Tsunami

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.

Chapter 17

Topanga Beach

Marty Deeks paddled his board out into the water, waiting, thinking, trying to soothe his troubled soul. The night before had been tough for him and Kensi, but they had achieved their goal. They got Scott Harrison right where they wanted to, and now he was going to Guantanamo Bay.

"What are you doing out here?" To see Sam Hanna, the former Navy SEAL out on a surf board, surprised the LAPD Detective.

"I thought you could do with some company."

"I didn't know you could surf," he studied Sam's form and shook his head.

"Don't tell me you learned to surf as a SEAL?"

Sam chuckled and turned his board, nodding his head in the direction of the wave coming their way. "I'll race you for it."

"You're on." Deeks paddled hard to beat Sam, the wave was building, it was going to be the best he'd seen since he'd been out there. He yelled out a cheer when he beat Sam up on his board and caught the sweet ride into shore. He turned and watched Sam catch the next wave in, he shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh man, you've been holding out on Beale and me for too long. There's no hiding from us now."

Sam's dimples deepened when he returned Deeks' grin. "Who said I was hiding?"

"Oh come on, really? I've worked with you for how long and only now I discover that you can surf?"

"Who do you think puts Callen through the paces to keep up the surfing? Do you think he learned to surf when he was growing up in the system?"

Deeks visage darkened, thoughts back to his younger days returned like a bad case of food poisoning.

"Deeks?" Sam looked over to him with concern. "Talk to me, will you?"

He shook his long wild hair out of his face, the salt water made it stick together and it looked mangy like Monty's did when he washed him.

"I can't, Sam."

Sam paddled hard to keep up with him. "Yes you can. You can trust me."

Deeks sat on his board and closed his eyes. He took in the movement of the water around him, allowing it to encase his soul, to soothe him. "Can I?" He opened his eyes, his blue eyes looked sharply into Sam's soft caring brown ones.

"You know you can. We're a team, if we can't trust each other off the clock, what hope do we have on the clock, when our lives depend on each other?"

He knew Sam had a point, but he'd always felt on the outer. "What about Callen?"

"Callen cares about you too, he's been through a lot, it's hard for him to show his feelings. It's not personal, he's just used to being the lone wolf."

"He's let you and Hetty in," Deeks interjected. The lawyer in him shot out in his defence.

"We've had to work hard for it, and it's not been easy."

"He's not the only one whose had it tough." Deeks words lingered on the sea breeze, somehow he felt it easier to talk out there than on land. Perhaps he might suggest a surfing psych session with Nate on his return.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I was in the system too. I know what it's like."

"I thought you had parents." Sam knitted his brow, surprised by this admission.

"I did, but a lot of good that did me." He heaved out a heavy sigh, it seemed so long ago now, but every now and then a case would bring it out of the woodwork and smack him hard in the gut.

"Tell me, Deeks. I'm all ears."

He wiped his hand over his face, he shook his head, uncertain. "I can't remember a happy time at home. I don't know when it started, how old I was, but my old man became a drunk and beat my mom up. It was hard to watch, I would hide in my bedroom or behind the couch and block my ears."

Except for the sounds of the waves, the air was silent, as Sam took in what Deeks told him and he waited for him to continue.

"At eight, it got hard to hide, sometimes he'd throw an empty beer bottle my way, I had to be quick to get out of the way or be knocked unconscious from the impact."

Anger surged through Sam, but he kept his emotions masked, while he listened.

"I would delay coming home from school or hanging out with Ray, hoping that when I did he'd either be down at the pub with his mates, or passed out on the sofa."

Another set of waves rolled past, but he was not longer in a mood to catch any.

