Home is where the heart rests
HOMELESS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Mission Ops
Nell read the e-mail that Hetty just sent her and bit her lip.
Damn
She thought to herself. With the case popping up she assumed that this wouldn't happen but Hetty had agreed to it. She got up from her desk and went downstairs to the Tech area. It was now or never
Mission Tech Area
As Nell walked up she heard him talking out loud. He was talking to the server in sweet nothings and it made her smile. When she came up behind him she tried to get his attention.
"Hey" She said in a low voice.
Even with that she startled him as he jerked around and saw her. "Was I..?" He said.
"Nope. I heard nothing." She said.
After taking a moment to compose themselves she walked closer to him.
"So, I'm really sorry, but I am going to have to cancel our plans this weekend." She said.
"What? The Christmas Horror Movie Marathon? We've been talking about that for weeks!" He said.
"I know." She said, disappointment in her voice. She was really looking forward to it.
"Tickets are non refundable." He said.
"Yea, so is this plane ticket I just bought." She said.
Eric's eyes grew wide.
"Hetty just agreed to let me go early so I can go home for Christmas." Nell said.
There was a twinge of disappointment in his face but he recovered.
"That's ok…We will rent the DVDs when you get back." He said, seeming saddened by the news.
"Are you sure?" she said, deciding to press the issue.
"Absolutely. It's been a few years since you have gone home for Christmas so you should go. I'll be here when you get back." He said.
"What are you going to do for Christmas?" She asked.
"Nothing really." He said, returning to work on the server.
"Nothing? There is no one you can spend it with?" She asked.
He set his tools down and closed his eyes. "It's not something I really like to talk about, Nell." He said.
She stepped up to the bench next to him and placed her hand on his.
"If you don't want to tell me, I understand." She said.
"No, you will need to find out eventually." He said, turning to face her.
"I don't really have any family to spend the holidays with. Both of my parents were killed in a car accident two weeks before Christmas when I was 20, I am an only child, and I was never really close with my parent's siblings." He said.
Nell felt her heart squeeze. "I had no idea, Eric." She said. She felt bad with her emotional moment last year when the team was stuck on the Carrier. She felt homesick and confided in him how much she missed the team. And he had stood there and comforted her. She couldn't even begin to think of what he was thinking listing to her whine about not seeing her family when he had no family to see.
"It's Ok, Nell. I've gotten used to it over the years. I just treat it as a vacation really." He said, returning to his work. She went to turn away and leave him but she stopped and turned around.
She bit her lip again, trying to summon the courage. She finally decided to drop the other shoe. "What would you say about coming home with me?" She said.
He crossed prongs and caused a short, jumping back. She jumped a bit.
"Uh….sure…that sounds nice." He said, trying to regain his composure, and failing.
She smiled and stepped up to him. "We will have a lot of fun. Trust me." She said, taking his hand.
"What do you think Hetty will say?" He asked.
"Let me handle that. You have some digging to do." She said, nodding at the display. He turned around and realized the server was online now.
LAX 3 days later
Eric and Nell settled into their seats on the plane. Trying to get through the airport was chaos but they made it.
"I forgot how busy it gets." Nell said, frazzled by their experience so far.
"We could have been here earlier if you hadn't demanded I get some pants." Eric said, smiling.
"Trust me, Wolfram. You will thank me later. The high tomorrow in Minneapolis is supposed to be in the high 20s." She said.
She moved the arm rest that was between them and snuggled close to him. He moved his arm out of the way and wrapped it around her.
"Besides. I think you look good in pants." She said.
She looked up at him with a smile.
"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." She said.
The stewardess started the safety briefing and before long they were in the air. The entire time Nell was curled up against him with his arm around her.
"We should probably get some sleep. It's going to be early morning by the time we land and it is around a 6 hour flight." Nell said. Eric stood up and grabbed a blanket from the overhead and sat back down. He laid the blanket over them and pulled Nell against him. He sighed gently as the feeling of her in his arms relaxed him.
She reached out and grabbed his hand, leaning up and kissing him on the check, incredibly close to his lips. "Good night, Eric." She whispered.
"Good night, Nell." He said, kissing her head in return. After a few moments they both feel asleep to the hum of the plane engines.
Minneapolis International Airport
The jerk of the plane landing woke Nell up. She looked outside and smiled to see the sun rising as the plane pulled into the terminal. She gently shook Eric.
"Wake up, sleepy head. We are home." She said as he opened his eyes.
"Huh?" He said, stretching sleepily.
"We are home" She said, trying to stifle a yawn.
They gathered their things and exited the plane. As soon as they entered the main terminal they saw the familiar red heads. Nell, getting a second wind when she saw them, ran to them smiling from ear to ear.
