Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Mulderette, lulu625, French fan (Guest), Beststoriesever (Guest), Petunia3116 and Veuve Noir for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.

So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. The bits in italics are written.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.

Callen sat once more in his chair in the dark staring out at nothing, an almost untouched bottle of beer by his feet. He had come straight back from work, and hadn't moved from his current position since walking through the door. He was trying to go over everything that had happened that day, from Marty's arrival at work to the moment he left. It had hurt so much to see the younger man, yet not have the connection that had always been there between them. To sit across from him and never once catch his eye or share a sweet smile with the man he loved.

Looking round his empty house Callen knew he couldn't stay there. This wasn't home, Marty was home, but he was no longer his. With a shake of his head to try and clear the thoughts from his mind Callen stood, grabbing his jacket and keys and left. He would go and get some food, maybe go for a drive. Yeah that would help.

Of course Callen wasn't really paying attention where he was going, so he was somewhat startled to find himself outside of Marty's apartment building. Without thought he looked up at the window he knew belonged to Marty's home, and sat there watching the light inside. He wanted nothing more to go up there and be with Marty. To say whatever he needed to get his man back, but he knew there was nothing he could say that would do that. So instead he sat there, staring at the window until the light went out much later in the night.

With a sigh Callen started his car and drove away. He knew what he was doing was boarding on stalking, but… he didn't know what else he could do. He knew he should sleep, he hadn't actually done that in over 24 hours. Of course it wasn't the idea of falling asleep alone that stopped him from going back to his house, but the idea of waking up there that way. He didn't want to do that. So instead of returning to his house he went to the one place he knew he would always be able to sleep and wake in relative safety. He went back to the office.

The smell was the same as he remembered from the many nights he had spent there, but as he made his way to the couch with the intention of getting some rest his eyes strayed to the desk opposite his. The desk which was empty of the person he really wanted to see, but which still held elements of the man. It was neat, with all the folders in piles, everything was in order. Everything had its place. Without thought he made his way round so he could sit in Marty's seat, running his hands along the top with a lovers caress, as if his touch was not on the desk but its owner. With that in mind Callen lowered his head to the desk top, to just rest there for a moment, to let himself breathe in the faint Marty-ness it held.

That was his last thought until he was woken by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Hetty had noticed the strange behaviour between her two boys the previous day. She had no idea what had happened, but she had also noticed how their partners were watching them. She hoped between the four of them they would be able to sort it out. She would prefer not to intervene directly unless there was no other choice. Of course when she came in early and found Mr Callen fast asleep on Mr Deeks' desk, she knew she had a reason to interfere. Therefore she prepared them both a nice cup of tea, before making her way over to the sleeping agent. She knew better than to touch him to wake him, but she also knew he did not sleep heavily, even here, in what she knew he considered a safe place.

So she coughed, smiling in delight at how his head shot up, his eyes wide in fear at being caught sleeping where he was. Though when Callen saw who it was who had woken him he sighed in relief. He was just so glad he hadn't been caught by Marty or Sam. That would have been really hard to explain.

"Good morning Mr Callen. Come, join me." Hetty said making her way over to the couch, in no doubt he would follow her.

"Morning Hetty." Callen murmured as he sat down and took a sip of the tea she pushed towards him. He knew he would have no chance of putting her off as he did Sam, but then again, something inside him made him realise he didn't want to. Maybe Hetty could help, she always had the answers he was looking for, even if she did pose them as questions most of the time.

"Are you going to tell me why you were asleep on Mr Deeks' desk?" Hetty asked when Callen said nothing more. She would not take no for an answer, but it was always polite to ask, not demand.

Callen took a deep breath as he lent causally back on the couch and for the first time uttered the words. "We split up."

"Why?" Hetty asked with a frown. Everything had been going so well, what had happened to change that?

"Because I'm an idiot." Callen replied with a self-deprecating smile. It was nothing but the truth after all. It had been all his fault.

"So what are you going to do to fix it?" Hetty asked simply, as if she expected him to have a plan already. It was what he was best at after all. Coming up with solutions to problems.

"There's nothing I can do Hetty. It's over." Callen responded defeated. He didn't have the answer to this. He wish he did.

"I have never seen you back down from a fight so easily Mr Callen." Hetty replied in an even tone as she took a sip of her tea, waiting for him to explain why it was he had bowed out of something he should be fighting for with everything he had. Marty Deeks was the best thing that had ever happened to her boy, surely he saw that?

"Yeah well, the person I'm fighting is me, so I know I won't win." Callen responded, not being able to keep the bitterness out of his tone. A bitterness that caused Hetty to frown once more.

"How so?"

"You remember than conversation we had before? About my feelings for Marty?" Callen asked leaning forwards, adverting his eyes from hers as he stared into the cup in front of him.

"When you wondered if you loved him?" Hetty confirmed, wondering what that had to do with this. Because surely Mr Callen knew he loved the younger man. Everyone could see it, even those who didn't know what was going on.

"Yeah. Well I realised I did." Callen explained quietly, it was the closest he could come to saying the words.

