A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you for reading my last story and for following, reviewing, and alerting. Here's the second installment.
-Lily :)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize.
"What?!" I asked looking over to Nell. She was still shocked. "You want us to take care of a seven-year old?"
"Yes, Mr. Beale. She has become quite attached to you and I believe that together, you would make great parents," Hetty reaffirmed what she had said before.
"But, Hetty, I won't be a good mother. I'm—" Nell started to say, but was cut off with Hetty holding her hand up.
"Nell, you are great with kids," I said. Nell looked at me with a grateful smile, but I continued, not having voiced my doubts yet, "I- I am not up for being a parent. I am practically still a kid myself."
"Yes, Mr. Beale, that is one of the reasons that kids love you so much. However, you are a grown man who deals with trying situations every day. I am sure that you will be able to take care of a little girl, especially with the help of Miss Jones." I looked at her like she was crazy. I would never be a good father.
"I think you will be a good father to her. I've seen you with her all day. You are great with her," Nell turned to me with a smile and I couldn't help but smile back. Hetty decided to try one more tactic.
"Mr. Beale and Miss Jones, if she goes into foster-care, she may not be able to have foster parents who speak sign language." We must have still looked at her like she was insane because she added, "Well you don't exactly have a choice because I have already asked Lydia's permission."
"What did she say?" I asked like an idiot. Of course she said yes, otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here now. "Wait, how did you ask her?"
"I do know a little sign language and Miss Lydia said yes. I have also contacted the Department of Children and Families and pulled all the right strings for this. However, if you both feel as if this would be a bad idea, I am willing to reverse the strings for you."
"Oh, Hetty, no, we'll take her," I said quickly. I did not want this precious child, who I had only met a few short hours ago, to be taken out of my life. Lydia had quickly become one of the most important people in my life. Lydia now tied for first place with Nell as the most important person in my life. After I had hastily spoken, I realized that Lydia was going to be a big change in Nell's life as well.
I looked over to Nell. She smiled and nodded her head, approving my decision. She reached out and took my hand. She squeezed my hand. I could practically feel the reassurance coursing through me.
Hetty beckoned to someone behind us. I turned around and saw Lydia coming towards me.
"Hey, sweetie, how was your nap?" I asked.
"Good, but you weren't there when I woke up. Only C-A-L-L-E-N."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We had to talk to H-E-T-T-Y," Nell stepped in. She was going to be a perfect foster-mother for Lydia. She always knew the perfect thing to say. 'Oh no,' I thought, 'I guess it looks like we're not going to be able to go on that date.'
"Are you still tired sweetheart?" I asked and she nodded her head. She reached her arms up to me. Immediately I knew that she wanted to be picked up. Maybe I could do this. I pulled her up onto my lap. Her head rested against my shoulder and she closed her eyes.
I looked over to Nell who smirked and said, "I told you so."
"Okay, Hetty, what's the next thing we need to do?" I asked.
"Nothing needs to be done. As I said before, I pulled a few strings. Now, get her upstairs so that she can lie down and you two can talk." Nell and I nodded our heads. I lifted Lydia so that she could rest on my hip and I stood up.
"Thank you Hetty," I said. I don't think I could have asked for a better thing in my life. We headed upstairs. After the doors of Ops swished open, I walked over to Lydia's makeshift bed and gently set her down. Her eyes briefly flickered open when I let go of her, but I signed, "We are right here," and she fell back asleep.
"What's the plan?" Nell asked.
"You think I have one?"
"Well, I was hoping so."
"Well the first part of the plan has to be about tonight. What is going to happen tonight?"
"Okay, um…you don't have a spare bedroom, but I do…so…" Nell said sounding hesitant.
"Lydia should stay at your apartment," I immediately agreed. I didn't feel comfortable having Lydia stay at my apartment because that would mean I wouldn't have Nell's help.
"Okay, well, we have nothing for a kid. The most important being clothing," Nell said. She was always the voice of reason.
"How about school?"
"I think that she will probably need to take a day or two to grieve and get settled with us. And in the meantime we can look for a good school near OSP and my apartment."
"Okay. I'll go ask Hetty if we can get some of her clothing from her house." Nell nodded her head and I went to Hetty's office.
