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I don't own NCIS:LA. I do own Sarah. Don't sue unless you want to send my kids to college.
There is a Flashback at the beginning.
Special Thanks to my editor who got me focused.
Again thanks for reading and please leave feedback.
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"You're no exception to the rule. I'm irresistible you fool give in."
"Whatever Lola Wants" from the Musical Damn Yankees (Sarah Vaughn version)
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FLASHBACK after "Lange, H"
G. Callen thought he was dreaming when he saw Gibbs walk down the hallway to Hetty's room. "Gibbs? What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Vance sent me to make sure that Little Mother was okay and the kids were keeping out of trouble."
"She'll be fine." Callen said with relief.
"We're keeping out of trouble." Sam said.
"Good. How are you Callen?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm fine."
Sam tried not to laugh "He's going to be locked in his hotel room after this shift Gibbs. He needs to sleep."
"I'm fine." Callen said again clenching his jaw.
"Right." Sam said still not believing him.
"I'm going to see her I'll be out in a couple of minutes." Gibbs said going towards the door.
"I'll go in with you." Sam got out of his chair and opened the door.
Hetty looked up to see Gibbs walk in with Sam behind him. "Oh Bugger." She said closing her book "He sent you?"
Gibbs pulled the chair that was against the wall over to her bed. "If Vance came here you know you would be in bigger trouble. How are you?" Gibbs said sitting down in the chair.
"I'll be fine." Hetty said putting the book on the nightstand. "You wasted a trip." She tried to adjust to get comfortable. She looked over at Sam standing at the foot of her bed looking like he wanted to scream at her. "What's wrong Mr. Hanna?"
"I need to know what you know about Callen." He said serious.
"What makes you think I know more than I am telling you?" She asked.
"Because when I was getting you out of the Comescu compound you kept on saying that you were not able to 'save her' and 'I have to protect them'."
"We'll talk about this later." She said trying to brush him off.
"Hetty, he should know." Gibbs told her.
She glared at Gibbs. She brought him into the inner circle of protecting Callen when he was in Russia. He had become like an older brother to Callen and someone that he could trust if needed. But there had to be another reason besides Vance sending him to check on her.
"Know what?" Sam asked.
"Nothing." She said.
"Don't shut me out Hetty." Sam said getting annoyed.
"Not now." She told him.
Sam was usually the one who could always keep calm when Hetty told him that everything was okay and didn't ask questions but he was at the breaking point now. The last four days were hell on everyone. He was able to hide his concern but he was now the breaking point and knew he would not be able to control his anger. "He remembered his mother." he said quietly.
She looked at him "What?"
"Are you sure?" Gibbs asked stunned.
Now Sam knew that they were hiding something important "A couple of months ago he remembered being on a beach and a man with a tattoo on the inside of his wrist him a tin soldier. Two days ago he was on that beach. He remembered two men walking up to them. One gave him the tin soldier like he found on his sister's grave. The other man shot his mother in front of him."
"He needs to know Hetty." Gibbs stressed.
She nodded. "Gibbs, could you please tell Mr. Hanna what he needs to know. Make sure Callen is not around."
"G is going to need to know Hetty. You are going to have to tell him."
"I will." She said.
Sam looked at his watch and realized he was going to be late "I'll be back in a couple of hours. I have to go and get Nate at the Airport."
"Nate?"
"He called to check in and Vance told him what happened. Nate told him that he was on his way."
"Another child coming home." Gibbs smiled at her.
"I'll be fine!" She said frustrated.
"We'll talk later Gibbs. Callen's shift is over around seven tomorrow morning." Sam said.
"Okay Sam." Gibbs said watching Sam leave the room and making sure that Callen would not come into the room.
Hetty waited a couple of seconds after Sam left to finally speak. "How is she?"
"Hurt. Worried. Pissed. Relieved that you're alive."
"Please let her know that I'll be fine." She said.
