A/N: Just a little angsty fic set sometime in the future.

"I swear that kid gets bigger every time I see him," Roberta said, shaking her head as three year old Caleb climbed up Deeks' legs, hanging off his arm. "What are you feeding him?"

"Anything and everything," Kensi said with an exasperated smile. She tickled his ribs, making him lose his grip and drop into a defensive crouch.

"Mom!" he squawked, giggling despite himself. He evaded her by scrambling up on Deeks' back, very much like a monkey. Deeks craned his head to look at him, getting a glimpse of wild blonde curls and little white teeth.

"It's a good thing we've only got one of you, or else we'd be eaten out of house and home." His smile and the clear love in his voice made it obvious he was joking. Lifting him off his shoulders, Deeks swung Caleb onto the ground. "Why don't you get your new book to show grandma?"

"It's got a vampire!" he shouted, taking off for the house. Deeks chuckled and turned back to his mom, who wasn't smiling like he expected. She had her hand pressed over her mouth and was watching Caleb with a preoccupied expression.

"You ok, mom?" he asked. She shook herself, but still seemed distracted.

"I was just thinking about what a good father you are," she murmured and then turned to face him. "I'm sorry that Gordon wasn't that for you. You should have had a better father than the one I gave you."

"Mama," he protested, glancing at Kensi who looked just as stricken as he felt.

"No, it's true. I married him, I let him stay." Roberta shook her head, fully immersed in her self-loathing. Kensi reached out and squeezed his shoulder, taking a step back.

"I'll see if Caleb needs any help," she said, discretely giving them some space. Roberta didn't seem to notice her absence immediately, her eyes still focused in the direction Caleb had gone.

"I should have left him long before he started hurting you," Roberta said fiercely.

"Mom, dad is responsible for what he did, not you," Deeks insisted, hating to see her blaming herself.

"I wanted you to have the same experience that Caleb has with you. I wish he could have been as kind and loving as you. And it kills me that you didn't." She was crying now and Deeks clasped her hands between his, guiding her to sit down on the porch.

"Mama, you need to stop blaming yourself for this. If I'm a good father, it's only because of you. I know I make jokes sometimes, but you held us together. As crazy as you can be, you are the reason I didn't become like him."

She sighed shakily, freeing one of her hands to wipe away the tears trailing down her cheeks. Deeks felt a little weepy himself, but pushed back the emotion to focus on his mom. If they both started crying, there'd be no hope.

"I just wish you hadn't missed out on so much," she whispered, shrugging sadly. "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make up for all of it."

"You need to give yourself a break, Mom. I have never, and never will, blame you for anything that happened when I was a kid, ok?" he told her firmly, pulling her against his chest. "And I have lots of good memories of just the two of us."

Roberta made a sound that might have been a laugh or a sob and wrapped both her arms around him.

"You are a good son, Marty. And a great father."

"Thanks, Mama." He swallowed against the hard lump in his throat, hugging her until the back door screen open, immediately follow by an excited Caleb.

He grabbed Roberta's hand, clueless to the fact that he was interrupting a tender moment, and climbed onto her lap.

"See my new book, grandma? It's got vampires, and werewolfs, and zombies, and witches!" he exclaimed. While they were distracted, Deeks joined Kensi on the porch. She leaned against side, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"I heard the last part of what you told your mom and I agree," she said. "You are a good man and the best father and husband we could hope for."