"It got hard to hide the bruises. I had this really nice teacher, Miss Bradshaw. She was always kind, no matter who you were, all the kids loved her. She took me aside one day and asked me about my bruises, I…I couldn't tell her the truth, so I lied. I told her I fell off my bike." Deeks took in a ragged breath. "The thing was, I didn't have a bike, while all the other kids in the neighbourhood rode around on bikes they'd received for their birthdays, my birthday was forgotten. One day, my mom decided to make a big thing of me turning ten. She brought me this red bike, it was second hand, but I loved it. I rode and rode on it for hours, after Ray taught me how to ride. When my dad found out, he grabbed it from me and through it at me."

Sam shook his head, he could no longer keep his calm. "I'm sorry, Deeks. I had no idea. You and Callen, you've both suffered the same."

"I know. You would think he'd realise it, but he sees his own problems and doesn't see that others have suffered too."

"He does, Deeks. He saw his foster brother murdered and even today he feels the guilt of not stopping his foster father."

"I know the feeling, I felt the same when my old man beat my mom up. If I stood between them, I got it instead. But one day when I was eleven, I stood up to him. Ray gave me his father's gun and I shot him. The look on his face when I aimed that pistol at him, he really didn't think I could pull the trigger."

"Is that how you ended up in the system?"

Deeks nodded. "Deeks is not my family name, I was adopted at twelve by the Deeks. Simon Deeks helped get me off the charges laid against me for shooting my dad, he told them it was self defence from years of abuse. He took me in, he and his wife, Claire, they adopted me a year later. They saved me, it's the reason I became a defence lawyer in the first place."

"You were one of the lucky ones. Callen was fifteen, on his way to jail, after escaping juvie and stealing a car when Hetty stepped in and saved him that day. He'd been dead long ago if she hadn't taken him in."

"What? Hetty did that for Callen?"

"Yes. You see, Hetty watched over him for years, she knew his mother. When things got so bad, she stepped in. When Callen was nine, he'd been placed with the worst of the worst of foster fathers. The things he suffered I can't even begin to tell you, it was so bad, it broke him. His own father tried to adopt him, but what he found frightened him. Hetty had no idea who the Worthingtons were and she had his social worker remove him after he stole their car. He ran away after that, and things got worse for him until Hetty took him in at fifteen."

"That's why he's refused to talk with his father?"

"Yes. There's a great deal of pain for both of them, and guilt for Baxter over not being able to protect his own children." Sam sighed heavily. "Look Deeks, I'm not trying to make what you went through any less than Callen, what you both went through was hell. But you need people around you who know what you've been through, so when the shadows appear from the cracks in the wall, we're here to help you scare them away."

Seagulls squawked overhead, they watched one dive into the sea to catch a fish they'd spotted. Others merged to pounce as well.

"I saw what yesterday did to you. You're not your old man. You are one of the most caring men I've had the privilege of knowing. Standing up to your old man took guts, and it's made you what you are today. One of the best cops I've ever worked with, and you'll make a fine good agent once you sign those papers Hetty's given you."

"How did you know about…"

"It doesn't matter, Deeks. You're one of us. Family, and we all stick together. You and Callen are both hurting, and it's important for both of you to know that we're all here for you."

Another wave washed over him, somehow the talking helped.

"Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate you coming here today and listening."

"Anytime, Deeks. Anytime."

He felt better than he had in a while, Kensi soothed him, but this last case brought out the nasties. It was good to have Sam there for him as well, to have his back. Perhaps he should sign those papers, he belonged at NCIS now, more than he had anywhere, except with the Deeks. He'd always remember them with such fondness and he found himself missing them more when the shadows returned with a vengeance.

Three weeks later

It was finally safe for Callen to return home. He'd been cleared by the doctor and all of his father's enemies had been dealt with. His father had returned to Washington D.C. and his brothers to their posts at Little Creek. Baxter retired from the Navy SEALS after his stroke, so he returned to Gloria to speak with her over moving back to Los Angeles. He knew it would be a hard decision for Gloria, they had so many bad memories from long ago, when they tried to adopt George. But things were different now. Both of his older children were settled out west and Franklin and Bradford appeared to be busy over in Europe on missions.

