Hello my lovelies, again, again, again… you get the picture. I would like to thank TexRangerChic88, raspberry dreams, Petunia3116 and GoldenEyes-65 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.

So fallout time, and plenty of angst, I'm sorry. But I hope you like it anyway.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.

Callen's first thought was to get as far away as he could from Marty. His second was that he could never see him again. Of course that was impossible what with them working together, but his mind wasn't feeling very logical right then. So all he did was drive, thankful there were few others on the road as his mind tried to calm, and his heartrate tried to slow. But every time he was close to either, he remembered the words 'love you, G.' and it all started again. Finally he found himself back at his house, lying once more on his bedroll as he stared up at the ceiling, and finally his was able to think slightly clearly.

He and Marty had agreed to a no strings attached bit of fun, but obviously it had become more than that. He had got too used to spending his evenings with Marty, eating dinner with him and watching crappy movies. It couldn't happen anymore. He needed to remember just what they were to each other, or more, the lines he had drawn when they had started this. He did not date law enforcement, and he definitely didn't date his co-workers. He remembered the last time he had done that, and it really hadn't gone well. Tracy had left him, deserted him for the mission. He would not let himself get that vulnerable again. No way. So he had two choices as he saw it. He could cut all ties with Marty, excluding the work ones of course, or he could go back to his original idea... of just a bit fun in the bedroom, nothing more. The latter would be hard, the first one he knew would be impossible. There was no way he could never be with Marty again. He knew that, deep inside, he wasn't ready to give him up just yet. So the second option it would be then. With that decided in his mind he closed his eyes and willed himself to get some sleep. It didn't work too well, but at least he managed to make sure he stopped thinking about a certain blue eyed, floppy blond haired detective, almost.

Deeks work early enough to get a good surf in so he was feeling much better when he came into work. He was surprised to find only Kensi and Sam in the bullpen, he had thought, hoped, G would be there to welcome him too. But no matter, he would see him later he was sure.

And see him later he did, when they were called into ops for a new case. Though G wouldn't meet his eyes. What was that about? This happened for the rest of the day, and whenever he turned round hoping to talk to G, he found he had disappeared. Damn his sneaky superspy tendencies.

Sam on the other hand was watching his partner like a hawk, trying to work out who in the office he was having a relationship with. When he had heard that Michelle's assessment had coincided with his, he had been determined to find out who it was they worked with that G cared for so much. But he saw nothing. In fact the only thing he saw was his friend disappearing even more than normal. What was up with him now?

Callen found it seriously hard not to meet Marty's eyes. To not smile at him or laugh at his jokes. He found it hard to cut himself off from the warmth the man gave him, but he knew he had to. This was the way it had to be. So when the day came to an end, and the case came to a close, Callen decided that the best way to make sure he didn't go round to Marty's was to keep himself busy.

And that was how Sam found himself having a drink with his partner after work. He was confused, but hey, G was paying, and maybe he wanted to talk about his relationship or something. But Instead Callen spent the evening taking rubbish, until it was late and then left.

He couldn't put it off any longer.

Parking his car around the corner from Marty's house he made his way to his door and let himself in. Silently he walked through the apartment until he found Marty slumped on the couch.

"Hey Marty."

"G." was all Deeks could think to say. He hadn't expected to see him tonight after his disappearing act at work. What was going on? But before he could get the question out he found himself being pulled up from his couch and into G's arms, his lips on his, making him forget everything but the man he loved, who was finally here.

Callen revelled in the feel of having Marty once more where he liked him the most. In his arms. He dragged the other man towards his bedroom, not breaking the kiss and soon they were both far to busy to try and think.

And when it was over Deeks once again settled his head happily on G's chest and closed his eyes. Things were back to normal was his last thought before he feel asleep. Though when he woke in the morning he realised just how wrong he had been. Because G wasn't there. He was waking alone, and Deeks knew that this wasn't the morning G had breakfast with Sam. The only answer was that he had left him, and that hurt… it hurt bad damn it. What the hell was going on?

