Somehow I've gone from updating in during the weekend to updating in the middle of the week. I'm explaining the reason for not telling Sam in the next chapter, dear ones, bear with me! (Caro, I finally found the reason my subconscious was trying to tell me. Don't hate me :O)


"What are you going to do at the office?"

Grisha grinned. "Babe, I haven't been at the office for ten days. Ten days. If I stay at home one more day, I'll go stir crazy. Besides, it'll give me a chance to bully Hetty into coming on Saturday, and to catch up with the rest of the team."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You promise me not to overdo it? And keep your sling on?"

"I promise."

"How are you going to get there?"

"I'll take a cab."

She still didn't completely trust it, and Grisha pulled her close with his free arm. "Gorgeous, don't worry about it. I won't go any further than the office, I won't drive, I won't get into a complicated situation where I need to shoot my way out of. It's just so I can catch up with them and what they're doing."

Nodding, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I know. I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt when you finally get to take your sling of next week. And I sorta like having you home and at the café."

"I like being here too, babe. But I still have a job to do. You still have work to do, even when I'm at the café. If I spend one more day with whining customers or in the silence of this house when you're not here… I hope you have the psychiatric hospital on speed dial."

Her laughter resonated in his neck. "Fine. I know you'll go crazy just sitting around. At least at home I know you're safe with me."

He grinned. "I can promise you that the office is a fort where nobody gets in when they have no right to be. Nobody knows it's there unless they have to work there. I'll be fine."

"Okay." Dee pressed a kiss to his lips and smiled. "On your way back, you think that you can find a barber? Or get an electric razor? This scruff is getting a bit too much."

"I haven't heard you complain yet."

"I am now."

"Ah." He hadn't shaved in a few days. Dee didn't want to do it because she was afraid she would hurt him, and he couldn't with his wrong arm. "I'll make sure to return clean shaven."

"Thank you." The clock struck one and she let go of him, albeit reluctantly. "Is it okay if I take the Mercedes to work? I need to pick some things up on my way over there, and you have more space."

"You know where to find the keys." He pushed a few buttons on his phone to order a cab. "I'll let you know what time I'll be home?"

"You better." Picking up her purse and keys, she turned around to kiss him again. "I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you, too." He waved as she pulled the front door closed behind her. An hour later, he arrived at the office.

Hetty looked up from her desk. "Mr. Callen. And here I was, hoping that you'd finally take all your sick leave."

Settling across her desk, he shook his head. "You didn't honestly believe that, right? I know there's more than an empty house to go to now. But that doesn't mean I'm not bored to death on the days she works."

"Then there's that." She smiled. "In that case, you want some tea? Have her parents arrived yet?"

"Tea would be great. I met her parents last Tuesday, actually."

"And?" Hetty prompted when he didn't continue.

He shrugged, then winced when he felt his shoulder. "She's a complete copy of her mother. Maria is really friendly. Her father is a real Brit; a bit more proper and stiff, I guess."

Putting his tea in front of him, Hetty sat back. "You haven't put up a front with them?"

"I tried not to. I'm not sure it worked; I was so nervous." Those words left his mouth and his eyes grew wide. "I just mentioned that out loud?"

"You did." Hetty had imagined that he'd be worried. So he wanted to give them a good impression. Wanted to prove that he was worthy of their daughter. "Nervous, you? I wouldn't have thought that."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes, you would've. You know I don't meet parents. I never have. Not with Tracy, not with Joelle… I don't do parents."

"You didn't do furniture either, until a few months ago," she reminded him. "Meeting parents in a natural next step. I take it things are serious?"

"If they weren't already, they are now." He took a sip of his tea, searching for words. "Would you be shocked if I said that I want to marry her?" For an instant, he thought he saw her eyes shine with pride and joy. When he blinked, it was gone and he wondered if he was seeing things.

Hetty put her cup down on its saucer, looking for words to express herself. The fact that he was voluntarily talking about marriage meant that he had come a long way. It meant that he trusted her to stay; it meant that he was letting himself love her. Deja was exactly what he'd needed to see that not everybody in his life would love and than leave him. "I'd say that that is a big step. Are you serious about considering marriage?"

