A/N: I apologise for the long wait. I realise it's been a few days and I am TERRIBLY sorry!

"Hey Callen."

"Yes Emily?"

There was a pause before she said, "Erm, my parents are throwing a party for my sister's birthday and I'm allowed to bring a friend." He snapped his eyes in her direction, her ducked head focused on the book in her hand. After a moment she perked her head up and offered him a meek smile. "You're welcome to come. If, you know, you want to."

Callen simply stared. He didn't know what to say. "Emily."

"Look," she said, "You don't have to if you don't want to I mean, I know that we're not exactly a public thing, which I'm fine with by the way."

Callen held a hand up to stop her and said, "Em, hold on." She clamped her mouth shut and he paused a moment. He had no idea what he wanted to say, what he was going to say, but he decided to push on through. "I-" he stopped. He needed to think for a moment, but his mind was screaming for him to not go with her. "I appreciate that we're not public, and I appreciate you being okay with that. Really. It's just that-" he stopped again and sighed, running a hand over his face. Hetty's words about being honest echoed in his mind and he turned to her, "I've never really done the whole 'boyfriend' thing." That word felt weird to him, twisted something inside of him.

"Wh- what? You've never?"

"Not really that kind of guy."

"So," Emily just pointed between the two of them.

Callen shook his head. "This is all new territory for me, but, it's real. I can tell you that."

It was a moment before she nodded, "Okay."

Callen felt the air shift atmosphere and felt his eyes widen. "Emily, I mean it. I do like you, a lot and I wouldn't want to change anything that's happened. I swear."

A smile started to twist her mouth up and he smiled back. They stared at each other with small smiles for a few moments before she put her book down on the couch arm and tucked her feet up to lean against his side, dragging his arm around her shoulders. "How about, instead, we throw our own small party, just you and me?"

Callen laughed and tugged her closer. He gulped the awkward lump that had formed in his throat and placed a small kiss to the top of her head. "Look, I'll go."

"If it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to."

Callen waved his hand in front of her, "I don't have to but I want to. For you."

Emily tilted her head back to smirk up at him. "Considering you don't do this often, you're not half bad with this boyfriend thing." She turned away from him and tucked herself further into his side.

"I have a patient girlfriend."

Emily lifted her head to smirk up at him and shrugged. "Sometimes slow's good. Besides, I really like you too."

"That's good to know," Callen said with a smirk, settling down as she settled down herself. They sat in silence for minutes, content with each other's company before he turned his head to face her; "I'll come with you by the way. I mean, it has been what, eight months. I figure your parents deserve to meet me."

"I thought they already did."

"Probably and not because you're in the hospital or because of a case. It's the thing boyfriends do right? See their girlfriends parents?"

"Yeah it is, but only if you want to."

"I do want to."

"Okay then."

"Okay."

He didn't realise the party was in a week and when it arrived he felt his stomach twist into knots. He'd agreed to drive them out to her parents' house and had agreed to let her pick the present. When they pulled up to the house, his hands refused to move from the steering wheel as he considered backing out. Emily laid a hand on his arm with a soft smile and said, "You really don't have to come in."

It took him a moment to reply and he shared a look with her before muttering a small "It's fine." He took a breath and smiled. "Let's do it."

She offered him a quirked brow and shrugged, "Okay. If you're sure."

Callen smirked at her and as if to make a point climbed out of the car and waited for her. Emily smirked back up at him and stood next to him, "Well, let's go," he said. His stomach was doing flips, twisting itself into his throat and trying to pull him away. He did his best to ignore it and told himself it was a perfectly normal response to meeting somebody's parents.

When they reached the door, Emily knocked and waited. It was her father that answered and that made him lift his head and straighten his shoulders out. The man checked him out, head to toe and Callen offered the man a stern gaze. "Dad," Emily said, a warning tone in her voice.

"Come in," her Dad said, now turning his gaze to Emily. "I'm glad you made it."

Callen watched as the two hugged and was sure he heard her whisper something along the lines of "Play nice." He kept that thought in mind as he followed them inside, a slight glare in Mr Weston's face as he passed.