Thank you so much to those of you who are still reading, and to those who have left such encouraging reviews. I think this story will be wrapped up with a few more chapters. Just trying not to get in a hurry and leave things "undone" before Callen is ready to leave the hospital.

Chapter 40: The Visitors

Knowing their patient needed some warmth, after accidentally drenching himself with ice water, Nurse C. J. and H, the therapist, stood patiently while Sam helped Callen sip from his cup of hot tea.

"You ready to walk some?" H asked when Callen was finished. "Or do you need a minute?"

"I'm ready," Callen responded from the chair he was seated in, his voice much softer than he intended.

Sam's eyes narrowed. "You sure, G?"

Afraid his partner would easily detect how tired he really was, Callen's glance up at Sam was so quick that, all anyone saw was a flash of blue. "Yeah, I'm sure," he answered, still not sounding as convincing as he had hoped.

C. J. stepped over to the IV machine. "H, I'm going to disconnect his IV so it'll be a little easier to maneuver," he explained. "Just let me know when you're done so I can get it started again."

"Will do."

The nurse detached the tubing and pulled a roll of paper tape from the pocket of his scrub top. "Oh, and make sure he stands a minute before he walks… blood pressure's a little low."

The therapist nodded.

"And when your session is over?..." C. J. signaled by tilting his head, and cutting his eyes over toward the empty bed. "He's been up since before seven this morning," he added as he finished applying the tape to the small piece of IV tubing remaining on Callen's left hand.

"Got it," the therapist replied with a single nod. "Okay, Mr. Callen. Della is not with me this time. But I do have the wheelchair ready in the hall, in case you need to take a break." The therapist squatted down in front of Callen's chair. "At least for today, I'm going to still use the gait belt." He fastened the white belt around G's waist, stood up, and grabbed the cane that he had left leaning against the wall.

Callen came to standing, with just minimal assistance from the therapist. He took the cane from H, and then immediately attempted to take a step forward.

Sam made a quick move toward G and then stopped himself abruptly.

"Hold on," the therapist said, halting the patient's movement by stepping in front of him and placing a hand on Callen's shoulder. "Just stand there a minute… make sure you have your bearings first."

G frowned, lowered his eyes, and let out a breath.

Amused by their Team Leader's annoyance at being told to wait, Kensi and Deeks traded looks. Equally as amusing was Sam's reaction to his impetuous partner; the big SEAL stood with fists clinched, like a tiger ready to pounce, mustering up all the self-control he could to not intervene.

The nurse and the therapist studied their patient closely, looking for any sign of a drop in blood pressure.

"Any dizziness?" H asked.

"I'm good," Callen replied softly, still staring down at the floor.

After a few more moments of carefully watching Callen, the therapist removed his hand from G's shoulder, stepped aside, and allowed him to proceed. Together, they began making their way to the door.

"How much did he eat at lunch?" C. J. asked as soon as the patient and therapist had made it to the hallway. "I was so wrapped up in the water spill, I didn't even look at his tray before they took it away."

Kensi's nose crinkled. "I'd say, not even ten percent of what was on his plate?" she estimated. "He really did try, though. He's just way too shaky."

"That's why he spilled the water?"

"Yes," Kensi answered. "He got the glass almost to his mouth and just couldn't hold on to it."

"Thanks. I'll let Dr. Lee know," C. J. said, as he was preparing to leave. "If any of you can think of anything he might eat, let us know and we'll notify Dietary."

Sam, Kensi, and Deeks had finished their sandwiches when the therapist and patient returned to the hospital room.

Walking slightly more slowly than when he had left, and his shoulders sagging just a bit, Callen headed toward the chair where he had been sitting all morning.

"Not the chair," H corrected. "Your Nurse said for you to lay down."

"I don't need to lay down," Callen argued weakly, making another attempt to move to the chair.

Sam stepped toward his determined partner. "Nope… Bed, G."

Callen turned his head to the side and gave Sam an irritated glare. "I don't want to go to bed."

"You've been up a long time," the therapist pointed out. "You need to rest."

"I'm not tired," Callen protested, sounding even more fatigued than before.

While fighting back a smile, Sam wrapped his long fingers around G's right bicep, and together, he and the therapist physically 'guided' Callen toward the bed.

Callen was assisted in getting back into the bed, insisting the whole time that he didn't need their help.

After removing the gait belt from around Callen's waist, the therapist looked down at the patient with a smile that matched Sam's. "I bet your mother found you to be quite a challenge when you were growing up."

The room suddenly quieted. It was as if Callen's fellow team members were holding their breaths, waiting to see how he would respond to the reference to his childhood.

After a long moment of staring off into space, G's lips formed a small, crooked smirk. "I'm sure she did."

And without any warning, Callen ungracefully turned onto his left side, facing away from the doorway, letting out a painful groan in the process.

Sam shook his head. "Don't ask for help or anything, G," he said, while coving his partner with the sheet and blankets.

The Physical Therapist had just gathered up the gait belt and cane when Nurse C. J. returned to the room.

"Well, how'd it go?" C. J. asked the therapist, keeping his voice low.

"He did very well," H reported. "He walked all the way to the restroom on the 'A' wing and back."

