A/N: This is a prolog, setting the scene for Michelle's birth, childhood and the rest of her life. At the proper time, Sam, Hetty, and other members of OSP will appear, to fill in the back story of the life of this CIA operative who became Mrs. Sam Hanna.

A/N2: This is a WIP and will be updated only when I can feel that the update is something I can live with, but IT WILL BE COMPLETED. I am sorry that this update is so long in coming. I started working on another story, "Change of Seasons", to give my version of the Season 6 opening show"Deep Trouble Part II". The NCIS-LA Magazine came up with the idea of calling for eight weeks of individual stories on the eight major characters major characters, adding their own twist to each story. I took my "Change of Seasons" story apart and reworked it into eight separate stories that tell an expanded version of that first story and are listed on my page. Over two months of work went into them, and I invite you to read them and tell me what you think. And now, back to our regularly planned stories.

Disclaimer: The characters and sets of NCIS:LA are all owned by CBS, Donald P. Bellisario, and Shane Brennan. I only own a copy of the DVDs from season 1-4. I do get to play with everyone, but they all have to be home by curfew.

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Quinn

Chapter 2

Corporal Russell Goodman left Colonel Jameson's office, and stopped at desk of the Colonel's secretary. He waited until she was off the phone and then got her attention.

"Ma'am."

"What can I do for you, Corporal?" she asked.

"Colonel Jameson told me to fill out a transfer request with you. He said there might be a possibility for me to be posted at Camp Pendleton instead of being stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He also authorized a two week pass for me, so I can spend some time with my wife."

"Yes, Corporal," she said. "He just confirmed that on the phone. You do need to fill out some paperwork, and then we can start to process your transfer request. In the meantime," she opened a drawer, reached in and drew out a pad of paper, wrote briefly on it, and then stamped it as valid. "Here is your two week pass. Just show it to anyone who questions you,"

"Thank you, Ma'am."

The secretary opened another drawer, drew out several papers, and put them on a clip board, before handing it to Russell. She also handed him a pencil and indicated that he could sit over in one of the empty chairs. "Fill out everything on pages one through three, and bring it back to me when it is done."

"Yes, Ma'am" Russell acknowledged, and sat down to complete his task. Five minutes later he brought the completed form back to her, and waited while she checked it over. She handed him a pen and told him, "Now sign it here on page three, and again on page five." showing him on what line to place his signature. "That does it, Corporal. Enjoy your pass."

Russell looked over the concourse to see if he could find his wife, but came up empty.

Turning back to the secretary, he asked, "Ma'am. The Colonel told me that my wife, Lieutenant Charlotte Johnson was here asking what time the flight from Da Nang was coming in and if I was on it. He mentioned some room, but I forgot the number. I was wondering if you know where I might find her, or if she was sent home?"

"I think she was asked to stay over in the security area. Let me make a quick call and find out."

She picked up her phone and dialed a four-digit extension. After waiting a minute or two she inquired, "Sheila, it's Lorraine from Colonel Jameson's office. Do you have a Lieutenant Charlotte Johnson waiting there?"

Putting her hand over the transmitter part of the handset, she asked Russell, "She is there. Do you want her to come over here, or do you want to go there?"

"Where is the security area?"

"Over on the north side of the building, close to the north entrance. Take the stairs there and go up to the second floor. Turn left and go to room 223. You can't miss it. It is clearly marked."

"I'll go over there to meet her. Could you do me a favor, and not tell her that I'm coming. I would like to surprise her."

"I can do that, Corporal. I'm sure that she is going to be very happy to have you home."

"Sheila, Lorraine again. He's going to be coming over there, but he asks that you not tell her that he is on his way. He wants to surprise her. Okay? Thanks. I'm sure he will appreciate it."

As Russell started to walk off, the secretary reminded him, "Don't forget your pass, Corporal." and handed it to him again. Go find your wife and surprise her. Oh, and welcome home."

"Thanks for everything you've done for me, ma'am."

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Russell picked up his duffel bag and started walking over to the north part of the building. While he was walking, he thought of various ways to greet his wife after all this time, rejecting several as illegal and a few others as improbable. He climbed the stairs and saw the sign indicating the security area. When he got to the twin doors, he dropped off his duffel bag and pushed open one of them a few inches, so he could peer into the area, and see if he could find Charlotte. There she was, about thirty feet away, talking to a Marine Captain. Russell opened the door just enough for him to sneak in, and slowly crept up until he was within ten feet of them. Then he started running with his arms wide open to try and grab his wife. At that moment, Charlotte turned to the side, and Russell grabbed the Marine, almost knocking him over.

"Russell, what are you doing?" Charlotte asked.