"Mom! Dad!" She yelled out as she grabbed her parents in hugs. Eric slowly came up behind her. Nell's mother turned to Eric.
"It's so nice to see you again, Mr. Beale. When Nell told us you were coming we were so excited." She said as she grabbed Eric in a hug.
"Please call me Eric, Mrs. Jones." Eric said, obviously nervous.
"Then you need to call me Alice, Eric." She smiled back.
"Enough standing around here. Let's go get your bags so we can get home. Let you two get some sleep." Nell's father, Ralph said.
Nell couldn't help but yawn. "That sounds like a great idea, Dad." She said.
They all made their way to the baggage claim, Nell sliding next to Eric as they walked. She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed.
"I'm really glad you came." She said in a low voice so only they could hear it.
"I just hope I don't jinx it." Eric said.
"You'll do fine." She said, resting her head on his chest as the bags started to come. Eric and Nell pointed out their bags and Ralph and Nell's Uncle David grabbed them. 20 minutes later they piled into their cars and were off to Nell's parent's house.
Nell's Parent's House
They pulled into the long driveway and Ralph turned the car off. The sun had come up and started to warm things, but just barely. Eric was shivering, hunched over as they walked up the stairs to the house.
"You said it was cold but you never said it was this cold!" He said to Nell through chattering teeth.
"Yes I did. You'll get used to it." Nell said, playfully elbowing them.
They all stepped inside and began to take their coats and shoes off, brushing off the excess snow.
"You two will be staying in the guest house." Ralph explained as he carried their bags down a long hallway. He opened the door at the end and entered a small living room. "Your own bedroom and bathroom. Help yourself to the kitchen while you are here." He said as he set the bags down.
"Thank you so much, Dad." Nell said as she kissed him on the cheek.
"Need anything else?" He said.
Eric just shook his head.
"We are fine, Dad. We are going to get some sleep. I got a few hours but I'm sure the plane wasn't the most comfortable for Eric." She said, grabbing his arm.
"I've slept in worse places." He said, smiling uncomfortably.
"Ok. Well don't sleep the day away. I know your mom wants to take you shopping soon." Ralph said as he left. Nell followed afterward and locked the door to the main part of the house.
She turned around and smiled. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Relax, Eric. They are not going to bite." She said.
"I'm sorry. I can't help it." He said, fiddling with his hands.
"Come on, let's get some sleep. I'm still exhausted." She said, stretching and yawning.
"Ok. I'll change in the bathroom." He said as he finished out some pajamas from his bag.
He came out a few moments later in pajamas and a tight fitting t-shirt. He entered the bedroom and saw her lying on the bed, under the covers, wearing a tank top and pants. He couldn't help but smile. She returned the smile as he walked around the bed. She held her hand out and when he took it she pulled him into bed with her. They both shifted under the covers, entwining their bodies together.
She kissed his cheek, again merely inches from his lips. "Sleep well, Eric." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I don't think that is going to be a problem, Nell." He said as he laid his head on the pillow and fell asleep soon after that.
4 Hours later
Eric opened his eyes and for a brief second forgot where he was. Dread started to well up before his brain engaged and remembered. He was in Minnesota, at Nell's Parents home, with Nell. Then he realized Nell was not there. He looked at the clock and saw it was just a little before noon. He climbed out of bed, put his glasses on and walked out of the living room and down the hallway to the kitchen. As he got closer he heard more and more voices. He turned the corner to see the whole family in the kitchen. Nell, who was dressed in a festive color looked over and saw him.
"Morning." She said as she walked over and gave him a kiss.
"It's before noon so I think that counts" He said, smiling.
"Want some coffee?" She asked.
"Big time." He said.
He sat down on a stool on the kitchen island as Nell brought him a cup of coffee and a plate of Muffins her mother made.
"Did you sleep okay, Eric?" Alice asked.
"Very well, Mrs. Jones. Thank you for having me here." He said as he took a drink of the coffee.
"It is our pleasure, Eric. Nell was so excited when she called to tell us you were coming." Alice said as Nell sat down next to him and placed her hand on his knee.
"Hurry up and eat. We are going to go get some last minute shopping done and I want to get you some more pants. Can't have you wearing the same thing for two weeks straight." Nell said.
Eric didn't want to go to a busy mall after only getting a sporadic amount sleep but he knew he was not going to win that argument. He ate the muffins, which were some of the best he had ever had. After downing two cups of coffee Nell shooed him off to take a shower.
Minneapolis Mall
Nell pulled Eric along, weaving through massive crowds as they went from store to store. She finally found a Men's store that piqued her fancy.
"This one looks good." She said as they walked in.
"Is this place even within our price range?" Eric said, looking at the prices of the shirts.
"Don't you worry about that. I want my boyfriend to look his best." She said, bringing her face close to him. Eric couldn't figure if she was just playing the role or if she was telling the truth. How is that hard to understand? One half of his brain said to the other.
