Hello again, again. I would like to thank tomfeltonlover1991 for the lovely review, though I'm sorry, you might be waiting a while, or maybe not so long considering how many chapters I seem to be writing a night. We'll see.

Anyway like I said, I can't seem to get this story out of my head, so here is the next chapter. It is set at the end of season 2, episode 5 'Little Angels'. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.


The case was nasty, and Deeks had the unenviable pleasure of spending most of the time with the sick bastard who had buried three girls and left them to die slowly, in the same way the girl they were looking for. The guy was a creep, trying to make it out that it wasn't him but his brother who had done it, casting doubt in Deeks mind. That mind that had trained as a lawyer and as such could always see every angle, could argue any point. Deeks couldn't believe he that he had managed to manipulate him so much that he had even considered he might be slightly innocent. Even if it had only be a shadow, a moment, it was still doubt cast in his mind. It made him feel physically ill that he had let him do that. It made him feel dirty, and reminded him once more why he stopped being a lawyer and became a cop. At least as a cop when there was evidence, you arrested the bad guys. You didn't have to deal with as many games as you did in court.

When the case was solved and girl found, just in time by Callen and Sam, he wanted nothing more than to go home and curl up on his couch in G's arms and forget. Forget it all, and just be with the man he loved. The man who to him shone as the ultimate good guy. The one who wouldn't twist his far too active mind. The one who would just let him be Marty, and nothing more. But it seemed it wasn't meant to be.

Deeks and Kensi had just put the two boys who had kidnapped the girl into the back of the FBI's car when Callen called to him, pulling him away from everyone else. They hadn't seen much of each other that day and Deeks really wanted nothing more than to collapse into his arms. But he couldn't do that, not here.

"Hey Marty. Look, I'm going to spend the night with Sam. make sure he's okay." Callen said hoping the other man would understand, without him having to tell him everything he knew about why this case had been so personal for his partner.

Deeks looked at G then and all his dreams of spending the night with him went up in smoke. He had seen Sam throughout this case, and he wasn't stupid enough not to know there was more there than he knew. He didn't need to know the details. That was between G and Sam, between partners. And while he might want G to spend his time with him, he couldn't take him away from the one who needed him more. He couldn't take G away from his best friend, that wasn't what you did with someone you loved.

"It's okay, G. I get it. He's your partner, you want to be with him. Is he okay?" He asked with a small smile. It was all he could bring to his face right then, but he hoped it was good enough that G didn't realise anything was wrong with him. Sam needed G more.

"He will be. See you tomorrow?" Callen replied with relief evident in his face that Marty was fine with him spending time with Sam. He didn't even notice the feelings that were running through the younger man's eyes. All his thoughts were focused on his partner right then.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow, G." Deeks responded as he watched the man he loved walk away without a backward glance. For a brief moment Deeks felt jealous of Sam for being the one who had G's heart, even if it was in a different way than the one he wanted for himself. But he shook it off. He had known what he was getting into with this thing, he was just going to have to deal with it on his own. But he was good at that, he was used to being alone, after all before he met G it had been just him. He'd be fine. A good night's rest, and maybe a surf in the morning if the waves were right, and he would be back to his old self.


Eric and Nell sat in ops, breathing out sighs of relief that they had done it. They had helped Sam and Callen to successfully find the girl, and everything was going to be alright.

"Hey Eric, can I ask you something?" Nell asked remembering the thoughts she had had before this case started. Now seemed a good a time as any to see if Eric had any answers.

"Sure, what's up?" Eric asked turning to her with a smile. He hadn't been sure of her when she had started, the way she had taken his whistling duty, and then kept finishing his sentences. But they had got over the rocky start and he was now enjoying working with her. It was nice to have someone else to help him with the impossible tasks the team always asked of him.

"It's about Deeks and Callen…" Nell said, trying to find the right words to ask what she wanted, without making it sound weird, or making Eric think things that weren't there.

"What about them?" Eric asked frowning. Why was she asking about those two?

"Well, I was wondering… do you know how close they are?" Nell finally got out, hoping that would be enough for Eric to get the hint and tell her what she wanted to know.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked completely oblivious to her train of thoughts. I mean they were Callen and Deeks. They were part of the team and friends.

"Well, I saw them smile at each other earlier…" Nell replied suggestively.

"I'm sure that normal Nell. They're friends." Eric responded with a puzzled smile for the woman next to him. Why wouldn't they smile at each other?

