Amy woke up early, with Jenny sprawled across her chest. Her neck had an awful cramp from sleeping in odd positions on the loveseat. She looked over at Ricky and Kristy who were asleep on the mattress, then at Callen. He was sleeping on his stomach with his head hanging off the couch and an arm around Ricky who had his arms wrapped around Callen's. Amy smiled, wishing Callen didn't have to go home. They had a nice night watching movies with the kids and ate more pizza then they should've. She looked at the TV and watched the introduction replay from the last movie they started watching.
She tried to get out from under Jenny without waking her, but every time Amy moved Jenny tightened her grip. Finally, she rolled on her side and laid Jenny on the mattress and covered her up with the blanket. Callen stirred, but didn't wake-up. Amy crawled over the arm of the loveseat and walked into the kitchen. The dog hopped off the mattress and followed her begging for some attention. She sat of the kitchen floor and pulled him into her arms cradling him like a baby, scratching his belly. The dog rolled out of her arms and ran back into the family room and onto the make-shift bed.
Amy could hear someone sputtering and knew the dog was licking their face. She heard Jenny's laugh. Looking back into the family room, she saw Jenny on her knees scratching the dog's back. His eyes were closed and a back leg was patting a mile a minute. Amy smiled and went to the cupboard for a coffee mug. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Callen smiling back at her. Amy pulled a second mug down and made them coffee. He came into the kitchen and leaned on the stove.
"How are you this morning?" he asked flipping her hair. "I like the bed-head."
"I'm sore. I don't sleep down here very often and pay for it when I do." She told him handing him the first cup of coffee.
"What hurts?" he asked running his hand down her back.
Amy looked behind her to see if any of the kids were watching. "It's just my neck. I'll be fine."
"Do you want me to rub your neck for you?" he asked setting his coffee down, reaching for her neck.
"No not now, not in front of the kids." She said elbowing him in the stomach.
"Maybe later, then?" he said smiling.
Jenny came into the kitchen and smiled at them. Amy picked her up and gave her a tight squeeze then asked how she slept. Jenny returned the hug and told her she slept well. She looked over at Callen and reached for him. Callen took her and gave her a hug too. Jenny kissed him on the cheek and squirmed out of his arms then ran into the family room. Amy's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Callen and Jenny together. She wished Rick showed the kids that much affection. Callen wiped a tear as it rolled down her cheek and wrapped her in his arms.
Amy inhaled deeply and smiled wanting to smell him for the rest of her life. Callen smelled Amy's hair then kissed the top of her head. Amy looked up at him and stepped away when they heard footsteps. Kristy appeared in the kitchen and walked over to give Callen a hug.
"Thank you for spending one more night with us, Callen." She said.
"You're welcome, Kristy. I had fun. I'm going to miss you guys." He told her.
"You're going to come back, aren't you?" Ricky asked coming in to join them.
"Well, if you're Mom and Dad don't mind. I'd like to come back to spend time with you." He said looking up at Amy.
"Mom, can Callen come back sometime? Maybe when Daddy goes to twenty-nine palms?" Ricky asked hugging Amy's waist. She bent over and kissed his forehead.
"We'll see baby. It depends on how busy Callen is. We should also talk to Daddy, see if he minds if Callen spends time with us while he's gone." Amy said looking back at Callen.
"What time are you leaving?" Kristy asked Callen.
"Well, it's just after seven now. I'm kind of hungry and was thinking about going to Dunkin Donuts." He said and the kids cheered. "I heard you guys asking your Mom about getting donuts a few days ago. Is that okay, Amy?"
"Yes Mommy, Pleaseā¦" All three kids begged.
"Yes, that's fine. I'll pay you back when I get some extra money." She told the kids and then Callen.
"It's the least I could do. You loaned me a couch for the last week and made some pretty great meals." He said smiling.
"Alright, let me go get dressed and I'll go get the donuts." He told them picking up his coffee and taking a sip.
"Why don't we all go?" Ricky asked.
Callen and Amy looked at each other warily. "I don't know if that's the best idea. I don't think Daddy would like to hear from someone that they saw all of us getting donuts without him. Don't you think he might be a little jealous?"
"Where is Daddy?" Ricky asked.
Amy tried to figure out how to answer. "Mommy and Daddy kind of had some words yesterday morning."
"Because he left us in the attic?" Ricky suggested.
Looking at Callen, she continued. "Yes, because Daddy left us up in the attic. He went to work and probably stayed in the barracks or with a friend last night."
