!Warning! This chapter gets sad and dark. It goes back into some of Niko's past.
Ryland climed in his parents bed early that morning. His mom was laying on her side tucked against his daddy who was laying on his back. Ryland crawled on top of his dad's chest and put his feet on his dad's face.
"Daddy." he said wiggling his toes in his dad's beard.
"Ryland." Deeks answered moving his hands up to grab the offending little feet.
"Why is yous still sweepin?" Ry asked.
"Why are you already awake Little Prince?" his daddy asked. Before Ryland could answer Deeks brought his sons feet to his mouth and started nibbling on his toes. Ryland jerked back in laughter trying to get away.
"Have you ever heard the story of the Little Prince who crawled into is parents bed before 6 in the morning?" Deeks asked in a whisper. Ryland shook his head no.
"His parents ate him all gone and went back to sleep." His dad said with a scary edge to his voice. Ryland shook his head no in pure disbelief.
"Look over there on mommy's side, the clock reads 5:25, that is before 6, I think we are going to have to eat you so I can go back to sleep." Deeks said slowly bringing Ryland's leg up to his mouth.
"NO DADDY!" Ryland shrieked waking his mom.
"What is wrong?" Kensi asked immediately on alert.
"I told Ryland the story of the Little Prince who gets eaten because he came into his parents bed before 6." Deeks told his wife. At first she looked pissed for being awkened by her son and her husband then she smiled and said.
"Well I am hungry this morning, let's eat!" she announced grabbing one of Ryland's arms.
"NO NO!" he kept shrieking in between giggles. "I IS NOT FOR EATS!" His parents didn't listen and they continued to playfully eat him. Kensi and Deeks had enough and decided to let Ryland breathe, he tried to scurry away from them towards the end of the bed, but his dad caught his foot.
"Trying to go somewhere Ry?" His mommy asked.
"Away from yous who is try in to eats me." he said still out of breath from laughing.
"We won't eat you anymore! Come here." Kensi asked. Ryland slowly crawled up the bed as if to see if either of his parents were going to get him. When nothing happened he came to rest by his mom.
"Mornin little one." she greeted with a kiss to his head.
"What are you doing up so early?" Deeks asked. It was unusual for Ry to be awake before 6 unless he had a nightmare or something was on his mind.
"Me wants to see Baxton." he said as if it were obvious why he would be awake.
"Braxton is sleeping right now and Uncle Ray said we can see him when they get home tomorrow." Kensi explained softly.
"I wants to see hims now." Ryland pouted.
"We won't be able to see him today because we are busy. You want to know what we are going to do?" Deeks asked.
"What?" he asked uninterested in what was going down.
"We are going to clean the baby's room and paint it today." His dad told. Ryland brightened up a bit hearing that but was still disappointed he would not be seeing his cousin.
"How about you try to go back to sleep so you can help out today." Kensi suggested.
"Okays me way on yous?" he asked his mom.
"Yes you can." Ryland couldn't fully lay on his mom like he used to because of Smalls. He tried to just lay his head on her chest, but it just wasn't the same.
"What is wrong Ry?" Kensi asked when Ryland sighed and lifted his head to look at her.
"Can yous moves Smalls? Hers in my way." Ryland explained.
"No baby I can't move her, she has to stay right here so mommy can protect her." Kensi said patting her stomach.
"I no want hers there, it's my spot." he said rubbing his eyes adorably.
"In a few months you can have your spot back but for now it is hers, and I can't change that buddy. You can lay on daddy if you want." she tried suggesting a different way for him to fall asleep. Ryland looked over at Deeks trying to decide if he wanted to lay on his dad.
"Yous is neber gonna haves a baby in yous tummy wite?" he asked. Deeks erupted in laughter.
"Daddy. " Ryland said drawing his father's attention.
"No buddy, daddy will never have a baby in his tummy only mommy will." Deeks answered becoming serious again.
"Okays that be my new spot." he decided. He crawled over and layed on his stomach on his dad. Kensi smiled and tucked herself back against Deeks.
"Kensi look it's Ryland's first Seahawks Jersey." Deeks said as he held up the tiny jersey. He had found it while they were going through the things in the room that would soon be the nursery.
"Oh he used to be so little." she said walking over to him to examine the shirt for herself.
"He still is little, he isn't even in the 70th percentile for his age." he reminded her.
"He is our little guy, he will probably be small forever." Kensi commented.
"Do we give it to Ray for Braxton?"
"No I want to keep it for Ryland." Kensi answered. Deeks put it in the keep pile and reached for another box. The box he grabbed contained Ryland's baby books and the outfit he came home in.
"Ry, Niko come here." Kensi called to the boys who were playing with their cars in the hallway. The boys walked in the room and looked at their parents.
