If looks could kill he would be dead. "Please Derek I'm perfectly capable of carrying a tote bag full of sandwiches and fruit as well as my own bag. If you must help carry the water."
They had been back from Israel for a week, it hadn't taken them long at all to get back into the swing of things. The team had gotten back the night before from a three day excursation, if you can call going after a rapist an excursation that is, to the west coast. He made love to her then he placed his large hand on her lower abdomen holding her closely before they both succumbed to sleep.
They held hands as they made their way to where there friends were getting ready to play ball. The men wasted no time in a greeting a ball was thrown to Morgan and the game started.
With Lisa and Penelope it was a little bit different. Penelope took a small gift out of her bag and handed it to her friend. A small blanket came next she spread it on the ground and then sat leaning against a tree. Penelope smiled as she took out her knitting and a small pattern book.
"I'm pregnant." she tells her friend .
"Me too. I'm think I'm two months along, you?"
"I don't know. I've never been regular. I'm going to wait one more month then make an appointment with my doctor.
"I have an appointment next week. I want a boy and Tony wants a girl."
"Derek and I are the same." Penelope shares as Lisa takes out a skein of yarn and a crochet hook.
"I'm so happy for all of us. I'm so glad you talked me into going on a date with Tony. He makes me feel alive again and he is so much fun to be with, some of the time he comes home with a cloud of sadness is the only word that fits. It can linger for days."
"Lisa your first husband was a local policeman. What the agents do is so much worse, the things they see and have to deal with, it can leave you depressed if you don't have an outlet for them."
"I know Gibbs came over shortly after Tony moved into the house. They made a list of things that needed to be repaired replaced and updated and they are working on it one thing at a time."
"What about the rest of the team have you met them yet?"
"Abby came over with Gibbs she brought a aloe vera plant. She said it was best thing for small kitchen burns."
"What about Tim and Ziva?"
"I met them at the office. They were a little standoffish, but polite."
"That is an accurate description they were like that to me when I first met them too. Ziva thinks that I should be able to defend myself and carry a weapon. And Tim well he thinks I'm nothing more than a glorified hacker. As for Abby, I like Abby, she reminds me of a spoiled child at times. She uses it to her advantage, don't let her con you. But deep down inside after you get passed all that she is a really nice person with a heart of gold."
"I know Tony trusts them so does Gibbs that's all that counts."
"And Ducky?" Penelope asks as she hands Lisa a bottle of water and opens one for herself too.
"I adore Ducky he is what he is, a sweet caring man."
"With a backbone made out of titanium from having to deal with Gibbs." Penelope adds.
"Exactly. It was Vance who surprised me the most. He congratulated us, wished us well then gave us a beautiful crystal fruit bowl as a wedding gift."
" I like Vance too, he's not just a suit he did his time as a field agent so he knows what they have to do. Even if he doesn't like it when they bend the rules to get the job done."
"What are you guys doing later?"
"He is doing the laundry I'm going to take a nap. When I wake up I'll have to do something about dinner."
"All I can think about is food lately. What are you going to make?"
"Scrambled eggs, toast and cut up fresh fruit. It is the one thing I can make and not burn."
" Penelope, you're going to have to learn how to cook sometime."
"Not if we can convince Derek's mother to come live with us. Our house has a in-law attachment. It is perfect for her, besides Chicago winters are really bad and Derek would like to have his mother live here with us."
"Penelope you really are bad. Its not that hard to cook."
"And before you ask I fully intend to take care of all this child's nutritional need with out having to learn how to cook. Breast is best and they sell organic baby food in jars. So see I can put off learning how to cook for at least a year after the baby is born."
Lisa looks at her and laughs. "I think you my friend are in for a rude awakening, You can't feed them food out of jars forever."
There were days that flew by and days that seemed that they would never end. She was never truly alone when Derek and the team went away she stayed in her office and did the work required of her.
Rossi had left firm orders that someone was to bring her a sandwich and a glass of something water, juice or milk. When ever the team was away and she was unable to leave the building. She was well cared for, even at night Gibbs or Tony would stop by making sure that she was fine and they would always ask if she needed anything.
She kept up a lively correspondence with Miriam telling her about what was going on. Sharing photographs of the house and the nursery once it was completed. Asking about her sons and if any of them were seeing a nice girl to settle down with, yet.
Having made plans with Lisa and Abby to meet and NCIS she stepped off of the elevator and into a hornets nest. A child's blood curdling scream is what she hears, then the angry voice of Ziva. "Just pull her out from under the desk. She needs to answers the questions that we have."
Not walking as quickly as she used to she waddles more with only two months left of her pregnancy she finds it easier to move at the slower pace. Her back likes it better too.
Placing two fingers into her mouth she blows hard making a traffic stopping whistle. All noise stops and the people in the bullpen look around looking for the culprit who made the noise.
"What's going on?" She asks ever so sweetly, with a completely innocent look on her face except if you looked into her eyes.