"That' good. But, I meant…" again, his voice lowered, "how'd it go when you told him he had to go back to bed?"

"That?... Not so good. He's insisting he's not tired."

"Why am I not surprised?" the nurse asked rhetorically.

Kensi, Sam, and Deeks exchanged smiles. Now that his condition was improving, the hospital staff was getting a little taste of G Callen's stubbornness.

C. J. rolled the IV pump machine around the foot of the bed, to the side Callen was facing, and parked it next to the head of the bed. When he uncovered the arm he needed for reconnecting the IV, he looked down at the patient and grinned.

"Is he asleep?" Sam asked from the other side of the bed.

Still smiling, the Nurse looked up at Sam and nodded.

"Well, that didn't take long," Kensi said, sounding surprised.

"That's because he's not tired," Deeks replied sarcastically.

Callen was still resting at 12:40, when there was a light knock at the door. Deeks opened the door and a tall gentleman in dress clothes entered, followed by two young men dressed in navy scrubs.

"I'm Don Keller, director of Radiology," the man said, addressing the blonde Detective. "We were asked if we would come by and speak to the patient." Mr. Keller glanced over toward the bed where the patient was sleeping. "But if this isn't a good time, we can come back later."

Deeks opened his mouth, but stood wordlessly, not knowing what he should say.

"Hetty," Sam said, as if talking to himself. "It's all good, Deeks. Now's a good time. He'll have to wake up in twenty minutes, anyway, when they bring his medicine."

Sam went to the other side of the bed, where his snoozing partner was facing. "G," he said, touching Callen's shoulder. "Callen," he said with a little more volume.

Callen blinked his eyes open and peered blearily up at Sam.

"You have visitors, G."

Groggy and trembling, Callen began the painful process of turning over onto his back, and finally managed to do so with Sam's assistance. After a prolonged grimace had left his face, he looked up at Sam with a questioning look.

Sam elevated the head of the bed and then nodded his head forward, directing his eyes at the man in dress clothes who was standing on the other side of the bed.

Still with a puzzled expression, G turned his head to his right and looked up at the visitor.

"Sorry to wake you," the man began. "My name is Don Keller. I'm the Director of the Radiology Department here at the hospital. I have a couple of guys with me who wanted to come by and meet you." When the younger men had stepped up closer to the bed, Keller continued. "This is Eric," he said, pointing to the red-head. "And this is Adam. They are Techs in our department."

Callen's eyes widened when he looked up at the tall, slender brunette, who had clearly recently sustained an injury to his nose. G turned his head to his left and looked up at Sam with concern. "The pictures?" he asked in barely more than a whisper.

"Yes, G. These are the guys in the pictures," Sam explained patiently.

Callen turned his head back toward the Techs. He looked briefly at the red-head, and then back at the brunette. He lifted his head slightly off of the pillow and studied Adam's bruised face. Then G's concerned expression changed to one of alarm. Still staring up at the brunette, his breathing quickly became choppy, and tears welled up in his eyes. "I… I'm so sorry," he whispered, as a tear slid down his face.

Mr. Keller took a step closer to the bed and placed his palm on Callen's upper arm. "They came by so that you could see they are fine."

Although he didn't yet look convinced, Callen's breathing slowed just a bit. He swallowed thickly.

"In fact," Keller continued, "Eric, back there, has been bragging to his co-workers that he fought it out with some kind of Secret Agent and lived to tell about it."

Kensi and Deeks smiled at each other when the young red-head's face lit up with an ear-to-ear grin.

"And 'Romeo' here," Keller said, clasping a firm hand on Adam's shoulder, "is getting a lot of attention from the ladies while sporting that busted nose."

The brunette Tech lowered his eyes briefly and blushed.

Callen's features relaxed a little, but he was unable to keep another tear from spilling over and down his cheek.

Adam looked down at G sympathetically. "They told us you saw pictures and you've been worrying about us. But we're doing okay."

"Yeah," Eric, the red-head, confirmed. "And what happened wasn't your fault. Nobody blames you."

"Just look at us." Adam assured. "We're fine… Really. We came by to meet you so you could see." The brunette moved a little closer to the bed, a troubled look on his face. "Please promise me you won't worry anymore," he pleaded.

Callen lowered the back of his head to the pillow, and looked at Adam for a few moments, obviously reflecting on the young man's request. G closed his eyes, reached up with a shaky hand and wiped the moisture from his face. After several seconds had passed, he visibly relaxed, opened his eyes, and gave the Tech a small, hesitant nod.

Both Adam and Eric sighed in relief, and then smiled at the injured Agent. "Thank you," they said in unison.

Sam followed the Radiology Director and Techs out into the hall and thanked them for coming by to reassure his partner. And when he stepped back into the room, it was apparent that G was completely depleted of energy. Sam wondered if his partner was just exhausted from being up for most of the day, if he was emotionally spent from his face-to-face encounter with the young men he had injured, or maybe both.

Whatever the reason, Sam was just relieved that G had finally seen, first hand, that the guys were doing alright. Maybe now, Callen could get through a night without worrying if the young men were seriously injured… or dead. With this off his mind, he should be able to just focus on getting better. Hetty had done her magic.