Gibbs got up and handed Hetty her book off the nightstand. "Tell her yourself." He smiled when he saw her shocked reaction. "A nurse will be coming over to see you in a couple of hours to make sure that your vitals are okay before your Doctor goes to a meeting. Vance has cleared this. Be nice to her."
"You should not have brought her." Hetty said not looking at him.
He laughed putting the chair up against the wall "You know Callen and the team are not the only ones who would have gone through hell to get you back." He reminded her and neglected to tell her how he had to keep Sarah from not going after Hetty herself. "Vance wants her tested while she is here."
"No."
"Not your choice. Vance's orders. Now be a good patient and get some rest."
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Chapter 7
The next day Callen walked into Hetty's office and placed the file on her desk. "Here is the evaluation and recommendation for Sarah."
Hetty looked at the scores and then read the letter. "Does Director Vance know about this?"
"I emailed him this morning."
"I will let her know." She said expressionless.
"Okay." He simply said and walked away.
She looked at the scores again and wondered what was going on. Sam barely passed her on the self-defense which she knew that he would. In the notes he stated that he took it into consideration that she was attacked from the night before. She checked the evaluation from Nate and the other scores and it did not make sense. Callen was not recommending her for reasons that were ridiculous and they all knew it. She watched him look uneasy watching for Sarah to come in. Sarah's schedule was starting off her day meeting with Nate for about an hour. After that she would be working on the self-defense again. She looked up her emails and found the recommendation letter sent to Director Vance.
Nell walked up and dropped off some papers "Ms. Jones I want you to do something for me please." She printed it up the email, put it in an envelope, and sealed it. "Please put this on Miss Burgess' locker room door for me. Discretely."
"Sure."
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Sarah walked into the break room at OSP and opened the refrigerator door. "Oh bless you!" she said looking at the box of Chai and taking it out.
"Morning." Sam said walking in.
"Morning."
"How did it go last night?" Sam asked.
"It went well."
He sat down at the table "Good. I wanted to let you know that both are you invited over for dinner tonight."
She poured the chai into the glass. "Dinner?"
"My wife wants to meet you."
She was shocked to hear that he was married. "Really?"
"Really."
"Does Callen know about this?" She asked.
"G. knows that he is required to bring you."
"Required?"
He tried not to laugh seeing the look on her face. "Will you relax? She's not going to interrogate you...unless you hurt him."
"I just feel like this is another test."
"This is not a test. Speaking of tests how did the one you had last night at dinner?" He asked hoping what he heard was true around the bullpen was true.
"As far I know I passed." Sarah poured the milk in.
"I knew you would. You should have that badge by the end of the day."
Sarah looked at him and saw that he was beaming like an expectant father. "That's up to Callen, Hetty and Director Vance." She put the tea and milk back in the refrigerator.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked not liking the change of expression on her face.
"Something is different. He seems distant this morning."
"What do you mean distant?" He knew something was up with Callen when he walked in the door going straight to Hetty's office.
"Yesterday when he found out that Hetty is my Godmother he was okay with that to a point. Today I don't know. Something is going on."
"That's just G don't worry." He tried to assure her.
"Okay. I have to go back and talk to Nate again."
"Good luck."
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Sarah stood in the doorway of Nate's office and watched him reading the latest Batgirl comic. "Doing research on me now Nate?" She joked.
He looked up at her "Well I have to find out how you tick." He said putting the comic down.
"I can come back later. The fight between Batgirl and Nightwing is good." She smiled. "But it takes him to make her realize that she is pushing everyone away when she needs them the most." She closed the door behind her.
"Are you pushing someone away Sarah?" He asked.
"No. But I have a feeling that someone is trying to push me away now."
"Callen?" He said.
She nodded. "Callen."
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Deeks dropped Kensi off at OSP and then drove to LAPD to talk to the arresting officer on Sarah's case. He had known Steve Bury for about six years now, considered him one of the few friends he had still over at LAPD and someone he could depend on outside of LAPD.
