All the way home.

Chapter 23

Callen walked into Jake's room and smiled at the sight of his son sleeping, his arm wrapped around the toy monster he had been given earlier.

Nate looked up from the file he was reading.

"You done with it Callen?" he asked holding out his hand.

Sheepishly Callen handed Nate back his credentials. "They knew I wasn't you?" Callen asked.

Nate nodded, "You were watched the whole visit. Both for your protection and for Marty's."

"I needed to do it Nate!" Callen argued keeping his voice low.

"I know Callen, that's why we let you continue." Nate said waving his hand towards a chair,

"I needed to make my peace with him Nate, Max is responsible for what he did to my boy, but Deeks will always be Jake's father, even though I'm his dad. One day Jake may ask me and I want to be able to look him in the eye and let him know that we did all we could for his father." Callen reached over and took a drink from the styrofoam cup Nate handed him, "Jake deserves to have answers to his questions."

"The answers you never had?" Nate poked as Callen looked away and nodded.

"I spent my whole life searching for who I was, Jake doesn't need that, he is the son of Sara Giamatti and Marty Deeks. I am certain that they both loved him. He needs to know that it wasn't his fault that he couldn't stay with his biological parents and that I love him just as if he were my own." Callen looked and Jake was still sleeping soundly. "Do you think he'll come out of this ok?"

Nate nodded, "He will have nightmares for a while, questions and fears, but i will be here as long as you both need me to get you through it."

"Thank you." Callen said fervently.

"You are family, besides Hetty is footing the bill." He smiled.

Instantly Callen's face changed. "I'll find you the money Nate, or you can just leave."

He stood up and walked to the window, "We don't need anything from her."

Nate smiled.

"You don't want Hetty to pay for it?" He asked innocently.

"I don't want her near me...ever again, I'm done being betrayed by her."

"She betrayed you?" Nate asked, already having talked to Hetty he knew her side of the story. He hadn't agreed with her methods, but he knew that she knew Callen better than anyone.

Callen looked over at his son's sleeping form, "Not here." he hissed and he motioned to the door.

As he opened it he noticed Gibbs and Nell walking down the hallway talking.

"Jethro, can you watch Jake. I need to go and talk to Nate." Callen told him.

Gibbs nodded, "You take all the time you need." he replied.

Callen stalked off down the hallway, Nate following until they came to a small walled garden.

Noticing it was empty he walked out through the door into the garden and waited until he heard Nate close the door behind him.

"What happened?" Nate asked and sat on a bench as Callen started to pace.

"How much do you know, about Hetty and me?" Callen asked.

"I know you're close, she cares a lot about you like a mother." Nate replied, he stopped as Callen scoffed.

"Huh, yeah...mother..." He looked away but Nate could see the pain in his eyes.