Chapter 30.
Wow, chapter thirty already. I can't thank you guys enough for reading this. Your support keeps me going.
Callen.
5:57pm.
I sit quietly in my car, my eyes fixed on the doors of the aquarium. I'm far enough away from the building that I wouldn't be seen, but not far enough so that I couldn't see people entering and exiting the building.
The clock ticks towards 6pm, and yet there's no sign of her. I check my phone for the umpteenth time since I arrived forty-five minutes ago. No new messages.
On the dot of six, I see her. I immediately step out of the car, and in less than twenty seconds, I'm standing behind her.
I sigh. "AJ?"
She spins on her heels and turns to face me. She looks as elegant as ever.
She stares intensely at me, and I take that as my cue.
"I am so sorry, AJ. Really, I am. It took all the willpower I had to leave you there this morning."
"Then, why did you?" She asks, her face painted with a look of disapproval.
"I promised Sam I would be at Zoe's ballet recital. Sam called me to make sure I wouldn't forget. I couldn't tell him why I wasn't at his place yet because...well..." Here I am. G Callen lost for words.
"You didn't want him to know." She says. "I get it."
"Does anyone know?" I ask.
"Lucy. But she won't tell anyone. She's sworn to secrecy." She says, folding her arms. "You could have at least left a note."
"I should have, I know. I'm sorry. I'm not making any excuses for that huge mistake."
"Look, G, I get why you left. Had I been in your shoes, I would have done the same, so I'm not blaming you. I was just so...confused. I wanted to hear your side of the story before I leapt to conclusions." She takes a step closer. "And I'm happy you didn't lie. Most guys would have."
"I'm not most guys." I say, edging closer to her.
"Yeah. You're not." She pauses. "You're honest." She finishes, her eyes locking onto mine as a delicate smile spreads across her flawless face.
"I don't know about honest. I lie for a living."
"Well, you don't have to lie to me."
And right then, I knew. She is the best thing to ever happen to me.
The Next Day- at Nell and Eric's.
"Deeks!" Kensi shrieked as she attempted to wipe red paint off her hair. "You are so dead."
Deeks knew by Kensi's face that she was serious. Instinctively, he proceeded to sprint around the kitchen, attempting to flee his attacker/partner.
"You guys!" Nell shouted at the pair, who stopped immediately in their tracks. "No running in the kitchen!" Her voice had taken on a motherly tone, one which I had rarely heard come out of Nell's mouth.
"You are so gonna get it later."I heard Kensi mutter at her partner, who wiggled his eyebrows. Kensi scowled at him.
It was only 11am, and we'd been here only an hour. Kensi and Deeks were painting the living room a dark red, Nell and Eric were painting the kitchen cream, Nate and AJ were painting the spare room a light shade of blue, leaving Sam and I to haul Nell's wide range of home furnishings from the van parked outside, into the house.
"What's all the commotion about?" AJ asks, entering the room sporting paint splatters on her face, hair and clothes.
"Deeks painted Kensi red." Eric replies.
AJ's eyes float to the other woman. "Ah, I see. How is he not dead yet?"
"Nell managed to control the situation." Eric says.
AJ gives a nod of approval to Nell. "Well, Nate and I finished the first coat of the room. Should be dry in about an hour."
"Finished already? How?" Deeks asks.
"I didn't paint Nate's hair red." She says.
"Right." Deeks replies, returning to the wall overhead the mantlepiece.
"What'll we paint next?" Nate asks, entering the discussion.
"We could use some help with these boxes." Sam says, ducking through the door. "We'd get your stuff in here a lot faster, Nell."
"Yeah, go help those two. There's not a lot of stuff left, is there?" She calls after Sam.
"Nell, sweetie, did you see the amount of stuff you have?" AJ says, briefly patting Nell's shoulder.
I glance at Eric. His face, although smiling, has turned a bright red, as if suppressing a laugh. A swift jab to the ribs from Nell breaks his smile, letting out a meek 'ow' before facing her.
"So I have a lot of stuff, big deal." She says to him.
"And you need it all, I know." Was the last thing I heard from Eric before joining the others outside.
"Here, AJ. You get into the van and start handing us out boxes." I hear Sam suggest as I approach. She quickly hands him and Nate three boxes, one labelled 'pots' another 'pans' and another 'BREAKABLE picture frames'.
Nate and Sam make their way inside, and for the first time since I got here, I have a few seconds alone with AJ.
She hands me three small boxes, all delivered with a sweet smile.
I quickly look inside the house, and see that Nell has Nate and Sam talking, giving me just enough time, and a distraction, to quickly kiss AJ on the mouth and quietly ask her, "Dinner at mine tonight?"
"I'll be there." She immediately replies.
"Eight o' clock?" I suggest.
"Perfect. I'll bring wine." She offers, prompting a smile from me. "Now go bring those inside, or they'll suspect something." Now she smiles.
When I re-enter, the room is loud with conversation. Nell asking Nate and Sam whether she has too much stuff, Nate and Sam readily denying it, Eric telling Nell the same thing. Kensi and Deeks have disappeared, although no-one can blame wanting to get away from this conversation.
"Nell?" I say, breaking the conversation. "Where do you want these?"
"Just put them by the couch. Thanks, G."
"Sam, Nate? AJ has more boxes for you." I say.
Sam mouths a silent 'thank you' while Nate nods his head in gratitude.
"We should be finished with the boxes in a few minutes." I say.
"I'll go get some more coffee. You guys want anything to eat?" Nell asks. "Never mind. I'll just bring back some doughnuts and muffins. We do have Kensi here."
"Speaking of Kensi, where is she?" Eric asks, puzzled.
"Here." Kensi pipes up. "I was, uh, in the bathroom."
"And you Deeks?" I ask her partner, who appeared behind her.
"I, uh, um..." He stammers.
I see Nell exchanging a glance with Kensi.
"Fine." Kensi says, turning around to give Deeks a look this time, as Sam, Nate and AJ saunter in the doorway. "Go on. Say it. I know you want to."
A wide, proud smile breaks across Deeks' face. Kensi nods.
"Uh, guys. We want to tell you something." He pauses, giving Kensi a loving look, a look that confirmed what I already suspected, and what Nell knew. "Kens and I are dating." That sentiment was followed by a rush of air from Deeks' lungs, and the widening of everybody's eyes.
"Congratulations!" Eric squealed, prompting hugs all around.
When everyone's back is turned, bar AJ's, we exchange a smile. A happy smile. A loving smile.
Later that day.
All in all, it took seven hours to move, paint, and redecorate Eric's two-storey beach front home. It was accompanied by a large quantity of beer, and even larger quantities of food, which kept Kensi happy for the whole day.
Nell and Eric thanked everyone upon their exit, Kensi and Deeks leaving in Kensi's car, Nate leaving in his, AJ in hers and Sam and I in his Challenger.
Upon entering my house, my phone signals an incoming text message. I read the caller ID. AJ Connors. Seeing her name makes me smile.
See you tonight.
That's all the message reads, but it is worth a thousand words.
Thanks for reading! Please R&R! :3