Swallowing, he moved to the edge of his seat. "Go on, say it. It's huge. It's huge, because Callen, the lone wolf, the 'tribe of one', is considering getting married. I know that, Hetty. But you know what? Dee taught me that I'm not a 'tribe of one' anymore. Haven't been for quite a while, actually. Because I have all of you. I have you, and Sam and Kensi and Deeks and even Eric and Nell. And most of all, I have Dee. Dee is the best thing that's ever happened to me, other than you saving me from juvie, and I'd be a complete fool to let that slip through my fingers."

"You would be," Hetty agreed. "You're really growing roots, then?"

"I am."

That brought another question up. "Have you told Mr. Hanna?"

Grisha shook his head. "He doesn't know she even exists."

"Why?"

Taking a deep breath, he pursed his lips. "Lots of reasons. Remember how he, and you, set up that date with Joelle? He's always on my back about wanting me to settle down, find someone. It's been nice to have her for myself. I know it's just because he cares, Hetty, it's not that. He has a tendency to overdo it, and I was done with it. But maybe I've been wrong keeping it from his for so long."

"You've shared with Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye."

"Well, there is no keeping anything from Deeks. He guessed. And Kens… Kens is like my little sister. It felt right to tell her."

"It doesn't feel right to tell Mr. Hanna?"

"Maybe. Eventually. I'll have to start spending time with the guy again before I tell him anything."

"He only wants you to be happy."

Nodding, he rose. "I know. That's why I brought him tickets for the game on Sunday. Are they upstairs?"

Hetty confirmed with a nod. "They are. Eric and Nell are running a few things by them. It's quiet now that you're on sick leave."

He grinned and winked. "They're all waiting for me to come back." He started to walk in the direction of the stairs, changed his mind and came back. "Before I forget. Lunch? Our place? Saturday? I'd like to introduce you to Alistair and Maria."

That almost made her spill her tea. "Excuse me?"

Grisha rolled his eyes at her. "You heard me. You need a different job. You're there as my adoptive mom, so be nice, Hetty." With that, he finally turned around and went up the stairs, leaving Hetty with eyes wide as saucers and a warm feeling in her heart. He found the others in Ops where he could make himself useful, going over scenarios.

At the end of the day he produced the tickets to Sam. "You game Sunday?"

"You sure you have time for the game?" Sam was apprehensive, and Callen couldn't say he blamed him.

"I know I've been a bit distant lately. I'm sorry. Think of it as a peace offering for not being around the last couple of months." He shrugged. "But only if you want to, of course."

"Oh, now he can make the time." Sam glared at him, something Callen had expected. "Don't you have a toaster to pick apart, or some language to brush up on? Or, I don't know, a date with your non-existing girlfriend?"

Callen rolled his eyes. "Toaster works fine these days. I've spent the past ten days working on my language skills. If the girlfriend is still non-existent, there's no date to plan." Shaking his head, he sighed. "I know I haven't been the greatest friend out of work lately Sam, and I'm sorry. I'm trying to make it up to you. I'll come and say hello to the kids and Michele."

Sam looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You're keeping something from me."

"Personal growth. I'm trying to grow roots here. With a lot of help. And since Nate is not specifically around, I had to find help somewhere else." It was as close to the truth as he was going to get.

Sam huffed, studied him. "You're trying to grow roots? Seriously?"

"It's about time I did something about my commitment fears. Settle down somewhere."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would've been all over me. With advice on how to talk and what to say and what to change. I love you man, but I needed to figure this one out myself."

Momentarily Sam chewed his bottom lip, trying to figure out what to say to his friend. "I feel a bit neglected."

"You have every right to."

"And the kids and Michele feel neglected, too. And we miss you. I miss you."

Callen nodded. In this process of growing into the man Dee deserved, and in protecting his relationship with her, he had turned into the bad friend. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you all. But you have to understand that things will change."

"They already have."

There was that. "Would you still be okay if this new and improved me found someone he really liked? Because that would change the dynamic again."

Laughing, Sam nodded. "Yeah, but that would all change things for the better. That would mean there would be family barbecues out back, and Christmases with all of us, and birthdays for the little ones when you finally have kids. Damn it, G, I only want you to be happy."

"Yes mom, I am." He held up the two tickets. "Now that is out of the way, you game on Sunday?"

"Absolutely."

"Great." Callen was relieved. Even though he hadn't told Sam about Dee yet, which he would, honestly, he could be a better friend. On their way out, they passed Deeks and Kensi and Callen promptly suggested getting drinks.

It was later that night that Callen realized that it had been the first time in months he'd socialized with the complete team. His priorities might have changed, but that didn't mean his balance couldn't be better.