Callen Wakes
The Office of Special Projects (OSP) was full of busy people going about their daily lives. The team was just settling in for the day when a shrill whistle caught everyone's attention. Eric Beale, one of their technical analyst, was standing at the top of the stairs. They knew what he was doing to say before he said it.
Sure enough, they hear him say, "case on deck."
Sam Hanna reached Eric first since he took the stairs three at a time. Sams partner "G" (Grisha) Callen was right behind, taking the stairs two at a time. The teams two junior agents Kensi Blye and LA Police Liaison Detective Marty Deeks brought up the rear.
When the two teams of agents walked into their Operations Center (OP's) they were greeted by their tiny, yet incredibly intimidating boss Hetty (Henrietta) Lange and their newest co-worker Harley Hidoko who were already there waiting. The agents were followed closely by the Executive Director of OSP, Shea Mosley.
When everyone came in they were briefed on their new case by Mosley: Last night a shipment of weapons was stolen from Camp Pendleton. When Callen asked what type of weapons were in the load, She motioned to the Technical Analysts Eric and the other side of the "Wonder Twins" Nell Jones to elaborate. Eric and Nell took turns listing the weapons: M-16's, RPG Launchers, Grenadines, Land Mines, Prima-cord, Blasting Caps, Detonators, weapons-grade C-4, among other things. "WOW" was the only thing that the group could say.
Hetty responded with "that is enough weapons to start a small war." "We cannot lose this shipment, we have to bring it back."
Callen asks the Wonder Twins if they have any witnesses? A question to which Nell response with "yes, there was one witness."
Callen being the team leader told the junior team of Kenzi and Deeks to go check out the crime scene.
"So you are going to interview the witness" inquired Nell.
Addressing Sam and Callen who respond with a simple nod.
Eric chimes in, "I sent the addresses to your phones."
Before they leave OP's both pairs put their COM's in their ears and do a sound check.
Getting into Sam's car which was a 2017 black Dodge Challenger they settled into companionable silence. A silence that was broken by an ambulance driving by with its sirens on.
When it passes them, Callen looks at Sam and says, "I wonder where they are going."
About five minutes later they arrive at the witness's address. They look at their phones and look up at the house to make sure that both addresses match.
Sam and Callen both approach the front door. When Callen knocks the door swings open. Both draw their SIG- Sauers at once. Weapons at the ready the pair quickly clear each room. Stopping only once. In the dining area just off the kitchen, they find their witness dead. Sam shakes his head at Callen when Sam checks for a pulse. They cleared the rest of the house a few minutes later. Sam tells Eric through COMs to, "call the Coroner, we have a dead body here."
While they were waiting for the coroner to arrive, they take a closer look at the body. The victim was shot in the back of the head. The bullet entered in the back of the head and exited out the front of the head. Based on the small amount of blood spatter, the position of the body, the direction the body is facing, the bullet hole in the sliding glass door and the raised edges on the inside they were safely able to deduce that the shooter shot the victim from outside.
"Probably a sniper," Callen comments to Sam.
The dining area was quite large, and the dining table was quite small, so a lot of room was open. Sam was in the kitchen. Callen starts to cross the empty space of the dining area. Looking up Sam sees the red dot of a laser sight on Callen's chest right above his heart. Before he could say the words, "sniper G, get down," two shots ring out. To Sams horror Callen crumbles to his knees then falls back onto his back. Grabbing a white dish towel, he rushes to his partner's side. Pressing the cloth into G's wounds, he attempts to stop the bleeding.
Eric and Nell were screaming into the COMs, " Sam... Callen... can you hear us. What happened".
The sounds of their voices snap Sam out of his daze.
He is finally able to get the words out. " G's been hit. I repeat G's been shot."
Those were the three words he prayed; he would never say again. OPS was silent.
Finally, Sam hears someone say "an ambulance is on its way and should be there in five minutes." Sam recognizes the voice, it was Hetty's.
Ten years ago to the day Callen was shot multiple times in a drive-by. He took five bullets and survived.
As Sam cradles G's head in his lap, he says " I can hear the ambulance coming. Hang on buddy help is coming".
Looking down at G he sees G take a deep breath. Then nothing. G stopped breathing. Frantically Sam checks for a radial pulse.
Finding no pulse, he screamed, " this can't be happening again."
Starting CPR on his best friend and partner and just hoping that G starts to breathe again. Sam knew G was not shot in the heart because G was breathing two minutes after the shots were fired.
About three minutes later the ambulance arrives on the scene. They introduced themselves as Bill Cassidy and Mary Jane Ross.
Bill asks Sam 'how long has your friend not been breathing".
