He quickly jumped out of the bed and saw who it was.
"Shhhh, it's okay Elena," Callen told her as he picked her up.
Zoya had woken up too and she just watched Callen with their little girl. He looked so freaking cute with the baby in his arms.
"What's the matter little girl?" Callen tried to calm her down as he rocked her. "Are you hungry?"
The nursing staff had made some bottles already so they just needed to warm them up. Callen put the bottle in the bottle warmer and once it was warm he sat down on the chair to feed Elena. Zoya grabbed her phone and took a picture of Callen and Elena. Much time to enjoy the view Zoya didn't have because Maksim decided to cry too. Luckily Zoya could reach him from the bed so she picked him up and breastfed him. Just as Callen was done feeding Elena, Luka started crying. Callen placed Elena in her crib and picked Luka up and fed him a bottle as well.
They both didn't get much sleep that night, the babies were up like every hour or so.
"Good morning," the nurse spoke as she walked into the room.
"Good morning," Zoya replied.
"How did they do during the night?"
"They slept a bit but woke up crying a lot too."
"Yeah, that's perfectly normal. Are they all eating well?"
"Yes they are, both breastfeeding as bottle feeding."
"That's good to hear. I've got a bath here with me for the babies first bath. Unfortunately since you had a c-section it's not good for you to stand already but daddy can wash them and you can watch."
"Alright." Zoya was bummed she couldn't wash the babies just yet but it would be cute to see Callen do it.
The nurse put the baby bath next to the bed so Zoya could watch from the bed. Callen first took Luka out of his crib and undressed him before putting him in the bath, after making sure it wasn't too hot.
"Just hold your hand underneath his head and gently splash him with your other hand," the nurse instructed Callen.
Zoya took some pictures of Callen bathing Luka. Luka didn't mind one bit, he actually like it. After about five minutes Callen took him out and dried him off. He put a new diaper on him and dressed him in a cute onesie with sailboats. It was still a bit tricky getting the diaper and the clothes on but Callen managed it. Freshly washed Callen placed Luka in his crib and he repeated the same process with Maksim and Elena. Just as they were done with washing the babies Esme and Maya walked in.
"Good morning," Esme spoke as she and Maya walked into the room.
"Hey guys," Zoya greeted them.
"Sorry we're here early. Maya just couldn't wait to meet the little babies."
"Where are they Aunt Zoya?" Maya asked excitedly.
"They are right here in their beds."
Quickly Maya walked over the cribs but she couldn't see inside the cribs so Callen lifted her up.
"Blue is boy and pink is girl right?"
"Yes it is," Callen told her. "So we got two boys and a girl."
"Can I give them a kiss Uncle Grisha?"
"Of course."
Zoya quickly grabbed her phone and took pictures of Maya kissing the little babies.
"They are so cute," Esme stated.
"Yeah they really are."
"Are you doing alright?"
"Yeah they are doing just fine. Doctor wants to keep them here a little longer but they are doing just fine."
"And how are you doing after the c-section?"
"Okay. Just a bit sore but I'm doing okay."
"Good and don't worry about Maya. I can take care of her as long as you are in here. I can understand if you want to stay here Grisha."
"Thank you," Callen replied. "Yeah I wanna be here as much as I can so I can help Zoya. She can't do too much after the surgery."
"I can understand that. I've brought you a little something for the babies," Esme spoke and she produced three packages out of the bag.
"Aww thank you," Zoya spoke as she took the packages and started opening them. For Maksim and Luka there were two onesies with dinosaurs on it and for Elena there was a onesies with pink butterflies on it. "Thank you Esme. These are too cute."
"Can I hold them Aunt Zoya?" Maya asked.
"Sure, why don't you come sit on the bed with me and we'll hold them together."
Callen put Maya onto the bed and lifted Maksim out of his crib and handed him to Zoya. Zoya carefully placed Maksim in Maya's arms but kept holding him with her hand underneath his head.
"He's so tiny," Maya said.
"Yeah that's cus they're triplets. Triplets are a bit smaller at birth. But he will grow to be as big as you and then as me and Uncle Grisha."
Callen took a picture of Maya holding Maksim. Maya got to hold Luka and Elena as well before they left. Just as Maya and Esme left Vera and Evan came walking in.
"Hey mom, hey dad," Zoya greeted her parents.
"Hey sweetie, congratulations," Vera spoke and she congratulated her daughter and after that Callen. Evan did the same.
"Oh my god! Look at them, they are so cute," Vera stated as she looked at them in the cribs.
"Are they doing alright?" Evan asked.
"Yes they are all doing fine. The pediatrician looked them over but they are doing very well."
"We've brought you a gift basket. You can take one gift out of the basket each day," Vera said.
"Thank you mom, dad."
Zoya took one gift and handed it to Callen. "Here honey, we don't you open it."
Callen took the present and opened it. It revealed a pack of arm rattles.
"Oh they will love these," Callen said.
Elena started fussing in her crib.
"Can I pick her up?" Vera asked.
"Of course you can mom."
"Hey there little girl, I'm your grandma," Vera spoke as she picked Elena up.
