Hello my darlings. I would like to thank , Veuve Noir and Beststoriesever (Guest) for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.

So, one thing I want to say is that as I'm British, all I know about Thanksgiving is what I've gained from watching American TV shows. Therefore I really haven't gone into the holiday much. Sorry about that.

Anyway, here is the next chapter, I felt the need for some Hetty wisdom. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.

The week following the explosion was Thanksgiving, which G, Marty, and even Monty, spent with the Hanna family. Relaxing and just enjoying being in the company of good friends, Monty getting spoilt by the women of the household.

Callen watched Sam and Michelle together, in hopes that by doing so he would get some sort of insight into what love was. Trying to find that thing that would define it, and then trying to reconcile that definition with the feelings he had for Marty. But still he was nowhere close to really understanding any of it enough that he felt comfortable saying the words out loud.

When he and Marty were alone, Callen had tried to analyse what he felt for his lover. Tried to find words that defined how it felt to have the younger man in his arms as they watched movies or lay in bed together. How he felt when they sat down for dinner and Marty would talk about their day. But so far he hadn't been able to be 100% sure that it really was love. He had come to the conclusion that that was mainly because he didn't really have an idea what love was. He knew he could ask Sam, but he really didn't want to. He could just imagine how that conversation would go. Mainly with Sam laughing, a lot, before he gave him some crap like it was different for everyone and when you feel it you know. But that was his problem, he didn't know. So instead, after yet another week of watching and still being none the wiser, he had resorted to something that he would be ridiculed for for the rest of his life if anyone found out. Even Marty wouldn't be able to not take the piss out of him for it.

He had started reading romance novels in the dead of the night in the hopes they would give him some insight into how it feels to be in love. But so far all he found was they were filled with crappy pose and way too much sex. I mean seriously, it was like glorified porn. Hmm, maybe he shouldn't have chosen Mills and Boon's to read, but they were all he could find in the thrift store. There was no way he was going to pay good money on this trash and they were ridiculously easy to read. He could get through one in a night and then 'lose' it the next day so there was never a chance anyone would find out. But even they weren't helping him any. He was coming to the end of his tether.

Hetty had been watching her boy over the last few days, and had seen that something was bothering him. She had hoped he would discuss it with Sam or maybe his Marty, but so far it seemed he was trying to deal with it on his own. It times like this she wished Nate was here. He would have forced Mr Callen to talk to him by now, or at least hopefully would have had an idea of what was on his mind. But she was at a loss. Therefore she knew there really was only one way to discover the truth, and that was to ask him herself. With that in mind she waited until the end of the day before pouring two glasses of her good whiskey and calling out to her boy.

"Mr Callen." She said as she saw the team were prepared to leave for the day. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face at the look Mr Hanna sent his partner. It was a smirk that she could easily read as 'rather you than me', before he turned and left giving her a smile and a wave goodbye. Sam was soon followed by Kensi, though Mr Deeks seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time closing his bag. He really should learn to be more subtle about his motives. He was luckily his partner had left.

Callen knew Marty was waiting until everyone was gone so he could see if he needed him to stay. But he had a feeling he knew what conversation he was about to have. And it was one he definitely didn't want Marty anywhere within hearing distance of. Therefore he walked across to stand next to his lover, not close enough to touch, but closer than would be considered acceptable. "Go Marty. I'll see you back at the apartment."

At that Deeks turned and looked into G's eyes to make sure he really was okay. He had noticed he had been quieter recently, and Deeks was starting to get worried about what was on his mind. But he wasn't gonna ask him. G would share when he wanted to and not a minute before. But the look in his eyes calmed him, eased his tension. G wasn't worried about whatever it was Hetty wanted to discuss. He was gonna be fine.

"Okay. Want me to start dinner?" He asked with a nod picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder as he did so.

"Yeah. I shouldn't be too long." Callen replied with a smile before walking the other man to the edge of the bullpen where they separated. Deeks heading home and Callen to go and see Hetty.