Sam manages to tell them that "Callen stopped breathing a little over two minutes ago."
Sam was still giving G CPR. He was not going to stop till the medics had the de-defibrillator charged and ready. Mary orders Bill to charge to 200 joules. When Bill said charged and clear for a shock. Mary zaps G's heart. Bill checked for a pulse. Nothing. Charge to 250. They repeat the process. Again no response. Charge to 300. Yet no response. One more time okay. Charge to 300. Bill checks for a pulse and this time gets one. It was weak, but it was there. Still needing to get Callen breathing the medics intubate him so they can force oxygen into his lungs. Finally, Callen is stable enough to travel to the hospital.
Sitting in the ambulance, Sam flashes back to a decade ago when he was in this exact position.
Sam hears Bill radio ahead. "Dispatch notify county we are bringing in a multiple GSW. He's a federal agent".
Both Sam and Mary notice a small twitch in Callen's left hand. That slight twitch develops into a Grand Mal seizure. Mary reached for a vial of Lorazepam, sterile syringe, and a 22 gauge needle from the far drawer. The drug not only stops the seizure but it also stops Callen's heart. Again the medics shock his heart back into sinus rhythm. The ambulance finally arrives at the hospital. The paramedics brought him to Los Angeles County hospital since they have the best trauma center around.
One of the trauma doctors overhears the call. Telling the other trauma staff, "I got this one."
Having served in the military, Dr. Ethan Willis tends to go above and beyond for those who serve. He was a little older than a lot of his peers. Older, but still quite handsome. With a pair of baby blue eyes, the twinkled with mischievousness.
The ambulance pulls into the bay, and the doors fly open. Before Bill or Mary could say anything, Ethan recognizes the man bleeding before him.
Sam could barely hear what Ethan was saying, "Callen what have you done to yourself."
Noticing the look on Sams' face he quickly tells the confused man that he knew Callen from back when Callen worked for the ATF, In fact, Callen saved his life once.
"This is it, it's my chance to repay you for saving my ass," Ethan quietly tells Callen.
Ethan quickly stabilized his old friend.
Very loudly Ethan shouts to a nurse above the noise of the trauma center. Inquiring if OR 1 was open. "Yes, OR 1 is open", replies the nurse.
"Get the Trauma Surgeon in here stat," orders Ethan.
Rolling Callen's gurney into the OR Ethan has to tell Sam that he couldn't go in. In what he hoped was a reassuring tone Ethan tells Sam, " Don't worry I will be with him the whole time, I owe this man my life so I will not give up on him."
Sam nods silently and releases the death grip he had on Callen's gurney.
The bullets missed Callen's heart by micrometers. They did, however, go through his left lung. Causing a Tension Pneumothorax. The surgeon needed to put in a one-way valve to let the trapped air out but not let outside air in. To do this, he had to put a large 14 gauge needle just above the left lung and feeding a catheter through. After traveling through the lung one bullet lodged itself near Callen's spine. The other bullet ricocheted off a rib. Bouncing around his body like a pinball machine. Causing massive soft tissue damage but miraculously missing all his other vital organs. Eventually stopping just above Callen's Large Intestine on his right side.
To repair the damage, the surgeon had to open Callen up from his left clavicle bone to his right pelvic bone. Locating the first bullet was easy. Removing it, however, was the tricky part. It was dangerously close to Callen's spine. With the first bullet removed they turned their attention to the other bullet. Cutting through muscle on a " treasure hunt" to find and tie off the veins and blood vessels that the bullet tore through. After all, Callen was losing blood as fast as they could put it in. Once they stopped the bleeding, they were able to locate the second bullet. Callen's heart stopped twice during the surgery, but they were able to shock it back into sinus rhythm.
Meanwhile, out in the hospital waiting room, Sam was pacing the full length of the room. Making the staff very nervous. Sam only stopped his pacing when the team walked in. The whole team was there. Hetty, Kenzi, Deeks, Eric, Nell, and Hidoko. Much to Sams surprise Mosley walked in a few minutes later. Hetty called Gibbs at the hospital. Sam could overhear the whole conversation. Hi, Gibbs, it's Hetty. Callen's been shot. How bad is it? It's bad. We're not sure he's going to make it. I'll be there in a few hours. See you then. Hopefully, Callen will survive. Hetty hangs up the phone. Seeing the shocked face of Sam, Hetty explains that Gibbs is listed as Callen's next of kin and Callen is Gibbs next of kin. They are very close.
