Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Reader (Guest), Scififan33, JackSam, JAZ (Guest), French fan (Guest), Petunia3116 and lulu625 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So firstly, sorry for the long wait for this chapter, life happened as it does. Secondly the first part of this mentions season 2, episode 13 'Archangel', but the rest is set in at the beginning of episode 14 'Lockup'. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA, nor any of the lines I have taken from the show.
The week since the call to Deeks mom had gone the same as most weeks in their line of work. A national security case that involved the leak of pentagon documents that they needed to recover. Though the fact that the one doing the leaking got killed while Sam was trying to protect him had been harder to bare, just as the discovery of what the information he had being trying to leak was. Because it had been a list of service personnel that had died in classified missions. They all found a lump appearing in their throats as the pictures came up on the big screen in ops. All found the tribute that had been created was one that needed to be watched, even it was just them who saw it. At least someone had seen the names, and not just the numbers that were given to the fallen.
In fact the only other thing that was noteworthy that week was how Sam had somehow, Callen still couldn't quite work out how, but had somehow convinced him to have a rematch on the climbing wall against Hetty. More than one in fact, and of course he lost them as he had done the first. Damn his partner for his competitive streak and causing the same streak to come out in him. Though he did come to his senses at the end of the case when Hetty was trying to get him to go again. It was time to admit defeat and go home to Marty, with maybe a side drink with his partner to make sure he really was okay after everything that had happened.
And so the days went on. Marty and G happy together, and the team doing what it needed to do to protect the country. Everything was good, and when she looked back Hetty would curse herself for not seeing it as the calm before the storm. The lull which proceeded what was to come.
It all started with a peaceful morning when Callen decided to visit his sister's grave. He hadn't been to see her in a while, due to cases and spending time with Marty and Sam. It was time to make sure it was okay, he was the only family she had after all. The only one to bring her flowers and make sure the upkeep was done properly.
When he entered the kitchen ready to do just that before going into work, he found Deeks about to go for his usual morning run.
"Hey G. Wanna come with me?" Deeks asked with a smile as he gave his lover a kiss. He knew what the other man would say, but that didn't stop him asking him every time he went out. Because on occasion G did join him, though so far that had only been like twice since the being of the year. But you never know, stranger things have happened.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to see my sister this morning." Callen replied shaking his head at Marty's insistent attempts to get him to go running with him. It wasn't his favourite form of exercise, he preferred to work out in the gym rather than pounding the pavements like both Marty and Sam seemed to enjoy doing. The only time he really ran was when he was chasing someone.
"Okay. I'll see you at work then." Deeks responded, forcing the smile to remain on his face even as he felt a sudden pain in his chest that Callen hadn't invited him to go with him. Not that he expected him to do so, but he really wished he would. Especially after he had spoken to his mom and everything. He had hoped that would lead to them being closer, but it seemed he was the only one thinking that.
"Sure." Callen replied grabbing Marty, threading his fingers through his hair as he gave him a proper, loving kiss before he let him go. He didn't know why, but he felt something was off. Maybe it was something in his lover's voice. he had no idea what it was, but he wanted to make sure that Marty knew just how much he cared about him. Wanted to make sure he knew that he still loved him.
When he pulled back Callen couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face at the dazed look he had managed to create in Marty's eyes. Oh yeah. That was the best look he ever saw on Marty's face. Therefore without another word he left the apartment, turning his mind to what flowers he would collect for his sister's grave.
Later that morning, Deeks made it into the office after his run, feeling much better for it. Well, that and the post-it note with 'I love you' written on it he had found upon his return stuck to his draw.
Sam was already there, and he couldn't stop himself from raising his eyebrow when he saw Deeks come in alone without his partner at his side. That didn't happen very often, and when it did it was usually because G had been with him. So where was he now? But before he could try and think of a way to ask Deeks that question the detective answered it for him.
"He went to his sister's grave."
"Right." Sam nodded. Okay that certainly did explain why G wasn't with Deeks. He knew how private his partner was about visiting the only family he had. The sister he had forgotten about until a woman turned up using her name. He knew it was still raw and painful for G. That she was dead and he never got to know her properly.
With that both men sat down at the desks and started on their work in a compatible silence. A silence that was first broken by Kensi arriving, upset that her date from the previous night had cheated on her, and second by a phone call for Sam from Oakville prison. Telling him that Moe, the boy he had brought back from Sudan years ago, the boy who had been radicalised but had had a change of heart, had been beaten. There was no question in Sam's mind that he needed to get to the hospital to check on the boy he saw as family. Therefore without further thought he was out the door, leaving the two junior partners to each other's company.
