Disclaimer: Don't own anything except my plot.

Summary

NCIS Grace Stevens discovered a third Chinese terrorist cell. She was murdered. Worse, their headquarters are believed to be compromised and must work in the shadows. The team learn the NK agency is defecting three elite NK agents. Sun-Hwa Kim and Ki Soo Kim appears to be the only lead towards the third terrorist. Callen is assigned to protect them in New Zealand. Callen/OC pairing

The Fire in a Heartache

chapter one

[NCIS Los Angeles]

Everyone was making a huge fuss on him. Sure, it sounded cosy like a happy family. But, in Callen's opinion, he found his team now a nuisance. Ever since he had broken up with Joelle, each day he would receive a visit from each of his team members. Hell, Callen just wanted to be left well alone and just swallow his own heartache. But, no matter how many times he shove his team away, they were damned persistent.

Even Arkady Kolcheck, his former Russian KGB friend who even tried to tie him to a random girl. In result, Callen punched him full in the face. Arkady left, feeling insulted and wished his team good-luck to put his best friend back together. The Callen he knew hopes he remembered what the meaning of 'trust' means to them all.

Callen was in no mood to talk to anyone or see their faces. He was tired. Yet, his trust is still wounded. In fact, if his team was a bunch of happy family like the TV show he'd watch lately: Brandy Bunch, he was now stating his entire team was a dysfunctional family. Yes, they were. That was his dysfunctional family.

A bunch of red roses laid by their junior analysis, Nell, on his porch in the middle of the night. That was the second day of his sober mood. He knew he shouldn't have frightened the rookie, particularly she was Hetty's favourite. The leader was so frustrated on their support that he did seized one of his beer bottle, throwing it down on his footpath, ending with an irritable clash. Since then, Nell stopped coming over to his place and took offence as a rude gesture.

Then comes Kensi. She arrived on the third day and had been deliriously affectionate towards him. Callen didn't need to guess why. He already knew his favourite agent was in loved and had progress to the "next level" of her relationship with Marty Deeks. He knew she meant well. That she was concerned about his health. The fact he was dowsing down six pack of beer bottles each day had alarmed her since Joelle had broken off the relationship between Callen and Joelle.

The female agent had to race out to her car, aware that her best friend and colleague is the most difficult person to console. If anyone knew what a heartache is like, it was definitely Kensi. Her trip to Afghanistan and concluding a closure to her past still haunts her. Deeks seemed to be her medicine, healing her wounded heartache. Still, Callen was annoyed at the unwanted pampering he was receiving.

When Callen open his front door on his third sober day, still feeling in a shit mood, he saw a homemade almond cake with the word "Happy birthday, Callen. We love you." written on it, the Russian man threw out her cake and toss a perfectly good homemade cake into his black bin. He walked back into his home and slammed the door behind him.

On the fourth day, the next morning, his partner managed to pin lock his front door. Callen woke up with a splitting headache pounding in his head. A hangover. He was not surprised. According to his coffee table, he had demolished at least 12 beer bottles in one week. He was about to sleep off his hangover when he received a fresh water bucket poured over him.

Callen flinched followed with a frowned on his face. There stood his partner, Sam Hanna, towering at him. Sure enough, the Navy SEAL looked very concerned at his broken partner. Sam sat on his coffee table with his legs cross.

He studied his colleague. His partner was a mess. Bags under his eyes. G. Looked as though he hadn't sleep in days. Worse, he smelled awful. He smelled like alcohol and his teeth had a bad odour smell. The leader had cracked completely, looking wasted like a drunken thug.

"I'm not in a mood today, Sam." Callen complained moodily.

"You can start clearing up your trash. Come on, you're not getting wasted, today. Hetty will be here in ten minutes." Sam warned him heatedly.

"Am I fired?" Callen replied in a bored voice.

"Nope. We're not getting rid of you that easily. You're stuck with us for good." Sam answered conversationally. "Besides, Hetty's going to kick your ass to North Korea." The Navy SEAL chortled.

"I'm not interested." Callen replied firmly. He rolled back onto his couch. His back facing Sam. "She can send somebody else other than me. Consider me a year of maternity leave." He muffled against his couch.

"Yeah, right." Sam scoffed. "Like the little ninja's going to buy your excuse. How much are you going to pay her for it?" He smirked.

"My house." Callen answered seriously. "Why do I get the feeling you're feeling guilty?" He frowned at him.

"Let's just say because I was the one who set you up with Joelle." Sam told him honestly. "I felt responsible you got heart broken."

"Wow. I thought you're here to give me an ear bashing since I'm a huge jackass to everyone." Callen replied appreciatively. Then, he looked serious. "It's not your fault, Sam. It was me. I told her so many lies. My job. My family." He scoffed. "Truthfully I don't even have a real family."

Sam snorted disbelievingly. "That's bullshit, G. You do have a family and I don't need to give you an ear bashing because Hetty will. You just cut her favourite analysis and putting you into her bad books. So, if I were you, I give Nell a cute cuddly teddy bear toy."

His remark made Callen laughed. His laughed was followed with a true grinned. It made him realised after four days of sombre, the agent realised how much he hadn't been human enough to smile. It also dawn to him he got a lot to make up to for his team. Yes, he had been the biggest jackass. Sam patted him on the back.

"I supposed an apology is in order." Callen agreed. "I'm screwed with Hetty, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are." Sam agreed, a smirked on his face, enjoying to gloat his colleague. "If you're going to put the word 'sorry', don't bother. I would just give Nell a hug. Action is louder than words."

Callen sighed. "I guess I better start shopping. What about for Kensi?" He is very screwed now.

"I suggest you can arrange a venue for an engagement party. She's getting married to our fluffy friend. She wanted to tell you in person. But got frightened for what you did to poor Nell." Sam announced. "When you were in your own sinkhole, they were quarrelling like a real married couple." He mimic's Kensi's voice into a high pitch tone. "'It doesn't have to be glamorous. It's just a wedding, Deeks.'"

"I bet they drove you up the wall." Callen commented knowingly. He was starting to feel really guilty now. He could feel his own chest was starting to tightened.

"Yeah. I feel like I'm the parent putting the bad kids to a naughty corner." Sam rolled his eyes. Callen chuckled. He likes the way his partner worded the sentences into a humorous way. "I would suggest you stop kicking yourself and start clearing all your trash. Can you imagine what else Hetty might have in store for you?"

"I don't want to know." Callen replied truthfully. He swung his legs over and climbed out of his couch. His legs felt like jelly. He almost stumble over a coffee table until Sam caught him around his shoulder.

"For the love of God, G, go and hit a shower. Brush your teeth. You smell like alcohol." Sam scolded him seriously.

"Which way is the bathroom?" Callen asked blurrily.

Sam laughed. "This is your house. You should know better, G." He shook his head, feeling annoyed, knowing full well G likes to stir him up. The SEAL spin him around and leaded him to the bathroom. Callen closed the door behind him. "And lots of shower gel because you do stink!" He yelled through the door.

Callen laughed. He closed the bathroom door shut, leaving him to wonder why his boss wants to send him to North Korea. The Russian agent could only speculate that Hetty have one assignment ready. Perhaps it was for the best. After all, his other team members were sour at him as he had given him a cold shoulder.

[NCIS Los Angeles]