He walked over to Steve's office and heard him on the phone.
"I know Jenn. I sent her a message and she has not responded. I'm sure she's fine." Steve looked up and saw Deeks standing in the doorway and motioned him into his office. "Yeah, I know, I will let her know. I have to go Jenn, Deeks is here and I have to talk to him about something." He paused listening to his wife "I will. Love you."
"Sorry."
"Is Jenn okay?"
"She's stressed about a class." He said telling him the truth from a certain point of view. "How is secret squirrel land Deeks?"
"Good. Do you have any new information on the Burgess case?" Deeks asked.
"Lawyer dropped the charge against her. Suspect still not talking. We found video inside the bar and can't find anything. I'm having our guys sent it to Eric ASAP" He handed him the file. "How is she?" Steve asked.
"Okay. In a safe house and working on agent status." Deeks said looking through the file.
"Well she should pass. I heard 'Batgirl' kicked your ass." He smiled.
Deeks laughed "You've been talking to Hetty. Don't let that get around."
"I won't." He paused and looked serious "Are you sure she's okay?"
"What's going on?"
"Nothing." Steve knew he was caught now.
"Steve?"
"She's going to kill me." He got up and closed the office door. "Jenn is Sarah's assistant."
"Why didn't you tell Sam and Callen that you knew her at the scene?"
"Sarah rules about protecting family and I have a rule about not pissing off redheads. Remember the Roberts case a couple of years ago?" He asked.
"Threatened to kill Jenn and the kids after your testimony and found guilty. You both went to Hawaii after that." Deeks remembered it being all over the news when he just got out of an undercover job.
"Sarah is the only reason why we were able to go. I was so close to canceling that trip until she brought over some files and Hetty. Told me that Jenn and I were going and she would be watching them."
"Sarah was the babysitter." Deeks remembered. He took a couple of night shifts watching the house with the other officers.
"When I saw her the other night I really wanted to say something but I knew that when she found out they were Federal Agents I couldn't. They will know eventually but right now please don't tell them." Steve asked.
"Fine. You owe me a beer when this case is over." Deeks got up to leave.
"Only if you tell me about that gorgeous partner of yours that you are secretly dating." Steve said smiling.
Deeks laughed "Two beers for that one."
"Deal."
"Keep me updated."
"Will do." Steve said.
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Sarah heard her phone beep as she walked out of Nate's office. She looked and realized that she had not checked her messages since after she talked to Gibbs. A couple of texts from her students letting her know about some stuff about the program coming up, and two texts from April that made her feel guilty.
'Jenn said you're taking time off. Is it with your admirer? Call me!'
'Hope you're okay.'
"Sorry April. I'll call soon I promise." When she walked in the locker room she saw a white envelope on her locker door. "Well that can't be good." She said as she opened the letter and saw that it was a letter to Hetty and Director Vance from Callen. Her heart sank when she read the cold, unemotional, formal letter about her telling them 'Miss Burgess needs more work', 'Not ready for the operation', 'Recommendation to be tested in two weeks to be considered to be part of the mission.' and to be 'Assured that she will be able to do the job when she is trained.'
"Son of a bitch!" She got up and went to find him.
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"I'm just sayin' George is director he can do whatever he wants with it." Callen said defending the reason.
"But he shot first!" Sam said again.
"What are they talking about?" Deeks asked Kensi walking into the bullpen.
Kensi rolled her eyes and sighed. "The number one argument that they always have. Who shot first Han or Greedo."
"That's a no brainer. Han." Deeks said sitting down at his desk.
"See! They agree" Sam smiled.
"Wait. I did not agree!" Kensi glared at him.
"So we're back to needing her vote it's now two to one." Sam smiled and winked at Kensi. His smile went away when he saw the expression on Sarah's face as she walked in.
"Agent Callen I would like to have a word with you about this." She handed the letter to him.
Callen opened up the letter "Where did you get this?" He asked her.