"Is he coming back or is he going to be gone like he was in North Carolina?" Ricky asked.
Amy looked from Ricky to Kristy, kneeling down to look at them better, she said. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen. We were very mad at each other. I'm sure Daddy will come back in a day or two. Until then, we'll just think that Daddy's in the field or on duty. Okay?"
"It's practice for when he goes to twenty-nine palms, right?" Ricky said.
"Yes, exactly." She told them. "You know what; I think it would be okay if we all went to get the donuts, why don't you guys go get dressed? Kristy, can you get Jenny dressed, please?"
"Yes Mama." Kristy said running over to the family room to get Jenny they up the stairs.
Amy stood and leaned against the counter. Callen walked over to her and rested his arms on her shoulders. "I think you handled that well."
"I know there are more questions to come." She told him putting her palms on his chest.
"Why don't you go up and get dressed?" Callen suggested.
"Alright." She said patting his chest and walking away.
With the kids high on sugar, Amy sent them out to play. Callen followed Amy around the house as she picked up blankets and took them upstairs. He offered to help Amy get the mattress back up to Kristy's room. She gladly accepted the help. It was awkward pushing and pulling the queen-sized behemoth up the stairs, around two tight corners and into the room. Callen and Amy laid on the bed for a few minutes resting afterwards. Amy rolled over and put her head on his chest. Callen put his arms around her.
"Did you and Rick do this in the beginning?" Callen asked looking down at her.
Amy picked up her head and laid her chin on her hand. "In the first few years we did. After Rick got out in two thousand four, it stopped. That's when he started fooling around."
"I promise to do this with you at least once a day." He smiled.
Amy inched up so they were looking eye to eye. "I would love that."
"I would too." He admitted pulling her down for a kiss.
"We need to stop doing this." She said against his lips.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Hetty said she was going to come by this afternoon to talk to you." He told her putting his arm behind his head so he could look at her.
"Great, I'm going to have to explain why I stayed with Rick." She said burying her face in his neck.
"No, I think she's got something for you from your great-grandmother." He told her.
Amy gave him an odd look. "Something from my great-grandmother? I have no idea what it could be. What did she tell you?"
"She said something about her last wishes and your birthday. She's been working on it for a week now. I'm even wondering what it is." He told her running his hands through her hair.
"I know it can't be the house. Like I said it was sold before Grandma died." She told him.
"Do you want me to stay until she gets here?" he asked.
"I don't want you to go home." She told him.
Callen held her tight and kissed her head. "I don't want to go either, but I have to. We have to get back to normal life."
Amy looked at him. "I know. I just wish I could get out of this marriage and have you here too."
"I know, but you said you needed time. Let's see what Hetty has for you and go from there." He said.
"You know what it is don't you?" she smiled.
"I have an idea." He said laying flat again.
"What is it?" she said tickling his side.
Callen tried not to laugh. "I don't know, but I have a feeling it's your great-grandmother's house."
Amy stopped and stared at him. "I don't know how. The house was sold."
Callen flipped her on her back and lay on top of her. "Think about it, Amy. She bought one of the houses I grew up in. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Hetty's the one who bought it?"
Callen kissed her chest along the top of her shirt. "I never thought of it. What do you mean she bought one of the houses you grew up in?"
Callen pinned her arms above her head and kissed up her neck. "My mother was killed when I was four. Hetty brought my sister; Amy and I back to the US and had us placed in foster care."
"You're sister's name is Amy?" she asked looking curiously at him.
"Was Amy, she died when she was eleven." He told her somber-faced.
"I'm so sorry, Callen. What about your father?"
Callen rolled onto his side and propped his head on his arm. "I never knew my father. Yeah, my past is pretty complicated."
Amy rolled on her side to face him. "Do you have any family at all?"
"Hetty is the closest thing to a Mother I've got. Sam is one of my best friends. I consider the team my family." He told her.
"You've never been married?" she asked scratching his chest.
"When do I have the time? Look at us, we met on a case and you're married." He laughed.
"Yes," she said pushing him on his back "I won't be married forever."
Callen lay on his back and pulled Amy onto him. "No you won't. I can't wait."
"Are you going to be able to juggle work and a relationship?" she asked resting her chin on his chest.
"With every other woman I've ever tried to have a relationship with, it didn't work because they didn't understand how demanding the job is. I couldn't tell them what I did for a living because the majority of our work is done undercover." He told her.
