*flexes fingers* It's been a while since I've uploaded anything to , but here's my latest and my first to the NCIS:LA archives. This story has been nagging at me for a while now, so, I gave in and started writing... Much to the dismay of the three assignments I have waiting. (Final year of University, Major in Literature and Composition). This is a two part fic, with part of the story happening today and part of the story happening eight years ago. There are no specific couples in this story, maybe a little Kensi and Deeks, but Callen is sort of with my OC character. I hope you enjoy.

Anja ^_^

Chapter 1

Callen could hear them before they even rounded the corner into their small bullpen. Kensi and Deeks were at it again and the day had barely started. He looked up at Sam. "How about I pick Kensi up tomorrow and you pick up Deeks? We might get some quiet around here."

Sam chuckled as he watch the two continue their fight all the way to their desks. "So, what did it this morning?" he asked.

"Deeks is the most annoying, irritating and childish person I've ever known!" Kensi spat.

"And she's the most stuck-up, tight-assed, annoying woman I've ever met!" Deeks shot back.

Sam and Callen glanced at each other. It was going to be a bad one. Callen sighed, then looked back to the paperwork, that Hetty had been breathing down his neck to get done. There was silence for a whole two minutes until Deeks decided it was a great idea to lob paper balls at his partner.

"You little-" she started, but was cut off from continuing by the whistle that came from above.

They were out of their seats and heading up to Ops before the argument could get any further. Callen made it up first and clapped Eric on the shoulder. "You just saved us from us from a Kensi and Deeks fight. Thank you."

Eric looked from Callen, to the two fuming Agents, back to Callen. "Uh, you re welcome."

They gathered around the central table in Ops as Eric and Nell dove into their presentation of their latest case.

"Meet Navy Reservist, Petty Officer Calvin Weis. He was murdered this morning at his civilian place of employment, the Santa Monica Hotel, where he s a bellhop," Eric started.

"He was found in the suit of one of the guests at nine oh seven last night. She called 911," Nell continued. "Petty officer Weis had been shot three times."

Eric took over. "The description of the scene from the witness, before the cops arrived is almost to specific for a civilian. She described everything, without even flinching. LAPD suspect some involvement on her behalf."

"The witness, a woman from Australia, named Tallulah Price-" Callen cut Nell off.

"Your witness is Tallulah Price?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Nell replied.

"Precise report of the scene, too. Do you have a picture of her?" he asked.

Nell looked down at the tablet in her hand and searched through the data the LAPD had sent them. "Here," she said. "Tallulah Price," she said as she swept the picture onto the large screen.

Callen walked around the table to stand before the picture of the woman. She was in her late twenties to early thirties, with medium length black hair. Her complexion was a pale Olive colour, hinting at some mixed race heritage. Callen turned away from the piercing blue eyes to look at the others. "She is a cop, that s why she didn t panic."

"You know her?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah. Eight years ago she was undercover in the Australian National Ballet. To keep her cover, she had to come to LA. Witnessed a murder then too," Callen explained, "glancing back at the picture, then smirked. Kind of like you and Kensi when you first met, both identities were good, but you both knew their was something off about the other. I caught her following me one night," then added, "Barely."

"What is she doing here now?" Sam asked.

"I don t know. Why don t we go ask her?" Callen suggested. "He turned to leave, Sam and the others with him, but he turned back to Eric. Eric, keep an eye out on the reports of Gordon Howl."

"The man who killed a Navy Lieutenant at the arts centre eight years ago?" Nell asked. "He broke out of prison a few days ago. He s a fugitive."

"Yeah. It s a little suspicious that he broke out of jail the same week the woman who put him there comes back to LA," Callen finished.