This is written in response to the NCIS:LA Magazine's "Callen's Corner Challenge #2", which was a motivation for me to get a little creative with words. Have fun while reading...I'm looking forward to your reviews...and don't forget reviewers can win a prize, too ; )

Just to be complete...I don't own anything. Here we go...

Callen looked into Buddy's big brown eyes...

He knew it was time to go...leaving Buddy with Tracy, the woman who had disappointed him so deeply...

Taking Buddy with him was impossible, as the next op had already been scheduled...going deep undercover with an unknown destination an an unknown outcome was nothing he could expect his canine friend to put up with.

Buddy was old, his fur was lined with silver streaks especially his muzzle was nearly white. His eyes were bleary and his bones were weak although Buddy still showed a great zest for life...

Callen couldn't take away his eyes from his special friend, trying to engrave his picture and their mutual experiences in his mind...Petting Buddy, he let his mind wander...

One day during one of his first ops for the CIA, about five years ago, Callen met his furry partner...

(Flashback)

He had been undercover gathering information about international arms deals and feared that his cover had been blown as he had not been able to reach his contact. When finding him, the man had obviously been murdered, executed after being tortured to be exact. Callen had to keep his head down and follow the routine for burnt agents...who knew what his contact had told the enemies...

For the time being he was absolutely cut off his life rope...Callen was on his own. "As always in my life", Callen thought bitterly. He knew that there were backup plans to get him out of the country in case of emergency, but as the result of his troubled childhood, Callen had never been good at trusting others and being dependent on them.

While mingling with the foreigners, being as invisible as possible, waiting for the emergency strategy to kick in, Callen had the feeling of being followed. He thought himself to be paranoid, because every time he glanced around he couldn't spot anyone recognizable except for a brown mutt dog who obviously had been in some rough fights. One ear was tattered, a part of his tail was missing...nevertheless he radiated so much strength and pride that he could be the leader of a pack of street dogs, but he was all alone. Callen somehow was soothed by the familiar face...even though it was only a dog's.

As the days went on, Callen and the male dog somehow developed a pattern...Nearly every evening after exhausting days of playing hide and seek with his opponents, Callen went to the street markets to get some food for himself and stopped at the river banks to eat while sitting on a wall. He knew that following a routine was dangerous but Callen needed the quiet and calming surroundings to think clearly about his further steps, in case no one would come to his rescue. One night the wet-nosed brown acquaintance came to keep his company, sitting with him in silence...

Looking at the skinny dog he shoved the paper with his sandwich to him: "Take it my friend", he encouraged the animal, "you probably need it more than I do." The dog looked him in the eyes and seemed to ponder his offer...he stayed at Callen's side but he wouldn't take a bite from the food.

As Callen tried to scratch his back, the dog ran away whining in panic. Poor creature, Callen thought, what bad experiences might he have suffered? Against all expectations the dog came back the next day and sat besides Callen as if nothing had happened. From now on the two (not so) lone wolfs spent time together night after night content in their mutual agreement... keeping each other's company, no strings attached.

Strolling home after one of their "dates" as Callen called their meetings in his head, he suddenly heard steps behind his back. He must have been careless because he hadn't recognized the People following him. The moment he turned his head, he was attacked by two men. One of them hit him hard in his face so that the other man could take advantage of the situation to get hold of Callen and throw away the SIG, he always carried beneath his shirt. At the same time Callen could feel the barrel of a gun pressed against his ribs.

Both men spoke in a foreign language...it sounded related to Russian but Callen only understood tiny bits. Who were they and what did they want from him? The two men kept dragging Callen along with them around the comer to a waiting car. Callen, the trained agent he was, knew that he had to keep calm and wait for his chance. He had to procrastinate getting into the car. Once he was in there the odds would be against him...

Suddenly there was a loud growl in front of them. The brown mutt stepped out of the shadow blocking their way. This was exactly the distraction Callen had waited for. Callen grabbed his opponent's hand, wrenched the gun out of it and shot him right into his chest. As the second man made an approach, the dog lost every inch of his kindness and turned into a raging animal. He attacked the man and didn't let go.

As Callen had regained the control of the situation, he commanded his furry savior to let go of the villain who – in this very moment – ran for his life. "Thank you partner", Callen addressed the dog smiling, "we make a good team." The dog trotted towards Callen and the moment he reached him, he nudged Callen with his snout as if he wanted to say: "You're welcome." Callen lifted his hand to pet the dog's head but halted. He didn't want to scare him away in this memorable moment. Two brown eyes looked at him and again the dog shoved his head against Callen's legs. Callen took this as an approval and for the first time he was allowed to scratch his good comrade's back. After a moment of enjoyment the dog turned around and went his way.

Watching his furry companion, Callen remembered something he had heard while staying with one of his best foster families...not counting the Rostovs: The mother had read good night stories... even to the foster children. She had been a very nice and caring woman and who knew, maybe he would have been able to stay with them, if she hadn't come down with cancer. No one could take the memories of this few months away from him. One of the bed time stories, written by a guy with a funny french name he couldn't remember, was something about a lonely little price who he met a fox in a desert. Callen remembered, that the fox talked about taming him...and when the prince didn't know what he meant by that he explained that taming meant establishing ties, so that one was no longer a random creature to the other but they should need each other and be unique for one another.

At this moment his burn phone went off, so that Callen lost track of his thoughts. Callen sighed in relief as he recognized the voice of his handler when he accepted the call. Eventually a backup team was on its way to get him out of the country by helicopter. There were only a few days left, which Callen spent preparing his departure.

So after five weeks, it was the time for Callen to go home. His flight was due the next morning. He had to get up very early to head out to the countryside to be picked up by a helicopter. On his last evening he sat in the same spot at the river. As time went on and the dog hadn't shown up, he felt anxious. He realized, that he was waiting for an old friend being afraid he wouldn't show up. Callen chuckled to himself: "Actually a dog has managed to tame G. Callen!"

As Callen was about to leave the dog came running around the corner, as if he knew that it was his last chance to meet his human friend (not really, because in the end he showed up where the helicopter collected Callen...and the rest is history).

He had obviously been in some kind of fight as he looked even more ruffled than normal. He sat down panting besides Callen and lay his head on his Callen's leg. Callen stroked the dog which had a calming effect on both the dog and him. "Hey Buddy", Callen began talking to the dog," I know you don't understand me..."

(End of Flashback)

Suddenly, Callen realized:

Buddy really was his canine twin, he understood everything...Buddy being a lone wolf just as him, taking care of his own life...Buddy not being able to initially trust...Buddy being there to fight for friends, not knowing any mercy...Buddy being a reliable partner...Buddy being left behind...

"At least she will be taking better care of you than of me", Callen said to his soul mate. Buddy licked his hand, curled himself up and peacefully closed his eyes.

"He is going be ok", Callen assured himself. Getting ready to go, he took his bag and his bed roll. While walking to the door, glancing back to his sleeping fellow, emotions hit him hard. Callen scolded himself:"That's what happens when you let someone come too close", not knowing whether he meant Buddy or Tracy.

"It's better not to mourn after something that ends but to be thankful for the time you had together", Callen tried to face forward and went out of the door without looking back.