No Ordinary Love - G.Callen NCIS L.A

Chapter 47

Grisha was quiet the next morning. As always when he struggled with something, he was distracted and short-tempered. Dee didn't mind that much, as she knew he had barely slept, but his team studied him when he was curt.

Deeks lifted an eyebrow at him when he didn't respond to the banter between him and Kensi. "Callen? You okay?"

Callen briefly glanced up from his laptop. "Fine, Deeks."

Taking in his set shoulders, the cup that was filled with coffee instead of tea this morning, and the way he didn't actually look at him, Deeks understood that he wasn't fine, but that he wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

When their workday ended in paperwork, Deeks was outside, leaning against the hood of his car. Sam was taking Kensi home. He stepped in Callen's way. "Come on, we're doing out for drinks."

Callen sighed, warily eyeing the younger man. "Why?"

"Because your father arrived in town yesterday, and you need to vent."

For once, Callen didn't put up a fight. He didn't even hesitate. That alone told Deeks that he was struggling. He didn't need encouragement, the words just came when they had found a dimly lit corner in a bar somewhere. Marty listened quietly as Grisha told him everything Garrison had told him the night before. He closely watched the conflicting emotions cross his friends' face and deciphered the underlying tensions and tried to read between the lines. And Marty understood why Grisha was conflicted.

"It was a lot, huh?" Marty said when Grisha finally stopped talking.

"Yeah." Grisha toyed with the beer bottle in front of him. "And like I told Dee, this puzzle is finally complete, and he's here, but I don't know how to cope with it."

"Forty-something years in s long time to be searching for someone. I can imagine things blurring together over that period of time."

"What do you mean?"

Signaling for another round, Marty shrugged. "What I mean is that you haven't had a chance to go through your range of emotions with him yet. Right now, you're still parts pissed, disappointed, sad and probably more scared than you think. And Garrison laying out his reasons to you last night may have very well caused you to feel guilty, too, because you feel all those things. So go be pissed, and disappointed and sad. Go and be them in his face. He deserves to hear your side of the story. Like you deserved to know his reasons, he's entitled to know how it's effected you. Go and be all that. God knows I've wished for the chance to be all that in Gordon's face."

"How is that going to help? The man's been through enough." Grisha shook his head.

"Gordon got his lashing out. He died, but I went and yelled at him anyway."

"Did it help?"

"If nothing else, at least it made me feel better." Marty took a swig. "You don't have to protect him from your emotions, Grisha. You're not his parent. He's supposed to be yours."

"His reasons are not what I thought they would be." Again, he shook his head. "Dee says to give it time, that I may never completely understand or accept them. But I can't seem to grasp that you would let your kid grow up without you. I think I'd rather kill myself than letting it ever come to that."

"You've seen the other side of medal. Dee's right, though, maybe you won't ever understand. But that doesn't mean that you can't let him know how you feel."

Contemplating Marty's words, Grisha stared at his beer. Maybe he had a point. He hadn't told Garrison his version of the truth; Garrison didn't fully know what it had done to him to be left alone.

On the other side of town, Hetty picked up the phone. She had sent her team home earlier and had seen that Deeks had left with Callen. Deja answered on the second ring. "Hey, Hetty."

"Hello, dear."

"Is everything okay?"

Not one to beat around the bush, Hetty dove in headfirst. "What happened last night?"

The woman on the other end sighed. "He wasn't too much of a grouch I hope?"

"Let's just say that he wasn't entirely himself today."

"Yes..." Dee said. "He and Garrison had their long overdue conversation last night, and I think that Grisha wasn't as ready to hear the reasons as he thought he was. He hasn't slept, and I'm guessing it's going to take a little while for all of it to sink in and be accepted."

"They already had that conversation?"

Deja nodded, although she knew Hetty wouldn't be able to see it. "It happened. I asked Garrison about Clara and one thing led to another." She shrugged. "It wasn't the best timing, but I suspect Garrison wanted the conversation out of the way so they could move forward."

Hetty could understand. "Was it what he expected it to be?"

"No," Deja answered. "But then again, nothing he could've dreamed up would be able to come close to what Garrison has told him. Things like this are never black and white, no matter how much he wanted them to be."

"Do you think he needs a few days?"

"I don't think we have that luxury. Garrison is staying with us, they don't have a way around each other and in all honesty, I think that's good. The sooner they have this out of the way, the sooner they get to start over."

"Is there anything I can do to help? I can get Nate back here if you want to," Hetty offered.

The thought had crossed Deja's mind earlier that day. "No. Give him a little time. Marty took him out for drinks, which I'm extremely grateful for, considering his wedding is in three days. I'm hoping it'll do him some good."

"Marty is a good friend."

"He is," Deja agreed. "And if nothing else, it'll give Grisha a chance to vent."

When Grisha finally arrived home an hour and a half later, he found his father and Deja sitting at the dining table. Sensing that he wanted a moment alone, Dee gathered up her things and disappeared into the garden. Grisha looked at Garrison. "We need to talk."