Roses are Red, Violets are Blue

I arrived for work on this glorious sunny day in Southern California at 7:00 AM. It would be a warm day but not hot like later in the year. My boss was ready to head out to her job as a teacher so she left me in charge of getting her mob ready for the day.

I am the nanny for Sara Callen and her husband G Callen. I take care of their three children. Gretchen is in the second grade and the twins, Jarrett and Kendyl are four years old. It is my job to care for them and to get them ready for kindergarten. Since I am a retired kindergarten teacher I guess I fit the bill.

Gretchen was up and dressed. She needed to finish her breakfast and pack her backpack. Today she needed to make sure her valentines were in the front pocket. It grew close to 8:00AM and I ushered her out the front door to wait for the bus. It arrived five minutes later and she was off for the day. I returned to the kitchen to clean up and take the kids in to clean them up and get them dressed. The rest of the morning we spent making Valentine cards for mommy and daddy. Jarrett even made one for my husband and me. He is such a little imp. I'd bet his dad was like this as a child. Kendyl is a quiet child, more like her mom than her dad.

Noon time came and we ate lunch on the patio and I had the kids go in for their naps. Of course, Jarrett fought me on it but it was the rule and he went anyway. Kendyl was already asleep.

I went out to make a cup of tea and the doorbell rang. I went to answer it and a strange man stood there. He was older, with gray hair. He also was a little paunchy. He was dressed in an expensive suit and nice shoes. "Yes, may I help you?" I looked past him to the limousine parked by the curb.

He just looked at me and hesitated. "I need Agent Callen."

I had been instructed before to never acknowledge that Callen lived here. "I'm sorry. You have the wrong house."

He grew agitated. "I know he lives here. I've been here before."

I began to recognize an accent but couldn't quite place it. "I said he doesn't live here anymore."

The man took on a nervous twitch and began to walk away. He looked back at the house and me. "I'll be back later."

Again the accent bothered me. It was from Europe somewhere but where? I went back into the house and called Callen to tell him about the "visitor."

The children woke from their nap and were in the yard playing. I sat on the bench watching them and reading. When I looked up our earlier visitor was standing there. "Excuse me, what are you doing here?"

He sat at the table and said nothing. He just looked at the children playing.

The doorbell rang and I had the children come with me. I didn't want to leave them with him. When I got inside Callen was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. He realized that since the children were with me there was someone in the yard. I nodded and took the children to their room to play.

He looked past me to the yard and then had me pack up the kids and take them to pick up Gretchen.

When Susan and the kids had left Callen went to the yard to confront his 'guest.' "Well Arkady, what is so important you have to come to my house? I thought that I told you to call me."

Arkady Kolchek looked at his old friend. He was here to deliver some inconvenient information to him. "Old friend, I wanted to talk to you face to face. There is someone looking for you and we all know what that means. They want you dead."

Callen sat up taller. The fact that Kolchek brought it to his house meant that his family was in danger. "Who and why now?"

Kolchek was aware that he had Callen's attention. "Janvier. He escaped a prison transport yesterday. He is on his way. You need to hide your family. They are welcome at my house."

Callen knew this would be the one time being good wouldn't be good enough. He'd have to be better than Janvier and this time he'd not be a chess player, he'd be a bastard. The man was after his family and that went beyond Callen's patience. Callen called Susan's cell phone and asked her to bring the children home. He then called his wife and left a message for her to call him. She called five minutes later. He told her not talk to anyone or go with anyone no matter what. He'd come to get her. Sara agreed and hung up.

Two hours later they are all introduced to Arkady and ensconced in his home. He has armed men patrolling his property at all times so their safety was not an issue. Callen went to talk to the team.

Being at home alone had become uncomfortable for Callen. He was used to the pitter-patter of small feet and the loud noises that go with them. They'd even had a dog once but Kendyl was allergic so he had to go. They had named him Buddy. He is now living with Deeks and Kensi. Monty was getting up there in years so they brought him a friend. Callen thought about Sara and the first time she was in this house. It went from protection to love overnight. Then the Comescus tore it apart. He found her in Rhode Island and married her. Then they moved back to Los Angeles with Gretchen. They spent a lot of time reacquainting themselves with the team. It drove the team to realize that life is too short to not be with the one you love. First Kensi and Deeks made it official and then Eric and Nell took the plunge. While he thought about family he heard a scratching at the front door lock. He pulled his Sig Sauer from his back and aimed at the front door. It opened slowly.

In walked Henrietta Lange. "Mr. Callen, I am glad to see you are prepared but would you please lower your weapon?"

Callen let out the breath he'd been holding. "Hetty, what are you doing here? You could have gotten yourself shot. I am waiting for, Janvier."

Hetty chuckled. "I know but I have news for you. Janvier is dead. The Oklahoma State Police just called to tell us and since your cell is shut off I came by to tell you."

Callen wore an incredulous look. "Janvier is dead? How? Are we sure it was him?"

Hetty smiled and sat down. "Yes Mr. Callen. I requested photos to be taken and sent to me. He's gone, dead, finished. Go and get your family and bring them home. Oh and thank Arkady for me."

Callen nodded and headed for the door. "Oh, would you do something for me?"

Hetty looked up. "What do you need Mr. Callen?"

"A dozen red roses, I've been a little busy today." He smirked as he said it. "I've got the gift just need the roses."

"Consider it done Mr. Callen." Hetty smiled after him as he went for his family.

Hetty went to her car, pushed the seat forward and took out two dozen red roses for her "daughter-in-law" and a bottle of champagne and took them into the kitchen and arranged them for the loving couple.

She left with a big grin on her face and a happy feeling in her heart.