"I was trying to grab you, to swing you around, and give you a homecoming kiss." he answered.

"Well, I hope that you are not planning on doing that to me, Corporal."

"No Sir," Russell said, as he backed up and saluted the Captain.

Returning the salute, the officer looked him in the eye and said, "I believe that there is still something that you need to do."

A puzzled look came across Russell's face. "I don't understand what you mean, sir."

"I believe you said something about a homecoming kiss," he said, looking at Charlotte.

"Yes, Sir. Permission to kiss my wife, Sir?" Russell asked, a huge smile breaking across his face.

"Permission granted. Now, show the Navy how well the Marines do it."

"YES, SIR"

Russell took his wife in his arms and started to kiss her. At first it started off gentle, but neither of them were satisfied with that. Both of them started to deepen the kiss, and it turned into a very prolonged welcome home expression. The only reason both of them stopped was the lack of oxygen that each of them were suffering.

Once they had broken apart, the Captain addressed Charlotte, "Lieutenant, would you be so kind as to introduce me to the man that has upheld the tradition of the Corps so well with you."

Charlotte smiled and said, "Captain Stewart, this is my husband, Corporal Russell Goodman. Russell, this is Captain Michael Stewart. He is head of security at the hospital and is here to make sure everything is ready to receive a patient tomorrow."

Captain Stewart continued, "A US Army PFC, Walter Bleckmann, is coming in, who snapped while on forward guard duty at Firebase Soui Doi, about twenty-five klicks east-north-east of Pleiku. His buddy had been killed the day before by Viet Cong regulars, and their foxhole was almost overrun. When his sergeant ordered him back to the same foxhole the next day, he pulled out a grenade and wanted to blow the sergeant away. Two other men stopped him and they shipped him off to the hospital at Da Nang. They couldn't do much for him there, so he is being sent back here. The psychiatrists will work with him and when they feel he is ready, he will be tried for attempted murder."

Russell looked at Charlotte and asked, "Are you going to be involved in taking care of him? Or can you get some time off these next two weeks?"

Charlotte looked at Captain Stewart, who just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Russ. I would expect that I would be somewhat involved, but whether or not I would be his assigned nurse, I don't know at this moment. It could happen, because I have been the assigned nurse for some psychiatric patients in the past."

"Well, I was just wondering, because Colonel Jameson has given me a two week pass, while he checks out the story of what we went through right after our marriage. If he finds out it is true, he would have me stationed at Camp Pendleton here in California. If he can't verify what I told him, I get shipped out to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina."

"Well, I will see what time I can have off to spend with you. I'm not promising anything, but maybe we can spend all our nights together."

Captain Stewart went over to one of the desks and made a phone call. When he was done he hung up and came back to the couple. "Tomorrow appears not to be your lucky day, Lieutenant. I just spoke to the hospital and found out that you are PFC Walter Bleckmann's assigned nurse."

"That means I'll probably be tied up most of the day over at the hospital. I'm sorry, Russ, but we won't get to see much of each other."

"I might have a partial solution. You any good with a rifle or pistol, Corporal?"

"I shot expert with the M16 and I may not be that good with a .45 Colt pistol, but I know my way around that weapon too. Why do you want to know?"

"I know you have a two week pass, but if you want to make sure you can spend some time with your wife, you could volunteer to join the guard unit for PFC Bleckmann. It's completely up to you, but I could use the help. I only have two men that I can use as guards for prisoner pickup right now."

"I'm just a chopper mechanic, Sir. I brought no weapons home with me."

"If you want to volunteer, report to the armory at the hospital at 10:00 hours tomorrow morning. This will give you a little time to work things out with the other members of the guard crew. You can also have lunch in the cafeteria with your wife, on us, before we return here to collect our patient. I will try to ask that your wife has a short meeting with the PFC, and then turn him over to another team to get him settled in. Her first full day with him would be the following day. I'm not promising you that everything will work out this way, but it's the best I can think of on short notice."

"No, Sir. It sounds good to me. At least I will get to spend some time tomorrow with Charlotte. I volunteer. Anything else I need to do?"

"Just show up tomorrow at 10:00 hours."

"Will do, Sir."

"Now you two go, enjoy the rest of the day together."

"Thank you, Sir." both of them said as they saluted and turned to leave.

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Picking up his duffel bag, Charles grabbed hold of Charlotte's hand as the two of them walked down the stairs, and out the door to the cab stand. He wanted to go to the Oak Knoll Naval hospital right away. She mentioned to him that there was a hotel, the American, that catered to families who had people in the hospital, not too far from the Navy facilities, and she thought that they would accommodate service men too. So Russell told the cab driver to drop them off there.

