Marty meets a man who will become very important to him and show him what a father should be like.

All characters from the show are the property of NCIS Los Angeles. Sadly, I will never own the show or the characters.

Anything in italics are thoughts. Anything in bold type is a quote from one of the episodes of the show. Reviews are always welcome.

Enjoy.

~,~,~

CHAPTER 3: Marty Meets Sam

Samuel Deeks was a big man standing 6 ft. 3 inches tall with wavy brown hair interspersed with gray that was still full at age 59. He married his childhood sweetheart, Evelyn, as soon as they graduated from high school. They had known each other since elementary school and both shared a love for music. They had been in the high school band together. She played the flute and he played the violin. When Evelyn said yes to marrying Sam, he was the happiest man in the world. They had a small wedding with a few friends and their families attending.

Both Sam and Evelyn were only children. Sam's parent's died in a car accident a couple of years after they married. It was devastating to Sam but with Evelyn's love and support he was able to move past his grief. Then he was there when Evelyn's mother developed cancer and died. Evelyn's father followed his wife soon after. He was never able to get over his grief and they both agreed he had died of a broken heart.

After that, they only had themselves as family, but it was enough. They loved each other unconditionally and never went to bed angry at each other. Oh, they had their fights, but at the end of each day, they made sure to let each other know they were loved. They spent many evenings making music together and were one of the happiest couples they knew.

They had been married for five wonderful years when Evelyn became pregnant with their first child. They were so happy and spent days picking out the baby furniture and getting the nursery ready for their child. They had everything ready for the baby when she went into premature labor. Although the doctors did everything they could, the baby boy died at birth with Evelyn following soon after from massive blood loss leaving Sam alone in the world.

Sam was inconsolable for months after his wife's and child's deaths just going through the motions of living. His friends tried everything to bring him out of his depression, but nothing seemed to work. The only thing that kept him from following them into death was his violin. He would play it every day in Evelyn's memory as soon as he got home from work. After several years, he come to the conclusion that the only way he could continue to live and find any enjoyment in life was to quit his job as an engineer and open a music shop. He had loved being an engineer, but surrounded by music made him feel closer to Evelyn and remember the joy he had found with her as his wife.

Sam had always lived frugally and with the insurance money he received and his savings, he was able to open Sam's Music Emporium and make it successful. He sold new and used musical instruments of all kinds, sheet music and records, while also providing repair services and violin and viola lessons to anyone who wanted them. He hired several people as contractors who used the shop to give lessons on other musical instruments while paying him a modest sum for renting the spare room for lessons. It was a win-win for everyone. It brought Sam out of his depression and gave him back his zest for life.

Sam had owned the shop for 20 years and while he wasn't getting rich, he was doing all right. Severe arthritis in his hands had set in a few years ago preventing him from playing his beloved violin, but he still had it displayed in the shop. It had provided him a lifeline when he had needed one badly and he could never imagine selling it.

~,~,~

By the time Marty was seven, if he wasn't hanging around with Ray or on the beach teaching himself to surf, he could usually be found hanging out around Sam's Music Emporium whenever he could get away from home. He tried his best to always stay out of his father's way. It was the only way he knew he was safe. If his father caught sight of him, a beating usually followed. There never needed to be a reason. Just seeing his face would send his father into a towering rage, telling him everything was his fault while screaming obscenities at him and calling him worthless and other more hurtful things as he used anything he could get his hands on or just his fists to hit him. Marty had never experienced any other kind of family life so distrusted all adults.

The music store was a place of magic for him. He would listen to the lessons going on inside the classrooms and let his mind drift away from memories of his father's abuse and become filled with the beautiful music echoing through the store. Sam had watched the young boy closely when he first showed up in the store. The boy was very thin and rather small. Sam thought he might be 6 years old, but small for his age and wondered why he was by himself. As he continued to surreptitiously watch the boy, he noticed bruises on his arms and legs and came to the conclusion that he was being abused at home. He realized over time that the youngster never tried to take anything and never caused any kind of a problem while in his store, so he pretended not to notice him. The first few times Marty saw Sam watching him, he quickly left the store and didn't return for several weeks. His actions made Sam very curious.

Marty would disappear when he noticed Sam watching him because he didn't want to get in any trouble. Marty didn't know Sam and with his distrust of all adults thought Sam might try to hurt him or find out who his father was and send him back home if he got hold of him. In his experience it was what adults did. Besides, if his father found out about him being at the store, not only would he be beaten but his mother would also be beaten because everything that Marty did was not only his fault but hers as well. He didn't know if his father knew the store owner so he played it safe by getting away from the store when he caught the owner watching him.

One day several months after Marty first appeared at the store, Sam was able to catch him by surprise as he was listening to music coming from the lesson room and appeared right in front of him. Marty had been concentrating on the music he heard so completely he never noticed Sam until he was there. Before he could disappear, Sam smiled at him and asked him a question in a soft voice, "Do you like music young man?"