"Kensi mentioned something about not being able to tell friends about what she does. I understand now. I thought you guys were just regular NCIS agents." She said with her chin digging into his ribs.
"Ouch," he said rubbing where her chin had been. "No we're in a class all our own."
"How does Sam's wife handle it?"
"Michelle is different. They met on a case. Not like us. They were working the case together, but with two separate agencies."
Amy was shocked. "Oh, I didn't know that."
"You don't need to repeat anything I've told you." He said looking at her with all seriousness.
Amy smiled, "My lips are sealed."
"You'd better believe they are." He said kissing her again.
The doorbell rang at a quarter after one; the kids went running to the door. In spite of Amy telling them that she would get the door, they had it open by the time she walked into the living room. There stood Hetty, all four-foot-something. Amy was still intimidated by her, with knots in her stomach; she opened the screen and invited her in. The kids were excited, screaming and yelling. Callen came around the corner and pulled them back into the dining room to finish lunch. Hetty looked surprised to see him there and raised an eyebrow at him.
Hetty followed Amy into the family room, dining area and sat the legal-sized envelope on the counter. Amy eyed Callen, who smiled briefly. Once the kids were done eating and back outside to play, Hetty joined Amy and Callen at the table.
"Well, this is an unexpected surprise." She said looking at Callen. "I figured you'd have gone home last night with the others."
"I ordered pizza and we watched movies last night. The kids wanted me to stay one more night." Callen told her knowing one day soon he'd hear about it.
"Did Richard come back home last night?" she asked looking at Amy.
"How did you know he left?" Amy asked.
"Mr. Hanna neglected to turn off his Com yesterday morning." She said matter-of-factly.
"No, Rick didn't come home and I haven't heard from him." She told her. "I suspect he won't come home until he knows Sam and Callen are gone."
Callen stood and said. "I'm going to head home. I'll call you later, okay?"
Amy stood "Oh, I thought you were going to stay a while longer."
Callen walked towards the living room and gave Amy a hug. "I think you and Hetty need to talk alone. You can tell me about it later."
"Oh okay, you'd better say goodbye to the kids, they'll be upset if you don't." she said looking up at him.
He bent his head and kissed her neck then whispered in her ear. "I love you, Amy."
As he walked out the door, she stood there stunned. "What did you say?" she called after him, but he never turned back around. She returned to the dining room where Hetty was waiting.
Hetty shook her head. "What are your plans, Amy? Are you planning on leaving Rick?"
"As soon as I can get a job and find a place to live I will leave." She told Hetty.
Hetty stood and walked to the counter to pick up the envelope and handed it to Amy. "This is something your great-grandmother asked me to do for you."
Amy held the envelope for a few moments before she opened it. She looked at Hetty. From the envelope, she pulled what looked like a lease agreement on the very top. As she tipped the envelope to make sure there was nothing else in it when a key fell out and bounced on the table. She looked at Hetty again and noticed an ear to ear grin.
"What is this?" she asked picking up the key.
"That is the key to your house. The paperwork is a lease agreement. Once your divorce is final, I will turn the deed over to you. There is also a check there for you, which is what the property earned in rent for the last nineteen years. It should be more than enough for you and the kids to live on until you find employment."
Amy was in disbelief. She flipped through the papers and found the check for almost two hundred fifty thousand dollars. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine this is what Hetty had for her. She was shocked. Hetty waited patiently for her to speak.
"Now, please tell me what is going on with the two of you." She pointed towards the door.
Amy sat there silent trying to figure out exactly what to say. "I don't really know, to be honest. There's been some flirting and he's expressed some feelings."
Hetty smiled. "Are the feelings mutual?"
Amy tried to hide a smile, "Yes, they are."
"He'll be very good for you. It will be a complicated relationship, but I think you can handle it. Since you already know what he does for a living, you're already a head above the rest. I'm sure you've seen how demanding the job is, though you're already accustomed to the military lifestyle with deployments and field ops. Callen's life isn't much different. There is more danger involved; I cannot lie to you about that." Hetty told her.
"I understand that. Nothing will happen between us until after the divorce is final." She reassured Hetty
"You and Callen can start seeing each other after you've filed for divorce, providing Richard doesn't interfere."
"Is the house ready for the kids and me to move into?" Amy asked, her mind still reeling.
