On Saturday Callen and Mac took the kids over to her mom's. Sara had dragged the old trunk out and Victor and Callen carried it down to the living room.

"Now let's see what we have." Sara said.

She pulled out a photo album and handed it to Mac. She looked thru it and Callen stopped her on one old photo.

"That was Alexis."

"Her mother was even meaner then she was." Said Victor.

Callen shook his head. This was the part of the family he didn't care about.

"Now here we have the blanket that girls would wear when they were presented for the first time."

"Presented?" asked Mac.

"Yes. When a young girl reached the marriage age usually fifteen or sixteen they would have a dress made with bells sewn into the skirt. Then they were covered with this blanket to represent modesty. Then the girl has to walk thru the gathered group of family and friends without any of the bells ringing to show she is still pure."

"Wow and I thought high school was tough." Said Mac.

Sara folded the blanket and put it aside. She pulled out some dishes that had been in the family for generations. Then she pulled out a scarf that had old coins sewn along the edge.

"Anna come here." Anna got up and moved to stand next to her grandmother. Sara tied the scarf around her hips. "This is worn when dancing." Anna looked down and smiled.

"Shake your hips." Said Sara. Anna did so and the coins made a little noise as they hit together.

Callen picked up a vase from the trunk. "I remember this."

They all looked at him.

"Callen?" asked Mac. "How do you remember it?"

"I don't know I just remember it. I think I used to like to look at it as a child."

"Perhaps Alexis kept some of your mothers things after she was killed." Suggested Victor.

"Take it with you son and anything else you want from the chest." Said Sara. "I hate to think that Alexis would have kept your mothers things."

"It's ok. If she hadn't then I wouldn't have it now would I." Callen smiled and put the vase onto the coffee table.

"We'll put it up on the mantel when we get home." Said Mac.

There was also some wooden hand carved items that Victor said had once been on one of the families wagons.

"Grandpa can I have them to hang in my room?" asked Anna.

"I think that would be ok." Victor looked over at Chris. "But we should also hang some in your brother's room too."

"Ok Grandpa."

Callen loved how Anna was always willing to share with her brother and sister. She took one and held it out to Chris. "Look baby brother this one is for you." Chris reached out to grab it. Anna let him have it for a moment then took it back before he could stick it in his mouth.

After they went thru everything Victor took Anna into the kitchen to help her write her report. She wanted it to be a surprise for her parents so she told them to stay out.

Mac laughed and said ok. She leaned back on the couch and fed Chris while Callen looked at the old photos. Clara was busy looking at a picture book.

Sara and Mac had to try not to laugh at Callen as he went thru the book.

"Killed him, and him, oh and him. Think Sam got this one."

"Only my husband would remember all the people he's killed."

"You would remember them too if you had an entire family after you."

"Not an entire family." Said Sara.

"Sorry sometimes it's hard to remember there are good Comescu's out there."

"It is all right son." Sara said. She would always feel guilty for what her husband's family did to Callen's family. She smiled as Chris made a face and filled his diaper.

"Ok Daddy go change your son."

"You're getting even with me for not being there when he was born aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Christopher your mother is never going to let me live that down."

"No I'm not."

Sara laughed and watched as Callen carried the baby upstairs. "You got a good one there."

"I know. Really didn't want him but he didn't take no for an answer."

Sara had heard stories about their romance but didn't know the whole story yet. "So what was your first date like?"

"Well let's see… we went out for dinner a few times. Mostly Callen just was always around." Mac smiled at her mother and Clara climbed up onto the couch to be held. "Funny part is Callen had a rule that he didn't date cops."

"But he chased you anyways?"

"Not so much chased as just decided I was his and that was that."

"And you didn't fight him?"

"No not really." Mac stroked her daughters back. "It was nice to have someone around all the time."

Callen came back down with Chris and put him in his carrier. "Ok all clean and ready for a nap I think."

"MacKenna was just telling me about how you started dating."

"Yeah more like I just moved in."

Sara looked at him.

"I told you he wouldn't let me alone."

"You never told me to leave."

"No I didn't." Mac leaned over and kissed him.

Mac's phone went off. "Kensi." Mac answered it. "Hey Kens what's up?" Mac listened and chuckled. "Yeah ok pick me up at my mom's."

