Callen snapped his eyes open. He was in his room alone with a quilt over him. It took a few seconds to realise that Cameron had left and as he looked at his watch that it was also 9am. He'd actually slept as opposed to napping every now and then. He didn't like feeling so relaxed especially while he was sleeping. He preferred to be ready for anything. The fact that he hadn't heard Cameron leave worried him. He leaned onto his elbow and realised that during the night they must have moved and ended up actually sleeping. He was on the right hand side of the bed if he was facing his bed.
Earlier that morning:
Cameron woke up and only just managed to stop herself from freaking out. She didn't recognise the room she was in and the arm that was draped over her either. Once she had collected herself together she had realised that she was in Callen's apartment and that Callen had his arm around her. She smiled at the thought. Then her nightmare came back to her in floods of memories. Her heart felt like it was going to explode she was that afraid. She was now sitting upright on Callen's bed. Once she was sure she was indeed she looked towards Callen afraid that she had woken him with all of her gasping. She hadn't woken him and she was very glad that she hadn't. As she looked at him she was pleased to see that he seemed very relaxed and not as tense as he usually was. His forehead wasn't creased with worry but smooth with relaxation, he looked so comfy she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep but she knew that the nightmares would come if she did that. Instead she climbed out from under the covers and placed them over Callen properly. She had often been told that she tended to steal the covers while she was sleeping. She smiled again as she watched him snuggle into the warmth of the covers and he sighed in his sleep as he rolled over. As she left his apartment she made a quick decision to have a shower and then head over to NCIS. As she left her apartment block she took a quick look around and saw that there was a camera where the parking spaces were that was when she had her idea.
NCIS:
Cameron practically jumped off her bike and ran up to the OPS centre to find Eric.
"I've had an idea." She signed quickly to Eric. He looked at her in shock; he wasn't expecting anyone in at this time. When Callen had slept there he was always sneaking upstairs in case he woke the agent up until one day Callen had shouted at him for sneaking around. He had always been awake, but since he had left Eric had been able to come in as early as he wanted without disturbing anyone. Until now.
"What is it?" he asked her slightly annoyed that she was destroying his Eric Time as he called it in his head.
"That house me and Callen looked at? It was on a marine base right?" Eric nodded,
"Yeah where you going with this?"
"I want you to run background checks on the neighbours." Eric just looked at her,
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust the neighbours. It seemed too perfect. One of them is hiding something."
"How are we gonna do that?"
"They all have cars." She let it sink in as she saw the cogs in Eric's head start to turn. He walked over to his computer and started tapping away at the keyboard while Cameron waited she started to look around. The room was really impressive but it felt cold and unfeeling to her.
"Well it was a good idea but not now."
"What?"
"I need license plates to run the checks and I don't know how to get them."
"We'll send Sam in to check that all of their thingymajigs are up to date." Eric looked at her in confusion, "Well don't they need like stickers or something to prove that they actually work and live on base in their cars?"
"Yes they do and the marines do check on those things. What are they called?" Eric replied smiling and Cameron just shrugged her shoulders.
"So will you ask Sam?"
"Why don't you ask him?" Cameron just gave him a look and then replied with,
"Does Sam even understand sign language that isn't military?"
"Good point. What are you doing to be doing?"
"Paperwork." Cameron left the OPS centre and went downstairs. No sooner had she gone downstairs then Sam came in with Kensi and Deeks not far behind him.
"Morning." Sam said as he put his stuff down by his desk and Cameron smiled at him and waved. When he didn't get an answer he looked at her and then said,
"Still afraid?" she nodded.
"Not talking?" she nodded again.
"Well this should it a quiet day." Deeks said as he sat down at his desk. Cameron scowled at him and threw a pen at him. As it hit him on the forehead Eric whistled and they all got up and left except Cameron.
OPS centre:
As Eric was explaining Cameron's idea Sam was looking around. He understood why Cameron wasn't in the briefing but he couldn't figure out where Callen was. He cleared his throat.
"Where's G Eric?" Eric stopped talking and frowned,
"You mean he isn't in yet?" Sam just glowered at him and he said, "Stupid question obviously not. I'll try calling him." Eric snapped his hands free into his ear and dialled Callen's number.
Callen's apartment:
Callen could hear his phone ringing as he scrambled out of bed. This is why I hate sleeping he grouched to himself. Once he found his phone he answered it,
"Callen."
"Where are you?" Eric asked him.
"I'm at home."
"Still?"
"Yes Eric. Still."
"Well you need to come in. Cameron came up with an idea."
"I'll half an hour." He hung up the phone before Eric could say anything and jumped into the shower. Back at NCIS Eric looked confused,
"Well?" Sam demanded.
"He's at his apartment. He'll be here in half an hour." Sam frowned at Eric's look.
"You ok Eric?"
"Yeah its just that Callen sounded strange."
"What do you mean strange?" Sam asked immediately going into protective-partner mode.
"Like he had just woken up." The team exchanged worried looks. That wasn't like Callen. He never slept and if he did he was usually unconscious or just napping. After a few minutes Eric cleared his throat,
"Maybe its nothing to worry about."
"Yeah. Maybe." Sam replied as he left OPS. Hetty was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.
"I have your uniform ready Mr Hanna." Sam looked at her in confusion,
"Miss Mitchell briefed me on her idea."
"How? She's not talking."
"Mr Beale is not the only member of this team that knows sign language Mr Hanna." Hetty replied as she walked away back to her office. Half an hour later Callen walked into NCIS and was immediately confronted with Nate and Sam.
"Sleeping?" Sam demanded.
"Apparently."
"Since when do you sleep?" Sam asked his partner.
"Since last night."
"How do you feel this morning?" Nate asked him.
"What is this? 20 questions. I'm not awake yet. That's how I feel!" Callen snapped at Nate. Nate nodded but didn't say anything and watched as Callen walked to where the kettle was. He turned the kettle on and then went straight for the coffee. Nate raised an eyebrow at Sam,
"Since when does Callen drink coffee?"
"Since now." Sam replied as he went back to his desk. With coffee in hand Callen sat at his desk with a scowl on his face. Cameron looked at him with her head to the side.
"What!" he snapped at her. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything.
"You ok Callen?" Kensi asked him.
"I'm fine!" Cameron turned to Kensi and shook her head slightly.
"He's actually slept. He's always like this when he comes out of unconsciousness. You'll get used to it." Cameron frowned; he hadn't been unconscious when she had left his apartment he had been sleeping.
"I thought he had been sleeping." Deeks asked Kensi as he perched himself onto the edge of her desk.
"Same difference. Callen doesn't sleep. Get off my desk before I push you off." Kensi replied as she tapped away at her keyboard. Cameron turned back to her computer and decided to IM Callen.
Sorry for letting you sleep. When he didn't reply she scowled at him and then said,
Thanks for keeping me company. I'm sorry if I disturbed you. Then she closed it knowing that he wouldn't reply to her. Callen and Sam left with Deeks and Kensi providing back up. Cameron leaned back in her chair and sighed. She looked around the bullpen and frowned. She couldn't get in and out of her desk without tripping over either Callen or Kensi. She grinned.
"You know Miss Mitchell this bullpen isn't very accessible when you're jammed between two agents. Maybe a little reorganising is in order." Cameron's grin widened as she stood up and got to work.
A/N: Thank you very much for all of the reviews they are much appreciated. Please keep them coming any and all are welcome.