"The previous tenants moved out in the beginning of April. The property management company went through and fixed any damage they had done. I'd like you to look at the house just to see if there are any renovations you'd like to have done. I went through it this morning and the kitchen could use to be updated. The bathrooms are livable for now, but could also stand to be updated." Hetty explained still smiling.
"I'm speechless. I don't know what to think. I never, ever expected this." She said tears in her eyes. "What about the money, Rick's entitled to half of everything I have?"
"I can put the money in trust for you and give you a monthly stipend. There is a clause in your great-grandmother's will that stipulates that it is for you only, that it cannot be split in the event of separation or divorce." Hetty told her. "I think; if you want the renovations done, we can have them done by June when the kid's get out of school."
"I still cannot believe it. This means everything to me. My great-grandmother's house is mine."
Ricky came in the house crying. Amy thought instantly he was hurt, but saw no blood as he walked into the kitchen. "What's wrong Ricky?" Amy asked standing and putting her arms around him. Hetty stood as well and walked over putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Why did he have to leave? What did you say to him to make him leave?" he yelled at his mother.
"Who are you talking about, Ricky?" Hetty asked.
He looked from Amy to Hetty and stopped sobbing. "Callen. Why did Callen go home?"
Amy sat in a chair and pulled him to her. "Honey, the case that Callen and Sam were working is over. They had to go. Sam has a family and I'm sure Callen had some things he needed to do before he went back to work on Monday."
Ricky stomped his foot and threw his arms at his sides. "That's Monday, this is Saturday. He could've stayed another night and gone home tomorrow."
"Ricky, would you have reacted any differently if it were tomorrow? No, I don't think you would. I know it's hard right now since we don't know when Daddy's coming home, but Callen has his own life and we aren't part of it." She explained.
"Is he going to come back sometime?" Ricky asked.
"I'm sure he will, in fact, I'll tell him to when he comes to work on Monday. Would that make you feel better?" Hetty asked.
"How do you know Callen?" Ricky asked looking almost eye to eye with Hetty.
"Mr. Callen works for me. So does Kensi, Sam and Mr. Deeks." She told him.
Ricky cocked his head to the side and gave her a strange look. "Mr. Deeks?"
"Marty honey, Deeks is his last name." Amy said then it occurred to her that Hetty referred to Callen as Mr. Callen. "Hetty, why did you call Callen Mr. Callen? I thought Callen was his first name, not his last."
"Are you better now Ricky?" Hetty asked. When he nodded she asked if he could go back out and play for a few more minutes while she and Amy talked. Once the screen door slammed, she continued. "Callen is his last name."
"Wait, I remember the night Gunny Calke was arrested that Sam called him G or something like that." Amy said.
"He only knows his first initial, which is G. Did he tell you anything about his past?" Hetty asked
"Yes, he mentioned something about it this morning. That his mother was killed when he was four, you had he and his sister placed into foster care and that she died when she was eleven." Amy told her.
"There is a little more, but that is the sum of it." Hetty said sitting again.
"He also said he knows nothing of his father and that you bought the home he currently lives in."
"Yes, both of those facts are true. Do you remember your great-grandmother ever mentioning I worked for the CIA?" She waited for Amy to answer. When she nodded, Hetty continued. "I knew Callen's mother Clara. I was her handler. Callen's grandfather was also with the CIA, working in Romania. To make a long story short. Callen's mother met a man while in Romania and dropped off the grid. When she finally got in touch with me, she had two young children and begged for me to get her out of the country. I was in the process of making the arrangements when Clara was murdered. Callen and Amy were placed in an orphanage. I brought them back here and placed them in foster care. As much as I tried to keep an eye on them, Amy drowned when she was eleven."
"Good lord. He didn't mention anything about Romania. The little girl you adopted, Lauren. What is she doing now-a-days?"
Hetty cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. "Most recently, Lauren joined NCIS and worked undercover in Romania on a case associated with the murder of Callen's mother. There's no easy way to say this, but she passed away last year. I didn't think you'd remember Lauren, you were what five or six when you met her."
"Hetty, I'm so sorry. If I had known, I never would've brought it up." Amy said sympathetically. Wishing she hadn't brought up her brother's childhood crush.
"Oh Amy, how could you have known. It's getting easier as the days pass." Hetty told her wiping away a tear. "If you tell anyone, especially Callen that I was crying, I'll kick you."
Amy laughed. "I won't say a word. You still have everyone thinking you some hard-assed bitch, don't you?"
"Look at me, how else am I going to command respect from a man like Sam?" Hetty laughed. "My dear, I need to be getting back up the road. Let me know when you want to come up and look at the house."
