A/N- Thanks for the reviews. Glad you are enjoying it and I'm loving hearing your thoughts. Enjoy this slightly longer than it was originally supposed to be chapter.

Chapter 10 - First time in hospital

Callen drifted awake, the steady beep that reached his ears jogged his memory and reminded him where he was. He blinked to clear his vision and the first thing, after the stock standard white hospital room, he was able to focus on was the deep auburn hair pulled back at the base of her neck in the bun she favoured. Jessie stood by the window, her arms wrapped around her waist as she stared outside.

"Doc?"

Jessie spun around. "Hi."

Callen's gaze followed her as she moved quickly to his side. Jessie's eyes flicked between the machines and him. It was like she couldn't decide which one she wanted to look at most. Even in his groggy state Callen could see her concern.

"Not worried about me are you Doc?" he asked in what he hoped was a casual tone, though his scratchy voice wasn't likely to help. "Take more than a little bullet to rid of me."

"Stop talking like that."

Callen gave his head a little shake, hoped it would clear because there was a hell of a lot more worry in Jessie's tone than there should be. And a touch of fear if he wasn't mistaken, which admittedly was entirely possible since he'd just come to after surgery. His injury though wasn't bad enough to warrant that kind of reaction.

The door opened before Callen had a chance to respond and Jessie glanced toward it quickly. Sam was already through the door by the time Callen had pulled his gaze from Jessie to see who was coming in. Callen saw Sam frown when he looked at Jessie.

"Jessie?" Sam's gaze flicked to Callen briefly though long enough for Callen to see the relief come to Sam's eyes. "Thought you were going home."

Jessie didn't answer.

"You didn't go home did you?" Sam added.

Callen watched Jessie carefully. She shrugged and kept her gaze averted from both of them. She moved to the bottom of the bed and picked up Callen's chart, something he was sure she probably knew word for word and number for number by now. She was hiding from them; in plain sight perhaps, but she was definitely hiding something.

"I told you he'd be fine," Sam said.

"He got shot Sam." The concern and the worry was still too strong. That touch of fear was there too; he'd hadn't been mistaken after all. There was something more going on with her, more than just him getting hurt.

"Been shot before," Callen told Jessie.

Jessie turned on him and the emotion Callen saw in her eyes was nothing short of fierce. "Can you please try not to do it again?" Her words tumbled out; a firmness to the request, a desperation to it, that Callen had no idea where it had come from. It wasn't his first bullet wound with her. Wouldn't be his last.

"You know," Callen said, "I would've come to you if I'd been give a choice. Hate hospitals."

Jessie's arms crossed in front of her chest and she averted her eyes. "Even if you had," she said, "you'd still be in here. You needed surgery."

"Jessie," Callen kept his voice gentle. What he wouldn't give to be able to stand up, go to her and put his hand on her chin. Lift it to make her look at him, not let her turn away so he had more of a chance to see what was in her eyes; to figure out what was going on. "It's not much more than a flesh wound."

Okay so it was a small damn bullet that didn't have the decency to go all the way through and had lodged in his arm. Nothing major damaged and he'd be fine but it still had to come out. Thankfully it wasn't his dominant arm.

"How come they didn't kick you out during the night?" Sam asked Jessie. That piece of information told Callen Jessie had most likely arrived not long after they had; and that it was now morning. It would explain why Jessie looked tired and her hair was a little less than perfectly pulled back in that bun of hers. The soft wispy bits that had escaped, he guessed, were from where she had slept. A glance around the room made him wonder just where that had been.

"There are benefits to being a doctor Sam," Jessie said. "Sometimes the rules can be bent." Before Sam could respond his phone rang and he left the room to answer it.

"Go home and get some sleep Jessie," Callen told her. "I'll be outta here by the end of the day.

Jessie turned to him after his comment from her resumed study of his monitoring machines. Her eyes were wide and Callen could already see the protest forming on her lips, for what he wasn't sure but he cut it off quickly before she could voice it.

"You know," he said, "I could be out of here by lunch with just a little help from you."

Jessie raised her eyebrows. "How exactly do you think that would happen?"

Callen gave her a lopsided smile, the kind that usually had suspicion, and a spark of amusement, forming in her eyes, but not today. "If I had my own personal doctor vouching that she'd watch over me constantly I'm sure they'd let me go."

Jessie didn't smile at all. Her voice was soft, barely audible except that the room was so very quiet, just the beeps from the machines. "Why would I do that when I'd rather you stay in for a couple more days?"

Jessie turned and left the room before Callen could figure out a response. The door had barely closed before it opened again and Sam walked in.

