I don't own NCIS Los Angeles! My native language is Dutch and I'm dyslectic so sorry for any mistakes. Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favorites! And a big thanks to our big NCIS:LA Family

Chapter 3

If you have Hope
You have everything.

Marty was quiet the rest of the night and the next morning. I didn't know what to say to him. Or what to ask him. Why did he react like this? Why hadn't he talked to Kensi? Hugged her? It was like he was really happy to see her.

'What are we going to do today?' I asked Marty when we walked back to our room. Marty shrugged and he opened the door. I sighed and walked inside. When I walked past him, I stroked his arm.

'Do you want to the apartment?' I asked him while I sat down on the bed. 'To see what Hetty got us?' Marty glanced at the window and then he turned to me.

'We could do that,' he said. 'But first I've to do something.'

'What?' I asked him curiously. He looked at me for a few long silent seconds and he took a deep breath.

'I want to talk with Kensi,' he answered and I nodded.

'Good idea,' I said. 'Then I might go into town. To shop for a while. We can meet each other at the apartment.' Marty nodded and he walked into the bathroom. I stared at the closed door. I had told him I thought it was a good idea. But I had been the one who consoled him after he had seen Kensi after the four years. I had been the one who told him that everything was going to be okay. And that was when he had just seen her. They hadn't exchanged a word.

It felt good to be able to walk into stores and try on clothes and shoes. It had been too long since I could have done that and I missed it. But most of all I missed going shopping with my friends. It isn't as much fun when you're shopping alone. Hetty had given me and Marty some money to spend. To buy our own clothes so that we didn't have to wear the clothes she gave us.

After buying a lot of clothes I sat down at a terrace and ordered something to drink. I was so glad with my new sunglasses and I enjoyed the warm sun. It was the most relaxed I have felt since…forever.

'Lisa?' I heard someone asked surprised and I opened my eyes. I couldn't believe who was standing in front of me. It was my friend Stephanie. I yelped and I hugged her. I was so happy to see her.

'What are you doing here?' Stephanie asked. 'I thought you lived in New York with all the glamour of being a journalist.' I smiled.

'Well, I met a guy,' I started and Stephanie started to laughed. I gestured her to sit down so that we could talk. 'And he lives in LA. So that's why I'm here.'

'Unbelievable,' Stephanie said. 'It must be one hell of a guy that you would move to a different city, on the other side of the country. Not that I'm complaining of course!'

'He was the only thing I had at one moment,' I said. 'But you look good! How is it going with you?'

'Great,' Stephanie said. 'Got a good job, nice place to live and a nice guy…It's still weird to see you sitting here. I thought you were in love with New York and that you would never move.'

'Well, things happened,' I said, keeping it vague. I didn't want to tell Stephanie everything that happened. I wanted to be able to be the old me around someone. Stephanie was the perfect person for that.

'Here is my phone number,' Stephanie said and she handed me her card. 'You should give me a call sometimes and then we could meet again.' I smiled when I took the card.

'I'll definitely call you,' I told her. 'You should come in a week or so to our new apartment. I think we're going to give a housewarming party…it would be nice to give one.' Stephanie nodded and she gave me a hug.

'I missed us,' she said when she let me go. 'I thought I had done something wrong when you didn't return me phone calls or e-mails.' I looked at the ground. I really hoped she wasn't going to question me about it. 'But I'm glad it's okay now.'

'It's certainly okay,' I told her. 'I have to go now. Marty is probably waiting for me.'

'Say hi to your man,' Stephanie smiled. 'Tell him I can't wait to meet him.' I laughed and we said goodbye once more. I grabbed a cab and drove to our new apartment. I was excited to see it. I was excited to live with Marty in our place.

Marty wasn't at the apartment yet but there were other people. They were probably the people Hetty mentioned. They all gave me a wave and let me inside.

'Do you want a cup, Miss Parrello?' one of the men asked and I looked questioningly at him. He smiled politely. 'A cup of coffee?'

'Oh, no thanks,' I answered. 'Maybe some water if you have that.' The man nodded and he walked away. I looked around in the room. I was standing in the living room and it was becoming a gorgeous room. The walls were painted in a warm light brown color and there was a beautiful wooden floor.

'We have a nice bank chosen for you,' a woman told me and she shook my hand. 'Ellie Johnson.' I had no idea where she had just come from and I smiled politely at her.

'I'm sorry it took such a long time,' Marty said when he finally walked into the living room. Ellie had already given me a tour of the apartment. I noticed his red puffy eyes and they told me he had cried. I walked over to him and I kissed him.

