Pretty sure there will be a ton of Densi fics after that wonderful wedding episode. Just wanted to do one with a different spin. :)

xxxxx

"Hell of a day," Callen said as he and Sam walked back into the bar area. Kensi and Deeks had left for their honeymoon and the majority of the guests had trickled out.

"That it was," Sam said, chuckling. "But they're finally married."

"Yes, they are…" Callen's eyes went to Hetty who was still sitting on the small sofa.

"You got this, G?" Sam asked quietly. "I can take her home if you want."

Callen nodded. "I'm good, Sam. I'll drive Hetty home."

"She's not going to tell you…"

"Yeah, I know," Callen said, "And I'm not going to interrogate her either, Sam, so you don't have to worry."

"I'm not worried about her."

"You don't need to worry about me either. Like I said, I'm good."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I am."

They walked over to Hetty and Sam leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Hetty. I'm very happy to have you back with us. I know it meant a lot to Kensi and Deeks for you to be here for them today."

"Thank you, Mr. Hanna." Hetty smiled up at him. "I'm very glad I was able to make it back for such a lovely occasion."

"We'll walk out with you, Sam," Callen said. "He gave Hetty his arm and helped her up from the sofa and the three headed out.

xxxxx

"I could have taken an Uber home," Hetty said after Callen had been driving silently for a few minutes.

"Don't be silly, Hetty," Callen said.

"It was a very beautiful ceremony."

"It was," Callen said. "Deeks was a total basket case beforehand, but I think he and Kensi are going to be very happy together."

"Oh, I know they will be. And it does my heart good the way you were there for them. There was a time when you and Sam weren't quite as fond of Mr. Deeks as you are now."

"That was a long time ago," Callen said. "You know how close our team is. We'd do anything for each other."

"Yes...yes, I do know that," Hetty said, nodding. It was the one thing she had been afraid Callen would never have, a sense of closeness and family. He had it now and it made her very happy.

xxxxx

Callen walked Hetty to the front entrance of Dovecote and waited patiently as she unlocked the door. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked as she opened the door and stepped inside the foyer. "Anything you need?"

Hetty turned and looked up at Callen. "Well, there is one thing you can do for me if you could be so kind."

"Of course, Hetty. Anything."

"I'd very much like it if you would stay here at Dovecote tonight."

"You would?" Callen asked, surprised by the request.

"Yes, I would. Call it sentimentality or whatever you'd like, but it would please me if you could stay, just for old time's sake. I've missed you."

"Of course. Whatever you want."

Hetty smiled and Callen followed her inside the familiar walls of Dovecote. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Hetty asked.

"Tea would be nice," Callen said as he took off his suit jacket. "But first, I think I'm going to go upstairs and change into some sweats or something." He was tired of wearing the tux and always had a few pieces of clothing stored in his old bedroom. "Be right back."

"Take your time," Hetty said, smiling at him fondly. "I'll go make the tea."

Callen went up to his room and quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants and a blue t-shirt he found in his dresser. He still really wondered where Hetty had been these past months but he was vowing to stay true to his word and not ask her about it. Just having her back was enough for now. He went back downstairs and found her in the living room with her favorite teapot and two teacups on the coffee table. "This looks nice," Callen said as he sat down next to her. He then picked up a teacup and took a sip of his tea which was a flavor he didn't recognize. "This is really good. A new blend?"

Hetty nodded. "Something I picked up during my travels.'

"Yeah...your travels…" Callen sipped some more of his tea letting his words die out.

"Is that all you have to say?" Hetty asked.

Callen turned his head to look at her. "You said you weren't going to talk about it today. I'm abiding by your wishes."

"And I appreciate that," Hetty said. "But surely there is something you'd like to say. I've been gone for almost a year."

Callen sighed, hoping the tea had calming qualities. "Hetty, today was a nice day. A very nice day. I don't think you really want to get into this, do you?"

"Well, if you have something to say, I wish you'd just come out and say it."

Callen shook his head. "You're contradicting yourself. First you say you don't want to talk about where you've been or what you've been doing, but now you want to talk? I don't understand."

"I want you to talk, Mr. Callen."

"About what? About what happened in Mexico?"

"Yes, that would be as good a place as any to start."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Hetty. We almost died. We recovered and that's all there is to say about that."

"Oh, Mr. Callen." Hetty put down her tea and placed her hand gently on his upper arm. "If there was any way I could have been with you after what happened in Mexico, I would have been. One of my biggest regrets is that I was unable to do so."

"It's fine...it was a long time ago."

Hetty sighed softly. She knew he was bothered by her absence whether or not he admitted it, even to himself. "I'm very sorry. I know how badly you were hurt."

