Child of Mine

Callen heard the front door open as he stepped under the stream of hot water. He thought of not getting in the shower, but it would be Sam, and Sam would hear the shower and walk back to the bathroom. So Callen let the steaming water cascade over him. He had just finished one of his rehab workout routines and his muscles ached. In a minute, the bathroom door opened.

"I knew it was you, Sam," Callen called out from behind the curtain as he stood under the almost scalding water and the steam started filling the bathroom.

"Great, but I'm not Sam," Anna said as she pulled back the shower curtain. She'd joined him a few times in the shower and would have now if she hadn't been on her way to work. "I could have been someone dangerous, someone trying to harm you."

"But you aren't. How about joining me?" he asked with a wicked smile and nodded to the empty space in the shower.

"I'm off to work or you know I would," she replied as she let the shower curtain drop back.

"You leaving?" Callen called out. There was no answer. Evidently, she had left the room. "Damn," he said as he turned off the water and stepped out. Anna was leaning against the wall and smiled at him. "Oh, I get it," he said as he rolled his eyes and held out his hand for a towel. She just smiled and continued looking at him—all of him. Callen reached for the towel rack on the wall behind her. "Excuse me," he said and she moved to the side as her eyes never wavered. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. "Seen enough?"

"Never," Anna whispered with a wink and a quick kiss on his cheek as she left the bathroom and headed to the front door. Callen followed, and when she reached the end of the hallway, he reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Oh, no. You don't get to come in here, get me to step out of my shower, ogle me while I'm naked, and then leave without giving me something for my trouble."

"I didn't 'get' you to step out of your shower. I freely admit I ogled you, and I would again. As for 'giving you something,' what would you like me to give you, Grisha?"

He pulled her to him. His chest and arms were still wet, but her clothes would dry. He didn't resist as she pulled the towel off. And then the front door opened again, and Sam walked in.

"Hey, G. Hey, Anna."

"Doesn't anybody knock anymore?" G asked with exasperation as he grabbed the towel out of Anna's hand and wrapped it around his waist again.

Sam gave Callen and Anna an innocent smile. "I was just checking up on you on my way to work, but I can see you're doing just fine."

Anna slipped past Sam to the front door, her top still damp from Callen's embrace. "I better go. I don't want to be late. See you at work, Sam."

"You working for us today, Anna?"

"I am."

"Okay."

Callen called out to her as she slipped out, "Thanks for stopping by."

"Anytime," she called back and then she was gone. Callen heard her Mustang pull out of his driveway and turned to Sam.

"Happy now?"

"Why wouldn't I be? It's not every day," Sam continued, "I get to see my partner in such a good mood."

Callen sighed, "I was until I was interrupted. Twice." Callen walked to the kitchen and Sam joined him.

"Where's Garrison?"

"He went for his morning coffee. You want some?" Callen asked as he prepared his own.

"No, thanks." Sam waited until Callen got the coffee started and then continued. "I am glad to see you're doing better, G."

"Me, too. I've never been so bored."

"Really? Bored?" Sam looked incredulous.

"Okay, I'm not always bored. Anna just stopped by this morning to see how I was doing. That's all."

"Hey, I think it's great that she stopped by. That shows she cares about you, but don't even try telling me that's all that was."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say you're going to make it official."

"Make what official?"

"C'mon, G. You and Anna. Make your relationship official."

"Who says we have a relationship?"

"Really, G? You're going there even after everything that's happened since Belarus?"

Callen shrugged his shoulders and Sam looked at him with exasperation. Callen took a sip and leaned against the counter. "I know that face," Callen said as he took another sip and waited. "You're going to give me a talk, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not going to 'give you a talk,' but I want to know what you're afraid of, G."

"I'm not afraid of anything. No, that's not true. I don't like needles; I don't know that that's the same as being afraid of needles. I am afraid of sharks, though."

"Be serious."

"I am being serious. You know I don't like needles and that I'm afraid of sharks."

"Why are you afraid to admit that you and Anna are in a relationship? She obviously loves you, and it's obvious that you love her."

"I don't know that it's obvious, and I don't know that I love her."

"You may not know it, but I know it, and I'm telling you, G, you love her. What I just saw, that's what love looks like."

"Maybe it was just lust," Callen suggested, but Sam wasn't having any of it.