'Everything okay?' I asked him worried and Marty simple nodded.

'Have you seen the apartment already?' he asked me and I nodded. 'Do you like it?'

'It's perfect,' I smiled at him and I took his hand in mine to give him a tour. I showed him the kitchen, the bathroom and the two bedrooms. At second bedroom Marty stood still and he stared at it.

'We can turn it into something like an office/guest room,' I suggested to him. Marty turned his head to me and he worried me. Something was clearly bothering him. He pulled me into the second bedroom and he closed the door.

'Did something happen when you were with Kensi?' I asked him worried. Marty shook his head.

'It was fine,' he told me. 'We had some time to talk, which was something we needed to do.' I nodded in understanding. I already knew that.

'Then what's wrong?' I asked him. Marty let out a deep breath.

'I don't know how to tell you this, Lisa,' he stumbled and he took my hands. I held my breath for what was coming. 'Kensi's little girl, Hope, is…she is my child...' I shook my head. It had to be a joke. That couldn't be possible. I pulled my hands back and I stepped back when I saw in his eyes that he wasn't joking. Hope was really his daughter. Suddenly I turned back to him.

'So does this mean we're over?' I asked him bluntly and tears were already forming in my eyes. The shock and hurt on his face told me a lot and the kiss told me the rest.

'I'm not throwing away our years together,' he told me. 'I love you. I told you because I wanted to be honest with you and I wanted to know if you could accept her in our life…because she will become a part of mine.' I forced myself to smile at him and I kissed him.

'Of course I can accept her in our life,' I told him. 'I love you.' But it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.

We were laying in our bed in the hotel. Marty had his arms around me and I felt so safe. When we were inside our cell Marty would hold me whenever I was scared and all my fears and pain went away. Marty was the thing that kept me alive and from going insane. Marty softly stroked my hairs.

'It will be nice when we live in our own apartment,' Marty said. 'It's going to be a beautiful home for us.' I pushed myself up a bit and looked at him. He looked so relaxed and happy. I stroked his jaw and then I lay back on his chest.

'How long were you and Kensi together?' I asked him. He stopped stroking my hair for a few seconds but then he continued.

'Not that long,' he answered. 'Romantically at least…about three months. I didn't even know that she was pregnant…neither did she.' When he stayed silent I looked up and I noticed that he was lost in his thoughts. Lost in his thought of him and Kensi. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about it.

'You should meet them,' he said suddenly after a long silence and I looked up again.

'Maybe,' I said. 'Maybe when we give a housewarming party.'

'A housewarming party?' Marty asked and I nodded.

'I think we should give one,' I said. 'To make it real…our new apartment and our relationship. I saw the way the team looked. They were surprised to see you with me. They knew about your relationship with Kensi, didn't they?' Marty nodded.

'If you want to give one, we'll give a housewarming party,' he said. 'But how are we going to invite beside the team?'

'I saw one of my old friends today, Stephanie,' I told him. 'I would like to invite her and maybe my sister. And it doesn't have to be a big party. Just a few people. It will be nice.'

'Sounds good,' Marty said and he kissed me. 'Everything to make you happy.' I smiled and I closed my eyes. I was so lucky with Marty.

I couldn't resist to walk into a furniture store. I knew Hetty would arrange everything but I thought it would be nice, and make it real, if I could pick one piece of furniture. Like it would make it really our apartment. Also we needed picture frames. Stephanie was standing in front of the store and I hugged her. I had invited her because Marty was with Kensi, spending time with Hope.

'Good morning,' Stephanie greeted. 'How are you doing? Still everything going great with your hot guy.' I laughed and we walked inside.

'Well, we got a big discovery two days ago,' I started. 'Marty has a kid.' Stephanie's mouth fell open.

'A kid?' she repeated and I nodded.

'A real, living kid,' I said. 'I have seen her for a second or so, but I didn't knew that it was his kid at that time. But he has a girl, Hope and she's three years old.' I pointed at the decoration section and we walked over to it.

'Wow, that must be weird,' Stephanie said. 'And that he never told you before…'

'He didn't know before,' I explained. 'He found out just two days ago.' Stephanie looked at me with big eyes. I grabbed one of the picture frames, not knowing anything else to say. It appeared Stephanie had the same problem as she also grabbed a frame.

'That one is nice,' she told me and I nodded. It was a very simple one but that made it so nice. Now all we needed were pictures to put into the frames.

'So what is going to happen?' Stephanie asked eventually and I shrugged.