Marty wasn't sure what to do. He knew he couldn't run because the man was between him and the shop door. He decided to take a chance and answer the man's questions. Sam noticed he looked terrified as he heard the question but waited patiently and was finally rewarded when Marty looked at him and then down at the floor, while he whispered "Yes."

"Do you play an instrument?"

"Violin, but only for my mother," came the soft reply. Marty wasn't sure if he should keep answering the man's questions. The man seemed nice, but he knew looks could be deceiving. No one thought his father was capable of terrorizing his wife and child because when he was not at home he seemed to be a very charming man.

How could Marty be sure this man was any different from his father? He had no point of reference to use to determine whether or not he was one of the good guys. Why he hadn't run this time, he was never sure. Maybe it was because the man had talked softly to him which reminded him of his kindergarden teacher. Whatever the reason, he continued answering the questions asked of him.

"Would you play for me?" the owner asked him, pulling a violin out from behind his counter. "This is my personal violin but I can't play it anymore because of my hands. It would be a big favor to me if you would play something for me."

Marty looked at the man holding the violin with both fear and undisguised longing on his face. It was the most beautiful violin he had ever seen. He didn't know what to do, but the man's soft plea "Please, I would really love to hear you play," made him want to play so badly. Keeping an eye on the shop owner, he slowly reached out for the instrument and when the man gently placed it in his hands, a soft smile lit up his face.

"Play something you love" he was told.

Marty spent a few minutes just looking at the violin and marveling at its quality. He then began checking out the violin and making some small adjustments to its tuning, before settling it under his chin to play Bach's Loure, Partita No. 3. He closed his eyes as he played so he didn't see the owner wipe a couple of tears from his face as the melody soared through the air of the shop. The owner of the violin sat there spellbound as Marty played the Bach piece. When he was finished, Marty opened his eyes and gave a huge sigh. With a brilliant smile on his face, he whispered "Thanks" and handed the violin back to Sam.

"How old are you?" was the next question Sam asked.

"I'm seven" Marty replied.

"Where did you learn to play like that?" Sam asked him. He was amazed that the child in front of him was able to make such magic with his violin. The child had an amazing talent.

"My mom taught me. She plays a song so I can hear the music and then I play it back for her."

"What's your name son? My name's Sam. I own this store and you can come and play here any time you want to."

"Really…you'd let me play your violin…why?" Mary couldn't believe Sam was offering to let him play his violin. No adult other than his mother ever did nice things for him. He had very little trust in any adult but his mother. They never seemed able or willing to help him. Even the doctors he saw when a beating from his father sent him to the emergency room were either unwilling or unable to help him. They would tell him things would be okay but then he would be sent right back to the same hell he was being raised in. His father never seemed to pay for anything bad he did to Marty or his mother.

"Because you have a wonderful talent son. I can see you love to play and I would hate to see your talent and love for the music go to waste. I can show you some things you may not know yet and I will get to hear my violin played by someone who truly loves to play it."

"But why are you being so nice to me?" Marty asked. No one was ever nice to him except for his mother and Ray and he was wary around other adults.

"Why wouldn't I be nice to you? I've seen you in here before and you've always been polite and honest."

"Most adults aren't nice" Marty whispered softly hoping Sam wouldn't hear him. He was trying to decide if he could trust Sam with his name. He knew if his father found out, not only would he and his mom be in trouble, but his dad might make trouble for Sam and he didn't want that to happen because Sam was being nice.

"Can you keep my name a secret?" he asked.

"Sure, if that's what you want me to do." Sam replied. Unknown to Marty, Sam had heard his whisper about adults not being nice and his heart ached for the young boy in front of him. He could only imagine the life the boy must be enduring to be cynical so young and so scared all the time.

"You have to, or else I'll get in trouble," Marty insisted.

"How about we make a pact? I won't tell anyone your name or that you come around the store and you come play for me whenever you can. I have a back room where you can practice where no one will see you so you won't get in trouble. How's that?"

Marty wanted desperately to believe what he was hearing so decided to take a chance on trusting Sam. "Okay…my name's Marty." Glancing up at the clock, Marty realized it was getting late. He didn't want his father to come home and find his mother all alone. He was still small for his age, but he could sometimes deflect his father's anger away from his mother onto him. It was the only thing he could think to do to protect her. "I've got to go".

"Come back any time Marty, I mean it. You're welcome here whenever you can come."

Marty called back "Thanks" as he raced out of the store.

Sam watched Marty leave with a heavy heart. Marty still hadn't said anything to him about his home life, but he had seen bruises on his arms and legs more than once when he visited the store and knew without a doubt that he was being abused. It made his blood boil and he made a promise to himself that he would help Marty in any way he could. He resolved to keep an eye on him and try to find out more about him so that he could help. He knew he had made a good start by getting Marty to trust him with his name and providing him a place to come and play his music. The boy was transformed when he was playing.

~,~,~