Chapter 6
Finding a parking space at the mall was murder, by the time they were parked and in the Mall, Gibbs was ready to shoot someone.
"Ok so what's first?" Gibbs asked.
"I need another Crib and changing table, all the stuff I already have in the nursery." Callen said looking past all the Christmas shoppers to the baby store.
A Santa in a suit stood outside the door and rang his bell, "Give to the needy this Christmas," he said to Callen as they walked towards the store. Callen stopped and took a twenty out and gave it to him.
"Nico? You have two, new mouths to feed and clothe can you really afford to do that?" Gibbs asked
Callen turned to his father, and then asked the Santa, "What does this money go to?" he asked.
"To feed underprivileged children, homeless people; to help provide beds in shelters and to help people who have no one." The 'Santa' replied.
Callen took his wallet out again and added an extra ten. The Santa looked on in shock. "Thank you." He said
"See dad, I've been there, someone somewhere gave what they could and a couple of times it got me a bed and a hot meal. I know we have enough to buy and I have two more mouths to feed, but without the generosity of someone else like me years ago, I wouldn't be here to father those two children." He said and left Gibbs and Sam standing there as he walked into the store.
After a moment they followed him in, there were people buying small Santa suits for their babies first Christmas. Callen walked up to a shop assistant, "I need some help." He said.
"Santa suits and baby elf outfits are in the third aisle," he said tiredly.
"Actually I need to buy a crib, changing station, and a whole set of everything a newborn needs." Callen told him.
"You expecting the baby Jesus?" the assistant joked until he looked up and saw three men glaring at him. Then Callen smiled, "Na kid I had twins this morning." He told him.
The assistant turned to walk off, "You look good on it," he mumbled going to get the shop catalogue.
He put the book down in front of the men, "You tell me what you need and we'll order it you should get it in 6 – 8 weeks."
Callen looked at his dad in a panic.
"Your manager here?" Gibbs growled.
"Y…Yessir." The assistant stammered and went to get her.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" The manager asked.
"We need to buy a crib, and changing station for a baby, your assistant says we have to wait 6-8 weeks, we can't do that, so I was wondering do you have anything in stock?"
"We do recommend ordering the product sir." The manager said.
"And his newborn baby is to sleep where for the next 6 – 8 weeks?" Sam asked.
"Did you not plan ahead?" the manager asked confused.
Callen sighed, "For one yes, the second was a surprise." He admitted.
"Oh." The manager said, "Well we only have display models in stock, and we don't usually sell them, but well…it is Christmas, who am I to deny a baby a bed at this time of year." She smiled sweetly and led them to the back.
Callen looked at the display models and lit up as he saw the same ones as he already had at home, "Those ones." He said instantly.
"We don't have the boxes, for them, but we can wrap them in bubble wrap and pack them as best as we can, is there anything else you need?"
"A mattress for the crib, bedding, clothing, diapers…all of it." Callen admitted.
"You really were caught unawares," she said turning to help Callen pick all the items he needed, two hours later and over $1500 dollars lighter they exited the store.
"I want to head home and set these up before Nell comes home." Callen told the others.
Sam and Gibbs nodded, "Ok, I for one hate the mall at Christmas," Sam told them.
Kensi and Deeks opened the door as Jackson followed them up the path and walked into them as they stood at the door in shock, "He got reverse burgled!" Deeks exclaimed.
Kensi punched his arm, "Really Deeks?" she sighed. "It's all Nell's stuff, she must have moved in with him."
Jackson came in and looked at them, "What?" he asked.
"Sorry, but the last time we were here it was empty." Kensi explained to Jackson as he walked through to show them which room was the nursery.
"Was that when he had moved in?" Jackson asked.
Kensi shook her head, "No he'd been there about 2 years at that point. He just never bothered to buy stuff; I don't even think he owned a bed."
Jackson thought back to eleven months ago when he and Gibbs had given him the bed that his son had made, "So that bed his father made was his first one?" he asked
Kensi shrugged "I suppose." She replied.
They looked at the nursery, "Sweet." Kensi said.
"Listen Kensi you and Jackson move what you can and make space for whatever Callen comes back with, Nell's parents are coming tomorrow so if I cook them a pot roast and leave it in the oven, neither Nell nor Callen have to cook."
