The next day Melissa opened her door to find Callen standing on her threshold. "Hi." She smiled before stepping back and letting him come in.

"You feeling better?" he asked wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked to her living room.

She shrugged. "It all seems a bit surreal, like it didn't happen to me." She murmured twisting the silver stacking rings on her right hand ring finger. The small moon on one and the small sphere on the other twisted together while the plain silver band in the middle stayed still.

Callen saw the dark circles under her eyes. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" he asked.

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder as he led her to her lounge. "How did you know?"

Sitting down with Melissa against his side Callen explained, "You look tired, you always fidget when you're tired or stressed and I know you better than you think."

She smiled at him. "Well, aren't you a great detective, Agent." She teased before getting up and stretching, her loose grey t-shirt showing a strip of her stomach above the waist line of her black and grey yoga pants. "You want a beer. Tracy made sure she brought some over this morning because I told her you were coming over."

Callen looked up at her, "She brought you those clothes too?" he asked slouching back into the cushions of her couch as his eyes moved over her.

Melissa wrinkled her nose at him. "No, these are my clothes, thank you very much." At Callen's grin she shook her head. "Is that a yes for the beer?"

His grin widened. "Sure, thanks."

Shaking her head, the petite brunette padded barefoot to her kitchen. Getting a beer out of the fridge she opened it and took it to Callen before going back to the kitchen to brew herself a cup of tea. When she got back to the lounge it was to see Callen flicking through her leather bound sketch book.

"Seriously? I leave you alone for a few minutes and you go through my things?" she put her mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat at the opposite end to Callen looking away in embarrassment while he continued to flick through the sketches of jewellery designs she had made.

"I know nothing about jewellery," he said his eyes on the designs in the book, "But these are really good."

Melissa bit her lip playing with the small silver moon necklace around her neck, folding her legs under her. "I suppose. I-I thought that I could go back to school and learn to be a designer but then I got this job and now I just couldn't leave Mr. Dean. He's almost like a grandfather to me now because he's done so much for me, you know." She picked up her mug and sipped at the hot, fragrant liquid inside. "I mean I love my job but I just wish I could do more instead of just being the clothes hanger, you know?" She looked up to see Callen watching her, a bemused smile on his face. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just wondering why you don't follow your dream."

Melissa moved slightly and then sighed. She put her mug back down on the coffee table and moved across the couch to lie against Callen's side again. "I will one day, but right now I'm going to tell you something that I very rarely tell people so you had better listen because with my temperament I won't be saying it too often." She closed her eyes and snuggled into his side. "You're right. I'm exhausted because I didn't sleep well last night. Now if you stay still I might be able to get some sleep and then we can go to the beach or whatever you want."

The feel of Callen's fingers running through her hair soon lulled her to sleep but what she didn't know is that her tough NCIS agent just wanted to sit on that couch with his girlfriend sleeping against him.


"God, you're unbelievable!" Melissa all but shouted as she slammed into her apartment, Callen following behind her.

"What did you want me to do, huh? He grabbed you!" Callen growled moving past her to the lounge, loosening his tie as he did.

Melissa threw her purse onto the hall table, followed him into the lounge rubbing her temples and then rounded on him. "Please enlighten me as to how punching one of my clients was a good call then, Callen?" At his silence she threw up her hands. "Was it the fact that he touched me the problem or was it the fact that I didn't tell him to stop?" Callen's face went bank but Melissa wasn't having it. "You nearly lost me my bloody job, Agent. The least you could do is tell me the truth." She glared up at him.

"I thought I was protecting you, alright. That…guy just wanted one thing." He folded his arms across his chest and Melissa felt like slapping him.

"After everything you still don't trust me, do you?" she asked her teeth clenched in anger.

"He touched you, I asked him to stop, he laughed, I hit him. Simple as that." Callen explained.

Melissa stared at him before exploding, "Simple as that? You nearly got me fired and all you can say is 'simple as that'? Not to mention the whole possessive thing."

