A/N - So I had thought this chapter was ready but then I decided I wasn't happy so did a rewrite last night and today. Much happier with it now.

Guest Review:

Chapter 97 - IA - Maria - I haven't seen the later episodes you refer to about Deeks and Callen so I can't comment on that but I do hope you can enjoy the Deeks of this story and the way he's grown within the team and the family they have become.

Enjoy and as always, love to hear your thoughts.


Chapter 179 - Wedding Day Part 2

Callen watched Jessie sleep. The steady, yet gentle rise and fall of her shoulders and breathing eased his mind. The lack of tension in her expression as she slept helped too.

When Trevor had burst through the door last night he'd been reaching for his gun and wide awake in an instant. The panic in Trevor's voice, while not as strong as what Callen had seen on Jessie's face when he'd first look at her, had been more than a little concerning. He'd seen the serious and protective side of Trevor before, though most of the time things were happy and light, but this had been totally different. She'd been shaking. Callen had felt it the moment he'd touched her and it wouldn't surprise him if Trevor had been too but Callen's focus had been all for her. Between them, they'd gotten her through. Trevor in the first instance, pulling her from the nightmare enough to get her back in this world, not the dream one, and then knowing her well enough to bring her to him. And then Callen had been able to reassure her and make her feel safe enough that she slept. It had taken him a while to fall asleep. He'd worried the nightmare would come back and make the day even harder, but she'd stayed asleep, safe and content in his arms. And like always, that fact made him feel like a superhero. Her hero.

A glance at the clock reminded Callen he couldn't put it off any longer and he shifted closer on the bed to Jessie. He moved the sheet out of the way to bare her shoulder before he pressed a kiss to the exposed skin. He heard Jessie's sigh - soft and content and so different to what had been radiating off her when she'd first arrived last night. He smiled and repeated the action, albeit for a slightly longer time.

"Morning," Jessie said. Callen lifted his head and saw she still had her eyes closed.

"Morning," he pressed another kiss to the same spot and let his fingers trail slowly down her arm. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled.

"Perfect way to wake up."

"Almost." He could think of even better ways but given the circumstances he'd take it. Callen shifted slightly and linked his fingers with hers, the ring on her finger a slight distraction from her soft skin. He lifted it and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, just below the ring. "Soon I get to put the next one here. Soon you will be mine in every way." And if he thought of any other ways he could make her his he was sure he'd make them happen as soon as possible.

Callen tugged Jessie gently until she was sitting up and then he slid even closer. He released her hand and threaded his fingers through her hair to ease out the knots, something he still thoroughly enjoyed doing after so long of not being able to. He doubted he'd ever get tired of the soft silky feel of it sliding over his skin, any part of his skin.

"Are you sure you want to do this Doc? After last night?" It wasn't that Callen didn't want to. He just didn't want her worried or scared during it.

"Yes," Jessie replied. There was confidence in her tone and no sign of the distress last night's nightmare had created. "It was just a bad dream."

Callen raised an eyebrow at the toned down description.

"We're safe," Jessie said. "You told me that. I believe you." She rested her head on his shoulder and he stopped playing with her hair. But it didn't stop him touching. Instead Callen stroked her back through the soft silk of her pyjama top. "We've done everything to make it secure," she continued. "In my head I know that."

"We have," Callen assured her. More so now since last night.

"I've never had so much to lose before," Jessie added quietly, her voice a little whisper across the skin of his shoulder. "Now I'm not caught in the middle of the fear, it makes sense that this would happen now. Especially with everyone I love around me. It's the perfect moment for the past to rear its head and scare me."

"Doc," Callen lifted her head and cupped her chin. He brushed a kiss across her lips, soft warm and inviting but he didn't take it further than a gentle touch. "We're not going to let anything happen. You won't be alone." Even if something happened to him at some, hopefully very distant, time in the future, she wouldn't be alone. Someone out of the numerous family members she now had would be there for her.

"G-"

Callen pressed a finger to her lips to stop the protest he knew was coming. Yes he knew he couldn't exactly promise that but he knew in his heart, a place he now listened to more frequently than he had before she'd come into his life, and trusted more too, that she wouldn't be alone again.

"I texted Hetty," Callen said. Confusion shifted across her face.

"Was it an interesting conversation?"

"Short and to the point," Callen told her. "We've upped security." Even though she'd said she didn't need it, he did. Now rather than just a few carrying a weapon, all who were licensed would, aside from Callen and Jessie. As far as Jessie had come with her issues with guns, today wasn't the day to have one in too close proximity unless absolutely necessary. Sam would have Callen's and Michelle would have Jessie's, should the need arise - because yes, Jessie had her own now. Callen had explored different types with her once she'd become comfortable enough and they'd worked out which one was the best - the most comfortable for her to handle and shoot the most accurately. Michelle's sole task, if something happened, was to get Jessie out of there and somewhere safe and leave the rest of it to them. As much as Callen would love to be the one to take Jessie and run, to protect and keep her safe, he also knew it would be better for Michelle to do it. Because if someone did come, it wouldn't be an enemy of Jessie's but one of his and if he went with her the danger would follow that much closer behind.

"But -"

Callen shook his head. "We also moved the time forward an hour."

Jessie frowned. "But Mac-"

"Is aware." Callen smiled because the moment she'd frowned he'd known what she was thinking. "And will still be here in time but this way," his voice dropped a little, "on the very odd chance that what you feared was a possibility,'' Callen's thumb brushed gently over her cheek to hopefully take some of the sting out of his words, "and someone knows the plan, they'll be late."

