Changes

Chapter 15

Authors notes: Thanks to everyone who has liked, followed and reviewed. My friend Kate is thrilled that her ideas for this story have given so many people a little bit of joy. She has a lot more ideas so the story must go on. If you really enjoy the story drop a little review. I look forward to reading them. Also I'm going to change a bit of the format to make it easier to read.

By Friday Deeks felt like his head was going to explode. He spent every spare moment studying or packing. They had cleared out the kitchen and most of the living room and bedroom already. Being so close it was easy to make several trips a night. Usually he would pack while he studied and Kensi would drive a load over. They just had the big stuff to move now like the couch and bed.

Once again Hetty sat in between the two desks with a cup of tea. Deeks worked his way thru the test pleased with himself that he remembered what he studied. Nell was busy working her way thru her own test and finished five minutes before him. As soon as Deeks was done Hetty took the tests and sealed them once again in an envelope.

Two tests down. The next one was mostly about federal laws so Deeks wasn't worried about passing that one. Stretching Deeks looked over to see Kensi now taking her seat. She smiled at him and started to gather her things to leave for the day.

Hetty sat at her desk reading her emails when Callen sat down. He put a box on the desk in front of her.

"Now Mr. Callen what is this?"

"Just a thank you gift."

"And for what do I owe such a gift?"

Callen looked over to the desks where Mac stood talking to Nell and Kensi. He smiled then looked back at Hetty.

"Ah, I take it she has shown you what was in the bag." Hetty laughed.

"That and for arranging or her to stay her in LA."

"I take it things are working out for you then?"

"Better than I could have expected." Callen looked back as he heard Mac laugh at something Deeks said on his way out the door. "She's the one Hetty."

"I am glad the two of you have fit together so well." Hetty didn't dare say more as she was already getting choked up. Yes she would have to say something and soon.

Tattoo shop on Pacific Coast Highway.

Mac and Callen stopped for dinner then headed to a local tattoo shop. She still refused to let Callen tell her what the cover up would be. So when they got there she explained to the artist that she wanted a cover up and that Callen would tell him what to do. She went to sit down and wait while Callen explained what he wanted. The artist put a piece of tissue paper over the design on her neck and quickly traced it. Then went into the back. Fifteen minutes later he came back out and showed Callen the design. He loved it so Mac was told to pull her hair up high and sit on the chair face down.

Callen took her hand in his and watched as the wings and date were covered up with his design. It took about an hour and a half to finish the design. Mac couldn't really tell what the design was from the way the needle moved and couldn't wait to see it.

She stood and the artist handed her a small mirror. She looked and was amazed at what she say. The design was a bit bigger than the original. Now on the back of her neck were two hearts joined in the middle. The right heart was blue and the left one green. The blue one held the letter G while the green one held the letter M. Under the hearts was the word always.

Mac handed the mirror back and wrapped her arms around Callen and kissed him. "I love it."

"I'm glad. I was worried you would hate it."

"No chance at that." Callen paid for the tattoo and they headed back to Mac's.

Mackenna's house

They were staying there that night as they had to help Deeks move the last of his stuff the next day plus Kensi's stuff from the storage place.

Once they got home Callen sat on the couch. Mac got them both a beer and went to sit next to him. Only Callen had different plans and pulled her down on his lap. Her hair was still pulled up in a bun so Callen pulled it free so he could run his fingers thru it. Callen had never been one to give his heart away easily. He had only really given it away once and had gotten burned doing so. Tracey had done a job on him and had been the reason for his rule about dating cops.

When he met Mackenna he felt a draw to her. Yes she was beautiful and smart but there was something else underneath it all. Slowly he had learned about her past finding that it mirrored his own. But unlike his personal choice to remain alone that reality had been forced on her by others.

"Your amazing." Whispered Callen. They sat there with their foreheads touching just enjoying the time together. Mac smiled at him and felt him gently run his thumb over the new tattoo. The old one had been for what never could be. The new one stood for the future that stood before her.

Callen often teased Sam about how fast he had fallen for Michelle while working together. He never figured he'd ever be in the place to do the same thing. The silence was broken with a knock at the door. Mac pulled away from Callen and opened the door.

"Hetty come on in."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"No we just got in. Can I get you anything?"

"Oh no my dear. I actually have something for you." Hetty went and sat down on the couch and put a box on the coffee table. Mac sat back down next to Callen and waited to see what was going on. Hetty seemed a bit off and they both figured it had something to do with the box.

Hetty took a deep breath and put her hand on the box. "I have kept a secret for a very long time." She stroked the wood then sat back closing her eyes.

"Once very long ago I was married. He was an agent like me and we worked together on the same team for a short time." Hetty opened her eyes. "George had been married before and had a young daughter Sara. She was the closest thing I had to a real child."

Mac looked at Callen then back at Hetty as she continued on. "George was sent on an operation overseas and I was working in Washington. Sara was sixteen at the time. The agents that were sent on that operation were compromised and killed including my husband." Hetty felt the tears start and pushed them back. "We had been married only two years but it felt like a life time." She picked up the box and held it on her lap. "At the same time I found out that Sara was with child. I did my best to look after her." Hetty opened the box and took out a photo of a young girl with strawberry blond hair. She had her hands on her swollen belly and was smiling at the camera. She handed the photo to Mac and waited for her response.

Callen looked at the photo and then at Hetty. "Hetty is she?"

