Hello my darlings. Happy new year to you all. I would like to thank Mulderette, Petunia3116, elsje1967, No1DB (Guest), Beststoriesever (Guest), French fan (Guest), lulu625, 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.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.

Deeks was busy covering every space of G's house in Christmas decorations. It felt a bit strange to be here without the other man, mainly because they spent pretty much all their time over at his apartment. He had really only been in side this house a few times. So to have the run of the place was… yeah, strange. But it also showed him how much trust his boyfriend put in him. That he was willing to leave him here, with access to all the things he kept most private, trusting him not to go snooping. Not that there was much to snoop through he had to admit, well there was that tin on the mantel. Its placement within the room told him what it held was everything that G held dear to him, and for that reason alone he knew he wouldn't look inside it. No he would wait until the man he loved was ready to share what was inside himself. Even if it killed him. Therefore in his decorating, Deeks made sure that be put enough stuff over the mantel that unless you knew it was there, no one would be able to see its presence. He would keep G's secrets for him.

That done to turned to see how his partner was doing with the table. Okay, so they didn't have the cutlery or plates yet, but he had got her to put on the table cloth and to place the crackers he had gotten cheap, got to love after holiday sales, at everyone's place-setting. Looking over he smiled at what he saw. Oh yeah it was perfect. All it needed now were the place cards he had written out to go with the seating plan he had done. Deeks was nothing if not organised. Grabbing them he started to put them out while he got Kensi to arrange the candles he had brought that would give them some decent mood light, one of the candles Kensi recognised very well.

"Really? You're going to use my present to Hetty, which she then gave to Callen?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well it is his place Kensilina. He should show Hetty he's using her present." Deeks responded with a smirk as he wondered just what other things Hetty would re-gift to G just so he could make use of them for him.

At that Kensi just shook her head, though she did place the candle in the centre of the table so it would be the focal point of everyone's attention. She liked that candle, damn it.

With that table done Deeks turned to the last thing he and Kensi had to do before Callen and Sam returned with the dinnerware. "Now let's set up the sound system." He said far to enthusiastically for Kensi's mind.

"You know it would have made more sense to get Eric round to help with this right?" she asked as she stared at all the wires he was pulling out so that they could set the speakers up on either side of the room.

But Deeks didn't reply. He knew the techy could have helped them, but he wanted to see his reaction to him and G together when he got there that night. Not because he was worried he would be disgusted, but more because he wanted maximum impact of their relationship. So he could enjoy the shocked reactions he expected from him and Nell to the full. Therefore, there was no way he could ask either of them to help him set anything up. As such it was only him and his little helper to do this. But that was fine, they could work this out.

Not long after Kensi and Deeks had finally finished, G and Sam returned with the plates and cutlery for everyone. Callen sharing a smile with Deeks when he saw how he had hidden his tin. He hadn't even really thought about it, but he should probably have moved it into his room or something. But he was happy enough with Deeks' solution.

Once everything was all placed on the table they all left to change for the party later, none of them really thinking about the fact that Callen was leaving his house to get ready just as the rest of them were. Mainly because he was grumbling all the way to the car about how his boyfriend was making him dress smart to have dinner in his own home.

"G, if you dress up, then I will too. And you wanted to see me all dressed up now don't you?" Deeks asked sweetly as they got to car, in a voice too low for their partners to hear.

At his words Callen couldn't stop his eyes running up and down his lover's body, imagining him in tight pants that showed off his gorgeous ass, and a smooth fitted shirt. Yeah okay, he could see Marty's point. Therefore he quickly climbed into the car without uttering another word about having to go back to Marty's apartment to change. In fact checking his watch, he even thought they had time to share a shower before they had to return. Oh yeah, that would be a good way to relax before he had to be a damn host to the team.

When they got back to Deeks apartment and Callen showed him just what he had in mind, Deeks couldn't agree more. Therefore they only just made it back to Callen's house in time to greet there first guests.

