29 Weeks:
"I have to go check in with the Bureau," Charlie groaned, aggressively hanging up her phone.
"Why is that an issue?" Jakes wondered. "I mean, you told your boss about your situation. I've heard they're really accommodating about that kind of stuff."
The two were currently enjoying Jakes' day off at the beach. Briggs and Paige had initially joined them, but ditched them to go surfing. Mike and Johnny were in Van Nuys on a surveillance op.
"I told him, but I don't know. I really don't want to walk past all the agents I've worked with looking like a house. What will they think of me? I told my control officer not to mention the pregnancy to anyone."
"So, no one knows why you haven't been at work in so long?"
"Nope. I mean, I hoped that they would forget about me, but if I walk through the Bureau looking like a whale… I didn't want this to happen."
"It isn't that bad. At least you can return to work once Carina is born. Walking through a building filled with fellow FBI agents can't be the worst thing you've ever done."
"What if someone asks to touch my stomach? You know I hate that."
"Touch their stomach back."
"Jakes… seriously."
"I'll come with you, okay? If anyone comes up to you, I'll protect you from their touchiness and their questions," Jakes offered. Charlie smiled at the thought. "What do they need you for anyway?"
"They want me to be there in an hour to talk about the baby. I guess they want to hear my plans for after Carina is born and if I plan to return to the FBI and all that shit. They want to talk to Briggs, too. I should probably go find him."
"I'll help you look."
They found Paige and Briggs pretty quickly. Briggs caught got distracted when he saw Charlie, and fell head first off of his surf board and disappeared under a wave. When he resurfaced, Paige circled him and laughed her ass off.
"Did someone get distracted by a pretty girl?" Paige teased, pointing to Charlie. On the beach, Charlie looked distressed trying to see if Briggs was okay after his fall. "It appears as though you're in looveee."
"Very funny. Let's go see what those two want." Briggs knocked the side of his head in an attempt to get some of the water out of his ear.
"The Bureau called. They want to talk to us about the baby," Charlie said when Briggs got close. She didn't want to scream out for the whole beach that they were FBI.
"Right now?" Briggs asked.
"In about an hour. You should probably go change."
"Hey, are you okay? You look upset," Briggs said, gently cupping her face.
"What if the other agents judge me? I worked so hard to get where I am, but what if they think I'm just a good for nothing loser who got herself knocked up?"
"Chuck. First of all, I never want to hear you call yourself that ever again. You are one of the best goddamn FBI agents out there. Second, they won't judge you. No one is going to ask if Carina was planned or not. They probably will assume we wanted to start a family. I'll be right by your side the entire time."
"Jakes is coming, too."
"Charlie, baby, look at me. This will all be okay. Don't sweat this," Briggs comforted.
"I can do this," Charlie tried to convince herself. "I will do this."
"If I believe in you, you should believe in you. If you haven't noticed, I don't really believe in a lot of things. Trust me when I say that I believe you are the strongest woman I've ever met."
"You're going soft," Charlie said tearfully.
"You already turned me soft, baby."
"I don't mean to interrupt, but is everything alright?" Paige asked, approaching the two.
"Yeah, I just have to have a talk with my boss about this kid, and I'll have to walk past everybody and they'll see that I'm pregnant."
"I can come with you," Paige offered.
"Sure, but Jakes and Briggs are already coming."
"The more the merrier, right? If Johnny and Mike were here, they'd join us, too. It won't be that bad," Paige said with a smile. Charlie shrugged, digging her feet into the sand. Except she couldn't see her feet over her protruding stomach.
"You should change, then. We'll have to leave pretty soon."
Once Paige and Briggs had changed out of their wetsuits and the four of them had piled into the SUV, they were ready to leave for the Bureau.
"Don't be nervous," Briggs advised, covering Charlie's hand with his own.
"Don't tell me what to do," she retorted. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. I'm just nervous."
"It's okay. Just remember that this will be over shortly."
All too soon but not soon enough, they pulled up to the building. Charlie took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, followed by Briggs, Jakes, and Paige. They all sent reassuring glances in her direction. Side by side, they walked into the building. Almost ten seconds after the entered the building, they passed an agent that Charlie knew pretty well.
"Agent Demarco! I had been wondering where you went," Agent Sprouse said. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Charlie replied. She tried to force a smile as they passed. At least he didn't stop to touch her stomach!
When they got deeper into the building, they ran into more and more people. Some just stared from a distance in slight shock, while others actually came up to talk to Charlie. Briggs noticed how uncomfortable she was, and she had an iron grip on his hand.
"Almost there," he whispered supportively.
The one person Charlie was praying not to see walked straight up to them: Penny Headley. She was known as the rudest, most gossipy agent at the Bureau.
"That explains a lot," Agent Headley said coolly. "You look just about ready to pop!"
"I still have two months left," Charlie replied with an equal amount of iciness.
"Congratulations! I'd tell you to say 'congrats' to the father, but I have a feeling you don't even know who he is."
