I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE NCIS:LA CHARACTERS, ONLY MY OWN.

Callen and Marnie pulled into the parking lot bright and early Monday morning. The day started like it usually did, except they woke and ate breakfast as a family, only dropping the kids off at her parent's before they headed into work. After agreeing to join them for dinner that evening, Marnie kissed her mother and headed out the door. Before heading into the mission, Callen stopped her and kissed her softly. She beamed and ran her fingers down the back of his neck.

"See you at lunch?" He asked pulling the heavy wooden door open for her.

Marnie backed into the office grinning at him as he followed her him. "Of course, unless we've got a case already."

Wrapping an arm around her while they were in the corridor, "I hope not. It would be nice if our first day back could be quiet."

Marnie laughed. "Honey, we couldn't escape it on our honeymoon. Today's liable to be crazy."

The two walked to the arch, Callen stopped her again and patted her rear before they proceeded into the main office area. Hetty say them turn the corner and smiled at the two of them together. In spite of stumbling into a case on their honeymoon, they looked refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

"Well good morning Mr. and Mrs. Callen." She called and immediately the two stepped over to her desk.

Marnie set her bag in one of the chairs across from her and beamed. "Good morning, Hetty."

"I trust you had a nice time in New Orleans?" She asked already knowing the answer.

Callen grinned. "We did, Pride and the team down there were great fun."

"You did get to spend some time alone together, didn't you?" Hetty asked eyeing them.

After the two turned a pale shade of red, Hetty chuckled. "Yes Hetty we did spend plenty of time alone together."

She nodded. "Very well. Mrs. Callen; Ms. Jones and Mr. Beale will brief you on the current case load. Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna will do the same for you when he gets in this morning. Until then, get yourselves a cup of coffee."

"Thank you Hetty." Marnie smiled before she and Callen turned towards the bullpen.

Marnie dropped her bag on Callen's desk and followed him to the kitchenette, watching while he got them a cup of coffee. She smiled warmly at him when he handed it to her. They stood there leaning against the counter for a few minutes until they heard Kensi and Deeks bickering. Callen stopped behind the pillar and pulled her gently to him, giving her one last kiss before she headed upstairs.

Kensi noticed the bags on Callen's desk and spun around. "So how was it?" She asked when they appeared beside her.

"It was nice." Marnie said gulping her coffee.

"What's the rush?" Deeks asked almost laughing at her when she grimaced with every swallow.

"It's hot and I've got to head upstairs." She coughed. "G can fill you in."

With a quick hug for Kensi and a pat on the back for Deeks, Marnie looked around before she kissed Callen's cheek and headed upstairs. Callen watched her intently until she disappeared behind the automatic doors in Ops. Kensi and Deeks stood there expectantly with their arms crossed over their chests.

"It was fun." He told them, unloading his bag.

"What was it like helping the New Orleans Major Response team?" Kensi asked with an eager smile.

"They're a good team. Pride's a riot, Brody's a lot like Marnie and LaSalle; I think he had a thing for Marnie." He reported.

Deeks' eyes grew wide. "And you let him survive?"

Callen laughed. "He never laid a finger on her. Marnie and LaSalle had a run in the night we got there."

Kensi wrung her hands as she walked around the desk, taking her seat. "What happened?"

"Why don't you wait for Sam to get here so I'm not telling it over and over again?" He suggested.

Hetty had mulled the decision over and over in her head and while she knew Nell could handle herself, she honestly thought Marnie would be much better suited for the task. As she sat sipping her tea, Marnie happened to come gliding down the stairs. She had a soft smile on her lips as she looked around to see who all was in the bullpen. Since Callen, Sam, Kensi and Deeks still in the gym, Hetty saw her opportunity.

"Mrs. Callen, may I have a word with you?" She asked as she sat the delicate cup and saucer on her desk.

Marnie's smile grew wider. "Of course, is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine Mrs. Callen, I just wanted to have a word with you about one of the current cases." She smiled keenly.

Marnie cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "I know that look, Hetty. What have you got up that sleeve of yours?"

She chuckled. "You've come to know me all too well Mrs. Callen. I need to talk to you about something before we bring Mr. Callen and the rest of the team into the mix."

Marnie's smile fell, a look of complete seriousness sat staunchly in its place. "What's going on that you want to talk to me before G and Sam?"

Hetty sighed. "Ms. Jones is well suited for what I have in mind, but I think with your experience you'd be better."

Again, Marnie raised an eyebrow. "Better suited for what?" She asked dryly.

"I need you to essentially go into the field as a leasing agent at a very upscale, luxury condominium complex. It seems Mr. El-Hashem has taken up residence there and while we've got his work place and social life monitored, we do not have his home."

"I still don't understand why you want me to go in as a leasing agent or sales representative."

Hetty smiled. "You have experience, whereas Ms. Jones does not. She could very well sail right through with flying colors, but you Mrs. Callen have experience."

"Yes but Hetty, it's been fourteen years since I worked in that type of setting and leasing is very different than actually selling." Marnie argued. "Why not just have Eric hack into the complex's computer system and get all the information we need from that?"

"By having someone there on the property, we can monitor his visitors, packages he receives and see if anyone else resides at the complex who raises red flags, among other things. You would be able to get into his condo and place monitoring devices whereas the others cannot."

Marnie sighed and closed her eyes as she thought. "I really think Nell would be better than me."

"Oh I beg to differ." Hetty said leaning back casually in her chair. "I think you would be perfect. There are various aspects of the job that Ms. Jones isn't versed in. It takes a certain knack to show and sell apartments or condos. A certain type of person to get into and become a part of people's lives. Look at what you've done here."