"G, what'd you do to Jessie?"

"Nothing. But there's something going on." If Sam was asking him that question then he'd noticed something too when she'd walked out of the room just now. "I know when someone's holding back."

"You should," Sam said. "You're an expert." The frown on Sam's face deepened. "What happened?"

"You and I both know this," Callen tilted his head toward his arm, "isn't worth staying in for more than a night at the most. Why would Jessie want me to stay for a couple of days?"

"A couple of days?"

Sure it was going to hurt for a while, take some time to heal but certainly not a couple of days in hospital kind of healing. It wouldn't keep him off the job for more than a week. A few days if he could convince whichever doctor was supposed to sign off on him going back to work at his desk early. He mentally noted that he probably shouldn't ask Jessie.

"Yeah."

"You really think she's hiding something?" Sam asked.

"She is." That much Callen was confident about.

"Let me guess," Sam said with a knowing twinkle in his eye. "You're gonna find out what."

"Oh yeah." This time Callen wasn't going to let it go. This time he intended to find out what was going on in his Doc's head and get to the bottom of one of the mysteries she'd left him with.

Later that day, in the early evening, Callen knocked on Jessie's apartment door. He was feeling a little wonky but, in general, he was pretty okay considering everything. He'd promised Sam he'd be fine with Jessie. After all, who better to watch over him tonight than a doctor. Even with that Sam hadn't wanted to leave Callen until he was settled in Jessie's apartment but Callen knew her well enough that if Sam stayed there was no way he'd find out what was bothering her. She'd have his partner on her side so quickly that Callen would be back in the Challenger beside Sam with even more orders than the hospital had sent him home with. After Sam made a quick call to Eric, with an added plea from Callen, Eric had checked where Jessie's phone was. She was home, at least her phone was and Callen suspected she was the kind of person who wouldn't leave home without it. Between her two jobs it would be essential to be accessible in case she was needed. So Sam had reluctantly agreed to leave but Callen had waited until he was sure Sam was out of building before he'd knocked.

Jessie opened the door. Her eyes went wide and she stared at him. "What are you doing out of hospital?" she demanded.

"Prefer you," Callen responded and took a step toward her and the open door. Jessie stepped back quickly and he walked through relieved that she hadn't closed the door in his face.

"G, what are you doing here? Where's Sam?"

Just as Callen had known she would, Jessie slipped into that caring mode of hers and was beside him, her arm on his as she guided him to the side of couch that would give him something to rest his injured arm on. She'd more than likely already run that inspection look over him and if he hadn't been so focused on getting through the door he probably would've seen her do it.

"I'm fine," Callen assured her once he was seated. "Sam's on his way home."

"Sam dropped you here?"

Callen nodded and the world shifted just a tad. He settled back into the couch and hoped the movement would cover anything that he'd done with that nod that would give away what he was feeling. The hospital had told him he'd need to eat, sooner rather than later but he'd refused the options there. He'd never liked hospital food. He'd had too much of it and if there was a chance to avoid it, he'd take it. He just hadn't thought the sooner would be quite this soon. Callen heard Jessie sigh, one that could only be interpreted as exasperated. He opened his eyes, wondered briefly when exactly he had closed them, to see her disappearing into what was the kitchen just off the living area. As much as Callen wanted to take a look around her apartment, it was the first time he'd actually been inside, his eyelids were a touch heavy and he let them close while he listened to the sounds of her moving about. He knew he'd made the right call not being alone, not that Sam would've let him anyway, no matter how much Callen hated being in need of help. The first twenty four hours after he'd been under were usually a bit hit and miss as his body recovered. He just wasn't sure if he was pushing his luck having come to her. Except Callen wanted answers and if he waited, he wasn't sure Jessie would give them to him. Callen suspected playing the injured party would get him answers easier and, if he had to do that, now was definitely the best time.

The sound of a plate being placed on the table in front of her couch had his eyes popping open. Jessie looked down at him for a moment before she sat as well.

"Sit up," she told him firmly, "and eat and so help me if you faint I'll take you back to the hospital and make sure they don't let you out for a week."

"I don't faint." Even if he felt like it was a possibility right now. Callen shifted carefully and focused on keeping control of his movements as he reached for the plate. Thankfully the world stayed still.

"Yeah," Jessie said, her tone disbelieving. "Tell that to the pale reflection you'll see if you can make it to a mirror."

