"Wow, you're looking peachy this afternoon." Deeks greeted Melissa when she walked into the centre of NCIS headquarters that afternoon. "Hey, Kens. Seriously, I'll buy you jeans like this!" he yelled over his shoulder in the direction of the team's alcove.

Kensi walked out, a takeout box and chopsticks in her hands. "I've got jeans, Deeks." She spoke around her mouthful of food sending her partner an annoyed look.

Melissa laughed and looked down at the skinny blue jeans, tan sandals with white beading, small white and beige Chanel bag slung across her torso, tan and white studded wrap around watch/bracelet and the beige loose blouse with three-quarter sleeves she was wearing. "It's beige, love, not peach; and with Kensi's skin tone she should be wearing bright jewel-like colours. They'll make her hair and eyes look darker, and her skin look more tanned."

Deeks shrugged. "Whatever that means. Hetty says to go straight to her office. She has tea ready."

"Thanks." Melissa smiled and followed a still eating Kensi to Hetty's office.

"Ah, Miss Gordon. It's good to see you." Hetty smiled from behind her large desk. "I'm afraid I am going to be a bad host and leave you alone for a moment. I have a small matter to see to before we sit down and chat. Have a seat and make yourself comfortable while I deal with this." And, with that said, she was off.

Melissa sat down in the comfortable wicker armchair in front of Hetty's desk and slipped off her bag, placing it at her feet. Feeling at ease in the open office, she slouched down in the chair a little, crossed her legs and propped her elbow up on the chair arm, her chin settling on her fist as she fell into pensive thought.

She was brought out of her train of thought by Hetty's return. "You look deep in thought." The older woman said as she moved around her desk, picked up the large floral patterned china teapot siting to one side of the desk, and poured two measures of tea into the matching china cups set on their saucers in the middle of the desk. Handing one to Melissa, she picked up a china plate of finger sandwiches and small pastries and offered her one. Taking a small pastry, Melissa sat back with her tea and finger food and the two women fell into easy conversation.

They were interrupted a few minutes later by none other than Agent Callen. Unwilling to be in the same room as him, Melissa put down her teacup and picked up her handbag. "I'm sorry Hetty but I must be going." She said standing up and ignoring Callen where he stood between the lattice screens that made up the entrance to Hetty's office.

Hetty glanced between her and Callen as the young woman shook her fringe from her eyes. "This is unacceptable, Mr. Callen." The short Agent sighed. "You need to apologise to Miss Gordon. I won't have my agents offending people."

Callen looked down at his supervisor a small disbelieving smile on his face. "Come on, Hetty."

But Hetty interrupted him. "It is unacceptable Mr. Callen." She said firmly.

He looked up at Melissa and she saw the accusation in his eyes. Angrily she lifted her chin. "I'm sorry to have offended you Agent." She said coldly. "I do not know, however, what I could have done to deserve your mistrust. So allow me to say this; don't bother apologising. I wouldn't want you to strain yourself."

Again, that eyebrow lifted and Melissa felt as if he were mocking her. "How would you know if I don't trust you?"

Crossing her arms, Melissa looked him square in the eye, "It's written all over your face, Agent." She stressed his title. "Tell me, how do you work in a team with trust issues as deep-seeded as yours?" Knowing the question was a low blow, Melissa watched with a small amount of satisfaction as Agent Callen's eyes darkened with anger. But her heart sank the moment his face and eyes became blank and emotionless.

"Here's that suit back, Hetty." Callen said, his tone cool.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

Deflated, Melissa sank into the chair she had vacated a few minutes before. Raising a shaky hand to her mouth she turned her gaze onto Hetty who was still looking after her agent. "I'm so sorry Hetty. I should never have said that. I just can't seem to control myself around him." When Hetty turned to look at her Melissa swallowed guiltily. "I'm so sorry."

Hetty clasped her hands in front of her, "I believe your apology shouldn't be directed at me."

Thoroughly scolded by those few quiet words the pretty brunette nodded. "Of course." Thinking quickly she bit her lip. "Do you think you could give me his address so I could send him something as an apology? From the looks of it, talking to him only makes the both of us say horrible things."

Hetty studied her for a minute before nodding. Walking around her desk again she jotted down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to Melissa with a warning, "I'm not excusing his behaviour but because of Mr. Callen's past he finds it hard to trust."

Feeling sick Melissa looked down at the white piece of paper in her hands wondering how to make her mistake with Agent Callen right.