"Ok. I will be your Ken Doll. Dress me up, Miss Jones." He said, smiling. She started picking out a few pairs of pants and a few shirts. She sent him off to the dressing rooms to try them on.
Jones House
After a few hours shopping they came home to an early dinner and afterward Ralph had invited Eric to the game room, which was a building on the other end of the back yard.
"Spent a full year and a half getting this all set up." Ralph said as he opened the door and they stepped inside.
Eric was blown away. Gigantic TV with surround sound, Pool Table on the far end, plenty of seating space, and a small bar made up the room.
"Wow, this is impressive, Mr. Jones." Eric said as they hung their coats up.
"Just call me Ralph. The benefits of owning your own construction company." He said as he walked over to the bar and grabbed a couple of bottles from the small fridge.
"You watch sports much?" Ralph asked as he walked back over and took a seat in the recliner.
"Not really. I watch football here and there with friends, but not much else." Eric said as he sat down on the couch.
Ralph opened the bottles and handed one to Eric.
"Well I will tell you this. If you are going to be coming home with Nell you are going to have to start liking hockey." Ralph laughed as he turned the TV to a NHL game.
Ralph took a drink of the bottle and Eric followed.
"What do you think? Brewed it myself using an old Bavarian recipe I found." Ralph said.
"It's very good. I am not a big beer drinker but I like the flavor." Eric said.
"Another thing you will have to start liking." Ralph chuckled.
"Noted." Eric said as he took another drink.
"I am going to ask you a question, Eric. What intentions do you have for Nell?" He asked.
Eric's brain came to a screeching halt.
"Uh…intentions, sir?" Eric was able to babble out.
"Yea. Where are you going with her?" Ralph said, turning away from the game and looking at him dead in the eye.
Eric set his beer down.
"To be honest, Ralph. Nell is a very special person to me. She is my best friend and close confidant. She came into my life at just the right time. I lost a very close friend a few months before she came to LA and was really struggling. At first we couldn't stand each other but the more and more we worked together the better we hit it off. She challenges me, makes me better myself. And I do the same for her. I can't answer what my intentions are for her because I don't even know that myself. But I will tell you this. I would much rather spend an eternity with her then 1 day without her." Eric said, deciding not to hide anything.
Ralph took a moment to process it before smiling.
"Eric, I don't think I have ever heard truer words spoken from anyone. I know my Nell is in good hands with you." He said as he held his bottle out. Eric grabbed his and the brought them together.
"Welcome to the family, son" Ralph said as they both drank.
Right as they finished Nell came walking in.
"So he got his claws into you already?" She said as she flopped down on the couch next to Eric.
"What is the score?" She asked.
"Wild are up 2-1 halfway through the second." Ralph said.
"Nice!" Nell said as she grabbed Eric's beer and took a drink before handing it back to him.
"I didn't know you watched hockey." Eric said.
"I am from the Northern US, Eric. Hockey is kind of our thing up here." She said, giving him a grin.
She curled up against him as Ralph brought over 3 more beers, giving Nell her own this time.
Later that night
Eric and Nell walked into the guest house and closed it for the evening. Both were a little buzzed from the beer but were far from drunk.
"So did you have 'The Talk' with Dad?" Nell asked as she walked into the room to change.
"Kind of. He wanted to know what my intentions were with you." Eric said, stepping into the bathroom to change himself.
"What did you say?" She asked.
"I told him the truth. I told him that I didn't have anything in mind. But I told him how important you are to me." He said as he stepped out of the bathroom.
She leaned out of the door, dressed for bed herself.
"How so?" She asked with a quizzing look on her face.
Eric stepped in the room and took her hands in his.
"Nell, I told him how I really felt about you. I told him that I can't see myself without you. I don't care if you want to call it Friends, Partners, Fake Boyfriend and Girlfriend, or even the dreaded R-word. But I want you to be a part of my life. As I hope you want me in yours." He said, looking in her eyes as he told her.
She took his face in her hands and pulled him into a kiss. Unlike their mistletoe kiss last year this was soft and gentle. After a few seconds they broke the kiss.
"You will always be a part of my life, Eric." She said.
She laid up against his body, softly slipping a hand under his shirt and feeling his chest.
"Do you mind sleeping without a shirt tonight? I want to feel your skin." She asked.
Eric had to swallow a few times to quench his dry throat.
"Uh…yea. Sure." He said as he slipped it off and tossed it aside.
Nell almost felt light headed as she saw how tone he was. He was not muscular, but it was obvious that his surfing at toned his body. He could easily model as a side gig if he wanted to.
She took his hand and pulled him into bed with her. They snuggled up against each other as Nell laid her head on his chest.