Callen didn't say anything. He wasn't even sure if she was talking about his actual physical injuries or what, but he really didn't want to discuss it.

"Do you still have pain?" Hetty persisted. "Nightmares?"

"I haven't been having nightmares," Callen said, realizing his mistake almost immediately.

"So you are still having pain."

Callen shook his head. "You didn't even give me a chance to finish what I was saying."

"So you're not having any pain?" Hetty asked.

"I said I was fine, Hetty. I wouldn't have been cleared for work if I wasn't."

"And you're a master at deception. You would easily be able to hide your pain if that's what you wanted to do."

"You're forgetting I have a partner who reads me like a book," Callen said with a smirk. "There's only so much I could hide from him even if I wanted to, which I don't."

Hetty shook her head, more certain than ever that she was right. "I wish I could say I believed you, but, I do think there's something you're hiding."

"Come on, Hetty. Everyone has aches and pains sometimes. It's no more than that. Is this why you wanted me to stay here tonight? So you could interrogate me about my health?"

Realizing Callen was on the verge of running right out the door, Hetty decided to let up on him. "No, no it isn't. I admit that I'm concerned about you...about all of you, but I'm sorry. I didn't mean to badger you. We can talk about something else."

"Good. But just to put your concerns at bay, I really am fine."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Mr. Callen. Now, about your living situation…"

Callen rolled his eyes. "Really, Hetty?"

"Yes, really," Hetty said with a smile. "I understand the convenience of your arrangement with Mr. Deeks, but…"

"What...how did you even know about that?" Callen asked, looking perturbed. "How long have you been back here anyway?"

"Why I just returned today. If I had returned sooner, I most certainly would have contacted you."

"So, somehow you know all these things, but you weren't able to let me know where you were or at least that you were safe? The team was worried. I was worried," he finished softly.

Hetty hesitated. "It's complicated."

"You can't trust me?"

"Oh dear boy, it's not a matter of trust," Hetty said, looking at Callen earnestly. "I hope you know how much I care about you."

Callen nodded. "Of course I do."

"Do you?" Hetty asked. "Because I'm not sure I've made it clear to you, which was another thing I regretted when you went to Mexico and I never told you." Hetty shook her head sadly. "You could have died and you would have never known…"

"I wouldn't have known what?" Callen asked. "You took me in, Hetty. You gave me a family and a future, a place to call home. Who knows where I would have ended up on my own. I don't think it would have been anywhere good. I owe you a lot."

"You don't owe me a thing," Hetty said softly. "Do you know what I said to Mosley, before you left for Mexico? When I was trying to get her to slow down and not get ahead of herself…" She shook her head, the memories of that whole debacle still upsetting to her almost a year later.

Callen shook his head. "No. What? What did you say?"

"I shouldn't have even said it to her, but she wasn't thinking clearly. But, I really should have said it to you before you left."

"Hetty…"

"I told her that you were as close to a son as I've ever had," Hetty said, her eyes filled with tears. "And that's the truth, but I never said that to you."

"Hetty, please don't cry," Callen said as he embraced her, his own eyes full of emotion. "I do know how you feel about me. I've known for a long time. I only have vague memories of my mom. You're the closest I've ever had to a mother that I can remember. I love you, Hetty."

Hetty smiled through her tears. She'd had a lot of regrets in her life, but one thing she would never regret was the day she had decided to take Callen into her home and her life. It was one of the very best decisions she had ever made. "And I love you too, more than you could ever know."

The two slowly got their emotions back under control. "This really wasn't what I expected would happen when I invited you to stay here," Hetty finally said.

"I think it's the wedding," Callen said, a faint smile on his lips. "Brings everyone's emotions out to the forefront. There's just no stopping it."

"That's what you think?" Hetty asked, amused as she gazed at her boy.

"I don't know," Callen said with a shrug. "But it seems like you needed to say that, so...it's a good thing, right?"

"Yes...yes I think it's a very good thing," Hetty replied. "But for now, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to turn in."

"I'm pretty tired myself," Callen admitted. "It was a long day, but a good one."

"A very good one." Hetty nodded in agreement. She slowly got to her feet and Callen walked with her up to her room.

"Good night, Hetty. I'm really glad you're home."

"As am I," Hetty said, smiling up at him. "I'm planning to make a nice big breakfast for you tomorrow morning. All your favorites."

"You don't need to do that, Hetty. Why don't you let me take you out for breakfast? Anywhere you like."

"It would give me great pleasure to cook for you," Hetty said. "It's been a long time since I've cooked anything all."

"Whatever you want," Callen said as he leaned down and hugged her. He didn't even ask how she could have food in the house. Hetty worked in mysterious ways. "Good night, Hetty."

"Good night, Mr. Callen. Sleep well."