Chapter 9- Smiles all round.
Charlie's eyes fluttered open. She looked at the clock on the bedside table. The displayed 09:37 in red numbers. Charlie got out of bed trying not to make a noise at walked towards the window. She could see something falling from the sky and hoped it was what she was thinking. Peeking through the curtains she saw thick clumps of snow fluttering towards the ground. It was the first time in two years; Charlie had seen snow on Christmas day.
Walking back over to the bed she reached for Tony and tapped him, "Daddy wake up, it's Christmas." She whispered. "Daddy, Ziva wake up."
"What time is it first?" Tony asked not even opening his eyes.
"09:41." She read the clock again.
"Really? I thought you would have been up at 6 am." Tony sat up causing Ziva to wake up.
"Merry Christmas Bibby, Merry Christmas Ziva."
"Merry Christmas Princess."
"Merry Christmas Tateleh."
"Can I wake everyone else up?"
"Sure but be nice about it." Tony told and she left the room.
By the time Ziva and Tony got out of bed Charlie had woken Abby and McGee who shared a bed and Ducky who was the only one who didn't share a bed with.
"Gibbs, Jen. It's time to wake up." Charlie said.
Gibbs opened his eyes and looked at her. She had a big smile on her face which reminded him of Kelly. However Kelly jumped up and down on the bed to get him and Shannon to wake up. "Merry Christmas, Charlie."
"Merry Christmas, Gibbs."
"Merry Christmas Charlie, Jethro." Jen tied her hair up into a messy bun before getting out of bed.
Charlie came skipping out of Jen's room with her and Gibbs in tow. They all made their way down stairs. Charlie's face lit up when she saw all of the presents under the tree. All of them dived into the presents. They would pass presents around if the found someone else's.
It had taken Charlie over an hour to open all her presents. She loved all of them. She got books, dolls, dolls accessorizes, movies, clothes, sports equipment and teddy bears. Everyone was talking to someone. The girls where helping Charlie take her new dolls put of the boxes that's when there was a knock at the door.
"Charlie, can you get the door please." Jen asked her.
Charlie answered the door without protest. She opened to find no one. Except there was an elderly man standing at the curb.
"Grandpa!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. She was only wearing her pj's but she didn't care. She ran straight to him. She jumped on him and hugged him as if she might wake up and find out it was only a dream.
"Merry Christmas sweetheart." Callum held her close and kissed her in the head.
"Merry Christmas Grandpa." she smiled at him. "Where's Grandma?" Charlie looked around for her.
"In the house. She knocked on the door and stood at the side. Shall we go in, Grandma has your presents."
"Yeah but can you carry me I don't have any shoes on." He smiled than move her so he could carry her on his hip. "I thought you and Grandma weren't coming." She as they headed towards the house.
"Well Grandma got better quicker than we thought."
"Now you and Grandma can meet everyone, except Jimmy."
Callum put Charlie down. She ran over to her Grandma and gave her a hug and wished her merry Christmas and Callum went around everyone introduction himself. On the floor waiting for Charlie was a long rectangular box and a medium sized Santa sack. Charlie sat on the floor but didn't know where to start the long box or Santa sack. She decided to open the long box first. Ziva looked curiously at Tony when he and Callum covered their ears. When Charlie read to label on the box to find out what she got she screamed in excitement. Everyone looked to see what she had gotten.
"Are you going to get your dad to teach you how to play a keyboard?" Abby asked.
"He doesn't need to. I've been play the piano since I was three years old." Charlie informed everyone. "I had a white grand piano but it had to be sold."
"Awwww, why did you have to sell it?" Abby said
"It was huge and there was no way it would have fitted in daddy's apartment." Charlie dived into her Santa sack.
Jen and Ducky started on the Christmas dinner. The adults were talking and Charlie sat playing on her keyboard wearing her new head phones. Charlie had gotten three new song books but she was playing one of the songs she had memorised- Beethoven's 9th symphony aka Ode to joy.
"Are you going to play for us Charlie?" McGee asked.
Charlie bit her lip nervously, "It's not like you to be shy Charlotte-Ann." Callum was only one of three people Charlie was happy with them calling her by her full name.
