The Last Thing He Thought Of
Chapter Twelve
The wood splintered around the door frame Kyle had just gone though. Kenna used her elbow in as many places as she could reach. She prayed it was only one lone hit man because there was only Eliot to protect everyone else. It wasn't that she doubted his skill, but the men who wanted her dead meant business and she knew they were the best. Eliot was better. She shifted the knife into her right hand and lunged back at the yet identified aslant.
"Kenna!" Eliot called from the hall way.
"I'm a little busy." She said as she turned and hit the man with a left and a right, still clutching on to the knife.
"He still armed?" Kenna kicked the gun out of the man's hand.
"Not anymore." Eliot flew around the corner and flew full force into the man taking him down. Three punches to the solar plexus and he was out.
"I thought you came in here for the cake?" Eliot smiled.
"I got a bit distracted." Kenna laughed. She went into the pantry and got some rope. "You tie up our friend and I'll call McGarret to work his magic."
"The rest of the family is in the barn, by the way."
"Everyone safe and sound?"
"I think Jodi's water might have broken when Kyle slid though the doorway."
"Oh God!"
"Just kidding." He grabbed the rope. Kenna shook her head and dialed McGarret. Things were nearly back to normal. The evacuation of the hit man was almost as fast as his demise. The helicopter landed and picked him up before Eliot got to the barn. Kenna talked to the man who took custody of the gun man. She made sure her friends knew what they could do with him. Going back to the house she tried to clean up the kitchen the best she could. Eliot poked his head in.
"I think one of the bullets hit the cake." Kenna looked at the blue mess that used to be a cake.
"Just tell Parker to be careful. I think she will be the only one eating." Eliot reached for her hand. "'We have a captive audience. You ready?"
"We should start with the easy stuff." Kenna took a deep breath.
"Okay, hit man explanation first, baby news second." They walked into the living room where Jodi was still a little pale.
"How are you doing Kenna?" Nate stood up and went to her.
"I'm doing okay. " He hugged her.
"Next time you bring us in on your side jobs or I'll kill you myself.' He whispered in her ear.
"Yes sir." He went and sat back down. "The day I was shot, I knew it wasn't just some woman on a rampage. I contact a few friends and they found out that some old enemies from my past were looking to make sure I didn't testify at their trial in Hawaii. My ex- CO contacted me and the only thing we came up with was to make sure he was following me, which meant Eliot has to leave me in Paris alone." She sat on the arm of the chair that Eliot had commandeered.
"When were you going to let us in on this little cat and mouse game?" Nate asked.
"Tonight, but the gun man was at least a day behind us. You and the rest of the family were supposed to be gone. I had a kick ass alarm system set up. I needed one more check and then we were going to wait him out."
"But he got the jump on you." Nate really was getting more and more upset over the whole think. "Kenna you could have been killed."
"I know. But now there is one less price on my head." Eliot stood.
"With that said, we have some other news." He actually looked a little nervous.
"Wow it's the day for news." Kenna touched Eliot's hand and he knew she was worried. Nate seemed tenser then he had in a very long time.
"You have something to say Nate?" Eliot looked at the man he called a friend.
"I think we've all had a long day." Kenna swallowed. "Maybe this can wait." The change in his voice was evident. "Just till tomorrow." Eliot looked at Kenna.
"Sounds good." Kenna nodded. "Sleep is probably a good idea."
"I thought we were going to have cake?" Parker looked sad.
"Yeah, I'll get the cake Parker." Kenna stood. Eliot followed.
"The last time you went for cake I ended up with splinters in my ass." Kenna didn't smile. She took a knife and scraped off the writing.
"Kenna." Nate was standing in the door way.
"What can I do for you Nate?"
"I want you sit down. The rush is going to wear off and you're going to crash." He came and stood in front of her. "Jodi wouldn't have been receptive of your news right now." Kenna looked at him. "She's angry about Kyle being put in danger and scared for herself and her baby. If you told her you're pregnant she would just get angry." Eliot looked at Nate.
"How did you know?"
"Maggie had the same glow when she was pregnant with Sam." He looked at the hitter and the woman he had let into his small circle. "I think that you two have gone round and round about this for more hours than you care to admit. I know you've been fighting about it more than anyone should have to about bringing a child into this world. Just know that I will have your backs in this."
"It seems you already have." Eliot said.
"I just saw the way she tensed up when you were describing your side trip to Hawaii."
"Maybe you should just serve the cake." Kenna handed Eliot the knife. "I'll head upstairs. Everyone is staying here tonight." She headed up the back steps,
"She's shutting down."
