I own nothing. Not much cussing. I honestly can't remember if I used cuss words or not. Hmmm...Review and Enjoy!

"Mr. Callen," Hetty said calmly, "I'm aware that this is not how things are normally done, but this is my decision."

I continued to stare at Hetty like she had gone insane. Anytime she brought someone into my team she had us meet them during a case to show us they were qualified. Never before had she just said that someone was coming in.

I didn't know what I was supposed to believe. Hetty wasn't really the type of person that would change something she'd done for years for no reason. Who was this man?

"Miss Lange?" a voice said in a strong Australian accent.

Turning around I saw a man that kind of reminded me of Deeks. The only differences were his black hair and black three-piece suit. That and the Rainbow Care Bear bag he had.

Hetty slowly stood up and made her way around her desk until she was standing next to the man. A small smile bloomed to her lips before she looked at me and motioned to the man.

"Mr. Callen," Hetty said with a slight nod, "This is…What name did you settle on?"

"Hatter," the man said softly.

"Alright, Mr. Callen, this is Hatter. Hatter, I'm sure you remember everything I've told you."

Hatter nodded his head calmly before turning to me. We stared at each other for a moment until I offered my hand to the man. It took another moment but Hatter slipped his hand into mine.

As I shook his hand I couldn't help but wonder what Hetty had meant about him settling on a name. Hatter obviously wasn't his real name, but why did he have to change it?

Hetty would tell me if he went into protective custody so that wasn't it. No, this wasn't because of the government. This had something to do because of the type of person he was.

I knew that Eric was brought in because it was this or going to jail. I was always glad he chose us. From day one though I had been told the real reason why he was with us.

"Come," Hetty said making her up to the operations room, "It's time for you to meet everyone else."

Hatter nodded his head and motioned for me to go ahead of him. I continued to stare at him until I realized that he wasn't going to move. Okay, so he didn't like having people behind him.

When we got up to the operations room I saw that the entire team was there. Normally everyone was talking about something while they waited, but this time not even Deeks was saying anything.

"Everyone," Hetty said calling everyone's attention to her, "This is Hatter. You'll be showing him how it is working in a team. Hatter, this is Sam Hanna, Kensi Blye, Eric Beal, Neal Jones, and Marty Deeks."

"Hello," Hatter said with a nod of his head.

Seeing everyone look between each other I wondered what they were going to say. None us liked people being brought into our team. This time was different then before though.

"Hatter?" Deeks asked smiling, "What's that short for?"

"Mad Hatter," Hatter said staring at him.

"You're parents named you 'Mad Hatter'?"

"No."

Deeks shared a look with Kensi before nodding his head. Hatter didn't seem to want to talk and that made me more concerned. Hetty wanted this man to be part of the team and he wasn't willing.

As I thought more and more I zeroed in on something that Hetty had said. She wanted us to show Hatter how a team worked. That meant that he had never worked on a team before.

All of our missions worked because we worked as a team. We knew how the other person worked and, while we sometimes questioned each other, we basically knew what they would do in what situation.

The more I thought about bringing Hatter into our team the more I realized just how dangerous it was going to be. I couldn't stop myself from wondering what Hetty was thinking.

"Do you know how to fight?" Sam asked eyeing the man.

"No," Hatter said calmly, "I have no need to fight."

"Why?"

Hatter looked at the ground before bringing his bag forward and hugging it tightly. When Hatter looked up again I was surprised to see how much the man had changed in those few seconds.

"P-lease," Hatter said in a soft Russian accent, "P-Please, do-don't h-hurt me. I…Did-Didn't k-know. I-I swear."

Before anyone could say anything we watched as the man in front of us transformed back to himself. Or who he was pretending to be. So this was why he was going by Hatter.

"I have no reason," Hatter said back to an Australian accent.

"You're a thief," Eric said surprised.

"I prefer grifter."

Turning towards Hetty I wondered what she was thinking. Making a deal with a hacker was one thing, but who knew what Hatter had done to get what he wanted. Better yet who knew who this man was.

In all the time I have worked for Hetty I rarely questioned her. Usually when I did though she gave me some reason why I was being left out and told me that as she as she could I'd know.

Now I had no idea what she was thinking and I did not like it. This was my team she was messing with and while I knew that she'd never do anything to hurt us on purpose I couldn't stop wondering.

"I know what you're thinking, Mr. Callen," Hetty said staring at me, "And the answers no. Hatter is not on the team because he was caught. In fact, he's never been caught. At least, according to records he's never been caught."

"Hetty," I said crossing my arms.

"When Hatter was younger, about ten, I caught him in my home stealing some jewelry. As it turns out he had stolen from me before without my knowledge. In fact, I never knew about the theft until he informed me. I made an agreement with him. If by the time he was he was thirty he had yet to go straight I'd give him something he's never had before."

"What's that?"

"A home."

Hatter turned to Hetty in surprise. Maybe he didn't know what she was thinking when she invited him here. Though I couldn't believe he has successfully stolen from Hetty.

"Miss Lange," Hatter said his hand tightening around his bag.

"I know you don't like the idea, Hatter," Hetty said staring at him, "But this is what you need."

"This is why you never gave me the details of our arrangement. You played me."

"Mr. …"

"Do not say that name! That child no longer exists, Miss Lange. Maybe he never did, but I can assure you I am not him in anyway what so ever."

Before Hetty could say anything Hatter left the room angrily. Whatever Hetty was about to say must have brought up something in the man. A sadness filled Hetty's eyes as she slowly turned around and left the room as well.

Turning back to the team I shook my head slightly. I had no idea what I was supposed to believe right now. But how much could you believe when you were dealing with a grifter?

"Callen," Kensi said staring at me, "What do we do?"

"I don't know," I said honestly, "But I'm going to talk to Hatter."

"He doesn't seem to want to talk."

"Maybe not."

Turning away from the team I made my way downstairs and started to look for Hatter. I was the team leader and Hatter was part of my team now. That meant it was my job to look over him.

I walked around the building for ten minutes before I finally found Hatter. He was in the gym by the time I found him and it looked like he had punched something causing him to hurt his hand.

"Here," I said kneeling next to him, "Let me see."

"Why?" Hatter said glaring at me.

"It's what a team does."

Hatter gave me another confused look but let me take his hand into mine. In that moment I could tell that he truly was lost by everything that had happened in the last half hour.

As I looked over his hand I wondered what type of person Hatter was. It was hard to get anything past Hetty yet it seems like the man in front of me stolen from her multiple times.

"You've never been part of a team before?" I asked calmly.

"I've never been part of anything before," Hatter said softly, "There was never any place…Anyone…Not even myself."