"Oh okay." Nell deflated. If Eric hadn't understood from her hints then he must not be able to see it. But who could she ask? There wasn't anyone else here she knew enough to do so, and she didn't want to start this conversation with either Sam or Kensi, because if she had gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick, she didn't want Callen to get her moved. He had the power, she knew he did. He was the team leader, and he seemed close to Hetty. She would listen to him if he asked her to remove her. And Nell really didn't want that. She loved this job, and she loved the team. She didn't want to go anywhere.

"Now, come on Nell. Tell me what's on your mind." Eric said when he saw her fall back in her chair. It seemed he hadn't answered whatever the question was on her mind. Or though… did she maybe fancy one of them? He hoped not. He couldn't see Nell with either Callen or Deeks.

"It's just… it didn't seem like a friendly smile, you know?" Nell replied giving it her last shot. Hoping he would get the message and understand what she wasn't saying.

"You think they don't like each other?" Eric asked with a frown. From what he had seen Callen and Deeks were good friends, I mean Callen was the one who had originally brought Deeks in.

"No. In fact I think the opposite." Nell responded with exasperation and a raise of her eyebrows. How could Eric not see what she did?

"Oh." Eric replied his eyes going wide at what she was suggesting. He was about to say don't be silly, that they were both straight, but then he remembered the file he had put together for Deeks alias the first time they had run into him. Remembered how he had taken note of the fact he seemed to like men and women. It wasn't something he had told anyone else about, well apart from Callen who would have read it when he read the profile. But Callen was straight right? Of course then Eric tried to remember a time when Callen had had a girlfriend, or anyone for that matter, and he came up blank. It seemed that what Nell was proposing was theoretically possible… but he couldn't tell her that. What Deeks and Callen did in their private lives was just that, private. And well, he really didn't want Callen coming after him if he found out he had been spreading rumours about them. Plus he wasn't about to out Deeks. He liked the guy and the only ones who knew the truth that still worked here were Callen and Hetty. Best left that way in his mind.

"I don't think it means anything. They became friends on a case before Deeks joined NCIS. I imagine it has something to do with that." He replied turning back to his computer and trying really hard not to look like he was lying. Because he wasn't, not really. He was just not saying everything.

"Okay. Thanks, for listening." Nell responded with a smile. That she could understand. The idea that Deeks and Callen had formed a close bond on an undercover op? That made sense to her. More sense than anything going on between the two men did at any rate. She didn't know what she had been thinking.


Callen and Sam where the last left in the bullpen, everyone else having gone home for the night. They were discussing the case, about how the boys had confessed, and Sam was feeling good. He had repaid his debt, all was right with the world. Or at least it was until Hetty came up to him wanting to treat the poison oak he had sat on. Yeah there was no way he was letting her near him. So with one look both he and Callen spilt while she had her back turned putting on the latex glove.

They couldn't help laughing as they got out to the car. Enjoying the feel of being kids running away from school nurse.

"Let's get you home Sam. at least there Michelle will be the one tending to your wounds." Callen said as they finally stopped to catch their breath.

"Shut up, G." Sam replied though he did unlock the car. He knew his wife would be less than sympathetic, but at least she would make sure he got treated.

"So where do you want me to drop you off?" he asked as he pulled out of the mission, turning towards his place, though smirking at G, hoping he would suggest his new love's place. At least then he would know where he lived.

"Your house. I'm coming for dinner." Callen responded with a pleasurable sigh at the thought of Michelle's cooking. She was good, as long as he avoided the Sunday night casserole. That was always suspect in his mind. But usually it was good home cooking, and Callen could do with some of that right then. While he kept an eye on his partner to make sure he really was okay after all he had gone through that day.

"Fine. But be warned, Michelle will want to know all about your boyfriend." Sam replied with a smirk which just grew bigger when he saw G narrow his eyes at him. He wasn't even joking with his words. He had told her all about the new development in G's life, and she wanted to know everything just as much as he did. The only difference was, she had been trained by the CIA, and she knew all of Callen's tricks. He couldn't wait to see them pitted against each other. Oh yeah, this evening was going be even more fun than he had imagined it would be, even if he did have poison oak that was making sitting and driving damn hard. He could stand a home and just watch the show.

Callen on the other hand was starting to rethink his idea of spending the evening making sure Sam was okay. He would be fine, and he really didn't want to get interrogated by Michelle, she was as scary as hell when she wanted to be. But too late now, he was just going to have to think of a way round all her tactics. Because he knew exactly which ones she would use, they had been trained the same after all. Hmm, maybe it would be fun. It had been a while since he had really been put to the test.