The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. -Mahatma Gandhi
"Nick, when are you coming home tonight?" LJ whispered into her phone.
"What's the matter?" Nick asked.
"We need to talk" LJ sighed, knowing it would just worry Nick all day.
"Good or bad?" Nick sighed, trying to gauge the conversation.
"I'm not sure" she replied honestly.
"Whatever it is we'll handle it together," Nick reassured before stepping into an interview with Knight, "Te amo, Mi Amor."
"Te amo, Papi" Leilani hinted before hanging up.
"Te amo, Papi?" Nick whispered to himself as he stepped out of the elevator with Knight and Parker; and paused, processing her hint.
"You coming, Nick?" Parker asked, having heard what Nick whispered.
"Umm... I think I need to go home," Nick smiled, "I think Lei's going to tell me the best news of my life."
"Go" Parker nodded in understanding.
Nick was grateful he'd ridden his bike to work today as he zipped through the Friday rush hour to their house. As he pulled into the driveway, Nick noticed the screen on the front door open and a nervous Leilani stood on their front porch. He smiled noticing she was wearing the same blue linen set she was wearing the night they met. Nick found himself praying that Leilani really was pregnant as he walked up the steps after covering his bike.
"Are you pregnant?" Nick smiled, as he pulled Leilani into him by her hips, "Am I going to be a dad?"
"Yes," Leilani smiled, with furrowed brows, "You're okay with this?"
"Mi Amor, this was a promise to be here for everything," he smiled taping the promise ring, "I mean that wholeheartedly."
"Can we buy a different place?" she asked as they admired the finally completed renovation on the Salem-inspired home.
"Bedrooms all on one floor and your office and a playroom on the same floor as the living room and kitchen" Nick nodded.
"When were you going to tell me about the job offer?" Lei asked as they sat down at the kitchen island.
"The position in Hawaii?" Nick chuckled, "I was going to discuss it with you tonight. I asked Vance if I could give him an answer in a week so we could discuss it."
"I wouldn't mind a fresh start with a baby on the way," Leilani smiled, "But we have to come back for Christmas so they can have Christmas with our family here."
"I'll talk to Vance in the morning, let me know when you schedule your first OB appointment so I can make sure that I'm able to be there," he grinned, crouching down to kiss her belly, "I want to be at every appointment for this one."
"Tomorrow at 3:30," she blushed, "I may have already taken care of that for you."
"What did you do?" Nick chuckled, standing up so they could start dinner.
"Nope, we're going out to dinner to celebrate" Lei interrupted as she slid over three tests.
"Your wish is my command," Nick smiled, "But what did you do?"
"I may have messengered something to Vance asking for you to get out of work by 2:30 tomorrow" Lei smirked as Nick's phone started ringing and the caller ID read Director Vance.
"Nick, when were you going to tell me?" Vance asked with a smile in his voice.
"I found out right before I was leaving work," Nick chuckled, "Apparently the future Mrs. Torres has been scheming behind my back."
"I see a little P.S. note here that I think is your answer about Hawaii?" Vance smiled.
"Jemisha, what did you say?" Nick laughed putting the phone on speaker.
"I have no clue what you're talking about" LJ giggled.
"'Dear Uncle Vance, I was hoping that I could steal Nick away at 2:30 to go with me to confirm this little one's existence.' and then there is a positive pregnancy test in a zip lock bag and, 'P.S. Uncle Leon please don't let Nick tell you no to Hawaii. The bubs and I want to live next to the beach.'" Leon read over the speaker, "Take the rest of the week off Nick so you two can discuss what to do with all the properties here and your plan for the move."
"Yes, Sir" Nick chuckled.
"Thank you, Uncle Leon" Leilani called from the other side of the island.
"You are such a pain sometimes but I absolutely love you," Nick laughed once Vance had hung up.
"Future Mrs. Torres?" she commented, having not missed that.
