Just the Way you Are

Baby Talk

At home

'How'd the meeting go?' Hetty asked.

'Boring, as usual. Your day good?' Granger responded.

'Yes. Sigh.'

'You okay?'

'I overheard Miss Blye talking about having a baby, and I don't know, I just got really unhappy.'

'Because you're worried about her?'

'No. I think it's because, um. I'd rather not say.' Hetty responded, sounding embarrassed.

'It's because you're too old to have a baby, right?'

'How'd you guess'?

'Well, you brought up the baby thing, just seemed kind of obvious.'

'I know. It seems silly, given how I'm basically the mom to a team of agents. But, I have sometimes wondered what it would be like for us if I wasn't too old to have a baby.' Hetty said.

'You mean waking up in the middle of the night when it's crying, changing dirty diapers, being on alert for it when it's awake? Why would I want to do that?'

'So, what you just said, means that if I was younger and wanted kids, you wouldn't marry me?'

'What?! What's that got to do with anything?!'

Sounding insulted, 'Never mind. I'm going upstairs.'

Next day at work

Granger told Deeks what had happened.

'Dude. To her, you basically said you wouldn't marry her if she wanted a baby. That's wrong.' Deeks said.

'Maybe I did mean that. Look, I had a bad experience taking care of a baby a long time ago, including with it's mom who was always on edge. And the thought of seeing Hetty like that, scared me. And, maybe I did find it a bit weird that she was unhappy because she's old to have a baby, because well, look at this team. You all basically act like overgrown children most of the time!' Granger responded.

'Good points. But you really should talk to her, and listen carefully to what she has to say, because the kid topic can be a sensitive one.'

I will.'

That night, at home

'I'm sorry about last night. I'm willing to listen to what's really the issue with you not being able to have a baby and being sad about it.' Granger said.

'Sigh. Years ago, I started wondering what it would be like to have a baby with someone. But I also knew my chances of being married were low because well, my past and my secret keeping. Then yesterday, when I overheard what Miss Blye was saying, I then started thinking silly things, like, maybe you wouldn't want to be with me because I couldn't have a kid.' Hetty said, depressed.

'Whoa. 1st off, I love you for reasons that have zero to do with the 'too old to have kids' issue. 2Nd, even if you weren't too old, I'd still love you just the same!'

'Another thing that makes me sad is, I keep thinking of myself taking care of a baby, and knowing I'd be good at it. Then I remember that I can't have a baby, and it depresses me sometimes.' Hetty said, sadly.

Gently squeezing her hand, 'I et it. I sometimes feel sad when I think of how I missed out on my own kid's childhood.'

'Sigh.'

Silence.

'Maybe you can ask Kensi if you can babysit for her someday. And um, try to remember that the team can act like a bunch of overgrown children sometimes. It might help with the sadness.'

'I'll ask. And yes, I know how silly everyone can act!'

'So, we're good?'

'We're good.' Hetty responded.

'Nice to hear.'