"I will. Let me see when Rick comes back. It will probably be next weekend." She said leaning down hugging Hetty. "Thank you so much. This is the best thing that has happened for the kids and me in a very long time."
"You're very welcome. You've earned it. I will be expecting your call. Give the children my love." She said as she walked out the door.
Amy walked back to the table and read through all the paperwork from the envelope and examined the key. She clutched the key in her hand, held it to her chest and cried. Finally, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
It was just past ten when Callen's phone rang, he didn't recognize the number. It was the same area code and first three numbers as Amy's. His heart raced as he answered.
"Callen, where are you?" she said.
"Kristy? What's wrong?" he asked setting the book he was reading aside.
"Something's wrong with my Mom. She won't stop shaking and can't get warm. I took her temperature and it was over one hundred three. I made her take some medicine over an hour ago and it's not working. She says her stomach hurts really bad. I'm scared." Kristy said frantically.
"Is your Dad home?" he asked shooting up, grabbing a shirt.
"No, I tried to call him, but he's not answering." Callen could hear a painful moan or cry in the background. "It's okay Mommy. I know it hurts."
"I'm on my way Kristy. Call me if it gets any worse. I'll be there as soon as I can." He said and slipped on a pair of shoes then ran for the door.
When he got to Amy's forty-five minutes later, he found Kristy standing at the open front door. As soon as she saw him she burst into tears. "It's okay honey. Where's your Mom." He told her hugging her.
"She's in the family room." She said grabbing his hand pulling him along.
He was shocked when he saw Amy. She was sheet white and sweating. Covered in at least five blankets, yet she still shook violently. Callen touched her forehead and felt she was still burning up. He looked over to Ricky and Jenny, they were huddled together, clearly scared. He called them over and held them, telling them it was going to be ok. Callen stood and told them he'd be right back and walked out the door. He stood on the porch frantically thinking for a second. There were lights on at Kathy's and he ran across the street. He rang the doorbells several times and pounded on the door.
"Callen, what's wrong." She said when she answered the door.
"There's something wrong with Amy, I need to get her to the ER. Can the kids come over here?" he said quickly.
"Rick's not there?" she said stepping out looking across the street at Amy's driveway. "Of course, I'll help you bring them over."
"Thank you." He said turning on his heels and walked quickly back to Amy's. "Ricky, Kristy, and Jenny you guys are going to go over to Kathy's while I take your Mom to the hospital."
"No, I want to go with you." Ricky cried.
"If I take you and your sisters with us, I have to stay in the waiting room with you. I want to be able to go back with your Mom so I know exactly what's going on. I promise I'll call you as soon as I know anything." He told all three of them. "Now come on, let's get you over to Kathy's so I can get your Mom help."
Callen swept Jenny up in his arms and carried her over to Kathy's. Ricky and Kristy followed. Once they were in the house, Callen took Kathy's cell phone number and ran back to Amy's. She was still hot and shaking. As he picked her up, she screamed in pain. "I'm sorry. I need to get you to the hospital."
"It's okay. Just go." She told him.
Amy was doubled over in pain the entire drive to the Naval Hospital. Callen had his hand on her head trying to assure her that everything would be okay. Every time she would relax, the violent shaking would return and she would cry out in pain. Instead of parking in the parking lot, he drove her to the ambulance entrance and carried her into the ER. Several nurses ran out and told him that he couldn't park there and that he'd have to bring her in the other way. He ignored them and walked her over to and empty bed then turned around.
He pulled his credentials from his pocket and shoved them in their faces. "My name is Special Agent Callen. This woman is under my protection. I don't know what's wrong with her, but you need to look at her now. She is a very important witness to a case we're working and if something happens to her, it's on your heads."
Immediately, a nurse went to Amy's side and started taking her vital signs and temperature. Another took Callen to the front desk to get Amy checked in. Luckily, he'd thought enough to grab Amy's wallet on the way out the door so he could present her military ID and insurance card, if needed. He saw Amy bring rolled out of the ER and down a long hallway. He ran to her side and asked where they were taking her.
"We're just taking her for an x-ray, we'll bring her right back." He was told. While he waited, he called Hetty to let her know what was going on. She asked that he keep her posted. He then called Kristy to let her know that they were there and Amy had been taken for an x-ray. Callen asked for Rick's number so he could call him himself, hoping that a call from someone other than Amy or the kids would make him answer.