"I was hoping you would miss that, but I can't wait any longer" Nick smiled stepping into the office and getting into his gun box.
"Nick?" Lei asked from the door with furrowed brows.
"This isn't because you're pregnant, I was already planning this," Nick grinned excitedly as he turned around with his hands behind his back, "Leilani Jemisha Donahue-Gibbs will you marry me?"
"Oh my god, yes!" Leilani squealed as Nick opened the box, "I didn't think you'd ask until after we had the baby!"
"I didn't want us to move to Oahu without you being at least my fiancé" he smiled sliding the ring on her finger.
LJ admired the beautiful ring on her finger as she walked up the stairs to get dressed for their date. It was a magical looking 2 Karat bi-colored Turmalin rose gold engagement ring and it looked expensive. Nick had made reservations somewhere as a surprise and he wasn't telling LJ where they were eating but he told her to dress nice.
"How can you afford both of these rings a couple of months apart?" Leilani asked as Nick walked into the bathroom while she was doing her makeup.
"I've been saving for both since we met four years ago, I hit the amount I wanted pretty quickly and just kept adding so I had more options," Nick grinned, "Your ring came in a couple of days ago. I designed it from elements of rings you seemed to really like when you chose your promise ring."
"You really are my best friend" she smiled wrapping her arms around Nick's neck.
"We're going to be late for our reservation if you keep this up" he smirked, with his hands on her bare ass.
"Mmmm.... what if I told you that I won't be wearing a bra?" Lei smirked.
"If you weren't already pregnant" Nick smirked back.
"Tell me where we're going and I'll get ready in just the lingerie I'm wearing under my outfit" she smirked, the flirting escalating.
"If you did that I'd let you buy whatever house you want without argument" Nick countered with a mischievous smolder in his eyes.
"Even if it meant me using my inheritance to buy it for us?" Jem asked with puppy eyes.
"Even if it means you using your inheritance" Nick chuckled, "I still want it to be a surprise. Just wear something; it's a higher-end place. But you can still use your inheritance if your dream place ends up being that much."
Leilani did a little happy dance before she continued doing her makeup. Nick admired his fiance as she finished her makeup while he quickly fixed his hair for dinner. He had never been intimidated by the fact Leilani had a lot more money than him. To Nick, LJ's inheritance was a safety net for their growing family and if dipping into that money for the exact house she wanted then he was all for it.
"You look amazing" Nick grinned as Leilani walked out of their closet.
"You don't look half bad yourself" Leilani smirked, slipping into a cute pair of low heels.
"I'm already obsessed with you, but you with a baby bump is going to drive me insane" Nick smiled as they got into LJ's brand new Fisker Ocean.
"You want about four kids so I hope you actually like how I look pregnant" Leilani chuckled as she backed out of the driveway.
"Just head to 16th Street and M Street, we can walk once you park," Nick smiled, "When did Fisker drop off your car?"
"About an hour before you got home, so we're testing him out for the first time together" Leilani grinned.
"Him? So I taken you've given him a name?" Nick chuckled.
"Anthem" Lei proudly smiled, glancing over at Nick.
"I like it," he nodded, "How quickly do you want to move to O'ahu?"
"I guess the sooner the better because I don't want to be traveling that far by the time I'm showing" she replied, honestly.
"Alright, then when we get back from dinner tonight we'll look at plane tickets and vacation rentals," Nick smiled, wanting what was best for Leilani and the baby, "I want to get you out there to start looking for places while I start all the paperwork for the transfer. Hopefully, Vance can get me out there within a couple of weeks."
"That sounds like a perfect plan to me" Leilani smiled.
"What do you want to do with the house?" he asked when they finally pulled into a parking spot near the restaurant.
"List it on VRBO, so we have an actual house to stay in whenever we're back in DC" LJ answered as Nick opened her door.
"Sounds like we'll be buying new furniture again" Nick chuckled as he lead them down the street to The Jefferson Hotel.