He had to smile, not just at her sarcasm but at what she had brought him to eat. She hadn't just thrown together a sandwich for him. She'd pretty much covered all the food groups, the caring doctor in her shining through in the simple little things. There was a sandwich, just ham and cheese, cut into two. Obviously done keeping in mind he only had one hand to eat with. Grapes, carrot sticks and a boiled egg on the side. Sitting right on the edge, a small slice of chocolate brownie. Out of curiosity Callen reached for the brownie first to test her reaction.

"No." Jessie's response was quick, or Callen's movements were slower than he thought. "Don't make me eat it. The rest first."

Callen didn't want to push his luck. He could smell the chocolate and it was already making his mouth water so, being good, he picked up the sandwich instead. Before he took a bite he turned his head to her. "What about you? Have you eaten?"

"I'm fine. You eat then we talk."

"About what?" Callen kept his tone innocent.

Jessie rolled her eyes and he couldn't help the smile that formed at the exasperated look on her face, mostly likely one that reflected her earlier sigh.

"Whatever it is," Jessie said, "that has you here instead of at the hospital or with Sam."

Jessie's look shifted to one that dared him to contradict her. Callen couldn't without lying, and that was something he found he didn't want to do with her. Deflect yes. Flat out lie? That was where he hit a bump in the road, odd considering it was essentially part of his job description. He turned his attention back to his food.

"So?" Jessie prompted just as soon as Callen had put the last bite of brownie in his mouth. She reached for the plate that was still on his lap and put it on the table.

Callen settled back against the couch. His arm was more than throbbing but he wasn't about to admit it.

"Where are they?" Jessie asked.

"Where are what?" Callen turned his head to look at her. There was a knowing look on her face.

"The painkillers the hospital sent you home with." The sternness in her look increased. "The ones you don't want to take but need to."

"I …" There wasn't much point in denying it. Jessie obviously saw something in his face and she'd know exactly what the hospital would've sent him home with. "Pants pocket."

"Then I suggest you get them out." Jessie rose from the couch. "I'll get you a glass of water."

"What if I need your help?"

Jessie turned and looked at him. A slight raise to her eyebrows. Hell, he really should take something because the pain was affecting his ability to filter his words and since he wanted her to talk he really shouldn't be messing around, even if she was fun.

"Neither they," Jessie said firmly, though he was sure there was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, "or you will have put them in a pocket you can't reach with your good arm so don't even try."

Callen instinctively responded to the amusement in her eyes. "Worth a shot."

Her lips twitched in a half smile. "What would you have done if I'd actually helped?"

"Told you the wrong pocket." It was out of his mouth before his brain had a chance to apply any kind of filter.

Jessie shook her head and moved toward the kitchen. Her soft laugh reached his ears and sighed quietly in relief. She was laughing; that had to be a good sign.

"You are trouble Agent Callen," she called out before he heard the sound of a glass gently clinking with another.

"G," he called back loud enough for her to hear.

"Behave and I'll go back to it."

Callen heard the tap start to run. She walked back in a few moments later with the glass. He had his pills ready by then.

"See," Jessie said. "You didn't need my help."

"Don't you know Doc, need and want are too very different things."

"Take the pills G," Jessie ordered.

Callen swallowed the whole glass of water to get the pills down and keep his mouth occupied before he said anything else that would get him into trouble.

"Why are you here?" Jessie asked when Callen had put the glass on the table.

He turned slightly so he was facing her better, careful where he rested his arm.

"Why would you want me to spend a couple of days in hospital for this?"

Callen figured, given the way he wasn't sure what would come out of his mouth right now from his pain addled brain, he'd better stick with concentrating and asking her straight out otherwise the conversation could end up who knew where. Answers tonight were too important.

Jessie turned her head from his direction to face straight ahead.

"Don't do that Doc. Don't turn away." Callen said it softly, more as a request than a demand. "Can't see your eyes."

"Why do you need to see my eyes?"

"That's where I can tell if you are telling me the truth."

Jessie turned back to him, a frown creasing her brow. "You don't trust me?"

Callen saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "I trust you," he assured her. "I also trust that you will likely try and avoid answering."

Jessie settled back into the couch, her head tilted toward him, her eyes closed as she took a breath.

Callen chuckled. "Not that way either."

Jessie opened them and Callen saw what he wanted to see. An openness and honesty in them. She would tell him the truth. Maybe not all of it but the words that were about to come out would be truthful.

"There was a patient."

"ER or head?" he asked.

"Head. He came to see me the day after he'd been shot. Exactly what the FBI would want to make sure his head was in the right place so he could get back out there quicker." There was hint of something in her voice and her eyes and it made Callen wonder if this was part of her reason for leaving the FBI. Some of those in management had their eyes on the prize more than on their agents and pushed to have them back in the field as soon as they could rather than as soon as they should be.

