Chapter 17

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Author's note: the only apology I have for this delay in uploading is… well, actually it could be few. First of all is the many hours I've been working, secondly, the sudden lack of inspiration. So, I sure wanted to pick this up and try to at least produce a shorter chapter.

To the few of you who waited for this update: thanks for your patience and thank you for reviewing the previous chapter.

Kni®benrots

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Los Angeles || Sherman Oaks Hospital

Callen mulled over the fact there was the difference between his girlfriend who need not to bother about him and the feeling he needed to protect the woman with whom the case started. In only a few days what had appeared to be an ordinary routine task turned out to be a very complicated international case.
It meant that he provided an alternative witness protection for Elisabeth.

As for Anna, Callen knew that she was happy doing what she was doing. She would worry after the phone call and knowing her, she'd drop everything and hurry to get to back to LA, and for what? Sure, he was wounded. And he was well aware he wasn't a superman but beside from being fatigued and knowing he'd have headaches, he trusted he'd be able to recover all by himself.
Now Anna finally switched her volunteering job to a more permanent position, it frightened him that a sudden departure would endanger that position. She needed a steady job like this and the two of them had learned to live with the rotational 'three weeks on – one week off' that her current job required. If this rhythm was disturbed, her position may also be endangered.
He sighed deeply.

"G..."

Callen heard the worry in the single expressed letter.
"Stop 'G'-ing me, Sam. Go home. I'll be okay."
Maybe it was too harsh since he knew Sam meant well. Despite the nurses advice Callen kept talking. "Listen... it's not healthy sitting here and watch a grown up like me, half undressed lying in a hospital bed."

Sam shook his head with a smile, then sighed. "You're right about that last part. But you know, you know what Elisabeth knows, and they know. Through you, they may take revenge on Elisabeth too. And besides of that, you made a great couple of enemies who may be on the move and are after you. "

"So?"

This made Sam roll his eyes. He glanced at his watch again and said "Listen, you and I could get just that little more rest, for an hour or so. Or we have a different kind of conversation. Yeah, I forgot you don't seem to care about enemies. Just like you hardheadedly forgot that you have friends that care for you."

He went on, his brown eyes serious instead of annoyed. "G, you seem to forget there's more than being colleagues. We're partners, friends. Remember we talked about this before. It's like you being a brother I never had. You, being 'uncle Callen' for my kids, for as long as they've known you. You were there when—" Sam swallowed a few times before he continued in a softer tone "When Michelle was taken away from me. You were there for us — unconditional. We need you, y'know. You're family to me."

By now, he noticed Callen had closed his eyes again. It never meant the man was asleep. Perhaps Callen simply chose to hide his discomfort with the personal side Sam mentioned. He was used to that behavior. Still, Sam figured he needed to say what needed to be said.
"Man, I've seen you grow up in the past few years. You finally found what I hoped for you: love. So, don't blame me for warning Anna. To make a long story short, I simply want you to be happy. Carefree is too much to wish for, I know."
Sam stifled a yawn and ran his hands over his face. He sure needed the sleep Callen talked about.

He listened and smiled when he became aware Callen's breathing had changed indeed. Although he wasn't sure when it happened and if Callen had heard all he said, Sam now was sure that his friend fell asleep indeed.

At least this part of the request worked and Callen needed this sleep and rest, Sam knew. Too soon, things would change and he'd be cranky to be boxed in these four walls and he'd want to leave hospital.

Although it still was early in the morning Sam wanted to use this quiet moment to make some calls. The most important one was why Poliakoff had been so eager to get to Callen too. Had it been nothing more than revenge? Sure, Callen would probably be best at analyzing this behavior himself.

And Elisabeth must know more, of course. Like explaining from minute to minute what happened in the safe house which proved not to be as safe as expected. He figured he'd address both of them later on, but for now, Sam figured he could turn to Nell for some answers he needed.
True, Nell had been very busy during the whole evening, but by now perhaps the whole case was out of her hands already. Knowing her, she'd answer her phone, no matter the current time.
He was right, since she answered her phone almost immediately.

"Sam… Callen okay?"

"He is, Nell," he said. Listen, I was wondering. What "was it you, Vance and Callen were discussing furthermore, I mean, next to the plans with Poliakoff?"

She hesitated a second, then said "Papers."

There was no response from his side of the line, and so she continued: "Honestly, Sam, that was about everything we agreed upon, that request Callen had. And yes, there was this promising idea Callen came up with, about that list." She exhaled audibly, and went on.
"You know just as well as I do that our agency is not the one that is allowed to arrange new identities. Although... we do have experience with those temporaries fake identities we use for undercover activities of course." Sam couldn't see it, but she tilted her head only slightly as if she wanted to convince herself as well. "Anyway, this is what director Vance agreed upon too. So, I arranged new papers for the woman formerly known as Elisabeth Sharden. Which, by the way, isn't her real name. That's what Callen told us, you know."

"I know," Sam remembered.

"Thing is, we don't know what it is that Callen and Elisabeth actually agreed upon. Plus we don't know where she is right now."

He hummed then said "Callen found her a safe place. Though I don't know where it is, I do know how to reach her. So we may contact her… besides, she needs new meds somewhere today."

Nell nodded on her side of the line. "I need her too, for pictures and a name we could use in the paperwork. Maybe some stamps of unexpected places too. I'd like to meet her Sam."

"Same goes for me," he said. "Simply because there are so many things we don't know. Not about her, nor about what went on between her and Marcus and the relationship Marcus had or hadn't with Poliakoff. By the way, where is she right now?"

With her position, there'd be an internal investigation of the DOJ, he assumed.

"She's at the CIW, Corona," Nell answered. "Perhaps Deeks and Kensi could go and find out more. See if she feels like sharing something."

"It would surprise me," Sam mentioned. Both of them fell silent for a minute. He then continued. "Somehow I'd love to know who paid her."

"Same in here, Sam. You know, I seriously figure Callen has too many ghosts from the past and when I heard there were Romanians involved, well, I'd wished Vance had put a halt to this case. With the Comescu clan chasing him and wanting him dead... I really detest a role for the Romanians," Nell repeated. "However, Callen didn't see it as anything troubling in the end, right?"

"He didn't. It was different when he first found out. But he's right, I think, that IF any Comescu related person was still after him, they'd have found him by now." He paused a moment, remembering their operation at the Black Sea. "I suppose he was right, since in the end, it turns out to be a dirty team leader." He glanced at his watch. At 7.30 in the morning, it seemed to be a bit too early to make a call to Elisabeth.
"Well then… how about a sit-rap in half an hour from now?" Sam suggested.

Nell agreed. There were enough things to be arranged before this case would be closed and she'd have the four other members of the team inform about the other arrested persons.

"We'll keep in touch, Nell," Sam said. Then he ended the call and left the chair in the corridor to find a coffee vending machine.

TBC