He dialed the number and walked towards the Pediatrics waiting room. Rick didn't answer, but Callen left a message. "Rick, it's Callen. Amy's at the ER, I don't know what's going on. You need to get down her as soon as you can. I left the kids at Kathy's house. Call me back as soon as you get this message."
After he hung up, he called Sam. They talked for a few minutes until he saw Amy being wheeled back to the ER. He told Sam he had to go and hung up, but not before Sam told him that he was on his way.
Once Amy was back in her curtained area, the nurse pulled the curtain and told them that the radiologist was looking at the films and they'd have the results as soon as possible. Callen sat on the edge of the gurney looking at Amy. She was still pale; her eyes were red and sunken in. He'd never seen anyone look this bad and it scared him.
Another nurse came in with a warm blanket and draped it over her. Amy looked at the woman and tried to smile. A second nurse appeared behind her with a plastic handled box fill of vials, syringes and needles. Callen stepped away to give them space to work. The phlebotomist put on a set of gloves uncovered Amy's right arm and tied the rubber band just above her elbow, then retrieved an alcohol swab from the box and swiped it down her arm before feeling for a vein. With one finger on the vein, she reached back into her box for a butterfly needle and opened it. Then she reached back in for a plastic tube and five or six vials with different colored rubber stoppers.
Callen watched as the nurse carefully inserted the needle in Amy's arm. He saw Amy's body jump and the pain in her eyes. With one hand on Amy's arm and the other on the needle, the nurse maneuvered the needle into position and reached for the plastic tube, connecting it to the long tubing on the needle. Once they were attached, the blood flowed freely and she grabbed the vials, untied the band and filled them one by one. Once they were all full, she removed the needle, placed a piece of gauze on the wound and placed a piece of surgical tape over it. She instructed Amy to keep her arm bent to minimize the bruising. Amy did the best she could to nod.
Once the two nurses left, Callen sat back down next to Amy. She looked over at him, the pain still in her eyes. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked.
She slowly shook her head and weakly said, "Not really. Thank you for coming. I didn't know Kristy called you."
"She was so scared when she called. I couldn't not come." He told her rubbing her head.
"Has anyone been able to get a hold of Rick? I know Kristy called him from both mine and her phones." She asked.
"I tried calling him, but he didn't answer. I did leave him a message telling him you were here. Hopefully he gets it. You don't think something happened to him do you?" he asked hoping the conversation wasn't too much for her right now.
Amy took a ragged breath and winced in pain. "No, I think he's just avoiding us."
The nurse returned with an IV bag of fluids, along with another tray of goodies. Amy knew what was coming and a tear rolled down her cheek. Callen caught it with his finger and reached under the blanket to hold her left hand. "Actually sir, we're going to put the IV in her left hand since we took blood from the right arm. How about we change sides?"
Callen looked at Amy who was already holding out her right hand for him. "How good are you with IV's?" Amy asked the nurse. She looked at her nametag and noticed her name was Janet.
"I've been doing it for years. Hopefully it won't hurt too much. I take it you've had some bad experiences with IVs?" she laughed.
"More than I care to remember." Amy told her.
"Well, don't worry. We'll get through this. Besides you've got this big bad special agent here to comfort you." She said and then added. "He's pretty hot, I wouldn't mind if he comforted me."
Amy smiled and looked at Callen who had turned a bright shade of red. She squeezed his had trying to get him to smile, which he finally did. The nurse was right, while it was painful; it was nothing like her past experiences. The sheets and floor weren't dripping with her blood like they had been in the past and the nurse didn't have to move the needle much trying to find the right position. There were just a few drops of blood at the puncture site and Amy smiled.
"See, I told you I was good." The nurse smiled putting a clear piece of wide take over the IV site holding it into place. "Ok, we're going to give you some fluids and something for the pain. We put your blood work in STAT, so hopefully we should have them back in an hour. I'm going to go see if the radiology report is in. Is there anything you need or anything you can tell me about your medical history?"
"I was diagnosed with a Hiatal Hernia in two thousand eight after my daughter was born. They found it during a Barium Swallow. The only thing I take for it is Nexium, which is also for GERD." She told the nurse.
"Alright, have you had more abdominal pain than usual?" she asked.
Amy looked at Callen, knowing he was going to be angry with that she was about to say. "Yes, I've been having sharp stabbing pains under my ribs for a few days. Chest pain and the feeling that I had something caught in my throat or that my esophagus was crooked or something like that. Does that make any sense?"
