Disclaimer: Nope, still aren't mine...just borrowing and very thankful that I can.

A/N: Hey all, thank you so much for taking the time to review. I love hearing from everyone. Sorry this chapter is a little late in coming. I had the entire story written before I began posting...however, after sitting with this chapter, I decided I need to rethink it and beef it up a bit...it was too short. I hope you like it. Please read and review. I look forward to hearing from you! Off you go now...

"After Sam came Kensi Blye. I had been keeping my eye on the new recruits for quite some time. When Miss Blye showed up, I was quickly impressed with what I saw. I wasn't the only one. Rumor had it, they were wanting her to stay on as an instructor. She is not the type to settle for teaching. That wasn't her motive for applying for this type of work. No, I had other plans for her future, she just didn't know it yet. Ultimately, however, it was Owen who solidified my decision to place her here with this team."

Nate blinked and cleared his throat before replying, "I'm sorry, did you say Owen… as in Assistant Director, Owen Granger?

Hetty smiled at the shocked look on Nates face. "Yes, as it turned out. You see, Owen had been on the same sniper team as Miss Blye's father, Donald Blye. They became good friends. At one point, Donald had saved Owen's life. In return, Owen made a promise to Donald that if anything ever happened to him, Owen would watch out for his little girl. You see Donald and Kensi's mother, Julia, divorced. Upon learning of Donald's recruitment into an elite black ops team, Julia left with Kensi. She just couldn't handle the constant fear and worry. She told Kensi that she had met someone else as her reason for leaving. She knew how much Kensi loved her father and didn't want to cause her any more pain or worry. Unfortunately, because Kensi was indeed her 'daddy's girl', she was not happy with her mother and chose to leave and go home to live with her father. Julia's choice to lie to her daughter left them estranged for many more years to come. I think seeing Callen struggle in his search of family history may have been what later lead to Kensi reconciling with her mother… That aside… Donald was brutally murdered when Kensi was almost sixteen. She made it very difficult for Owen to keep his promise to Donald." Hetty smirked slightly as she continued, "Talk about determined. She loved her father and with him now gone, she was lost. She soon found herself out on the street. It was 18 months later before she found her way off the harsh life on the streets and finishing her education."

"I remember her telling me that she dealt with a lot of guilt over her father's death. Mostly because she chose that very day to disobey his direct orders and snuck out to go see a movie with some friends. She came home to find out that her father had been murdered." Nate stated sadly, "They were very close. She has said more than once that he was her best friend."

Hetty nodded her head thoughtfully, "Yes… he doted on her according to Owen. Donald took the time to teach her many things. Anything he would have taught a son, he taught her. He taught her how to track, shoot, fix a car. Little did he know that the talents he bestowed on her would be what helped her find a path to follow in the future. Thanks to Owen she is here with us today. He certainly kept his promise to her father over the years." Hetty finished as she thought of Owen stepping up to protect her on missions in the past.

"You mentioned earlier she had a motive to become an agent and it wasn't teaching. What exactly did you mean by that?" Nate asked. He had been noticing her frequent glances to the entrance and bullpen as well as her watch. In an effort to distract her from what worried her, he was eager to keep her focused on her travels down memory lane.

"Oh, I would think that would be self-explanatory," Hetty admonished good naturedly, "To avenge her father, of course. She was loyal to her father's memory. She couldn't possibly allow his murder to go unsolved and his murderer to go unpunished. She simply needed to be on a team that would have her back."

"Enter one Henrietta Lange?" Nate responded encouragingly.

"Indeed, Mr. Getz… She had much to offer this team. She is very much her father's daughter. Her marksmanship is unparalleled. A sniper is always a welcomed addition to any team. She is determined, stubborn and strong. She excelled in self-defense. She throws knives with the best of them. Now, include the four languages she speaks, her ability to lip read, knowledge of Morse-code and her degree in forensic science, well…. I knew she could handle herself just fine with this group. She was eager to learn. Callen would be the perfect mentor for her. I knew once he worked with her a bit, he'd be more than intrigued."

"Hetty, you weren't trying to hook them up were you?" Nate asked, shocked at the thought.

"Oh, good heaven's NO! That would never work and it went against all protocol. Besides the age difference, as you well know, Mr. Callen was not one to go lightly into a relationship. Yes, he had his dalliances, but after what happened with Tracey Rosetti… No, I'm simply saying that Callen is one of the best agents I have ever known and that's saying something, let me tell you. He needed someone to pass some of what he knows onto. Now, Miss Blye, she was thrilled to find out she would be working with 'THE G. Callen', as I recall her saying." Hetty chuckled, "Apparently, she had heard stories of 'The Ghost' in her classes at FLET-C. Many debated as to whether he was real or a myth made up for educational reasons."

Nate shook his head and gave a snort as he interjected, "I can't decide if it's funny or sad that Callen finds himself so unimportant or impressive."

"Precisely," Hetty agreed. "Miss Blye was the perfect student. It also helped knowing that she looked up to Mr. Callen with a great deal of respect and awe. It didn't hurt that she had a few things in common with him as well."

"You mean losing a parent at the hands of another… choosing to be homeless verses the risk of trusting someone, or well, anyone?" Nate supplied knowingly, "So, Kensi… one girl, two guys…"

Hetty just smiled, "Not only did Miss Blye offer the aforementioned skills but she is also quite a beauty. The team would, at times, require a beautiful young lady to play the role of girlfriend or wife on the occasional undercover op. Miss Blye more than fit that criteria. She was eager to be trained by the best there is in the undercover arena. I knew that once they all settled in, the boys would be sure to watch out for her and keep her safe both on home ground as well as in the field. She deserved to have a few brothers to watch out for her. After her father was killed, she needed someone to have her back and she didn't get that. Whether she realized it or not, she needed a little more family around her. Meanwhile, Kensi offered a softness to these war worn agents. She was young and full of energy and life." Hetty reasoned. "Amongst the three of them, they cover at least 15 languages. I say, at least, because one never knows with Mr. Callen… With their combined talents, together they would make a powerful team."

"So, why just the three? When I came on the scene, it was just the three of them. Where was the fourth member?" Nate asked curiously.