The first people who had arrived had been Sam, Michelle and the kids, the latter who had decided it would be fun to chase Monty around the house. Because of course Monty had not been left home alone on New Year's Eve. That would be just cruel. Luckily Sam and Callen had finally managed to persuade the three, and sometimes four when Deeks joined in, that it would be a good idea to play in the back Yard. Leaving the grown-ups in the main room to talk and laugh. Next up was Hetty, who once inside took the only piece of furniture as her own. Sitting down on Callen's comfy chair with a whiskey in her hand she looked like a queen receiving her subjects as she talked to Michelle. Callen couldn't help but chuckle at that thought. Though when Hetty glared at him as if she could read his mind, he decided it was time for Marty to come and give him a hand. He wasn't doing this hosting crap alone. Mainly because he really had no idea what the hell he was doing.

Next was Kensi, wearing a simple but elegant black dress which caused Deeks to let out an ear-piercing wolf whistle before he continued, wrapping his arm around his partner's shoulders as if he was imparting something private, though he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "Now Fern, I think Aiden might be a bit young for you, though I have heard his dad has a really good stock portfolio."

His words were responded to by a "hey" from Sam who was across the room, and a punch in the arm from his partner beside him.

"What! You want to snare Eric? Really? Cos you know all other men here this evening are taken." Deeks responded jumping out of the way and hiding behind Callen as he did so. He would prefer not to get beaten up just yet.

"Oh no. don't go hiding behind me. You've got this coming." Callen said moving away and leaving his lover in a clear line of fire of Kensi's fist.

"But G…" Deeks whined doing his best puppy dog expression.

"But Marty…" Callen responded in exactly the same tone. It was pretty impressive that he could mimic Deeks so well, it caused all the others there to laugh out loud at the look of surprise on the younger man's face. Of course that expression soon changed to pain when Kensi got in a hard punch on his arm. This only made everyone laugh even more, before continuing the usual bantering conversations they would normally have.

Eric walked up to the front door of Callen's house feeling nervous. He had never been invited to the team leader's house before, then again he hadn't exactly had a house for long. Of course he also knew that G Callen did not do parties of any kind, which led him to believe that this was more Deeks idea. He wasn't sure what was going to happen inside the house, he didn't know if everyone knew About Deeks and Callen, and he really didn't know how to pretend he didn't for a whole evening. I mean in ops it was okay, they were normally discussing a case or something. This was… well it was different. And it was different from when he had gone out drinking with the team too. Because he knew he wouldn't be the only one wondering why it was Callen had suddenly decided to be social and invite people into his home.

Standing at the door he took a few deep breaths as he repeated to himself that he could do this, he would do this, before raising his hand and knocking, hoping that he wasn't too early that no one but Callen and Deeks were there, but wasn't too late that he was the last one to arrive. Damn why did this have to be so difficult?

But before he could think anything more the door was pulled open by the team leader, who smiled at him. That was almost more alarming than being invited to his house in the first place.

Callen ushered him inside and almost as soon as he had entered Deeks had descended upon him and grabbed the dish of food he had brought, taking it to the table to add to the stuff the others had come with. Eric wasn't sure what to do with that. Did it mean that everyone knew about Deeks and Callen, and therefore it was okay that he did? Or was it Deeks just being Deeks and no one knew so he would have to keep pretending? Damn this was hard. At that thought a bottle of beer was pushed into his grateful hands and Kensi had pulled him away from the door, and therefore Callen and Deeks. He was so glad that he didn't even notice the smirk on the detectives face at his confusion.

Last up was Nell. She knew she was cutting it fine, but her hair had just refused to behave. She had finally got it tamed and now she was hurrying up Callen's path. She didn't think anything was unusual about Callen having a New Year's party, but then she hadn't been working with the team long enough to do so. Though she did raise her eyebrows when upon entering the house she discovered it lacking such things as furniture, well apart from the table and the chair Hetty was sitting in. where was the couch? The TV? You know, the things people usually had in their homes? It seemed very strange to her. Therefore she quickly made her way over to Eric, hoping she could ask him about this oddity.

Upon seeing everyone had arrived, Deeks decided it was time for his little speech, and the announcement that it held. It was time for him and G to be a real couple in the eyes of all their friends.