"I'm not possessive." Callen growled glaring at her. "He made a pass at you Mel. I made sure he'll think twice about touching a woman like that again." Melissa stalked passed him and into her bedroom, slamming the door closed behind her, but Callen wasn't finished. "We're gonna talk about this." He said gruffly as he followed her into the room.

She rounded on him. "No we're not. You don't seem to see how much of an ass you were being so I don't see why we should discuss it." She turned back to her vanity mirror and proceeded to take off her jewellery, purposely ignoring Callen as he glared at her in the mirror. Pulling the pins from her hair she moved to go to her bathroom only to have Callen bar her way. "Move!" she grit out glaring at his chest.

"No." Callen told her.

Clenching her jaw she glared up at him, angry tears filling her eyes, "Tell me just one thing, Callen; did you hit him because he touched me or because I let him?" Callen looked away and she had her answer. "Get out."

"Mel…" he reached for her but she stepped out of reach.

"Get. Out."

He straightened and turned on his heel, leaving the room silently. The sound of her front door clicking shut broke something inside of her. With a gasp Melissa collapsed on the edge of her bed, tears filling her eyes as she covered her mouth with a trembling hand.


It had been two weeks since their big fight. Two weeks since Melissa had heard anything from Callen. Two weeks of hell. She knew it was taking a toll on her from the way Tracy was watching her and making sure she ate three times a day. Patricia had even made a comment that the petite brunette was 'rather aloof and cold lately'. She received a withering look from Melissa for her trouble. Tracy, on the other hand, wasn't as easily cowed. She managed to wheedle a brief explanation about why Melissa was depressed but didn't get any specifics.

Melissa had received a phone call from Hetty the day after her and Callen's big fight. The tough NCIS handler told her that Callen had accepted a deep undercover assignment that day and she was worried that he was doing it for the wrong reasons. With the feeling of betrayal still fresh, Melissa had told Hetty that she and Callen weren't together anymore and that he could take whatever assignments he wanted, it was his life. Hetty had told her in no uncertain terms that Callen had been the happiest she had ever seen him when he was with her and that if she really cared for him she would try and fix what had happened. Upset by the truth of Hetty's words, Melissa plucked up the courage to ring Callen a few days later but he never answered and after a week Melissa resigned herself to the fact that he never wanted to talk to her again.


After a long day at work, two weeks after her and Callen's break up, Melissa grabbed her gym bag and took the office elevator down to the employee gym. She changed into her black running shorts, aqua sports bra and grey tank top. She pulled her iPod arm band on and threw her hair up into a pony tail before she laced up her black and grey Nike running shoes and grabbed her water bottle, towel, wraps and boxing gloves. After warming up with some stretches she ran for twenty minutes on a treadmill before wrapping her hands, turning her iPod up, pulling on her boxing gloves and taking out her frustration on a boxing bag. An hour later she collapsed on a bench against the wall and took a few deep breaths. Her skin was slick with sweat and her tank top stuck to her back but she was still as angry and frustrated as ever. Pulling the Velcro straps of her gloves open with her teeth she grabbed her towel and wiped her face, pulling the headphones out of her ears before taking a long pull from her water bottle.

Slow clapping made her lift her head, her eyes narrowing when she saw Stan push away from the wall to her right. "Now that," he pointed to the still swinging bag, "That was impressive."

Rolling her eyes Melissa took another drink of water, ignoring him as she got her breathing under control. She didn't even look up when Stan walked in front of her saying something about how it was good to see her outside of work hours. "And that outfit." He shook his head with a lecherous grin. "You're looking as good as ever, sweetheart."

Ready to get away from him, Melissa stood up, gathered up her things, put them into her gym bag and stepped around him to leave.

But he caught her arm in a firm grip. "Come on, sweetheart. Now that your poor excuse for a boyfriend's gone we can have a little fun."

