Heyy guys!! Good news: I have decided to delay the angst until after the twins' birthday party…which will be next chp cuz I want to dedicate a whole chp to tht special day :D
Anyways, this chp is more of a filler…and I wanted to put in some Clorinda/Calleigh convos seeing tht I haven't done tht yet lol
Anyways...i hope you guys enjoy!!
P.S. props to NCIS fans tht get the reference in this chp and trust me…the others in the chps to come will not be tht obvious!! XD
Disclaimer: My new dog barfed it up the other day, but the print is illegible…sigh
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The following week passed by all too fast, their routine remained the same: they dropped the twins off at the day care, went to work and picked them up at the end of the day. This went on until the big day: Saturday, the twins' second birthday party. Although their birthday was actually the Tuesday, Calleigh and Eric decided it would be easier to celebrate on the Saturday. They invited all close family, the friends from the lab and, of course, Alexx.
Calleigh woke up around eight in the morning to start preparing for the arrival of the guests. They were due to arrive at eleven, and Alexx and Natalia said they would come around nine with the cake and to help decorate. She took a quick shower and put on her strapless, knee length, green sundress with strappy brown sandals. Her hair was out and wavy, the way Eric liked it, and she had his silver cross dangling from her neck.
Enclosing it in her fist, she remembered the day she gave it to him. It was one of the most emotional days of her life…
She sat there, looking at him for what seemed like forever. He still hadn't woken up and she was staring to get more nervous, if possible. She didn't know what to do, what to think. She was so scared. Scared that she might never see him again. Scared that he would not be the same guy she had worked with for the past five years.
She cared deeply for him, she knew that. She just did not know how deep those feelings ran. Until now.
It took a life-threatening incident for her to realize that her feelings for Eric ran way below the surface. She wanted to do a lot more than just work with him. She wanted to share things with him, to be able to tell him any and everything. She was not only losing a good friend and co-worker, she was losing the man that she could not bear to live without.
She tightly grasped the chain in her hand, holding the cross between her index finger and thumb. Not knowing what else to do, she took his hand in one of hers and turned it over, palm facing up. She gently opened his hand and with the other hand slowly placed the chain in his hand, cross first. Turning the cross over, she closed his hand around the cross and placed it back next to his body on the bed. She sat there looking at his unconscious form, thinking about him. Wondering if he was in pain, hoping he wasn't, wondering if he was dreaming.
She was so scared for him. She didn't want him to die. She didn't want him to leave her. Although she found it hard to voice, she could not imagine going to work without seeing Eric's smiling face. It was the one thing that got her through the day. It really amazed her how she had never noticed these feelings before his accident. Before someone shot him. She winced upon remembering Horatio replay the scene to her. She could not stand to imagine seeing him hurt like that, his blood all over the floor…
The shrill ring of the doorbell brought her back from the painful reverie. She checked her watch, eight-thirty. Alexx and Natalia aren't due for another half hour, so who was here?
She walked downstairs and down the hall towards the front door. She looked through the peephole and saw a familiar face. The corners of her mouth tugged upward, forming a smiled as she opened the door.
"Calleigh, mija!" Clorinda Delko exclaimed as she embraced her daughter-in-law, "Cómo estás?"
Calleigh smiled. "Bien! Pero, porque estás aqui?" she asked effortlessly changing to Spanish. Switching back to English, Clorinda replied, "I feel like we haven't had any girl time, and I thought that we could talk. Do you mind?"
Calleigh shook her head, "Not at all! Come on in Mrs. Delko." Although Clorinda was like the mother she never really had, she could not help but address her as 'Mrs. Delko'. She loved and respected her too much to call her anything but.
Immediately Clorinda scolded her, "I told you, mija, you are to call me Clorinda or mamá, or whatever else. We are family now, there is no need for such formality."
Calleigh smiled and nodded making her way to the kitchen to start the preparations, Clorinda following close behind. She pulled out ingredients from the cupboards and the fridge to make chocolate chip cookies.
"Need any help?"
Calleigh nodded, "Can you mix the dry ingredients in that bowl, please?" Clorinda nodded and grabbed the dry ingredients pouring them into the ceramic bowl. They stood there in silence for a couple of seconds, not knowing what to say.
Taking in a breath, Calleigh broke the silence, "So, how's Pavel?" Clorinda smiled, "He is wonderful, just as lazy as he was before, but I love him nonetheless." Calleigh chuckled.
"How are you doing?"
Calleigh smiled, "I feel wonderful. Everything is great." This is true, everything was indeed great. Her smile soon faded. She would not reveal it, but she was actually nervous and anxious. She had a nagging feeling that something was about to go wrong. Clorinda looked at Calleigh, knowing that something was off, but she shrugged it off.