Standing outside Agent Callen's house, Melissa felt like an idiot. She had decided to apologise in person to the man who riled her up. And so, the day after their argument, she was standing on his doorstep at five in the afternoon dressed in a specially chosen outfit of faded boot-cut jeans, a comfortable white t-shirt and dark brown sandals with three dark stones running down the front. Paired with this was a dark grey, tasselled scarf wrapped around her neck, a large brown handbag and gunmetal hoop earrings. With her aviators slipped up on top of her head and her wavy dark brown hair hanging loose down her back, she pressed the doorbell.

The chime that sounded inside the house caused a thrill of trepidation to run down her spine. It took a few minutes but the door was finally opened and Melissa came face to face with Agent Callen, with no one else around to act as a distraction.

He opened his mouth to speak but Melissa jumped in and cut him off, "I came to apologise. Hetty gave me your address. Is it all right if I come in so I can explain and say sorry?"

Silently the NCIS agent studied her before he stepped back from the doorway and let her in.

Nervously Melissa crossed the threshold and waited for Agent Callen to close the door and lead her further into the house. She followed him into what looked to be his living room come den. He picked an open beer bottle up off of the coffee table in the middle of the room and switched off the flat screen TV hanging on the wall on the other side of the room before turning to Melissa expectantly.

Unnerved by his silence, the petite brunette bit her lip and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. It was thoughtless, rude and a horrible thing to say. You're entitled to your opinion of me and the only thing I can do is hope you forgive me so that we can move past this hostility." Her apology given, she waited for his answer.

"Okay."

The answer was unexpected and for some reason it made Melissa angry all over again. She had a brief thought questioning why she was so affected by this man but then he casually took a swig of his beer and that did it. "Are you really that emotionless or do you just play it up for my benefit?" she snapped.

Recognising the anger in her voice, Callen narrowed his eyes and moved into on guard mode. "Hey, you came here. I didn't force you to apologise." He told her.

Gritting her teeth, Melissa threw her hands up into the air. "God, you are unbelievable. I have never met a more infuriating man in all my life and you wouldn't believe some of the clients I work with."

Callen raised an eyebrow at her outburst.

Biting her tongue at that, Melissa shook her head, closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths. Composed once more, she sighed, "Look, can we just start over?" When Agent Callen didn't object she held her hand out to him, "Melissa Gordon, Personal Assistant and company liaison."

For a moment she thought he wasn't going to shake her hand but then he swapped his beer to his right hand and took her hand in his. The firm handshake was accompanied by his greeting, "G. Callen, NCIS agent."

With a smile of relief Melissa dropped his hand. "Since we're starting over, it feels too formal to call you Agent Callen all the time."

With a small quirk of his lips, the Agent folded his arms across his chest and Melissa couldn't help but admire the way the dark red, long sleeved thermal he was wearing tightened across his shoulders and chest. "My team calls me Callen." He said bringing her gaze back to his face.

Melissa nodded and cleared her throat, "My friends call me Mel." Realising he still wouldn't be the one to do any more than nod, and with a crazy idea overtaking her brain, Melissa blurted out, "Do you want to be my date to a client's party tomorrow night?" seeing the confusion on his face and trying to back pedal a little, the fiery brunette said hurriedly, "It's not a date. Just two acquaintances going out to learn more about each other." Cringing at her exact description of what a date actually was, Melissa waited anxiously for Callen's answer.

"Sounds good." Callen said carefully as he tried to figure out the whirlwind of energy that was the woman in front of him. "Do I pick you up or do we meet there?"

Melissa couldn't help the happy smile that overtook her face. "I'll give you my address. We can meet outside my apartment at seven. Dress nice." She added before tucking some of her hair behind her ear and jotting down her address on the back of a business card. "So…I'll see you then?" She asked handing the small rectangle of white card to him.

"Sure." Callen nodded before leading her back to the front door.

Before the atmosphere got any more awkward Melissa left the house and walked to her car leaving Callen to watch her and wonder what exactly he had got himself into.


"Would you quit moving?" Tracy whined as Melissa moved for the fifth time meaning that the eyeliner the stylist was trying to apply to Melissa's eyes wasn't even.

