Hey friends, an update for you! Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Yeah no part of NCISLA belongs to me…if it did I wouldn't be showing Sam's face at the end of every episode it would definitely be Deeks, Callen or Kensi. (In case you haven't noticed I'm not a huge Sam fan – or Nell either).

ALONE

CHAPTER 2

Deeks felt the strong arms of Callen and Sam reaching under his arms, hoisting him to his feet. He still felt unsteady but slowly they helped walk him to an unoccupied room just down the hall. Hetty had arrived after Callen had notified her of the situation and she waved them into the room. Kensi pulled out a chair as Callen and Sam lowered Deeks into it.

"Deeks why was your mother at the Health Facility? What happened to her?" Kensi asked as she sat in the chair next to Deeks.

"I don't know whether I can tell the story…it's something only a few people know about" Deeks dropped his head sadly.

The three agents turned and looked at Hetty hoping she would know; "I'm sorry to disappoint you Mr Callen, Mr Hanna and Miss Blye but contrary to belief I don't know the full story about this either. Mr Deeks I know it must be difficult but we are your friends and are here to help…"

Sighing, Deeks looked up at the four people surrounding him. He realised they knew little about him. He hadn't told everyone of his upbringing, mainly because the memories were too painful…the hurt so deep…the fear that sometimes consumed him making him feel the need to hide carefully. Slowly he stood, and walked to the corner of the room. He wrapped his arms around himself, almost hugging himself in defence, and then turned around to see his friends' eyes watching, listening intently…

"My mom ended up in the Health Facility because of that night…"Deeks began;

"The night you shot your father?" Callen asked.

Nodding, Deeks continued; "I was eleven. I remember I played a little league game that day with Ray and a few others. I hit a home run too" he smiled at the memory; "I raced home and told mom and she hugged me then sent me straight upstairs for a bath. She had made a pie for dinner and after I finished she surprised me with my favourite strawberry dessert. Mom said she had a feeling that we would win the game. Mom helped me finish my homework then I watched TV for a while until about nine o'clock when she dragged me off to bed. Dad was out at a bar Mom told me as she said goodnight to me".

"I'm guessing your Dad came home then?" Sam asked.

"He was more drunk than I'd ever seen him before. He absolutely reeked of alcohol. He came in the house yelling and ranting, knocking things off the shelves. Mom ran downstairs to try to calm him down; he was having none of it. Dad stumbled to the storage holder under the stairs. That's where he kept his gun. He grabbed it out and fired a couple of shots in the air while still yelling and ranting. Mom raced up the stairs to tell me to lock my door. She had put the lock on my door one day when Dad was out. Mom was trembling as Dad yelled at her and banged his fist on my door, yelling at me not to be such a coward and come outside. I opened the door a little and he dragged me out getting right in my face, telling me how useless and sooky I was. Mom tried to get in front of me…to protect me from him when he pushed her. Mom fell backwards down the staircase, hitting her head on the way down. There was an awful cracking noise. She didn't move from the bottom of the stairs. Dad angrily stomped down the stairs. He raised the gun aiming right for her. That's when I grabbed the gun Ray had given me out of my closet and fired off a shot. Hit him in the leg. Neighbours heard the gunshots and called police. Dad was taken to hospital and later lockup. Mom was taken to hospital. She broke her back in the fall she was now paralysed from the waist down and the knock to her head caused neurological damage."

Deeks paused and looked at them all, their faces showing a mixture of sadness, anger and shock. He understood how they felt, at the time of the incident he felt all of those feelings as well.

"What happened next Deeks?" Sam asked.

"Well I was taken to my grandparents place for a while, while Dad ended up in Folsom State Prison for five years of a seven year sentence. The day after the shooting, I went with my grandparents to the hospital to visit my Mom. She didn't even recognise me anymore. The doctors said the fall had caused brain damage. So my grandparents were old age and couldn't take care of her themselves so they made arrangements to put her in the Facility where they could take good care of her. After my grandparents died when I was thirteen, I was put in to foster care and raised by a nice couple. I took Mom's maiden name of Deeks instead of Dad's name of Brandel after that night. I got through college and law school and ultimately became a cop. Even now I still would visit Mom every week, telling her stories of what I was up to and you guys and friends. She never even knew I was there but…it felt good to be there with her"

"Oh Deeks, I'm so sorry" said Kensi as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

"Mr Deeks, how has your mother's care been financed?" Hetty asked.

"My grandparents did first when it happened. They told me they couldn't provide her care forever and it was up to me to help when I could. The state provided the money after my grandparents died as I was still a teenager. Then when I was legal adult age, the state told me that as I was next of kin and I was an adult that I would have to provide for her care. So any job or money I got first went to the Facility. I had to rely on friends or do other things to eat or buy clothes. It was hard, and I was alone, but I got through it" Deeks shrugged.

"Deeks you are not alone anymore. We, all of us are right here with you. We'll help any way we can okay?" Callen placed a reassuring arm around his shoulder.

"G's right…you may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but your our pain in the ass" Sam smiled.

"I'm sure your Mom would be so proud of you if she could see you today" Kensi smiled and hugged him again.

"It's funny it's the little things I remember about her…her favourite perfume, her cooking in the kitchen or playing the violin" Deeks smiled shyly.

"It's those memories Mr Deeks that no one can ever take away from you" Hetty smiled.

Deeks nodded as he heard his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out and frowned as he saw the number appear on screen; "Hey Shep"

"Deeks, how is your…?" Shep enquired.

"I had to take Mom off life support"

"Oh man I'm so sorry"

"Thanks Shep, any news on your end?" Deeks asked.

"It's not good news. Preliminary findings are that it was a deliberate act of arson. The fire started in a cupboard just outside your Mom's room"

"Okay thanks Shep. I'll stay in touch" Deeks nodded and faced his colleagues.

"What did Shep say?" asked Kensi.

"Prelim findings are that it was deliberate arson" Deeks frowned.

"Deeks who else knew your Mom was there?" Callen asked sternly.

"Not many people…just Shep, Ray, my grandparents, father and foster parents"

"If the fire was deliberate, maybe someone specifically targeted your Mom because of you" Callen replied grimly.

There you go…hope you liked it. Thanks for your support and Reviews would be exciting! Until the next update…take care. Much love – Tanya xxx