"Ladies and gentlemen," the flight attendant's voice was heard over the speaker. "We are sorry for the delay but we're expecting some technical difficulties. We hope to have these fixed soon so we can leave. We ask you to remain in your seats."
An hour later they were still parked at the gate.
"We are very sorry ladies and gentlemen. The plane is having some technical difficulties and it will take longer than expected to fix it. They have arranged another plane for us. We like to ask you to grab your carry-on luggage and please exit the plan. They will be a bus waiting for you to take you to your new plane. Don't worry about your suitcases. The ground crew will make sure your suitcases will be transported to the new plane. We're very sorry for the inconvenience."
Everyone in the plane sighed and grabbed their carry-on luggage.
"Mommy, wewe going?" Myra asked.
"This plane is broken sweetie we have to go to a different plane."
Callen grabbed their carry-on luggage from the overhead compartment. He carried Myra down the stairs as Lori got Julie. They got on the bus and waited as the bus took them to the new plane. Once at the new plane they got out and walked up the stairs. They had the same seats as in the previous plane. Callen put their luggage in the overhead compartment and they sat down on the seats. Hopefully this plane would leave soon.
About twenty minutes later everyone was on board.
"We're very sorry for the inconvenience ladies and gentlemen. Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts," the flight attendant spoke as the plane started taxiing,
The instruction video of what to in case of emergency was shown. A little later they finally went up in the air. The flight to LA would take about eleven and a half hours. They should have left at 4.15pm but it was now 6pm. They were scheduled to land at LAX at 7.35pm, local time, but that would be later now too. Just after they got up in the air the flight crew came by to the take their dinner order. Lori ordered some baked potatoes with a hamburger and green beans for the girls, pasta Bolognese with meatballs for herself and Callen ordered baked potatoes with seasoned chicken and Brussels sprouts. After dinner the girls watched a short movie. It was now just past 8.30pm. Callen pulled Myra on his lap and Lori pulled Julie on her lap to try to get them to go to sleep. Just past 9pm Myra and Julie fell asleep. Callen and Lori managed to get some sleep on the plane as well.
It was just past 9.15pm, local time, when they landed at LAX. They grabbed their carry-on luggage and exited the plane. They waited at baggage claim to get their luggage. Well Callen waited for the luggage as Lori stayed on the side with Myra and Julie. Luckily everything went right with their luggage with the plane change in London. Once they had all their luggage they went to the car. Callen put the luggage in the car as Lori got the girls in their car seats.
"You know honey, now that we're having another set of twins we have to get a new car, a bigger one. Cus there's no way we can fit four car seats in the back here."
"Yeah you're right. Looks like we have to get a mini-van or something."
"Yeah probably."
Callen smiled at the thought. That's something he'd never thought he would own, a mini-van. With everything and everyone loaded into the car Callen pulled out of the parking lot and went home. Callen carried the luggage inside as Lori got the girls. The girls walked inside and Lori went to get the mail. It was good to be home again. They had a lovely time on vacation but it was good to be home again. Callen and Lori still had a couple days off before they had to go back to work again. It was 9.15pm in LA put the girls were nowhere near tired.
'This will be a long night,' Lori thought to herself.
Myra and Julie were up all evening, they had no desire to go to sleep. With Lori being pregnant she was tired so she decided to go to bed around 2am. Callen stayed up with Myra and Julie. They knew they would probably all be a little jet lagged when they came back from France, especially the girls with the time change.
Lori got out of bed the next morning and was pleased to see the others asleep. It looked so cute. Callen was lying on the couch with Myra and Julie on his chest. Lori pulled out her phone and took a quick picture. She went into the kitchen and made some tea. She startled for a second when she felt a pair of arms sneaking around her waist but she relaxed as soon as she recognized the arms.
"Good morning Lori," Callen spoke as he lay his head down on her shoulder.
"Good morning G."
"I know you just took a picture."
"I couldn't resist. You looked so cute."
"Did you get some sleep?"
"Yes I did. You and the girls?"
"The girls finally fell asleep around 4am."
"We knew this could happen with going to France."