Marnie sighed and rubbed her temples. Of all the things Hetty could've hit her with, this was the least she expected and on the first day back from their honeymoon, too. She'd promised when Marnie took the job that there would be absolutely no field work and that she would remain in the office so there was reliable back-up for when Nell went in the field. Yet she knew she could perform each and every task asked of her by the complex management and carry out her duties with the team. This was something she needed to think long and hard about, not to mention talk it over with Callen.

"Can I think about this, I mean there's a lot to think about? First and foremost my family's safety is a concern. What if someone decides to follow me home if my cover is blown?"

"Unfortunately Mrs. Callen, time is of the essence. The quicker we get you in-staunched in the daily routine at the complex, the quicker your husband and the team can make an arrest. I need an answer before noon, if not sooner." Hetty said, eyes cold as stones.

Marnie shivered and looked at her watch, it was already ten o'clock. "Can I at least talk about this with G before you blindside him?"

"Yes, of course." Hetty said with a satisfied smile.

Marnie stood and gave Hetty a pensive smile before she turned in search of her husband, knowing full well that he would never allow this. Deep down, Marnie wanted to do this. Wanted to prove to herself that she could do more than backgrounds and monitor criminal's movements. Hoping Callen and Sam would be out of the showers soon, she headed in the general direction of the locker room.

With a grimace and sigh, Marnie reached for the door handle and pushed the door open. Sheepishly she peeked in the steamy locker room praying she didn't find Sam walking naked from the shower. When the coast was clear, she stepped in and quietly closed the door behind her. Having never been in the men's locker room, she was pleased to see it had the same layout as the women's except for the half a dozen urinals that lined the wall to her right. As she passed the rows of lockers, she had flashbacks to her high school days and almost giggled as she heard Sam and Callen's voices amid the running water.

She sat on a bench with her back to the showers, covering her face as she looked down at the textured concrete floor. "G, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked and jumped when she heard the shower curtains behind her move.

Callen and Sam looked at one another before they looked at Marnie. Callen tightly closed his eyes as the shampoo slowly dribbled down his forehead. "Um Marn, we're kind of in the shower, can't this wait maybe ten minutes?"

Marnie could picture the look on his face in her mind and she giggled. "No, actually this really can't."

Callen huffed and closed the shower curtain rinsing the shampoo from his hair and now stinging eyes. "What is it then?" He groused.

Marnie waited a few second while she decided how to tell him. "Hetty wants me to go out into the field." She said and held her breath knowing what was to come.

"Absolutely not!" He bellowed. "That's what Nell's for, why does she want you to do it?"

"We have the address where Abdul Baith El-Hashem is staying and Hetty wants me to go in as a leasing agent for the condo complex." She began.

"Send Nell." He snapped cutting her off.

Marnie heard shuffling and quickly dropped her head, covering her eyes. "Whoa Marnie, am I in the wrong locker room?" Deeks screeched in a high-pitched nervous voice. Marnie could see his shadow dancing nervously side to side.

"Deeks you'd better have at least a towel on." Callen yelled and kicked out under the metal partition at Sam who was laughing at the entire situation.

The locker room door closed hard and echoed over the running water and voices. The gentle click of heels walked closer. Deeks looked to his left, then right but saw no one. Hetty appeared from behind the last row of lockers.

"Mr. Deeks are you just going to stand there or are you going to shower?" She asked as he jumped, dropped the towel and several bottles of various soaps, conditioners and shampoos.

Quickly he grabbed the towel and kicked the bottles to the nearest shower and pulled the curtain, popping the rings off the bar. Neither Marnie nor Hetty could stop themselves from laughing at his clamoring and clumsiness. Finally when the racket died down, Hetty sat next to Marnie.

Both Callen and Sam peeked out at them and looked at one another again. "Nothing's sacred." Sam whispered.

"Mr. Callen we need your wife in the field at this time, I think her knowledge of that particular job would go much further than Ms. Jones and I assure you that she will not be there alone."

"NO!" Callen shouted as one of the shower's shut off. Marnie could hear the wrestle of the towel as whoever it was dried off. "There's no way I will allow Marnie out in the field. What if something happens to her, think about the kids and her parents?"

"That is why; Mr. Callen; I'm leaving you in charge of her safety." Hetty announced as a shower curtain opened roughly, the metal rings clanking on the bar.

Marnie heard footsteps and knew they were Callen's. She saw the feet and prayed he'd thought enough to wrap a towel around himself since they weren't at home. As she looked up, she smiled at the bright pink towel wrapped tightly around his waist. Beads of water dropped off the tips of his hair onto the sides of his face and forehead, rolling down the tip of his nose.

"No and that's my final answer." He scowled. "You may be the Operations Manager, but it's my team and my wife."

Marnie shot off the bench and stood inches from him. "I can do this G, let me."

Callen dropped his head before he tossed his mesh bag holding his body soap, shampoo and shaving paraphernalia on the bench behind him. "Marn, what if something happens?"

"Then you'd know what it's like for me to sit in Ops and watch you put yourself in harm's way every day. It sucks and it's grueling and it's complete torture." She admitted.

He knew she was right as a small smile crossed his face. He looked at Hetty. "This happens how I want it to, right down to the very last, smallest detail."

"Yes Mr. Callen, your wife's safety is in your hands. Every last detail." Hetty said with an easy smile.

"Fine." He finally said after getting lost in Marnie's eyes. "Now can we get dressed and finish this up in Ops?"

Marnie placed her hands on his chest and kissed him softly. "Thank you G."