm not running anywhere," she replied, a smile spreading across her lips. "I'm standing still admiring where I am."
"This neighborhood is perfect for raisin' kids in, don't ya think?"
"Why, Christopher LaSalle, I haven't even put on a wedding dress and you're asking me about kids?"
"I'm not askin' anythin', it's just a thought," he shrugged, a low chuckle emitting from his throat.
Sonja was silent as they watched cars drive by and families play in their front yards. She sighed.
"I wish I could stay in this moment forever," she mumbled, snuggling against her new fiancée. "I don't ever want this feeling to end."
LaSalle nuzzled into her cheek, his breath hot on her neck.
"Me too, Percy. Me too."
…
"Sonja. Hey, there. Are you awake?"
"What-huh?" came her groggy response, as she shot upward and sat straight as a board. Sonja felt a dampness near her mouth and discreetly wiped away drool on the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry to have woken you," Pride gently smiled. "I saw you take a seat at Christopher's desk about an hour ago and the next second you were asleep."
"Oh. I did?" Sonja puzzled, suddenly becoming aware of her surroundings. She still had the picture from the zoo in her hand, yet she had somehow got lost in thought and sat down in a chair. Her husband's chair. "Did you say I've been asleep for an hour?"
"Oh no, it's been about three hours now. It's not getting late or anything, it's a little after four o'clock, but Max has been asking for ya. After that, I need to talk to you for a second-"
"He has? Is something wrong?" Sonja jumped to her feet and took off in the direction of the kitchen, when Pride abruptly grabbed her arm.
"Nothing is wrong, Sonja," he replied, his brow furrowed with worry. "Are you doing okay? You seem a little…off."
"I'm okay," she whispered, nodding reluctantly. "Just had a bad dream."
Pride let Sonja go, as she jogged to the kitchen, and found Max in the arms of a woman who appeared to be attempting to soothe him by humming off-key and patting his behind. Sonja smiled the moment she recognized her.
"Tammy. What are you doing down here? The FBI is done with their questions?"
"Oh yeah," came her gravelly voice, with a roll of her eyes. "I was done hours ago. Being the veteran on the team gets me certain perks."
Gregorio closed the distance between them and transferred the cranky toddler into his mother's arms. Max let out a sob and buried his face into Sonja's chest.
"What's wrong, baby? Are you tired?" she cooed, softly rubbing his back.
"I got down here about thirty minutes ago and Pride was doing everything to get the kid to calm down, and I mean everything," Gregorio sighed.
"Where's Vivian?"
"Right here," Pride announced, walking the little girl into the room by the hand. "She had to use the bathroom."
"Mommy," she groaned. "I'm hungry. I want to go home. I'm tired of being here."
"Okay, sweetheart. I can get you something to eat," Sonja smiled, though anxiety was mounting.
"I want our food at home. Can we go home please?" Vivian begged, her eyes sad.
"You know what?" Pride began, bending down to meet her at eye level, "I forgot to tell you that you and your family are gonna spend the night at my house tonight! Does that sound fun?"
"A sleepover? Mommy didn't tell me were having a sleepover!"
"I'm sorry, Viv. I guess I forgot," Sonja apologized, yet concealing her confusion at the new information. Pride picked up on her emotions immediately.
"It was a last minute thing," he smiled. "I thought it might be a good idea while your Daddy is away."
"When is Daddy coming home? I miss him," Vivian inquired, her demeanor becoming saddened once more.
"Daddy, Daddy," Max cried, finally uttering a word.
"That's why he's been upset?" Gregorio frowned, running a hand through her hair.
"Yeah," Sonja replied. "He's a Daddy's boy. Sometimes Chris has to come home during work just to put him down for a nap."
"I love when Daddy reads me stories before I go to bed. I wish he were here tonight to read me a story," the little girl sighed.
"Don't worry, honey. I can read you a story," Sonja smiled comfortingly.
"You don't read them like Daddy does," she sulked. "Daddy always makes funny faces and talks in funny voices."
"I can give it a shot," Pride interjected, proving his point by producing a hilarious expression. His act got a laugh out of everyone in the room.
"Is Daddy coming home tomorrow then?" Vivian continued, unwilling to let go of the subject. "We can go home tomorrow and see him, right?"
Sonja blinked, her mouth going dry.
"We hope so," Pride nodded. "We miss him too."
Vivian, deciding that was a reasonable answer, put on her jacket and began gathering her toys.
"Is it time to go to Uncle Dwayne's house now? I'm really hungry."
"Sure, kiddo. How about I get you and your brother in your car seats, hm?" Gregorio replied, nudging the little girl with a sly smile.
