"I'm sorry, can you repeat that again?"
"Hetty," Eric reached for Nell's hand," Nell and I are having a baby."
"You're expecting?"
Both Ops workers nodded in unison; Hetty turned to Eric. "And you're the father?"
"Yes, I am." The older woman could only nod her head, trying to take in the given information. She had allowed the two to go out with each other despite Granger's strict rules regarding fraternization between co-workers. She'd disobeyed this rule because she knew that Eric wasn't the type of guy to just fool around with girls; He knew he was serious about dating his partner.
She just didn't expect that "serious" would escalate to Nell getting pregnant.
"Mister Beale, will you give Nell and I a few minutes please?" Eric turned Nell with uncertainty and nervousness, not liking the idea of Hetty speaking to her alone about the situation they were in. It was the reassuring squeeze of Nell's hand that calmed his nerves enough for him to leave the two women alone. When she was sure the he was out of hearing range, Hetty turned to Nell and spoke.
"I'm sorry Miss Jones, please sit down," Nell sat down and folded her hands in her lap, fiddling with her thumbs. The older woman knocked her out of her trance when she cleared her throat.
"Miss Jones," Nell sat up straighter," Given your current state of pregnancy, I hope you are aware that there will be certain limitations: You will no longer be allowed to work outside of the Ops center. Whether it be undercover or tagging along with the others to help out with technical problems," Nell opened her mouth to speak, but Hetty raised her hand to silence her," I need you to stay up in Ops where everyone can keep an eye on you and I can have a peace of mind knowing you're safe and out of harm's way." She had a ghost of a smile on her lips," Besides…you get a special privilege; you get to eat up in Ops. But only you, not Eric." Nell gave a tiny grin, glad that Hetty killed the tension.
"Now, if I may ask, how far along are you?"
"Uhm…I believe it's about to be thirteen weeks next week."
Hetty 'mh hm'd," So that means your second trimester starts next week… you know, you may start to feel the child fuss around." Nell looked at the older woman, raising an eyebrow.
"Aaaand how do you know this?"
"I've posed as an OB/GYN nurse," Of course she has," and let me tell you, you can learn a lot in the short span of five hours." She answered, recalling memories of screaming women and the cries of newborn babies. "But, Nell dear, I am truly happy for you and Mister Beale; Speaking of Mister Beale," She leaned forward, whispering," If he starts acting like an ass, you let me know and I'll deal with him." Nell couldn't contain the loud burst of laughter as the little ninja woman threatened Eric. Both women chatted idly for a few more minutes before calling Eric to come back in. He came back in and stood behind Nell, putting his hands on Nell's shoulders.
"Mister Beale, I've already informed Miss Jones of her limitations in the field. I have also explained how if you start misbehaving", she gave the blond tech a cold stare," You will be dealing with me. Am I clear?" Eric gulped, nodding," Clear as day, Hetty."
"Very well, you two are excused." Eric offered his hand to Nell, helping her out of her chair and walked out of their superior's office.
"Oh and Mister Beale? Miss Jones?" Both turned with question on their faces. Hetty gave a tender smile.
"Congratulations."
"Woah, Woah, Eric dating is hard enough for him, but him being a fath-OW!" Deeks rubbed the arm Kensi had just pinched. She scowled at Deeks before turning to the couple.
She gave a sheepish smile, an apologetic tone seeping into her words, "I'm glad she finally told you." Eric put an arm around Nell, still smiling, "Yeah me too."
Callen stood by Sam, a smirk playing on his lips, "So are we going to have a little Eric or a miniature Nell running around?" Not waiting for an answer, Sam raised his hand, "I vote boy."
"Well, we don't know yet. Nell has a follow up appointment next week, so we might find out by then." Eric informed, a dreamy smile slowly coming across his face just thinking about it. Trying to avoid any more questions, Nell nudged her boyfriend on the side, "Alright Rockstar, we gotta go work," She started to pull him by the hand, leading him to the stairs. "Let us know if something comes up!" She called from the top of the stairs.
Not taking her eyes off of the stairs the couple had just climbed, Kensi proposed something.
"Fifty bucks says it's a girl." The three men turned their heads to the woman. Sam laughed," I still say it's a boy; I'm in." Callen and Deeks both agreed with the SEAL, all three men pulling out a fifty from their wallets and placing it in a small box Kensi had found.
"I am so going to win." Kensi said with an air of confidence.
The Following Week...
Eric and Nell were driving to the hospital for her follow up appointment. She really tried to contain herself, but the whole 'pregnancy glow' thing hadn't really worn off; She couldn't help but bounce in her passenger seat and the grin that was plastered on her face wouldn't go away. While on the road, she noticed how Eric would take his eyes off the road to look at her from time to time.
"What?" she said in an amused voice. He reached for her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "You're just adorable," scrunching up her nose when he managed to tap her nose with their intertwined fingers. They were listening to the radio before Nell broke the comfortable silence.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"What do you really want to have? A boy? Girl?" Eric took a few moments to process the question. "Well… I don't really mind actually. It is our first kid." Nell turned in her seat, looking surprised , smirk on her lips. "First?" Eric was a stuttering mess; Stumbling over his words, incoherent as a bright red flush crawled up his neck. "I-I mean…don't you want another one? Wait n-no…I mean yes! I'd like to have ano- no wait how should I explain this…" He trailed off as he felt Nell's smaller hand squeeze his own. "Eric", she smiled fondly, "I get it."
They pulled into the hospital parking lot ten minutes later, Eric helping Nell out of the car. Her stomach had grown in the last couple of days, but not much; she was still pretty tiny. Walking through the halls of the maternity level hand in hand, Eric and Nell would playfully bump each other's shoulder and crack a joke. A large window caught Eric's attention: It was the same window where Nell had seen the babies when she came the first time. Eric peered in, mesmerized at all of the little babies within the room.
