Life For Rent

Chapter 10 : Juxtaposition

Author's Notes :

- Juxtaposition : the state of being side by side or close together, especially for comparison.
- Slight spoiler Ambush. (S1E08)
- Boston Market is a take-away type food restaurant that specializes in home-style cooking; meatloaf, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, soups, etc.
- Thanks to Lily G for her suggestions
- This chapter has been re-edited since its original posting.

Callen groaned as he reached for his phone. "Callen," he answered.

"G?"

"Jared?" Callen asked, holding his phone out so he could see the time. 2:34 am. "Is everything okay?"

Callen heard the younger man let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, sorry, I… sorry--for waking you up."

"It's okay."

There was a long pause and then, "I'm sorry about waking you, I-I'll call you later."

"Wait!" Callen said loudly. "Jared, is everything alright?" He asked more quietly.

Pause. "Yeah."

"How was work?" Callen asked, shifting onto his side. Taking down secret militia groups was definitely not the nicest thing he could do for his body.

Another pause. "Long."

"How'd the new beef dish work out?"

"Everyone loved it."

Callen sat up. Something was obviously wrong with the other man and Jared was, at the very least, a friend. He slipped his shoes on and groped around for his jacket. "I told you they would." He said. His hand located a sweatshirt and he stood up, slipping it on. He pocketed his wallet and his keys.

"Yeah." Pause. "How was your day?"

Callen headed for the door. "Took down a secret militia."

"Really?" Jared asked with more surprise in his voice than doubt. "We have those here?"

"More than you'd probably like to think about," Callen paused. "And I probably shouldn't have told you that."

"Mum's the word," Jared promised. "Were you hurt?"

Callen unlocked the door, stepping outside. It automatically locked behind him. "I got a little knocked around." His car was parked in a side lot and he pulled his sweatshirt tighter around him.

"Should you be in a hospital?"

"Nah," Callen dismissed. "It's just a headache, I'll be fine."

"Is Sam okay?"

"Yeah," Callen answered. Jared had asked about Sam the other day and since Sam probably knew way more about Jared than the other man would probably ever know about Sam, Callen had offered up some information. Callen found his car, one of two left in the lot, and the lights flashed as he unlocked it. "Better than me, even."

"Oh," There was another long pause, long enough for Callen to climb into the driver seat, shut the door and start the car. He switched his phone over to his Bluetooth and started backing out. "G?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to answer this…but what do you do for Thanksgiving?"

Callen pulled out onto the street and started along the now familiar route to Jared's house. "Last year Sam invited me to his place."

"And before that?"

Callen paused. "I discovered that Boston Market makes a great Thanksgiving dinner."

"Would you maybe want to come over to my place this year?" Jared asked. "It'll just be me."

"You don't go to Lindsey's house or something?"

"I did the first couple of years after my parents died, but not recently."

"Will there be sweet potatoes?" Callen asked, making a left turn. He probably shouldn't be as surprised as he was at all the cars on the street at almost three in the morning.

"With marshmallows," Jared confirmed.

"And pie?"

"Pumpkin and whatever other kind you want."

"You know there's a chance I might be working."

"I'll take the risk."

"Okay," Callen said. "Sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you," Jared said softly.

"I never turn down free food."

"Still," Jared insisted. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Callen turned down Jared's street. It normally took a little longer to get there, but there was a little bit less traffic and more lights were sensored instead of timed. He found a spot close to the other man's apartment and easily pulled in. "How was surfing yesterday?"

"Hit a bunch of mushy waves and there were a few kooks out. I left early."

Callen quietly closed his door and locked the car before making his way down the street to Jared's apartment. "So the waves were bad and there were a couple horrible surfers?"

Jared laughed softly. "Yeah."

Callen arrived at Jared's blue door. "Hey, come open the door, it's freezing out here."

There was a pause. "What are you doing here?"

The door opened before Callen could answer and he thumbed off his phone. "I can leave if you want me to." Except that he probably wouldn't because Jared looked horrible and… drunk?

