I do not own the rights to the NCIS:LA characters, only my own. I'd like to thanks everyone for their patience. The last few months have been a blur. So many changes and adjustments.

October 29

The weather was beautiful, small puffy clouds dotted the bright blue sky. Birds were riding the gently breeze and Brewster sunned himself on the front lawn. Marnie and Callen had managed to keep their secret, only telling Hetty since the pregnancy could potentially affect her job if she was ever needed to go into the field again. With a slight change to their normal routine, the morning sickness was manageable ad none of the three kids suspected a thing.

With the kids playing in the yard, Marnie saw it as a good time to finish decorating the house for Halloween. She borrowed a ladder from her father and lugged the box of decorations out of the garage. Standing on the ladder thinking about not much of anything, humming to herself. Having hung the string of lights on the hooks in front of her, Marnie leaned to the left across the porch. Callen was headed out on one crutch and saw the ladder tipping. He grabbed it and caught Marnie before the fell.

"Marn, you've got to be more careful." He huffed letting her drop to her feet, smiling down lovingly at her. "Especially right now, we can't have anything happening to the two of you."

Marnie looked around the yard searching for the kids. "Shh." She growled. "Not so loud. Do we want to let the whole neighborhood know?"

Callen wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing her softly. "No we don't. Your Dad just called and said the kids are over there. What do you say we have a little time alone?"

Thinking about his proposition, Marnie smiled and patted his chest. "Maybe after I finish decorating out here?"

"Not by yourself." He nodded and let go of her so she could move the ladder.

Halloween

The afternoon was rushed. Get the kids from school, get homework done and dinner on the table before they gathered at Nick and Annette's so they could see the kids. Sam and Michelle arrived as they were headed next door. It had been a month or better since Michelle and Marnie had seen one another. Immediately Michelle noticed a difference in Marnie, but thankfully couldn't put her finger on it. Sam had his suspicions, but was content to wait for the two to make a formal announcement. With Callen not due back into the office for at least another two months, he figured they'd announce something around the end of the year.

Marnie rushed into the house when Nick walked to the door and asked for her help. With Sam on her heels, they found Annette sitting up with a smile across her face. Her eyes were clear and vibrant. "I just want to get up and into the living room so I can see all the kids." She told them and allowed Sam and Marnie to help her to her feet.

After steadying herself, Annette; with the aid of her walker; made it up the step into the kitchen and through to the living room. Marnie was pleased, but knew there would be another setback. Sam, as if reading her mind, patted her on the back and gave her a sad smile. Once Karen's kids were ready, a million pictures were taken and they were out the door trick or treating. For a while, the three families stayed together until Karen decided she wanted to go off on their own. Which was fine, since Karen and her kids were complaining about one thing or another.

Even though Karen had come around and started to do more around the house, things truthfully hadn't changed. It seemed lately that the more she was asked to do, the less she actually did. Marnie was fit to be tied, especially when her parent's really needed both she and her sister the most. By the end of the night, Marnie was exhausted as was Callen. Once they went through the kid's candy and took what they wanted, the kids had a few pieces and went to bed. Leaving the adults to chat for a while.

Marnie and Michelle stood in the kitchen while the coffee brewed while Callen and Sam sat in the living room nursing a bottle of beer. "How's everything going here?" Sam asked, trying not to be so obvious about his little fishing expedition.

"Things are going pretty good. I'm getting better and it's not so bad being home since Marnie is here to keep me company." Callen admitted.

"Yeah, I know how that goes. Marnie looks good, how is she feeling?" He asked before sipping from the long-neck bottle. "Hetty mentioned she had food poisoning or something."

Callen drew a blank. "Um, yeah, she's feeling better. We're both really tired, running here and there. With physical therapy every day, we're constantly on the go."

Sam nodded and gave a sly smile. "G, she's glowing."

Callen beamed. "Don't say anything."

Marnie was getting the creamer out of the coffee while Michelle watched, still trying to place what was different about her. "Marn, have you put on a little bit of weight?"

She stopped and looked down at herself, careful not to expose the growing bump. "Maybe a little. With the stress from everything going on, I'm not watching what I'm eating or getting much in the way of exercise."

Michelle saw it and smiled to herself. "Any cravings yet?"

"Oh my Lord, cheese and ice cream. I can't wait for G to be able to drive again so he can make the midnight runs." She gushed and stopped suddenly, pulling Michelle close. "Please don't say anything to anyone. We aren't planning on telling anyone for another month or so."

"Why wait? How far along are you?" Michelle asked ready to squeal like a school girl.

"We got pregnant before Callen's accident, in early August."

"So you're almost three months?" Michelle tried to contain her excitement.

Callen and Sam both heard Michelle and decided to join the conversation. Sam and Michelle loved the interaction between Callen and Marnie. Both were so obviously overjoyed by the pregnancy, but torn at the same time. They discussed Annette's failing health and how her impending death would affect the family. The next few months would truly be bittersweet for everyone who knew Annette. Still, Sam and Michelle urged them to tell about the pregnancy sooner rather than later so Annette had time to enjoy watching Marnie's pregnancy. Callen and Marnie were adamant about not telling anyone else until the family was together in its entirety. The conversation came to a quick end when the kids came screaming through the kitchen from the back yard.

Sam caught Cassie's arm and asked what was going on. She laughed when she told them that once of the neighborhood boys scared them. Sam grinned and let her run off with the others. While Callen and Sam sipped a few more beers each, Marnie managed to drip only one cup of coffee before she started falling asleep. Sam went in to check on the kids and found them all asleep, Michelle woke Marnie and took her back to bed while the guys opened the sofa bed. Well, Sam opened it while Callen watched.

Marnie was on her side when Callen came to bed. Quietly, he set the crutch against the wall and stepped into the bathroom. By the time he limped back out into the bedroom, Marnie was laying on her back. With the covers pulled tightly across her body the baby bump was very much there. As much as he wanted to wait until Christmas to tell everyone, they might have to do it sooner if she got any bigger. They might be able to hold off for a few weeks, but not a month and a half.