"Ok." Charlie unplugged her ear phones and turned the volume up. Taking a deep breath in and she began.
When Charlie was little her mother won the piano in a compotation. Charlie loved it the moment she saw it. Her mother told her she could keep it was long as she learnt how to play it. Charlie got lessons and even Tony would teach her how to play a song. It had taken a while to learn the keys but once she learnt them she was fine. She found it easy to read music. Charlie would play the piano every day without fail. She had even played in school concerts. Tony had told her that if they got a new house or a bigger apartment in DC then he would by her a piano and she could always have a keyboard in the meantime.
Everyone clapped when she finished causing her to turn bright red. Tony sat down on the floor beside her and whispered something in her ear. Tony stretched out his fingers and moved over slightly so they both had half the keyboard each. They played together for everyone to hear. In the past only Lauren had seen them play together.
"Well for once your movie references have done some good, DiNozzo." Gibbs said clapping with the rest when they had finished.
"What movie is that from?" Ziva asked.
Tony was about to answer but Charlie beat him to it, "1988 movie Big starring Tom Hanks. The first part is a song called Heart and Soul and the second part is a song called Chopsticks."
"You're very good Charlie and you Tony." Jen commented.
"When the twins get older can I teach them to play the piano as well?" Charlie asked Ziva and Tony. They looked at each other and nodded.
"Would everyone like to head through to the dining room dinner is served." Ducky announced.
"What no bell Ducky." Tony joked in which only Charlie and Ziva didn't understand.
"I am not a butler, Anthony." Ducky replied.
***NCIS***
After dinner it was Tony's and McGee's job to clear the table. Once the table was cleared the table they re-joined the group. Tony stood in the door way like he did yesterday but it wasn't Gibbs who came to talk to him, it was Callum. For a moment they stood in silence watching Charlie teach Ziva a song in the keyboard.
"You have done a good job with her Tony." Tony looked at Callum a little shocked. They might not have seen eye to eye in the past but they both wanted what was best for Charlie. For Callum it was seeing her smile and laugh and he could tell Tony was doing a good job. Callum held out his hand for Tony to shake as a peace offering. Tony shook hand with him. Ann had been watching them as she talked to Ducky. "You're a great dad Tony. I have no doubt about that and you'll be great dad to our twins."
"Thanks Callum."
"Well we'd better be off; we have an early flight to catch in the morning."
Callum and Ann said their goodbyes to the team and thanked Jen for letting them stay for dinner. Callum was crutched down so he was eye level with Charlie.
"Thank you for my presents." Charlie said.
"You're every welcome." Callum told her.
"Will I see you in the summer?" She asked. When Callum called her -after he told her they might not make it for Christmas- he said that since things had changed that it would be a bad thing to start new traditions.
"Yes, your dad and I have already discussed that. Plus you're my lucky charm." That made Charlie smile. "I want you to do something for me Charlotte-Ann."
"What?"
"Keep smiling." She knew what he meant. She was also sure her dad had talked to him about her silent treatment over the past week.
"I promise." She held out her right pinkie finger, he locked his around hers. She hugged him goodbye, "I love you, Grandpa."
"I love you too." He cupped her face and kissed her forehead. Then he stood up.
Charlie went over to her Grandma, "I love you Grandma." They hugged.
"I love you too. Be good."
"I will." She smiled up at her Grandma.
Charlie watched her Grandparents drive away before she closed the front door. She went back into the front room and continued to teach Ziva her favourite song- Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros. For the rest of the evening they all talked to one another. Charlie had fallen asleep happily across Ziva and Abby as they talked with Jen about Ziva's pregnancy. Tony took her to bed but she woke up slightly when he placed her in the bed.
"Did you know they were coming?" She asked fighting her eyes to stay open.
"Yes, your Grandpa called yesterday saying that your Grandma had gotten better and they were in DC. I thought it would be a nice surprise for you." He told her.
"It was. Thank you for my presents that weren't from Santa."
"You're welcome. Good night, Princess." Tony gave her a kiss and left the room.
Another update will come tomorrow.
xx