Gibbs quickly called the lead FBI agent and dear friend Tobias Fornell. After explaining what happened Fornell offers Gibbs the FBI's G-5 jet. Telling Gibbs, it's fueled and ready to go. I was going to use it to fly to NYC for a meeting, but that is a quick drive by car. I'll drive to NYC, and you take the jet to LAX. I'll give the pilot a heads up on the change of plans. Go I'll take care of everything. "Thanks" Gibbs quickly says to his friend. On route to the airport, Gibbs calls Hetty to let her know that he would be there in a few hours. "A car will be waiting for you when you get here, Hetty says to Gibbs. Callen is at Los Angeles County General Hospital.
By the time Gibbs got there, Callen had been in surgery for four hours. It wasn't until Callen had been in surgery for six hours that Ethan came out to talk to Callen's " family." Ethan knew that Callen had no family by blood, but he had a family by choice. Since Callen was in law enforcement, Ethan ushered the team into a private room to debrief them. This is the protocol for Ethan anytime that law enforcers are injured.
Ethan began to explain what happened and why it took so long to repair the damage. "Both bullets missed Callen's heart by micrometers. They traveled through the lungs causing a Tension Pneumothorax. A Tension Pneumothorax is when air gets trapped in the space around the lungs. The pressure causes the injured lung to collapse. Untreated it will eventually cause the heart not to be able to beat. They had relieved the pressure that was building up in Callen's chest cavity. If pressure were not relieved Callen would suffocate".
The surgeon needed to place a 14 gauge needle into the second intercostal space. With the needle in place, the doctor put a catheter through. Then he removed the needle leaving the catheter in place. The pneumothorax needed a one-way valve to let the trapped out but not allow outside air getting in.
Ethan continued to explain the surgery to Callen's team. "The first bullet was easy to locate but complicated to remove. The bullet was very close to his spinal cord, but we were able to remove it. The second bullet was an entirely different story. Before the surgeon could remove it, they had to locate and tie off all the blood vessels and veins that the bullet tore through."
Noticing the confused look the team was giving him, he realized they didn't know the exact nature of Callen's injuries. "One bullet lodged itself near Callens spine the other ricocheted off a rib and ended up just above Callen's large intestines."
Hetty nodded her head in understanding.
Ethan continued with his explanation. " we had to make a large incision on Callen. The incision went from just below his left clavicle bone all the way to just above Callen's pelvic bone." "His heart stopped twice, but we were able to restart it. When he finished, he calmly walked out of the room. Before he left, he told the team that Callen is getting settled into the private recovery room. They could come back to visit him in a few minutes."
The team only had to wait for five minutes before Ethan returned to lead them to Callen's room. The hospital rule is just two people in the recovery rooms. However, Ethan decided to bend the rules a little and let the whole team see Callen for a few minutes. As they were walking in Sam stopped in his tracks. That can't be his partner in that bed. Callen was intubated and was attached to a ventilator.
"Don't be alarmed Callen is only attached to the ventilator to make it easier for him to breathe on his own," Ethen assured Sam.
No one on the team could believe that the man before them was their tough team leader who only yesterday was leading them into a building full of Armenian arms dealers. After about five minutes Ethan let them know that only two could stay. Sam refused to leave. Okay, only one other team member could visit but who? They all wanted to stay. Gibbs was the obvious choice since he could just stay for a few days.
Hetty told Gibbs, "We are going down to get dinner in the cafeteria but will be back an about an hour and a half."
Before she left Hetty whispered in Callen's ear so only he could hear it.
"Grisha, how many more times can you fight for your life before you just give up. I pray that we never have to find out."
The two men pulled up the chairs to Callens bed taking one of his hands and holding them. It is 2130 Gibbs says pointing to the clock on the wall above the door. The next thing they know it was 2300. They must have fallen asleep. The only thing that woke them was the sound of Callen's alarms going off. He was having another seizure. It was worse then the last time Sam thought to himself. At that time Ethan was back in the trauma center. The doctor that came in was a different doctor. "Who are you," asked Gibbs. "I'm Dr. John Carter, a friend of Ethan's". "Gloria get the crash cart in here, hand me a syringe of Phenobarbital," "Ethan told me about Callen's bad reaction to Lorazepam," John told Sam. The Phenobarbital stopped the seizures but again stopped Callen's heart.
It took a few minutes to get to where Callen was. Ethan charges in when he got to the room. The rest of the team come off the elevator into chaos. Hetty grabs the arms of the first nurse she sees and demands to know what the hell was going on. The entire team run up to Sam and Gibbs in the hall. The men stood transfixed to the spot. Watching through the glass wall as Ethan and the rest of the team worked desperately to get Callen's heart beating again. Ethan tried everything. Injecting both Adrenaline and Epinephrine twice and shocking his heart countless times. After thirty minutes he had to call it.