"That doesn't matter right now. What does matter is you neglected to say in this recommendation that you broke Gibbs Rule number ten." She walked out of the bullpen, passed Hetty's office, and walked out of the front door.
Sam took the note from Callen. "Rule number ten?" Sam asked reading the note.
"Never get personally involved in a case." He followed her.
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Sam walked over to Hetty's office and sat down in the chair.
"Yes Mr. Hanna?" She said writing.
"He's scared." He said.
"Yes he is."
"I don't think I have ever seen him like this before."
"I have before he started working for here." She finally looked at him. "He trusts her and that's what scares him."
"Gibbs told me in Romania that I was not your first choice to be his partner. It was Sarah wasn't it."
She nodded. "If she didn't leave yes she would have been his partner. I knew since she was fourteen and snuck out of the house that first night she stayed with me."
He smiled thinking of the story that Sarah told him from the day before. "They would have been good together." He admitted.
"They would have been dangerous." Hetty smiled.
"Glad they are on our side. Now let's hope they don't kill each other." He got up and walked back to his desk.
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She walked down the sidewalk and heard him running up behind her. "Sarah." He grabbed her arm. She turned around and he ducked before her hand came within inches of slapping his face. The spinning momentum had her fall into his arms "What the hell do you think you're doing?" His arms around her.
"Let. Me. Go." She said quietly trying not to cause a scene as people sitting outside across the street at the coffee shop looked at them.
"Not until you answer me. How did you get the letter?"
"Who do you think gave it to me Callen? Do you really think that Hetty would accept that recommendation?"
He let go of her and turned her around to face him. "I was hoping that-"
"Between last night which I thought went well and today something changed. Was it because I didn't-"
"No it wasn't."
"Then why? I know I need work but two weeks? Callen I have a job I need to get back to. I have six weeks left in the semester. I have a show in a month and my students have their finals right after that I cannot afford to be gone for two weeks."
"I know."
"Then let me prove you wrong."
"How?" He asked.
"We'll do this my way." She smiled. "Give me your keys."
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They walked on the stage in the music department where she worked. "My plan was always go to back to school when I left NCIS. I wanted to teach. Music basically saved me when I was younger. I knew that if I didn't stay with Hetty after my Dad died I would probably just stay in my room and listen to music all day. Some days it saved me from going insane." She moved some of the props around.
"I went to school and had no idea what I wanted to do. There was an audition for 'My Fair Lady' and I decided to go for it. Got the lead and by the next semester I had a major. I learned that it only takes one person not to believe that you are that character. The magic is gone. You're just someone in a costume singing a song."
"Like undercover work."
"Yes." She flipped the switch and the stage lights turned on.
"Do you miss it?"
She thought about it for a couple of seconds "Sometimes."
"So what's the challenge?"
"That I can prove to you that I am the character while I'm singing. I give my students a couple of tries but I only get one chance."
"You think you can prove it in one?" He asked.
"If I can't I will agree to your letter of recommendation. I will be there for two weeks without complaints and be tested again."
"Okay."
"Here I would like you to put this on." She handed him a tie.
"And this." She handed him a jacket.
She got the song set up. The lights dimmed. The music started. She closed her eyes, opened them and gave him a come hither smile "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets." She walked across the stage slowly to him. "And little man, little Lola wants you. Make up your mind to have. No regrets." She touched his chest. "Recline yourself. Resign yourself, you're through" She pushed him down to the chair.
Her hand on his shoulder she walked around him lightly caressing his shoulders. "I always get what I aim for" This was not working. She had to think fast. Then she remembered the one mission with Gibbs. She paid the singer in the club to take a long break when she saw that Gibbs was about to get into trouble. She sang one of the manager's favorite songs and had him hooked so bad he was distracted that Gibbs was able to get out of the place. He offered the singing job to Sarah on the spot. Eye contact made it possible. Simple eye contact. Make him feel like he is the only one in the room.