"Do you want to see Ryland when he was a baby?" Deeks asked. They nodded and joined their parents on the floor. Kensi and Deeks pointed out different pictures and explained them to the boys.
"Ryland's favorite food was mashed up pears and he loved to wear shoes with no clothes on." Kensi said as she flipped to the page with a picture of Ry wearing his Nike sandals and a diaper.
"Can me sees Niko's baby pichers?" Ry asked. Kensi and Deeks looked at each other not knowing what to say.
"Yeah can me sees mine?" Niko asked curious about what he looked like as a baby. Kensi and Deeks continued to stare at each other neither one knowing how to tell Niko they didn't have any of his baby stuff.
"Niko," Kensi started softly, she didn't get any farther before he interrupted her.
"You don't have any of them. You don't have anything or know anything because my parents are dead, you only have me." Niko announced. He stood up and ran out of the room.
"You haves hims pichers wite?" Ryland asked.
"No we don't have anything." Kensi said realization in her voice.
"Deeks we literally have nothing. No baby photos, no baby clothes, we don't know what his favorite food was, or what he always did when he was little. We don't even know his medical history, he could have heart disease or cancer in his family line we know nothing just like he said." she told her husband.
"Hey, hey we know some stuff." Deeks said trying to comfort his wife.
"It will never be enough." she whispered.
"We can call Hetty and see if she can give us the details of his parents murder and see where everything in their house went." Deeks suggested.
"Mommy what happen to Niko's mommy and daddy?" Ryland asked. They had never told Ry what happened to his brothers family.
"They got hurt buddy and went to heaven with grandpa." Deeks said gently.
"We need to go talk to him together." Kensi said.
"I will call Eric to see if he and Nell can watch Ry." he said grabbing his phone off a nearby box. "Eric said they would be here in 10." Deeks announced standing and hanging up the phone. "I am going to find him so we know he is safe before we talk." he announced and walked out of the room.
The knock on the door signalled Eric and Nell had arrived. Kensi and Ryland made their way upstairs where she thanked them.
"No problem good luck with Niko." Nell said putting her hand on her friends shoulder.
"Thanks I hope I can fix this." Kensi said worry slipping into her voice. Deeks was standing at the back door looking into the backyard when Kensi came up behind him.
"He is out there on the trampoline with Monty." Deeks said pointing outside.
"Well come on then." Kensi said as she pushed the door open and started walking towards her oldest son. The closer they got they realized he wasn't crying he was just sitting there petting the dog.
"Niko are you alright?" His mom asked as she climbed up the ladder to get on the trampoline. Niko didn't answer he just turned to look at his parents. He looked angry and upset, but he looked disappointed most of all and it broke their hearts.
"I'm sorry we don't have any of your baby things, but daddy and I are going to figure out how to get them." she said trying to make the situation better.
"Them is in Russia and we is in America, you can't get them." he said sadly.
"That may be the case but, Grandma Hetty is going to see if she can help us out." Deeks helped out coming to sit on the other side of Niko.
"You were right when you said that we didn't know anything about you Niko. Kensi admitted sadly. "Will you tell us some things that you remember?" she asked softly. Niko stared at her for a while before lifting his lips in a small smile.
"You really want to know?" he asked.
"Of course we want to know." Deeks announced laying down on his back reaching a hand over to pet Monty.
"I already know you liked to feed the fish with your dad, and stand on the vacuum, and your daddy always told you to protect your mommy." Kensi told him making him smile.
"And mommy liked to sing, I loved her voice." he said.
"You told me your dad was an architect and you loved to color on his blue sheets with him and take pictures with your mom." Deeks informed him.
"Did you have any other pets besides fish?" his mom asked.
"Nope just fishies."
"So what did a day in the life of Niko Alexander look like?" his dad asked.
"Um we waked up eat breakfast daddy went to work mommy and me watch cartoons then we went to her studio where I ride my scooter. But if I didn't want to go I stayed with Alina and her mommy. Then daddy would come home and we would just be together." Niko explained.
"How did you know Alina and her mommy?" Kensi asked.
"Them lived next to us." he answered.
"How old is she?" Deeks asked.
"She is 6 a year older than me."
"Did you like her? Was she pretty?" Deeks teased making Niko turn bright red. Niko nodded his head yes shyly.
"Alina's mommy would take us to the park and we would play with Luca, but Luca liked Alina and she didn't like him. She told me she didn't like him but I liked Luca hims was funny like Ryland." Niko explained falling back and laying beside his dad.
"Do you miss them?" Kensi asked she was sure he did but he never mentioned having any friends.
"Yeah but I can't see thems because I have to keep them safe and if they sees me they could die too like mommy and daddy." he said quietly.
"Who told you that?" Deeks asked rolling over on his stomach to look at his son.