To the group's horror, they hear him say," Time of Death 2330". Sam loses it at this time. Screaming, "This can't be happening again, first Michelle now G." Sam was the only one who could not allow himself to say goodbye. It wasn't until 0030 that Sam finally got the courage to say goodbye. Ethan was in there getting Callen's body ready for the coroner. Shutting the curtains of the room Ethan gives Sam some privacy. Sam held onto Callen's hand one last time. Turning to leave Sams could swear that Callen squeezed it back. Looking up in time to see Callen gasp for air.
"You're Alive," Sam screamed at the top of his lungs.
Ethan, who hadn't seen Callen, was just going to tell Sam it was a muscle spasm. Then he saw Callen open his eyes. The seasoned doctor stood dumbfounded at what was before him.
Finally, he was able to say what he was trying to say.
"Never have I seen it, I've heard it happen but never has he seen it with his own eyes."
Upon hearing Sams screams the team came rushing in. Sam could see that Gibbs and Hetty had been crying. Callen's baby blue eyes were open for only a few minutes until Ethan, and Dr. John Carter came in to talk to Hetty about Callen's medical needs.
"Callen suffered a traumatic injury, and it would be best for him to be put in a medically induced coma. We will put him on life support. This will give Callen's body time to heal without also having kept himself alive" John finishes talking.
Hetty asks Ethan if he agreed with Johns prognosis. When Ethan nods in agreement, Hetty agrees.
Now, how to tell the team, that their team leader who they just got back needs to be put into a coma.
"Sam is NOT going to be happy," Hetty tells herself.
It was no surprise that Sam said he was not about to let that happen to his partner. Ethan pulled Sam aside and explained the essential nature of it, as well as, reminding Sam that sleep allows the body to heal. Forcing a deep sleep and putting him on life support will allow G's body to focus on healing and healing alone. Sam hung his head in defeat. Fine, we can do it, but I will NOT be leaving G's side.
Hetty knew that she was never going to be able to send Sam home. Well, she could order him, but she knew Sam would ignore her.
Dr. Carter interjected, " I'll bring in a cot for Sam to sleep in."
Both Ethan and Carter told Sam that he could use the doctor's shower. That way Sam wouldn't have to leave his friend and partners side. Sam made sure G was never alone. Going to take a shower only when the nurses came in to check G's vitals.
Before they put him in the coma, they moved Callen into his own room. Private rooms don't have a restriction on the number of visitors. Kenzi and Deeks stopped by every day after work to bringing dinner to Sam. The junior agents would stay for dinner. Eating in the room since they knew Sam was not willing to leave G's side. Gibbs remained at the hospital with Sam for two weeks. The Director of NCIS Leon Vance called Gibbs back to DC. They had a significant case come in. Hetty would come in to visit every morning and bring Sam breakfast. The Wonder Twins had the lunch shift. Hidoko and Mosley would come in every once in a while and give Sam a sit-rep on Callen's case.
The doctors kept Callen in the medically induced coma for about three months. The incision had just nearly healed completely. Slowly weaning Callen off the drug used to keep him in the coma. The doctors spent a week getting him off the pill. A week after getting taken off life support and being weaned off the drugs G still hadn't woken up. Sam was getting a little bit concerned, but the doctors didn't seem too interested. Ethan would come in before every shift just to check on G. Dr. Carter assigned a nurse to take care of Callen and only Callen. Her name was Dawn Ross. She was a small woman who reminded Sam of Hetty. Dawn was intimidating yet had a gentle hand with G. Dawn was assigned Callen when Hetty learned that Dawn was fluent In both Russian and Romani.
Callen responded very well to Russian and Romani lullabies. His mother would sing them to him when he was a little boy. When he lived with Hetty, she would sing them to stop the nightmares he was prone too. Sam knew better than to wake G from his sleep. Waking G was a great way to get yourself killed. Well, maybe not killed but wake him up at your own risk. G was known to go from dead asleep to dressing with his Sig-Sauer in his hand locked and loaded within the blink of an eye. They didn't have to worry about startling G now since he was still in a coma. Sam watched his partner sleep he thinking to himself, "at least G's not having nightmares." While Sam sat watching his partner sleep, he could hear the rain falling outside. G loves the rain he thought to himself. Why hasn't G woken up by now?
