InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "See you in hell, dinner plate!"

Robert Callen (r_callen) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2013-03-22 15:43:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2013 03, character: marty deeks, character: robert callen

RP: Robert and Deeks
Who: Robert and Deeks
Where: safe house
When: March 22, 2013
Summary: Robert wants to talk to Deeks about Savannah

Robert knew chain of command, possibly better than Deeks. He'd lived it all of his adult life. It was probably why he had never been interested in stepping into that chain of command in this dimension. This and the fact that Air Force pilots were carefully picked, while this people gave him a headache. In a way, it was very very good that Deeks was in charge. He had the patience and personality that worked with this riffraff, but that could backfire, like in this case.

He waited for right before they were starting back after lunch to catch with Deeks. "Walk with me," he said without preamble. He left chitchat to others. He walked far away that no one but Mike could hear them. "You're doing a very good job in G's place," he started, because he doubted that Vance ever bothered with things like that, but he knew that criticism was taken a lot better if you told your men what they did right. "You're flexible, mixing styles with Reese, and you're integrating the new people well." There was also a lot of problems, but that wasn't his concern. Vance could deal with them or they'd become apparent with time. "There is one little problem. Your wife. You need to keep an eye on her. I know you trust her and I know she has a tendency to downplay her problems, but she's too big, Deeks. She wants to train people, she can do it without the practical demonstrations. Hell, she's too big to babysit five kids at this point. Her back must be killing her on Fridays. She should have been off the field weeks ago. One day, we might get a competent doctor, but until then, you're going to have to be the bad guy here."

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deeks_marty
2013-03-23 03:24 am UTC (link)

Marty was expecting a problem when Robert wanted to talk. It wasn't like they talked all that much other than at family dinners. But, he wasn't expecting him to bring up that very particular problem. And he didn't know what he could really say that wouldn't get him in trouble with someone. There was no win in this situation.

Ironically, this would have been about the time he went to Sam for advice. But, there was no one left who could give the kind of advice Sam had. So, all he did was nod. "I'll talk to her. I wasn't aware she was doing so much physical demonstration. But I should have been. Thanks. Was there anything else?"

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r_callen
2013-03-23 03:42 am UTC (link)

Robert nodded. "You weren't aware." Right now, Deeks sounded like one of his pilots looking for a way out. "You've been on top of things with all the new people, and you weren't aware that your wife, the woman who barely gave birth before going back to work, who did SEAL training before it was mandatory, who actually enjoyed SEAL training, you weren't aware that she'd be doing so much physical demonstrations. Did you forget who she is?" Robert asked.

Anyone else, and he'd be gone already, but Deeks wasn't getting off so easy. He might not be able to drill her and upset her in this stage of the pregnancy, but he had no problem questioning Deeks. "Would this have anything to do with the polite interaction you two have at dinner? You were doing a good imitation of me and Kensi. What's going on, Deeks? Because you might be in charge, but that's G's little girl. He's not here, but I know he likes you, which is why you get the benefit of the doubt." He stopped and looked at Deeks. "She's pregnant, two kids under a year old, being in charge, it's more than hard. I know my brother helped shape how this team works, but G had his family to support him when things got hard. Not just Sam, but Savannah, me, you. You have a family, too, and when you can turn to Savannah, there are others. I'm not telling you to come to me, but I am saying the door is open, if you need it, and if not, talk to someone else, because if you hurt her and do nothing to stop it, I will kill you."

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deeks_marty
2013-03-23 06:03 am UTC (link)

"Nothing to stop it?" It was actually Marty who stopped so he could turn to glare at Robert. "Have I really given you the impression that I sit back and just let things happen to her? Ever? Just because I don't share every time I try to do something about it, anything to keep her safe and happy, don't think for one minute that I'm sitting around just letting shit happen. She may be your brother's daughter, but that woman is everything to me. Clear enough?"

Running a hand tiredly through his hair, he shook his head. "I don't know that I can talk about it, with anyone, what there is to say that won't just make things worse for the mere fact I'm talking to anyone about it. I...have no idea what's going on in her mind right now and every time I try to figure it out, I just make it worse. Honestly? If they were here, I'd have shown up at Sam's door before now, looking for advice because she's so like your brother and if there's anyone who knows how to handle G, it's Sam. But, if they were here, I really don't think we'd be having this problem. But, she doesn't want to hear that, either. So, thank you...but I really think I'd only end up making it worse and upset her more by talking about it with anyone else."

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r_callen
2013-03-23 02:28 pm UTC (link)

Robert smirked, because the answer was telling, and he didn't really care about hurting Deeks, but protecting Savannah. "It's clear enough, and good enough. You know I wasn't joking when I said he likes you, but more than that, he trusts you, but I' not above giving you a wake up call if you need it."

He nodded "Fair enough. So you can stay silent and won't betray her and I can talk. She can't blame you for that. She could blame me, but-" He shrugged, completely unworried about that part. "I might not know G the way Sam does, but I do know a few things about him, things that she seems to be doing as well. When they are like this, you can talk until you're blue in the face, and it's never going to work. They pull back, close up, you know behind those polite smiles, or smirks, as the case might be. When G gets like that." Something that had been happening for a while before they disappeared. "Look at Sam. He's slightly closer, touching and not touching more than usual. It's minimal with them, because... well because it's them. You don't need subtle with Savannah, but a sledge hammer. Don't let her pull back. She doesn't want to talk, don't. Keep her close, hug her, hand those kids to me, Sean, someone so she can't use them as barrier between the two of you. Remind her that you're still here for when she is ready to talk. Talking with her isn't really going to do the trick, not if she is like G. Come to the house at night. Eat home, and then come over and watch the games. Come with them, stay, let all of us help you with this. No words, no explanations, just lots of hugs... from Sean and Troy. I can give you beer."

