Inspired by the Callen's Cars article in the NCIS:LA Magazine.
Callen's Cars.
The first time Sam noticed it, his challenger was in the shop. Callen offered to pick him up and Sam gave him a look. "You don't have an apartment, your living in a flop house but you have a car?" He said astonished.
Callen shrugged, but yet there he was, 7 a.m. the next morning in a Mercedes Benz, brand new and shiny waiting to pick him up.
"Nice," Sam commented getting in the car and settling down enjoying the ride to work. "Yours?" He asked.
"Kinda," That was it, nothing more and he drove into work.
A month later the challenger lost its back window in a shoot out, Sam took the car into the garage and stormed into the bullpen in a mood.
"A week!" he said slumping into his chair, "It's gonna take a week to fix her, and three days for a courtesy car to be available."
"I'll give ya a lift home." Callen offered heading through to Hetty's office carrying a cup of tea.
"You're taking that into Hetty's office?" Sam said noticing the teabag label hanging on the outside of the cup, Callen smirked and carried on walking, knowing that this drink would rile up the diminutive operations manager.
Sam rolled his eyes, some days Callen just could not be helped.
But come the end of the day there he was, outside the mission leaning against a Jaguar XK, it was he knew more expensive than the Merc, and he still couldn't figure it out… giving Callen a look he climbed into the car.
"Nice ride, had it long?" he asked prodding.
"Not long," he said non-committally.
"Expensive?" he tried again.
Callen shrugged, "Suppose."
Sam sighed he still wasn't getting anywhere.
He did enjoy the smooth ride of the car now and secretly hoped his car was off the road again soon so he could ride in this car again.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow and give you a ride home." Callen offered.
"OK," Sam said his face straight until Callen had driven off, then his face split into a huge grin as he entered his house.
Seven am on the dot Callen was there with the Jaguar again.
Sam slid into the passenger seat and actually fell asleep on the smooth ride into work. He had a book with him, which he had thought he needed today, but realizing he didn't he decided to leave it in the car.
"Sam….your book?" Callen prompted.
"I'll pick it up later."
"Won't be here later." He said and walked off
Sam picked up his book and followed.
He knew it, something was going on. "G…are you getting these cars from the motor pool?" he asked slightly annoyed as they wouldn't let him have one.
"You think the motor pool could afford those?" Callen replied as they walked into the mission.
They got on with their day, Sam shooting Callen looks every five minutes, "What!" Callen said about four hours later as he caught his partner looking.
Sam leaned forward, "I just don't get it? I tried helping you get an apartment you couldn't afford one, you didn't want to rent, but you pay out for Motel rooms, and you drive cars like those…Are you working for Arkady Kolcheck part time?" Sam asked, thinking of the Russian whose home they had visited the day before, Callen had certainly seemed comfortable in his company.
"No!" Callen laughed, "Not even undercover would I work for Arkady, his rates of pay are lousy."
Sam was an investigator, he would get this.
Callen laughed and walked off to the gym, stopping for a second to lean over and say something to Hetty.
"On dumayet, chto ya rabotayu Arkadiyu za vashey spinoy." Callen said and Hetty laughed.
"Kak yesli by vy mogli sdelat' chto-nibud' u menya za spinoy, synok."Hetty replied.
Callen nodded glancing in Sam's direction and smirking at his partners look of confusion.
"Mogu li ya imet' novuyu mashinu posle rabochego?" He asked.
Hetty nodded, "Da. Ne poymitetsarapiny na nem !" she said shooting him a glare.
"Scouts honor," He said backing away with his hands up.
She raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Callen you were never a boy scout." She smiled as he grabbed the keys off her desk and pocketed them without so much as a jingle.
Sam watching Callen talk to Hetty was sidetracked as his phone rang.
Taking the call he quietly got back on with his day.
By the end of the day Callen leant against Sam's desk twirling his car keys.
"Ready partner?" he asked.
Sam sighed, "Yeah…I hate paperwork, I'm glad today is over," He said, grabbing his sidearm and badge and heading for the door, "Where'd you park."
"Out front." Callen replied.
Sam took three steps out the door and stopped.
"No….No way!" he said shocked.
"Ready?" Callen asked as he got in the car.
"It's an Aston Martin….A flipping Aston Martin Rapide….There is no way on this earth you could afford this!" Sam was totally floored.
"And yet, it's me driving it." Callen replied with a smirk.
All the way home Sam kept touching the interior bodywork, "She's beautiful,"
"You two want a room?" Callen asked and then sighed as Sam continued to reel him off stats about the car.
Pulling up outside Sam's house Callen waved to Michelle who was watering the flowers in the front garden.
"I see you have your car back," Callen said looking at the Challenger in Sam's driveway, "You can pick me up tomorrow." He grinned, "Here," He handed Sam a business card from the new motel he was staying in.
"Moved again?" Sam sighed,
"No Parking," Callen grinned.
Sam watched as Callen drove off and then jumped in his car, "I'll be back soon!" he called to Michelle as he peeled out of his driveway.
Following about seven cars behind he kept Callen in his sights, "If he's in trouble, someone's gotta keep an eye on him." He reasoned.
Callen pulled up outside a large house and keyed an entry code into a keypad.
Sam got out of his car and scooted through the gap as the gates closed.
He got to the house and pulled his gun, the car was outside, but there was no sign of Callen.
Sam entered the hallway and saw Callen's shoes just inside the door.
Hearing voices down the hall he carried on, He saw Callen in the kitchen leaning over the counter and putting his hand in a bowl.
"Ow!" Callen said as a wooden spoon rapped him on the knuckles.
"You will wait, Callen, it will be ready soon enough." A familiar voice came, "Maybe Mr. Hanna would like to have something to drink, and you could make him some of your ghastly coffee."
Sam pulled up, how anyone could know he was there.
Callen laughed, "I was wondering if the gates had closed on him, Coffee Sam, Ma's making cookies."
"For after dinner, Mr. Callen," Hetty smiled as she walked around to the oven.
Sam stood his mouth agape.
"Ma? Cookies?"
Hetty smiled, "like Ms Hunter, and Agent Sullivan, Mr. Callen is one of my foster kids from way back. Sometimes he comes home for a good meal, not often enough if you ask me." She said.
"The cars…they're yours?" Sam asked taking the coffee and sitting at the counter.
"Do you think I would lend my cars to just anyone Mr. Hanna." Hetty replied.
Knowing that by letting Sam into this part of his life, Callen in his own way was trusting, just that little bit more.
Translations.
He thinks I am working for Arkady behind your back
As if you could do something behind my back, son.
Can I borrow the new car?
Yes. Do not get a scratch on it.