'He wants to spend time with Hope, of course,' I started. 'So there will be some kind of custody. But she will spend most of the time with her mom. Maybe she will stay in the weekend sometimes….that reminds me: Marty asked if I could look for some stuff for Hope's room.'

'Wow, she already has her own room,' Stephanie said. I said nothing and put four frames in the shopping basket. I knew what Stephanie meant. Hope was taking a place in our lives very rapidly. But I understood why. Marty had a bad childhood and no real family, beside Hope now. I understood that he wanted to give his daughter the great childhood that he never had.

'Beth Parrello, how can I help you?' I smiled when I heard my sister's voice. I had missed hearing it. I missed our long talks.

'Hey, sis.' My sister began to sob on the other side of the line as soon as she heard my voice.

'Lisa? Is it really you? I thought I lost you…' The sobs had turned into real cries and it broke my heart to hear my little sister like that.

'Yes, sis, it's really me. I came back…'

'Where are you? I'll take the next plane there!'

'I'm in Los Angeles…can you believe that it took me four years to get there?'

'Are…are you okay?' My sister's voice was shaking. When I listened closer, I could hear a baby cry in the background and that moment I knew why I waited so long to call her. I could deal with all the changes except for the changes in my sister's life. Because I was once a part of that life. I missed four years of her life. And apparently the first months of my niece's or nephew's life.

'Lisa? Are you still there? Are you okay? Lisa?' The desperation in Beth's voice drew me back to the call.

'Yes, I'm still here and I'm fine. Now please tell me about my little niece or nephew that I can hear in the background.'

'Oh, I'm sorry! Will is taking care of Liam right…so yes, you're the aunt of a beautiful nine-month-old boy…I'll bring him and Will when I come. You need to meet them!'

'I already met Will, sis. He was there the last time I visited you. Though back then it wasn't as serious as having a child yet. But I would love to meet little Liam. We were planning to give a housewarming party next week. It would be wonderful if you could be there too.'

'I would love to be at your housewarming party…wait, we?'

'Marty and I. I met him about three and half years ago, I think. I wasn't really aware of any passing time at that point. But we fell in love. He's the only good thing that happened to me in the four years.'

'My sister is also coming for the housewarming party,' I told Marty during dinner and he looked up, nodding.

'Great,' he replied. 'I know how much you missed her…and maybe you can tell her the things you told me about her. Tell her how much you love her. How long will she stay?'

'I don't know yet,' I answered. 'But she is coming with her husband Will and my nine-month-old nephew Liam.' Marty took my hand and kissed it. He must know how hard it was for me to find out about Will and Liam. That I missed it all. A wedding was something sisters did together. Beth and I dreamed about our weddings when we were young. Planning them together and promising that we would be at each other's wedding. But now I missed her wedding. I just hoped it was the wedding of her dreams. She deserved that.

'Meeting your family would be great,' Marty smiled. 'You met mine and now I can meet yours.' I nodded. I had met his family. His old team was his family. But meeting them was a bit awkward. I felt like they saw me as Kensi's replacement in Marty's life. I just hoped that they could accept me, one day.

'I'll do the dishes,' Marty announced and he collected the plates. 'You should just relax, on the couch…getting to know Monty and planning our housewarming party.'

'You're the sweetest,' I told him and I kissed him. I tried to bring a glass to the kitchen but he stopped me and pointed at the couch. Laughing I walked over to it.

I never was this nervous and I didn't even know why I was this nervous. I had seen the team before, I had seen Kensi before and I had seen Hope before. But now they had a different meaning, especially Kensi and Hope. I was glad to have Stephanie beside me, handing me a glass of wine.

'The apartment is amazing,' she told me. 'So beautiful. I wish I had an apartment like this.' I forced a smile and I drank some wine. I was going to need that to survive the night. Stephanie put a hand on my arm, telling me she was standing a 100% behind me.

A knock on the door made me alert and I put my glass on the table. I gave Marty the opportunity to open the door. Sam and Eric stepped inside and greeted us.

'So they are ex-SEAL guy and tech guy?' Stephanie whispered in my ear from behind and I nodded. We had discussed the team so that Stephanie had some idea of who was coming. Marty didn't have to close the door because the next guests arrived as well.

'Here they are,' I whispered to Stephanie when Callen and Kensi walked inside, Kensi with Hope on her arm.

'Wow, she's kind of hot,' Stephanie said and she took a sip from her wine. 'Your guy has a good taste.' I watched how Marty greeted Callen and then Kensi with Hope. I noticed the smile on his face when he spoke to Hope. He turned his head to me and motioned me to come. Stephanie gave me a good luck wish and I walked to Marty, putting my arm around his waist.