Melissa looked down at the hand on her arm and then lifted angry blue-green eyes to the tall man's face. "If you don't let me go-"

He interrupted her, "You'll what? Punch me?" he smirked before he tried to pull her closer.

Digging her heels into the carpeted floor, Melissa dropped her gym bag, pulled her free arm back fist clenched and punched him square in the face. With an ugly yell, Stan fell back his hands cradling his eye and cheek.

"What the hell!" He yelled up at her from where he had sunk down to the ground.

Emotionlessly, Melissa picked up her gym bag from where she had dropped it. "You should have let me go." She threw over her shoulder at him as she left the gym's boxing area.


"Everyone's talking about you knocking out Stan, kid." Tracy told Melissa that evening as she did her makeup.

Melissa kept her eyes on the window she was facing as Tracy brushed the final coat of bronzer over her cheeks. "I didn't knock him out. I just made sure he'll think twice about touching a woman that way again." With a jolt she realised she had just repeated some of Callen's last words to her.

Swallowing hard, the beautiful brunette got up from the bed and grabbing her garment bag, she disappeared into the bathroom. She took off her silk kimono robe and unzipped the garment bag. She found a black mermaid skirt inside. Stepping into it she pulled it up and tried to ignore the fact that the sides had curving transparent panels that showed off her legs from ankles to upper thigh. The top that went with the outfit was strapless black satin in a pleated origami style. She zipped that up the back and then walked back out into her bedroom. Looking at the shoes that she had been sent to wear she left them in their box knowing her feet would be killing her all too soon and decided to put on her jewellery first. She opened the silver box that had been sent over and lifted out the spiralling silver collar. Fastening it around her neck she moved on to the jet and silver studs, cage-like ring and heavy silver and black bangles that had been sent along also.

"What is Patricia trying to do, make you all look like hookers?" Tracy asked appalled.

"Ah, but we're classy hookers." Melissa joked humourlessly as she threw what she needed for the night into the small silver and black clutch that went with her outfit. "I'll see you tomorrow." She added as she pulled on the sky-high black leather pumps that she had put off wearing before.

"You'll talk to me when you're ready, won't you?" Tracy asked softly as Melissa turned to leave the bedroom.

Dropping her gaze to the door handle where her hand was resting Melissa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Maybe I'll be able to one day. But not for a while." She murmured before leaving the room and the apartment.

The party was dark and cold or that's what Melissa thought as she walked around the room pretending to smile and laugh with the many rich and famous that were there. But all she could think about was Callen's words to her the first time she had taken him to a party like this 'What you do, it's so fake.' 'You sell yourself, not the jewellery.'

Feeling like her chest was about to burst, Melissa excused herself from the group of women she was talking to and hurried to the bathrooms. Breathing hard she caught herself on the edge of the vanity as her knees gave way. A muffled sob and the sound of shuffling feet from the last cubical made her look up. As she moved toward it, she heard the lock on the door of the bathroom turn. She spun around and stared as Stan looked up at her, his shirt partially open and a red handprint on his cheek that hadn't been there earlier that night when she'd seen him.

"You just don't know when to keep out of things, do you sweetheart?" he growled a demented look in his eyes.

With a sick realisation, Melissa ran to the end cubical and pushed open the door to see a blonde waitress, bloody and bruised, curled into a corner of the stall sobbing.

"Oh, God." Melissa gasped as she dropped to her knees beside the cringing woman. "Did he do this to you?" she asked.

The woman's lips trembled and she then burst into tears, curling in on herself even more.

"I promise, he won't hurt you ever again." Melissa told her before she stood up slowly and turned to see Stan lounging against the vanities almost opposite her. "You're a bastard." She hissed making sure she stayed between him and the beaten woman as she stepped out of the stall doorway.

Stan smirked. "She glared at me like you do when I suggested she come home with me tonight." Melissa clenched her jaw and glared at him in contempt. He smiled. "Just like that. She looked at me just like that and I wanted to wipe that look off her face. So I did."