Callen hadn't slept, he had stayed awake to watch the sun rise, and when it was just above the horizon he had slipped out from beneath Marty and left his apartment to return to his house. Hoping he would be able to get a few minutes sleep at least. He hadn't wanted to. He wanted to see the sleepy smile Marty always had on his face when he work up in his arms. But he couldn't. Not now, not any more. Not after… no.

And so a new day started and it was a repeat of the last. Callen avoiding Marty apart from when he showed up in his apartment late at night, giving the younger man no chance to ask any questions. He knew he should just stay away, but something inside him couldn't. He had to see him, spend a little time with him, even if it was only for no strings attached sex. He couldn't just turn away from him.

It didn't take long for Deeks to cotton on to the new scheme of things. He knew he should say no. Tell G to go take a running jump, but he couldn't. He had known what they were from the first, it was his fault he had gone and fallen in love with the guy. He remembered the words G had said to him before they started this thing. 'I don't date law enforcement, and I definitely don't date co-workers'. He felt they were mocking him now. Because G was proving his words to be true. He only came to him for sex. Deeks didn't know what to do, or how to cope. His heart was breaking at the way G was treating him, but he couldn't turn him away. Nor could he let anyone at work know what was going on. He had to still smile and crack stupid jokes with Kensi and Sam, make them believe he was fine, when his world was tumbling down around him and he had no idea how he was going to make it through the next few seconds let alone an hour. He couldn't stop himself watching G every chance he got in the office, even if it broke him a little more when the guy wouldn't look back. He just couldn't stop himself.

And then the nights came, and he hated himself that he could only fall asleep in G's arms, even if he knew he would wake to a cold and empty bed. He even tried to get himself drunk so that when G came round he was passed out, but that didn't work. Nothing worked. He couldn't say no to the man he loved, even if it crushed his soul to know what was going on. To know that G didn't care for him. To know that for G he was just a way to pass the time. A way to entertain himself of an evening. He just couldn't say no, and he couldn't ask questions because he was scared that if he did G would leave and never come back. So he lived in limbo, a half-live made up of his mask a work and waiting for the time G would come to be with him, if only for a few hours.

Callen didn't sleep. He couldn't. He just lay on his bedroll staying up at the ceiling while something ripped him to shreds inside, turning him inside and out. And every time he looked a Marty, be it at work or when they were in his bed, he felt another piece of himself being destroyed. He didn't understand, but it had to get better right? This couldn't go on. It was just they had got into a routine, he would get used to this new one. Right? He tried to stay away, he did. He had seen the look of pain in Marty's eyes at work and he hated himself for putting it there. But still he found himself breaking into his apartment every night, if only to get the only relief he knew from the pain inside himself. Because for a few moments, the times when they could forget everything but each other, he was okay. But he also knew he had to do this. They couldn't be together… they couldn't, he couldn't. Could he? No.

By day five Sam had had enough. He had been dragged out drinking with G every night that week and quite frankly he wanted to spend some time at home, with his family. So he decided to bite the bullet, and stop pussy footing around his obviously broken friend. He didn't know what had happened between G and his boyfriend, but it was obvious something had. Now he was determined to get his friend to tell him, so he could help him sort it out, and he could finally go home. Even if that did mean bringing a heartbroken G back with him. He was fine with that, in fact he thought that was the best idea… yet G had resisted every time he had suggested it. So time to get to the bottom of this. Therefore setting his shoulders back Sam levelled G with his most formidable stare as he spoke.

"What the hell went wrong?" He demanded surprising G. Though he probably shouldn't have been. He should have expected this conversation, and he had, a few days ago. But he had managed to lull himself into thinking it would never happen. But now it had, what was he going to say? He had an answer all planed out to that question, but, surprising him even more, it wasn't the one that came out of his mouth.

"He said he loved me." Hmm, maybe he should have tried to get some sleep at some point in the last few days.

"What?" Sam asked not sure he heard right, because surely that was a good thing and not something that would make G behave as he was. Though, this was G, you never know.