Jared shook his head and pushed his own phone into his pocket. He gestured Callen in and Callen paused only to toe off his shoes before following Jared back to the couch. Sure enough there were several empty beer bottles and an open bottle of vodka that Jared appeared to be drinking straight out of. "I should probably warn you." Jared said quietly. "I'm a little bit drunk, G."

"You're a pretty quiet drunk." Callen noted, taking a seat next to Jared.

"Yeah. Lindsey was disappointed about that. She took me out to a club once and I spent the whole night staring morosely at the table." He paused. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"I'm the one who came to you."

"Yeah, but I know you don't like it when people are drunk."

Callen was starting to think that Jared knew him entirely too well. "Want to tell me why you're drunk at three in the morning?"

"My ex came in for dinner."

"At the restaurant?"

"Yeah." Jared paused. "I haven't seen him in a year and a half. He broke up with me, said he wanted to focus on his career. And then… then he comes into the restaurant tonight, tells them he knows the chef… I went out to see who it was…" Jared paused to take a drink out of the open bottle of vodka. "… and there that asshole is, sitting there… him and his fucking wife." He swallowed some more alcohol. "And their two year old son."

Ouch. Callen winced on Jared's behalf. "You knew he was two?"

"The wife said something about the terrible twos."

"You're better off without him."

"Most definitely." Jared agreed with a slight slur. "I thought I loved him, you know? I thought he loved me too. And now I find out that he was cheating on me… or cheating on her… cheating on someone." He swung his head down and to the right, moving it up to look at Callen. "You won't cheat on me, right, G?

"Right."

"Promise?" Jared asked, sounding younger than his thirty-five years. His blue eyes peaked out underneath his shaggy sun-bleached hair.

"Promise." Callen said. He reached out and gently eased the vodka bottle out of Jared's hands. "Let's go to bed, alright?"

"Can we fuck?" Jared asked as he stood up with a wobble.

"Not tonight." Callen answered, reaching a hand out to steady the other man.

"Why not?"

They started walking towards the bedroom. "Because you're drunk."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that. I'll try not to be in the future." Jared offered quietly. "Are you still gonna stay?"

"I don't know. How good of a breakfast can I expect if the cook is hung-over?" Callen teased.

"A great one; I've cooked three course meals while still drunk."

"I hope not at your restaurant." Callen said, leading Jared to the bed. Jared sat down on the edge and stared at Callen. "I'm going to go turn off the lights and stuff, can you change on your own?"

"Yes." Jared said with an emphatic nod.

"Okay."

A hand on Callen's wrist stopped him before he could walk away. "G?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Jared said soberly.

Callen smiled. "Sure."

Callen gasped awake. His eyes opening wide as he sat up and took in his surroundings; Jared's bedroom with Jared sleeping next to him. Callen blinked a few times and felt his heart rate slow down. He gently eased out of the bed and padded out of the room and into the kitchen for a glass of water.

He downed the first glass in five large gulps, the second he nursed as he sat on a stool. The floor creaked and Callen turned to see Jared coming up behind him, hair sticking out every which way.

"Hey." Jared greeted.

"Hey, yourself." Callen answered. "Shouldn't you be sleeping off all that alcohol?"

"Probably." The younger man agreed, taking a seat next to Callen. "I felt you get up, and when you didn't come back…"

"Just went for some water." Callen offered, gesturing towards his glass.

"In the dark?"

"I didn't want to wake you with the lights."

"Ah, well, my alarm would have gone off in ten minutes anyways."

"Deliveries?"

Jared nodded with a yawn. "Yeah."

"How's the head?"

There was a pause and then, "I'm not sure, but I think I might still be drunk."

"Then here," Callen said, pushing his water towards the other man. "Drink up. You have any aspirin?"

"Medicine cabinet in the bathroom."

Callen left Jared to drink the rest of his water and went to track down the bottle of aspirin. It was on the third shelf in the medicine cabinet and Callen shook out two before replacing the bottle on the shelf. When he re-entered the living room he found Jared slumped over the kitchen counter, head resting on this crossed arms. The glass in front of him was empty so Callen filled it up before pushing it back towards the surfer and poking his shoulder. "Drink this and take these."