"Where are you going?" asked Callen.

"Kensi decided to take some photos of her kids like I did but with Deeks obsession on his Viking heritage."

"And she wants you to help?"

"Yep."

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"Easy hang here and spend some time with your kids." Mac said passing Clara over to her dad. "Plus mom is cooking so I don't really see a reason for you to complain."

Callen looked at Sara only to see her laughing at him.

"Fine go have fun."

Sara got up and went into the kitchen. She came back with a plate of cookies for Callen.

"The way to any man's heart is always thru two places. Right now we'll go with his stomach you can deal with the other when you are both alone."

"Mom." Mac laughed. She heard Kensi outside so she said goodbye and headed out.

The kids and Nell were in the back seat. "Hi Aunt MacKenna." Said Donny. Lilly gave her a smile.

"Hey guys. Nell you talk Eric into babysitting hun?"

"Yeah. They needed some male bonding time."

"So where are we going?"

"Well I did some research and with Hetty's help found this place about an hour out of town. They shoot movies and TV shows there and they have a Viking village. Hetty even got us some authentic outfits too."

"We also got some beach photo ideas too for another day." Added Nell.

Once they got to the place a nice lady that worked there led them to the location Hetty had arranged.

"This is what a typical Viking house would have looked like." She said.

"Oh wow." Said Nell.

Donny ran around and looked in the building then ran back to his mom. "Mom come look at the house."

"First we need to get you and your sister changed."

Nell got the outfits from the trunk and Kensi changed Donny while Mac got Lilly. Nell set up the camera and put out the props. They had a mini sword and shield for Donny and the location offered to lend them a goat which Lilly fell in love with.

"Oh man look at them." Said Kensi.

Donny stood there holding the shield and sword. Lilly stood next to him holding onto the goat.

"Oh Deeks is going to love this so much."

Nell got off a few good photos before the goat got bored and decided to drag Lilly who was holding on to the rope tightly thru a muddy patch.

Kensi ran after the goat while Donny stood there and laughed. Nell kept taking photos the entire time. Finally Kensi stopped the goat while Mac scooped up Lilly from the mud.

"Mommy that was fun." Said Lilly. She was covered with mud but was smiling.

"At least we got a few good shots." Added Nell. "Maybe we should call it a day now."

"I hate goats." Grumbled Kensi as she dragged the animal back to the house.

Kensi dropped Mac off at the beach house and drove Nell home.

When Mac walked in wearing a layer of mud everyone looked at her.

"Do I even want to know?" asked Callen.

"Lilly got dragged thru the mud by a run away goat."

"You guys get into way too much trouble." Said Callen.

"I'm going to go change." Mac said then stopped. "Callen try and remember you're the one who keeps losing his pants on operations. Like what five times now?"

"Six but I'm not the one counting."

The next day Kensi got Nell to go with her and the kids to the beach. This was more like it. A nice sunny day, a quiet beach and two clean kids. Donny stood next to his mini surf board wearing a pair of trunks that matched Deeks favorite pair. He wore matching sunglasses just like his dad too.

"Oh Kensi he is such a mini Deeks."

"Yep that's my boy." Nell took several photos then Donny took his board into the water and she got pics of him sitting the board just looking out at the ocean. They both knew Kensi had photos of Deeks in almost the same poses.

They then dressed Lilly up to look like her mom. Her hair might be a few shades lighter but the pics still came out amazing. Finally they got one of the two kids together.

"These are going to be perfect." Said Kensi.

"Where did you tell Deeks you were taking the kids today?"

"Shopping for his birthday present." Kensi said as they loaded up the car. The kids were excited to help surprise daddy.

Nell would print the photos and Eric's friend would frame them. Only with the beach set they would be matched up with the photos of Deeks and Kensi.

"This is going to be perfect."

Two weeks later Mac and Callen got the afternoon off to go see Anna give her project. Sara and Victor came as well even though they both had a preview of it.

"Why do you think she wants to surprise us?" asked Mac.

"I have no idea."

When it was Anna's turn she walked up to the front of the class wearing her Gyspy outfit. The kids whispered among themselves. There were a few foreign students in the class that had dressed for their culture also so it didn't seem to be a big deal.