"How does that feel?" Eric said, softly stroking her back.
"Feels amazing. Thank you." She said as she slowly drifted off to sleep, Eric following soon afterward.
The next day
Eric stepped in from the cold after helping Ralph unload firewood to the pile. The whole house smelled delicious as he walked into the kitchen to see Nell moving around.
"What smells so good in here?" He asked.
Nell turned around and saw him, smiling. "I'm making soup for the Christmas Potluck after church tomorrow." She said.
"Where is everyone else?" He said as he leaned up against the kitchen island.
"Mom, Aunt June, and Uncle David went to go help get things ready for church services tomorrow." Nell said.
She turned around and wiped her hand with a towel. "If you don't want to go to morning services we don't have to. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable" She said, stepping up to him.
"Do you want me to go?" He asked her.
"Honestly, Eric. I do. It would mean a lot to me. Besides you already know the preacher." She said.
"Who?" He asked with a raised eyebrow
"Uncle David." She said.
"He is a preacher? Wow, I did not see that." Eric said. Last night David had joined them watching the game and had a few beers himself.
"He isn't your typical minister." She said.
"If that is the case then I have no problems going. Besides, you bought me such nice clothes that I need to have a reason to wear them" He said.
She kissed him, this time full on the lips. He smiled as she pulled away.
"What was that for?" He asked.
"Does a girl need a reason to kiss her boyfriend?" She said with a sly grin.
"No one is around so we don't need to keep the cover up." He said in a low voice.
"Who said anything about a cover?" She winked.
Eric had to shake his head to jumpstart his brain again.
"Need any help getting the soup ready?" He asked quickly changing the subject.
Nell smiled. "Sure. Can you peel and chop those onions and carrots for me?" She said, pointing to the cutting board.
Eric took his spot next to her and began to clean, peel and chop the vegetables. Nell hummed away as she prepared the meat and spices.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.
"Not right now. I am not mad or anything. I just need to process everything. Kind of on sensory overload for the past few days." He said.
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "When you are ready I am always here." She whispered to him.
Later that night
Nell woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. She looked over at the clock and saw it was past midnight. She reached a hand back and felt only bed. She rolled over and saw that Eric was not with her. She tossed the covers off, threw on a robe and opened the bedroom door. He wasn't in the guest living room either. She made her way down the hallway to the main part of the house and found him sitting on the couch in the family room, dimly lit by the lights of the Christmas Tree. In his had he had a cup of hot chocolate.
Eric was deep in thought and didn't notice her until she stepped into the light of the tree.
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked.
She shook her head. "No, but the big empty space where my boyfriend was sleeping did." She said.
"He wanted me to tell you that he was having some trouble with that." He said, taking a drink of the hot chocolate.
She sat down on the couch next to him. He held out the cup for her and she took a drink.
"What's wrong, Eric?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his.
"Nothing. I was just sitting here thinking about when my parents died." He said.
He took a drink. "It happened two weeks before Christmas. I was 20, barely out of high school, out on my own. Then in a single instance I had no one. My Aunts and Uncles all fought for their material assets and barely paid mind to me. I lost my home, most of my possessions, ended up on the streets for awhile." He said. Nell didn't say anything but squeezed his arm to show she was listening.
"I learned some hacking tricks from some people I met. Used it to keep myself fed and clothed. Then I got caught. Not by the police, but by her." He said.
"Hetty?" She asked.
He nodded. "She was working for the CIA at the time. She found me in some café in San Bernadino. Told me she knew who I was and what I was looking for. She made me a deal. She would put me through school and set me up with a job. In return I had to use my skills to help others instead of myself." He explained.
"That is why you never thought of going Private Sector?" She asked.
"It's not that I feel bound to her anymore. I actually want to stay. NCIS has become my home and my family." He said.
He looked down at her as she curled up against him.
"And I never would have met you." He said.
She smiled. "I will have to thank Hetty when we get home." She said.
He finished off his drink as she stood up. "Until then, come back to bed." She said. He took her hand and they went to the kitchen so he could put the cup in the dishwasher before returning to their bedroom. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
She hooked her thumbs on the waistband of the pajama pants she was wearing and slid them down, pooling them at her ankles. She leaned in and whispered.
"It's only fair that I lose an article of clothing if you do." She said.
"Can't wait to see the unwrapped thing." He said.
"You will. I promise." She said as they climbed into bed.
He slowly ran his hand along her thigh as she nuzzled against his neck. Soon they both fell asleep.
Sunday morning
Eric woke up to kisses on his chest. He opened his eyes and looked down to see the firey red hair of Nell. He reached out and petted her head.
"Thought you might like that wake up call." She whispered to him.
"Waking up to you is more than enough." He whispered as he grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her and pinned her against him.
