"Hey stranger," Kensi said when she reached Deeks in his secluded spot on the beach.

He sat in the sand, his arms resting on his knees and he just stared at the water watching the waves rolling in.

"Hey," he replied looking up at her and motioned for her to sit down.

She sat down next to him and watched him from the side.

"How are you?" she asked after some moments of silence. She wasn't sure what to say and was basically waiting for him to tell her what was going on in his mind.

"Confused, I guess," he started. "I haven't seen her in 20 years and didn't expect to see her now all of a sudden."

"Okay… you wanna talk about it?" She wanted to know but didn't want to push him.

"I'm not really proud of that time of my life," he said still hesitating. He didn't want her to think bad about him. On the other hand he wanted to tell her about his past.

She turned to him and put her hand on his cheek making him turn his head to look at her. Their eyes locked and all he could see in her mismatched eyes was pure sincerity.

"Hey, you know I won't judge you, I just listen."

He gave her a small smile before he removed her hand from his face. Instead he pulled her down so that her head was resting in his lap, her hair spread all over his thighs. She didn't fight it. She knew he needed this kind of close contact and she didn't mind either. To every stranger walking by they looked like a couple in love lost in their own little world by just staring at each other. Even though he knew what he would tell her now would be tough but he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked right now. He took a deep breath thinking about where to start and she took one of his hands laying their entwined hands on her stomach reassuring him even more.

"So, you know I shot my father when I was 11," he started telling his story. "He got arrested and my mom and I could escape for the first time in years. He was given 2 and a half years in prison. My mom and I built up our new life and I think she was truly happy during this time. When I was 14, he was released. We got told by the attorney and we knew my father would come looking for us. It didn't take him very long to find us. So one evening he just marched into our apartment and started yelling at my mom. He accused her of being a bad wife and asked why she hadn't visited. He said she would pay for her actions." He stopped talking for a moment. Kensi knew the tough parts were still to come. She gave his hand a squeeze.

"So he came back some days later and tried to kill me telling my mom she would be next. Luckily, we had arranged an emergency code with our neighbors the day he came to us the first time. So before he could do anything major the police arrived and took him back to prison. The attorney said we shouldn't worry about him anymore for he would be there for a very long time. Well, I thought we could live peacefully now but in the weeks after that my mom changed. Somehow he had managed to get into her head for she started accusing me. She said I'm responsible for her failed marriage. She basically told me I was a mistake just like my father had always said. Our relationship changed from mother and son to two individuals living in the same apartment. So when I was 16 I moved out. She knew I was living with Ray but she never came. I never saw her again until today."

He looked down at Kensi who just stared at him in shock. That's not what she had expected. She stood up suddenly, not being able to sit still after all she had just heard.

"Oh my god, Deeks, I had no idea… I just… I don't know what to say." She finally stood still and looked at him. All she could see in his face was fear. It suddenly dawned on her that he took her actions as anger… anger against him. She knelt down in front of him taking his face in both her hands.

"Deeks, nothing of this is your fault, you know that. Your dad was a drunken jerk and neither you nor your mother deserved to be treated like that. Making you responsible for everything was not right."

"I know," he simply replied.

There were some moments of silence before he spoke again.

"I don't know what to do now," he said.

"What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure. I mean she's my mother. I just wonder why she never came looking for me."

"Maybe she was hurt. Maybe she was afraid of your reaction."

"Mmh, you think she would want me to contact her now?"

"I don't know her, Deeks. I just know what my mom told me about when we were gone."

He looked at her in surprise. He didn't know they had talked but then again how could he know, he had sat on the beach for hours. He was curious though.

"What did she say?"

Hearing his question she knew he couldn't shake this whole topic off so easily. She took this as a good sign.

"Well, mom said Marie broke into tears after we left and told her she regretted many things in your past. She didn't tell my mom any more but she did ask for your phone number."

"Okay," he took in this information.

Maybe there was a chance for both of them to start anew and if he was completely honest with himself he wanted it.

"I still need some time."

"I don't think she expects you to call today," Kensi tells him.

He smiled at her.

"How come you're so good with talking about feelings today?" He was only partly teasing her. Usually, she wouldn't be like this. She avoided his gaze.

"Well, it's easier to talk about it if you're not involved personally. I'm just here to listen."

"Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For being here to listen."

"Always."

A/N: You liked this chapter? Please let me know...