The doctors didn't start to get worried about Callen until he had been off the drugs for two months and still has not woken up. They decided to run some diagnostics tests to see if there was a medical reason why Callen hadn't woken up. The tests revealed nothing. There was no physical reason why Callan was still in the coma. It was as if he didn't want to wake up. Asking Sam if there was anyone that he could call to try to talk G into waking up. G's whole team have been trying to do that for months. Sam had an epiphany. Gibbs, he hasn't gotten Gibbs to try to get Callen to wake up.
Sam called Gibbs, "Gibbs it's Sam, G was in a drug-induced coma for months. Now he had been off the drugs for months. Doctors say there was no medical reason why Callen is still in the coma. We all have tried to talk him into waking up. I was wondering if you could come over and try."
Gibbs said, "Sam I'll be on the next flight out. I will fly cargo if I have too. I will be there in a few hours".
Sam called Hetty to pick Gibbs up at the airport and take him to the hospital. Gibbs got there and went right into G's room. Sam thought that he would give them some time alone. When Sam was gone, Gibbs went full drill sergeant on Callen. Apparently, this tactic worked. Callen opened his eyes and just looked at Gibbs. This is just what Gibbs wanted. Quickly pressing the nurse call button. That was the first time Sam had left his partner with anyone who wasn't a nurse or a doctor in five months.
When he got back from lunch, he was speechless when he saw G's baby blues open. Callen couldn't say anything while he was intubated. Dawn knew that there was only one person who should take the intubation out.
"Get Ethan Willis in the Trauma Center. He should be here," Dawn told an orderly.
Ethan was just walking into work when he heard someone say, " Callen's awake come quick."
Ethan just about flew up the stairs. Taking them three at a time. He came bursting into Callen's room. His blue eyes met Callen's blue eyes.
"Welcome back G, Do you remember me?" Callen tried to talk, but Ethan stopped him. "Wait a minute I need to get the intubation out first." "When I say to I need you to cough. So I can take this thing out." G nodded in understanding. Immediately after the intubation tube was gone, Sam gave G some ice chips to moisten his throat. G is finally able to answer Ethan's question. "I remember you, weren't you in the military the last time I saw you." To which Ethan responds, " I got discharged from the military. The trauma center here hired me." Ethan finished talking and turned to Sam and nodded.
Sam and Ethan walked out into the hall to talk. Ethan asked Sam what happened to G to wake him up. You have been trying for months to no avail. Sam could only say one word, "Gibbs." Ethan was a little confused. "What's a Gibbs." Sam chuckled a little. "Gibbs was the other man in G's room. I called him this morning and asked him to come and try to wake G. I don't know how Gibbs did it though. They both walked back into G's room and asked Gibbs how he woke G up. Gibbs just smiled to himself and told them his policy on stubborn people who didn't listen. "It's amazing what a slap upside the head does," he finished. " Never underestimate the power a drill sergeant has to scare someone awake. Sam and Ethan were both dumbstruck. "You head slapped a coma patient awake," Ethan said incredulously. Gibbs just answered it with a one-word answer "yeah." Sam and Ethan agree not to tell Hetty that Gibbs slapped her boy awake. They all look over at Callen who was sleeping peacefully.
Sam decided not to call Hetty but instead let her have Callen show her his baby blues himself. About six hours later Hetty walks in with Sams breakfast. While they sat and ate Callen scared the shit out of Hetty. Out of nowhere, she hears him say "Where's my breakfast." Looking up she is rewarded with a pair of baby blue eyes and her heart just about burst with joy. Throwing her arms around her boy, she hugged and kissed him. The trio devised a plan to scare the rest of the team. Hetty went about the daily business. At lunchtime, she sends the Wonder Twins to bring Sam his lunch.
Again Callen pretended to sleep. Halfway through lunch, he says, "Hey Eric where's my lunch."
Eric and Nell fell out of their chairs. Nell and Eric stayed for a while and talked with Callen. Leaving at the time that they usually would. They didn't want Kenzi and Deeks to get suspicious. After the Wonder Twins left, Sam went down and got Callen some soup from the cafeteria.
That night when the junior agents came with Sams dinner, Callen pulled the ultimate prank. As Kenzi leaned in to kiss his forehead good night, he opened his eyes. This had the best response. Kenzi screamed. Deeks screamed cause Kenzi screamed. Looking over at Sam and Gibbs they knew that was just pranked. Playfully Kenzi slapped Callen's arm. It was good to have him back. Even if it means pranks and shenanigans.
Callen was asleep before Kenzi and Deeks left. Gibbs and Sam stayed with G all during the night. The next morning Hetty called on Ethan to talk about what is next for her boy. Ethan told Hetty, "There was a riot this morning the inmates will be in Callen's wing. We had to move him to another secured wing. He has another federal agent as a roommate."