DISCLAIMER: I do not own NCIS/NCIS LA characters.

A/N: Hi there. It's a bit early for my next post but This has proven to be a disappointing weekend and so in order to distract myself I have decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. What's the worse that could happen? We end sooner? Yeah, I know, bums me too. Well, I hope you enjoy it and that you will continue your kindness and drop me a line with your thoughts after you finish reading. Thank you. I really do appreciate each and every review you send. Brightens the day, don'tcha know. Have at it...

Callen once again looked at the phone. He sat looking at the message and against his better judgement, hit 'call' as he waited for him to answer.

"Uncle G?" Aiden answered.

"Hello, Aiden"

Surprised by the lack of emotion in the greeting he continued, "Can we talk?"

"What do you need, Aiden. Is Kamran okay?" Finally, sincerity, Aiden thought.

"She's fine. I need to talk to you, Uncle G. I have questions that need answers. Can we meet somewhere?" he asked.

For a moment, Aiden thought he may have hung up but then finally, quietly, the reply came, "when?"

"Tonight, now?" Aiden answered.

"Tonight? I'm in the middle of something… Give me an hour… Venice beach, by the Rec. Center. We can take a walk from there."

"Okay, one hour, Venice Beach, Rec. Center. Got it." Aiden confirmed.

Callen hung up and leaned his head against the back of the couch in his boarding room. He'd just finished dressing the burn on his arm. It wasn't severe and would probably heal without scarring for a change. Still, since the adrenaline had stopped pumping, it had truly begun to sting. He'd stopped at a little shop down the street and bought first aid supplies. He'd showered and cleaned up before dressing the burn. Now he simply felt exhausted. His throat hurt almost as if he'd burned it too. On top of that he'd developed not only an annoying cough but a headache that wouldn't stop. The last thing he felt like doing was going anywhere. He just wanted to go to bed. Still, it was Aiden and he couldn't bear to disappoint him again. Pushing up off the couch, he grabbed at his middle, attempting to thwart the pain in his ribs as he broke into another coughing fit. Snatching up a bottle of water he headed out, down towards the beach… careful to avoid all cameras in the process.

Aiden sat, waiting, at the Rec. Center. He glanced at his watch again, "Sorry I'm late." Callen offered, startling the boy.

He quickly stood to face Callen eye to eye and held out his hand, "Uncle G."

"Aiden" Callen responded, accepting his hand.

Aiden noticed how hoarse Callen's voice had gotten since the little he'd heard him speak earlier, "So, where to?" he asked.

"Mind if we just sit for a few?" Callen suggested, easing himself down onto the bench.

He eyed his uncle carefully, noting the slow movements.

"You okay Uncle G.?"

"Getting old," Callen smirked then revised his answer when the first failed to convince. "Been a long few days… tired."

"Kam said you got burned."

Holding up the bandaged arm, Callen asked, "So, you wanted to talk. You said you had questions needing answered?"

"Right, Kam wants to know if you are coming back." Aiden started.

"Wait. Sam and Kamran know you're here?" Callen asked, immediately on edge and scanning the area.

"No, no one knows I'm here, except your friend Ziva." He quickly assured him then continued as he saw him begin to relax a bit, "So, are you? … Coming back?"

"Not in my plans, to be honest." Callen replied.

Aiden's voice hardened as he spoke, "Why? Why come back at all? Why did you leave in the first place? Kamran cried for weeks and never stopped watching for you to come. Now she's going to be hurt all over again." Aiden yelled, standing and turning to face Callen.

Callen never looked up, "It's complicated. You need to ask your dad. I'll say this, it had nothing to do with you or your sister. Things happened. I came back to do a job. I never meant for you to know. Look, I will always be there for you and Kamran. You have my number. I'm just borrowing this until I get a new one. You need me, call."

"But you haven't been there. Kamran needed you… and you weren't there. My dad needed you, but you left. And me! I needed you here, Uncle G. We needed you!" He yelled once more.

"I'm sorry. I do regret not staying in touch with you kids. But your dad? No. No, he was very clear about where I was and was not needed. I can't change anything. I can only say I'm sorry that you and Kam were lost in the middle."

Aiden could hear the truth in what he said. Silence filled the space between them when Callen stood up. A coughing fit grabbed hold of him and he held his arms at his middle to support his ribs.

"You sure you are okay?"

"Fine." He rasped. He held his hand out, "You have my number. Use it, don't use it. Just know that I'm there for you."

Aiden shook his hand and watched as he walked away. It was late when he got home, "Where've you been?" Sam demanded, "You had me worried."

"Sorry Dad. I just had things to do." he responded, "How's Kamran?"

"She's sleeping on the couch. She was worried as well. Now what, exactly, did you have to do that was so important?" Sam asked again.

"I went to see Uncle G."

"Wait. You what? How?" Sam asked in shock.

"Ziva," they said simultaneously.