"We could ship the stuff we want to take from this place to put in the new house," Lei suggested, "Why are we walking towards The Jefferson?"
"I made reservations at Quill, but that was when I was planning on proposing over dinner tonight and I thought we could both drink" Nick blushed.
"I'm still looking forward to it" she grinned as the doorman opened the door to the hotel for the couple.
"Good," he smiled, "Thank you, Sir."
"You're welcome," the doorman smiled, "Congratulations, on the engagement!"
"Thank you" Leilani smiled.
Later That Night
Leilani floated into the house laughing at the large stain on her dress, with an embarrassed fiance sulking behind her. They had stopped to get milkshakes after dinner, and as they were walking back to the car Nick tripped and spilled his chocolate shake all over Leilani. She was unbothered by the whole thing because she discovered too late that the dress irritated her skin and was going to get rid of it.
"That dress had to be expensive" Nick sighed as he followed LJ up to their room.
"It's fine, I know a really good dry cleaner and I was going to get rid of this dress anyways" Leilani chuckled.
"Are you sure?" Nick asked.
"I'm positive, now look at the rental I was looking at on our way home when you were blabbering unnecessary apologies while I change" she smiled giving Nick a kiss and handing him her phone.
"I'm marrying an amazing woman, and you're going to be a great mom" Nick smiled, before looking down at her screen.
"I feel the same about you, Mi Amor" Jem grinned slipping out of the dress.
"Amor, this place is cute" Nick commented.
It was a cute little bungalow on the beach in Kailua, a lot smaller than what Nick thought Jemisha would choose. It was steps from the beach in a little vacation rental community, but he felt like she was settling. Nick wanted her to feel completely comfortable because they didn't know how long it would take to find their home.
"However, I think it's too small. We could be in this place for a while before we find a house, and if we don't find one, we'll have to find land and build," Nick added, seeing Jem's face falling a little, "Mi Amor, we're moving with a growing family; anything smaller than what we're in now will not be comfortable for us."
"Yeah, you're right," she sighed, "This is a fresh start. I think we both need to start seeing a counselor when we get to the island, even if it's just a family counselor."
"I think so too," he sighed, "I've been drinking too much since the news about Gibbs, and I want to be a healthy father and husband for you and this baby. I know Vance offered me the transfer because Dr. Grace suggested it."
"What do you mean?" Lei asked.
"After the case with Maria and almost getting killed, I need to change things so you are both safe. I didn't know how to ask Vance for the transfer, so I asked her to make the suggestion to him for us" Nick admitted.
"That had to be hard for you" she replied quietly, trying not to get jealous.
"It made me realize that you are the most important thing in my life. I want to be sober for you, to be even more the man you deserve and the best father possible for our kids" he reassured, seeing the natural mistrust after what her ex did.
"I don't know what to say" Lei replied, meekly trying not to start mentally spinning.
"Maria and I are in the past, you are my present and my future. Nothing will ever change that" Nick smiled, kissing her forehead; bringing her out of the spin.
"Does this change have to do with what happened to you and Doctor Grace?" she asked, barely above a whisper.
"It was a wakeup call, and a fresh start is exactly what we need" he replied truthfully, pulling her into his chest.
"Then this is the house we're going to buy" Lei grinned, seeing that Nick was being serious and honest with her.
"Mmm... I know that tone. You already own this house don't you?" Nick chuckled, looking at the large house.
"I may have inherited it from a mentor's wife when she passed away" Lei blushed.
"Story time now" Nick laughed.
"My CO Zagreus was like my older brother when I first joined the Navy. His wife came from a wealthy family and she knew how much I loved Hawaii. When they found out she had terminal cancer, Ulysses and Aaliyah decided to give me a few of the properties, one of them in Hawaii. She passed around the time you joined my dad's team" Lei smiled as Nick looked at the photos of the massive home surrounded by jungle, right on the beach.
A girl's favorite songs will tell you more about how she feels than her lips ever will.