A/N; I unfortunately don't like this season of NCIS;LA as much as the last :( but this moment in last night's episode, 'Empty Quiver' grabbed my imagination. Spoiler alert for the same episode!

When realisation dawned, when he realised what was truly going down, he knew it was already too late. But he called out anyway,

"Sam!"

A warning to prevent the inevitable, for as their eyes met both knew what was going to happen. Even as Callen drew his gun, he heard the shot and then hell erupted.

He had one thought, get his partner out. As he moved it felt like every step was a hundred, that every bullet that he somehow dodged, hit home. Somehow he finally got to him, the partner he'd inadvertently abandoned not so long ago, that had still saved his life, despite his behaviour. He got to him blind with fear as he continued to shoot, rapidly running out of bullets and taking fire from all sides. Eric's calls ignored, he risked a look. To his relief he saw his eyes, open, pain filled and sluggish but moving. In the same breath he grabbed hold of him and ran. Somehow he got him as far as the ditch, was given a moment to check that it was his vest that had gotten hit and then the hail of bullets started again. He needed to get them out, but how? They were in the middle of nowhere with only bikes for transport. In that moment he shared his partners longing for a car, a different mission and the banter he'd feared for a moment he would never experience again.

It was at this moment that the bullets stopped, sounds of screeching tyres were heard and Callen could allow a moment of relief to pass before sharing look with Sam and helping him up, over to the bikes. Then the blast, he'd experienced it hundreds of times but you never grew accustomed to it. He grabbed on to Sam and stared for a moment until a raspy voice broke the silence,

"Now can we use my car?"

In that moment he laughed, looking at his partner's sly smile not quite reaching his eyes. They were alive and would drift to the next case together but first,

"Sam, what the hell just happened?"

PLEASE REVIEW! :)