Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Sassylassy1313, ssl71, Lic. Lu,PirateGinge, heyjode and Guest for the wonderful reviews I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So this chapter is short, and the reason for that is that the next one could well be quite long, and I didn't want to combine them. Plus I can't write anything more tonight (though I should update again on Friday) so thought you would prefer the update now. Anyway, I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.
Frank woke and instantly knew the body in his arms was not that of his husband. His reactions kicked in and his eyes flew open as he started to pull away, only for the memories of what had happened the previous night to return with the sight of the fluffy blond hair that greeted him. He let out a sigh of relief to see Deeks lying there, sleeping peacefully between him and the man he loved. The man who his eyes strayed to once he had run a quick glance over the kid to make sure he was alright.
The sight that greeted him made a small sad smile appear on his lips. Because there was Henry, lying face to face with Deeks, his hand clutched tightly in his husbands, and Frank couldn't help but wonder if this was how he would have been if they had been able to have children. If they had been able to have the family he had always known Henry had wanted deep down. But it was too late now. Oh he knew that things had changed, that they could adopt, but they were both too old and stuck in their ways to do that now. Ten years ago, sure, but not now. He was pulled from these melancholy thoughts by Henry's eyes opening.
"Morning, lover." Henry muttered quietly so not to disturb the other man sharing their bed.
"Morning, babe." Frank responded, and he couldn't stop himself from leaning over Deeks and placing a chaste kiss on his husband's lips.
"Mmm. Just how I like to start the day." Henry said when they pulled apart, stretching as he did so, though not letting go of Deeks' hand. "But I should probably get up. Need to get breakfast started. No doubt Agent Callen will be here soon." He continued with, sitting up as he did so, though still making sure not to disturb Deeks.
"I'm about ten minutes away actually." Came a sudden disembodied voice from Henry's phone that he hadn't even thought about when he left it on the nightstand the previous evening.
"Callen? You stayed on the line all night?" Frank asked not sure whether that was creepy or committed, before finally settling on a little bit of both.
"I promised Deeks I would." Callen replied simply. To him that was all he needed to say on the matter.
"Wow, my phone bill is going to be through the roof." Henry muttered with fake indignation, the chuckle of humour heard by all those listening, in his voice.
"Send me an invoice, I'll put it on expenses." Callen responded smiling at the idea of him presenting Hetty with that one. Not that he would, but he would love to see the look on her face if he ever did.
"I'm sure you would. Well I'd best get up so I can let you in hadn't I?" Henry replied finally pulling himself out of the bed and gently extracting his hand. Of course this caused a restlessness to appear in Deeks, which was quickly soothed by Frank wrapping his arm around the kid once more. It seemed the way to keep Deeks peaceful right then was to give him human contact. And he could do that, until Callen arrived and took over from him at any rate.
"See you soon." Callen murmured quietly when he heard Deeks settle down again. He didn't want to wake him, not yet. Not when he wasn't there at his side to help him through what was to surely come with he woke.
Callen pulled into the parking lot eight minutes later. Hearing the voices on the other end of the phone had spurned him on. Climbing out of the car he stretched as he watched how the early morning sun reflected off of the waves crashing on the shore, he'd made good time getting here. He then turned to the back door of the bar, the one he knew would be open and would lead him to the man he had driven through the night to see.
Walking into the kitchen he was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Henry handing him a cup of coffee.
"I thought you could probably do with this after the drive." He said with a smile as he watched how the younger man inhaled the aroma as if it was oxygen.
"There wasn't any traffic, so not really that bad." Callen responded taking a sip and sighing in appreciation. He had to give it to Henry and Frank, they had damn good coffee. The drive was almost worth it just for a cup of this. Of course then he caught sight of all the ingredients already laid out on the side and he remembered the food was even better. He couldn't wait for breakfast. The last thing he had eaten was a cold burger he'd managed to grab before going out to take down the bad guys on the last case.
"I'm just glad you have the day off to be here. Deeks will be too, I'm sure." Henry replied moving to get back to getting everything ready for breakfast, while simultaneously preparing the kitchen for the day ahead.
His words caused Callen's eyes to widen comically as he quickly put down the coffee and grabbed his phone.
"Crap. Thanks for reminding me." He muttered before firing off a quick text to Hetty telling her he was seriously ill and couldn't possibly make it into work that day or the next. He didn't think she would buy it for a minute, but as soon as he had sent the message he turned off his phone and pulled the battery out. That would prevent her finding him, for a little while at least. And hey, he had given her a valid excuse for not being in the office, if she didn't believe him, well then, that was her problem.
Henry raised his eyebrow at Callen's behaviour, and when he dismantled his phone the other one joined it.
"My boss can be a bit… over protective. Best she doesn't know where I am." Callen explained, and Henry correctly read over protective as nosy in this case. He was glad Callen was keeping Deeks' old life from him, if his nightmare was anything to go by, Henry never wanted him anywhere near any of them ever again.
"I take it you don't have the day off, then?" Henry replied, realising for the first time that it had seemed a bit too good to be true that the situation with Deeks had happened when Callen didn't have to work.
"I have loads of sick days, it'll be fine." Callen responded breezily finishing his coffee as he did so. He then opened his mouth to ask Henry for directions to Deeks, but the other man forestalled him.
"Top of the stairs, end of the corridor. The door is unlocked and the bedroom is at the end on the left." He directed, shooing the other man out of his domain. He had breakfast to cook and a day's worth of meals to prepare.
Callen followed the simple directions and soon found himself in Henry and Frank's bedroom. He took a sweep of the room as he always did when somewhere new, and as such took in the large windows that opened onto the view of the cove. This room was on the same side as Deeks' room then. It was then his eyes turned to the bed and met the amused stare of Frank.
Frank had seen Callen enter and take in the room in a glance. He would bet good money that the boy could pinpoint exactly which of the windows the bedrooms now were from the outside, just from that quick glance. He was glad he was here. He knew Deeks was going to need him.
"Callen, why don't you take over here and I'll go help Henry." He said when the other man's eyes were finally on him.
"Fine with me." Callen replied his eyes going to the man sleeping in Frank's arms. He couldn't help the burst of jealousy he felt at that, even if he knew there was no cause for it. Frank loved Henry more than anything, and it wasn't like him and Deeks were anything more than friends. But it seemed the gut reaction didn't care about truth or logic.
"Get some sleep, breakfast will be a while." Frank responded, manfully managing not to laugh at the flash of emotion he had seen in the boy's eyes. Oh he had it bad for the kid, that was sure.
"Good plan." Callen agreed with a rueful smile as he ran his hand over his face. He had barely managed a couple of hours before driving down here, and he could really do with at least another one.
With that Frank nodded and climbed off the bed, turning his back as he moved to grab some clothes for the day and without another word he headed down to have a quick shower.
Callen waited until Frank had left before climbing onto the bed next to Deeks. He slide down so he was lying beside him, spooning him as he had woken doing a couple of weeks earlier, and barely two minutes later he was fast asleep with Deeks in his arms.
And that was how Frank found them when he returned. He couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of him, nor could he stop himself from taking a photo on his phone. Henry would want to see just how cute these two were together too after all. And he couldn't deny his husband that delight, now could he?