A shiver went down Melissa's spine at the casual tone of his voice and she realised the only way she was going to get the woman away from Stan was to distract him. She brushed down her skirt and let her glare melt away. "If I had known how much you wanted me, I would never have given you that black eye, love." She told him hating the way her stomach roiled at the thought of calling him such an intimate name.

He seemed a little confused before Melissa leaned her shoulder against the stall doorway and cocked a hip. The woman behind her moved slightly and Melissa prayed silently that she would know what she needed to do to get out before Stan read the lie in her eyes. With a grin, the tall blond man straightened and took a step toward Melissa.

The woman behind her sniffled before pushing past her and running toward the door. Unable to watch her, Melissa held Stan's dark gaze and was barely able to supress a shudder when he took another step toward her and reached out a hand to brush his fingers against her neck.

"You think I'm stupid?" he asked his face darkening with rage so fast that Melissa had no time to scream before his hand clenched around her throat and he slammed her back against the tiled wall beside the bathroom stalls. "You think I'm stupid!" he all but yelled in her face.

Dropping all pretences, Melissa spat in his face and managed to croak out, "I think you're a bastard."

His dark grin shook her to the core. "You're gonna regret that." He sneered crowding her in.

Melissa clawed at his hand only to cry out as he backhanded her. She fell onto her hands and knees and raised a hand to her lips. Her fingers came away spotted with blood and she knew her lip was split. Stan dug his fingers into her hair, ripping out pins as he did, and dragged her to her feet, pushing her against the wall again. Without a word he grabbed her jaw in a vice like grip and smashed his lips against hers. Melissa's cry of pain was muffled by his mouth. She pushed against his chest trying to unbalance him. He didn't move a step. Squeezing her eyes shut, Melissa jerked her knee up into his groin. He fell with a yell the moment the bathroom door slammed open and two burly bodyguards burst in followed by Mr. Dean, Patricia and the beaten waitress.

Melissa felt like crying as the two bodyguards grabbed Stan and dragged him off the floor. They stopped only long enough to allow Mr. Dean to tell him that he was fired before they dragged him out of the bathroom. Collapsing into Mr. Dean's arms she started to shake hearing Patricia's apology for what had happened to her. The police were out in the club but Melissa just wanted to get away from everything.

After giving her statement and pressing charges she caught a cab home from the police station. Once inside her bedroom she quickly stripped off the jewellery and clothes she had been made to wear and turned on the shower. Not even caring that her makeup was still on and her hair was still partially pinned up, she stepped into the still cold shower and sat in the corner under the spray. Finally she let her tears flow. Hugging her knees to her chest she let the slowly warming water pour over her as she pressed her face to the tops of her knees.


The next night, after calls from her parents and Tracy during the day and a follow up interview with the cops, Melissa needed to get out of the house and away from everything. So, as the sun set, she changed into a pair of black sweat pants, her sports bra, a white tank top, a dark grey sweatshirt, and her running shoes. Throwing her hair up into a pony tail she didn't even bother to remove the night sky studs from her ear lobes. Making sure she had her wallet, keys and cell phone in her sweatshirt pocket, she closed the door of her apartment and left the building. As soon as her feet hit the pavement she started running. The pounding of her feet on the rough pavement matched the pounding of her heart spurring her faster. She only stopped once she got to the beach. Catching herself on the railing of the sea wall she turned her back to it and leaned her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. Breathing hard through her nose Melissa turned to face the water again and, putting her hands on the railing, she leant down and pressed her forehead to her knuckles; the sound of the surf crashing on the sand and rocks a few yards away calming her frantic thoughts.

The peace was broken by the shrill ringing of the phone in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw that the number was blocked. With a little trepidation she pushed the green answer button and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Melissa? It's Kensi." The voice on the other end of the line said.