"It's been a long week Eliot. Give her time. Go talk to your family and reassure them that everything is okay. I will take care of the team." Nate cut the cake in half and took one side to Parker. Eliot went into the living room. His mother, sister and Kyle sat on the couch. Charlie sat on the arm next to Jodi.
"Kenna went upstairs." He looked at Jodi. "Tonight will be the last time you have to worry about something like this ever happening. Tonight Eliot Spencer and Kenna Hawks died." He looked at the three adults. "We won't have any contact with you. No phone calls, no cards, no e-mails unless they're though Hardison."
"Eliot, you can't just cut us out of your life like that." Jodi stood.
"It's the only way to keep you safe." He looked at Kyle asleep against the cushion. "It's the only way to keep our family safe."
"Eliot, we knew what you do isn't always pretty. Tonight was just a reminder." Jodi ran her hand over his shoulder. "We're not scared Eliot."
"Nate seemed to think you were."
"For a few minutes. Then I knew you and Kenna had it under control like you always seemed to do growing up. Now the stakes are just a little bit bigger."
"Eliot, you and your friends do good things. I am proud to call you my son." Clara looked at him. "You said that your friends will make sure we'll be safe. I spent many years worrying about where you were and what you were doing. I don't have to do that anymore. I want us to be that family we were before you left. We can be that if you let us." Charlie stood up.
"We can't lose you and Kenna again Eliot." He looked at the two women. "They can't lose you." The man that had been his sister's friend for almost as long as Kenna looked him in the eye. "We will just do things differently." Eliot looked at his family. They were a stubborn bunch.
"Okay, we'll do it your way." Eliot took a deep breath. "I for one am ready for bed. We'll talk this over more in the morning." He hugged his sister, his mother and shook Charlie's hand. "Thanks for understanding." Eliot headed up the stairs and hopped tomorrow was a better day.
o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/
Kenna felt the mattress sink then the warm arms engulf her. She took a deep breath. No matter what happened she would remember this moment. The moment they both found a place to call home.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." She snuggled closer into him. "I know this is only temporary but right now I feel like I could stay here forever."
"Baby, we can make our own forever." She knew he was right. Tomorrow morning they would tell the family about the baby and they would have their forever.
/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o
"You really did mess up the place." Parker put a cup of hot coco in front of Kenna.
"I'll get it fixed. Parker, where is my coffee?" The thief looked over her cup.
"It's coco. You love coco."
"It's seven o'clock in the morning Parker. Coco is a before bed treat. Now hand over my coffee and no one will get hurt." Hardison came through the door and turned around when he heard Kenna's threat. He bumped into Eliot.
"I wouldn't go in there."
"Why?" Eliot looked around the door frame.
"Parker is trying to keep Kenna away from her coffee."
"Oh God, she has lost her last marble." Eliot stood back. "Is Kenna anywhere near the knife block?"
"I don't know. I high tailed it out of there when Kenna said no one would get hurt if she got her coffee." Nate came down the steps.
"Something wrong boys?" He looked at them.
"For some God forsaken reason Parker is withholding coffee from Kenna." Hardison answered. Nate looked at Eliot.
"You two are afraid of a couple of girls?"
"No, I'm afraid of one of those women. And depending on the day…both." Hardison turned and headed the opposite direction. Nate laughed.
"Did you see what she did to the guy last night? That is my sweet girlfriend when she had her morning coffee." Eliot heard a cup hit the counter hard.
"I'll go in first. Draw the fire toward me and you go in for the coffee pot." Nate rocked back and forth on his heels, smiling. Then he turned and headed into the kitchen. "Parker, give Kenna her coffee." He went to the pot and poured himself a cup.
"Coffee is bad for the…" She stopped.
"For what Parker?" Kenna looked at her.
"For…you know…you get all jittery and then if you have to put in an IV and your hands are shaking." Parker demonstrated by shaking her hands all wild like.
"I won't have to put in an IV today, unless someone gets hurt…or worse." Kenna said though clenched teeth. Nate pushed his cup toward her.
"Let the woman have her coffee."
"Thank you Nate." She glared at Parker. Eliot came in and headed to the pot of coffee. "Chicken." Kenna said to him
"Damn straight." Sophie came in and she could almost sense the tension.
"Good morning. What have I missed?"
"Parker tried to keep Kenna away from her coffee." Nate looked at Parker.
"I'm sorry okay. I thought I was helping." She slammed down her coco and left the room.
"I'll go." Eliot said.
"No…I will." Kenna stood up. Grabbing her cup she headed after Parker.
"I'm not cleaning up the blood." Sophie said as she drank her coffee.
"Sophie…" Nate smiled behind his coffee cup and Eliot left for higher ground.