"The bad men, they watched us play in the park and thems knew Alina and her mommy's name. They said they would get Alina's mommy and daddy and Luca's parents." Niko admitted. "So I can't see them because I love them and don't want them hurt."
"You do know we got the bed men right?" Deeks asked.
"You only got dis many." he said holding up 3 fingers. "But I let dis many in the door when they killed mommy." he held up 6 fingers and looked down. Kensi and Deeks looked at each other both confused.
"What do you mean you let them in the door?" Kensi asked gently.
"Daddy said to never open the door for anybody only let him or mommy do it." he said remembering the time his dad yelled at him when Alina and her mommy knocked on the door and he ran and opened without asking.
"Нико Александр не открывать дверь, когда кто-то стучит . Только мама и я это сделаю. Вы понимаете?" (Niko Alexander you do not open the door when someone knocks. Only mommy and I will. Do you understand?) Niko didn't understand why his daddy was upset until later when he explained they there were bad people who could take him or come into the house and steal things or hurt him and mommy. Niko promised his dad he wouldn't open the door again.
"I heard someone knock on the door and mommy was in the kitchen. I ran to the door and she yelled at me to stop and not to open it until she got there. I thought it was Alina cause we were post to go to the park so I opened it without mommy. The bad men pushed me over and came into the house. Mommy told me to run but I couldn't.
Knock Knock Knock
"его Алина мы это пойти , чтобы да парке." ("It's Alina we is go in to da park.") Niko yelled running out of the Kitchen.
"Нико не смей открывать эту дверь . Жди меня , пожалуйста." ("Niko don't you dare open that door. Wait for me please.") She called after him quickly closing the fridge and going after her son. Niko ignored his mother's warnings and threw open the door. Six big men with guns stood there, they looked mean and angry. The biggest one in front pushed Niko aside and walked into the house.
"Нико я сказал вам, не открывать дверь глупый мальчик ."
("Niko I told you not to open the door you silly boy.") His mom stopped and looked at the men in her house it didn't take long for her instincts to kick in and for her to yell at Niko.
"Нико выполнения."
("Niko Run.")
"не волнуйтесь , мы не хотим мальчика."
("Don't worry we don't want the boy.") Ivan spat as he stalked towards her. Niko knew he should have run for help or hid only he couldn't move. He was terrified and his mommy kept looking at him crying. One man guarded the door while the others restrained his mom. Not a single one of the men touched Niko until he tried to stop them from hitting his mom.
"трогайте мою маму."
("Don't touch my mommy.") He yelled. He ran up to Ivan and pounded his little fists against his legs. Ivan laughed and kicked him away.
"ваша мать получаете то, что она заслуживает"
("Your mother is getting what she deserves.") he spat. Niko crawled away and sat against the wall listening to his mom and the men talk really fast. He didn't understand much besides it was his daddy's fault and there was no money. His mommy said she would agree to what they wanted if they didn't hurt her son. They stayed there for what felt like hours. Niko was hungry and crying but the men told him to shut up or they would make him.
"деньги не здесь."
("The money is not here.") One of his men announced as he walked back into the kitchen. A knock on the door was heard and everyone went quiet.
"кто это?"
("Who is that?") Ivan asked.
"она должна быть Никос друг и ее мама они принимают его в парк сегодня."
("It should Niko's friend and her mom they were taking him to the park today.") Audrey answered.
"Ответьте на дверь мальчика и сказать вы не можете пойти вы больны . Если вы позволите им знать, что мы здесь вы никогда не увидите свою маму или Алину снова."
("Answer the door boy and say you can't go you are sick. If you let them know we are in here you will never see your mom or Alina again.") Ivan threatened. Niko nodded slowly and walked to the door.
"Нико , вы готовы для парка?"
("Niko are you ready for the park?) Alina asked jumping up and down.
"нет мне больно мне не можете пойти."
("No me is sick me can't go.") He said quietly.
"Могу я поговорить с вашей мамой на минуту?"
("Can I talk to your mommy for a minute?") Alina's mom asked. She noticed the strange van and Niko's red eyes.
"она спит, она не может говорить."
("Her is sleepin she can't talk.") He said very quickly. Alina's mommy nodded her head and said goodbye. Alina followed suit after giving Niko a hug and telling him to feel better. Niko shut the door and looked at Ivan, who smiled.
"хороший мальчик."
("Good boy.") Niko's dad showed up a few minutes later. Audrey guessed that Alina's mom called when something was up.
"Одри люблю , кто здесь? Вы и Нико в порядке?"
("Audrey, love who is here? Are you and Niko alright?") Nikoli called into the house.
"хороший ачальник присоединился к партии."
("Good the thief has joined the party.") Ivan said slowly.
"Иван , я не украсть ваши деньги . Где моя жена и сын?"
("Ivan I didn't steal your money. Where is my wife and son?") he yelled.