"What? Are you sure?" Sonja perplexedly handed Gregorio the keys to her car.
"Mhm. You and Pride get everything situated here and we'll meet you outside."
"Sounds like a plan," he nodded, placing a hand on Sonja's back.
Reluctantly, Sonja handed a displeased Max to Gregorio, who ended up satisfied after she pulled out her cell phone and let him play some games. Vivian followed the pair until they were out of sight.
Sonja wasted no time in flipping around with wide eyes.
"What's going on? Is there news on LaSalle?"
"Hold on, hold on. Don't get too excited yet, I'm just the messenger. I tried to tell you earlier."
"Messenger of what, Dwayne? What did they find?"
"It's not a question of what, but of who," a voice chimed, bringing the attention of the agents to the main floor.
"Sebastian?" Sonja called, hurrying to meet him in the middle of the room. "I don't have time for your riddles, I just need good news."
"Well, we haven't had any concrete evidence yet. Traffic cams and security cams have all came back with no information."
"Okay, what about any witnesses? Did you guys find a witness?"
"No," he replied with a shake of his head. "No witnesses to be found."
"Then what?" Sonja exclaimed, her patience wearing thin.
"The FBI is keeping us in the dark about most things, and I practically had to twist the director's arm to get any sort of news out of him. So-''
"So?"
"I took matters into my own, very capable hands," Sebastian responded, retrieving his tablet and pulling up several pages for Sonja to comb through.
"I spent most of the afternoon delving into LaSalle's NOPD past, which came up empty. No red flags or anything suspicious. However, when I looked into his NCIS case files, I found a few things that may help us out." Sebastian used his finger to flip to a page of names.
"These are guys that LaSalle has either arrested himself or had a hand in arresting from the year 2014 until now. All of them are still incarcerated in the state of New Orleans."
"Okay, but there's nearly fifty names here. How is this helpful?"
Sebastian smiled with a flick of his finger.
"These are guys that have got out of prison on parole in the past month," Sebastian's fingers flew across the screen again, "And these are guys that have recently escaped and are currently wanted."
"Alright. Five guys. I can work with this," Sonja mumbled, confiscating the tablet to inspect the mug shots.
Sebastian eagerly waited for a response.
"I don't remember any of these guys. I don't know why any of them would want to hurt LaSalle," she puzzled, gazing intently at the screen. "Most of these guys were booked on drug charges or accessory to a crime, not murder or anything."
"Okay," he nodded, reclaiming the device. "I have one more option here, but I gotta warn you, it's a strange one."
"Strange how?"
"You and LaSalle worked many an undercover operation if I'm correct, and the file says this case goes back probably a decade ago, I don't know if you'll even remember it."
"A decade ago? What's the case file?"
"Here it is," he nodded, pulling the information up on the screen. "It looks like it took place in New York City. Something regarding a stolen painting and the murder of a Petty Officer."
Sonja's mind began to melt as she slowly connected the dots, agonizingly, one by one.
"It says here you were undercover as a 'Mr. and Mrs. Matthews', if that rings a bell," Sebastian continued, unbeknownst to Sonja's anguish.
Pride, realizing Sonja had gone cold, stepped up and took the tablet under examination.
"Ah, I remember this case. It was one of the craziest ones we've ever come across, but it had a happy ending. What does this have to do with LaSalle's disappearance, Sebastian?"
"Well, it has do with the man that was arrested that day. Unlike all the other men on the list that are situated in New Orleans, he still happens to be imprisoned in New York. At least, he was-''
"What do you mean 'was'?" Sonja erupted, startling both the men.
"I mean," Sebastian gulped, "That he isn't there anymore. He escaped from prison a week ago."
Pride gazed at the mug shot spread across the screen and somberly handed it to Sonja, whose teeth were biting a hole into her lip as the remaining hope in her world came crumbling down.
"Do you know this guy, Sonja?" came Sebastian's timid voice. "Do you think he'd hurt LaSalle?"
"Is this the guy we need to be looking for?" Pride inquired, eyes intent.
It seemed as if years passed in the span of thirty seconds before Sonja ripped her eyes away from the picture of his face, sat the tablet on a desk, and addressed the concerned faces of her friends who were waiting on an answer.
"His name is Lawrence Livingston. And I promise you, he's going to kill him."
To be continued…
Post A/N: Wow! What an intense first chapter. I'm excited to hear what you guys think. Who will find LaSalle first- the FBI, NCIS, or Sonja? Or is there even a chance he could still be alive with Lawrence Livingston possibly being in town? Look forward to more flashbacks, suspense, family fun, and clues to the biggest mystery of all: Where is Lasalle?