"It seems like she's hungry," Zoya stated. "Grisha could you warm up a bottle please."
"Yeah sure."
Callen warmed up a bottle and handed it to Vera. Zoya took a picture of Vera feeding her granddaughter.
"You're a hungry little girl, yes you are," Vera spoke to her.
"Oh yes they are eating very well. Last night we feed them each like five times or so," Zoya said.
A little later Luka started fussing at well so Callen picked him up and handed him to Evan. Callen warmed up another bottle and Evan fed one of his grandsons. Maksim started crying as well when Callen was warming the bottle so Zoya picked him up from his crib and breastfed him, after covering herself. Callen looked at his family. His wife breastfeeding one of his sons and his mother- and father-in-law feeding his other son and daughter. His family looked so beautiful and he was so happy that his little babies were here.
Once Luka and Elena had eaten they had fallen asleep in their grandparents arms so Evan and Vera carefully placed them back in their cribs.
"Take care sweetie and enjoy them while they are little. And if there's ever anything you need you can always call me."
"I know mom, I will."
Vera and Evan went back home. Callen and Zoya looked at their little babies just sleeping.
"I still can't believe that they are actually here," Callen stated.
"Yeah I know me neither. For so long I carried them around and now they are here."
"Yeah they are, and they are so cute."
"Yes they are."
"We'll be alright with them at home, right?"
"Of course we will Grisha. It might be getting a little used to and some sleepless night but we'll be alright."
"I hope I can be a good dad to them."
"I'm sure you will be. You are a great father figure to Maya so I'm sure you'll do fine with these babies as well. It may be new to both of us but we can handle it, we can handle it together."
"I just don't want to let them or you down."
"You won't honey. I know you've never had much of a family life but I've seen how much you've grown over the years I've known you and I'm sure you'll be a great father."
Callen looked at Zoya and smiled at her. "How did I get so lucky to have you in my life."
"Well cus my boss thought it was a good idea for me to life next door to an NCIS agent," Zoya joked.
"Oh so I have your boss to thank for that," Callen replied with a smirk.
"Yes you do." Callen sat down on the bed, facing Zoya and kissed her.
"Except he didn't want me to know about your job."
"True, but it all worked out in the end cus we love each other and nothing was keeping us apart."
"I'm glad about that, cus otherwise I would've missed all this, our three beautiful babies, my beautiful wife and our sweet niece."
"It's a perfect little family."
"Yes it is."
Callen leaned forward and kissed Zoya again. "I love you."
"I love you too."
They just sat there for a while before Sam, Kamran and Aiden walked in. The babies had woken up in the meantime.
"Hey guys," Sam greeted them.
"Hey Sam," Callen greeted his partner and got up from the bed.
"Congrats man," Sam told her partner and gave him a bro hug.
"Thanks big guy."
"Hey Zoya, congratulations," Sam told her and gave her a hug.
"Thank you Sam."
Aiden and Kam congratulated them as well.
"They are so cute Uncle Callen," Kamran stated.
"Yeah they are."
"Are they doing alright?" Sam asked.
"Yeah they are all doing fine. The pediatrician looked them over but they are all doing fine. They'll probably need to stay here for a while but they are doing very well."
"Glad to hear."
"Can I hold one Uncle Callen?" Kamran asked.
"Sure."
Kamran picked Elena up from her crib and sat down on the chair. Aiden picked Maksim up and Sam picked Luka up. They babies were small but in Sam's big arms Luka even looked smaller. After everything Sam and his kids had been through it was nice to have some happy time with these three new little babies. Not much time later the babies all started fussing so Callen warmed up some bottles and Sam, Aiden and Kamran fed them. Luckily all three of them were drinking from the bottle very well. As Sam fed Luka he had to think back to his kids being this small, man that seemed like forever ago. He was glad that his partner got to experience this as well. There was nothing like seeing your little baby for the first time. After being fed and burped all three were placed back into their cribs.
"Take care of them," Sam told Callen.
"I will Sam."
Sam, Aiden and Kamran said their goodbyes and left.
In the evening Callen's team and Zoya's team came by to see the new babies.
….
A week later Zoya and the babies were cleared to go back home. Callen had brought the min-van and car seats over so they could transport the babies home. They strapped the babies into their car seats before driving home. Since Zoya had a c-section she still needed to take it easy at home. Once at home Callen carried in Maksim and Luka and Zoya got Elena. When they walked into the living room they saw a beautiful banner above the fireplace with the text: Welcome home Maksim, Luka and Elena.
"Surprise, welcome home," Esme and Maya yelled, coming out of the kitchen.
"Aww, thank you."
"I helped decorate the banner," Maya spoke proudly.
"It's beautiful sweetie."
Callen and Zoya put the car seats on the couch and Maya immediately went to look at them.
"I'm gonna be the best big cousin to them," Maya said.
"I'm sure they'll love that."
Callen went to get the other things from the car as Zoya put them into their play pens one by one.
"Thank you so much for staying here this week with Maya," Zoya told Esme.
"It's absolutely no problem. I'm just glad you and the babies are doing fine."