"Mr. Beale, what seems to be the problem?"
"We need to get clothing for Lydia."
"I have already taken care of that."
"How?"
"Mr. Deeks and Miss Blye have just left. I have told them to bring as much clothing as they could back with them."
"Thank you Hetty." She nodded and smirked as I left her office. I don't think I'll ever understand that woman. I went back upstairs to see Nell concentrating.
"What's up, Nell?"
"Just trying to figure out what else a seven-year old needs. What did Hetty say?"
"She already sent Kensi and Deeks."
"Of course she did."
"Hey Nell? Don't worry about every little thing she needs. As long as she has the essentials, she will be fine."
"But, I need to know think that she will be fine."
"You have food in your cabinets. You have a bed for her. We will have clothing for her. She will be fine. If you want something fun for her to do, you could find Sudokus, but as we get to know her better, we will know what else she needs. Stop stressing so much."
"Okay."
"Because the most important thing for her right now is to be supported and loved."
"You know that you sound like Nate right now?" I let out a laugh and Nell continued, "I don't think I've ever seen you that serious."
"Well I was. We'll all be fine." She grabbed my hand for the second time that day.
"How about we both take a rain-check on that date?" she suggested, but I had a better idea.
"How about not?" I asked and Nell gave me the 'you're crazy' look, so I finished my thought, "How about tonight the three of us watch a movie that Lydia likes and then I help you tuck her in?"
"That sounds nice…and it makes me slightly less nervous."
"Nell, geez, you'll be fine. You're great with kids," I said, but I understood exactly. I was nervous too. Who isn't before they have to take care of a little kid? Nell smiled at me, but we could see through each other and we both knew that the other was scared. "So are we on for tonight?"
"Of course," Nell said just as Kensi and Deeks walked in. They each had two bags and Deeks was carrying a picture frame.
"We brought some goodies for sleeping beauty over there," Deeks said, nodding his head towards Lydia.
"What did you bring," Nell asked.
"Some clothing…a lot of clothing and a teddy bear that looked special and, Deeks show them the picture," Kensi said. The picture looked like it was taken last summer. Lydia was sitting on her father's lap and she was looking up at her father. Her mother had her arms around both of them. They were all laughing like maybe her father had just told a joke. Lydia was in a pretty light blue sundress with little white flowers.
"We thought it would be good for her to have a picture of them," Deeks said. Nell nodded and took the picture. Kensi and Deeks set the rest of the bags down on the floor.
"When is DCF coming?" Deeks asked. I looked at Nell and saw she was surprised too. Her eyes were wide and she lifted one eyebrow as if asking, 'they don't know?' I shrugged my shoulders.
"Are we allowed to tell them?" Nell asked.
"They are going to find out at some point," I reasoned.
"Or maybe you just know that you can't keep a secret," Nell said, rolling her eyes and smirking.
"I can too keep a secret!" I said, but I didn't really mean it. I knew I couldn't keep a secret.
"Can one of you two tell me what you're talking about?" Deeks asked. He did not like to be kept out of any conversation.
"Let's tell him," I said. Nell nodded.
"DCF isn't coming," Nell started.
"What? That doesn't make any sense. Someone has to take care of her," Kensi said. She had this look on her face that she only gets when she is trying to figure a really hard problem out.
"Umm… we are umm…" I tried to start, but thankfully Nell jumped in, "We are fostering Lydia."
"You two," Deeks said with a scrunched up forehead, pointing between Nell and Eric, "together are going to foster her?"
"Yup," Nell said simply, looking over to Lydia with a gentle smile.
"Hetty set it up without asking us first," I said, "but I think I would have said yes anyways."
"Okay, well, you guys know that I'm not great with kids, but if there is anything I can…" Kensi gave her support and I was beyond glad that they just accepted the new situation.
"Same here," said Deeks, pursing his lips to make his serious expression. I heard a noise behind me and I turned in my swivel chair. Lydia smiled shyly and came closer to Nell. She reached her arms up to Nell who bent down and picked her up.
"Hey sweetheart, what do you say we go to Nell's house and eat some dinner with a movie?" I asked Lydia. She nodded, putting her head on Nell's shoulder. Lydia still looked sleepy, but it had been a long day for her.
