-One year later-

"Callen, can you please just go to that thing at Aiden's school tonight?" Emily said exasperated. "I have a ton of paperwork to do at the office."

When Aiden started school, Callen and Emily had to come up with a cover. Callen was a stock broker and Emily was a lawyer; two high powered careers that explained the absence of Aiden's parents and the apparent affluence.

"Em, come on! You've missed two already. We both have to go."

"Callen I can't! I just don't have the time."

"You don't have the time? Or you won't make the time?" Callen questioned angrily. "What are you up to? You come home late and you always have some mysterious paperwork to do? So what is it? Are you having an affair? Is this life not exciting enough for you?" Callen screamed. "Why don't you just leave?"

Emily said nothing. Instead she just turned to stare at a five year old Aiden who was standing behind Callen on the stairs, tears forming in his bright blue eyes. Emily quietly picked up the little boy in her arms and took him out to the car. She came back for his small backpack and her purse.

"Emily…..I'm…" Callen began.

Emily just shook her head and walked out of the door. Callen sat on a barstool in their kitchen and put his head in his hands. That was stupid.

An hour later, Callen walked into the bullpen at NCIS and looked around for Emily.

"She's not here." Sam said not looking up from his computer.

"Great, just great." Callen said putting his bag down.

"Trouble in paradise?" Sam laughed.

"Shut up."

Emily didn't come in that day. Callen just figured that she had wanted to be alone. It wasn't unlike her to take the occasional day at the beach. After picking Aiden up from school, Callen returned home to fid Emily still gone. Now Callen was angry. Aiden needed help with some random art project and he only wanted his mom to help. Callen was tired and now had to fix dinner and get Aiden ready for bed.

Three hours later, Callen finally sat down in front of the TV, cell phone in hand. He typed a quick text to Emily, "Where are you?" And pressed send.

When he still had no answer an hour later, he began to worry. Just as he was about to call her cell, Eric called him.

"Eric, what do you need? I'm in the middle.."

Eric cut him off. "Callen, its Emily." Eric hesitated and Hetty took over.

"She was in an accident this morning. It seems that she got cut off and her car went off of a highway ramp. LAPD has been searching for her alias all day. I'm sorry Mr. Callen. Perhaps you and Aiden would like to go stay with Agent Hanna?"

"Hetty, what hospital is she at?" Callen demanded.

"Mr. Callen, I'm sorry."

No, this was not happening.

"Callen…"Eric began, but Callen hung up the phone.

He never thought she was hurt. He had just thought she was mad. "Oh god, I told her that she should just leave. Those were the last words I said to her." Callen said to no one in particular.

Callen didn't know how long he had been sitting in the living room before Sam was banging on the door.

"G! Come on man, open up."

Callen walked silently to the door and let Sam in before returning to the couch.

"G, I'm sorry." Sam said, putting his hand on his partners shoulder.

Callen's eyes were full of despair. How could this have happened? How could he possibly tell Aiden?

Neither Callen, nor Sam slept that night. The next morning was a Saturday, so Aiden didn't have to go to school. The three drove to NCIS in complete silence, only the sound of Aiden playing with his toy dinosaur could be heard from the back seat.

Once at NCIS, Nell took Aiden to go play in a small living area and Sam and Callen joined Hetty up in Ops. When Callen walked in, his eyes were immediately drawn to an image of Emily's charred black BMW. Hetty explained that after her car had gone off the ramp, there had been an explosion. Callen just stared in shock at the images before him. He said nothing, but he was dying inside. He still had to tell Aiden.

As Callen walked into the room where Nell was watching Aiden, the little boy turned to face him.

"You okay Daddy?" Aiden questioned, seeing the pained look on Callen's face. The agent sat down by his son and looked him in the eyes.

Trying to find the right words Callen said "Mommy was in an accident, and she was hurt very badly."

Aiden tilted his head to one side in confusion. "Where is she?" He asked.

"Holding back tears Callen whispered "She's an angel now, Aiden."

"When is she coming back?" Aiden asked, still not understanding the meaning behind his father's words.

"She's not." Callen responded.

Aiden seemed to process this statement before his eyes filled with tears.

"Did you hurt Mommy?" He finally asked. "Because you said that you wanted her to leave?"

This killed Callen. Of course Aiden would think this. Callen could no longer hold back the tears that were forming in his eyes. He had lost the love of his life and his son thought that he was to blame. He needed to tell her that he was sorry, that he loved her, but now he never could.