'Thanks for coming,' I said in a faked happy tone. Callen and Kensi smiled.

'Lisa, this is Hope,' Marty introduced me. 'And Hope, this is Lisa.' Hope didn't even look at me. She had her face hidden in her mother's shoulder.

'I'm sorry,' Kensi apologized. 'She's really shy.' I nodded understanding. Being locked up in a cell for your entire life couldn't be easy. You wouldn't be used to any people beside the people you saw every day. In Hope's case: her mom.

I was standing in the kitchen, looking at Marty interacting with the team. I drank some wine but it didn't taste as good as it used to be. Only Marty's family was here. Beth couldn't come today. She, Will and Liam would come tomorrow. I missed her. Stephanie walked over to me, leaning against the counter.

'The secret guy…Callen, right?' I nodded and Stephanie continued. 'He's kind of hot. Is he single?' I couldn't help to laugh. That was typically Stephanie. Always looking for a new guy.

'I thought you were happy with Aaron,' I said to her.

'Maybe I can be happier with Callen,' she smiled and she took another sip from her wine. It was definitely the wine talking by now.

'You're unbelievable,' I told her laughing. 'But what do you think of the rest of the team?'

'You mean Kensi?' Stephanie asked and she laughed. 'She's kind of distance. Don't know if it's me or just her.' Or the four years she spent with a criminal, I added in my mind. 'She might be nice…It is clear that that little girl means a lot to her. She doesn't leave that girl out of her arms for just a second.'

'Yeah, I noticed that,' I said and I understood it as well. Kensi must have lived every day in fear that Petrjov would take Hope away from her.

I was sitting next to Marty listening to the conversation he was having with the team. Stephanie had abandoned me so she could talk with Callen. I wished her luck. Marty had told me stories about Callen and I wasn't giving her much chance.

'What are you going to do with all the sand?' Sam asked and the question got me back in the conversation. I curiously looked at Marty.

'There won't be any sand,' he answered and he said in such a tone no one dared to question him about it. But I was wondering about what that was about. I wasn't given much time because Kensi asked for our attention.

'I think I should go,' she announced, looking at little Hope who was almost asleep on her mother's lap.

'Of course,' Marty nodded and he got up from the couch. 'Do I need to bring you home?' I looked surprised at Marty. How was he planning to do that? We didn't even have a car! But Kensi already shook her head.

'Callen drove us,' she answered. 'So I'm going to look for him.' I also got up from the couch when she said that.

'I'll go with you,' I told her, surprising myself and not knowing exactly why I said that. 'I believe Stephanie is with him.' Kensi slowly nodded and with Hope in her arms, we walked to the balcony. When we got closer we could Stephanie's laugh and I remember that laugh. It was her flirting laugh. She and Callen were sitting next to each other on some beer crates, simply because we didn't have furniture for the balcony yet.

'Hey, Steph,' I smiled and Stephanie gave me a little wave. Callen on the other hand immediately got up when he saw Kensi with the almost sleeping Hope. I had to admit that Kensi had trained those guys pretty well. She had only to appear and they were ready to help her. Even Marty.

'You want to go?' he asked and Kensi nodded.

'Yeah, Hope is really tired,' she explained. 'It has been in busy day for her.'

'Goodbye, Stephanie,' he said to my friend and he walked inside without saying a word to me. I watched him talk and laugh with Marty and Sam through the window and I felt like I didn't fit in. I knew I didn't fit in. I was just Marty's new girlfriend.

'He's really nice,' Stephanie said. 'Only not a big talker.' I faked a smiled and we also walked back inside.

'You were right: it was nice to have a housewarming party,' Marty said when the last guest, Stephanie, had left and we were sitting on the couch. It had been nice for Marty. Not for me. I felt left out. Even Stephanie seemed to fit better in with them. Marty put his arms around me and he started to kiss me in my neck. I started to smile.

'I missed that smile,' Marty whispered. 'I know it wasn't as much fun for you as it was for me. For me it was catching up with old friends. I might have forgotten that it wasn't like that for you. I'm sorry.' His kisses slowly went up my neck to my face. Soft, caring, delicate kisses telling me that he was really sorry and that he loved me.

'If you go on like this, you're definitely forgiven,' I smiled and Marty started to smile as well. He continued kissing me and when he arrived at my lips, I kissed him back, firmly. I was like I was proving Marty was mine. Marty lifted me from the couch and moved us towards our bedroom.

TBC.