At the tone of her voice, Melissa knew something was wrong, "Kensi, what happened? Is Callen alright? Is the team alright?"

There was a moment of silence and then Kensi spoke up, "Callen's in hospital, Mel."

Collapsing back against the sea wall Melissa closed her eyes. "What happened?" she murmured.

"Tell me where you are so I can send Deeks to get you." Kensi told her.

Melissa explained where she was and Kensi seemed to talk to someone else for a moment before coming back on the line. "Deeks is on his way. I'll explain some more when you get here."

"O-okay." Melissa nodded even though Kensi wouldn't be able to see her and then rung off on the call.

Kensi was right about Deeks not taking long. Within fifteen minutes Sam's car pulled up with Deeks at the wheel. Melissa rounded the black Charger and got into the passenger side. As she buckled her seatbelt Deeks pulled out from the curb and put his foot down on the accelerator. The normally animated cop was sombre and quiet and that made Melissa scared.

When they were half way to the hospital Deeks spoke up, "How did you hurt your lip?" he asked having noticed her barely healing split lip.

Turning her attention to the scenery slipping by her window Melissa dodged the question, "It's a long story that's not very interesting."

And that was the end of the conversation until they got to the hospital. Deeks parked in the underground parking lot and he and Melissa jogged to the elevator. When they got up to the right level Melissa followed the tall blonde officer to the wing where Callen's room was. Seeing Kensi at the end of the hall, Melissa ran the rest of the way to her.

"Kensi, what happened?" she asked scared and breathless.

Kensi reached out and put a hand on the petite woman's shoulder, "He was taken on a case; they thought he was a spy." The taller woman swallowed, "They tortured him to get information."

Melissa's eyes widened as her body went cold. "What?"

They were interrupted by Sam as he came out of the hospital room just past Kensi. "Hey, hey. You shouldn't be here." He said catching Melissa around the waist as she slipped passed Kensi and moved toward the hospital room where she knew Callen was. "Callen asked us not to call you." He glared at Kensi and Deeks over Melissa's head.

Pushing his arm away the fiery brunette glared up at the tall bald man. "So he was just going to disappear for a month or two and come back with fading bruises? Not bloody likely."

Sam moved uncomfortably before folding his arms across his chest and looking her in the eyes. "He's hurt bad, you get that right?"

Tears filled Melissa's eyes and she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Of course I get that. That's what torture means." Her voice broke and she looked away furiously wiping away tears. She looked back at Sam trying to control the tears and her breathing.

Sam gave her a hard look. "He has a cut over his eye, bruises on the side of his face. They cut his chest and stomach. He hasn't woken up yet."

Melissa clenched her hands in the material of her sweatshirt as more tears slipped down her face, "Is he going to survive?"

Sam seamed to relax a little and gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, takes more than that to kill G."

Biting her lip, Melissa glanced over her shoulder at Kensi, Deeks and Hetty, who had just arrived, before turning back to Sam, "I want…I need to see him."

Sam studied her for a moment before stepping to the side. Taking a breath she stepped toward the hospital room. Her heart started to pound as she walked through the door and to the side too scared to lift her head. The rest of Callen's team filled in behind her and spread out through the room. Taking another deep breath Melissa steeled herself and raised her eyes to the bed against the wall opposite her. Her breath froze in her lungs when she saw Callen lying in that bed. His face was pale against the stark white pillows. His eyes were closed and looked sunken and both were smudged with dark circles. An angry red slash of a cut ran from his left temple to his left eyebrow. Dark bruises marred the right side of his face and jaw and his shirtless chest was swathed in bandages. Tubes and wires connected him to different beeping machines and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose.

Hands shaking, Melissa looked up at Hetty who was watching her carefully, "I-I need a moment." She whispered before turning and slipping out the door. Walking a few feet back down the corridor she caught the railing on the opposite side of the corridor and covered her mouth with her hand to try and stifle her sobs.