"They're all so-"
"Tiny?" She finished. Eric nodded, eyes scanning all of the little cribs as he read the names: Jacqueline, Kenneth, Joshua, Stephanie…He felt Nell tug at his arm. "Come on Wolfram, we're gonna be late."
When they were called in to the ultra sound room, Nell was asked to lie down and Eric stood by her side, holding his girlfriend's hand as Doctor Marks squeezed blue gel against the swell of Nell's abdomen. "Alrighty," she sing-songed," let's see how your baby is doing." Without taking her eyes off the screen, she asked the couple," Are we going to want to know the gender today?"
"Yes." Both said in unison, making Doctor Marks chuckle at the eagerness in their voices. The doctor began to move the transducer along Nell's stomach, pausing just above Nell's navel when she got a clear image. The doctor gave a face splitting grin, "And here," she paused, looking closer at the screen," she is."
Eric's head perked up, "She? We're having a girl?"
"Indeed you are." Nell couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen that showed the small body of her baby…her baby girl. She tried not to speak, fearing that the tears in her eyes would spill. "Miss Jones, are you alright?" Nell could only manage an "uh-huh", still trying to grasp that she was having a girl.
And she couldn't be any happier.
Doctor Marks started to wipe the gel off of Nell's skin," Okay, so I'm going to give you two some papers that I would recommended you read; It's just information on what to expect in your second trimester such as how your body is affected, what to eat, basic things like that. I'll be back in a minute." The doctor excused herself and left the couple alone.
It was only until Doctor Marks left that Nell actually said something. "A girl." She breathed as Eric helped her off of the examination table, not saying a word but smiling as he took another glance at the screen where his daughter had just been on. Doctor Marks came back in with a packet of papers and a photograph of their baby from the ultra sound, handing them to Nell saying that she'd see her in a month.
Both walked out of the hospital hand in hand, Nell handing Eric the little black and white photo; Eric received it, the corners of his lips quirking upwards, but said nothing. On their way back to their apartment, Nell was reading the packet Doctor Marks had given her out loud, saying how anything with raw egg is a big no no, as well as unpasteurized juice, some raw fish, no alcohol (obviously), and groaned in frustration as she read she could only have about 8 ounces of coffee every so often. Eric would silently nod, 'mhmming' as the pregnant woman pouted at the idea of less coffee.
"Why are you so quiet, Wolfram?"
He gave a half smile," No reason."
They got to their apartment at around eight-thirty, because Nell had a hankering for those vanilla scones again. When they got home, Eric opened the door and felt Nell brush past him, turning to face him as he closed the door and took of his shoes.
"Okay Beale," she had her hands on her hips," Something's up. Care to tell me why you were so quiet the whole-" Her words were forgotten as Eric place a lingering kiss on her lips and broke away, tilting her head up slightly, getting lost in pools of hazel.
" Well Jones, me jumping up and down, yelling like a maniac would have woken up the babies at the hospital, made us crash when driving home, and gotten us kicked out of the café…and you wanted your scones so I didn't risk it."
"Oh…"
"Yup," his green eyes turned toward their bedroom," But now…" he ran away from Nell to their bedroom and flung the balcony door open:
"I'M HAVING A BABY GIRL!" He yelled enthusiastically into the night, grinning like an idiot when he heard someone in the distance yell 'congratulations' and hearing Nell crack up at his shenanigans.
That night, he dreams of a little girl with her mother's hair and his green eyes.
He hears soft humming coming from another room of the house (their house?), and gets up off of the couch, padding to a cream colored nursery decorated with gold-colored butterflies and toys strewn all over the carpeted floor. He finds Nell, pacing slowing back and forth, trying to rock the gurgling baby girl to sleep without luck; the child giggles at the sight of her father, clearly awake. Nell turns to him, rolling her eyes good-naturally, accepting the fact that the little girl won't be taking her nap any time soon. He walks up to them, running a gentle finger across the baby's soft, freckled cheek. He sits in the rocking chair near the mahogany crib that was covered in pink and white, patting his thigh for Nell to sit on. She obliges, adjusting the little girl in her lap so all three could sit comfortably. The baby turns to her father, trying to reach her father's glasses with chubby little hands; Instead, Eric reaches into the crib, pulling out a little plush bunny and handed it to his daughter, both parents chuckling as the baby girl giggled and squealed over a mouthful of fluff.
A/N: IT'S A GIRL! *confetti everywhere*
I sort of picture Eric not to caring what the gender of the baby would be, but I see him as the type of guy to be wrapped around a little girl's finger, doing everything he can to make sure she's happy and safe (from boys).
I'd also like to apologize for the previous chapter, I uploaded it without even checking for errors and punctuation; Errors are like slaps to the face with a fish.
FACT: I'm not saying poke your belly when you're prego but, if you nudge it, the baby will sort of move in the womb. You can't eat raw fish (sushi) with the exception of California rolls. You can't eat anything with raw egg because you don't want to risk getting salmonella, so anything with cooked egg is safe. Unpasteurized juice is something to avoid because it may contain bacteria, and 300 milligrams of coffee is okay to drink, which is roughly two to three 8 ounce cups of coffee. Some fish is okay to eat, as long as it's cooked. You can look more into that.
Soooooooooo yeah. As always, constructive criticism, reviews, follows etc. make me really happy. Thank you to those who have been reading and keeping up with this story! Thank you for your lovely reviews :) Stay safe and have a fantastic day/night wherever you may be in our world.
Off to play some volleyball-
~Scrappy