"Are you almost done? He's going to be here in half an hour and I still have to get dressed." Melissa stayed still at her friend's threatening glare only long enough to get her makeup finished before she was off, grabbing her garment bag and closing herself in the bathroom. She emerged a few minutes later in a royal blue cocktail dress. It was one shouldered with an origami-like design over the shoulder and bust. She took out her shoes next. The black platforms were peep-toe pumps showing off her blue pedicure. Next she put her I.D., some cash and lipstick into the small black clutch with black crystal embellishments on the front. The final touch to her outfit was the jewellery. The company had sent over earrings, a bracelet and a ring. The ring was a black crystal set into a patterned background. The bracelet was gunmetal with a large pear shaped royal blue crystal at the centre while the side panels were set with crystals in many different hues of blue. The final piece of jewellery were the earrings. They were white gold drop earrings. The stud part was set with a pear cut sapphire, a chain dropped down from this with another larger pear cut sapphire at the end.

"Wow." Tracy breathed. "If your Agent isn't gobsmacked by you tonight, he's gay." She said plainly.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "He's not meant to be gobsmacked, we're going out as friends, and this isn't a date."

Tracy shook her head, "Well, he better hurry up and get over his friend status because every man at that party is going to be all over you from the get go. You look sexy as hell, Mel."

"Okay, okay." Melissa blushed prettily checking her side-swept curls in the mirror above her vanity before she turned to Tracy. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for, you know that?"

The redhead grinned. "Just go and get that sexy agent of yours, Mel."

With a quick hug for her friend, Melissa grabbed her small black clutch purse that was embellished with black crystals, and left the apartment both excited and nervous. When she stepped out of her building's front entrance, it was to see Callen leaning back against a small silver sports car. Seeing that he hadn't seen her yet, Melissa studied him. He was wearing a black suit. With no tie, the collar of his black striped shirt was open. Shaking herself out of thoughts that were heading into dangerous territory, the petite brunette moved toward the car. Seeing her, Callen stood up and stepped away from the side of the car.

Stopping in front of him, Melissa smiled, "You scrub up nicely." She complimented feeling almost too shy to look up at him.

Callen pushed his hands into his pockets, "I'd say the same but it'd be an understatement."

Melissa was shocked by his sudden genuine smile and couldn't help but smile herself. Callen stepped to the side and opened the passenger door of his car for her. Sliding into the car, she admired the soft leather and beautiful interior while she buckled her seatbelt and Callen got into the car and started it up. Giving him the first set of directions to the client party, Melissa sat back and took the initiative to start a conversation. By the time they had arrived at the entrance to the large mansion in the hills near Santa Monica she had learnt about Callen's early years in foster care and they had joked about his first name being a letter of the alphabet. She had also told him about her job, and why she thought of Mr. Dean as a grandfather.

The valet opened her door for her and Callen moved around the car to help her out before giving his keys to the valet and receiving a parking number in return. Slipping the little stub of paper into the inner pocket of his jacket, Callen gallantly offered Melissa his arm. She smiled at the old fashion gesture and was inwardly thrilled at it. Slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, the beautiful brunette allowed the NCIS agent to lead her up the front steps of the mansion and into the party.

Moving through the crowd, Melissa allowed the jewellery she was wearing catch the light and the attention of every available buyer at the party. The host, a CEO of an airline company, had caught Callen up in a discussion about cars and the agent was even giving his opinion about what was the best make for the CEO to buy. When Melissa was satisfied that he was relaxed and had someone to talk to she moved off with her glass of wine to see if there was any interest in the jewellery she was wearing or the company she worked for.

A few people had already taken photos of her clothes and jewellery with their camera phones and some had even booked appointments with the company for the following three weeks.

With a start, Melissa turned as an arm snaked around her waist. "Well, you're looking gorgeous as ever, sweetheart." A tall blonde man said grinning down at her.

"Stan." Melissa said her voice becoming cool and distant. "Who let you in?"

Stan's grin widened, "Come on now, sweetheart, I've got as much right to be here as you do." His arm tightened around her waist. "Besides, I've got the women queuing up to buy their boyfriends and husbands a new G. Dean watch and cufflinks."

Neatly slipping from his touch Melissa put her nearly full glass of wine down on one of the drinks tables scattered throughout the house knowing Stan's penchant for slipping a pill or two into girl's drinks, just to make them 'agreeable', and he had been too close to her drink for her liking.

Seeing her weary stance and the fact that she had ditched her drink, Stan's grin turned into a smirk, "Come on, sweetheart, you know I would never do anything to a woman's drink."