Arkady and Anna returned to Los Angeles, Anna agreed to hang around and Callen realised that their time in Southern France had done them both the world of good. The former KGB appeared more relaxed and it had been good to see him with his father, knowing that they were old friends.

Savannah fussed over Callen on his return home. She'd missed him terribly and the twins had been a handful for her, she was thankful she had Nell and Amy around to help her.

"Sav, I'm fine." Callen had never been a good patient.

"Now you are, but you weren't. Don't you think I deserve my time to fuss over you?" She was sweet, her passion and love for him was strong. She'd almost lost a second husband, he'd been determined not to die, but things happened, sometimes they got burned and ended up on the receiving end of someone's revenge. Even when he had no clue about it.

There was a knock at the door, Savannah moved quickly to see who it was. "Deeks, come on in. Callen's resting out back."

"Thanks. Is it okay if I see him?"

"Of course."

Deeks nodded his thanks and moved his lanky body through the house to the back French doors that opened out to the patio.

"Hey, Deeks." Callen smiled over to him, pleased to see him. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good, how about you?"

"Better, now I'm home. You want a beer?"

"Should you be drinking that yet?"

"Yep, doc's cleared me." Callen smirked, Hetty had him on a strict diet while he stayed at Dovecote with her. He stood to get the beers, but Deeks stopped him.

"Actually, I was hoping that we could talk."

Callen narrowed his eyes, he was confused over Deeks' request. "About?"

Deeks cleared his throat, coming here had been hard, but Sam had encouraged him. Now all his courage left him and he felt awkward. "I struggle, Callen. Everyday is a battle to get up and put on a smile. To pretend life is good."

Callen sat back in his chair, surprised by Deeks' admission. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, he had no idea just how hard life was for the detective.

"I never told you about my parents. My real parents. Not the Deeks, but the Brandels."

"Brandels?" Callen raised his brow, this was the first time he'd heard the name.

"I was born Martin Andrew Brandel. I don't even have a happy memory that involved my dad. Ray was my only friend, everyone else was too afraid to come near me because of my old man. He was a horrid drunk, he bashed my mom on a daily basis and when I turned eight, I could no longer hide from him." Deeks stood, he needed some air. "Perhaps I'll have that beer now."

Callen nodded, he understood how hard this was, now that Deeks was letting him in to his past. He walked inside, grabbed two beers and returned.

"Thanks." Deeks gulped the golden liquid down, his Adam apple moved as he swallowed. He put the bottle on the table, it was now half gone. He didn't want to think of it as half empty, he was sure Nate would have a comment about that thought.

"When I was eleven, I shot my dad with the pistol Ray gave me. I didn't kill him, but wounded him enough to make him stop. He was out of control, hitting and kicking my mom, I had to do something. I couldn't hide from him anymore and I couldn't take the beatings from him either. It had to stop." He fiddled with the bottle, turing it around on the table top. "Most days, I think of her kind eyes and smile. I have her blue eyes, it's just as well. But sometimes a case gets too close, and I see the monster that he was staring back at me. It scares me." He swallowed the remainder of the contents and breathed out heavily when he finished. "When I went undercover as Max Gentry, I tapped into the pain from what I went through as a kid, to become that mean, harsh man with an attitude. I had to do the same when I went undercover with LAPD the first time as Jason Hill, to deal with people smuggling. This last case, what I had to do, I had to become like my father to get the job done." He hitched his breath, "it scares me, Callen. That I can be like him."

Callen's eyes clouded over, his own emotion from his younger years hit him with a bang, so alike they were. "I'm sorry, Deeks. I'm sorry you had to deal with a bastard of a father and that you had to go to that length to get away from him." Callen bit on his lower lip, trying to keep his own voice level. "But you are nothing like your father. You're a good cop. When you were shot and we investigated over who was behind it, all we found was the effort you went to, to help a fellow cop who had fallen on bad times."

"You know about Versey?"