"So I did good coming to you?" Callen asked, just to distract her a little from the worry that had formed in her eyes.

"You didn't come for the right reason," she told him.

"Yeah I did. Just not the one you're thinking." Callen came to find out more about her. To make sure she was okay and to slot a piece of the puzzle in place rather than leaving it on the board waiting among all the others. Yes, technically he had also come to have her watch out for him, but that wasn't the main reason. Sam was more than capable of filling that role, had done it many times before.

"I told him he needed to go back to the hospital," Jessie continued. "He shouldn't have been let out. He told me he was fine, that the hospital had released him. He got angry, stood up and then collapsed."

"The hospital hadn't told him he could leave had they?"

Jessie shook her head. "No. He'd signed himself out, without the proper meds to take."

"Was he okay?"

"Eventually. It took a while to fight the infection and then he had to learn to shoot with the other hand. His arm was never the same."

"I have antibiotics," Callen assured her. He reached into his pocket and pulled them out. "I just don't need to take them until later tonight. I promise they said I could leave."

"You know I can check right?" Jessie reached for the pills and gave a quick glance at the instructions before she set them on the table.

"Go for it," Callen told her.

Jessie stared at him for a moment before she smiled. "I believe you."

"Why did you want me to stay in longer?" Callen asked. She'd told him plenty but the actual details of why she wanted that hadn't quite made it.

"His wound wasn't a big deal," Jessie told him, "yours is worse, but something had gotten into it. The infection set in quick and it was a bad one. He hadn't been in long enough to get more than the first dose of antibiotics. Since he hadn't taken any medication with him…" She trailed off but Callen understood. A bad infection could take hold very quickly if left untreated.

"It's not gonna happen. I'm fine, Doc."

Jessie smiled but there was a hint of sadness to it. "That's what he said too."

"He called you Doc? Thought that was all mine." Callen saw the catch of her lip by her teeth; definitely her trying to stop a smile. He lifted his gaze from her mouth to her eyes and smiled. Much less worry in them and the sadness was gone.

"Much more formal version than you," she told him.

"Are you going to send me back?" Callen asked, seriously because given what she'd just said, added to what he knew about her, he could understand why she would want to. Her worry of history repeating itself, his reputation for not following doctor's orders and the care she showed them as a co-worker could account for most of her reaction. But there was still more she hadn't told him; because while the worry and concern had been explained, the fear and desperation that he'd seen and heard was still a mystery. That had been entirely too personal a reaction. When something was personal, Callen knew it could be hard for the logical side to be in control. He wasn't sure though if tonight was a good time to push to find out more. She'd given a lot with what she had said so far.

Jessie shook her head. "No. I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"You care about," there was the slightest pause as Callen thought which word to use. "Us?" Their eyes locked and a seriousness hung between them.

"I do," Jessie agreed. "Don't want anything to happen ... to any of you."

Callen blinked and shifted to break the look between them. Too serious. He wasn't pushing any further tonight. One step at a time.

"Then I guess you'd better watch over me tonight." Callen made sure there was a hint of teasing in it to push that serious vibe right out the window.

"Mmm hmm." Jessie smiled. "You get what you were aiming for all along."

"Nah," Callen shook his head, and yes thank you, the world didn't shift in any way other than it was supposed to this time. "I was aiming for an early release. Had to do all my time because someone," he gave Jessie a stern look, "wouldn't help."

"Yet I still end up with a patient on my couch," Jessie replied, the spark of amusement back in her eyes.

"Not your patient. Team member," Callen reminded her before a yawn took him by surprise. His arm wasn't feeling so bad anymore but his head was feeling very heavy.

Jessie rose from her spot on the couch and moved to the end where she lifted a blanket and pillow from the basket there. "Here," she said softly. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you for the antibiotics later."

Callen shifted carefully as she put the pillow under his head and draped the blanket over him. "You seem prepared for visitors," he murmured.

"Not visitors. Nights when I'm too tired to get off the couch." Jessie smiled down at him. "Sleep well, G."

Callen's eyes were too heavy to keep open and her smile was the last thing he saw before they closed. He heard her move to the kitchen then the sound of soft footsteps down the hall to where he assumed her bedroom was. He felt guilty that he'd banished her from her own lounge room but it didn't last long as the slight smell of something familiar made its way into his senses from the pillow and the blanket. He just couldn't place it and was too tired to do anything more than to wonder why it made him feel comforted before sleep claimed him.