OPS Shenanigans

I Wear My Heart Around My Neck

The necklace Nell always wears carries a story but happy ever after maybe more out of her reach than she realised.

From the gold chain around her neck, hangs a gold ring. It is small, dainty and ever so light. Half the time Nell doesn't feel like she's wearing it at all.

But it is more than a ring. It is a promise. That one day he will come back to her. One day he will stroll through the OPS doors again and one day he will marry her.

Every time she forgets his face, even for a second she touches the necklace lightly and the memory of his smiling face floods her mind and she smiles.

Because Eric Alexander Beale doesn't break promises.

Kensi watches as Nell frowns concentrating hard. Then a hand reaches up and touches her gold necklace and the expression is gone.

"Nell?" Kensi half-whispers.

"Huh." she says turning she had forgotten Kensi was in the room as she was so deep in thought.

"You can't wait forever." Kensi words slapping Nell is the face with the inevitable truth. Even after three years Nell had never lost hope.

Until that moment.

When it all became real and the smile on he face vanished like road-runner and what was left of her broken heart locked itself away.

The ring became just that.

A ring.

Then it happened. Hetty got a phone call. it was not good news, per-say. But she was willing to take that chance to pull Nell through the darkened tunnel she had been living and pull her into the light.

She went by herself. Not wanting to get her hopes up unless he didn't pull through.

She watched him breath heavily. The three years had been good to him he almost looked the same as the day he went undercover but a little more worn around the edges. Just as she was about to leave.
"Hetty is that you?."

Her head spun round.
"I believe it is, Mr Beale."

"I thought I had imagined you." he said still hoping.

"I can assure you I am no kind of apparition. Although your fiancé is beginning to look like one." Hetty commented stepping closer to Eric's bedside.

"I missed her so much." Eric sobbed tearing up and wiping his eyes on the hospital sheets.

"The feeling is entirely mutual, I believe Miss Jones still wears that engagement ring you got her around her neck." Hetty said taking a seat.

"You need to see her."

"I know, but I have one request."

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Nell walked into OPS early that morning determined to get as much paperwork done as possible before a new case came in.

She waved solemnly to Hetty as she passed. Hetty's face awash with a knowing look that Nell couldn't place.

As she redhead the top of the stairs she heard the all too familiar click clacking. Even though she throughly thought it was in her head she ran anyway.

She saw him and her face lit up like a Columbian Christmas tree. "ERIC!!!!!" She yelled running at him.

He picked her up in his arms and held her. Not wanting to ever let go again. To smell her sweet perfume and coconut shampoo and the slightest hint of Oreo's and Coffee.

When they finally drew apart all he say was "Hey.".

When Nell finally got over the initial shock she got angry.
"You leave me, for three years. Engaged and pregnant no less and when you get back you say 'Hey'."

"I...Nell...i can't begin..." he stuttered.

"I have been a single mother for three years. People on the street look down on me. Do you have any idea how that feels." Nell cried.

"I'm sorry." he managed.

"What happened to you." she asked calming down.

"I was in a coma." he said meakly. "In Russia, with no way of getting home."

"How long where you in a coma for." Nell asked feeling sorry she shouted at him.

"2 years." he said. Nell hugged him again letting all frustration she had been building up inside pour out.

"If it's okay..." Eric murmured.

"What your gonna have to speak up." Nell joked cupping her hand to her ear.

"Can I meet my kid." he asked looking sheepish.

"Sure, you are his Dad after all. He is at the daycare centre down the block"

"Then let's go." Eric grabbed his coat and followed Nell out.

All that stood between Eric and the chance of a normal life was a door. A scratched up, finger painted door. Eric waited for Nell. So anxious he had no idea what to do with his hands.

Then out he came a shy looking strawberry blonde three year old wearing shorts and flips flops. He stopped in front of the stranger and looked at his feet. "Mommy am I in trouble." he asked looking sideways at Nell.

"No sweetie of course not." Nell said kneeling down next to him, trying to look him in the eye. "You remember how I told you that your Dad went away on a top secret mission."

"Yeah." he nodded.

"Ash. This is your Dad." Nell said pointing at Eric, who in the spur of the moment picked Ash up and and spun him round. Making the small boy giggle.

He hugged him so tight, that he almost felt like he was crushing him. "You have no idea how long I have waited to meet you." he almost cried into his son's hair.

"I know Daddy." Ash whispered.