"He has her phone because his was lost saving Kam." Aiden confirmed.

"And? How did it go?" Sam pushed.

Aiden thought about their conversation, "okay… not great. He wasn't feeling good, so we didn't talk long."

"Not feeling good. Why? What was wrong with him?" Sam asked, concern in his voice. Callen never complained.

"Said he was tired. Had a headache… at least it seemed that way. He was rubbing the back of his neck and head. He kept coughing too and he was losing his voice. Kept holding his arms around his middle like it hurt to cough. Oh, and Kamran was right, he did get burned."

"I told you, daddy. They were really mean to him. They tied him up and beat him. One kicked his head, too." Kamran sobbed, remembering what happened, "He just wanted to bring me home to you!"

Sam took a deep breath as he pulled Kamran and Aiden into a hug. As her sobbing subsided he pulled back and took out his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Aiden asked.

"Eric and Nell. We need to find him." Sam stated. He may not be thrilled with Callen, but it didn't stop him from doing the right thing. Callen never showed weakness if he was at all able to hide it. Something was wrong… very wrong. Regardless of what had happened with the team, Callen had saved his daughter and he owed him that much.

"I know where he's staying." Aiden said with a proud smirk.

"Wait, G. let you know where he's staying." Sam stated, brows raised.

"Not exactly, I followed him."

Sam's concern only grew at the thought his son was able to follow G. Callen undetected. G. Callen, who could catch a tail in a matter of minutes.

"I'm calling Deeks to meet me there. Aiden, go next door and ask Mrs. Maddox if she can watch Kamran."

"No dad. I'm going too."

Sam looked at his daughter and for the briefest moment he heard his wife's stubbornness coming through, "Okay, but you will do as you're told, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy." She replied.

"Get ready to go. Aiden, get her a bottle of water."

"Yes Sir."

Sam paced the room as he waited for Deeks to answer his phone.

"Hey Sam, is Kamran okay?" Deeks asked as he answered the call.

"Yeah, yeah, Kamran's fine." Sam replied absently.

"That's good. So what can I do for you?" he asked, surprised by the call. Sam hadn't called them in ages.

"I need your help. I need you and Kensi to meet me and the kids at Venice Beach Rec. Center." Sam stated.

"Oooookay… why?" Deeks asked skeptically.

"Aiden went to meet Callen to talk. He said he didn't seem right so he followed him to his rooming house." Sam explained.

"Wait, Aiden followed Callen without getting caught?" Deeks was equally shocked.

"Yeah, I was surprised too." Sam stated.

"Sure, okay, we'll meet you there in fifteen." Deeks confirmed.

His head and heart were beating in time. His lungs burned as did his throat. Breaths were becoming harder and harder to pull. Finally he reached his room. Hands shaking, he took out his keys and struggled to open the door. Legs barely taking in the commands his brain sent, he stumbled through, closing the door behind him. His aim was the couch. When another bout of coughing overtook him, he attempted to pull his ringing phone from his pocket as he protected his ribs with his other arm. The phone clamored across the floor as his knees buckled and he slid into darkness.

Sam's charger squealed to a halt next to Kensi's SUV, "Follow me," was all he said.

Aiden guided them to the building Callen had unwittingly guided him to.

"This is where he stayed after he'd been shot." Kensi told Deeks.

"Wow." Deeks said as he climbed out of the car. It wasn't the most pleasant of buildings and knowing where Callen had lived until he gave his house to them, it was the difference of night and day. In all reality, he decided it shouldn't have. Callen made it a goal to blend in and disappear… this was the ideal place for that.

"Kensi, will you stay with Kamran?" Sam asked.

"Sure. No problem."

"Call him again" Sam instructed Aiden as they stood outside the door. They could hear the phone go off but no movement.

Deeks knocked and waited, still no answer.

Not knowing what to expect, Deeks and Sam pulled their guns. Sam counted off using his fingers. On one, he broke the door in.

"Callen!" Deeks yelled when he saw him face down on the floor.

"Oh hell no G!" Sam yelled as he knelt down next to him, "Not again." He breathed out checking his pulse, "It's barely there Deeks."

"Ambulance is on its way. Is he breathing?"

"Hardly. We ain't doin' this G… not before we talk this out. You hear me?" Sam said, remembering the last time he held him this way.

They could hear the sirens.

"Almost here G… G? Deeks, he's stopped breathing!"

Sam laid him on the floor and began CPR until the paramedics ran in and took over. They cut open his T-shirt. Noticing the bruises, "What exactly happened here?" they asked.

Sam proceeded to show his credentials and explained the day's events as they continued to work.

"Is anyone going in the truck with him?"

"Go Sam. I'll bring Aiden in your car and Kamran will go with Kensi." Deeks offered.

"No, that's okay, you go." Sam said.

"No! Get your ass in that ambulance. He needs you! We will see you at the hospital.

Sam didn't argue, much to Deeks relief, but turned to follow the man on the gurney.