"Hetty, what can I do for you?" Callen asked as he sat in the chair opposite hers and took the whiskey she held out to him.

"You can tell me what is on your mind, Mr Callen." Hetty responded without and preamble. She knew it was going to be hard enough to get her boy to open up, she did not want to waste time on small talk neither of them had the need or inclination for.

"I have a lot of things on my mind Hetty." Callen replied with a smirk as he leaned back and relaxed into the chair, taking pleasure in the quiet that surrounded them in the now empty mission.

"I am sure you do. But I imagine only one of them is giving you frown lines. At present anyway." Hetty responded with a smirk of her own making Callen chuckle, though he took a sip of his drink rather than answering her.

"Is it Christmas?" Hetty guessed, taking a complete stab in the dark. Though when all she got from offering that suggestion was a confused look she felt she needed to elaborate. "Mr Deeks is welcome to join us if that is what was worrying you."

"It wasn't, but thanks." Callen replied, not surprised by her suggestion, more the thought of Christmas at all. He had forgotten it was getting close. He needed to find out if Marty had any plans. And if not, if he wanted to spend it with him, and by extension, Hetty. Hmm, he would also have to explain why it was he had Christmas dinner with their boss every year when he was in LA. That should be an interesting conversation, that was for sure.

"Then what is it?" Hetty asked with a hint of exasperation, though she had a fond motherly smile upon her lips.

At that Callen turned away. He had had no luck coming up with answers on his own, and there was no one else he could ask. Or more to the point wanted to ask. And Hetty did know everything, maybe she would have the answer he was looking for so he would know for sure that what he was feeling for Marty really was love.

"How do you know when you're in love?" He asked quietly turning back to stare into her eyes without his usual mask up. To Hetty he looked just like the lost little boy she had taken in all those years ago, confused about being offered any hint of kindness and her asking for nothing in return. Though now trust radiated out of them as well. A trust that always made her heart swell when she saw it. She had earned that from him, she had his trust. If she had not known it before, his question told her so. He was asking for her help with the most important part of his life.

"I do not know. I do not believe there is one way. It is different for everyone." She answered taking a sip of her drink as she let that sink in before asking her next question. "Why do you ask?"

"Marty said he loved me, and I…" Callen replied trailing off at the end not sure how to phase his words without it sounding like he didn't have feelings for Marty, or making it sound like he didn't care for him as much as he knew he did.

"You wish to say it back but find you cannot?" Hetty asked finishing his sentence for him, an understanding look in her eyes. After all, she knew Mr Callen was not one accustomed to love, of any kind. It was a foreign feeling for him, and one she knew he would try to shield away from. He had been hurt too many times by people who should have loved him for him to accept it easily, or to understand when he felt it for another.

"Yeah. I mean I think I do, but…" Callen replied again not sure how to end his sentence. He was just glad that it seemed that Hetty understood the words he couldn't say. Like Marty had done when he told him he loved and had told him he would wait until he was ready to say it. Marty had understood, so why didn't he?

"Love itself is hard to define, but when you are ready to say the words you will know. Stop worrying Mr Callen, and enjoy yourself." Hetty admonished with a wave of her finger making Callen laugh and relax even more. She was right. He was worrying over nothing. Marty had said he was happy to wait until he was ready, and everyone else in relationships worked it out. He couldn't be that much different from any of them, right? So he would let it go, and just wait. Spend his time making Marty happy, and eventually he would be able to say the words. He was panicking over nothing again. He really needed to stop doing that.

"Okay Hetty. And on that note. I am going to go home and have some fun with my boyfriend." Callen responded finishing his drink before placing the glass down as he stood up.

"I do not need the details." Hetty replied dryly, glad that she could be of some help to her boy. She did not doubt for a second that he loved Marty, but she also knew it would take him longer than most to see it. She was glad to hear that Marty had said the words to him. Shown him that there was nothing to fear from love.

"Thank you… for the drink." Callen responded with a warm smile before nodding goodbye and turning to grab his stuff and head for the door and Marty. It was time for him to get back to his home, the arms of the man he might well love.