The nurse eyed Amy. "And you didn't think with symptoms like that you should come in and have yourself looked at?"
Callen had a look on his face that told Amy he wasn't happy. "There was a lot going on this past week. I really didn't have the time to come in."
"Damn it Amy, you should've said something. I would've made sure you came in." Callen said angrily, and then softened his expression.
"I'm sorry, you guys were busy and I didn't want to bother you with it." She told him.
"It's ok, better late than never, I guess." He told her squeezing her hand.
"Any other symptoms?" the nurse asked. "Difficulty breathing?"
"Yes a little when the chest pain sets in." she told her.
The nurse disappeared and Callen turned his attention to Amy. She had a little more color in her face and the pain in her eyes had subsided. "Feeling a little better, I see."
"Yeah, I am, a little loopy too. I don't know what she gave me for the pain, but it worked fast." She said.
"So how long have you been feeling like this?" Callen asked.
They were interrupted when the woman he spoke to at the front desk opened the curtain. "Mr. Callen, there is a Mr. Hanna in the waiting room. He'd like to have a word with you."
"You called Sam?" Amy asked as Callen followed the woman out.
"I did, I didn't know who else to call." He told her.
Sam was standing by the reception desk with a worried look on his face. He was slightly relieved when Callen came out with a smile. "How's she doing?"
"They took her for an x-ray, drew blood and started and IV. She's got some color back and isn't in as much pain. She told the nurse that she's been feeling poorly for a few days. I can't believe she never said anything to either of us about it." He told Sam stepping away from the desk.
"Are you surprised that she didn't. She seems like the kind of woman who doesn't think much about herself." Sam pointed out.
"True. She's really stubborn, isn't she?" Callen agreed.
Sam looked around the waiting room. "Where are the kids?"
"I asked Kathy if she could watch them. You know I tried to call Rick and he won't answer my calls either." Callen told him.
Sam saw the nurse walking towards them and pointed so Callen could talk to her. "Mr. Callen, I wanted to let you know the doctor has ordered an ultrasound. We got the radiology report back and I'm going to check with the lab to see if the blood work is back." She smiled and walked away.
"Get back in there. Let me know what they say. Michelle will be on her way up after seven to get the kids and sit with them at Amy's if she hasn't been released. I'll meet her there so the kids aren't uncomfortable since they've never met her." Sam told him patting his arm.
"Alright, thanks Sam. I'll keep you posted." He said walking back through the triage area.
When he pulled back the curtain, another nurse was at Amy's side with an ultrasound machine. The blankets were pulled down around her hips and her shirt was tucked under her bra. Amy's abdomen was covered with a clear gel. Amy looked over at him and grimaced in pain as the tech dug the instrument deep into her stomach below her ribs. He immediately went to Amy's side and held her hand, but not too tight because of the IV.
A tall man with salt and pepper hair entered the area and looked over the tech's shoulder. He looked at Amy and then to Callen. "I'm Doctor Burke; I'm one of the surgeons on duty tonight. How are you feeling, Mrs. Russell?"
"A little better, not much." She said
The nurse, Janet returned with paperwork in her hand. "Doctor, the labs."
"Thank you Janet. Do me a favor and call upstairs. Have them prep and OR." He said looking briefly at the lab results then back at Amy. "Alright Mrs. Russell, we're going to have to take you in for surgery. It seems that your Hiatal hernia changed to a Para esophageal hernia. Part of your stomach has slipped through the Haitis and is sitting next to your esophagus. The pressure has caused your stomach to become strangled, so-to-speak, and it's cutting off the blood flow to your stomach. We're going to do the procedure with Laparoscopic technique, to move your stomach back to its normal position. It's minimally invasive and you should be up and around with restrictions within a day or two."
Callen looked at Amy with his heart full of fear. "What's the fever from?" He asked the doctor.
"There is a secondary infection that is possibly associated with the hernia, but we aren't sure right now. Do you have any questions Mrs. Russell?" he said looking from Callen to Amy.
"No, I know about the procedure, my mother had her gallbladder removed and my sister had her appendix removed." She told the doctor, and then looked at Callen. "It's okay. It's an easy surgery. I'll be fine."
"There is the slight chance that we will have to open you up with a larger incision and do the surgery old school. That will take a while longer for you to recover from." He told her.
"Is this life threatening?" Callen asked worried that he'd lose Amy before he even got the chance to be with her.