Raising her eyebrow in a fair imitation of Callen's emotionless stare, Melissa relaxed slightly seeing Callen moving through the crowd toward her and Stan, two drinks in his hands and his eyes locked onto her and Stan. "You should go and find some of those women then Stan."

His eyes flicked down her body and Melissa felt disgust at the look on his face. "We're having a nice conversation though."

"Hey, Mel." Callen interrupted walking straight past Stan, handing her a drink and turning a little so that he could see Stan but was also looking at her.

Accepting the glass of champagne, Melissa smiled at him before turning her cool gaze onto Stan.

"Who's your friend, sweetheart?" Stan asked obviously not in the least bit put off by Callen's presence.

Stiffening at the use of his stupid and overtly intimate nickname, Melissa lost all patience with him and glared, only to start a little as Callen turned to face Stan putting his body next to hers, his arm wrapping around her waist. His heat instantly warmed her even through the layers of their clothes.

Easily, Callen transferred his glass of champagne to the hand that was at Melissa's left hip and held out his right hand to Stan. The taller man took the proffered handshake with a cocky smirk on his face but it slowly started to fade at Callen's words, "G. Callen, Melissa's date."

Stan's dark eyes turned to Melissa, "You never have dates." He blurted extricating his hand from Callen's quickly.

Embarrassed by his outburst and the truth of his words Melissa looked away taking a much-needed sip of her champagne as she felt her cheeks heat up. She jumped a little when Callen's arm tightened around her waist gaining her attention and her gaze turned to his.

"Wanna go dance?" he asked nodding toward the couples slow dancing in a space cleared in the middle of the room; soft music played by a quartet in the corner added to the mood of the room.

Swallowing hard, Melissa nodded, and without a second thought for Stan she put her half-finished glass of champagne on a passing waiter's tray and let Callen lead her to the dance floor. Fluidly, he took her right hand in his and wrapped an arm around her shoulder blades leading her easily into the group of dancers without missing a beat.

Swallowing the emotions she was feeling, Melissa looked up at the man she was falling for far too quickly. "Did they teach you to dance in agent school?"

Callen's lips quirked in the smile she was coming to love, "No. Hetty taught me."

Unable to stop herself, Melissa laughed. "I would have loved to see that." She murmured when Callen pulled her closer as more couples moved onto the dance floor.

He shook his head. "No you wouldn't. First, she bullied me into the lessons and then every time I put a foot wrong I got the patented Hetty stare."

Melissa shuddered playfully, "I know that stare well. I received it after our fight the other day."

Callen nodded. "She's a master at getting you to follow her every command without saying a word."

Grinning, Melissa let Callen spin her expertly before changing the topic of their conversation. "I'm sorry about Stan. He's been flirting with me since I started at G. Dean and he uses that infuriating nickname so that everyone within hearing distance will think we are having an affair." She frowned. "I really need to slap him one day."

Her comment earned one of Callen's raised eyebrows, but this time it was paired with a smirk. "I would pay to see that." He told her.

But before Melissa could sort out her jumbled emotions at the sight of that smirk and the tone of his voice and think of a comment to his remark, the song ended and the couples broke up to applaud the entertainment. She was then ushered away by her client to show off her jewellery to other prospective clients on the other side of the room. Callen was left to go to the bar set up near the mansion's entrance but Melissa had a clear view of him as he chatted to the bartender and had a few of the female guests flirt with him. She lost sight of him when her client started a conversation about his order from G. Dean and when she next looked up it was to see Callen walking out the front door.

Panicking, Melissa quickly ended her discussion with her client with the promise of a meeting on Monday at the office. Not even stopping to grab her bag, she all but ran to out the front door in time to see Callen accepting his keys from the valet further down the wide drive. Moving quickly she got to him just as he was opening the driver's door of his car.

"So what, you're just going to leave me here without a word?" she asked sharply putting her hand out to stop him from opening his door all the way.

Callen looked at her and the disgust she saw plainly on his face made her take a step back. "I'm going. I shouldn't have come. This was a waste of time." He growled his shoulders tense with anger.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Melissa wrapped her arms around her stomach, "What's a waste of time? Coming to this party or trying to be friends?"

Callen slammed his door shut and turned to face her, "Both. What you do, it's so fake. It's disgusting."

The familiar anger welled up in Melissa's chest again. "What disgusts you about my job?" she asked him coldly.

A muscle jumped in Callen's cheek, "You sell yourself, not the jewellery. Do you realise that?"

