A/N - Thanks to angelprincesslilac for beta'ing and issuing such a great challenge in the Summer 2010 Challenge and for approving this story for it!

Disclaimer - don't own anything recognisable as NCIS LA. Just having fun.

Part 1

Callen watched his team as they started to pack up for the night. It had been a rough couple of weeks between finding and losing Dom, the funeral, and then the entire team losing it. But he indulged in a self-satisfied smile because, somehow, he had managed to pull them all back from the brink. He knew that he couldn't lose it himself, with everyone else falling apart. So he had needed to fix them first.

He was particularly pleased with winning one over on Hetty. She'd been the first he'd gone after. He'd had no choice after he found out about her potential resignation. He'd had to pull out all the stops to save the boss who held them all together—who was the glue behind this bunch of talented misfits he called a team. He had originally planned to go after Nate first. If Nate were fixed, he could take over. Nate hadn't been after any of them to talk since the day they'd lost Dom and that, well, that just wasn't Nate. Nate not trying to get into their heads was just wrong. But he had missed his chance. He had watched Nate leave the office one lunch time, thinking he'd corner him when he got back. When he wasn't back half an hour later (for Nate never took a full hour lunch break) he had gone to Hetty. She told him Nate was taking some personal time and would be back in a week or two.

After Hetty, he'd gone after Eric, because well, simply, without Eric on the ball, gathering Intel was pretty tough. He had to admit, however, getting Eric back on track had been fun. A little more of a drain on his computer gaming skills than he had anticipated, though. Usually he'd wake up at the first sign of someone coming into the office, but the morning after that gaming session, having stayed up until at least 4 a.m. with Eric, he just hadn't heard anyone. He had eventually woken up to the smell of coffee and Hetty standing over him. Not his favourite way to wake up; though her having his favourite doughnut, as well as some coffee, helped to get his heart rate back down.

Next he'd tackled Kensi. Not literally, but he couldn't stand her throwing herself at any guy who moved just so she could forget what happened to Dom. He wasn't going to let her self-destruct. Not on his watch. He'd been hard on her and he'd paid a price, but it had been worth it to see the old Kensi come back to them.

Then had come Sam. Sam hadn't been as tough as he'd been expecting. Which was good, because he really didn't enjoy holding ice packs to his face.

Nate had finally returned to work today. After seeing the difference in the team, and having obviously spoken with Hetty, Nate stopped by Callen's desk.

"You trying to do me out of a job, Callen?" Nate asked.

"Nope. Don't like being in my own head, why would I want to get into anyone else's?" Callen joked, knowing that he did that all the time, just not in the same way as Nate.

"You did a good job. At least I know if I go away again, there's someone here to fill my shoes," Nate said, starting to move away.

"Sorry, Nate, you shoes are way too big for me," Callen replied.

Nate just smiled and continued on his way.

"Nate," Callen called.

"What?" Nate replied, pausing.

"Did you have a good vacation?" Callen asked.

"Yes, I did," Nate replied, as he looked back at Callen.

"Good. Don't do it again. We missed you. Don't tell Hetty I said that," Callen said.

"Why would he, Mr. Callen, when I have heard it with my own ears?" Hetty asked.

"Thought you'd gone home, Hetty?" Callen asked, looking at the small woman as she gave him smile that he was sure had something to do with the pleasure she got when she caught any of them by surprise. A smile that was on her face way more than it should be, at least as far as he was concerned.

"On my way now, Mr. Callen," Hetty said, "Goodnight."

"Night, Hetty," said Nate, then he turned to Callen. "Night, Callen."

"Night Nate," Callen replied as he thought back over the last week, and what he'd had to do to pull his team back together.

~O~O~

A/N - coming up, just what did he have to do to sort out Hetty