A/N – This was a hard one – not much Callen/Kensi in the episode but thanks again to ESalvatore and TwilightPony for the sparks that set this one off. Sorry for grammar or spelling mistakes. Mind isn't quite working properly today.

Hopefully I've got Abby right.

Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer in Chapter 4

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Chapter 10 – Random On Purpose

Callen used his key to enter Kensi's apartment, Chinese takeaway in hand. They'd had a rough day with Abby's kidnapping and were looking forward to a quiet evening. Abby had decided she really didn't want to go out for dinner so was heading back to Eric's for the night before leaving for Washington the next morning. She said it was just a little too close to the last time she'd gone out and her subsequent kidnapping and near death experience.

Kensi smiled at him and brought the plates to the table. They both sat and ate in companionable silence for a while. Kensi was the first to say something.

"Do you think Hetty is pushing this a little – putting our desks together like she has?"

Callen grinned mischievously around his mouthful of food. He swallowed then asked, "What? Are you worried you can't concentrate when you are that close to me?"

Kensi rolled her eyes. "No. It's you that I'm worried about," she retorted. "You have trouble keeping your hands to yourself. I'm fine with it."

Callen opened his mouth but was stopped by a knock on the door. Kensi got up to answer it.

"This conversation isn't over Special Agent Blye," Callen said, just before she opened the door.

"Abby," Kensi said in surprise.

Abby walked through the door. There was absolutely no surprise on her face when she saw Callen sitting at the table.

She moved over to him; a serious expression on her face.

"Please tell me Gibbs knows about the two of you," she said.

"What?" Kensi asked.

"Look, I like it. You two seem perfect for each other but I get the feeling that not everyone knows, which is why I came here rather than ask you in the office."

"Is it that obvious?" Callen asked. They thought they had been doing quite well keeping it out of the office. Dom still didn't seem to be suspicious of them at all.

"To me, yes. To others," Abby shrugged. "You don't really want me going in on the ins and outs of pheromones and pupil dilation and tiny body language things do you?"

"No," Callen agreed. He'd heard about Abby through Gibbs and knew she saw things many others didn't. Including trained agents. Her insights, talent and bubbliness were a few of the things that Gibbs said made up for her 'slight' craziness and disregard for some authority (perhaps most) figures.

"So," Abby begged, "does he?"

"No," Callen replied.

Abby sat down abruptly. "You have to tell him."

"The Director doesn't even know Abby," Kensi added. "We couldn't put Gibbs in the position to lie to him."

"Of course you could." Abby turned to Callen. "You know he wouldn't say anything. If anyone can keep secrets it's Gibbs."

"True," Callen agreed. Barely anyone knew about Shannon and Kelly. Gibbs definitely knew how to keep personal secrets.

"So, will you tell him? Preferably before I get back to Washington tomorrow. I can't keep things from him okay. The Director, McGee, Tony, even Ziva – as long as she doesn't get me alone, but not Gibbs."

Callen smiled. "All right."

"Callen." Kensi's tone was one of warning and he knew about what. Hetty wouldn't like this.

"Kenz, even Hetty wouldn't want to put Abby in that situation. Abby's not an agent like us. Gibbs would eat her for breakfast if he got wind she was keeping something from him. Especially about me."

Kensi sighed. "You tell Hetty then."

"I'll take full responsibility."

Abby smiled and jumped up. She kissed and hugged them both before heading to the door. "Thanks guys. Oh, when did you two get together?" she asked before she left.

"A bit after the shooting," Callen answered.

"Oh. I remember that. Gibbs was worried about you. Nice to know something good came out of it."

With that she left.

Kensi raised her eyebrows at Callen.

"It'll be fine, Kenz. Hetty will understand."

"Yeah? How are you going to convince her?"

"Simple," Callen replied. "Hetty likes Abby's talents – If she wants to make use of them again, not a good idea to get on Gibbs' bad side."

"What about Hetty's bad side?"

"What about it?"

"I don't want to be on it."

"You won't."

Later, after they'd finished dinner and some passionfruit cheesecake, Callen stood up to leave.

Kensi joined him by the door. "I really wish you didn't have to keep up these aliases. I miss you when you aren't here."

"Is that because I can't keep my hands to myself?" he asked teasingly.

Kensi rolled her eyes and shook her head. Callen pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently.

"I miss you too," he said. "But at least you should get a good night sleep without me wandering around for most of it."

Kensi shrugged. "I've gotten used to your nocturnal wanderings."

Callen grinned. "Nice to know. See you tomorrow."

Kensi locked the door behind him and did a quick tidy-up before heading to the bedroom. She sat down on her bed and started brushing her hair. She stopped when she caught sight of the shell Callen had given her a few days ago. She picked it up and smiled. Apparently Lily had given the shell to Callen when he'd been at the beach after the incident with the terrorist group. She hadn't asked how it had happened. She had simply believed him. After all, on occasion she'd had some strange things happen when James visited her too.

"Hi," came this quiet little voice.

Kensi looked up. "Lily?" She had only seen the little girl once but it wasn't hard to see the similarities between father, mother and daughter. She was the perfect combination of Callen and Alex.

"Hi," Lily repeated. "Do you like it?" she asked tentatively, glancing at the shell in Kensi's hand.

Kensi looked down, smiled and looked back at Lily who had just wiggled onto the edge of the bed next to her. Not close enough to touch but close enough that Lily obviously felt comfortable with Kensi. Mentally Kensi shook her head. It wasn't like she could do anything to harm Lily.

"Yes, I do. It's beautiful. Thank you."

Lily smiled and Kensi felt such a sharp pain in her chest that it almost took her breath away. That smile was so Callen and she felt such pain and loss that he'd never gotten to know his little girl.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," replied Lily.

"Why did you give this to your dad for me, rather than him?"

Lily looked at her for a moment before replying, like she was trying to figure out how to word her answer. It seemed a strange thing to do for a little girl of five. She had relatives around the same age and their words just tumbled out.

"I wanted you to have it to remind you of my daddy." Lily looked back down at the shell. "It's a little like him. Not much to go on from the outside, hard to read and rough, but if you can get underneath," she looked back up and smiled, "He's pretty cool and amazing."

Kensi smiled back. "Yes he is."

Lily's looked went from cute to serious. "I don't want you to give up on my daddy. You make him happy. He needs you."

The tears started to make their way into Kensi's eyes but she blinked them back. "I won't give up on him. I promise Lily."

"Good."

Lily slid down off the bed and started to the door. She turned back and smiled. "Bye Kensi."

"Bye … Uh, Lily," Kensi said, stopping the little girl from leaving.

"Yes?"

"Where's your mum?" she asked. There was something strange about a little girl being in an almost stranger's house, even if said little girl was an angel or something similar. The protective side of Kensi made her check on that.

Lily grinned. "She's near. She felt this was more time for just the two of us. Bye." She left then, skipping out the door and down the hall.

"She liked it, Mummy." '

"Of course she did, Sweetheart," came the reply to the little girl's words. Alex.

Kensi jumped up and ran out to the hall but they were already gone. She went back to her room and sat down, looking at the shell once more. Hard to read but worth getting underneath. That was definitely Callen. She hoped one day that the getting underneath factor would get a bit easier. In the meantime, as she had promised Lily, there was no way she was going to give up on Callen. She'd loved him and needed him as well.