"Are mommy and daddy ever coming back?" I looked at Nell who had a shocked expression with both of her eyes big. I probably looked the same. I didn't know what to say.
"What did she say?" Kensi said. She must have seen our faces.
"Umm...," Nell said, "She asked if her parents were coming back."
"It might be best if you told her the truth," Deeks said. Kensi nodded in agreement. She knew what it was like to lose a parent. I looked over to Nell. She nodded her head slightly as if saying, 'You say it…my hands are full.'
"Lydia, listen to me," I started. I did not want to have to repeat the news, and Lydia turned and focused all her attention on me. "Your parents have passed away, but they still love you very much and always will. Nell and I will be taking care of you for a little while. Is that OK with you?" Silent tears ran down her face and she nodded her head.
"I know they're dead. I just needed to hear it from you." I was again shocked, but she was such a smart kid. I guess I shouldn't have expected any less. "I miss them so much. It hurts so much," Lydia said and for what felt like the millionth time today, my heart went out to her.
"I know, sweetheart, I know." I reached out to Lydia to take her so that Nell could talk to her. When she was sitting in my lap, she buried her face in my shirt and cried. I let her and rubbed her back, trying to comfort her, but who could really comfort a child who has just had her whole world flipped upside-down?
Soon her tears stopped and she looked up at me and then over to Nell. "Can we go soon?" she asked.
"Sure," Nell said.
"How long do I get to stay with you?" Nell looked at me, but I didn't know what to say either.
"I don't know, but probably for a long while," Nell finally answered after an awkward pause. Lydia nodded and hopped down from my lap. She ran over to the bags that Kensi and Deeks were still holding. She tugged at one of the bags and both Kensi and Deeks put them down, but Deeks didn't put the teddy bear down. Lydia turned to Nell and me.
"Can you ask him for my teddy bear?" Lydia asked politely. I nodded my head.
"Hey Deeks, can you give Lydia her teddy bear? Or have you become attached to it?" I asked jokingly.
"Oh," Deeks said and knelt down next to Lydia facing her so that she could read his lips, "Is this what you wanted, sweetie?" Lydia nodded and took the teddy bear from Deeks' outstretched hand.
She hugged it close to her and asked, "Is that D-E-E-K-S?" I nodded my head.
"Why don't you find a sweater or coat and then we'll head over to my house?" Nell said and then looking at Kensi and Deeks said, "Do you know where you put something warm in those bags?" I smiled at Nell. She seemed to have a special instinct. I wouldn't have thought of making sure she was warm.
Deeks and Lydia sorted through the bags and finally found a blue sweater. Lydia put it on and walked over to me and Nell. We had shut everything down on the computers and we were ready to head out. I stood up and immediately she took my hand. Nell stood up with the picture in her hand. Lydia handed me her teddy bear and took Nell's hand as well.
"Can you two bring the bags?" Nell asked Kensi and Deeks. They reached down, picked the bags up and followed us out. As we walked out down the main hallway, Hetty stopped us. She knelt down in front of Lydia.
"Can you be a good girl for Nell and Eric?" She asked signing just a few of the words. Lydia nodded her head with a solemn expression. Hetty rose to her feet and squeezed Lydia's shoulder, "Good."
We walked out to Nell's car. Nell leaned into the car after Lydia had buckled her seatbelt to make sure she was secure. Her motherly instincts made me smile again. When she had moved out of the way, I leaned in to talk to her, "I am going to take my car, but I promise to meet you there, OK?" She nodded and I kissed her head. I closed the door and turned to see Kensi and Deeks just staring at me, but Nell was smirking.
"I told you so," she said and I blushed a little. I looked over the day mentally. I guess I did kind of knew what to do with a kid.
"You two are going to be the best foster parents that she could have," Kensi said. Deeks just nodded his head in agreement.
"Thanks," Nell said because I didn't say anything and she knew I wasn't going to.
"We should go," I said, "I'll follow you, okay?"
"Okay." I watched as Nell got into her car, then I got into my car and followed her to her house.
A/N:Thank you for reading. If you want me to keep writing this story, please tell me. I hope you liked it. Please review!
-Lily :)