I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE NCIS:LA CHARACTERS, ONLY MY OWN.
Marnie walked into the house and dropped her bags on the filing cabinet just inside the door. Annette sat at the table with Avery, Rosie and Harry, supervising while they ate snack. She struggled to her feet and gingerly walked into the living room. She could tell when Marnie called that there was something wrong and judging by the look on her face and the slump to her shoulders, it wasn't good at all.
"Marnie what's wrong, what happened?" She asked cradling her left arm.
"You're shoulder's sore again?" Marnie asked seeing the pain her mother tried to hide.
"It is, but I'm more concerned about you." She told her.
Marnie gave her mother a look acknowledging how stubborn she was and waited until the kids had gone to their rooms to hang their backpacks. She stepped closer to her mother and told her what she'd seen between Callen and Nell at work that afternoon. Annette knew for a fact that Callen loved her and only her and insisted that Marnie had misinterpreted what she'd seen. All Marnie could do was offer a tearful smile and walked away.
After changing into a pair of sweats, t-shirt and sweatshirt, Marnie scrubbed the sweet potatoes and put them in the over to slow back. Callie got everything she needed for her pumpkin pie; with the exception of the pie crust; and put them in a box on the table. At four thirty, she was sitting out back with a cup of coffee enjoying the sweet scent wafting from the oven when her phone rang. She took a deep breath when she saw Nell's name flash across the screen.
"Hey Nell, is everything alright?" She asked cordially.
"Everything's fine, I wanted to make sure you're okay." Nell told her and proceeded to explain the situation. Nell told her that Eric had told her conversation between them and grew worried so she took her concerns to Callen. Even threatened him with bodily harm if he hurt her. In the end, Nell told Marnie that everyone in the office knew they had feelings for one another and no one was going to stand in the way of that.
Marnie was relieved and thanked Nell profusely for calming her fears that Callen wasn't interested in her the way she hoped. She told Nell of her plans to file for divorce; once she found her papers and give Callen a copy at Christmas before she told him she loved him. Nell sighed at the romantic notion and couldn't wait to talk to her again Monday morning after Callen did the exact same for her.
Callen didn't mean to be so late, he'd gotten sidetracked looking at hotels and attractions in New York. He needed to talk to the kids in a roundabout way to see where they suggested they stay and what they'd like to do while there. Since Marnie and the kids were going to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade at his house, he'd use that time to pick their brains. He heard the kids screaming and yelling as he walked up to the house. The TV blaring in the living room, Nick was trying to watch the news. He knocked on the door and got his usual, 'Come on in' from Nick who was on his feet shaking his hand. Only this afternoon, he gave Callen a look. He couldn't tell if it was worry or anger.
Callen explained what had happened at work and pulled Marnie's divorce papers from his pocket. "I love your daughter, Nick. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. Nell's a good friend, stands barely five foot and has fiery red hair. She was just letting me know that Marnie was upset and feeling a little left out since Sam was telling everyone about Jason and his girlfriend. Nell threatened me since she and Marnie have become friends. I gave her a hug to set her fears at ease. That's all it was."
Nick nodded and walked Callen into the kitchen. The kids sat around the table eating dinner. Callie, Alec and Avery rushed him. He gave each one a hug and told them to sit back down while he talked to their Mom.
Callen walked out onto the patio and saw her, the setting sun peeking through the leaves of the tree casting their shadow down on her. She positively glowed in the amber light. God he loved this woman and wished he could bring himself to tell her so. Right then, right there. She smiled at him, turning his heart in his chest. Her eyes glistening and dancing as the wind gently blew wisps of hair atop her head. And that sweater, that stupid orange and brown sweater she always wore wrapped tightly around her to stave off the early evening chill. He wanted to walk right out and kiss her pursed, slightly smiling lips, but couldn't. Not without know how angry she was.
It killed him, this rat race. Constantly going back and forth letting yet another day pass without declaring his love for her. The divorce papers; filed and served; stuffed in his back pocket, but they'd have to wait another day. Tonight Marnie and the kids were coming over to show him how to make pumpkin pie. While he didn't much care for it, Marnie promised theirs was different. He took her word and eagerly anticipated his first bite after dinner tomorrow night.
The air smelled sweet, syrupy almost and remembered Marnie mentioning baking the sweet potatoes early so she could assemble the casserole tonight, bake it and leave it in his refrigerator to rewarm before dinner. More than spending time with the entire family, he loved just spending time with Marnie and the kids. So much that he didn't know who he loved more. Callen relished in the evenings after work when he'd go over and help with homework while Marnie and Annette cook dinner.
He loved to watch her move with ease around the kitchen. Annette knew it too and would join him at the table when her burst of energy had gone. Together they'd watch Marnie shine in one of her favorite places in the house.
"How did things wrap up?" She asked pulling him back to reality.
"Everything's wrapped up nicely and on Hetty's desk." He said looking at his watch, it was a few minutes before seven. "I'm sorry I'm so late, do we still have enough time to make everything?"