"Вы единственный, кто был там , что вы украли , и теперь я буду воровать вашу жену."
("You are the only one who was there you stole it and now I will steal your wife.") He said as he walked back into the kitchen. Nikoli followed but stopped in his tracks when he saw his wife being held at gun point crying. He looked and saw Niko on the floor crying. The small boy had a massive red mark on the side of his face and it instantly pissed his dad off.
"Оставьте в покое мою семью вы были смотрят на нас в течение нескольких месяцев я не крадут ваши деньги."
("Leave my family alone you have been watching us for months I didn't steal your money.")
"нет никаких доказательств этого попрощаться."
("There is no proof of this say your goodbyes.")
"Нико , я люблю тебя больше, чем ты когда-либо знать, и я тоже тебя люблю навсегда Nikoli."
("Niko I love you more than you will ever know and I love you too Nikoli forever.") Audrey choked out.
"НЕТ"
("NO.") Niko heard his dad shout.
"я тоже тебя люблю мама."
("I love you too mommy.") the words died on his lips as he heard a gunshot and watched his mom fall to the floor beside him. Nikoli couldn't move.
"Мы не должны ее найти деньги или вас . Мы предупреждали вас плохие вещи придут , если не дать свои деньги обратно."
("We don't need her to find the money or you. We warned you bad things would come if didn't give my money back.") Ivan reminded him.
"Я сказал, что его нет, никогда не было. Вы наняли меня , чтобы обновить свой дом . Я никогда не делал ничего плохого вами."
("I said I don't have it, never have had it. You hired me to update your house. I never did any wrong by you.") Nikoli cried.
"я слышал достаточно ваших лжи."
("I have heard enough of your lies.") His father was taken down with 3 shots falling beside his mom. Niko buried his head in his mom's chest closing his eyes when he heard the first shot.
"Пойдем , прежде чем полиция показать."
("Lets go before the police show up.") Ivan commanded.
"Босс ребенок."
("Boss the child.") one of his men said.
"оставить его, он не поможет нам."
("Leave him, he is no help to us.") He yelled.
"он знает ваше имя."
("He knows your name.") the man brought this to Ivan's attention.
"Мальчик , если вы когда-нибудь повторить то, что вы слышали здесь мы убьем всех ваших друзей и их родителей , то мы придем к вам.
("Boy if you ever repeat what you heard here we will kill all of your friends and their parents, then we will come for you.") Ivan threatened before leaving him alone. Niko stayed where he was yelling for his parents to wake up only for no one to answer. The police found him and removed him from the house. He stayed with strange people until his papa agreed to bring him to America.
Niko told the story like he was there all over again. Kensi and Deeks didn't know what to say they just continued to stay silent.
"It was so cold after the bad men left and mommy and daddy wouldn't move I said I was sorry but they didn't wake up." Niko said his resolve finally breaking.
"Niko it wasn't your fault, none of it was your fault." Kensi said wiping the tears from his face.
"No I didn't listen to daddy and I opened the door. The bad men came because I opened the door." he explained.
"Niko this isn't going to sound good but, the bad men would have gotten into your house even if you hadn't opened the door." Deeks tried to tell his son.
"It was never your fault buddy I promise. You can't be mad at yourself for that." he said.
"Was it really daddy's fault they died and where is the money Ivan said he stole?" Niko asked.
"I don't know. I am pretty sure your daddy never stole anything from Ivan so it was not his fault either." Kensi said placing her hand on his. Deeks was amazed and horrified that his 5 year old son held this much guilt and still managed to make it through a day without going crazy.
"If you are going to get Grandma Hetty to get my stuff is it safe and can she see if Alina and Luca are safe too?" he asked.
"I'm sure we can have her do that for you." Kensi said. "You don't have to hide all of this from us buddy, you can tell us whatever you want, because we want to know." she said leaning own to kiss his tears away.
"Mom I'm still scared they will find me." Niko admitted. He didn't sound like their little 5 year old anymore, he sounded like a grown adult who needed help.
"Daddy and are always here and we will never let anything happen to you." she said.
"I wish you was my parents since I was a baby." Niko said quietly.
"No Niko you don't. Your parents were amazing they raised you and yes you had a very bad time at the end but they did everything for you. Don't ever wish they wern't your parents." his dad said.
"I just want to forget what happened." he admitted.
"I know baby, I wish I could make it all go away for you." Kensi whispered. Niko say up and hugged his mom.
"I love you guys." he said. His dad joined the hug and the three of them stayed like that for a while
"Lets go get some ice cream and go to Grandma Hetty's house." Deeks said getting up and bouncing Kensi and Niko.
Hopefully that wasn't to bad for some of you. I felt like I needed to have a bit of a backstory for Niko besides his parents were murdered. I can now take this to more interesting places with Niko. Hope you liked it!