Meanwhile Callen had moved from the cemetery to the boatshed. A toy solider had been left at his sisters grave, causing him to discover he had private things he needed to investigate. He needed to talk to Hetty without everyone else around, listening in, as he explained it to her. And this was the best place to do that. It didn't even cross his mind to call the man he loved and loop him in. This was about him and his family secrets, no one else was involved, so why would he consider telling them about it?
Callen was sitting on the couch watching the recording from the camera he had placed in a birdhouse by the grave when Hetty walked in.
"The boatshed and not my office. I'm intrigued, Mr Callen."
Callen waited for Hetty to sit before holding out the toy solider, saying as he did so "Left on my sister's grave."
"Huh. A Prussian hussar. Lead, hand-painted. Older than I am if I'm not mistaken. Significance?" She asked having inspected the object thoroughly. He knew her boy hadn't called her all the way down just to tell her show her this. There was a reason that this toy had been left there for him to find. But she had no idea what it was.
Taking a deep breath Callen started to explain. "When I was a kid, a man on a beach handed me a toy solider like that. It brought back the memory." He didn't know why it was so important, but something in the back of his mind was screaming at him to come out. Something telling him that this would unlock the secrets he held in his own head about who he was. Something that told him whoever had left this for him, knew the truth of his past, of his family, of his name.
At those words Hetty looked down at the toy in her hand. She hoped so very much she was wrong about when and where that memory had occurred. She hoped so much that her Callen didn't remember that day, so many years ago now, when she hadn't been there for him. Hadn't been there for his mother. But she could not let any of that show, not here and certainly not now.
"A message from someone in your past?" she asked instead, giving Callen a moment to tell her if he remembered more, but when he remained silent she carried on speaking. "Anyone of interest on the camera you hid in the birdhouse?" It was a question she would very much like the answer to. Because if this was a message, a warning, she needed to know. Needed a face to find, and keep well away from her boy.
"Two visitors." Callen replied pressing play on the recording so that it showed Hetty standing by his sister's grave with her hands in her pockets, obviously thinking of something.
"Hmm." Hetty responded with a sheepish smile, though she had known when she had visited that her boy would see.
At that Callen just looked at her, wanting something more to explain why she had been there. Of course she had been like a mother to him, but she had never known his sister, so why?
"A walk through the cemetery clears my mind, puts everything in perspective. Second visitor?" She answered his unvoiced question. This was the one she needed to know about to keep her boy safe.
Callen didn't say a word, just pressed play again to show a hooded figure laying something on the grave, keeping his face away from the camera. It was almost like he knew it was there.
"You know him?" Hetty asked turning to look at the man with her.
"No." Callen replied shaking his head even as he watched the figure walk away from his sister's grave. "But I almost met him. Once." he continued, remembering back to the man he had chased from the cemetery right after he had discovered his sister was buried there.
"The man you couldn't catch." Hetty said, understanding in her eyes. So many unanswered questions, she truly felt sorry for him, but she also wished he would leave it all alone.
At that Callen nodded as he spoke. "I think he wants to meet with me."
"Dangerous." Hetty replied shaking her head. She wanted to keep him as far away from this as possible, though she knew how hard that was going to be. He had an opportunity to find some answers, she knew he would not give that up. No matter what she said.
"Necessary." Callen countered with confirming her thoughts. He would not be swayed from his chosen course. The reason they were meeting here rather than her office now made even more sense. This was something Callen felt he needed to do on his own.
"I can't sanction it." Hetty responded, wishing that those words would stop him.
"I'm not asking you to. But I do have time owed." Callen replied. She was not going to stop him doing this, finding this man and hopefully discovering some more of the puzzle that was his life, his identity.
"Indeed you do, Mr Callen." Hetty nodded with an unheard sigh. She would give anything to keep him from the secrets he was going to find. She had done so much to protect him, but she knew she couldn't stop him… but maybe there was one who could. "Have you spoken to Marty about this?"
"No." Callen replied with a frown. Why was she asking that? This had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with him, and him alone.
"Do you not think you should?" Hetty asked with the raise of an eyebrow. But she did not say anything more, hoping Callen would see that if he was going to do this, he needed to talk to the man he loved and who loved him, the man who was such a big part of his life, and let him know.
"Hetty, I am doing this." Callen responded in a tone that brooked no arguments from her or anyone else.