"You cook?" Kensi asked amazed.
"Better than you…you burn ice cream!" Deeks retorted.
"It was just that one time!" Kensi argued as Jackson looked on amused.
"So Kensi, come and help me and tell me just HOW you managed to burn ice cream?" he said leading her into the nursery.
Nell looked up as the door opened to her room.
"Hey partner?" Eric said sticking his head around the door, pleased that no one was there.
"Eric," Nell smiled, "I've missed you."
Eric let out a sigh of relief, he knew he'd been in the wrong getting mad at her, even though he had still hoped for something between them, something more, especially after last years kiss, but more than anything had been the fear of losing his best friend.
"I've missed you too, so not Washington?" He said.
She shrugged. "Are you mad with me?" she asked.
Eric sighed and came the rest of the way in, "Kinda, I thought we told each other everything?" Eric said sadly.
"We do…where we can, this wasn't all my fault…I mean it wasn't Nico's either. But time just ran away from us." She said trying to explain.
"So you're a mom?" Eric said looking over at the two redheaded babies in the cribs in the corner of the room.
Nell smiled, "Yeah one of each, Jackson Eric Callen and Clara Amelia Kelly."
"Eric?" He asked.
"After my Grandfather and my best friend." Nell said.
Eric smiled and pulled her into an awkward hug, "Er…that's ok isn't it, I mean…Callen isn't going to kill me?" he asked.
Nell laughed, "No, We worried about how you would take this,"
"You were?" Eric asked. "So why didn't you tell me earlier."
Callen jumped out of the car as they pulled up outside the house, with him, Sam and Gibbs carrying in boxes bags and furniture, they were ready to set up in no time.
Callen got up off the floor as his father handed him a beer, "You deserve this son." Gibbs said handing one to Sam and Kensi too.
"How's Grandpa and Deeks coming along?" Callen asked.
"They're cooking and comparing recipes," Gibbs laughed at the look of shock on Sam and Callen's faces.
"You guys should all crash here tonight; I need to finish getting it ready for Nell and the twins to come home."
Callen walked into the living room and stopped looking at the Christmas tree in his living room.
Deeks walked up behind him, "You ok man?" he asked.
"Yeah…" He stared at the lights and looked around at the living room. "I can't have these here." He said.
Everyone stopped and looked at him.
Sam walked over to him, "What ya thinking G?"
"The wires, the needles from the tree, the coffee table…The babies could poke their eyes out, how did I not see these before?"
Sam laughed, "G, your babies can't move much now, you're good for a few months."
"But Nell's parents are coming, they are going to see all of this and think I'm no good as a father."
"Breathe G." Sam said. "Nell's parents are going to love you."
Gibbs patted the couch next to him, "It's going to be fine son. You need to get some rest before you head back to the hospital."
Callen nodded and went into his room, finally crashing out on his bed exhausted but happy.
Eric looked up from the babies as Nell finished explaining what had happened between her and Callen.
"Wow!" he said, "I never knew, there was no sign of it at the office." He stopped and thought, "Well maybe a few signs, but nothing that screamed Nell had the hots for Callen or the other way around."
"That was the point and then I moved in with him and we found out I was pregnant, we wanted to keep it to ourselves but we needed to tell Callen's family before we told mine."
"How did David and Liz take it?" Eric asked. He knew how protective Nell's parents were.
"They thought I had been assaulted, they're coming up tomorrow, I will need my best friend around if you're still my best friend?" she asked.
Eric hugged her, "Always." He said and moved as Hetty walked in.
"Mr. Beale I assume you and Miss Jones have made your peace?" she asked.
"Yes Hetty, she's my best friend, what's to forgive?" He grinned.
"Good, Maybe you would do me a favor and find me a decent cup of tea?" she asked and watched as Eric left on his task.
She pulled a chair up next to the bed, smiling fondly at her new two grandchildren, "They are very beautiful my dear, now while you have a few moments, I hear your mother and father are on their way down…Tell me about them," she asked smiling.
Nell smiled and started telling Hetty all about her parents and her worries about them meeting Callen tomorrow.