"I don't want to ever let you go." He said, smiling as his lips touched hers.
"You are never going to lose me, Wolfram." She said as she kissed his neck.
"Now you need to take a shower. I'll get your clothes ready." She said as she pushed off of him.
He sat up and swung his legs off the bed. Standing up he walked to the bathroom and took a nice hot shower. He dried himself off and shaved quickly. He stepped out just as Nell was walking into the bathroom. She looked over her shoulder, giving him a grin as she shut the door. He went into the bedroom to find a black pair of slacks, a black shirt, with a matching silver vest and tie. He changed into the clothes and was tying the tie when she came out. She was dressed in a dark dress with silver pinstripes.
"You look nice." He said as she walked up to him, fixing her earrings.
"You look handsome yourself there, killer." She said as she adjusted his tie.
"Come on. Let's get some breakfast before we go." She said as she grabbed his hand and they went to the kitchen
Church
Eric pulled the door to the church building open and Nell and her family walked in. They hung their coats and everything up and were greeted by a pair of older women. When they saw Nell they became excited that she was there. She introduced them to Eric.
"It's about time Nell brings a nice handsome man like you home with her." One of them said, eliciting an embarrassed look by Eric.
Nell pulled him away to save him from trying to respond to that. They walked into the main room and watched as people came up to say Hi to Nell and to greet Eric. They were all very friendly, very welcoming people. Eric started to feel at ease with them
They found their spot with the rest of Nell's family as the services started. Eric didn't really pay attention to the announcements and when the song leader stepped up they all stood and started to sing. Eric grabbed a song book but just read the words, listening to Nell sing along. Eric started to feel the dread that these people would look down on him for not singing but Nell nipped that in the bud with a whisper.
"Don't worry about singing if you don't want to." She said. She knew he could sing, very beautifully she might add. There were many karoke nights where they sung duets together and had learned to harmonize very well. After a few songs they sat down as a few verses were read and a prayer was given.
Eric had been to church a few times with his grandparents when he was young but after his parents died he didn't feel like he belonged in one. As David got up and started to preach Eric started thinking about all those times he sat with his grandparents on Sunday Mornings. Nell reached out and took his hand, softly squeezing it as she ran her thumb across the back of it. He threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him as they sat and listened. David finished his sermon they all stood and sung one last song. The service was dismissed and everyone moved to the large fellowship hall for the potluck. They both loaded up on food and took a seat at a table and ate.
"What did you think?" Nell asked him, taking a bite of the meatloaf she had on her plate.
"I like your Uncle. He finds a way to keep your interest. I've heard so many horror stories about boring preachers." Eric answered, taking a drink of iced tea
"He is definitely one of a kind." She said, smiling.
A young couple, almost the same age as them, sat down at the table and struck up conversation. They were new members so they were not familiar with Nell but they knew her parents. The husband worked as a system engineer and his wife was a home maker who was pregnant with their first child. They ended up talking for an hour, really hitting it off with the young couple. As the meal started to wind down Alice came and told Eric and Nell that her brothers and sister will be arriving in a few hours from Chicago. Nell got excited to see her siblings. They helped clean up after the meal and left for the house
Jones Home
Nell was bouncing with excitement as she paced in the living room. She hadn't seen her older brothers in years and was looking forward to seeing them and all of her nieces and nephews. Eric couldn't help by smile at the child like giddiness she expressed. He was just about to make a joke when she saw a large van pull up.
"They are here!" She said exited as her parents came down the stairs.
Eric couldn't help but laugh at the 28 year old girl of his dreams regressed to a 12 year old girl.
Nell ran out and greeted her two older brothers and their wives. Jacob worked for the City of Chicago in their planning commission and his wife was a paralegal. Their two childen, Michael and Lisa, were both in middle school. Charlie was a CPA and his wife Rachel was a pediatrician. Their daughter Kira had just started 4th grade. Her Sister Katie was an elementary school teacher.
Nell introduced Eric to the rest of her family.
"So this is the elusive Eric. Nell won't shut up about you." Michael said in a joking manor, shaking Eric's hand.
"I hope it's all good." Eric said.
"Believe me, if it wasn't we would be having a different conversation." Charlie replied.
"Oh grow up you two. You may be my brothers but I can take care of myself." Nell said.
"Dinner will be ready in a few. After that we can get the family photos done." Alice said as she waved everyone inside.
"Did she say photos?" Eric said.
"Yea, Eric. She did." Nell replied.
"Sorry, this is just weird for me." He said.
"I know. And if it is making you uncomfortable then I apologize. If you don't want to be part of the pictures you don't have to." She said, turning him to face her. She placed her hands on his chest.
"I brought you here to be part of a family. All of us want you here, Eric." Nell said as she softly kissed him.
"I'll do it." He said, not giving his mind a chance to think.