Robert squeezed Deeks' shoulder. "We're here even for things not dealing with Savannah. No details needed. We all understand need to know around here."

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deeks_marty
2013-03-25 10:51 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, maybe he shouldn't," Marty replied darkly. Considering how much Savannah seemed to think he was doing things wrong because things weren't exactly as they had been before, maybe G and Sam had been completely wrong to think Marty could do this.

He considered what Robert was saying, but Marty also knew he was too mad at her himself to be able to play the white knight and loving husband. Or maybe not mad, but hurt enough to be indistinguishable. The thought of cozing up to her to make her feel better just made him angry. And, yet, he knew it probably also meant he was a shitty husband who couldn't prove that he really did love her. Then again, he wasn't sure she'd even respond the way Robert suggested. Given some of the things that had come out of her mouth lately, he thought she was far more likely to dismiss it as an act on his part. It was all just so much of a mess and Marty dismissed a thousand things he could say in favor of another nod and sigh.

It was Robert, after all, and hopefully Marty didn't have to keep that goofy good-natured routine up for him when Marty really wasn't feeling it.

"Sure. I'll try it. I mean, it can't possibly do any more damage than trying to talk to her has. Thanks." He huffed quietly. "Beer sounds really good. But, I think I'll pass. It sounds a little too good, if you know what I mean?"

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r_callen
2013-03-26 12:16 am UTC (link)

"Bullshit," Robert answered. "You are doing a good job, Deeks. Are you perfect? No, of course not. No one expects you to, but you're taking over for four people, at a time when we're getting new people and dealing with changing conditions. You're doing the best you can, and that's all you can do. If you start doubting yourself, you won't be able to do anything at all. You can't afford whatever it's going on in your head. We can't afford it. If you do have doubts, then Savannah or not, you need to find a way to talk to someone. "

Robert looked around, double checking that no one was moving closer. "Look, I know that I've never been the most helpful when it comes to this team, but I've led my own squadron. I know how hard it gets and I had the Air Force behind me, I had rules and regulations and I had people who wanted to be there. This is ten times harder for you. One, you have a different personality. Two, we built up to that level. You've pretty much been thrown there. Three, you will never be perfect at this, because there is no way to do that, but don't let it get to you and don't let it spill over into your private life. Make rules, decide what you can and can't discuss with your wife, but don't let command ruin what you have."

He nodded. "I know what you mean, but you can still talk to me. Or someone else. You might want to talk to Sam, but he's not here, and you'll have to find someone else. I'm not even saying it because of Savannah, but because I know what command does to a person."

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deeks_marty
2013-03-26 05:39 pm UTC (link)

Marty regarded Robert silently for a long moment, wondering what to say, what he could say. How he could explain that the problem was this job wasn't who he was. He didn't lead. He didn't take teenage boys to prostitutes. He didn't kill people who didn't even know he was there. He was a cop. A regular detective who helped keep trash off the streets, who didn't want to be promoted to where he started counting other people's collars as his accomplishments, and who arrested the prostitutes and killers. He wasn't judge, jury, and executioner.

But, that was what this job required.

And his wife was pissed when he was nice and tried to help people, tried to find that balance in who he was again, because he couldn't tell her any of this and he-

"I don't doubt who I am," he said after a moment more, shaking his head. "That's the problem. I'm a different person. It's not just a different personality. I'm not a politician or an agent or a spy or military. I'm a cop and a damned good one. I might have Sam and G's training, but not their way of thinking. And maybe the problem isn't that I'm letting things spill over, but that I've kept everything that's wrong so locked down my wife doesn't even know there's anything wrong in the first place. And I can't tell her or anyone else any of it."

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r_callen
2013-03-26 07:16 pm UTC (link)

"Can't you?" Robert said. "Listen, Deeks, half of my service record is a lie, or at least a very crafted version of the truth to protect some of the things I did. I was in Area 51 for almost five years. There were other pilots there, and everything we did was covered by national security, but some of those pilots had wives and there are ways to get around things."

He sighed. "Look, I know for G, it's an absolute, but that's because they bring paranoia to a different level, but honestly, with the life we life, you need to tell someone. You don't have to give the details and still be able to talk about it. You don't say this plane with this classification has a problem with the computer system that would allow an enemy radar to lock in and kill us without us even knowing it. You can tell your wife that you've been flying this new plane and if they don't fix it, it's going to be a dead trap. The first is a violation of national security and treason. The second isn't. There is something wrong, then tell her. Tell her without the minutia. She's smart enough and she's lived this life for two years; she'll know not to press for the details. The people who didn't find that balance between talking to their wives and honoring national security were the ones who ended up with a divorce.

"You're a cop, you've done undercover, then you know how easy it is for cops to lose their families because it's easier to keep things inside." Robert clapped his arm. "You don't have to answer to me now, but think about it and hopefully talk to your wife."

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