"Yeah. Luckily they still have some time off to get used to this time zone again."
"Yes they have."
Callen was about to kiss Lori when they heard Julie's voice behind them.
"Mommy, daddy, bwekfas pwease."
"Hey sweetie, good morning," Lori replied and she gave Julie a kiss. "You want some breakfast?"
"Yes pwease mommy."
"Okay, why don't you help daddy set the table."
Myra wandered into the kitchen too and helped Callen and Julie set the table as Lori got the waffles ready. A little later the family sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast.
"Did you have fun on vacation?" Callen asked Myra and Julie.
"Yes daddy!" Both girls squealed at the same time.
"Did you like sleeping in the tent?" Lori asked.
"Yes mommy," Julie answered. "Go in tent again."
"Perhaps, we will see. But next year your two little siblings will be here too so we will have to see where we go then."
"Go in plane again," Myra said.
"We'll see sweetie."
…..
That Monday Callen and Lori had to go back to work. Just past 8.30am Emily was at their house.
"Emily!" Myra and Julie squealed and the ran up to her when Emily walked into the house.
"Hey you two, did you have a nice vacation?"
"Yes. Plane no go up," Julie replied.
"The plane didn't go up in the air?" Emily asked.
"No."
"We had to switch planes on the way back," Lori explained. "There were some technical issues."
"Ah okay."
"But we had a very nice vacation. The weather was lovely and the girls really enjoyed themselves."
"That's good. And how are you doing?"
"Good, can't complain so far."
"That's good."
"Can mommy and daddy get a kiss?"
Julie and Myra walked up to their parents and gave them a kiss.
"Be good to Emily today."
"Don't worry. We'll have fun today," Emily told them.
Emily waved after Callen and Lori with the girls before going back inside.
"Good morning," Callen spoke as they walked into the bullpen.
"Good morning," the others replied.
"How were your holidays?" Sam asked.
"It was very nice. We went to France, went camping. It was very nice. On the plane ride back we had to switch planes cus there was a technical problem so we were home a little later than we would have thought."
"Ah yeah that can happen."
"Did you have fun?"
"Yes it was very nice. Spend some time with my wife and daughter."
"What about Aiden?"
"He's training."
"Ah okay. What about you Kensi, Deeks?"
Kensi and Deeks looked at each other. They didn't want the team to know that they had spent the summer vacation together.
"I went to Point Dume. Spent the summer surfing," Deeks spoke first.
"I spent some time with my mom and just relaxed at home."
They were interrupted by Eric's whistle. "Sorry guys, vacation is over, we've got a case."
The agents went upstairs and Eric and Nell briefed them on the case. Sam, Callen, Deeks and Kensi went out while Lori stayed behind to help Eric and Nell.
…..
Myra and Julie wanted to swim. Emily looked outside and saw that the pool wasn't up anymore. Callen and Lori had taken it down before going on vacation.
"Okay, but I'll have to first put the pool up and fill it with water. But you can go play outside in the water and with some water toys.
"Yay!"
Emily changed the girls into their swimsuits and put her own swimsuit on as well. Emily grabbed some water toys and a bucket of water so Myra and Julie could wet or fill the toys. Emily kept an eye on them as she set the pool up. She had to put the frame together first. She put the poles through the rings that were attached to the pool cover. Once the poles were through she connected the poles together and put the poles on that would stand on the ground. She made sure the poles were secure and attached the cleaning filter before putting the hose into the pool and turning it on. It would take a while before the pool would be filled. Emily sat on one of the chairs and watched Myra and Julie play. They were having a lot of fun with the water toys. Emily had pulled out some sponge balls and water guns.
"Go in pool?" Julie asked after they had eaten lunch.
"First you have to go take your nap."
"No sweep, swim," Julie protested.
"No you have to sleep first. After your nap you can go into the pool."
"No, pool."
"No Julie, you have to sleep first. If you don't go to sleep now you can't go in the pool after you wake up," Emily told her in a stern voice.
Giving in Myra and Julie walked upstairs with Emily. She helped the girls change into their pajamas and put them in their beds. Emily went back downstairs and cleaned up.