"As a matter of fact, Agent Headley, I am the father," Briggs spat. Charlie had never seen him look so livid. Agent Headley cowered a little bit, but quickly recovered. Paige and Jakes eyed each other in amazement.
"I don't see any wedding rings. I'm guessing your little sweetheart was quite the surprise," Agent Headley smirked.
"Listen up, asshole. You're being a bitch to my friends, and I'm not okay with that. Their baby is a miracle. Charlie and Briggs are going to be the best goddamn parents on this Earth, so why don't you stick your nose out of their business before it gets you fired?" Paige snapped. Everyone's reaction was priceless: Jakes and Penny's mouth dropped wide open, Charlie lowered her slowly rising fist, and Briggs laughed.
"Well put, Paige," Briggs grinned, proud of his friend.
"I'm not the one who should be worried about my job. I doubt your boss will let you have yours back after the baby is born. No use in an agent who has gone soft," Agent Headley retorted.
"You'd better watch your back, Agent Headley. I have no problem proving to you that I have not gone soft," Charlie threatened, balling her fists.
"C'mon Chuck. She isn't worth it. Let's go," Briggs said, glaring at Penny.
"Plus, you technically can't into a fight when you are seven months pregnant," Jakes whispered into Charlie's ear so Penny wouldn't hear it. Charlie rolled her eyes at him.
"Yeah, let's go," Charlie agreed.
"Congratulations again!" Agent Headley called after them.
"What a bitch," Charlie muttered.
"Chuck, don't listen to her," Briggs said.
"I'm not. She doesn't know anything about me," Charlie said through gritted teeth.
"She should be fired for treating a fellow FBI agent like that," Paige fumed.
"Hey, we aren't gonna be tattletales, okay?" Charlie said firmly.
"So we aren't going to do anything about that?"
"No, I have a plan. If you didn't know, I'm extra talented at getting revenge…" Charlie said evilly. "While Briggs and I are in this meeting, Paige and Jakes, you two have a job to do. Find out what her car is and do your worst."
"Our worst?" Paige gasped. "That might be too far."
"Nothing is too far," Charlie said seriously.
"Is this really the best idea?" Jakes questioned.
"Yes," Briggs responded. Jakes looked at him in surprise.
"Normally you'd be the one to shut this kind of scheming down!" Jakes exclaimed.
"No one talks to Charlie like that without a penalty," Briggs said gravely.
"I already have such a good idea that involves so many dicks," Paige plotted.
"Sounds great. Make sure it can't be traced back to you, but take pictures of the damage. I want to see," Charlie grinned. "We have to go, but good luck."
Charlie and Briggs walked off, leaving Paige and Jakes with their challenge.
"You go talk to her about her car or something, I don't know. Go into her purse and find her keys. Just find out what type of car she drives. I'll be gathering materials," Paige whispered. Jakes nodded and went off to find Penny Headley. Paige found some permanent markers, nametags, bologna, and duct tape.
"Alright, she drives a black Ford Explorer parked next to the lamppost," Jakes said, approaching Paige.
"How in the world did you find that out?" Paige wondered.
"First, I watched her like a hawk until she moved. Eventually, she went to the bathroom and I quickly went through her stuff. I found her car keys, so I knew she had a Ford. I passed her on her way back from the bathroom. I lied and asked her if she knew anyone who owned a Ford because one was blocking me. She said she owned one, and I asked her what hers looked like. The rest happened magically, if you know what I mean. Let's go find this car."
The two quickly hurried out of the building, getting ready for ambush. Paige tore up the nametags in half and stuck them on her windshield spelling out "I'm an asshole." Jakes took the permanent marker and drew dicks on her windows. They stuffed the bologna in the gas tank. It was glorious.
"Okay, I have an idea. I saw this on Myth Busters or something once where they duct taped a car to a lamp post. She's parked next to a lamp post and I have the tape…" Paige thought aloud.
"I see where you're going, but would that be too far?"
"Charlie said to do your worst."
"You do realize that there are probably surveillance cameras watching our every move."
"It's worth it…"
"I wash my hands with this. You can duct tape the car, and I'll be an innocent bystander."
Paige took the duct tape and wrapped it around the car and lamp post several times. Luckily, Penny parked close to the lamp so there was hardly and space between the car and the post.
"That was evil," Jakes said. "We should go hide in our car before anyone sees this." Paige snapped a couple pictures, and then they both headed into the car, giggling like five year olds. Twenty minutes later, Charlie and Briggs emerged from the building. When they saw the duct tapped car, they burst out laughing, tears streaming down their faces.
"Damn," Charlie said, wheezing for breath. "That was evil."
"That'll teach them to mess with the Graceland bunch," Briggs chuckled. "You two… I don't even know what to say."
"No one talks to Charlie like that. Ever," Paige stated.
"We'll always be there to take care of the bullies," Jakes added.
Charlie couldn't respond because she was laughing so hard.
A/N: I don't really know how this chapter even happened, but it happened. Reviews are always appreciated. You guys are the best