"You heard." Callen growled not repeating it. He hadn't meant to say it at all, but he was just so tired of everything. Of the feelings, the pain, everything.

"Are you telling me, that you are keeping me from my family because your boyfriend said he loved you?" Sam asked wanting to be 100% sure that he had got this right. Because if he had, then he was going to kill him. After he had beaten some serious sense into him that was.

"We're not like that." Callen responded defensively. He and Marty weren't what everyone thought they were. They weren't a couple.

"Like what G?" Sam asked softly, the pain he could see in his eyes had softened his tone. He just wanted answers so he could help.

"He's not my boyfriend. We're just… friends with benefits?" Callen offered, cringing at the words he knew he had picked up from one of the movies Marty had made him watch.

"Oh come on. You have to be kidding me. Friends with benefits don't spend a morning texting each other, they don't put the smile he did on your face. They don't cook each other dinner. You were in a relationship. And people in relationships fall. In. love." Sam replied with exasperation. How could G not see what was as plain as day to him?

"No." Callen shook his head. Refusing to accept the words Sam was saying, because if they were true, then there was a chance he would eventually feel that for Marty. And everyone he had ever loved had left him. He had long ago decided that he would never love again. It was easier. Though the pain inside him right now seemed to contradict that thought.

"No? NO?" Sam shouted. What the hell was wrong with this man? You can't just say no and turn off your feelings like they were a tap. When you fell in love you didn't get a choice damn it.

"Its just… its complicated Sam." Callen tried to explain but he just couldn't find the words. He couldn't find anything but the black hole which had appeared in his stomach the moment he had decided on his new course of action. Which was made larger by every rip and tear he felt as time went on.

"You like him don't you?" Sam asked with a frown trying to understand his friend. Trying his hardest to work out what he could say or do that would make this better.

"Yeah." Callen murmured barely audible, but Sam heard it. He was listening for it.

"And he obviously likes you if he said he loved you. I'm not seeing the problem." Sam responded trying for the logical tact. Hoping that would work with G. He was never sure what would, the guy had so many sides he was like a polygon.

"I can't… I… I just can't." Callen replied finally breaking and his voice coming out sounding like a lost child's making Sam's own heart go out to him. He often forgot that the man he and at his side found the world confusing, that he didn't understand the basics of trust, safety and love. That inside he was on occasion still the lost little boy who grew up with nothing.

"Oh G. love is nothing to be afraid of." He said softly reaching out to squeeze G's shoulder to show him he was there. That it was alright to cry if he needed it.

"How would I know, I've never had it." Callen responded with a bitter honesty that caused a lump to form in Sam's throat. He would never understand that. The feeling of never having been loved. But Callen was wrong, he and it now, from more than one source.

"But you do now. Listen, when I fell for Michelle, I was scared. We were working an op, and she could have been killed or worse at any moment, but you know what I learnt from that?" Sam said pulling inside himself to try and find something remotely similar to what G was going through now.

"What?" Callen asked turning to look at him with blank eyes. Sam hated that look, he wanted it to go away and be replaced by the happy smiles his friend had had for the past few weeks. He wanted his happy G back again.

"It's worth it. Love is worth whatever price you have to pay. Because in the end you get more than you could ever imagine." Sam replied before deciding he had said enough. With that the two partners finished their drinks in silence, Sam hoping G had heard his words and had listened to them. Hoping they would help his friend. When their beers were finished and before G could order another round Sam spoke again. "Come on let me take you to your house, so you can go to your home."

"What?" Callen asked confused by that sentence. Surely his home was his house right? Wasn't a home somewhere you lived? Okay, he knew that wasn't true. But isn't that what Sam thought?

"You heard me. That man of yours, he's your home and we both know it. Don't push him away." Sam replied standing and grabbing G arm so he couldn't resist as he pulled him from the bar and forcefully pushed him into the car. Whether his words would have any effect he had no idea. But what he did know was that G needed time to think about them, somewhere he felt safe and alone. Namely his house. He just hoped he came to the right decision and made it up with his lover boy. He wasn't sure he could put up with much more of the Callen he had seen the last few days.