A/N: It's been a while...here's the next chapter. I revised Chapter 2 and since it's been a while, you may want to read the revision.
Chapter 3 - K is for Kathryn
"Thank you", Callen announced as he put the last of the groceries away while Katie cut the fruits and vegetables.
"For what?" she asked not taking her eyes off the large knife she was using to chop the lettuce.
He tossed the reusable grocery bags on the table, grabbed a few carrots and stepped towards her. She placed the knife on the counter after taking a quick glimpse of the pensive look on his face.
"For being a great listener."
Katie wiped her hands on the dish towel before turning to place her forearms on his shoulders.
His head fell forward and shook it before looking up at her, "Some days it gets overwhelming when feelings I have tried to repress or just ignore, surface. And I hate having yet another issue in my life to resolve."
"Lucky for you that I am an excellent problem resolver," she said with a joking tone in hopes of lightening him up.
Callen didn't find it amusing and the tell-tale look on his face had her switching to a more serious mood. She took a few steps back before speaking, "For some people it's a life long journey to understand and attempt to resolve things from their past. And if I may be so bold, I think the sooner you accept that you are one of those people, the less ..." She took a moment to find just the right word. Moody. Uptight. And then it came to her, "restless you'll be."
He didn't like hearing that he was destined to spend the rest of his life dealing with the crappy hand dealt him after his mother died. As always, he appreciated Katie's candour but this self-pity party was far from over.
"You have been so patient and understanding about everything, especially when my job has interfered with our lives." He had lost count of how many times he had said that to his girlfriend. "I missed that charity event you were counting on me to participate in." That wasn't an apology but surly the dozen before it, were.
Katie was somewhat surprised he had brought up that subject again as she thought she had gotten through to the handsome, but often stubborn, man she lived with the last time he apologized. Still standing face to face, Katie made her final attempt at reassuring Callen that everything worked out well despite his absence.
"I didn't feel it was necessary to tell you this but if it will get you to forget about it and move on then I will tell you. Your replacement generated the most money of all the participants." She waited and got the reaction she had anticipated.
Callen's eyes widened. She had said the night had been successful and that his replacement did well but what he had just heard, truly surprised him. "Eric? Beale?"
"I guess Tech Geeks are the hot commodity now," she quipped, relieved that his mood was changing.
Callen had dreaded the idea of being auctioned off and spending the evening with his highest bidder but was willing to do it for Katie and the local woman's shelter she and Taryn were raising money for. Too many children went through shelters with their mothers. When a last-minute assignment took him and Sam to San Diego he felt bad for letting Katie down. Always one to try and find a solution to a problem, she asked him for the number of anyone he could think of who might do it. Knowledge of Eric and Nell's work for charities had Callen giving Katie Eric's number.
"So, my still somewhat boyish good looks and irresistible charm aren't?"
Katie knew he was joking but her response was anything but a joke. As she stepped back and eyed him from head to toe she replied with a slight moan, "There isn't anything boyish about you G. Callen. You're all man."
Even Katie's compliment couldn't keep him from dwelling.
"You really think I'm restless?" he asked as he started to wash the food she had cut up.
She nodded but didn't look up as she cut the stem off the head of broccoli.
Katie wanted to finish what she was doing but she also knew Callen required her undivided attention. She pulled out a chair and gestured for him to do the same.
"I did some thinking while you were at the store." Callen's rounded shoulders pulled back as he listened carefully to his girlfriend's words. "Are you sure you want to replace Hetty?"
"No one will ever replace Henrietta Lange," Callen said with the utmost of confidence. He hadn't thought of it as replacing Hetty.
He pushed his chair closer to her and pressed his forehead onto hers. "I love that you are in my life." Their eyes closed for a moment and were kept closed as Callen initiated a kiss that was intended to be a brief avoidance from talking about his work.
After several minutes of an almost knee buckling kiss, Katie pulled back and got their conversation back on track. Their kisses were never to be underestimated for silently voicing their thoughts and feelings but often, words were needed to put the (much) earlier topic to final rest.
"From what you have told me about Nate and the situation, I'm thinking Hetty chose you because she knew you were capable of getting yourself and Nate out alive and in one piece."
"So you're okay with her pre-planning my torture?"
"Of course not. You weren't injured or ...have any physicals scars from it."
Callen's felt his face go warm. Then hot. Instead of saying Are you fucking kidding me? his mouth sputtered a response he knew he shouldn't have said.
