"Hey, I didn't expect to see you here so early," Sam said, as he made his way into the bullpen.
"Yeah, well Grace was up early this morning so I figured we'd come in early," Callen replied.
"Speaking of, where is she?" Sam asked.
"In the gym, punch the daylights out of a punching bag," Callen replied.
"Sound like something you'd do," Sam joked,"so is she mad about something?"
"I'm not sure. I asked her but she said she was fine," Callen said.
"Rule one of the female population," Sam said, "if they say they're fine, there's a good chance they're not."
"I know," Callen said, his phone ringing. "Callen," he said, not looking at caller I.D.
"Hey G," Gibbs said.
"Oh, hey Gibbs. How's everything in D.C.?"
"Great, but I was calling to check on Grace. I couldn't get ahold of her, I wanted make sure she's doing ok," Gibbs explained.
Callen peered into his daughter's go-bag. "She's in the gym and her phone is in the bullpen," Callen explain, "why wouldn't she be ok?"
"She don't tell you?" Gibbs asked, surprised.
"No, she seemed upset this morning but I didn't push it."
"Callen, Liz died a year ago today," Gibbs said.
"Oh," Callen said.
"Yeah," Gibbs said, "you said she's in the gym?"
"Ah, yeah," Callen replied.
"Beating the hell out of a punching bag?"
"You got it," Callen replied.
"Go talk to her, G," Gibbs said, "she might be tough with every thing but losing her mom put her through hell. She is anything but tough when it comes to losing Liz."
"I'll go talk to her, thanks Gibbs," Callen said,"talk to you later."
"What was that about?" Sam asked.
"Elizabeth died a year ago today," Callen said.
"I take it Grace didn't tell you?"
"Nope," Callen said, leaving the bullpen.
He stood in the door way of the gym, watching his daughter beat the punching bag. Her breathing patterns weren't quite normal out of breath ones. She was definitely choking back tears.
The constant pounding stopped and Grace hit the bag one last time with everything she had left in her.
Grace hugged the bag and burst into tears, sobbing.
Callen silently walked to where Grace was. He place his hand on her back. Grace said nothing and just threw her arms around her father and sobbed so hard she shook.
"Shh, baby girl," Callen said, rubbing his hand up and own her back.
"I miss her so much, daddy," Grace sobbed.
"I know," Callen soothed. Grace continued to cry for another ten minutes before pulling out of the embrace of her dad.
"I should go shower," Grace said, wiping the rest of the tears out of her bloodshot eyes.
"You are a little sticky from all the sweat," Callen said, trying to lighten the mood.
Grace lightly punched her dad's arm and walked away.
When Callen got back to the bull pen Kensi and Deeks were there, their banter ever present.
"Hey Callen, where's Grace?" Kensi asked.
"Showers," Callen replied, sitting at his desk.
"Sam told us," Deeks replied, "how's she doing?"
"As well as can be expected," Callen sighed, grabbing and starting on a file that was two weeks overdue.
Eric's familiar whistle called the team to the ops centre. Callen sighed because he wanted to finish the file today.
They made their way up stairs.
"This just came in," Nell said, greeting the team as they came in.
The team watched a video of a navy officer, who was being held captive, stating the terms of his release.
"Fortunately for us," Nell said, after the video finished, "who ever sent the video didn't making to hard for us to track him, we should have an exact location in about 5 minutes, but he is definitely in the downtown L.A. area."
"Ok, we'll head on out," Callen said, "call us when you have the address."
"G," Nell called, running after the group as they headed out.
"What?" he asked, waving for the rest of the to go on.
"Is Grace ok? I saw her in the gym earlier. She seemed upset," Nell asked, concerned.
"Elizabeth died a year ago today," Callen explained, "do me a favor and when she gets out of the shower makes sure she doesn't get into to much trouble."
"I don't think she's the one I need to worry about," Nell smirked.
"Ha...ha...ha," Callen said, "see you later," Callen kissed Nell's forehead and headed out. Nell smiled as she watched Callen leave.
"Ehhem," Hetty cleared her throat from about 15 feet ahead.
"I'll just be getting back to work," Nell said, blushing a deep red and heading back up to ops.
::
Grace walked into ops.
"Where is everybody?"
"Rescuing a navy officer?" Nell replied.
"Should be the 2nd door," Eric instructed.
"Are you connected to the coms?" Grace asked Nell.
"Yeah," Nell replied.
"Can you connect me? hearing y'all saying stuff randomly almost scares me."
"Sure," Nell said, handing Grace a Bluetooth.
Grace stuck the Bluetooth in her ear just as the team busted down the door.
"He's here Eric," Callen said.
"We have a bomb, G," Sam said, "I've never seen anything like this."
"What does it look like, Sam?" Grace asked.
"Sending a picture now. It's pressure sensitive," Sam replied.