"I understand, Mr Callen. But do you not think he needs to know? You are in a relationship with him. He deserves to know what is going on." She replied equally firmly. Because even if Mr Deeks could not change his boyfriends mind, he had the right to know where he was and what he was doing. And she knew that Mr Callen knew if the situation was revered, he would be the first who would want to be told.
"I'll call him." Callen conceded. She had a point. He always wanted to know all the details on the ops Marty ran for LAPD, and while this was not the same… she still had a point.
"That is all I ask." Hetty nodded before holding the toy soldier back out to the man opposite her with a few well-chosen final words.
"Don't get lead poisoning from this thing." She said as she stood to leave. She knew he understood the true meaning behind those words.
Deeks was sitting at his desk, trying to concentrate on paperwork while in truth he was frowning at the time. G should be here now, so where was he? Why was he late? Just then his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he let out a sigh of relief as he saw the man he loves name appear on the screen. Quickly standing and moving away from where Kensi would be able to hear him he answered the call.
"G. hey. Where are you?"
"Hi Marty. I'm at the boatshed." Callen replied a smile appearing on his face of its own accord at hearing the younger man's voice.
"Why?" Deeks asked confused about that. Because there was no reason for him to be there, they had no case, no suspects to interrogate. So… why?
"I needed to speak to Hetty." Callen replied wondering what to say to get Marty to understand what was going on. He had no idea what to say.
"Okay. What's going on G?" Deeks asked frowning at the hesitant tone in G's voice. He was getting worried now. Why would G go to the boatshed if he needed to speak to Hetty rather than her office? What had happened since he had seen him that morning?
"I'm taking a few days off. There is something I need to look into." Callen responded trying to find the right words to explain what was going on, without telling everything to the man he was talking to. It wasn't that he didn't want Marty to know, it was just… this wasn't something he could explain in one quick phone conversation. Especially as he didn't really understand it all himself, not yet.
"Do you need any help?" Deeks asked instantly. He wanted to be there for G in every way he could, and that included whatever this was.
Callen didn't even need to think about his answer to that question. "No. This is something I need to do on my own."
"What is it G? What are you going to do?" Deeks asked pushing down the hurt he felt at the figurative door G had just slammed in his face. When was he going to let him? When was he going to share the rest of his secrets with him?
"I can't talk about it on the phone, Marty. I'm sorry." Callen replied with genuine regret in his voice. He didn't want to be rude, but this was something he needed to do by himself, something he couldn't explain. Not now.
"That's okay. You can tell me tonight." Deeks responded with a slightly forced cheer. Though hoping that G would agree. That he would tell him what was going on when he saw him that evening. But his words were greeted by a noticeable silence from the man on the other end before he answered the non-asked question.
"I don't think I'll be done by then." Callen said in an even tone, not wanting to hurt Marty, but knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop looking for the answers he was hoping to find. Not until he got something.
"Right." Deeks nodded. So not only did he have no idea what G was doing, but he also had no idea when he was next going to see him. Well that was awesome wasn't it?
"I'll come by when I'm done." Callen promised the other man, giving him all he could. He needed to find these answers before he could do anything else. Needed to find the pieces to the puzzle that was G Callen.
At that Deeks sighed. He knew G was giving him all he could, and at least he had called him to let him know. That was a good thing right? He needed to be supportive and make sure that G didn't worry about him while he was off doing, whatever it was.
"Okay, just… stay safe yeah?"
"You too Marty. Can you keep an eye on Sam for me?" Callen asked, knowing that it was a tall order, but wanting to make sure someone he trusted had his partners back. And he trusted Marty to do that for him. To take that burden from his shoulders.
"I'll do my best. I love you." Deeks replied smiling down the line even though he knew he wouldn't get the words said back to him. He had long since stopped expecting them to be verbally returned by the man he was with.
"See you soon. Bye Marty." Callen responded, putting all he couldn't say into those words and hoping the younger man heard and understood that he was saying that he loved him too.
"Bye G." Deeks sighed as he heard the call cut off as G hung up. God he wished he knew more about what was going on, wished he could be there to have his boyfriends back. Wished there was someone who could be there to have his boyfriends back. He may have no idea of what situation G was walking into, but it didn't take a genius to know that it could be dangerous. And he knew that he wouldn't be able to cope if anything happened to the man who meant so much to him. But before he could go and find Hetty, to see if he could get answers from her, same returned and called him and Kensi to ops. It seemed they had work to do. He was going to have to put G from his mind as best he could, and hope to god he was able to look after himself. Oh he really hoped he would be able to do that.