She was caught by strong hands as her knees gave way. She turned her face to Sam's chest as she wept out her pain and fear. He held her as she slowly calmed down and then took a deep breath and stepped away from him. "I'm sorry." She murmured wiping her eyes with her sweatshirt sleeves.

Sam shook his head. "It's a lot to take in."

Melissa lifted blue-green eyes to his dark brown ones, "I'm okay now. He needs me and I'm not going to turn my back on him, not now." She said to him knowing that was why he was weary of her.

Sam nodded and led her back into Callen's hospital room. Melissa walked up to Callen's bedside and gratefully accepted Deeks' chair. Pulling it up as close to Callen's bedside as she could the brunette sat down and gently picked up Callen's hand. Bending down she pressed a soft kiss to the back of his hand and closed her eyes, dropping her forehead onto Callen's fist as she twined her fingers with his and started to pray.


Melissa woke slowly. Her whole body felt stiff from sleeping curled up in the chair beside Callen's hospital bed, her arm starting to go numb because it had stayed in one place as she held Callen's hand through the night. She slipped her hand out of his as she sat up in the chair, stretching her legs and rubbing her shoulders blearily.

She felt tired and achy but somehow she was more at peace and relaxed than she had been for weeks. She pulled the hair tie from her hair and ruffled it a little letting the dark waves fall naturally around her shoulders. After stretching her arms above her head she pulled out her cell phone to check what time it was. Seeing that it was only seven in the morning she sighed and settled back in her char, picking up Callen's limp hand again. She sat silently staring out the window that overlooked the courtyard outside. She felt Callen's hand close around hers. Her head snapped around and she watched with bated breath as his eyes slowly opened. Tears filled her eyes and she slowly got up and leaned over him.

"Hey, baby." She whispered cupping his cheek with her free hand. "I'm so sorry." She blurted. "I should never have chucked you out of my apartment like that. And then you nearly died and I will never forgive myself-"

She was cut off as Callen winced as he reached up to pull off his oxygen mask and then cupped the back of her head. Without a word he pulled her head down and kissed her. Breaking the kiss slowly he grimaced and moved slightly.

Melissa stood over him, shocked, a soft blush growing in her cheeks. "Callen…"

He cut her off again by lifting those bright blue-grey eyes to hers. "Stop apologising Mel." He told her. "Just stop apologizing."

Tears filled her eyes and she collapsed into the chair her fingers entwined with his. "I thought I'd lost you."

Painfully Callen pushed himself up in the hospital bed cutting off a groan. "Takes more than that to kill me, dragă." He told her and Melissa couldn't help the smile that slipped over her face at his use of the Romanian term of endearment.

She tightened her hand around his, "You don't get to do that again, Callen." She told him suddenly stern.

Callen turned from studying the bandages around his chest to look at her a little surprised. "Do what?" he asked.

Melissa rubbed her thumb over his fingers. "You don't get to volunteer for dangerous missions like that again."

Callen's hand tightened around hers and he carefully pulled her toward the bed. She got up and gently sat down on the edge of the bed beside him, her back to the door. "Then you can't go to any more of those parties." He told her.

Melissa nearly glared at him until she saw his eyes drop to her lips. Slowly she moved forward and kissed him. "You're not going to get beat up any more." She said in between kisses.

Callen grinned and kissed her again. "No more sexy office clothes." He told her as she pressed her forehead to his shaking her head.

"No more guns and car chases." She murmured before stealing a soft kiss.

Callen's arm slipped around her waist. "So both of us are gonna quit our jobs and go and live on a beach somewhere."

Nodding Melissa cupped his face between her hands and smiled contentedly. "Sounds like the best idea in the world. It sounds like heaven."

"I promised myself I'd tell you something if I got out of there." Callen told her the tone of his voice making her look up into his deep eyes.

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about that fight, Callen. It almost ruined the best thing that's happened to me since forever. That fight was stupid and useless and, can't we just forget about it?" she pleaded.