Shocked beyond words at his cruel comment unwanted tears blurred Melissa's vision, "What?" she breathed her voice shaking.

Folding his arms across his chest Callen's face became impassive but he didn't say anything.

Shaking, Melissa balled her hands into fists her long nails biting into her palms. "How dare you!" she said sharply, "You know nothing about me or about what I do."

With a dispassionate voice Callen spoke up, "You dress up and try to pretend that none of it is about selling yourself. It's twisted and fake."

Melissa gaped at him in disbelief for a moment before clenching her jaw, "So this is about your trust issues, is that it?" she grit out.

"What?" Callen asked anger leaking into his voice as he took a step toward her.

A single tear slid down Melissa's face, "I'm not the enemy, Callen. Don't use my job as an excuse for your opinion of me." With that said the petite brunette turned to walk away only to have Callen catch her arm and turn her to face him once again.

She thought she was dreaming when he stooped down a little and his lips caught hers in a passionate kiss tinged with anger. A thrill went down her spine before her stomach dropped and she pushed him away. "Don't use that against me Callen, please." She whispered her eyes glued to the lapels of his jacket.

He pushed a lock of her hair away from her face and tilted her chin up so that she would look at him, "I'm not." He murmured. The anger that had been plainly evident in his stance a few moments before was now gone and he seemed more relaxed than Melissa had ever seen him. "I'm sorry, Mel." He murmured. "I need to learn to trust you it's…it's just gonna take me a little while, alright?"

Melissa pushed up on her toes and gently kissed him on the cheek, "Okay." She whispered as she lowered herself back to her heels again. Looking into his blue-grey eyes. "You mix me up Agent G. Callen. It better not become a habit."

Callen smiled, "We'll see. Are we going back in?"

Melissa studied him, he seemed to be preparing himself mentally and she didn't want to make him go back into the party after they had just averted another fight. She shook her head. "Get the car running, I'll go inside, make our excuses and get my bag and then you owe me dessert." She grinned saucily.

Callen leaned back against his car and looked at her, "I do, do I?"

With a nod, the fiery woman stepped forward and kissed the corner of his lips. "Definitely. I would offer to go back to my place and share a tub of extra rich chocolate chip ice-cream but because everything's moving so fast with us I think we need to take things slow from here on out."

By the end of her mini speech Callen was grinning, "You talk a lot, you know that?"

Turning to walk toward the party again, a smirk on her lips, Melissa threw over her shoulder, "And you don't talk much at all, Callen. It makes us a perfect match." She went back into the party to excuse herself and Callen but the only thought in her head was a girlish squeal of excitement because he had kissed her, the man of her dreams had just kissed her and he wasn't making any objection to taking things further in their relationship.


That Saturday Melissa and Callen drove to Santa Monica Pier for an official date. She chose jean shorts and a floaty red sleeveless top. A brown plaited leather belt, dark brown and gold sandals, a brown tasselled bag and a white fedora added a casual element to the outfit contrasting with the gold shark's tooth bracelet, blue red and gold nautical bangle, anchor cameo earrings and two woven gold, blue and white bracelets. Sunglasses made the look very much a summer outfit.

With a grin, Melissa all but ran out the door to Callen's car when he came to pick her up. The drive to the pier was short but once the car was parked Melissa slipped her hand into Callen's and they walked up the steps to the pier. They talked about their past and the people they worked with. After a few rides at the miniature theme park, and a few hours looking at the stalls, the couple sat down at a picnic table sharing a huge ice-cream sundae.

"So your parents are English?" Callen asked as Melissa took a spoonful of the quickly melting ice-cream sitting in its large bowl in the middle of the table in front of them.

She looked at him over the spoonful and nodded. "They grew up there but my family's originally from Greece. My great-grandparents moved to England when they were first married in 1895 and my family was there until I was fifteen. They live in Sitka, Alaska now." Eating her spoonful of dessert, the pretty brunette smiled at her date, "Where is your family from?"

Callen seemed to tense, "It's a long story." He told her putting some distance between them by looking away and focussing on a busker on the opposite side of the pier.

With a sigh, Melissa took one last spoonful of the quickly melting ice cream and pushed the plastic bowl aside. Resting her chin in her hand and her elbow on the picnic table, she watched as Callen's shoulders slowly relaxed. "You know I won't push you into telling me everything, right?" she asked him only to see his shoulder muscles tense again before his shoulders drooped slightly.