"That is a good thing, Mr Callen." Hetty replied gently with a motherly smile for the man in front of her who was still so much the boy she had taken in all those years ago.

"I know, but it kinda fails when I can't say the words." Callen responded with a humourless chuckle. I mean it was so stupid, he had no idea what he problem was.

Hetty sat there for a minute as close as she had ever come to speechlessness. He could not tell him? But then she remembered who it was she was talking to, and the idea of Mr Callen not being able to admit his feelings was not so farfetched. But still she needed to make sure.

"You can't tell Mr Deeks that you love him?"

"No." Callen replied simply, waiting for her disbelief or her to tell him to man up and just do it. Therefore Hetty's next words surprised him.

"Have you tried to show him in other ways?" She asked in thought, trying to think of a way to help her boys get back together. They needed each other.

"Many." Callen smirked thinking of all the ways he had tried to tell Marty how he felt, most of them involving a bed, or at least activities that were usually conducted in a bed.

"I do not want details of your sex life. What I meant was other forms of communication, not actions." Hetty replied with a roll of her eyes at his smirk. Sex was not the answer to everything.

"What do you mean?" Callen asked frowning himself now. Surely sending a text really wouldn't work, right?

"The written word is a powerful tool Mr Callen. Use it." Hetty replied before she stood and walked away. Leaving Callen to mull over her words and try to figure out what it was she was suggesting.

It didn't take him long. Why hadn't he thought of that? Would it work? There was only one way to find out. He couldn't go on like this. He had to try. Therefore he quickly got up and made his way to his own desk, pulling out a pad and a pen posed to write. Then he just stared down at the blank sheet for a few moments trying to work out what to write before with a small smile on his lips he put pen to paper.

That day went much as the one before had, though this time it seemed Deeks and Callen organised an unspoken rota so that they were never in the same place for long. They both found it too painful. And Callen was trying to build up the courage to give Marty the letter he had written, that and trying to work out when would be the good time to do that. But every time he thought of leaving it on Marty's desk either Sam or Kensi were there, and he didn't want them to see what he had written, or that he had written anything. This was between him and Marty, and no one else.

Therefore it wasn't until the end of the day that Callen found the opportunity he was seeking. Sam and Kensi had both left quickly, and Marty was still down in the armoury, leaving Callen alone in the bullpen. Taking a deep breath he placed the envelope in the centre of Marty's desk where he knew the younger man would see it. He then grabbed his bag and made a quick exit. He didn't want to stay around and see how Marty took what he had written. Either he would call him or he wouldn't after he had read it. And Callen didn't think he would be able to take it if he saw in person that Marty rejected him.

Deeks returned to the bullpen slowly, glad to see that everyone had gone. He had hoped it would get easier being around G, but if today was anything to go by, it was only going to get worse. Maybe he should consider asking Hetty to find a new liaison, though he really didn't want to give up his job. He loved it here, loved the team, and loved the place he had found for himself. If only… and there he went again, if only. With a sigh he approached his desk, frowning as he saw the envelope on it, wondering if he didn't need to speak to Hetty because she was going to fire him. But then he saw whose handwriting was on the front. It was the same hand that had written him a note so long ago. A note he still had in his badge behind his ID card.

Deeks sat down heavily at that, staring at the piece of mail, wondering what was inside. But he didn't reach for it straight away, because right now, staring at it, he still had hope. It was like that physics problem, Schrodinger's cat. That as long as he didn't open it and read it, there was still a chance it could hold either good or bad. But he knew he needed to know. So finally building up his courage he reached for the envelope and with shaking hands pulled out the single sheet of paper that had been placed in side. Taking a deep breath he unfolded it and started to read.

Dear Marty,

I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done what I did, and I know I can be slightly overprotective. But I can't lose you. Because I love you Marty Deeks. And while I may not be able to say the words, may never be able to say them, please know they are true. You are everything I want and need in my life. You make me a better person.

Please give me another chance to show you my love.

I love you.

Yours always

G.

Desk read it through twice more before the words in front of him started to swim with the unushered tears in his eyes. The relief he felt coursing through him was so strong he knew that nothing would stop him going to the man he loved and giving him the chance he asked for. Because He couldn't not. G may not have said the words, but he had put them down on paper, and surely that was more binding right? I mean it was why written contracts were so much more powerful than verbal ones. That idea appealed to the lawyer side of him.

He stood quickly, his chair shooting out behind him but he didn't care. Instead he grabbed his bag in one hand and had the letter in the other, with the aim of going to G right now and sorting this out. Of course then it hit him. He had no idea where it was he needed to go to find the man of his dreams. But before he could swear and try to find a way to find Callen's address, a piece of paper appeared in front of his eyes.

"I think you will be needing this." Hetty said with smile, handing the detective Callen's address. Of course her boy had forgotten to tell the man he loved that bit of information. Luckily she was prepared.

"Thanks Hetty." Deeks smiled his usually sunny smile, which no longer held the shadow it had for the last two days, and taking the address ran from the room. He had somewhere to be, and someone to see.