"So, now we're all here I would like to say a few words. I want to thank you all for accepting me into the team so easily," at this point a couple of snorts could be heard from the two senior partners. Mainly because they both knew how unaccepting Sam had been at the start, until G had set him straight. But Deeks manfully ignored them and continued, grabbing G's hand as he did so, pulling him so he was standing at his side and he could look into his eyes. "And I want to thank the man I love for inviting me into his family. So I would like you all to raise your drinks, to family."

"To family."

Everyone echoed the toast, smiling at those who they cared for. Though Deeks was also watching Eric and Nell out of the corner of his eye, to see how they would respond to his words 'the man he loved'. But their reaction was not the one he had been expecting. There was no shock on their faces, rather they were studying those around them to see if this was news to anyone in the room. Well it seemed he and G hadn't been as discrete as they had hoped then if even the wonder twins knew they were together. But that thought just made him smile even more. They had known, for how long he had no clue, but they had known, and they had never said a word, nor let on to the truth of his and G's relationship. That was the loyalty he had come to understand from this group of people. The loyalty and love they all shared for each other was precious, and it was something he had never had before in his working life. It was something he was going to treasure.

Deeks was pulled from his musing by a hand in his hair, pulling his attention so his eyes were back staring at the blue ones he loved so much.

"You are an idiot. You're my family." Callen said quietly before pulling the younger man towards him and kissing him deeply, not caring who was there or who was watching. He needed Marty to know, to understand, that without him, none of this would be as it was now. Without him Callen would still be searching for that something he couldn't define. That something he had found in this man's arms.

"Really G? Get a room would you? We're not here to watch you two make out, we're here for food." Sam shouted from across the room when it seemed that his partner and his boyfriend wouldn't be coming up for air soon. As much as he liked seeing G show Deeks how much he loved him in return, he really would prefer they did it in private. There were certain things he did not need to witness.

"I have a room Sam. But I believe it would not be good hosting if I dragged Marty to it right now." Callen answered pulling away from Marty gently. He knew he really shouldn't be kissing him like that in the middle of the party, but he just couldn't help himself.

"Darn straight Mr Callen. Do not even think about it." Hetty replied standing from her chair and making her way to the table, smiling as she saw the name cards written in Deeks hand. Though when she discovered where hers was placed she frowned, before swapping it with the one by the next chair with a nod. Now the seating plan was correct.

Deeks and Callen exchanged one more quick kiss before moving towards the table, separating to go to the opposite ends of it. Obviously this was G's party and therefore Deeks had placed him sitting at the head of the table with Hetty at the other end. As such, he was somewhat surprised to find that when he got there Hetty had swapped their place cards over and she was now sitting on his right, with him at the other end of the table.

"Hetty, what ya doing?" He asked with a puzzled look. I mean she was the obvious matriarchal figure within the team. Therefore she should be the one sitting opposite G, right?

"This is your dinner party Marty, I am just a guest. Plus I would prefer not to spend the evening making gooey eyes at Mr Callen, whereas I know that you most certainly would. So sit, and do not argue." Hetty replied simply, understanding what he was talking about, but refusing to even consider changing back.

"Yes ma'am." Deeks snapped out, though he was smiling cheekily as he did so. He really couldn't argue, and he did like the idea of being about to stare at G without care throughout the whole meal.

And so the dinner went on with flowing conversation and laughs as everyone shared out the dishes they had brought, as well as Deeks and Callen finally being able to get rid of most of the leftovers they had from Hetty's Christmas dinner.

It was a fun and loved filled evening of friends just enjoying being together. Sharing this one holiday with those who were closest to them.

But soon the food was finished and the children, as well as Deeks and Kensi if they were honest, started to fidget. So Deeks started the music, and the next part of the evening started. In fact they managed to get everyone but Hetty and Callen dancing at some point. The two refusing all calls to join the others. Or at least they did until the music changed to a slow number and Deeks just walked up to G with his hand out, not saying a word, though the expression in his eyes said more than he ever could. He wanted to share this with the man he loved, the man who had changed his life so much for the better, and there was no way G could ever so no to that request. And that was how G Callen found himself swaying around in his livingroom, completely oblivious of all expect the man who had his arms around him, holding him close as they stared into each other's eyes. And when the count down for the New Year ended they barely had to move their heads to share their first kiss of the year. Their first kiss of many.