Callen turned to the woman that was very quickly becoming a huge part of his life, "Yeah." He murmured turning his full attention back to her. He shrugged. "Habit."

Smiling, and in what was becoming a habit, the pretty brunette reached out to touch him, gently curling her fingers around his hand. "I will never force you to open up to me, Callen. But if this is going to work, and I really hope it does, we are going to have to be totally honest with one another." She told him truthfully. "And we are going to have to work at trusting each other, okay?"

Callen searched her face looking for the truth that was plainly written on her face. He smiled and nodded before lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her fingers. He then got up from his side of the picnic table and circled it, straddling the bench behind Melissa and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back so that she was leaning back against his chest.

The couple sat that way, enjoying the summer day, their ice cream sundae completely forgotten on the table beside them.


The next week went quickly for Melissa. She texted Callen most days and they decided to meet at a local diner for dinner on Friday night and then go and see a newly released film that both had thought looked good. For some reason Melissa was nervous and excited all day Friday and kept running through the clothes in her closet in her head trying to figure out what to wear. In the end she decided on dark blue straight leg jeans, a white tank top with a beige transparent long-sleeved top over it, white sandals with flowers on the thong, chandelier earrings with soft pink and dark grey metal leaves hanging from them and pink tinted aviator sunglasses finished off the casual outfit.

At dinner she tried to persuade Callen to teach her some Romanian words.

"Come on." She wheedled her good looking date over their servings of coffee and pie. "Just give me a few cute things to say to you when we're alone. Just don't be too harsh on me for pronunciation." She grinned.

Callen sat back in the booth and shook his head in resignation.

"Please? I'll only ever use them if you want me to." She begged.

Callen smiled at her. "No you won't." Deflating a little the bubbly brunette sighed and stirred her coffee morosely. Callen leaned his arms on the table and caught her blue-green gaze, "Dragă." He murmured.

Melissa felt a soft blush heat her cheeks at the tone of his voice. "What does that mean?" she asked breathlessly.

Callen's gaze never wavered from hers, "It means darling." He told her. "Now, tell me something in Greek."

Biting her lip Melissa looked at him shyly. "Glykia mou. It means my sweet. I-I know others but they're…more endearing." She sat back against the red leather seat and worried her bottom lip with her teeth not realising how beautiful she looked to Callen in that moment.

"I have to go away on a case tomorrow." Callen spoke up voicing the fact that had been sitting at the back of his mind all week.

Melissa's heart sank at the prospect of him going away. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she put on a brave face and smiled. "Oh, how long will you be away for?" she asked.

They were interrupted by the waitress with their check. Callen paid for their meal and led Melissa outside. "It's only for a week." He assured her as she slipped her hand into his, hugging his arm to her side as they walked.

Feeling a little better at the thought that she could last without seeing Callen for a week without being too sad, Melissa sent him a genuine if not mischievous smile, "I suppose I can't ask where you're going. It's probably top secret. 'If I told you I'd have to kill you' sort of thing, right?"

Callen grinned and pulled his arm from her grip to wrap it around her waist and hold her against his side. "Something like that, yeah."


The week passed quickly for Melissa with meetings with Mr. Dean every day as well as client meetings and private exhibitions to get through. She missed Callen but got through the week by texting him about what she would be doing during the day. He wouldn't receive the texts until he got back at the end of the week but it made her feel better to send them to him anyway. The day before he got back, Melissa sent him a longer text than usual, [Getting ready for a big meeting today. The company is trying to set up an exhibition in the jewellery store on Mountain Avenue. All thanks to Patricia. It's going to be tedious. Wish you could see my outfit. I've cleared my schedule for tomorrow afternoon. If you're not too busy I thought we could go for a swim. I cannot wait to see you again, Dragă.]

The next day, after her hair and makeup were done, she dressed in the white pencil skirt, red wrap around silk blouse and white platform, peep-toe pumps that Tracy had brought for her. Then, after she had opened the silver box and waited for Tracy to finish drooling over the beautiful bracelet and earrings the office had sent over, she slipped her hand through the garnet and silver lattice bangle and then hooked the ruby and diamond pave tear drop earrings in a white gold setting into her ear lobes. She filled her white patterned handbag with her phone, keys, diary and a file of the agreement to be signed when she had approved of the store's security and display. She was met outside by her driver who opened the back door of the town car for her. The drive to the jewellery store didn't take long and Melissa was on time for the meeting. After being shown around the store and complimenting the owner on her set up of the display and especially the silent alarm of her security protocol, Melissa sat down with the owner at the large mahogany desk at the back of the store and signed the papers as well as verifying all the small print of the jewellery sales.