Callen shook his head, "That's not what I want to talk about, Mel. I want to forget about that night too." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Iti dau inima mea."

Melissa searched his eyes but he stayed silent. She smiled, an unexplainable excitement bubbling up in her chest. "I-I don't…" she shook her head her gaze slipping away from his shyly.

Callen caught her chin and turned her face to his. "It means I give you my heart." He said looking a little uncomfortable but completely truthful, his eyes for once unguarded.

New tears pooled in Melissa's eyes and she pressed her forehead to his again. "Iti dau inima mea." She whispered back haltingly. He kissed her gently and she savoured every brush of his lips against hers, every touch of his hands against her skin.

They were interrupted by someone clearing their throat from the doorway. Melissa pulled away slightly, a deep blush colouring her cheeks as she turned to see Hetty standing in the hospital room doorway.

"Well Mr Callen, I see you're feeling better." The small woman said with a glint of mischief in her eyes making Melissa blush even more. Hetty continued with her banter. "I see you're looking a little flushed Miss Gordon, would you like a glass of water?"

"Hetty." Callen warned good naturedly as Melissa bit her bottom lip.

Brushing down her coat, the tough as nails NCIS handler looked unaffected. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr Callen, but will we be seeing a lot more of your Melissa from now on?" she pinned Callen with a look that clearly stated his answer should be a yes.

Callen forced a half shrug, hiding a wince of pain from Melissa when she turned to glance between him and Hetty, "That's up to her."

Hetty nodded and smiled knowingly at Melissa. "You need to go home and get some rest Miss Gordon. I'll stay here and look after our Mr Callen. The doctors say he can go home tomorrow if everything is alright. I don't see how he'll be able to manage alone-"

"I'll look after him." Melissa jumped in before biting her lip and looking at Callen slowly.

"You will need to move in with Melissa if that's acceptable." Hetty said to Callen but Melissa shook her head.

"There are too many stairs at my apartment. Your place is fine if-if that's what you want."

Callen looked at the woman he had only months ago opened his life to and only moments ago opened his heart to. "Up to you, Mel." He murmured.

A beautiful smile lit up her face at his words and she leaned down and kissed him until she was breathless.

Too excited and so happy she could jump up and down; Melissa swooped down and hugged Hetty before kissing Callen again. "I won't be long. I'll just go home and shower and change, pack some things. Then I'll ring work and take some time off. They owe me. Then I'll be back and you need to sleep." She finished seeing how tired Callen looked.

He smiled silently his hand lifting to tuck some of her dark waves behind her ear. "See you later." He told her.

With one last kiss and another quick hug for Hetty, Melissa took the keys to Callen's car that Hetty handed her and left the hospital.

Once at home she took a long hot shower and changed into another pair of sweatpants and a soft blue t-shirt. Calling the office she organised to take three weeks of her accumulated leave and then organised for her client meetings to be given to other associates or rescheduled. Packing a bag with enough clothes for a week at least she ate a quick breakfast of cereal and orange juice before going back to the hospital.

As she walked into the car garage elevator her cell went off. "Hello?"

"Oh, Thank GOD!"

Melissa smiled. "Would you take a breath Tracy? I'm fine."

The redhead's voice turned grumpy. "Then why haven't you picked up the last five times I've rung you? And why did you take time off of work? And why are you sounding happy?" she asked suspiciously.

Melissa couldn't help but laugh. "So now I can't be happy?"

Tracy was silent a moment before she squealed loudly. Melissa winced holding the phone away from her ear. "Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god! You're back with sexy agent boy, aren't you?"

"Would you stop yelling?" Melissa told her. "And yes, Callen and I are back together. He got hurt on a case and I came to the hospital last night and we made up."

She could almost imagine Tracy jumping up and down. "That is the best news I've heard since you two started going out, you know that kid? After you two broke up I was just about to find him and kill him for crushing your heart like that."