"So, how are my grandchildren?"
Calleigh's smile reappeared upon thinking of her children. Throwing the eggshells away, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and answered, "The same as always. Although Lizzie has a new fascination with dogs, so, of course, Eric got her a puppy, he's going to pick it up later." Clorinda laughed softly. Her grin faded all too quickly when she asked seriously, "What about Derek?"
Calleigh took in a deep breath and let it out. She and Eric had kept all close family and friends up to date with Derek's condition ever since that doctor's appointment last week. Clorinda was always the first person they called. She was always involved and seemed to be the most concerned as she and Pavel visited every Tuesday and Thursday evening to play with the twins, giving Calleigh and Eric some time to themselves.
Calleigh is extremely grateful to have someone like Clorinda in he life. "He is getting better, " she started, "Yesterday he talked to me." Clorinda's face lit up immediately, "Sí?"
Calleigh nodded, "Yeah. When I picked him up from the day care I asked him if he had a good day, he said, 'Yeah, I played with the blocks!'" Calleigh stopped beating the eggs and looked up at Clorinda who had already finished. She had the biggest smile on her face that Calleigh had not seen since the day the twins were born.
"That is wonderful, Calleigh."
"Yeah, it really is."
Noticing the time, Calleigh realized that she had to wake Eric up. "Mamá," Calleigh's stomach fluttered with excitement upon uttering that word, "do you mind mixing everything together and pouring it out? I have to get Eric out of bed, and of all people should know how difficult that is."
"No problem, mija. And I'm sure you can wake Eric up faster than I ever could," Clorinda replied with a wink. Calleigh turned four shades of pink and bit her lip, exiting the kitchen.
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"Sweetie, I'm going over to Calleigh's," Natalia said as she kissed Ryan's forehead. Grunting, a half-naked Ryan grabbed Natalia around the waist and pulled her down on top of him. Surprised, Natalia let out a squeal as she landed on him, then began to laugh.
She propped herself up on her elbows, admiring Ryan's facial features. He tightened his grip on her waist and asked, "Why are you staring at me?" his eyes still shut tight. "Cuz I want to," she replied quickly, "Okay, I really have to go now. It's already quarter to nine."
Ryan groaned again and opened his eyes, finding wide, brown eyes returning his gaze. "Do you have to?" Natalia nodded, "I'll make it up to you later, I promise." She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and removed herself from his grasp.
"How?" he asked, his curiousity peaked. She turned at the door and answered him, in a sultry voice, "Whatever you want." Ryan raised his eyebrows. She smiled and opened the bedroom door to leave.
"You better still have that outfit," he shouted after her.
Don't need it, she thought to herself.
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Feeling something pressing against his chest, Eric groaned and tried to get a grip on it. When his hands rested upon something small wrapped in cloth he opened his eyes, confused. His eyes landed on sparkling, green eyes surrounded by a curtain of blonde hair.
He then felt something warm against his neck, "I think that you should definitely wake me up like this everyday." Calleigh smiled into his neck and scratched his chest gently with her nails.
"I guess mamá was right after all."
Now Eric was really confused. "Okay, what are you talking about and since when do you call her mamá?"
Calleigh smiled an put a thoughtful look on her face, pursing her lips. "Let's see," she started, "she told me that I could wake you up faster than she ever could, and since about," she checked her watch, "twenty minutes ago." She smiled and laid back down on his chest, their noses touching.
"Huh?" Then. Realization dawned on his face, and his eyes widened, "She's here?!" Calleigh smiled and bit her lip, nodding. Eric groaned and closed his eyes. Calleigh returned her lips to his neck, still not convinced that he was awake. Eric moaned, then spoke up, "Cal, wrong time to do that. You just told me that my mom is here."
Calleigh smiled again and drew back, brushing her lips against his stubble-encrusted cheek. Lips almost touching, she got up off of him and stood up next to the bed, straightening her sundress.
Eric narrowed his eyes at her, "Tease."
"Today is for the kids, " she replied, "just control the little guy for the day."
"When you're looking like that?" he asked incredulously. Calleigh smiled sweetly at him. He quickly gave in, "Fine, but what do I get out of it?" he asked as she turned to leave.
She turned on her heel, her hair flipping and covering half of her face. "Anything you want," she said, her accent creeping through slightly. Eric raised an eyebrow, "Anything?"
Calleigh smiled and walked out of the room putting an extra sway on her hips, knowing exactly where her husband's eyes were.
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So?? Did you like it??
Plz review!! The first person who tells me which part of this chp relates to NCIS gets to have their idea of what they think should happen at the birthday party in the next chp!! So hurry up!! XD
Luv u guyz!! :)