Jared sat up and complied, downing the glass of water. "Thanks."

"Want more?"

The other man shook his head. "I'm good." He paused before asking, "So what're you doin' up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Want to talk about it?" Jared asked softly.

"It's… pretty classified." Callen said after a moment.

"You don't have to say any details." The younger man pressed. "If it's bothering you, you should talk to someone about it. If not me than… Sam, or someone else on your team."

Callen laughed softly. "I don't think that's gonna happen."

"I'll make crêpes." Jared tempted. "With strawberries."

"And chocolate sauce?"

"With white chocolate sauce." Jared promised, offering Callen his favorite breakfast food.

"You know, I'm not entirely sure you play fair."

"I know I don't." Jared grinned.

Callen sighed. "Yesterday--"

"The militia thing?"

"Yeah. Yesterday, I was undercover as a… prisoner and Sam was the MP who was guarding the transport truck. I was trying to get the trust of the other prisoner in the truck with us so he'd take me back to where his group, the militia, was hiding out. To do that I had to shoot Sam."

"Your partner?" Jared asked with a frown.

"Yeah, shot off a couple of blanks towards him; hit him in the chest."

"And it screwed with your head?" Jared asked, sympathetically.

"Yeah." Callen ran a hand over his head. "I've had to shoot at people I've known before, but this time… this time it was different."

Jared reached out and put a hand on top of Callen's. "You did what you needed to."

Callen exhaled. "I know. It just… wasn't the easiest thing I've ever had to do."

There was a long pause. "Your job is so dangerous, G." Jared said quietly. "People shoot at you, cars blow up… I kinda worry that one day, I'll call you and no one will answer."

"No one's…" Callen drifted off. "Someone will call you." He said eventually.

"Promise?" Jared asked, his blue eyes peeking out under wild blonde hair.

"Yeah. Now, go shower and I'll drive you to your deliveries."

Jared smiled. "Okay.""

"Hetty." Callen said in a low voice.

The smaller lady looked up from her desk. "Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Callen?"

Callen hesitated before nodding. "A couple things, actually."

"Then please," She said, gesturing towards the seat across from her desk. "Have a seat."

Callen sat down gracefully and leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees. "Is there… a way for someone to get clearance?"

"Clearance for what, Mr. Callen?"

"Um, to visit?"

"Here?"

"Yeah."

"That depends on many different things, Mr. Callen, such as what he or she would be doing here, what a background check reveals, whether they would be a risk to NCIS…"

"He'd probably be dropping off some lunch." Callen offered.

"Well, give me his name and I shall see what I can do." She promised. "Now, you mentioned that there were a couple things…"

Callen took a deep breath before asking, "If something were to happen to me, is there a way to have someone notified?"

Hetty looked at him in surprise, an eyebrow raised over her round-rimmed glasses. "Such as an emergency contact, Mr. Callen?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I can certainly set something up for you, just give me a second." Hetty turned towards her computer and clicked a few times before typing something in. "Now, what is the name of the person you wish to list?"

"Jared Dassagne… D-a-s-s-a-g-n-e."

"Phone number?"

Callen fished his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts. "619-692-2077."

"Mr. Dassagne lives in San Diego?" Hetty asked as she typed.

"No, he lives here, he's from San Diego though."

"Ah, I see. Do you have an address for this young man?"

Callen told her Jared's address before asking, "So someone will call him?"

"I will personally see to it, Mr. Callen. Is this the same person you wish to have visit?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see what I can do and get back to you. Is there anything else?"

Callen hesitated, "If he received clearance to visit would I be able to talk to him about things?"

"Things such as…?"

"He asks about injuries and stuff, nothing too detailed."

"I'll see what we can work out."

"Thanks, Hetty." Callen stood up and was halfway down the steps before Hetty called out to him. He turned, "Yeah?"

"I'm happy for you, Mr. Callen." She said softly, but loud enough for Callen to hear her.

Callen nodded once to her before continuing down the steps and back to his team.