/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o
Kenna found Parker on the tire swing. She was swinging aimlessly back and forth.
"I'm sorry Parker." The thief stopped swinging.
"I'm sorry too. I was…I know…" Kenna put her hand on Parker's shoulder.
"I know; you were just trying to help." Kenna looked at her friend. "A little bit of coffee won't hurt, I promise." She smiled. "How did you know?"
"I overheard you and Eliot fighting the other night."
"So does everyone know?"
"Just me and Nate as far as I know."
"You know that Nate knows?"
"I heard him talking to Eliot too. Maybe you should both stop talking to Eliot?" She raised her eyebrows.
"Kenna!" Jodi called from the porch.
"Yeah Jodi…just hold on." Kenna turned back to Parker. "Are we okay?"
"Yeah, go see what Jodi needs." She nodded and headed back up to the porch.
"What's up?" Kenna asked Eliot's sister.
"I told you that we had a hard time conceiving and Charlie and I got approved for foster care and then adoption."
"Yeah but you got pregnant."
"Well me and Charlie didn't take our names of the adoption list and well…they have a baby for us Kenna…right here in Boston."
"A baby…wow…how…I mean that's great." Kenna hugged her friend.
"I know." She laughed. "We wanted a big family."
"So where…when can you go and get the baby?"
"They called thinking we would have to make the trip here. We have to pick her up tomorrow." Kenna smiled.
"Her?"
"Yeah, her name is Grace." Kenna swallowed hard.
"Grace?" Kenna whispered. Parker came up on the porch.
"Did something happen to Grace?" Jodi looked at Parker. The young thief had gone pale.
"No Parker." Kenna looked at Jodi. "It seems that Jodi and Charlie are going to get to adopt her." Kenna smiled.
"You know this baby?"
"Kenna delivered her." Parker said proudly.
"Really…oh God Kenna, that makes her even more special."
"You do know her mother was a crack addict?"
"I know, that's why we got her." Jodi sat on the chair. "I took about a million and one classes on special needs kids for us to get our foster parent approval so I know what I'm in for. Did I know I would be dealing with it when I was seven months pregnant, no?"
"Are you sure you're up to this?" Kenna knew Jodi would be but she had to ask.
"You bet your ass." Eliot came out on the porch.
"Hey baby sister, watch that mouth."
"Jodi and Charlie get to have Grace!" Parker was almost giddy with excitement.
"What…what did I miss?"
"Long story short we're adopting her!" Eliot knew there wasn't a better set of parents on earth to take care of that little girl. He was sure of that.
"That's great." He said. "Wow, we were hoping she would get a good home. Turns out she's getting a great home." Eliot looked at Kenna. "Maybe we should get everyone together. Celebrate."
"Ohh, more cake?" Parker's eyes lit up.
"How about pancakes Parker?" Eliot asked.
"Yummy." She looped her arm around his and nearly dragged Eliot into the house.
"We'll tell then at breakfast." Eliot mouthed. Kenna nodded. This family didn't make anything easy, that was for damn sure.
o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/
Pancakes were served, coffee and juice poured and the conversation was flowing. Kenna watched the people around her interact. She was in tune to it all. Eliot and Charlie were talking about the throttle on Eliot's motorcycle. Sophie was talking about art with Jodie. Hardison was telling Clara bout his Nana's cooking and Kyle was talking to Parker about building a tree house. She knew no one would notice if she just slipped out.
"Don't even think about it." Nate whispered in her ear. "Just stand up and you'll have them eating out of your hand." She looked at him.
"You think?"
"I know." He touched her hand. "You've never been afraid of anything. This is your family." Nate smiled. "We're your family." Kenna smiled and nodded. She stood up. Clearing her throat everyone looked at her.
"I guess this week end has been everything but boring." The all laughed. "I'm so glad we could all be here for the news about Grace getting the most wonderful of homes. We were kind of worried Parker was going to up and steal her one day, now she doesn't have to." Parker smiled. "I have rehearsed this a million times in my head but I never could make the words come out." Kenna's eyes began to well up.
"What my beautiful and slightly emotional sidekick is trying to say is we're having a baby." Eliot stood and took her hand. Everyone seemed genuinely happy. Everyone, except the last person anyone would have thought would have any objections. Sophie stood up and walked out the door. Kenna watched her go. She turned to Nate, looking scare. Nate stared to get up.
"No, let me." Eliot said. He kissed Kenna's cheek. "It'll be alright." He left the table and headed out the door. Nate touched Kenna's hand. He nodded. Hoping Eliot cold calm Sophie before she said something she would regret.