When Callen finally awoke it was light outside the hospital window. How long had he been asleep? It felt like hours, but he couldn't have slept for that long. Callen felt his arm was numb and looked only to find Kerry still snuggled up beside him on the bed. His one arm was underneath her and had gone dead it had been there that long. Looking around the room, Callen was also surprised to find Sam asleep in the chair beside him and Nate the same on a chair in the corner.
What didn't surprise him was that Hetty stood beside his head and smiled down at him, she was always there when he needed her, especially in hospital. She was the one person he had always known he could count on, although now he decided to add the rest of his team to that list. Even Nate was included, Callen knew Nate had been on an important, deep cover operation and about to fly back out to the Middle East, but for some reason he had come straight back to help out - maybe Hetty had dragged him back. Callen would never admit to liking and trusting Nate as much as he did; he was a shrink after all and he had once sworn never to trust or speak to one of them again. Perhaps he would make an exception for Nate - if he was having a good day.
"G?" Callen smiled up at Hetty; she never used his letter in public, she wanted to keep things formal and professional, but he had heard her through the earpiece.
"Hetty?" He whispered, still feeling slightly groggy. "How long have I been out of it?" He asked, expecting her to say maybe six or seven hours at the very most.
"I don't know exactly, I'd guess approximately thirteen hours." Callen stared at her wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open, he had never slept for that long - no wonder he felt funny.
"You haven't been here the whole time have you?" He asked, worried that Hetty hadn't gotten enough sleep.
"No, I most certainly haven't. I left Sam here with you and went home to shower and had a few hours sleep, Nate also did the same as I have offered him my spare room for a few nights. When we returned, we knew you wouldn't wake up for a few hours yet, so we sent Sam home to see his wife and kids. He must have only had two hours sleep, he came straight back here and fell asleep at your side." Callen smiled, he knew how lucky he was to have Sam as both his partner and his best friend, he also knew that he would have done the same had their places been reversed.
"What about Kerry?" He asked, it didn't look like she had moved an inch.
"She woke up in the evening and the doctors took her for some tests, we should get the results back in the next few hours. She had half a sandwich and some water, before promptly falling asleep on your bed again. She has been through a lot G - not unlike yourself - and needs plenty of rest in order to recover. But I think she will be fine, she has you after all, I think she has taken as much of a liking to you as you have to her."
"What?" Callen pulled a face at Hetty, but she knew him too well.
"There aren't many people you would allow to sleep beside you and hug you. Perhaps she is why you slept so well; you didn't have a single nightmare the whole time." Callen's eyes widened again, that hadn't happened in many years. But he couldn't deny the fact that Kerry's presence calmed him and made him feel safe and loved. He had to admit to himself that he liked her, really liked her.
Sam heard the sound of hushed voices and opened his eyes to see G and Hetty muttering to eachother, obviously trying to be quiet so as not to wake up the others.
"G?" Sam whispered, careful not to disturb Kerry. "How you feeling man?" G smiled and nodded.
"Good, still can't believe I slept for so long. How's Michelle and the kids?" Sam rolled his eyes, G was always taking the spotlight off himself and changing the conversation topic.
"They're fine and they say to get well soon. The kids want their Uncle Callen to get better so he can play football next week." He hadn't seen his partner so relaxed for a long time, if ever. He agreed with Hetty - it was all to do with Kerry.
"Callen?" Nate had just woken up and he looked as tired as Sam and even Hetty, Callen was still confused as to why Nate had been dragged back here by Hetty. "Callen?" Callen looked up at Nate, he had been too busy trying to think of reasons for why he was there and he hadn't noticed him trying to get his attention. Nate looked worried so Callen smiled to calm him down - although he didn't seem to believe him.
"Nate?" Callen whispered, he didn't want to disturb Kerry but he could sense that she was about to wake up.
"Nothing Callen." Nate sounded conflicted but Callen didn't feel like talking to him right then, he was too focused on Kerry as her eyes fluttered open.
"Gabriel?" Kerry sounded half asleep, but when he laughed she woke up and wrapped her arms around him like he had all those years ago. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked.
"Of course I am, you don't need to worry about me. Are you going to alright?" Callen was well aware of the others watching them, but he found he really didn't care; all that mattered to him was that Kerry was okay.
"Yeah, they took me for some tests while you slept but I don't know what they wanted to check out. This is the second time you ended up in hospital because of me Gabriel, I feel awful. I'm really sorry." Kerry started crying and Callen wrapped his arms around her - as painful as it was - but he was scared, he had no idea what he was doing.
Sam couldn't help but smile at his partner, he looked so lost at Kerry's tears but Sam couldn't help him - Sam was just as bad as G when it came to girls and crying.
"It is not your fault Kerry, it's mine if anyone's and I've been in hospital plenty of other times. They weren't your fault, they were mostly down to my own mistakes. Even if this had been your fault - which it isn't - there are few people I would be happy to be here for." Hetty smiled at Sam and the three of them left the room, but Nate looked conflicted and was obviously unsure about saying something.
"Nate?" Sam asked, causing the psychologist to jump. "What is it?" But Nate shook his head.
"Nothing, besides… it's not for me to say." Sam's eyes narrowed and Hetty looked thoughtful.
"Is this about G?" Sam asked and Nate's slight nod said it was.
"Please tell us what is on your mind Nate, I need to know if something is bothering you about Mr Callen." Hetty stared Nate down and he eventually gave in with a sigh.
"I don't know what, but something is really bothering Callen. He put it out of his mind as soon as Kerry woke up but he was looking at me weirdly, he looked confused Hetty - like he was trying desperately to figure something out but couldn't."
"Go and talk to him then!" Sam exclaimed, but Nate shook his head.
"No, not yet. I don't want to talk to him in this sort of environment, he needs to be somewhere he feels safe or he won't talk. We all know he's going to discharge himself in the next day or two, as soon as he is able, I'll talk to him at the boatshed. But… I have the feeling that in some way, it involves everyone, the whole team. Maybe you should all be there to here it too."