Marnie smiled and stood. "Let me get the sweet potatoes out and we can head over. Callie's already got everything in a box, ready to go."
"Have you eaten?" Callen asked putting his hand on the small of her back, leading her into the house with the warm cookie sheet in her hands. Marnie set the cookie sheet on the stove and turned to get a Tupperware container from the pantry. "Do you want to eat here or order a pizza or Chinese or something?" He asked.
"Whatever you want to do, G." She smiled, touching his chest lightly.
He almost lost it. As if it weren't bad enough the sensation that coursed through his body when he touched her, but the static charge he got from her touch drove him wild. Callen cleared this throat before he spoke for fear he'd sound like a pubescent teenage boy whose voice was changing. "Chinese?"
"Sure." She smiled. "Callie, honey you need to come get the pie crusts out of the freezer, we're headed over to G's in a minute."
Marnie stood beside Callie reading the recipe and checking her measurements while Callen watched with an easy smile. From time to time, she would look up at him and smile. He had to tell her soon, but didn't want to interrupt Callie's progress with the pie. Once the pie was in the oven and the kids were watching a movie, he pulled Marnie to the kitchen. He was nervous and fumbled, even caught his toe on the door jam. Marnie checked him over, deemed his little toe not broken, but still presented him with a baggie of ice wrapped in a towel.
Callen needed to do this and just set the make-shift ice pack on his foot as he leaned against the counter. Marnie couldn't help but giggle as he cringed in pain as he shuffled restlessly from one foot to the other. "I need to talk to you." He said taking her hand. "You saw something this afternoon and it wasn't at all what you thought."
"I know, Nell called me this afternoon. She explained everything." She told him.
"Everything?" He asked eyes wide with panic.
"Not everything, she did leave a lot for you to explain, like this hilarious story Sam told all day yesterday."
He smiled, "I'll get to that, first you need to see this." He said handing her the envelope.
Marnie opened it and pulled out the thick stack of papers. Quickly her eyes scanned the pages. "These are my divorce papers." She said with tears in her eyes, relieved to have found them, but confused at the same time. "I've been looking for these, how did you get them?"
"Annette slipped them to me a couple weeks ago. I had Deeks looked them over and Hetty took them to a judge friend of hers."
Marnie wiped a tear. "They've been filed?"
"Look at the last page." He told her softly with a loving smile.
"And they've been served? How?" She asked in disbelief.
"That's where Sam's story comes in." He grinned wildly. "We took off Monday afternoon to serve the papers. Jason's girlfriend had apparently been told that he was already divorced and had only one child; a daughter with a woman in North Carolina. She ripped the papers from his hand and proceeded to beat him to a pulp because of it."
"Oh, I would've given anything to see that." She laughed. "So, how long do I have to wait?"
Callen smiled as Marnie inched closer to him, set the papers next to him on the counter and placed her hands on his chest. "Two months was the best Hetty could do."
"Two months?" She asked again and stepped even closer.
"Yes, but we were hoping for less." Callen slurred, looking at her lips and the come hither look in her eyes.
"I love you." She whispered and moved her hands up his chest to the back of his neck.
"I love you too, Marnie." He said just before she pressed her lips to his.
The kiss was everything the first was and then some. Flawless and torrid, tender and stormy. Toe curling and earth shatteringly beautiful. They heard giggles behind them and slowly parted, tears in their eyes. With one last soft kiss, they looked towards their audience. The three kids stood there with arms around one another grinning like mad. "It's about time." Callie laughed and the three charged Callen and Marnie.
After checking on the pies, Callie, Alec and Avery went back out to the living room, leaving Callen and Marnie alone. Marnie leaned into him with her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her. He loved the feel of Marnie's body against his, her warmth radiating through him. It was right, and perfect and she loved him.
"I've got something else." He told her, pushing her back a little so she looked at him. "I wasn't going to tell you, but I figured this is something you wanted to do and I'm going to need as much help as I can get between the planning and getting everyone to the airport."
"What are you talking about?" She asked and was led up the hallway to the master bedroom.
Callen went to the closet and pulled out another thick envelope, handing her one of the smaller envelopes. Marnie opened it and removed the contents, noticing there were six other envelopes. Instantly she was in tears and dropped to her knees. "New York? You're taking us to New York for Christmas?"
Callen knelt down beside her. "We're taking your Mom, Dad and the kids to New York for Christmas."
Marnie shook her head. "Not me, this is all you, I could never afford this. First class at that, this must have cost close to twelve thousand dollars." She said looking up at him in awe, tears streaming down her face.
"Someday it will be our money. Marry me Marnie?" He asked taking her hand.
"Marry you, right now?" She laughed. "Let's get this divorce finalized before we even broach that subject. I love you with all of my heart, but I'm going to need some time to let this absorb. Let's just say when you ask again, I will say yes."
"I'll take that." Callen smiled and kissed her again.