He looked away she touched his face softly. She slowly turned his face back to her. He was not looking at her. Her fingers under his chin she bent over and tilted his head up slowly and looked into his eyes. She smiled and held his gaze "Don't you know you can't win."
'Oh crap.' was all he could think of at the moment.
"You're no exception to the rule" She stood up and turned to leave. With her back turned he stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her to him he wanted to see what she would do. Her back up against him his arm went around her waist he saw the look of surprise and shock flashed in her eyes. She closed her eyes and was back in character as she continued to sing. He heard her voice shake as his right hand went slowly down to her hip. His breath on her neck she smelled of flowers and some type of spice.
She turned around and the look in her eyes changed again. Want. Need. She was going to have him and she was not going to take no for an answer. She took him by the tie and slowly walked backwards leading him to the table. "I always get," Her voice now sounding like she was purring "What I aim for. And your heart and soul is what I came for." She was at the table with him against her. As if in a trance he automatically lifted her onto the table her hands went underneath the jacket and moved from his chest to his shoulders. She pulled the coat off of him "Whatever Lola wants Lola gets." He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. "Take off your coat." She tossed it on the ground and smiled. "Don't you know, you can't win." Her fingers twisted around the tie. "You're no exception to the rule." She leaned back on the table pulling him to her until he was on top of her.
All he wanted to do was kiss her. To taste her. To make love to her. To have her be his. "I'm irresistible you fool ... give in." She let go of the tie and he slowly started to stand up watching her. Her arms bent and hands above her head. She smiled almost laughed seductively knowing that he is now hers.
"Give in." She wrapped her leg around him, slowly got up taking the hair stick out and letting her hair fall slowly around her. His arm wrapped around her lower back as hers went around his neck "Give in" She whispered.
They stayed there looking into each other's eyes. The IPod started playing Coldplay and within seconds Sarah's eyes changed and Lola was gone. Her breath began quicken as neither one of them wanted to move. He was so close. All she had to do was move and her mouth would be on his. His hand touched her cheek and the spark they both felt the other night at the boatshed happened again. "Callen." She barely whispered.
They heard slow clapping in the audience. "Very good Miss Burgess." Hetty said standing in the isle by the orchestra pit. "You have proved to Agent Callen that you can seduce him." She walked over to the stairs.
Sarah looked at Callen in shock. Callen let go of her and she got off the table. "I-I wasn't trying to seduce him." She said as Hetty got on stage she could feel her face turn beet red. "What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I'm checking on both of you. I wanted to make sure that you didn't kill each other." She looked at Callen who was now on the other side of the stage and then back at Sarah.
"We're fine." Callen said feeling like a teenager caught by an adult making out in the back of a car. Out of all the stupid things he could have done he had to focus on his attention on her.
"I-I wasn't trying to seduce him." She repeated. "I was just trying to prove to him-"
"I know. You did a good job. Agent Callen on the other hand" She looked over at him "If you were on a mission you would be dead."
"Why do you say that?" He asked he finally looked at her.
"Because next time it may not just be a simple hair stick that she takes out of her hair it could be a kansashi hairpin. They have been known to be deadly or she could of had a knife." She smiled Sarah. "Good thinking dear." She said and slammed her file on the table.
Sarah jumped slightly. "Thanks." She tried to stop shaking due to the total embarrassment and adrenaline rush she got. Callen could see the redness now spread down her neck as she wrapped her hair up in a bun and put the hair stick back in.
"She's approved Mr. Callen. I just got off the phone with Director Vance and he has signed off on it." Hetty opened the file and signed the paper. "He also said that he wants this done right away and get to the bottom of this right now."
Sarah walked back to the table and saw the form that had approved stamped in red ink. Hetty reached in her purse and handed the badge to Sarah "Congratulations Agent Burgess." she turned around and walked down the stairs.
"I want both of you back at ops in thirty minutes!" She said trying to control her anger with both of them as she walked up the aisle.
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