"Yes Mr. Callen that is Mackenna's mother."

Mac didn't know what to say. She felt Callen wrap his arms around her tightly and hold on.

"A month before you were born we got word that the men who had killed your grandfather were coming after his daughter as pay back for a young women killed during the operation. She was the daughter of the man that the team had targeted."

Hetty took another deep breath as the memories came forward. "Granger helped me get her out of Washington and to a safe house in New York City where you were born a month later. To keep you safe you were put into foster care your true identity hidden. Your mother was moved as well soon after. I tried to keep track of her but after a year she disappeared."

"So you don't know what happened to her?" said Mac still looking at the photo.

"No. I've spent years looking for her." Hetty started pulling out a few photos. They were of Mac as a child. "I did however keep track of you."

"So was I moved so much for my own safety or because the families just didn't want me?"

"You were moved to keep you safe."

Mac leaned back into Callen and tried not to cry. "So I guess that makes you my grandmother."

Hetty had expected anger not acceptance.

"You're not mad at me?"

Mac took a deep breath and let it out. "You did what you did to keep your family safe. I understand that." Mac looked back over her shoulder at Callen. "I'd do the same thing."

Hetty handed over the box. "There isn't much there. A few photos of you growing up and a few of your mother. I wish I had more for you."

"You can tell me about her." Mac put the photos back in the box. "Was I really named for my grandfather or was that a cover too?"

"I named you myself. Mackenna was a cover name your grandfather was using when I met him and Taylor was the name he was using when he died."

"And my middle name is Sara after my mother."

"Yes. It seemed fitting."

"What about my father Hetty?"

"I don't know who he was. She never told me."

Hetty reached over and put her hands over Mac's. "When Director Vance sent you here I was unsure of how to handle it. Other than Granger he is the only other person who knows who you really are."

"So we shouldn't tell anyone then?" asked Callen already knowing the answer.

"You may tell the team if you wish but it may not go any further. We really have no idea if the men who killed your grandfather are still out there or if as with Mr. Callen a new generation out to finish what the others started."

"Director Vance moved me around too for the same reason as you did." It was a statement more than a question. Hetty nodded.

"I promised your mother I would keep you safe and I have done my best to keep that promise."

"Now it's my turn." Said Callen. Hetty felt a small weight lift off her shoulders.

"Now how about a drink." Hetty then pulled a bottle of scotch out of her purse. Callen jumped up to get glasses.

After they all had a filled glass Hetty raised hers. "To family."

The move to the new house.

The next day Callen headed to the apartment to help Sam and Deeks move the big stuff while Mac went to help Kensi with the stuff in the storage garage. They filled both Kensi's SUV and Mac's jeep then headed back to the house. Kensi had promised to toss out a lot of her stuff and was determined to keep her promise to Deeks.

They pulled up to find Sam and Deeks moving the bed frame into the house. Callen followed carrying two pillows.

Mac shook her head. Kensi laughed and grabbed a box. Callan had dropped the pillows on the couch and had headed back to the car to grab something else.

"Don't hurt yourself carrying such heavy objects there babe." Said Mac as they passed on the walk. Callen just smiled and smacked her butt as he passed her. After Hetty had left Callen and Mac decided to keep things to themselves for now.

Sam and Deeks headed back to the truck to get the mattress and found Callen actually carrying two boxes from the jeep. "Hey Deeks looks like G is showing off for his girl." Said Sam as they pulled the box springs off the truck. Callen just walked past them and into the house.

"Kensi where do you want these?"

"Put them in the spare room." Kensi looked at Mac and smiled.

By two they had everything in the house and had ordered pizza. There were boxes everywhere, most of them belong to Kensi. While they waited on the pizza to come Sam started to quiz Deeks for the next test.

Kensi decided it was a good time to start doing a clean out. She grabbed the first box she saw and opened it. She quickly closed it and moved it to the porch.

"Kensi are you ok?" Mac stood and went over to her.

"Um no."

Deeks looked up he didn't like the look Kensi had on her face.

"Kensi what was in that box?" asked Deeks.

Kensi closed her eyes. "Just some of Jacks stuff. I forgot I still had it." Kensi closed her eyes and went back to start on another box. "It's ok. I'm good."

Deeks pulled her against him and gave her a hug.

"Deeks I'm really good. I promised you I'd get rid of some stuff didn't I?" she smiled at him. "That is box one for the trash heap."

"Ok or we could burn it." Said Deeks. Kensi laughed at that and opened another box.

"Come on Deeks back to the manual." Said Sam. Deeks went back and joined him.

The next box were all DVD's. Kensi realized that both she and Deeks owned some of the same movies. So she put all the extras aside to donate.

Once the pizza came everyone took a break to eat. After the pizza was gone Mac dragged Callen into the kitchen to help her put stuff away. Deeks had marked which cabinet was for what so it was easy for them to know where to put stuff.

Once they were done they went back to the living room to see what Kensi wanted unpacked next. She said not to worry about anything else that she would sort and toss stuff from the bedroom later. Sam decided to call it a night too and headed out the door.

Once everyone was good. Deeks helped Kensi carry some boxes to the curb and fill the trunk of the SUV with stuff to drop off at the soup kitchen. They walked back to the porch and stood there for a minute. They laughed as they spotted Monty laying in the grass on his back feet in the air chewing on his favorite toy.

Deeks called him to come in and the three of them went in to start the next part of their lives.