A/N on a bit of a roll today, so here's another chapter. just coz you're all awesome. Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter I really love them.

Disclaimer: (creeps away softly.)

Chapter 12

Waving goodbye to his friends Todd walked over to the car in the car park with Nate leaning on the front.

"You have a good day Toddster?" Nate asked with a smile.

Todd shrugged "It was ok, got History homework. I hate that…." He grinned at Nate. "You wanna analyze my hatred for history?" he teased.

Nate stood up crossed his arms and looked the kid up and down. "Um…I diagnose a classic case of Teenagerisim, Don't worry it's not terminal you'll grow out of it in a few years."

Todd laughed and threw Nate his books. "Catch." He grinned and climbed in the car.

"Kids!" Nate rolled his eyes smiling and got in the other side.

Neither noticed the man in the dark green SUV down the street watching them.

"McDonalds?" Todd asked as Nate usually took them to a drive through and then they would talk in a park or the car until the session was over.

"Nope today we are going straight home….of course." Nate said.

"Why?" Todd asked confused.

Nate handed him a present and a card, "I know what today is." Nate said smiling.

Todd still looked confused.

"What's this?"

"Todd, I know it's your birthday, I got you a present." Nate said, "Open it."

"When is it?" Todd asked.

Nate misheard the question, "It's a present for you."

"No Nate…when's my birthday? And why are you giving me this?" he asked.

Nate pulled the car over to the curb.

He turned and looked the teenager in the eye. "Todd, don't you know when your birthday is?"

Todd shrugged, "It's not come up, I mean I know I was born, but no one ever asked me….it's today then?" he asked.

Nate smiled "Yeah."

"And this is because?" Todd asked again lifting the brightly wrapped package up.

"Because with it being your birthday; we celebrate by giving you a gift." Nate explained.

Todd looked at it "I get presents?" he said awed.

Nate's heart broke for the boy, "Yeah," He smiled, "You get presents."

Todd carefully put his present down.

"Don't you want to open it?" Nate asked.

Todd nodded and looked away,

"Todd?" Nate prompted.

"I...if it's ok….can I wait? If everyone is giving me something….I want the first one I ever open, to be from my dad," he said quietly.

Nate smiled, "Sure Toddster, let's get you home."

Todd smiled sadly, so this was the day…the day his mother had given birth to him, he wondered if she would be proud of him now he had left Klaus and was living with his dad, he figured she would be. Lost in thought about his mother he didn't even realize they were home until Nate pulled into the driveway.

They walked in the house and into the family room and Todd ground to a halt.

Everyone from his dad's work was there, and there were balloons and streamers and a big pile of presents and food and Cake on a table. There were two huge cut out's of Sam and Dean from TV's Supernatural and the balloons had devils trap symbols on them.

Todd looked around at everyone his mouth agape…and then ran from the room.

"Todd!" Summer called.

Eric looked at everyone, "Sorry guys, Nate, did something happen?"

Nate looked at the room and everyone standing there.

"Eric, did you know Todd had no idea it was his birthday today?" he asked.

Eric's face fell, "No?"

Nate said "Eric, he's never had a birthday party or even a present…I don't think he expected all this, he thought you would be here with a single present, I think he's just overwhelmed,"

"I should go to him…" Eric said and headed up the stairs.

Callen followed behind. "Eric….Can I talk to him?"

Eric turned and looked at his friend. "Sure." He said although he wasn't sure what Callen could say to the boy.

Callen knocked on Eric's door, "Give us a minute." He asked.

Eric nodded as Callen went in.

Todd was laying face down on his bed sobbing. "Uncle G…I blew it…I…I didn't know what to do and you were all looking at me, Is dad mad?" he asked.

Callen smiled reassuringly "No T, He's not mad, just confused, I'll explain it to him if you like." Callen offered.

"How…I can't explain it." Todd admitted.

Callen sat cross-legged at the foot of Todd's bed, "Do you know how old I was when I had my first birthday party?" Callen asked.

Todd looked at him… "Three?" he asked.

Callen shook his head, "Thirty-six."

Todd's eyes went wide, "Thirty-six? How come?" he asked.

"I grew up in foster care, I never had a mom or a dad who cared enough to celebrate, Like Klaus, no one who was bringing me up cared about my birthday, I knew when It was but I didn't celebrate, until we got a case and I accidentally told Sam that I had never had a birthday card, he looked up my file and the next time it was my birthday he invited me out to dinner….everyone was there…do you know what I did?" He asked.