Melissa shook her head a rueful smile on her face. "You done with the dramatics love?" she asked. "I've got to go. I'm back at the hospital visiting."

"Oh, right. Is sexy agent boy okay?" Tracy asked sobering a little.

Melissa turned the corner in the hospital and saw Sam pushing Callen in a wheel chair toward the elevator to go out to the court yard. Both men were smiling and talking and Callen looked relaxed and happy. "He's going to be okay, Trace." She answered her friend. "I have to go. I'll call you later today."

"Sure thing, babe." Tracy said before ringing off.

Melissa caught up with Callen and Sam, the tall black agent throwing an arm over her shoulders as they stepped into the elevator.

"Whoa, man. Wait up!" Deeks called as he, Kensi and Hetty moved to catch up with the three in the elevator. When they had piled into the elevator and the doors closed Deeks smirked down at Callen before glancing up at Melissa and then looking back at Callen again.

The wounded agent gave his blond friend a placid stare only to raise his eyebrow when Kensi punched her partner in the shoulder. Realising why Deeks was acting so weird Melissa stepped out from under Sam's arm and propped her hands on her hips. "You told everyone, Callen? I was gone an hour, tops."

Callen leaned back a little in the wheel chair wrapping a protective arm around his ribs as he did so. He sent her that dry half-smile she loved, "Don't blame me. Ask Hetty how they knew before they got here."

A small wrinkle appeared above the bridge of Melissa's nose as she pulled her eyebrows together and turned to Hetty. "Really?" she asked the short woman.

Hetty kept her eyes on the doors of the elevator. "Something like that shouldn't be kept a secret, Miss Gordon. Believe me." The elevator bell dinged. With her advice given the strong NCIS handler stepped out of the small metal room and walked toward the doors that led out to the courtyard.

Deeks broke the silence in the elevator by catching the doors as they closed. "Good advice." He said dryly before leaving the small room, the rest of the team following along behind.

Once out in the court yard Melissa sat down on a wooden bench beside Hetty, Sam pushed Callen's wheel chair beside Melissa and locked the wheels and then joined Kensi a little way away where she was teasing Deeks. Melissa reached over and took Callen's hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Hetty cleared her throat gaining the attention of the agent who was like a son to her and the woman who now shared his heart. "I hope you made sure the man that gave you that bruise and split lip paid dearly." She told Melissa.

A little confused the brunette knew that Hetty was referring to her healing lip but she didn't know what bruise she was talking about. With a measured look Hetty directed her gaze to the bruise on Melissa's upper arm half hidden by the blue sleeve of her t-shirt.

Looking down at it the petite brunette felt slightly sick when she realised the bruise looked like a hand wrapped around her arm.

"I'll kill him." Callen growled.

Melissa knew he meant it and sighed. "Stan raped and beat a waitress at a party the night before last. I walked in on him as he was leaving. She got out and he grabbed me, backhanded me. She got the bouncers and they got the cops. He's going away for assault, battery and rape." At Callen's angry glare Melissa cut off his next comment. "You're too hurt to do anything to him now. Besides, I want to see his face when he's sentenced and realises he's going to be some con's little lady in prison." She sat back and smirked at Callen's surprised look. "He's learnt not to touch a woman that way again but it's too little too late."

Hetty smiled at her agent, "Hold onto this one, Mr. Callen. I like her style." She told him.

Melissa laughed and then leaned over and kissed the corner of Callen's lips. "You're stuck with me, dragoste. I just got the Hetty seal of approval." Seeing the spark in Callen's eyes at the use of the new word, she smiled and whispered in his ear. "I had time to Google it this morning. I love Romanian, it's…sexy." She added before pulling away, getting up from the bench and deliberately starting a conversation with Kensi, Deeks and Sam.

Callen's eyes followed her as she moved away.

Hetty smiled again. "I like her style." She nodded to herself.