Callen nodded. "We had to look into him, his name came up in Nell and Eric's searches. We also know about your time at the shelters, volunteering, Kensi told us. There is no way you are like your dad."

"Sam told me the same thing. He saw how much this last case rattled me. It was tough to be rough on Kensi…"

"But you had to, to get the job done. We all get it, Deeks. Remember when I went to rescue Sam from Sudan? How he had to pretend to be in love with Khaled' sister, Jada, to get her to America to testify against her brother? That was hard for Sam. He has a wife and kids he loves more than anything in the world, but when the job requires it of him, he had to do what it takes. We all do."

Deeks nodded. They both took the opportunity to reflect on their conversation, they remained silent for a while.

"So how's things going with your dad?"

Callen looked up and met his gaze. "Better. Thanks." He took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "We had our talk. It was hard, but now we both understand the other's side…I was just nine, I'd lived through hell, and I was afraid of any man after that. I mistook my father's anger for him being angry at me. I'd become accustomed to it. I had no idea he was angry at the bastard who'd hurt me, or the doctor who didn't care what he did to get the job done."

Callen rubbed his hand over his face, his eyes welled up. "We're survivors, Deeks. We've been churned and pushed around like a washing machine from the tsunamis that came out way, but we survived. It felt like hell at the time, but we've healed and come out alright, I think."

"That's good to hear that from you, Callen. We've all been worried about you."

"I know, I'm not good at opening up, it's easier to bury it and not dig it up again."

"Yeah, you're not wrong. But it does help, you know. To talk."

"Yes, it does in the end."

They heard voices from inside the house and before they knew it, they were invaded not only by the rest of the team, but all of Callen's family.

"Dad, Frank, Brad, what are you all doing here?"

"I wanted you to reunite with Gloria again. We've put our house on the market and have decided to move back to Los Angeles." Baxter greeted him with a smile.

Callen stood and hugged his family, he hesitated with Gloria, flashes of a younger Gloria stood before him before his vision cleared.

"Hello, George. It's so nice to finally meet you properly."

"Hi, Gloria. I'm sorry for what happened all those years ago."

Gloria shook her head. "Never apologise, George. We wished we could have helped you back then." She wrapped her arms around him, and gently kissed his cheek. "You've turned out into a good man, I hear. Your mother would have been proud of you."

"Yes, she would have," Baxter added. "Just like I am. And he did it all on his own."

Callen shook his head. "No, not on my own. There's no way I could have done any of it on my own, it's all thanks to Hetty."

Henrietta stood to the rear, watching on with tears in her own eyes. "You made the choice to be the man you are, George. No one can take that from you."

Callen nodded, his eyes moved over their guests and he spotted his youngest brother, Brad was holding Nell's hand and his eyes widened.

"When did this happen?"

Everyone laughed, he'd been out of it for weeks after the incident in Prague, only waking for a short time while he healed from his injuries. He really had missed a great deal.

"While you were lights out, bro." Franklin chuckled.

"So why are you two here?"

Franklin met Bradford's eyes and smiled. "We both enjoyed our time out here, so we put in a request o move to Coronado and they were accepted. We start there next month."

"This is great." Callen hugged them. "Amy's going to be stoked to have all her brothers on the same coast."

"Did someone mention my name?" Amy squealed when she saw her father and brothers. "How long are you here for this time?"

"For good."

Tears welled up in both Amy and Callen's eyes, as they hugged their family. The team looked on happy, Granger entered the backyard with Savannah, holing Nathan in his arms.

"I think it's time for a toast, don't you?" Owen Granger laughed when he saw their surprised faces on his arrival.

"Yes I'm back, Washington let me out again. It's time to celebrate."

The guys went to get the beers and everyone cheered.

It had been a long road to get back home for Callen, after the continual tsunamis of emotions that washed over him over the years, especially the past few months.

But now he was home and finally after all he'd been through, he'd come to the realisation of one thing that meant the world to him. That LOVE was more powerful than any tsunami that came his way.

The End!