Lesson 7#- It's not just Hetty who has the weird ability to give their friends and family weird things…like a house.
Month 6
Camp Pendleton
"How about this one?"
"No." Swipe.
A deep, whiney groan comes from the blonde haired probationary agent. "Come on, Kens- what about this one?"
"Nope." Swipe.
"Ok- fine. What about-"
Six months pregnant Kensi takes the tablet out of her partner's hands and once more swipes to the next picture on the screen. "We are not taking the boys home in football uniforms or baby tuxedos."
"Whhhhyyy?" Deeks whines in a higher than normal pitch that echoes throughout the CH-47 Chinook helicopter that the team has been sitting in for an hour and a half. The NCIS team, Kensi included, had presented at a conference at Camp Pendleton regarding international customs they had developed over their years as agents. For Deeks, the presentation had been a chance for the others to call him 'probie' 25 times and to floor two punk Marines who thought they'd try to trick him with a deep, Spanish culture quiz.
Heh-heh. Don't challenge a man who's quizzed on international politics by his pregnant girlfriend between Lamaze classes, Deeks thinks while nodding his head slowly. Unfortunately, he's momentarily forgotten that he looks like an idiot.
"What are you doing?" Kensi asks.
"Relishing in my glory. Oooh- what about –"
The brunette agent rolls her eyes. "If you say Kevlar vests, I will kill you-"
"Will you two stop?"
Deeks and Kensi look up to Callen in shock for less than a second before they return to their argument.
"Kevlar vests would be awesome- ow, don't hit me!" Deeks exclaims. While he rubs the back of his neck, Kensi slips the tablet into the bag below their feet.
"Let's move onto something else," Kensi suggests, "What about the nursery?"
"In the non-existent house of ours?"
"Well, we'd have a home if someone wasn't so damn picky."
"I am not picky- we need enough space to handle the crap you refuse to throw out, the two children we are bringing into the world, a backyard for them to play in, a big kitchen, good schools, close proximity to work, really close to the beach, and a place for a man cave."
"Like I said before- picky."
"Pilot, are we good to go yet?" Callen calls out. Sam, who's been quietly watching the couple argue in humor, snorts at Callen's desperation.
"What is so funny?" Callen snaps.
"You. You're such a good uncle," Sam laughs, " Is this how you're going to be to your future nephews?"
"No," Callen looks over to see that Kensi and Deeks hadn't noticed their conversation. "You don't talk about baby stuff over and over. Clothes, diapers, pacifiers- I'm going crazy about this. I just need five seconds without mommy-daddy world." His face drops when he realizes that he's caught the attention of everyone on the helicopter, the pilot included.
"I'm so sorry that our kids are annoying you, Callen," Kensi snaps. Her lip suddenly trembles and her voice cracks, " It's a little bit of a chaotic time with Deeks leaving for Washington in two weeks and my maternity leave starting in four weeks, which I get to spend two weeks of it alone! Do you have any idea of how much crap comes with a child- scratch that, two?"
Callen glances over to Sam for support, but his partner shakes his head to leave him high and dry. "That's not what I meant-"
"What exactly did you mean?" Deeks asks irritably. Callen's sure that he sees the slightest tremble in the probationary agent's bottom lip.
"I just-"
"You know what? Let's just take off," Kensi states. She settles back in her seat and glares at a spot on the ground. Deeks pulls out the monstrous NCIS trainee textbook and settles back in his seat as well. The probationary agent raises the book to cover his face and starts humming along to a rock song. He doesn't get very far before Kensi knocks her feet against his ankle.
"Guys…" Callen calls out. He drops his head and glances over to Sam, who's focusing on his cellphone. The lead agent is ready to go into a spiel explaining his rationale, but the sudden whirring of helicopter blades cuts him off. As he settles back in his seat in defeat, Deeks continues to hold his book up in front of his face while pondering, He can't be like that…right?
OPS Center
"Rollin', rollin' rollin', da babies are still rollin'. They'll be comin' and a rollin'. All day!"
Kensi watches in utter disbelief at her partner as he sings while rocking between his feet in front of his desk. They've just arrived at the OPS center after their return trip home, a return trip filled with glares and whatever the hell dance Deeks is currently doing. The probationary agent has an unusual excitement in him that he doesn't know where it's coming from. It may be out of anxiousness to be back, being cold from the cool Los Angeles weather, or because he's bored.
"Comin', comin' comin'-"
"Deeks!" Kensi snaps. She adjusts the scarf around her neck and groans loudly. They'd be home if Callen hadn't asked for them to wait for him at the OPS Center after splitting ways at the airport an hour earlier.
"Sorry, Miss Kill Joy," Deeks snips. He bends down near Kensi's stomach and whispers, "Mommy is being mean to Daddy again, but I'm ok, boys. A little hurt, but I'll pull through."
Sam, who's sitting at his desk in his jacket and bag over his shoulder, snorts, "Quite a catch there, Kens."
"I'm seriously thinking of sleeping at my apartment tonight," Kensi sighs as she fails at lifting her bag off of the floor. While humming, Deeks moves into action and snatches the bag from her while somehow keeping to the rhythm of his song. He pulls the bag over his shoulder and laughs with a sparkle in his eye, "Keep in mind that I have a key to your place, babe."
"Keep in mind that I have a gun."
"I thought you made it clear to keep the dirty talk for the bedroom."
"Who said I was talking dirty?" Kensi smiles widely, "If I was, you'd know."
"Alright, you too- I'm out of here," Sam says while standing up, "Whatever G has for us, I'm sure it can wait until the morning. Plus, I don't want to know where this conversation's going to head next."
Deeks flashes his famous idiotic grin, as everyone calls it. " You sure? It could get pretty PG up in here. Oh, Kens- if you lock me out, I could sneak in like a ninja and then we can get. it. on-"
Sam's eyes widen before he yells, "GOOD NIGHT!"
"Wait," Callen calls out as he appears from the kitchen with a pair of keys and a photo in hand. He's out of breath and appears to be hiding something based on the frantic look in his eyes.
I didn't even know that was possible for him, Deeks thinks with wonder. "Whatcha got there, Callen?"
"Keys. Keys to your new house," Callen answers in a matter of fact tone. His casualness makes it harder for Deeks to pick one to panic about.
"We have a house?" Deeks stammers, "Like a legit house? With stairs and a roof and window or two?"
Callen nods and tosses Deeks the keys. When the probationary agent catches them, Callen continues on, " Hetty and I have been setting it up for you both. Why do you think she insisted on Kensi coming with us to Pendleton?"
That is a good, super obvious question. " So you just up and decided to get us a house?"
"Not just any house," Callen walks up to the partners and shows a picture of the house they stayed at while undercover as Melissa and Justin. " Everything that our pickie probie agent wants and enough room for Kensi to make a mess."
"Callen, we can't take this," Kensi exclaims. "I know that I was upset earlier-"
"It's been in the making for months, Kens. I've never not cared about the pregnancy- not once. I was just irritable on the helicopter. Forgive me?"
Deeks doesn't look up from the keys in hands and exclaims, "You could say whatever the hell you want and we'd still forgive you." He pulls Callen into hug and is joined by Kensi.
"There is a condition though," Callen adds quickly and immediately causes the two agents to release him from the hug. Callen smiles and says, " There's something that needs to be assembled by only Deeks and I. It's the one thing you and I never had growing up."
One thing we've- oh my God. Deeks gasps for a breath and nods excitedly in agreement. It's the one thing that he's woken up every morning excited about his boys soon having . " A playhouse. You want to help me build a playhouse. Consider it done."