Paper snowflakes. Deeks, Nell and Melissa make paper snowflakes. December 3rd. Melissa's point of view.
I crumple up the piece of paper with a sight as I struggle to work out what to write to Marco in his Christmas letter. He's currently deployed in Afghanistan and I want to write him a letter just to know I'm thinking of him. I've been trying to write the letter for about an hour but I simply end up scribbling out what I have written, crumpling up the paper and throwing it in the air. There must be a pile of paper balls in front of my desk by now. I immediately grab another sheet and try again. Who knew writing a letter could be this hard?
'You ok there Mels?' Deeks asks.
'Yeah.' I answer non-committedly, not looking up from the nearly empty page in front of me.
'That's Melissa for no.' Callen comments and I simply stare him down.
'What's up?' Deeks presses me leaning forward.
'I'm attempting to write a letter to Marco but don't know what to write.'
'You don't know what to write?' Deeks affirms carefully. 'Says the geeky writer.'
'Exactly I'm a writer it should be easy.'
'It proves you care about him Mels. Who else would write a letter to him at Christmas?' Sam joins in with a shrug.
'Sam has a point.' Kensi comments as I throw yet another piece of paper in the air. This not going well!
'I don't know what to say. I have all these plans and he's on patrol. It doesn't seem fair to gloat about it.'
'But he would want to know… Soldiers love letters from home. Although he'll probably get teased about it.' Kensi defends.
'Who'll get teased?' Nell asks from the bullpen entrance and we all look at her.
'Marco.' Sam states with a smirk. 'Mels is trying to write him a Christmas letter with not much luck.'
'So I can see?' Nell points at the strewn paper balls that have been thrown up in the air and landed in front of the desk with a smile. 'You have snowballs.'
'I will pick them up. Snowballs?' I promise.
Nell dives to pick one up and throws one at Deeks. Kensi and Sam laugh. Callen sits back in his chair with a smile. Nell shrugs.
'Hey!' Deeks reprimands jokingly as it hits him.
'Snowballs.' She repeats.
'Snowballs.' I smile as I say the word. Callen and Sam look at each other. Kensi laughs. 'You know what I'm going to take a break. Nell could you pass one of the snowballs up?'
'Yeah sure…' Nell answers and tosses me one of the strewn paper balls. I immediately uncrumple it and grab my scissors from my drawer. She's just given me an idea. I draw around my cup and cut out the circle and then fold it into quarters and then start cutting chunks.
'What you upto Mels?' Deeks asks.
'Making my own snow.' I reply unfurling my complete snowflake proudly.
'Nice… Pass me one Nell.' Deeks asks and Nell grabs one and lobs it towards him. He catches it easily and sets to work.
'Me too,' Kensi joins in. 'I love making paper snowflakes.'
Nell is quick to follow suit, borrowing my scissors momentarily. Within a few minutes another thought occurs to me, what if instead of the boring usual letter I sent Marco a snowflake, a snowflake with a little message on the back? It would be different and unique. It seems like a simple idea but one I know he would appreciate. He loves the snow and Afghanistan isn't likely to get snow this Christmas…