"No, your wife is going to be just fine. Aside from her smoking and high cholesterol, she's very healthy." He assured Callen.
"Amy's not my wife. I've been assigned to protect her. I work with NCIS." He told the doctor.
"Oh, where is your husband, we're going to need him to fill out some paperwork."
"We don't know exactly where he is. He left early Friday morning and we haven't been able to reach him since." Amy explained.
"Well, that changes things. We can have you fill out the paperwork if you're okay Mrs. Russell. Give me your husband's number and I'll try calling him. These Marines seem to respond to the seven-two-five numbers better than they would a home or cell number. If I can't reach him, I'll contact his command if you'll give me that information."
Amy nodded and the doctor left the curtained area to retrieve the paperwork. She looked at Callen who had resumed his position on the bed next to her. She brought her hand to his face and placed it on his cheek. "I'm going to be fine, Callen. I promise you. Did you mean what you said when you left yesterday afternoon?"
Callen took her hand in his and kissed her palm. "You mean when I told you I love you? Yes I did."
Amy smiled. Tears filled her eyes. "I love you too. If Rick brought me here, he'd be in the waiting room instead of by my side like you are. Thank you for redeeming my faith in the male species."
Callen laughed and leaned in to kiss her forehead when the doctor came back with a clipboard and pen. He stopped for a minute looking at them then preceded to hand it to Amy. "I tried calling your husband, but he didn't answer. I take it you two don't have the best relationship."
Amy was very blunt, "No and he's probably with another one of his girlfriends. I'm moving out and filing for divorce in June, when our kids get out of school."
The doctor looked at Callen and smiled. "Alright then, as soon as she's done with the paperwork, can you bring it to the nurses' station? I'm going to go up and prep for the procedure. I'll see you in a few minutes, Mrs. Russell." Callen nodded.
Within twenty minutes, Callen and Sam sat in the surgery waiting room. The TV was on, but neither was paying attention to it. Sam noticed that Callen was lost in his thoughts. He didn't know what to tell him because he'd never seen Callen like this about a woman. Sam smiled at the thought that his partner; a man who had tried so hard to keep people at arm's length; had finally let someone in. He could see gradual changes in his personality over the last week and knew Callen was head-over-heels in love with Amy and no matter how hard Amy tried to hide it; she was in love with him too.
He thought of when he and Michelle met. The way they looked at one another; the way they couldn't keep their hands off each other. His own thoughts were interrupted when Kensi and Deeks appeared in the doorway. Kensi held a tray with four large cups of coffee. "What are you two doing here?" he asked.
Callen looked up and then at Sam. "How did you know we were here? Did you call them Sam?"
Kensi walked over and handed them each a coffee before she sat the tray on a side table. "Kathy called me and I called Deeks. How's Amy?"
Callen thanked her for the coffee and sat up in the chair. "She's in surgery, only been in there for about ten minutes." He said looking at Sam.
"Yeah, about that." He agreed.
As the time ticked by, Callen worried more and more. His team could see it and they became worried too. Callen's phone rang; he shot out of his chair and left the room.
"Hetty, I'm sorry I didn't call you. Amy's in surgery right now. She has something called a Para esophagael Hernia. Her stomach moved up through the hiatis and the blood was cut off to her stomach." He told her.
"Are you alright Mr. Callen? Have you called anyone or been able to reach Richard?" she asked.
"Sam, Kensi and Deeks are here with me and I haven't heard anything from Rick. The doctor tried calling before she went in for surgery, but he wouldn't answer." Callen explained.
"I assume you called Sam and the others?" she asked.
"No, I called Sam. Kathy called Kensi, Kensi called Deeks." He laughed. It was comforting knowing that his team rallied like this for him and the woman he loved.
"Very good, feels good to know your team is there for moral support when you need them, isn't it Mr. Callen? When you called Richard, did it go directly to voicemail or did it ring first?" she asked.
Callen knew exactly why she was asking. "It rang four or five times before it went to voicemail. The phone is on. He's just not answering it or he doesn't have it on him. Are you going to have Eric check the GPS location?"
"Yes, Mr. Callen and if I ever get my hands on him, I'll strangle him." She told him.
"I think you've got a long line of people ahead of you on that one." He laughed.
"Alright Mr. Callen, I'll let you get back in with your team. I'll let you know when we hear anything about his whereabouts." She said and hung up.
Callen walked back into the waiting room and sat down drinking his coffee.
