Kensi's mother has a lot of questions but that's not really a surprise. It's been, after all, fifteen years since she has last seen her daughter.

Callen is still in shock, unable to say much or doing anything that doesn't involve staring at the woman currently sitting in front of him.

From the entire team, he's been the one who has known Kensi the longest and he never heard her talk about her mother. Hell, he never even heard her talk about any other family member besides her father (and those talks were rather scarce). He never gave that much thought because he figured she just didn't like to talk about her life.

He started looking at her as the family he never had and, with time, he knows she started seeing him as family too.

So he is shocked and not all skills combined can help him disguise that. It's a bit too much to take in.

Sam tries to disguise said shock. He always wondered about Kensi's mother. The younger agent never mentioned her and they all assumed she was dead and that the subject was too painful for Kensi to talk about. But it doesn't surprise him to find out there is much more to that story than what he first thought.

Kensi is full of mysteries and her life is one riddle after another. This is the proof they all needed to be one hundred percent sure that her life was a complete mess and that it was a miracle she ended up on the right side of that interrogation table. Now that they know what her childhood was like, they realize for the very first time that this could have easily gone either way. She could have easily become one of those bad guys they are forced to deal with every single day.

That thought is enough to make Sam send a quick thank you to whomever his listening to him because he can't imagine his little sister behind bars.

Deeks, on the other hand, has already gotten over his shock.

This woman is nothing like Kensi. Sure, her hair and features are pretty much the same but her personality is much different from Kensi's. Kensi is a firecracker and this woman looks like she couldn't hurt a fly. She seems sweet and caring while Kensi seems independent and strong. But, if he really thinks about that, they both hide. They both have something buried deep inside of them that makes them very similar. Kensi's mother hides her strength deep inside of her. Kensi hides the sweet, caring, side of her just as deep.

He has the feeling they could bring out the best in each other, if only they would reconnect.

Deeks is suddenly invaded with a very strong feeling. He wants Kensi to have what he never had the chance to have. He wants her to know what is like to have a real mother, one that can hug everything better. They need someone like that in their lives.

Sam has his wife and kids. Callen, in some twisted way, has Hetty. He has Kensi. But Kensi doesn't really have anyone. He would like to be that person for her but her mother could be just as great.

They are forced to answer her questions because, even though they can't be the ones to tell her that, they all know Kensi might not want to see her or talk to her after the very long day she is having. They're not even sure she will ever want to talk to her. Hopefully she will after she learns the truth about her father and her mother's escape.

But they can't predict her reaction.

"So you three know my daughter well?"

Callen is the one who answers her, trying to make up for the fact he was so shocked on the beginning it was borderline rude. "I've known your daughter for seven years now. Sam met her four years ago and Deeks has been her partner for a year. We all know her pretty well, or at least I think we do."

The woman nods. "I'm guessing she never mentioned me before, did she?"

Deeks takes over, feeling like this is the distraction he needs to take his mind off his partner at the moment. "Kensi never mentioned you before but she mentioned you today. She asked me to stay with you, to protect you. She didn't want you to be in any kind of danger. So don't doubt for a second of how much your daughter loves you and cares about you. If you were any other person, she wouldn't have asked me that. She wouldn't have worried so much."

Julia nods, a small smile gracing her lips. Worry takes over, though. "Is she okay?"

Callen answers her once again. He doesn't give her a straight forward answer because he is as scared as Julia is right now. So, his answer is meant to comfort not only her but himself and his two team-mates too. "Kenz is strong. If there is anyone who can defend herself without anyone's help that someone is Kensi. We train with her. We know what she's capable of. She can take the big guy down and he's twice her size."

Her mother nods, the smile nor leaving her lips and a certain nostalgia taking over her eyes. "My ex-husband taught her well."

Sam chooses this moment to join the conversation, trying to reassure her. "Kensi is not just a friend. She's family to all of us. We wouldn't be sitting here if we thought we would be able to help her right now. She's doing what she does best, what she was born to do. Your daughter is a born operator and she will make it."

"You all love her, don't you?"

It's an easy question and the answer Callen gives her is also pretty simple. "We would die and kill for her without blinking."

Sam nods and supports his partner. "Deeks was close to die for her more than once already."

Julia turns towards Deeks now, her eyes giving away the fact that she has just found out something new. "You love her."

Deeks knows what she means but still tries to dance around that particular subject, one that is dangerous to talk about in front of Callen and Sam. "We all love her."

Julia shakes her head, a small hint of her daughter's stubbornness showing. "That's not what I meant. You are in love with my daughter."

He doesn't know what to tell her. Sure, he's in love with Kensi but he doesn't know if this is the right way to let the guys know about his feelings for the girl they see as a sister. He hasn't even made those feelings clear to Kensi. And now her mother comes along and reads his emotions like an open book. He's a good liar but he's off his game today, maybe because the only thing he can really focus on his Kensi and whatever she might be up to at the moment.

So he remains in silence, avoiding Callen and Sam's eyes.

But Julia doesn't let that stop her and tries again. Her tone of voice is the one a mother would use to give her children advice, a soft caring tone. "There is no need to deny it, Detective Deeks. I can see it in your eyes. I saw the worry in them when you talked to me in my doorstep. I can see it in your eyes when you talk about her. I might not know much about my daughter but I know that if she trusts you with her life, she trusts you with her heart. And denying those feelings will only end up hurting you both, in the end."

And he knows denying it would be useless at this point. So he looks back at her and nods. "There's not a single thing I wouldn't do for your daughter."

Julia smiles softly. "Be sure you tell her that. I mean, if she's as good as you all say she is, I'm sure she already knows. But it's always good to hear it."

Deeks nods once again. "After all this is over, after she gets over this day, I will. I will tell her. That's a promise."

Sam decides this is the right time to intervene, a smile on his face. "And we'll make sure he keeps his promise."

Callen nods and joins his partner. "Yeah, there's only so much tension we can handle at work."

Deeks lets out a small sigh of relief. It's good to know the guys are okay with this, with his feelings for Kensi. Now he just hopes Kensi will be as okay with them as they are.

Julia grabs his hand and squeezes it, a gentle smile on her lips. "Make her happy, Detective Deeks. She deserves it."

He squeezes her hand back for reassurance and smiles. "That's the plan."

And he hopes he will get the chance to stick to the plan. He hopes she will give him a chance to do so.