Chapter 1
Arkady looked sadly at the anger and hurt on Callen's face.
This was not how it was supposed to go, why couldn't he understand it was and had always been for the safety of the Callen's.
"YOU LIED!" Callen yelled, causing Sam to step back in horror as the venom Callen was aiming towards a man, whom although he would not publicly admit to as friend had been one in all but name for as long as he had known both men.
Arkady looked sadly at Callen.
"I Never lied, Everything I have told you is the truth….Especially the part where I told you you were not ready to know everything I knew yet."
"THIS is not something you should have kept from me….YOU KNEW how important this was to me…." Callen turned away, he hadn't needed anyone before and he sure as hell didn't need anyone now.
Sam went to stand behind his partner, ready to back him up if needed while whatever this was played out.
He had been on the bridge of the large container ship (Arkady's yacht) as the coast guard took off the men who had stolen the ship and it's contents.
Callen and Arkady had been on the now deserted bridge while Kensi and Deeks freed the rest of the crew from a room in the crew quarters of the ship.
He had waved the helicopter away and as the sound of the helicopter receded he had heard raised voices from the bridge and fearing that one of the terrorists had been missed he had ran up the stairs and found himself in the middle of what looked like a heated argument.
"Callen….I…." Arkady reached to touch him on the shoulder.
"Don't!" Callen pulled away and walked to the large main window looking out at the turbulent see that mirrored his thoughts right now.
How could Arkady know but he hadn't…? How long had Arkady been watching him?
The most pressing question was Why hadn't he told him?
Arkady shot a 'give him some space' look to Sam who glowered at the Russian.
"How long?" Callen asked looking at the phone in Arkady's hand and the picture on it.
"Since before she was born," Arkady admitted.
"Does...does she know….about me?" he asked still not looking at him.
"She does." Arkady said as Callen finally turned.
Sam was shocked as his partners eyes brimmed with tears.
"And does she know who you are?...I mean who you are to me?" He asked.
Arkady nodded, "I raised her."
"Every Time I have been at your home, every time we have worked together, every time we have talked….Not once did you bother to say anything!" He snapped.
"I...I needed you to ask me." Arkady said again reaching out for Callen who again took a step back.
"I did ask you." Callen snarled the anger evident to everyone in the room.
"No….no you didn't….You asked me if anyone had ever told me they were your father. I told you the truth, no one had ever introduced themselves to me as your father."
"That's semantics!" Callen snapped. "Of course no one would, then would have been the perfect time for you to tell me!"
Arkady shook his head, "The perfect time for me maybe, but not for you….I meant what I said, this is what I was trying so hard to avoid….you are not ready to know everything yet."
"I know enough!" Callen snapped back.
"I now know my father is a spineless bastard who kept close enough to keep tabs on my life but couldn't take that one step to be there for me as a parent. You know what I would NEVER knowingly do that to a child." He walked away almost pushing Sam out of the way in his haste to leave the bridge of the ship and get away from the Russian.
"Callen….I….I am sorry." Arkady said genuinely contrite.
"Slishkom malen'kiy, Slishkom pozdno!" Callen snapped and walked out leaving a devastated Arkady standing on the bridge holding onto a counter for support as his legs wanted to collapse under him and a confused but concerned Sam looking at his retreating back.