"The bomb squad is on their way" Eric said.
"It's a fake, Sam," Grace said.
"What? how do you know..."
"There was one like that in D.C. last year," Grace replied.
"But why have a fake one?" Deeks said.
"To keep y'all occupied?" Grace suggested.
"Which means..." Kensi trailed.
"We need to get out of here," Callen said, "Grace, are you 100% sure?"
"Yes," Grace replied, "as sure as you can be with a bomb."
"Not helping, Grace," Callen replied.
"Just hurry up and get out of there," Nell said.
"Ok," Callen said, "we've got him and we're headed out."
::
Later that night, Nell and Eric walked down to the bullpen.
"The bomb squad found the real bomb and were able to disarm it," Eric announced.
"Good," Callen said, "and how's the Comander?"
"He's doing fine, no major injuries," Nell replied.
"I don't know about y'all, but I'm ready to call it a day," Deeks said.
"Agreed," Sam said.
"Mr. Callen," Hetty said, entering the bullpen with a package, "this came from agent Gibbs today."
"Thanks," Callen said, taking the package, "I wonder what it it?"
"Open it," Deeks said.
Callen rolled his eyes but opened the package to reveal another box, only this one had a lid. "Strange," Callen said to himself as he opened the lid.
"This this fell out," Nell said, handing Callen a letter. He took it, setting the box on his desk. He recognized that hand writing.
Grace moved to see what exactly was in the box.
"Oh my god," Grace breathed, "these are from mom. I forgot all about them."
"There's got to be about 250 in there," Sam said.
"Two hundred, forty-two," Grace replied, "mom told me about this. She said if anything ever happened to her, to put this in Gibbs' basement. I guess he found it."
"She always did make sure her bases were covered," Callen said, folding up the letter and putting it in his pocket, "how about we all move to the lounge and have a 'lets find out all about Grace' party?"
"What... no," Grace said.
"Let's do it," Sam said.
"Ok," Callen said, picking up the box.
"This isn't funny," Grace said.
"Nobody said it had to be," Callen replied, smiling.
::
Two hours and many laughs and Grace's beet red face later, the team had made it through about 3/5 of the letters.
"I can't believe you thought Hetty was a dwarf from narnia," Deeks laughed.
"I was 7!" Grace defended herself.
"Ou should be glad you were 7 and not older," Sam laughed, tears in his eyes.
"I'm glad y'all are enjoying your selves at my expense," Grace said.
"Listen... to... This...," Callen said, laughing so hard tear were coming out of his eyes as he read, "today Gibbs came to visit, while Grace was sitting on his lap she asked, oh so innocently, "mr. Gibbs, your tummy is fat, are you going to have a baby?"
"I was Three!" Grace defended herself, as everybody laughed, Grace trying not to laugh herself.
"All right," Callen said, "I think we've picked on Grace enough for one night."
"Thank you," Grace said.
"Ahh," Sam finished laughing, "Ishould be getting home."
Everyone agreed and packed up to go home.
Once the Callens had made it home Grace flopped down on the sofa.
"I'm so tired," she said.
"Then why don't you go to bed?"
"Because I don't wanna," Grace replied.
Callen let out a huff of laughter, "I'll never get you."
"That the point," Grace smiled, getting of the couch, "I guess I'll get to bed."
"Wait a minute," Callen said, "this was in the box for you," he handed an envelope to his daughter.
"Thanks daddy," Grace said, givin Callen a hug, "goodnight, I love you."
"Love you too sweet heart," Callen said, kissing her forehead.
Grace walked back to her room and sat on the bed. In the two months Grace had lived with her dad she hadn't quite been able to decorate her room. It had been painted light blue, she'd put in a desk, that she'd been meaning to paint, and had her comforter that was about it.
Grace sighed, opening the teal envelope that had her name written in her mothers cursive like hand writing.
My darling daughter,
There's no doubt in my mind that you've become a beautiful, intelligent, strong woman and know I'd be proud of the woman you've become.
I suppose if you're reading this, I'm gone and you're with your dad. I'm sorry I kept him from you but I was to scarred to face him.
Just remember I love you sooooooo much!
Much love, Mommy
Grace put her hand over her mouth and cried.
When Callen went to check on his daughter later that night, her light was on. He tapped on the door lightly with no response. He opened the door to find Grace, still in her clothes from that day on, asleep with the letter on her hand and tear streaks on her cheeks.
Callen took the letter out of Grace's hand and placed it on the night stand and covered her with her blankets, she rarely, if ever, made her bed.
Grace started to mutter in her sleep, not a good sign. Callen decided to wake her before the nightmare got to bad.
It was a long night for both of the Callens. Grace was up several times throughout the night and Callen was always there to help her calm down after wards.
That night Callen decided it was time for Grace to talk to someone and soon.