Just before getting the girls Emily looked at the pool. The pool was full enough. The water had warmed up a bit already because of the sun. Emily put the stairs and the slide on the pool and turned the hose off. Emily went upstairs to get Myra and Julie. They were just waking up when Emily walked in.
"Go swim now?" Julie asked.
"Yes now you can go swimming."
"Yay!" Both girls cheered.
Emily changed the girls into their swimsuits and took them downstairs. She put the floaties on Myra and Julie's arms and rubbed them with sunscreen. Emily got in the pool but the girls wanted to go down the slide. Julie climbed up first and slid down the slide and after that Myra.
Callen and Lori got home just after 5.30pm. They walked outside and found Emily in the pool with Myra and Julie.
"Hey," Lori spoke.
"Mommy, daddy!" Julie and Myra squealed.
"You're having fun in the water?"
"Yes mommy," Myra answered. "We sweep so we swim."
"They didn't want to go to sleep first in the afternoon but I told them they couldn't go in the pool until they have slept. They both slept for about two hours in the afternoon," Emily explained.
"That's good."
Emily stayed in the pool with the girls as Lori went to prepare dinner.
"Daddy join too," Julie said.
"Okay."
Callen went to change into his swim shorts and joined them in the pool. Myra and Julie loved to be in the water. Callen put them on his back and swam them around in the pool. Emily had gotten out and took some pics for the family.
"Dinner's ready," Lori called after a while.
The entire family sat down outside at the table to enjoy dinner. Emily stayed for dinner too. After dinner Emily helped Lori clean up as Callen took Myra and Julie upstairs for their bath. Before Emily left she went to say goodnight to Myra and Julie and Lori showed her out.
….
Lori was now twenty weeks pregnant so it was time for another appointment. It was before work and Callen hadn't received a call yet so Callen was able to go with her. It was Lori's day off so they took Myra and Julie with them.
"Mommy sick?" Julie asked with a sad face as they sat in the waiting room.
"No sweetie, mommy is not sick. We're just gonna see how the two little babies are doing," Lori explained. "The doctor is gonna use a special machine so she can look inside mommy's tummy."
"I too?"
"Yes sweetie, you and Myra can see your little baby siblings too."
"How see? Baby go out?"
"No sweetie, the babies will not come out yet. They are too young to come out. The doctor has this special machine. It's like a computer. The doctor has this sort of stick and with this stick she goes over mommy's tummy and then you can see the babies on the computer screen."
They sat there until they were called in.
"Hello," the doctor spoke as she walked in. "Hey Myra, Hey Julie. You have gotten big."
"Daddy, stwanger," Myra stated and crawled against Callen causing the doctor to laugh a bit.
"It's okay Myra. She's not a stranger. That's mommy's doctor and she is also the doctor that helped mommy when you were born. She saw you first when you came out of mommy's tummy."
"Bwing babies out too?"
"Yes she's also gonna bring your baby siblings out too."
"Shall we go see what the babies are up to?" The doctor suggested.
Lori lay down on the bed and rolled her shirt up as Callen stood next to the bed with Myra and Julie in his arms.
"No huwt mommy," Julie spoke when she saw the doctor moving the wand over to Lori's stomach.
"It's okay sweetie. It's the stick mommy was talking about. The stick the doctor uses to see inside mommy's tummy," Lori told her.
"It doesn't hurt, just look to the screen you can see the babies," the doctor added.
Myra and Julie looked at the computer screen and a little later they saw an imagine appearing on the screen.
"Baby?" Julie asked.
"Yes sweetie, that are you little baby siblings," Callen told her.
"Baby look big."
Callen had to smile. "Yeah on the computer screen it looks big but it's not that big yet. The babies still have to grow a bit bigger before they can come out."
"Is everything alright?" Lori asked.
"Yes they are both looking very fine. They are growing nice and big. You can see the legs and the arms here," the doctor spoke as she pointed to the screen. "We can try a 3D imagine so you can see them better."
"I'd like that."
