A/N: Nothing else was working for this set, so Gilbert's familial entanglements it is...
Week 17 - UDC 9 - Nettleton Familial Shenanigans... because I CAN... (August 1986)
81. Adventure
It was a quiet morning, Charlie observed as she laid in his embrace. It was the weekend following a whirlwind of activity that had included moving across an entire country and conspiring to get government agencies to behave, if that was even possible. "We should get up."
"Couple more minutes," Gilbert mumbled into her hair. "Enjoying the silence."
She smiled. How little alone time had he had, before, that that was his response?
A loud knock sounded and they both flinched. "Dad, you said we could visit!"
"Oh no," Gilbert muttered. "She wouldn't... no, of course she would. Charlotte, do you want to meet at least one of my children?"
That knock sounded again as they both sat up and Charlie turned to frown at him. "Sure?"
82. Booby-trap
Trailing behind him and glad she'd worn pajamas to bed, Charlie wasn't sure if she actually did want to meet his insistent-sounding children. Gilbert opened the door, only to pause at the sight of five children and a woman who didn't look pleased to see him. She looked past him and her frown deepened. "Gil, who is the blonde?"
"A friend," Gilbert answered and Charlie winced at his tone. "Ellie, what are you doing here this early? It's a three hour drive from NYC."
"Wanted to see you, Dad," one of the girls, apparently the eldest, told him, and then she was hugging him. The other four followed suit.
"You're lucky I didn't bring your mother or Becca," Ellie said smugly. "Does this friend have a name?"
"Yes," Charlie replied, glaring at her. "Gilbert, what...?"
"We're divorced," Ellie explained impatiently.
"And she should have called," Gilbert muttered as he picked one of the kids up. "She knows that, but did this anyway. I'm sorry, Charlotte."
83. Sidekick
One of the kids, the only boy, pulled at his pajama pants and Gilbert looked down. "Are you mad at us, Dad?"
Gilbert sighed and bent down to look him in the eyes. "No, Phil. Not at you. Never at you. Your mother, on the other hand..."
"You didn't pick up," Ellie told him pointedly. "Where were you for two days? I even called the JAG office looking for you."
If this hadn't been so ridiculous, Charlotte would have laughed. "He was helping me with a case, actually. I'll be right back."
Ellie watched her go, then looked down at one of her daughters. "Yes or no on the flamingo pajamas?"
"Aunt Becca would love those," her daughter said earnestly and Ellie smirked. "You know she would, Mom."
84. Love-interest
Later, after they'd both gotten dressed and Gilbert had started breakfast, Charlie found that she didn't immediately dislike Ellie Baker-Nettleton and her kids were adorable. The youngest, four year old Jennifer, reminded her so strongly of Bradley that she couldn't help but stare for far too long. A tap on her arm and she found Ellie frowning at her. "Sorry. A student passed away two weeks ago and left behind a little boy about her age."
Ellie nodded. "Understandable. Did you know him well?"
Charlie shook her head. "Knew his pilot better, actually."
"Pilots..." Gilbert chuckled from the stove. "That reminds me. We were supposed to meet Chipper and Sundown for lunch, weren't we? Before their afternoon flight?" At Charlie's nod, he smiled and turned back to the stove. "Should be interesting, then."
85. Hero
Whatever Chipper had been expecting when Charlotte and Gilbert met them at a diner near the airport, an ex-wife and five small children hadn't been it. He frowned at Gilbert, who shrugged and pointed at his ex-wife, who looked entirely unrepentant. "They showed up on my doorstep this morning. You mind?"
Sundown smiled. "No, not at all." He leaned closer to Charlie, who was holding one of the kids. "Was this even remotely what you were expecting?"
Charlie laughed. "No, I was expecting to at some point meet his nurse aunt that speaks Romanian!"
Ellie snorted in laughter. "Oh, you will eventually. She might even like you. Jenny already does."
"Ellie!"
"What? I'm trying to be nice, Gil."
"No, nice would have been waiting until you actually reached me on the phone." Gilbert sighed. "Let's go find a table, shall we?"