With a smile Melissa stood up and held out her hand to the shop's owner. "It was a pleasure doing business with you Francis." She smiled as the older woman shook her hand.

They both jumped as the door at the front of the shop slammed open.

"Everyone down on the ground!"

The sales assistant dove to the ground as a man with a shot gun and a ski mask over his face kicked the door closed behind him. The only relief Melissa had as she got down on the ground next to Francis and her shop assistant was the knowledge that the shop assistant had pushed the silent alarm and the cops would be surrounding the shop in a few minutes.

"Welcome back." Kensi greeted Sam and Callen as they walked into the bullpen of NCIS headquarters just after lunch.

Callen looked up from reading the last of his texts from Melissa to nod to both Kensi and Deeks as he dropped his duffle at his desk.

"Ignore him." Sam said with a bemused smile. "He's been glued to that screen since the carrier touched down. I think he's got a girlfriend." The last was teasing and Callen looked up at his partner.

"Just because no one texted you while we were away doesn't mean you have to be depressed." He teased back.

Sam rolled his eyes and glared good-naturedly, "Would you stop with that depressed thing. I'm not depressed."

Deeks walked into the alcove in time to hear the last part of the conversation. "Who's depressed?" he asked slapping first Callen, and then Sam on the shoulder as a welcome, before making his way to his desk.

"Sam." Kensi explained.

Sam groaned, "For the last time, I'm not depressed."

The team laughed and then turned to listen as Eric called them up to the debrief room. But Hetty intercepted them, "No time." She told them. "There's a robbery in progress at the high end jewellery store on Mountain Avenue. A faction of the ex-navy jewellery thieves from the G. Dean party two months ago. The LAPD are asking for our help on this one. You'll be debriefed on the way."

Callen tensed and swore under his breath. At Hetty's look he explained; "Mel's meant to be there for a meeting. Have LAPD said if anyone got out before the robbery."

Hetty shook her head leading the team to the ammunitions room to suit up, "There were three hostages but one was let go."

Melissa sat in a chair her head bowed a little listening to the armed man pace as cop cars pulled up outside the small store. Hearing Francis try and stifle a sob she turned her head and sent the petrified woman a comforting smile. "Everything's going to be okay. All we have to do is stay calm."

Heavy footsteps made her whip her head around to look up at the thief as he crossed the room and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head back and leaning down to growl into her face, "Didn't I tell you not to talk? Huh!" he tightened his hand in her hair ripping it out of its low bun as Melissa grabbed his wrist and tried to pry his hand away.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered tears pooling in her eyes.

He sneered and pushed her head down so that she was looking at the floor. "Shut up and keep your head down or I'll shoot her!" he ordered and Melissa saw Francis shake when he pointed his sawn off shotgun at her. "Understand!"

Melissa nodded and kept her head down praying the police would stop him before someone got hurt.

"I'm going in." Callen told his team as he started to pull open the Velcro at the sides of his bullet proof vest.

"What?" Deeks looked at him as if he was crazy. "You're gonna get yourself killed if you go in without a vest."

Callen rounded on him barely holding it together at the thought of Melissa getting hurt. "He's got two hostages in there and he's not gonna let them go just because we ask him nicely." He all but growled. "If he talks with someone face to face he might change his mind."

"Come on, man." Sam said putting a hand on his partner's shoulder to hold him back as much as to get through to him. "You know that guy in there isn't gonna give up his hostages just coz you go in."

Callen looked at his team. "He's got hostages. He wants something and if he doesn't get it those two in there are as good as dead." Shrugging off Sam's hand he started toward the store front. "And I'm not gonna let anything happen to Mel." He said to himself.

With an annoyed shrug to both Kensi and Deeks, Sam lifted the loudspeaker they were using to communicate with the thief, he pressed the red button on the handle and spoke into it, "A mediator is coming in to talk to you so that we can get you what you need. He's unarmed."

The sound of Sam's voice coming over the loudspeaker made Melissa jump but she couldn't risk looking up to see who was coming into the shop. The sound of someone knocking on the front door was followed by the thief unlocking and opening the door. Once it was closed again, Melissa peeked up through the curtain of her now loose hair to see Callen standing with his hands up, palms facing out; the masked man motioning for him to move toward the back of the store with the shotgun before he checked that he hadn't brought any weapons in with him.