"Would you like me to water board you? The scars aren't physical, that's the purpose of it. But the emotional ones stay with you." He leaned closer to her over the table. "Especially when it's someone you know." He leaned back feigning cockiness but he was nervous as hell about where this conversation was going. "Someone you trust".
His words hit Katie like a hammer. She knew he could kill with his hands but now she had to acknowledge that he could also use those hands for torture. Even though her only knowledge of torture was from watching movies, Callen was the real-life Agent who would need to go that route if it meant catching the bad guy and saving lives. Those thoughts sent a chill throughout her body. The deafening silence was broken by the sound of Callen's phone and he ignored it for several moments before reluctantly grabbing it from his jacket he had put on the chair beside him.
"Hey Sam," Callen said after seeing his partner's name on the screen.
"Am I interrupting something?" he asked given it took Callen several rings to answer.
"What's up?" he replied, ignoring Sam's question.
"I can take a hint," Sam replied. "Pick you up at 8:30 tomorrow?"
"Sure."
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
The phone was tossed to the table and the tension still very much present between the couple as their eyes met.
"I shouldn't say things like that to you, Katie."
"No, you shouldn't. But I get it. That's is your way of venting your frustrations and I must admit, convey your point quite well. You trust me, trust us, enough to go there knowing I won't take it to heart." It was moments like this that Callen wondered how he could ever love her more than he did. Then she would say something like that and he had his answer.
"What do we need our lap tops for?" he asked after Katie suggested he take them out on the deck before cooking burgers for dinner on the BBQ. He didn't want to watch a movie but then he heard the words party and vacation.
"We need to start planning for our party and vacation."
Callen brought them out from the bedroom they had turned into a home office and placed them on the patio table while the BBQ heated up. Enjoying their new deck was a new-found love for the couple. As he got things ready, he couldn't help but smile at the way he and Katie had adjusted to living together. Sure, they both had quirks the other didn't like but overall they got along very well. Busy work schedules and Callen's dangerous job made them truly appreciate the time they were home together.
Katie finished up in the kitchen then went about getting her things ready for the morning. She couldn't help but envy Callen and his minimalist ways, especially when it came to getting ready for work. As she put the shoes she would wear the next day by the front door she saw his khaki coloured gym bag on the floor that he kept to the right of the door. Katie had bugged him about it when they first started living together as she hated the sight of it 'all the time'. Then one day Callen spoke up and told her that he didn't leave it there because he was lazy or didn't care what she thought but because it gave him a sense of reassurance before going to work. If it was there in the morning, he believed it would go back there in the evening. And so on. There would be no argument from her since putting it there meant he had come home.
Picking out the resort they would stay at for two glorious weeks and making the guest list for their House Warming/Christmas Open House party was a great distraction for Callen who was trying not to let the recent talk about Hetty and Nate get to him. They enjoyed their hot burgers and cold drinks as the sun made its descent from the sky.
First, they tackled the guest list and what they would serve to those guests. They agreed to a small Christmas tree and simple decorations around the house since they were going to Mike's for dinner on the 25th and then on vacation a few days later. It was also agreed that only those closest to them would be invited and even though Callen didn't mention Hetty's name, Katie scrolled down and added her to the list very well aware of Callen's ambivalent feelings for the older woman. When she saw his eyes look over at the screen, she waited for him to say something but he didn't. Her name stayed.
Including them, twenty-one people were on the list. The menu would be causal with food cooked on the BBQ as they were anticipating the weather to be suitable for entertaining outside but if not, the BBQ section of the deck had an overhang. A Facebook invitation and verbal invites weren't how Katie preferred to do invitations but that seemed to be the new 'norm' in her social circle.
Katie had done some preliminary searches for resorts after Aruba was first mentioned for their vacation destination, so all they had to do was narrow it down and pick one of the three she liked. Riu Palace Antillas caught and held their attention with the main selling feature being Adults Only. As they continue to read about what the resort offered, it was only a matter of minutes before they agreed that they would splurge and get the Ocean View Junior Suite on the first floor. When Katie asked if they should book it now, Callen agreed before going inside to get his credit card.
"You fill in the information," he said as he handed the card to her. "I'm getting another drink. You want one?"
"Water please."
Katie was feeling amorous as Callen turned the lights off and locked up. The passionate look in her eyes wasn't missed as he crawled in beside her. She wasn't looking for a love making marathon and that suited him just fine. He was emotionally tired but Katie didn't require him to use his mind at that point. His hand slid under the covers where it intuitively found her hip and rested a moment before pulling her closer.