Russell checked in, put his duffel bag up in his room, and then took Charlotte to dinner in the restaurant in the hotel. After the fresh garden salad, Yankee pot roast with mashed potatoes, gravy, and cream corn, they decided to share a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. Russell left a very good tip, and paid the bill. Then the two of them went up to his room for some much needed "welcome home" time.

About 22:30 hours that evening, Charlotte and Russell stepped out of the elevator, and walked through the lobby. They were on their way back to the hospital, since Charlotte had to be back by her 23:00 hours curfew. Fifteen minutes before she had to be there, they came to the front door of the hospital, and Russell took her over to the side to share one last goodnight kiss.

At that moment, Captain Robert Fielding, a Navy surgeon, arrived by cab at the front entrance of the hospital. He was not in the best of moods, because his car wouldn't start tonight, and he had to be on duty by 23:00 hours. His ex-wife was getting most of the money he was making, and he wondered where he would get the funds to repair his vehicle. As he entered the building, he looked off to the side and saw two people engaged in a deep kiss. What he also noticed was the stripes on Russell's sleeve and the Lieutenant's bars on Charlotte's soft shoulder epaulettes. Checking his watch, he decided that he could take time to discipline this service man. After he entered the main door, and went over to the reception desk, he first called for security to meet him at the front entrance. Then he called up to his duty station, informed them that he would be a few minutes late, but that he was already on site and had a security matter to deal with.

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Charlotte and Russell were still saying their final goodnights when the Captain came back outside and walked up to them.

"Corporal," he said, "Is is customary in the Marines to let a superior officer pass without saluting?"

Russell jumped to attention and offered him a salute. "No, Sir, I'm sorry, Sir. It will not happen again."

Captain Fielding looked him up and down as he returned the salute. "I notice you also seem to have forgotten the regulations regarding the fraternization between enlisted men and officers."

"No, Sir. I know all about them. This is my wife, and I just got home today from Nam. It is the first time we have been together in almost six months."

"Well, Corporal, I thought I heard all the excuses, but this is a new one. I'm sure that you don't have your wedding license or marriage certificate to prove what you are saying?"

"No, Sir. I don't." Russell looked at Charlotte and saw her checking her watch. "Sir, could you allow my wife to enter the building and check in. so she doesn't miss her curfew. I have a pass, so I can stay here however long is necessary, but I don't want her to have to suffer any punishment for being late."

Turning to Charlotte, Captain Fielding asked, "Your name, Lieutenant?"

Snapping to attention and offering him a salute, Charlotte said, "I am still listed in the Navy by my maiden name, Sir, Lieutenant Charlotte Johnson. The paperwork has not come through on my change of name status."

"Very well, Lieutenant. You are dismissed. Go check in so you don't miss curfew. If they question you, tell them to ask for me, Captain Robert Fielding, or to check in with security.

"Thank you, Sir." Charlotte said, saluted one more time and then hurried inside.

"Captain Fielding," Russell interjected, just as two MPs arrived at the door. "I know one person here who can vouch for what I am saying. Captain Stewart, the head of your security force was at the airport this afternoon, planning for accepting a patient that is coming in tomorrow. Since I had a pass and wanted to be with Charlotte, he asked me if I would volunteer to be part of the security detail. I am to return here tomorrow at 10:00 hurs to join his present security force to meet the plane. My wife has been assigned to be the PFC's nurse, so that probably will be the only time I will be able to see her."

Captain Fielding turned to the MPs and asked, "Is what he is saying true?"

The Sergeant saluted and told him, "As far as I know, that is correct, Sir. Captain Stewart is the chief of security, and I think, when I checked the duty list for tomorrow, I saw a patient pickup at the airport. Do you want me to call the Captain for you to find out for sure?"

"No. I don't think that will be necessary. We don't need to bother him at this late hour. The Corporal says he is coming back tomorrow morning. If he doesn't, he knows we'll come looking for him. Sorry I troubled you. You are dismissed." Captain Fielding then saluted the MPs, who returned his salute, and left to go back to their duty station.

"Corporal, I hope you are not lying to me. I have no idea how an enlisted man could be married to a Naval officer, but evidently, there must be a way. I will contact Captain Stewart sometime tomorrow, and see if you really volunteered to work for him. I don't understand that either, but you must have your reasons. You are dismissed."

Russell again snapped to attention and saluted the Captain. Then he spun on his heels and started to walk back to the hotel. **I'm gonna have to get a copy of our marriage certificate and carry it around with me in my wallet.** he thought to himself.

Arriving back at the American hotel, he went to the registration desk and left a wake up call for 08:00 hours. He then went to his room, changed his clothes, and crawled into bed. In just a few minutes he was sound asleep, dreaming of what his future life would be with Charlotte at his side.