(If you need the reminder, at the end of this episode dealing with a missing girl who was buried alive, Sam has a bad case of poison ivy rash on his legs and up under his clothing. Hetty offers to put the lotion on him, and he and Callen bolt after she tells him to drop his pants.)
Season 2, Episode 5: Little Angels
Hetty laughed as soon as she was sure the boys were out of the building. There was truly no quicker way to get them to do what needed to be done than to threaten to do it herself. Though, if Sam were unable to talk his partner into putting the lotion on his rash, he would have an interesting time at home tonight.
She smiled at what she had overheard, though.
"Know what really scares me?"
"You mean besides clowns?"
"Losing my partner."
Sam Hanna had lost a man, had been helpless but to hear the last breaths of a SEAL who was willing to die to preserve his own life, and had not only remained open-hearted and brave and loyal; he willingly attached himself to another partner whom Hetty was fairly certain he loved like a brother. And G Callen loved him right back.
They were both such excellent men, such fine agents.
And, as she activated the cameras in the boathouse, so very predictable.
Without warning, she remotely turned on the monitor at the table so they could see her from where they were on the couch in what would in any other circumstances look like very compromising positions. Compromising, suggestive positions.
"For agents as well-trained as yourselves," she said without preamble, "you certainly have made a rather rookie mistake."
"Hetty!" Sam grabbed for a towel and pulled it over himself. It barely helped cover his waist-down nakedness, and he managed to get lotion all over the towel in the process.
Callen sighed and shook his head. "Seriously? You can't leave the man in peace?"
"If you had accepted my help, I wouldn't now be forced to remind you to purge the security footage from the boathouse yourselves, unless you want Eric and Nell to see it," she pointed out.
"Hetty, come on." Sam was looking anywhere but at the monitor. "Can we not do this right now?"
"Mister Callen?" She needed only ask in that particular way and he understood all she did not trouble to put into words. It was concern, and an offer to help, and the certainty of her respect for whatever he thought would be best for Sam.
G shook his head. "I've got this. And I'll take care of the footage. Okay? Leave the man whatever's left of his dignity."
She raised an eyebrow. She didn't have to say anything to get a faint flush to rise in his cheeks as he remembered exactly where his hands were in regards to his partner.
"Mister Hanna, take tomorrow off, please, so that you may recover at home. I recommend either cotton trousers or none at all."
"Hetty, please!"
"Mister Callen, I suggest you procure some additional towels for Mister Hanna to sit on for the ride home, or you'll never get the stains out of the seats."
"Got it. We good now?"
She smiled at his impatience. "Indeed." Then, making sure that G was looking at her, she said, "Thank you for taking care of your partner."
Callen ducked his head a bit. "That's what we do."
Hetty saw the rest of his answer in his face, of course, about how he was glad to know Sam's history, that he was grateful she hadn't told him so Sam could do it himself in his own time, how he took that knowledge quite seriously and saw it as a gift. All things he might have said if they were alone, but would never say in front of Sam himself. Especially as vulnerable as he was.
Sam made a noise of discomfort. "So can we get to doing it already? Seriously, G, speed it up, man."
"Definitely remember to purge the surveillance," Hetty said, chuckling, "or be prepared to explain yourselves to Eric in the morning. And anyone else to whom he shows it before you can stop him."
"Ooh." Callen suddenly grinned. "But that's, like, two-way blackmail material. So, Sam, what's it worth to you for the whole office not to see this, and not to have to deal with Eric's trauma?"
Hetty cut the feed before she could be drawn into their bickering.
But she did preserve a personal copy of the video before Callen got rid of it.
Just in case.