It still amazed him how in sync they were with each other needs, without speaking a word. The absence of her hands on him meant she wanted to be the submissive one and G. Callen had no qualms with that. A lingering kiss, with his hand still on her hip, lasted several minutes before he flipped her to her back. She removed her pajama bottoms as Callen removed his boxer-briefs. Nestled between her legs, a hand slid upwards pushing up her top to expose breasts topped with erect nipples. He didn't hide the fact that he was proud for being able to get her libido going so quickly with minimal physical contact. Movement of his hips caused his erection to rub her inner thigh. That in turn gained Callen a smile that increased his libido.
Moments later his movements produced approving sounds from both their mouths as Katie rested her feet on his shoulders intensifying every deep thrust inside her. Minutes passed as their bodies reached pleasurable heights and Katie's right hand gathered up a section of the sheet as she felt him rise to his climax. Taking her other hand off his now damp shoulder, she reached between them and found her arousal spike as she felt his seamen on her. Burying his cock deep inside her, he positioned his body so he could still watch her hand find a rhythm that would lead to her own orgasm. Although he was still enjoying the wonderful sensations from his own high he was still aware of what she needed and didn't hesitate to give it to her upon hearing the lone word, "More". Slow, deep penetrations were provided to aid in her own self pleasuring. It wasn't long before the hot flesh of their bodies lay entangled in the sheets and in each others arms.
"Thanks," he replied before kissing the top her head.
"Are you thanking me for having sex with you?"
He moved to sit up. "For providing the distractions I needed. All of them."
"Anytime Callen. Anytime."
Callen's hand slipped behind her head and he leaned in for a kiss. A kiss of appreciation for all that was Kathryn Mitchell.
Monday, OSP
The day was spent tracking down a missing Retired Navy Commander who had Alzheimer's and as the team leader was packing up his bag and saying good night to Grace and Kensi, Hetty summoned him into her office.
"Mr. Callen, please come to my office. I need to speak with you."
Kensi and Grace left while Sam said he would wait at his desk for his partner.
Slowly making his way to his boss' office, Callen wondered what it was she wanted to talk to him about but before he could run any scenarios through his mind, he heard her voice, "Mr. Callen, please have seat."
It only took a few words from his boss for the Senior Agent to feel this pit of his stomach tighten.
"I spoke with Owen .. I mean Assistant Director Granger today. He's stuck in D.C. longer than expected so he asked me to tell you that he appreciated your interest in the position of Operations Manager, however, he's found someone else to take over the position in the New Year."
G. Callen was rendered speechless for but only for a few moments.
Hetty was trying to be professional but when those baby blue eyes settled on her, she felt the professionalism dissipate.
"I'm just relaying the message Mr. Callen. He felt you should hear it in person and not over the phone."
"Guess I shouldn't have been so confident that the job was mine," he mumbled under his breath. G. Callen was crushed. Deflated. Disappointed. The list could continue but he wanted to know why he was passed up for the job he was more than capable of doing.
"Granger seemed very interested in me, what happened? Did he say why I'm not getting offered the job?" The Senior Agent suddenly realized he sounded desperate and if there was one thing he had learned from Hetty and that he held in high regard, it was the ability to not to be seen or heard as desperate, even if that was exactly what he was feeling. Callen took her reluctance to answer him personally and it prompted another question. "It was you. What did you tell him?" The anger he had towards Hetty over the 'Nate Incident" started to resurface.
"Mr. Callen ..."
"No. Don't try and justify your sabotaging of me getting the job." All the restraint he had was unleashed in a matter of seconds. "It's still all about your obsessive need to control me." Then he lost it and years of repressed feelings came out. It's not like he had anything to lose. Working as a security guard or freelance hit man wouldn't be that bad. "Your need to make up for your part in my mother's murder."
Being a woman of many years and wisdom did not prepare her for that. One of the many things of importance she had learned in her line of work was to keep personal and professional feelings separate. And even though she was as much personally connected to the Agent sitting across from her as she was professionally, it was imperative she stick to that unwritten rule.
"The Assistant Director asked me if there was any reason why he shouldn't hire you as Operations Manager." Callen knew he wasn't perfect and his performance reviews had reflected that but what could possibly prevent him from being Operations Manager? "I told him that you were an excellent candidate for the job, however, there was one thing that concerned me."