Chapter 7

Everyone in the dining room stopped talking when they heard the front door slam, Nell quickly looking over to Sam and then Granger who had a concerned look on his face. Everything was quiet for a few moments, everyone afraid to speak before Nell finally found her voice.

"Should one of us go and see if she's okay?"

Nell started to get up from her seat when Granger's hand found its way to her shoulder, stopping her.

"Than you Nell but…I think I should go. If you'll excuse me everyone."

Granger walked out of the room, Kensi letting out a breath she's been holding.

"Wow, I guess Callen didn't take it well then."

"Pretty much what I guessed would happen." Sam replied to her.

"What do we do? Do we leave now, I mean the night's kinda a bust now." Deeks stated.

"Maybe we'll just give them half an hour or so and then we can all make our excuses and leave them to it, yeah."

"Good idea Sam." Eric smiled.

"I'll get us some more drinks." Nell smiled as she got up and went in to the kitchen.

"I can't believe Callen stormed out, I mean…I know he's never been a big fan of Granger's but…the guys not that bad, he's certainly come through for Hetty when she's needed it."

"Yeah I know but you know what G's like when it comes to Hetty, he wants to protect her, whether she needs it or not, she's the closet thing to family he has."

"Yeah I know but Sam he…"

"Leave it Kensi, please. I'll talk to him later, give him some time to calm down first."

"Yeah, wise."

Granger walked down the hallway, coming to a standstill outside the front room, to see Hetty sitting on the sofa, her whiskey in her hand with her head down. He watched her for a few moments, seeing how upset she looked.

"Are you just going to stand there staring at me all night, or do you plan on coming over." She said, lifting her head to look up at him.

He walked over to her and took a seat beside her, reaching over and taking her free hand in his.

"We knew he wouldn't take it well Henrietta."

"We did, but I didn't expect him to storm out like he did."

"I guess we weren't getting along as well as I'd thought."

Hetty looked up at him, a warm smile on her as he tightened his hold on her hand.

"I'm sorry." He said softly.

"It's not your fault."

"Well, partly. If you weren't seeing me then he wouldn't have reacted like he did."

"I don't think it's you, or maybe it is. Oh I don't know, sometimes I think he'd have reacted the same way with any man I was involved with."

"He's not holding a secret thing for you himself is he?" Granger joked.

"Not funny Owen."

"Sorry, look he'll come around, just give him time."

"I'm not sure he will."

Granger removed his hand from hers, instead wrapped his arm around her as she leaned in to him. She smiled when she felt him place a kiss to the top of her head.

"I love you Henrietta, it'll take more than Agent Callen to get rid of me."

She drew back, looking up at him as he leaned down and kissed her.

"I love you too Owen…me too."

Callen was sitting on the one chair he had in his apartment, candles lit for light, he took the cap off his beer and took a long drink from the bottle before running a hand over his face, going over the nights revelations and his conversation with Hetty. He felt bad for the way he'd spoken to her but he wasn't going to hide how he felt about Owen Granger just to please her. Callen heard the loud knock at the door, sighing as he got up to go and answer it, to find Sam on the other side.

"Oh geez." He grumbled.

"Move." Sam ordered.

Callen stood aside, allowing Sam inside…his partner looking around the apartment.

"You know I think it's time you got some furniture in this place, you've been here long enough."

"I like it like this."

"Sure you do."

"What are you doin' here Sam?"

"Like you really need to ask."

"You wanna beer?"

"No, I won't be here that long, gotta get home."

"So what's this then…a lecture."

"I don't know really."

"Look…Sam I…"

"How could you just walk out on her like that, she was pretty upset."

"So I'm jerk now."

"Yeah, actually yeah you are. I thought she meant something to you."

"You know she does."

"Then stop treating her like crap, she fell in love with someone…get over it."

"Get over it…it's Granger."

"Yeah so, what do you have against him. Okay yeah he was an ass when he joined us in the beginning but he's proved himself time and time again, and the way he's cared for Hetty while she recovered from her injuries…that's a good guy in my book."

"I don't know Sam…I just don't trust him."

"That's not good enough, if you don't have a valid reason for not trusting him then you have no right to be this angry at Hetty…or him for that matter."

"I'm just thinking of Hetty here…"

"No you're not, you're thinking about yourself. You're not taking Hetty's feelings in to consideration, if you cared about her at all, you wouldn't be behaving like this, you'd be supporting her. Grow up G…let her be happy."

Callen was about to respond but stopped when he saw genuine anger in Sam's eyes. He chose to remain quiet as he watched his partner and best friend turn and walk away, the door slamming behind him.

To Be Continued….