Note: There's now only 1 more chapter to write. ;(. Thank you to all who have stuck through this amazing, and long story!
What was it like? To go to the hospital expecting to see her partner, only to find out he had left, and that he left her a note?
For Hetty, first. It was sadness, while she was reading the note. Then, as she left, she felt proud. Proud that he was choosing to live out the rest of his days the way he wanted to.
It didn't really hit her until she got home. That's when she realized, he was possibly never coming back, that that night at the hospital where they both said they loved each other, may had been the last time they would see each other alive.
The sadness she felt was awful enough to make her want to lay on the couch and cry herself to sleep.
She got herself some Scotch, and wondered what to do next. After a couple minutes, she figured either she should get pitch black drunk and feel absolutely horrible the next day, or she could call a friend.
She decided to call Callen.
Later
'You didn't have to come over, Mr. Callen.' Hetty said, after she let Callen in.
'You sounded really sad on the phone, an as important my father and half sister may be, you are always more important.' Callen responded.
'Mmm. That's, refreshing to hear.'
'Want to explain to me what's really up?'
They sat down, and she explained what happened.
'Do you have some sort of idea of where he might be?' Callen asked.
'I think so. But I'm not going after him. That note made it clear that he wanted to be by himself.' Hetty replied.
'You 2 always looked like you had some serious history, am I right?'
'You are. He understood me in a way that, a long time ago, no one else did. He was also there for me in a time when I definitely needed a friend. Sniff. I'm going to really miss him!'
Callen hugged her while she cried.