"I was born in Romania. My birth parents were both Roma Gyspy. When they died I came here to live with my new parents. Both my new parents are half Roma Gyspy. My dad is also half Russian and my mom is half English. I was lucky because back in Romania if you don't have parents you end up in bad places, especially if you're Gyspy."

One little boy raised his hand. "Didn't your parents have family to take you?"

"My dad married a girl that his family didn't approve of , and I guess my mom's parents didn't like my dad either so we were all on our own." Anna gave a sad smile. "Most Gyspy's don't get to choose the person they marry. Their families choose for them. If you decide to run away then you lose your family."

Anna looked at her mom and dad. "They didn't have to come get me but they made room for me in their family." Anna did a little turn. "This is a traditional Roma Gyspy dress from around WWII. Now most Gyspy dress like everyone else in Romania." Anna went on to tell the class a bit about what it was like to be a Gyspy. She passed around old photos and one of the entire family.

She told them about her brother and sister and her aunts and uncles and her grandparents.

Anna then shared some traditional Romanian cookies which the kids all loved.

"Do you like being a Gyspy?" asked one little girl.

"It's no different than being anything else." Said Anna.

"Will you go back to Romania?"

"Someday to visit but this is my home now."

The kids asked question after question. One little girl wanted to know if Anna's parents had a big fat Gyspy wedding like on TV. Anna laughed. "My family doesn't really do stuff like that."

"Are they going to make you marry someone they pick out?" asked another girl.

Everyone turned to look at Callen and Mac. Callen chuckled. "We haven't decided yet."

Anna stood there with huge eyes.

Another little boy looked Callen in the eye. "Mr. Callen does her husband have to be a Gyspy?"

Callen almost choked and Victor burst out laughing next to him. "Ah yes the joys of having a little girl."

Callen glared at the boy and he turned around and tried to shrink himself.

"Thank you Anna that was a wonderful project."

Anna gathered up her stuff and went to sit with her parents. Callen swung her up to sit on his lap.

Anna whispered to her dad. "I love you daddy."

"Love you too little one."

Sara put her hand on Mac's arm and squeezed. She may have missed out on these moments with her own daughter but she would never miss one moment of her Grandchildren's lives.

It was almost a month later when Deeks birthday rolled around. They were having a quiet family day because it was a Saturday. Deeks had gotten up early and went surfing then came home to eat breakfast with his family.

Julia came over for lunch and cake that day too.

"Oh man I am stuffed." Said Deeks sitting on the couch. He looked around and made a face.

"What's wrong Deeks?"

"Don't I get presents?"

Kensi laughed. "Of course you do. I'll go get them."

She came back with a big box and put it onto the coffee table.

"Fern what is it with you and boxes?"

"Just open it."

Deeks tore off the paper and used his knife to slit the tape holding the box closed. Inside was something wrapped in bubble wrap. He pulled out the first flat object and carefully pulled the protective layer off. He sat there with his mouth hanging open. It was the photo of Lilly and Donny dressed like Vikings.

"You're always talking about your Viking blood."

"Kensi this is amazing."

"Open the next one daddy." Said Donny. "It's even better."

"I don't see how."

Deeks handed the frame over to Kensi then pulled the next one out. He unwrapped it and this time almost dropped it. It had four photos. The top left was one of him standing on the beach holding his surf board. The one on the top right was one of Donny in the same pose wearing almost the same thing.

The bottom was the same but with Deeks on his board and Donny mirroring him on the right.

"How?"

"You like it?"

"I love it."

"Then open the next one."

Deeks handed that one over then pulled out the third frame. He was shaking as he unwrapped it and started laughing as he realized Kensi had done the same with this one only it was of her and Lilly.

"I never realized how much the kids looked like the two of you till now." Said Julia.

"This is so amazing."

"There's one more daddy." Said Donny handing a smaller frame to him. It was the one of Donny and Lilly standing next to each other on the beach.

"This is so great. I'll put it on my desk."

Kensi saw the tears and knew Deeks was really moved by the gift.

"Don't cry daddy." Said Lilly as she climbed up onto the couch.

"They are happy tears baby girl."

"Oh tay." Said Lilly as she got a hug from Deeks.

"Kensi you are amazing."

"You can thank Nell and Mac for the help."

"Man if this is my birthday gift I wonder what you're getting me for Christmas?"

Kensi groaned.