Todd looked at him scrutinizing what he thought the older man would have done. "Did you shoot him?" Todd asked.

Callen laughed, "Nope, I wish I had…nope I ran into the bathroom and threw up."

"Really?" Todd asked.

"Yeah, I was scared to death, all these people were my friends and I knew them….but I didn't know what to do or how birthday parties worked."

"I'm scared, what if I do it wrong?" Todd asked.

"I'll let you into a secret, there is no right and wrong, you go down open the gifts, say thank you….even if they are strangely confusing, (He added thinking about the clapping monkey Eric had gotten him that year,) and you eat loads of food and cake."

"That's it?" Todd asked.

"Yeah, and believe me it gets easier every year." Callen admitted.

Todd got up as Eric entered, Callen knew he had heard everything but also knew Eric wouldn't tell everyone.

"Todd?" Eric said.

Todd flew off the bed and hugged his Dad. "I'm sorry Dad…I didn't know…I panicked."

Eric ruffled his son's hair, "So cake first or presents?" Eric said with a look towards Callen who nodded reassuring the younger man he was handling it alright.

"Presents." Todd said and ran down the stairs, leaving his father and uncle to follow.

"Thanks Callen." Eric said.

"No problem." Callen smiled.

Todd entered the living room and was immediately engulfed in a hug from his sister.

"Gerroff me!" Todd mumbled.

Summer grinned "Nope, birthday smushie hugs for my little brother; I worked hard all day so I get that."

"You did this….and the Sam and Dean cut out….it's awesome!" Todd grinned.

"Presents!" Summer called directing Todd to a stack of parcels.

"Which one is from Dad?" Todd asked.

"Er….it's not here….it's outside." Eric said before Todd could get the wrong idea. "Close your eyes,"

He led Todd out to the garage where the car was wrapped in a red bow

"OK, open them." Eric said and Todd let out a squeal.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! DAAAAAAAD! IT'S THE IMPALA!" he jumped up and down in excitement as he looked at the license plate and then opened the trunk.

He turned ran and launched himself into his father's arms…. "Oh my God it's so perfect!" Todd was crying with happiness, and his weren't the only non dry eyes in the garage.

"Ok bro, what about my present." Summer said as she pulled her brother away from his new car.

They went inside the others talking about the gift as Summer gave her brother seasons, 1 thru 8 of Supernatural on DVD. Todd looked at the gift in astonishment. "Wow! Thanks sis." He hugged her and she grinned.

"Hang on…Season 8 isn't out yet how?" He asked.

"I have a friend of a friend," Hetty said "And when Miss Beale told me what you wanted it was an easy call to make."

The rest of his presents alternated between the boy's two loves. Supernatural and surfing he was bowled over with each and every one of them.

Callen walked up and handed him a piece of paper.

"I.O.U?" Todd said reading it…."Thanks?" he said.

"That is an I.O.U for driving lessons; I'm going to teach you to drive."

"You are!" Todd said the smile crossing his face again.

"Of course, how else am I going to get to ride in THE impala?" Callen grinned.

Todd hugged Callen and then whispered in his ear, "What's next?"

Callen draped his arm over the boy's shoulders, "OK let's eat." He suggested and everyone nodded.

The party moved to the outdoor grill on the deck, the girls went down to the beach to work on their tan's until the food was ready and Deeks and Sam went into the water, Callen and Todd walked on the beach while Nate, Eric and Hetty stayed on the deck by the Barbeque.

"That went well." Nate said.

"Yeah, thanks to Callen." Eric said, "If he hadn't talked to Todd it may have gone so wrong."

"Mr. Callen is an expert when it comes to not having celebrated family events. At least his experience here made a difference."

"He and Todd get on really well, I'm lucky to have them in my life." Eric admitted. "And the rest of you as well, this has really made me understand what I am grateful for."

Hetty smiled and passed him a beer as he turned the meat.

"I'm glad this is going so well." She said, she looked out at the team on the beach smiling, however at the last second over in the dunes she thought she saw something and her face dropped for a second as she frowned. She looked over at the dunes and then at Todd.

Callen was sticking to his side and they were laughing at something Todd had said.

Her gut was churning, but she knew with Callen on protection detail, Todd was safe….for now.