Shaking, the petite brunette lowered her eyes to her fists as they lay in her lap and listened as Callen tried to talk the thief into letting her and Francis go. She winced when the thief became more and more agitated. And then suddenly the shotgun went off breaking the store front window. Callen moved quickly, knocking the gun from the thief's hand before he grappled with him landing a few good hits and receiving a few as well.

Quickly, Melissa dropped to the ground and pulled Francis down with her as the thief grabbed the gun again. Another shot went off and a display case near Callen exploded raining down shards of glass before the NCIS agent managed to pin the thief down, kicking the gun from his hand. A moment later the store was swarming with cops and the rest of Callen's team.

Handing the now cuffed and unmasked thief off to Sam, Callen moved to the back of the store and caught Melissa as she threw herself into his arms shaking badly.

Glass crackled under their feet as he led her out of the front of the store and out into the heat and sun of a Los Angeles summer day.

He kept repeating in her ear, "You're safe now, baby. You're safe." What he didn't realise was that he was saying it in Romanian.

After Melissa had given her statement to the cops she called into the office and explained what had happened before she let Callen take her back to NCIS headquarters. Kensi loaned her a pair of sweat pants, an LAPD sweat shirt and a pair of flip flops that she had in her locker. Changing into the baggy clothes made Melissa feel better. The office had sent over a courier with a case and a garment bag to take back the clothes and jewellery as well as an agitated Tracy.

"Oh my God!" the redhead gasped when her friend emerged from the women's locker room.

Melissa was enveloped in a tight hug by the taller woman and spent the next ten minutes calming her best friend down before she was able to sit her down on the chair beside Callen's desk and wave away the courier with the clothes and expensive jewellery. "I'm fine, Trace. Promise."

All but in tears the leggy redhead sniffed. "If anything had happened to you I don't know what I would've done, you know that, right?"

Hugging her Melissa smiled. "I know, love. But I'm fine. Stop fussing."

With a final sniffle Tracy nodded and then looked around. "So are you gonna introduce me to your agent boyfriend?"

Hearing Tracy's question, Deeks lifted his head from where he sat at his own desk. "No way, you and Callen are dating?" he blurted with a clearly shocked laugh.

A crimson blush flooded Melissa's cheeks and she rubbed her temples. She was saved from having to answer by Callen's entrance into the team's office space. She looked at him beseechingly when Deeks repeated his question. Kensi, Sam and Hetty heard the question as they followed Callen into the alcove.

Folding his arms across his chest Callen looked at Hetty and his team, "It's not your business, but yeah, we're dating." He told them his face calm.

Tracy all but squealed and threw her arms around Melissa's shoulders again realising that that was a huge step from Callen even if the others seemed to be in a state of shock.

Kensi smiled looking between Melissa and Callen, "No way."

Sitting on the edge of the front of his desk Callen looked at Melissa who managed to pry her best friend's arms from around her. Her cheeks were still a soft pink but she was smiling softly.

Sam was the first to recover from his shock. "Congratulations, man." He smiled holding out a hand to Callen who took the offered handshake and finished it with a manly pat-on-the-back-hug.

Hetty moved to Melissa's side and patted the younger woman's hand. "Treat him well, Miss Gordon." She told her gently before allowing Deeks, Kensi and Sam to offer their congratulations before Melissa officially introduced Tracy to Callen and his team. The redhead made eyes at Sam and gave her unwanted advice that Deeks and Kensi should be more than just partners. With another blush, Melissa sent her friend home promising to call her that night.

With a saucy smile for Sam and a wink and more unwanted comments about Melissa not worrying too much about ringing her if she and Callen had other plans for the night, the tall woman left the NCIS headquarters.

"Mr. Callen." Hetty gained her agent's attention. "I would like you to take Miss Gordon home and make sure she gets a good night's rest. After the day she's had she needs it."

Deeks nearly spit out his mouthful of coffee as Hetty left the alcove. "Did Hetty just give you two permission to have a sleep over?"

Kensi slapped him up the back of the head and they all clearly heard Hetty's voice calling, "I heard that, Mr. Deeks!"

With the blond officer subdued, Callen grinned while Melissa slipped her hand into his and he led her out of the headquarters leaving a still shocked but happy team behind him.