Chapter 21

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Oh man, it's been a while since I had the nerve to finish all of this. The 'spunk' is nowhere to be found, to be honest. Besides, working long days and juggling with study and hobbies like long walks, gardening, short trips and photography

So, for all of you still interested to find out more, here's this. Hope you will enjoy the read, even though it is shorter than I'd envisioned.

Kni®benrots

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"Promise me that when something suspicious happens, you call me."

"I will," Callen said.

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Los Angeles || Sherman Oaks Hospital

Callen spent the next two hours awake and up, as best as he could. Except for the throbbing, not to ignore aching head he could handle the pain.

Somehow it worried him, since he understood all too well what it meant. Another few concussions might damage his brains forever, like it had done to Mohammed Ali for instance and he sure wouldn't want to have to go into early retirement because of side effects like Parkinsonism and trouble with speech, concentration or eyesight. Still, he detested the idea of having to rest and he preferred to take a shortcut on the care he knew would be best.

There were some things he felt like worth to explore. Sure, he'd trust his partner to go and find out but then, he felt he owed it to Ellie.

Unconsciously he'd started pacing, feeling cramped in the room already. No matter what, he decided that he had to leave the hospital as soon as possible. One more night would be all he could bare. If necessary he'd ask Anna to spend another day at home with him.

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Los Angeles || Sherman Oaks Hospital || 2 and a half hour later

The way Anna frowned told him she wasn't overall happy to listen to his ideas.

"Callen... Grisha, don't get me wrong. I trust you with my life and I know it's the other way around. But—"

"Except that you are envious that another woman got my attention? C'mon Anna, I hardly know her. Consider her as a far relative, that's all," he interrupted. "Besides, this is what my job is about, remember?"

She recognized his expression, the way he jutted his chin, taunting, challenging perhaps.

Suddenly it felt as a year ago when there had been distrust. Especially since she had had her reasons to keep Callen out of her real intentions. With a reason; back then she felt that dealing with Katya was her responsibility, and only hers. She remembered his feeling of being betrayed by the one he loved. Sure, they'd worked on it ever since. However, she read it again in his eyes and it hurt her. Anna shook her head and hid the frustrated sigh that bothered her.

Instead she gently let her hand rest on his forearm.

"That's not what I was talking about, Callen. What I meant is that... Well, look at you. You're sweaty, pale to nearly greyish. You were stabbed, had surgery less than a day ago. Probably you suffer from a concussion too and now—"

She swallowed and again, she shook her head. "You need to recover, moya lyubov', give it time too. Instead you are talking about leaving the hospital and planning to go to Phoenix. It's a mission impossible, Callen. It's stupidity first class and because of what?"

Although he shrugged his arm loose, frustrated, he felt overly tired all of a sudden and he sank down on the bed he'd wanted to escape from.

"This is what we do, remember? So other people can live a normal life."

She nodded. "Other people. How about us, how about our life?"

Her voice was soft, as was her expression.

He hummed, knowing she had a point in there and he shook his head, once. Rubbing his temples and closing his eyes, he leaned back in the pillow. He said: "I know, Anna. You're right. We'll need to figure that out too. It's just that, well, life is being unfair to this other woman. If only we'd get rid of everyone in this continent that knows about her, she'd be safe. Even though right now she's had her name changed and even her looks are different from two weeks ago. Still… "

Anna nodded. She understood his deeper reason and she knew that her Callen would never change. He told her months ago how Hetty had once asked him about his future plans and he'd replied in nearly the same words. It kept him sane, knowing how people could lead a normal life. Going back to sit and feel how a place that once had been a crime scene, turned back to be an ordinary place where ordinary people could do ordinary things. From shopping to playing or having family barbecues. Things he observed, however, he never had that ordinary life himself.

"There you go, Grisha. You're talking about how 'we' should be taking care of everything. We. Why not ask Sam to check that Phoenix address?"

She heard the softest hum, then shook her head. She wasn't sure if he'd heard her reply at all. All she figured was that he'd need his rest and frankly, she needed it herself as well.

For a few minutes she simply sat there, observing the man she loved so much. Not a sign of ignorance, arrogance or angst. Never before had she met a person like him. Arkady had told her stories about his past, their mutual past. So had Sam, and Hetty, told her stories. Kind of legendary, while the man in front of her was just as vulnerable as anyone else.

With the faintest smile, she fell asleep as well.

TBC
Richtsje