"Right. So how many other women have you been lusting during the past six months?" Callen doesn't say anything. "See? Sorry, G, but that's love." He waited for Callen to deny it again, but when he didn't, Sam continued. "And I think you know it, G. I think Anna knows it, too, but you need to make the first move. I know it's tough for you. It's tough for you to let people in, to let people get close to you, but sometimes it just happens, G. To be honest, I think Anna's a lot like you that way. Neither one of you opens up to others without a fight. That may be one reason you're in love."

"Stop saying I'm in love."

"Don't fight it, partner. Love happens." Sam waited for Callen's response, but there wasn't one. "I don't believe it. My partner, G. Callen, a man who's been shot, stabbed, burned, beaten, poisoned, and worse is afraid of being in a serious romantic relationship."

"I'm not afraid of a serious romantic relationship. I'm just not sure that I'm in one."

"Trust me. You are. Relationships of any kind aren't easy, and romantic ones even more so. Michelle and I have had rough times, but the good times so far outweigh the rough times that I've never ever regretted our relationship. And I know that Michelle feels the same way."

"You and Michelle are special, Sam. You're relationship is one-of-a-kind."

"Thanks, partner, but we're not and it's not. Every relationship is special and every relationship is one-of-a-kind. And if you're ready for that, that's what I want for you because there's nothing better."

Both stood silent for a moment, and then Callen took a sip, looked at his partner, and shrugged. "You may be right."

Sam nodded, "I am right. Trust me. The 'thing' that I see between you and Anna is serious."

They walked to the front door, and as Sam started to leave, Callen stopped him. "How did you know that Michelle was the one?"

Sam thought for a moment and smiled when he answered, "I knew Michelle was the one when I couldn't imagine waking up or going to sleep without her. But everybody's different." Sam put his hand on his partner's shoulder. "You already know, G. Maybe it's time to take that leap."

"And were you ready?" Callen asked.

Sam smiled, "I think I was as ready as anyone can be, G." Then he walked out to his car. When he drove away, Callen closed the door and walked back to the kitchen. He knew Sam was right. He knew and pretty soon he'd have to make sure Anna knew. And then he rolled his eyes because once Anna knew, then Arkady would know. Callen muttered to himself, "I don't have much luck with fathers."

When Deeks got out to the car that morning, he found Kensi in the passenger seat.

"Hey, aren't you in the wrong seat?"

"It's your turn to drive this morning. I have some work to do on the way."

"We've never taken turns driving to work."

"Then it's time we started."

"But I don't drive us to work. You do."

"Not today, I don't. And maybe not tomorrow, either."

It was obvious that Kensi wasn't going to move, so Deeks walked around and got behind the wheel. "I just want you to know that if I hear any backseat driving comments from your side of the car, I'm going to park and call for an Uber ride."

"Shut up and drive, Deeks."

As he started to pull out of the driveway, Deeks hit the brakes, and Kensi jerked forward into her seatbelt.

"Deeks!"

He turned to her and smiled, "I know what this is all about. I know why your knickers are in such a tidy twist."

"I don't wear knickers, and if I did, they wouldn't be in a twist, tidy or otherwise."

"This is about the paternity test, isn't it?" Deeks turned suddenly serious. "I told you it's nothing."

"You think possibly having a child that you don't know about is nothing?"

"Kensi, I told you. The only reason Sandra sued me for child support is because her husband died in an accident, and now she wants someone to help her with child support."

"But you're taking the paternity test because you had sex with her years ago."

"I'm taking the paternity test to prove I'm not the child's father because I don't believe I am. And you're right. I had sex with Sandra years ago when I worked with LAPD and long before I met you or even knew that NCIS existed. I can't take that back now."

"But what if he is your son?"

"Let's talk about that if that proves to be the case. Until then, there's nothing to talk about." Deeks finished pulling out of the driveway and they were on their way to work. After a few miles, Kensi looked up from her work.

"And the next time some woman from your past sues you for child support?"

"C'mon, Kensi," Deeks moaned, clearly exasperated. "How many women do you think I've had sex with? Don't answer that." He glanced at her, but she wasn't smiling. "No other woman from my past is going to sue me for child support."

"You're absolutely sure?"

There was just the slightest pause before Deeks snuck a peek at Kensi. "No. I can't absolutely promise that another woman might not . . . ."

Kensi gave him a look that could make hair fall out and interrupted him, "Just drive, Deeks."

They drove the rest of the way to work in silence.