"Yeah me too, I'm glad we could take them home."
Zoya watched as Maya interacted with her little cousins. She turned their music mobiles on. The babies looked happily at the things dangling above them.
"I've done some grocery shopping for you so there's enough food in the fridge and freezer to last the rest of the week."
"Thank you Esme."
"You're welcome. Well I'll let you get settled in with the three little ones and I will see you after your vacation."
"Yes. See you."
Esme said goodbye and left. Maya was playing with her cousins and Zoya and Callen stood behind her. Callen wrapped his arm around Zoya and gave her a soft kiss on her head.
"This right here, right now, it's perfect," Callen told her.
"Yes it is."
They just stood there for a little while just watching the little babies. Callen had two weeks of vacation now. Last week he had taken an extra week of vacation so he could help Zoya. The babies slowly started falling asleep so they let them sleep in their playpens. Callen went to put the stuff away for the babies they had gotten in the hospital.
"They are so tiny," Maya spoke softly.
"Yeah babies are tiny. But since they are triplets Maksim, Luka en Elena are a bit smaller. But as they get older they will grow up to be big like you."
"They are cute."
"Yeah they really are. Come on, lets let them get some sleep."
Zoya and Maya sat down on the couch and watched some TV. A little later Callen joined them as well.
About two hours later Elena was the first one to wake up. Callen got up from the couch and picked her up.
"Shh, it's okay little girl, daddy's here," Callen spoke as he picked her up. "I think someone is hungry."
Elena started crying on the top of her lungs as Callen brought her over to Zoya.
"Yeah it's okay Elena, it's coming," Zoya said as she took Elena from Callen.
Zoya opened her blouse and exposed her breast. As soon as the nipple was in reach Elena started sucking hungrily.
"Yeah that's better."
Not much later Maksim and Luka woke up too, letting them know they were hungry as well.
"Uncle Grisha, can I help feed them?" Maya asked.
"Yeah sure."
Callen went to warm up two bottles as Maya tried to keep them calm. Once the bottle were warm Callen placed Maksim in his bouncy chair so Maya could feed him and he picked up Luka to feed him.
"Hold the bottle a bit angled and make sure that there's not too much milk in his mouth so he doesn't choke. If he gets too much milk in his mouth just pull the bottle out slightly," Callen instructed her.
Zoya quickly grabbed her phone and took a picture of Maya feeding Maksim and then also took one of Callen feeding Luka and took a picture of herself feeding Elena as well. Once Elena had drunk enough she put her over her shoulder to burp.
"Maksim doesn't want to drink anymore," Maya stated.
"How much is there left in the bottle?" Zoya asked. Maya showed the bottle to Zoya, there was only a little bit left. "That's okay sweetie, he has drunk enough. Well done Maya."
Elena had burped so Zoya played her in the bouncy chair and picked Maksim up to burp him. After everyone had been fed and burped Zoya went to prepare some lunch for them. They babies stood in their playpens in the shade on the porch. After lunch they all played a board game so their food could go down before they could go and swim, well at least Maya and Callen. Zoya couldn't swim yet after her c-section. Zoya stayed on the porch with the babies while Callen took Maya to the swimming pool at the end of their backyard. Zoya watched as Callen played with Maya, she couldn't wait to do this with Maksim, Luka and Elena. A little later Luka woke up. Zoya went to pick him up and noticed he had a dirty diaper so she took him inside to change him.
Just before dinner Callen and Maya came out of the pool and Callen went to prepare dinner. The babies were a bit fussy so Zoya put them in their bouncy chair, hoping that that would calm them down. Fortunately they did so they could have dinner in peace. After dinner Callen went to put Maya in bath as Zoya started with feeding the babies. Since Luka was already crying Zoya fed him first. Just as Callen and Maya came down Elena and Maksim started crying too. Callen went to warm up two bottles and placed Elena in her bouncy chair so Maya could feed her as he fed Maksim. Once the babies had been feed Callen and Zoya took them upstairs for bed. They changed their diapers and dressed them in their pajamas before putting them in their cribs.
"Can I turn on the music mobiles?" Maya asked.
"Yes of course," Zoya replied.
Maya turned all three music mobiles on. Callen made sure the baby monitor was in the right place. Zoya took a picture of the babies sleeping in their own cribs.
"Their first night in their own cribs," Callen stated as they stood there watching the babies.
"Yeah I'm glad we could finally go home."
"Yeah me too."
The babies started falling asleep so they quietly left the room. Maya could stay up for a little longer before going to bed as well.
Before going to bed Zoya and Callen fed the triplets.
"I wonder how much sleep we'll be getting," Zoya stated as they got into bed.
"Probably not much."
"Probably not."
Zoya crawled close to Callen and lay her head down on his chest as Callen wrapped his arm around her.
"Goodnight honey," Zoya spoke.
"Goodnight honey," Callen replied and gave her a soft kiss on her head.
Zoya was fast asleep. Callen looked at the baby monitor for a while to make sure the babies were sleeping peacefully before falling asleep as well. But it was only for an hour or so. They were both woken up by a cry.