"G it's -"

This time he kissed her to stop the words. He lingered perhaps a little longer than necessary but he doubted either of them minded. "It's what," he said, "you need to feel safe. It's what I need to know you will feel safe. I don't want you wondering or worrying today. It's our wedding date Jessie." He smiled. "One of them anyway. I want you to enjoy it."

Jessie shifted, pressed a kiss to his lips, one that wasn't just a light brush but a firm, interested in more, one. "I intend to," she murmured against his lips before she kissed him again. Her body shifted closer to his and he let himself enjoy the connection and gave her a little bit of leeway before he reluctantly pulled back against the wishes of his body.

"Later," he told her firmly. It was a promise, one he had every intention of keeping, more than once if he was lucky. "You have someone waiting to have breakfast with you."

If Callen was right Trevor was already outside pacing, waiting for her to exit.

Jessie shifted away from him on the bed and sighed. Her lips twitched.

"If I must."

There was more than a touch of disappointment in her eyes but Callen knew it was because of what wasn't about to happen between them rather than the fact she did have to go. She was looking forward to this special breakfast with Trevor and the girls.

"Come on." Callen rose and held out his hand to her. Jessie placed hers in his, the touch and feel of it there something he'd come to appreciate and understand as perfectly right. He pulled her up into his arms. "You'll be mine soon Doc. I'm looking forward to seeing you come down the aisle to me, and what comes after." Callen lowered his head and kissed her lightly, not wanting to push the heat that was simmering between them right now since nothing could happen. As light as it was though, it was full of the love he felt for her and her for him.

"Very soon," Jessie whispered when the kiss ended. "And then you'll be all mine too."

"Always am."

Jessie stepped back and Callen watched her walk slowly backward toward the door. She kept her eyes on him all the way, as if she didn't want to leave but that couldn't distract from the hint of a secret he saw in her eyes as well."

"Doc, what are you planning?"

Jessie's footsteps paused and the smile grew. "Something you'll love."

Callen stepped closer. "Does it involve us alone and no interruptions?"

"Something like that though we've both learned by now no interruptions is impossible to guarantee."

Callen got closer. "How about you tell me now?"

Jessie blew him a kiss, her hand already on the door. "All in good time," she said. "I promise you'll know soon."

"I'll hold you to that." Callen forced himself to stop and not go closer. He didn't want to let her go and if he got closer he just might very well convince them both that she should stay. It wasn't just because he wanted her to stay from a physical point of view, which was admittedly a pretty common reaction but because he really didn't want to let her out of his sight. The memory of the fear and panic in her from last night was still at the forefront of his mind, even if he was able to ignore it sometimes. He really wanted to be there for her if, for some reason, it came back.

Jessie opened the door and with a quick look and after a smile over her shoulder, she walked out and closed it.

If he'd counted he was pretty sure he wouldn't have gotten to sixty before there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Callen said, knowing full well who it would be as he pulled his shirt over his head.

Sam walked through the door and Callen wondered just how long he'd been waiting outside it and whether he'd been pacing a track in the carpet right alongside Trevor - because Hetty hadn't been the only one he'd contacted once Jessie had been deeply asleep. One thing he didn't doubt was that Sam had given Jessie a thorough study when she'd left the room. Callen could see the hint of worry in his partner's eye.

"You ready?"

"More than ready," Callen stepped toward Sam. He'd gotten mostly dressed before he'd woken Jessie, as a reluctant precaution. The shirt had been the last of it.

"Not nervous?"

"Why would I be nervous Sam? It's what I want. What we want."

"Was what Michelle and I wanted too. Didn't stop me from being nervous."

Callen grinned. "I know. She told me all about how you couldn't eat breakfast that day and were shaking when she took your hand."

Sam frowned. "When exactly did she tell you all that? You weren't at the wedding."

Unfortunately he hadn't been. He'd been undercover at the time and it had been too much of a risk to pull him out to come to it. But then if he had, his initial meeting with Sam would've been so much different and Callen was starting to understand that sometimes this thing people called Fate had it's timing pretty much spot on. If he'd meet Jessie any sooner than he did, neither of them may have been what the other needed and then he wouldn't be here right now. And that would be a very bad thing.

"You know I have known Michelle longer than you right?" Callen said, his lips twitching with amusement at being able to tease his partner with this. "We share things."

"About me?"

Callen's grin grew. "Most definitely. Now, are you ready?"

"You know," Sam said, "I always thought you'd be the last one to tie the knot, if you ever did that is."

The memory of tying knots from the bachelor party flew to Callen's mind and he had to tamp down his reaction. Now wasn't the time to let his thoughts head there, as wonderful as they were.

"Guess you were wrong."

"Don't mistake it, I'm happy, very happy you've finally found a nice girl." Sam grinned. "But if Eric had stopped dragging his feet and manned up with Nell, you would've been."

"They're still too young," Callen protested. Even after all this time and knowing, at least as vaguely as he could keep the thoughts, that Eric and Nell were in an adult relationship, it was still difficult to think of Nell as an adult. Eric was also still just the young teen surfer he'd meet briefly so long ago when their paths had crossed because of Hetty. In his head they definitely weren't old enough to be in a relationship anything like he was with Jessie.

Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Too young? You do realise that they -"

Callen held up a hand. "Don't say it. Whatever it is I don't want to hear it. Though I do want to know how long you plan on keeping me here before you let us go. Unless of course you're planning to get into Alex's bad books."

Alex was taking care of the boy's breakfast this morning and, having sampled Alex's cooking, Callen knew it wouldn't disappoint and didn't plan on missing out. "I have it on very good authority that it is not a smart idea."

Sam seemed to agree if the look on his face was anything to go by. That and his prompt response combined with the movement toward the door.

"Let's go."