Nell smiled deeply. "I'm glad. Now come on, Wolfram. I'm hungry."
2 hours later
After dinner and the family photos, which went much better then Eric could have imagined, even when they wanted a picture of just him and Nell together, the family gathered in the game room for a football game. Eric got roped into a Pool game with Nell against her brothers. Nell had boasted, correctly at times, that Eric was quite the pool shark.
"8 ball, off the side, far corner pocket" He called his shot to win the game, her brothers only 2 balls behind them. Eric aimed up and struck the Cue ball. As he called perfectly the ball hit right where he said it was going to, struck the 8 ball, and sunk it.
"And that's the game!" Nell said, using the pool cue as a microphone, holding her hand to her ear like she had a pair of headphones on.
"Jeeze, Nell, you weren't kidding. He is good." Jacob said as they put everything back up.
"I told you, but you didn't believe me" She said as she stuck her tongue out at her brothers.
"Next year, we will own you two." Charlie said.
"Bring it!" Eric said, playfully flexing.
Everyone started laughing at the display, causing Eric to burst out laughing too.
That evening
"That was a blast!" Eric said as they got ready for bed.
"Did you see the look on Charlie's face?" Nell said as she came in the bedroom.
"Like a kid who got his candy stolen." Eric smiled.
Nell just stood there, looking at him with a content smile.
Eric noticed her watching him.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" He said.
She shook her head gently. "No. I am just enjoying that you are happy." She said.
The climbed into bed together and she curled up against him.
"I wanted to apologize about 2 years ago when the team was on the carrier. I didn't realize that you didn't have family and when I got homesick that one day I didn't even stop to think how you felt." She said, wiping a single tear from her eye.
"Nell, I don't blame you for that. There was no way you could have known. And it didn't hurt my feelings at all." He said, softly squeezing her.
"I wish you would have told me." She said.
"I thought about it. But I knew how much you enjoyed Christmas that I didn't want to put a damper on your holiday spirit." He said, softly stroking her back.
"You are too nice for your own good, you know that?" She said, kissing his cheek.
"You realize now you are coming home with me at least every other year now, right?" She said.
"It will be the highlight of my year," He said, rolling on his side and wrapping an arm around her, pulling her against him. Together in each other's arms they fell asleep.
2 days later
Christmas morning Eric woke to a buzz of activity. Nell burst in the room shaking him.
"Wake up, Sleepy head! It's Christmas!" She said, barely containing her excitement. Eric got up and got dressed quickly before Nell pulled him to the living room where the family gathered. The kids were excitedly passing out the gifts while Nell brought Eric a cup of coffee. She sat down on the ground in front of him, leaning up against his legs.
It was a tradition in Nell's family for everyone to go one at a time. The kids started opening their presents, before moving on to the adults. When it came to Eric's turn Nell pulled a package from behind the tree.
"Eric, the big gift is from the family and the small gift is from me." She said.
Eric opened the large gift and found a hand knitted sweater for him. The Same he has seen the rest of the family wear at times.
"Now you truly are part of the family" Alice said.
Eric looked at it for a few moments, running his hand over it.
"Thank you so much." He said, obviously touched by the gesture.
He removed the small package from the sweater and opened it, finding a large jewelry box. He opened it and saw a beautiful hemp necklace with a set of shark teeth.
"Kelly helped find that for me. It is hand made in Hawaii by a local jewelry maker." She explained.
"Wow!" Was all he said as he removed it and put it around his neck.
He smiled and looked down at it. "I'm never taking it off." He said.
He looked back up at her. "I have something for you as well. Be right back." He said as he got up and ran to their room. He returned with a small package that he handed to her.
"Merry Christmas, Nell" He said. She took it and opened it, finding also a large jewelry box. This one had a beautiful tennis bracelet.
"Eric! This is georgus! How much did this cost you?" She said, failing to contain her surprise.
"Hey now, it's rude to ask how much a gentlemen spends on his lady." He said, giving her a smile.
She playfully wacked his arm as she put the bracelet on. She sat down on the couch next to him and curled against him.
"Merry Christmas, Eric." She said as she kissed him.
The gift unwrapping went on with Nell and Eric just sitting back and enjoying the show.
"One last gift before we finish up and have breakfast." Aunt June said.
She pulled out a small package. "This is for both Eric and Nell. To celebrate their first Christmas with us." She said as she handed it to them.
They unwrapped it together and found two perfectly framed pictures of the two of them that were taken days ago.
Eric smiled. "This is amazing." He said. Nell squeezed him gently. "Thank you all." He said.
"It's our pleasure, Eric. We are glad you're here." June replied.
Evening
Eric came into the guest house after spending the evening with Ralph and the brothers. Everyone was turning in for the night so Eric closed and locked the door before stepping into the room. The lights were dim and he was able to make out her figure lying on the bed.