The doctor pressed some keys on the computer and the screen turned to 3D.
"Baby look funny," Myra giggled.
"That's because the babies are not fully grown yet. That's why the babies have to stay inside mommy's tummy for a little while longer," Callen replied.
"I gwow big."
"Yes sweetie. But first you have to grow in mommy's tummy and then once you're out you'll keep growing until you're just as big as mommy and daddy."
Callen and Lori looked at the screen. It was so nice to see their babies on the screen like that. Lori was only twenty weeks but you could clearly see some shapes already. Since this was Lori's twenty weeks appointment the doctor did some additional tests on Lori and the babies. Lori would get the results in three weeks with her next appointment.
"Do you want to have the babies at home or in the hospital?" The doctor asked Lori.
"In the hospital. And it is possible to have a normal birth since I had a C-section with Myra and Julie?"
"It is possible to have a normal birth but we would have to see that towards the end of the pregnancy. There can always be circumstances which leaves me no choice but to perform a C-section. But we'll set that when we get to it. But if there's no medical reason to have a C-section you can have a normal birth."
"Okay."
With the picture of the ultrasound and the DVD of the 3D ultrasound in hand Lori and Callen walked outside. Lori made a new appointment at the desk before walking out. Callen dropped them off at home before going to work.
Just after Callen arrived at work they were whistled upstairs.
"What do we have Eric?" Callen asked as they stepped into OPS.
"This morning a body was found on Cabrillo beach. Police ID'd him a Petty Officer Rick Thomas. He was working out of Camp Pendleton. He was responsible for checking the cargo going on the planes," Eric explained to them.
"He's a long way from Camp Pendleton," Deeks stated.
"Someone could have dumped him in the ocean outside Oceanside and then the ocean carried him to Cabrillo beach," Kensi added.
"Kensi, Deeks, why don't you check out the beach. Sam and I will go to Camp Pendleton."
Kensi and Deeks drove to Cabrillo beach while Callen and Sam went to Camp Pendleton via chopper. They arrived at Camp Pendleton and went to see Thomas' superior officer.
"Agents Callen and Hanna, NCIS, here to see Chief Petty Officer Connors," Callen spoke as he and Sam showed their badges to the lady behind the desk.
"Of course, one moment."
The woman made a call and Callen and Sam were waved through.
"Agent Callen, Agent Hanna, I assume you're hear about the dead of Rick Thomas."
"Yes we are. Can you tell us something about him? Something that would lead to him being killed?" Callen spoke.
"No, I can't think of anything. Everyone seemed to love Rick. He was a great guy and a great officer. He did his job well, was always on time, never got into problems with anyone. If his dead had something to do with his job I can't tell you. I've never received any complaints about Rick."
"What about the people who worked under him? Did he get along with them?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, of course there was some friction here and there but that's to be expected. Rick was hard on them, hard but fair."
"Could he have stumbled onto something that wasn't supposed to be in the cargo?"
"Not that I know. I always check his logs for any sign of something wrong with the cargo but I never found anything."
"Could you please hand us the names of the people working under him?" Callen asked.
"Of course."
Connors typed something on his computer and a little later he handed a paper over to Callen and Sam.
"I would be shocked if one of them had something to do with it. They have all been model officers."
"We'll check them out anyone. Could we please see Thomas' work space?"
"Of course. Follow me."
Connors showed them to Thomas' office. "Feel free to look around. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you."
Callen and Sam put their gloves on and searched through the office. Callen turned the computer on and plugged in the drive so Eric could see what was on it. Callen and Sam looked through the papers but so far everything seemed to be in order. A little later a man came walking into the office.
"What are you doing here?" The man asked Callen and Sam.
"We're looking into the death of Rick Thomas," Callen told him. "We're NCIS."
Callen noticed the man's expression change when Callen said NCIS. He slowly back out of the room. Callen looked after him and suddenly saw him running.
"Sam he's running!" Callen yelled and Sam and Callen ran after him.
"Federal agents! Stop!" Callen yelled but the man kept running.
Suddenly the man pulled out a gun and shot at Callen and Sam.