Rule 12| Ellick

What Child Is This?

"Um...guys?" I said, looking between Gibbs and Nick. "Vicious was a dad?" 

The baby started crying harder causing Nick to let out a small scream. I shot my eyes over at him and shook my head. "What do we do?"

"We calm them down," Gibbs said picking up the baby and rocking them back and forth. "And call CPS on the way."

When we got in the car we called CPS over and they never answered. Nick and I talked for a while and decided to take the baby back to the office.

"What happens if we don't find his mom?" I asked.

Nick put his hand on my leg, "We will, E. Don't worry."

"Well, we can't take the baby to CPS," Nick told Gibbs as we walked in the office. "I'm sure we can find the mother here and boom home sooner."

I smiled over at Gibbs, "And it will give us a lead on Vicious."

Vance looked between us and looked back at Gibbs, "So Bishop nearly gets killed and they both go into shock?"

I shook my head, "No."

"We don't talk about what happened," Nick snapped. 

"This baby is your guy's problem," Gibbs told Nick and me. "Go get DNA."

We went downstairs to look for Kasie, "Oh good, Kasie you're here," Nick said, walking past the autopsy room. 

"Ahh, I'm here," she replied. "Is that a baby?"

I bit my lip, "Um... yes yes it is. And he is not coming in."

"What's his name?" Jimmy asked. 

I shrugged, "We didn't have time to ask with the shooting." I saw Nick tense up as I said that so I put my hand on his arm.

Jimmy frowned, "Yeah, I heard about that. I'm so glad you are okay."

"We need the DNA for the baby ASAP," I told Kasie. 

"What's the hurry," she asked. 

Nick shook his head, "Christmas."

I laughed, "We need to find the baby's mom and confirm Vicious was the killer before we leave. And someone is getting antsy."

We took the baby to the lab so Kasie could get his blood and prints to hopefully find his mom. 

While she was running the DNA I was feeding him in the bullpen. I smiled as he took his bottle. 

"There you go," Nick said. "Good job little Nicolas."

"Nicolas?"

He shrugged, "Might as well give him a name."

I raised an eyebrow, "So you named him after yourself?"

"No... the... it's like NCIS," he lied. "You move some letter around and you toss in a few."

I rolled my eyes, "Hmm, right. I'd say he's more of a Logan or a Cody."

He looked at me with big eyes, "Those are like the whitest names ever."

"Rude." 

The baby fell asleep and Nick was so proud of himself. Until how seconds later he woke up. "Hey, Nicolas, buddy. What happened?" Nick asked a crying baby. 

I picked the baby up and rocked him back and forth. 

"Be careful," Nick snapped. "You will hurt him."

I looked at him and shook my head, "He's okay. I've got this."

"Vicous was the killer," Kasie yelled, running in the bullpen. "But not the father. So we are still 0 for 2 on the parent department."

"We're looking at a stolen baby," McGee said.

Kasie shook her head, "Not stolen. Orphan."

I stood in the bullpen holding the baby boy. I looked down at his cute little eyes and thought about how Nick and I had always talked about having kids. This baby has no one. No one to love him, no one to care for him, no one to celebrate his first Christmas with.

Nick and I are already approved for adoption, if I bring it up to him what would he say? We could take care of this baby. We could love him, we could keep him safe. We could celebrate his first Christmas with him. We could give this baby a family.

I felt a tear fall down my face and Nick reached over and wiped it with his thumb.

"What do we do?" I yelled louder than I wanted to.

"I still think CPS is the best option," Gibbs said. 

I shook my head, "And we respectfully disagree."

"I mean where are they going to put him anyway?" Nick asked.

"He's already been through so much to get handed off to some stranger."

Nick put his hand on the small of my back, "Little Nicky's place is with us."

I raised an eyebrow, "With us?" 

He nodded, "I can see it in your eyes, Elle, and I agree. So let's go to the emergency adoption center and get this party started."

Tears filled my eyes, "You sure?"

He smiled and kissed the top of my head, "Little Cody needs a home."

I gasped and a huge smile fell across my face "Cody?"

"Yeah," He smiled. "Consider it one of your Christmas presents."

"Looks like you two finally figured it out," Gibbs said with a wink.

I raised my eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Tim laughed, "We were talking about it while you guys went to the store for him. We knew that you guys would do this so we called the agency for you. Y'all just have to sign the papers."

I looked at everyone in the room, "I- I don't even know what to say?" I said as I fidgeted with the rubber ring I used in place of my engagement ring while we were on a case. 

"Thank you," Nick said with a soft smile. "Thank you all so much."

Gibbs walked over and gave me a hug, careful to not wake up the baby, "Merry Christmas, you three. Looks like your Holiday plans changed." 

"I already texted my friend. He is gonna come here instead, and apparently bring little Cody some gifts."

I looked at Nick with big eyes, "We need a middle name."

We both thought for a minute before I decided on one to suggest. "Clayton?" 

"Revees," Nick said with a sad smile. "Sweet little, Cody Clay. It's perfect."

I smiled up at him then back down at Cody, "So perfect. Let's go fill out some papers."

"Before you go," Jimmy said, "Breena and I have some baby stuff from Tori that you can have. The crib, bottles, and some cloth diapers. She also went online and ordered you guys some clothes and formula for him."

I looked at all of them and smiled, "I love you all so much. Oh my God."

"Thank us later," Gibbs said. "Go make that baby yours."