"About time you show up." She said.
He walked closer to her and realized she was wrapped up in a bed sheet, just barely covering her chest. Wrapped around her was a big ribbon with a bow.
"Aren't you going to unwrap your present?" She said in a seductive voice.
She wiggled her finger, telling him to come here. Eric slipped out of his clothes, pausing before taking his boxers off. He looked at Nell questioningly. She gave him a reassuring nod.
He slid is boxers off and climbed into bed next to her. She leaned in and kissed him.
She pulled back and rolled onto her back, holding her arms above her head.
"Well, Mr. Beale. Don't keep a girl waiting." She said.
He leaned down and kissed her passionately while his hand ran up her body, fingers tracing her curves until he came to the bow. He slowly pulled one end of it, unraveling it. When it came undone he pulled the ends to the sides before running his hand over her chest and her stomach. He softly tugged at the sheet, releasing it from itself as he gently uncovered her. He had seen flashes of her body before when they went swimming or had beach days. He knew the overall look of her body and had fantasized about it multiple times. But nothing he could ever imagine would live up to what he saw.
"So Eric. Is this all you had imagined?" She asked, almost reading his mind.
He softly trailed a finger across her breasts and down her stomach. "All that and more." He said.
"I'm glad. Because this is all yours." She said as she pulled him down.
They spent what felt like forever just exploring each other's bodies, placing kisses and gentle caresses all over their skin. Finally Nell had enough of waiting.
"Make love to me, Eric." She whispered to him. Her voice sending shockwaves through his body.
He positioned himself and after another reassuring glance from her slowly slid into her.
Gasps escaped both of them as their bodies took over. They spent hours giving themselves to each other. When they finally finished they both collapsed on the bed, Eric on his back and Nell on her stomach. They laid there, starting into each other's eyes. Eric finally rolled over, wrapped an arm around her and kissed her shoulder.
"That was amazing." He whispered.
"I'm glad. It's…kinda been awhile for me." She said, blushing a bit in the dim light.
"Yea, me too." He said, kissing her temple.
"Thank you, Nell." He said.
"For what?" She replied, raising an eyebrow.
"For being here with me. For just being you." He said, his eyes getting heavy with sleep.
"I don't...know what I…would do….without you." His voice trailed off, falling fast asleep.
She kissed his eyebrow gently. "I love you too, Eric." She said before turning the light off and falling asleep soon after
New Years Eve
The following week after Christmas went way too quick for Eric. Nell's siblings had to leave to return to Chicago a few days after Christmas. Nell promised them that Eric and herself would visit them in Chicago soon. The day after Ralph had surprised Eric and Nell with tickets to a Minnesota Wild game. To Nell's amusement Eric admitted he was starting to enjoy watching it. They joked with each other saying they would have to become Kings fans, unless the Wild were in town. Now they had just 2 days left before they had to return to LA, back to their life. The Jones' threw a New Year's party with a large group of their friends and that is where Eric found himself. It was a formal party so he was dressed up in a similar look from the pictures, just with blue instead of silver. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to like the clothes. Nell was dressed in a green cocktail dress that hugged every curve and Eric could not get enough of it. When the clock read 11:45 Nell nudged him.
"Come with me. I want to talk to you." She said as she grabbed her Champaign glass and walked toward the guest house. Eric followed closely.
Nell closed and locked the door and turned to him, smiling.
"What is on your mind?" Eric asked, his curiosity piqued.
"We should have our own toast." She said, holding up her glass.
"Um. Ok. What should we toast to?" Eric asked.
"I have one." She cleared her throat and in a perfect Christopher Lee impression. "To us, Mr Beale."
Eric couldn't help but laugh. "That was spot on!" He said.
"I knew you would like that. But I'm serious." She said, setting her glass down.
"I need to confess something to you Eric. Do you remember when we went on lockdown 2 months ago?" She said.
"How could I forget?" Eric said, his mood turning somber. It was one of the roughest days of his life.
"Well afterward Hetty asked me to review our computer logs trying to find anything we missed. Don't ask me why she didn't ask you. I think she didn't want to stress you." Nell said.
Eric listened intently, not having a clue where she was taking the conversation.
"I don't mean this to be an invasion of your privacy, Eric. But I know about your password." She said.
Eric tensed up, turning red.
"I saw it in the key stroke logger. Nell+Eric2015. Am I right?" She said.
Eric could only nod.
"Eric, I'm not mad at all. I just have to ask. Is this something that you truly mean or is it just some puppy love thing?" She asked.
"Why would this be a puppy love thing? Nell, I mean everything. I've been trying to say outright how I feel about you but I can't. I've let some things slip through, like the Post-Its. But I wasn't really sure you felt the same way. But this trip has proven to me that you do." Eric explained, fiddling with his hands to try to continue speaking.
