Callen is safe but they need to figure out what is wrong with him. Not a "plot" oriented chapter. Just TLC for poor Callen.
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CHAPTER 11 - "Dr. Hetty"
Fortunately, the trip back to the office was uneventful. Sam knew that it was a bad sign for his partner to be unconscious for this long but he was glad Callen did not wake up in transit. Kensi parked in the alley next to the entrance and held open the door to the building. Passing through the corridor, they saw Hetty waiting for them in the open area between the wardrobe and bullpen. It troubled her to see her agent having to be carried. "Are his clothes wet?" she asked.
"Not soaked. But they're wet," Sam answered.
Deeks entered the building carrying Callen's duffle bag and bedroll and Hetty instructed him to deposit them in her office. He did so and then put Sam's keys on his desk.
Hetty spread a large towel on the floor. "Place him here for now." Sam obediently laid his limp partner down on the towel. "Nate has agreed to contact a couple of his most trusted colleagues to see if they might be available to assist us with Mr. Callen's medical needs. In the meantime, we'll check him over and get him cleaned up. I don't want to lay him on the sofa until he is dried off."
Hetty picked up her medical bag, a bottle of water, and some towels from a nearby table. Looking down at his partner, Sam thought to himself how Callen would be desperately trying to get away from Hetty and her little medical bag if he were conscious. She seemed to always be chasing them around with it, threatening to examine them or doctor them, particularly after cases that had become a little rougher than expected. A smile tugged at Sam's lips as he recalled the look on Callen's face each time it was his turn to be "doctored."
Kensi removed Callen's boots, leaving his socks on since they were dry. Hetty placed a folded towel under the patient's head and then began giving out orders in her makeshift hospital ward.
"Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to remove Mr. Callen's wet clothes."
Deeks looked around the room and realized that he and Sam were the only "gentlemen" present. Sam sighed deeply. This was not a task either of them looked forward to but Hetty was right; he didn't need to remain in wet clothes. Sam slid one hand under Callen's back, his other hand behind Callen's head, and lifted his partner into a partial sitting position. As Deeks began pulling Callen's arms out of the armholes of the t-shirt, they could see the scrapes on his palms where he had fallen, repeatedly, in the parking lot. There was also a large abrasion on his right forearm, extending from his wrist to his elbow. Like the wound on his face, the scrapes on his hands and arm contained dirt and grime.
Deeks worked Callen's arms out of the t-shirt and then pulled the shirt off over his head. Sam gently lowered his partner back down. Hetty gasped and then everyone suddenly became still and quiet. They could now see the culprit behind Callen's labored breathing and at least a good portion of his pain; a large, deep bruise on his right side.
As upsetting as it was to see this severe injury to Callen's ribs, everyone was equally disturbed at the sight of the now exposed scars from that terrible day in May; the day five bullets ripped through Callen's body. Hetty had to force herself to refocus on Callen's current situation. She moved a little closer and noted the area around the bruise was swollen. "Sam, do you think his ribs are broken?"
There was a delay in Sam's response as he, too, had to clear his thoughts; forcing out those haunting images of when he held Callen in his arms after the shooting. "I'd be surprised if he didn't have several broken ribs."
Hetty gently touched the swollen area on Callen's side, attempting to assess the extent of the injury. Callen grimaced, turning his head to the side and drawing up his left leg. Hetty pulled her hand away as soon as she saw Callen's response. It made Sam feel sick to think about how rough he had been with Callen in the parking lot just a while ago. If just touching his bruised ribs caused this much pain, no wonder he passed out when he was pinned face down on the ground.
Hetty waited until Callen had relaxed and then resumed her examination. When she pressed on his ribs again, Callen winced and his eyes opened. His gaze immediately locked onto Sam's, staring up at him with confusion and panic. He began to gasp for air and, using his left foot, tried to scoot himself up, away from Sam. When his socked foot kept slipping, preventing him from gaining traction, his panic only intensified, and he attempted to sit up.
"Hey, hey, hey," Sam said, placing his open palm across Callen's chest, applying just enough pressure to make him lie back down. "It's OK, G. I'm sorry buddy. I'm not gonna hurt you." Callen was still staring up at Sam like a frightened child but began to relax. "That's it. Take it easy. We've got you, G." Callen began to blink more slowly. "Nobody's gonna hurt you. You're OK now." Callen blinked groggily a few more times and then lost consciousness again.
Hetty looked up to see her information analysts standing at the top of the stairs, just staring down in disbelief. She could see the concern on their faces. Nell and Eric thought of their senior agent as strong and brave and maybe even invincible. The man they now saw lying in the middle of the floor was scared and helpless.