Nell took her glass. "To us, Eric. To our lives, and our love. Together" She said as she held it up.
Eric took his glass, clinked it with hers, and they drank. He took her glass and set them aside. He held his finger up, asking her for a moment as he pushed the couch against the wall, making a large space for them. He took out his phone and pulled up a media app. Finding the song he set his phone down on the TV as I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith started playing.
"May I have this dance?" He asked as he held his hand out for her.
"Always, Eric." She said as she took his hand. He gently pulled her against him and wrapped his other arm around her waist. She placed her other hand around his neck and together they slowly swayed in a circle.
I could stay awake..
Just to hear you breathing..
Watch you smile..
While you are sleeping..
While you're far away..
And dreaming..
I could spend my life..
In this sweet surrender..
I could stay lost in this moment..
Forever..
Well, every moment spent with you..
Is a moment I treasure..
I don't wanna close my eyes..
I don't wanna fall asleep..
'Cause I'd miss you babe..
And I don't wanna miss a thing..
'Cause even when I dream of you..
The sweetest dream will never do..
I'd still miss you babe..
And I don't wanna miss a thing..
Lying close to you..
Feeling your heart beating..
And I'm wondering what your dreaming..
Wondering if it's me your seeing..
And then I kiss your eyes and thank god we're together..
And I just wanna stay with you..
In this moment forever..
And ever..
I don't wanna miss one smile..
I don't wanna miss one kiss..
I just wanna be with you..
Right here with you..
Just like this..
I just wanna hold you close..
And feel your heart so close to mine..
And stay here in this moment..
For all the rest of time..
I don't wanna close my eyes..
I don't wanna miss a thing..
Yeah..
I don't wanna miss a thing..
The song finished just as from the main house they could hear shouts of "Happy New Year". Eric leaned down and kissed her, both of them closing their eyes, savoring the closeness of each other. They finally broke the kiss.
"I love you, Nell."
"I love you too, Eric."
"Happy New Year"
"The Year of Eric and Nell" She said.
Mission 3 days later
Eric opened the door to the Mission and held it open for Nell to enter. He followed after and closed the door behind them. By instinct he reached out and grabbed her hand. She didn't pull away like he expected. It was her way of showing that she didn't want to hide it. She looked out of the corner of her eye and smiled at him as they walked down the hallway to the main area. Hetty stood there, waiting for them, smiling.
"Miss Jones, Mr. Beale. Welcome back."
"Morning, Hetty" Eric said.
"How was your holiday?" Nell asked.
"It was very refreshing. I visited a friend up in Puerto Vallarta. I take it your trip was enjoyable?" She asked.
"Very much so. We had so much fun." Nell said.
"I also assume that some congratulations are in order?" Hetty said with a knowing smile.
Both Eric and Nell blushed.
"I would be a fool to not notice how the two of you have grown close over the years. It is only natural that it would end up one of two ways. Either you become a couple or you break down and split apart personally and professionally. I must say that I am glad that you two chose the first option." She said.
"And you are ok with this?" Eric asked.
"As your employer I do have to warn you that the second it starts to affect your performances then I will have to intervene. But I trust the two of you to understand that and keep your personal and professional lives separate. As long as you keep displays of affection to a minimum then I see no reason to step in." Hetty said.
Both Eric and Nell smiled.
"We have a gift for you, Hetty." Nell said.
Hetty's face turned sour. "Oh you don't have to." Everybody knew Hetty hated Christmas gifts.
"Trust me, Hetty. I think you will like this one." Eric said as Nell fished a small package out of her bag.
"My parents gave us two of these. We really only need one, so we wanted you to have the other one." She said.
Hetty opened the package to find the framed photo of Nell and Eric. She smiled and for a brief moment Eric thought he saw a tear well in her eye.
"I think in this case I will make an exception." Hetty said, smiling.
"Now, the others will be here soon. We have to hit the ground running unfortunately" She said as she handed them a file. Eric took it and they both nodded as they went up to Ops to get everything ready for the briefing.
Hetty took a look at the picture again and ran a finger across it.
"I'm glad you found a home, Mr. Beale."
She whispered to herself before putting the picture in her bag to take home with her.
Wow this was a long one. I wanted to split it but couldn't really have a good place that I could end it for a second part so this now takes the record for the longest One-Shot. Multiple episode refernces here as well as subtle homages to other things. I threw in a Green Mile and a James Bond reference if you can find it.
This one I had been working on for weeks a little bit at a time. I didn't want to make each indivudal scene very long which is why they are farily short, there is just alot of them. But there is a lot that can happen in two weeks.
Thank you for your continued Reads, Reviews, Follows, and Favorites.