Hetty took a deep breath and then stepped back into her doctor mode. "Mr. Hanna. If you and Mr. Deeks will remove those wet jeans, I will prepare to clean his wounds."
Sam looked at Deeks and sighed. He thought to himself how G. would hate it if he knew they were stripping him down right here in the middle of the floor; or anywhere for that matter. Deeks was thinking more along the lines that Callen would beat the crap out of him for touching him, if he were conscious. Sam reluctantly unfastened the button and zipper. As they began pulling the jeans down from Callen's waist, Hetty asked, "Are his boxers wet?"
Sam wondered how much more intrusive this could get and then he, too, began having thoughts that his partner would be fighting them tooth and nail if he were awake. Sam felt the top of the boxers. "They're dry."
"Good. We'll leave them on." Sam and Deeks exchanged looks, both with eyebrows raised, as if they had just 'dodged the bullet.' They were relieved that they didn't have to completely strip him. They began turning Callen onto his left side to pull the jeans off his hips and Hetty stopped them suddenly. "Wait. Turn him over more, all the way onto his side." Sam and Deeks complied and they could now see what Hetty had spotted; a dark, deep bruise located at his waistline, just to the right of his spine.
"His SIG," Sam said softly. "He landed on his SIG when I pushed him off the platform."
"No wonder he about came unglued, yesterday, when we turned him over," Deeks said. "We rolled him over with his weapon still in his holster."
"There are a couple of more bruises, about six inches higher," Kensi pointed out.
Sam touched the area Kensi was referring to, just above the small of Callen's back. "I'm sure those are from the case we worked Monday. G. took several hard punches to the back."
"Same person who gave him the black eye?" Kensi asked.
"Same person."
Sam and Deeks continued pulling off Callen's pants until he was left wearing only his boxers and his socks. He looked so small and defenseless lying there. And those five scars he had been so determined to conceal, were now exposed for all to see. It made Sam's stomach twist in knots to see his partner in such a vulnerable state.
Hetty carefully scanned Callen for any other signs of trauma. The only other obvious injury was bruising and swelling of his right knee. Hetty picked up a towel and the bottle of water and began washing the scrapes on Callen's hands and arms. Still hovering near his partner, Sam thought he saw Callen shiver. He moved in even closer and touched his shoulder. His skin was too cool. About that time, Callen shivered again and Sam could see chill bumps form on his body. "Hetty, he's cold."
"He certainly is. Let me tend to the wounds on his face. Then we'll transfer him to the sofa and cover him with a blanket." Hetty began cleaning the dirt and debris from the abrasions on Callen's right cheekbone and temple.
"We're going to put some clothes on him first, right?" Kensi questioned.
"On the contrary, Miss Blye. Given Mr. Callen's obvious determination to wander the streets of Los Angeles, I think the absence of clothing might serve as a deterrent."
"Are you serious?" Sam sounded indignant. "You're holding G. here by taking away his clothes?"
Hetty looked up at Sam and her eyes narrowed. "Mr. Hanna, you know your partner. As soon as he regains even an ounce of strength, he will attempt another escape." Hetty returned to doctoring Callen's face.
Sam did not like the idea of leaving Callen without his clothes but Hetty did have a valid point. "I guess it's better than cuffing him to his desk. I just don't really want to be around when he realizes we've stripped him down to just his shorts."
Deek's eyebrows lifted. "Bet he'll be glad he didn't wear his Batman Underoos today."
Kensi rolled her eyes. After a pause, she said under her breath, "He's gonna be majorly pissed."
"I have no doubt," Hetty said. Then she looked up with a stern expression. "And no one, I mean, no one, is to offer Mr. Callen assistance in obtaining his clothes. Do I make myself clear?" she threatened. All three agents nodded.
Now finished with cleaning Callen's face, she reached in her medical bag and took out a tube of ointment. She squeezed a small amount onto the tip of her tiny ring finger, turned Callen's head to face her, and gently applied the ointment to the cut on his bottom lip.
"He's shivering," Hetty said, closing her bag. "Let's get our patient to bed."
Sam knelt on one knee, picked Callen up off the floor, and cradled him against his chest as if he were a sleeping child. He stood up, looked down at his cold, limp, and almost bare partner and mumbled, "Please don't wake up right now." He carried Callen to the lounge and placed him on the couch that Hetty had already draped with a sheet. Hetty put a pillow under Callen's head, covered him with a blanket, and then left the room to touch base with Nate. Without saying a word, Sam, Kensi and Deeks positioned themselves in the chairs located near the couch where Callen was sleeping.
Thank you for reading!