Chapter 52: Reassurances

"Mr. Callen?"

Callen blinked his eyes open to find Nurse Olivia standing beside his bed.

"It's seven o'clock. I need to check your vitals," she said softly, and then carefully wrapped the blood pressure cuff around his upper arm.

While his blood pressure and temperature were being taken, Callen glanced around room. His eyes first stopped on Agent Castor, who was still seated on the small vinyl couch. Then he lowered his gaze to the small table beside his bed. There was no doubt he had spotted the awaiting pink capsules when a frown formed on his face.

Moments after the digital thermometer had beeped, Olivia was standing next the bed, holding an opened container of apple juice in one hand, and the medicine cup in the other.

Callen let out a long breath. Digging his heel into the mattress for leverage, he scooted himself up higher in the bed. He was almost successful in stifling the groan caused by the painful movement, but the grimace was evident even from where Castor sat.

When he had caught his breath, G took the pills from the nurse and washed them down, one at a time.

"Go ahead and drink the rest of the juice," she encouraged, when Callen attempted to give the container back. "Now's a good time to get some fluids down, while you're not as shaky, and before you get too groggy."

Callen finished off the small amount of juice and handed the container back to the nurse.

"Do you need anything else, right now?" Olivia asked.

Callen lightly shook his head negatively. "No. I'm good."

"Alright. I'll be back in to check on you in a bit."

It wasn't long before Castor found himself smiling, as he was witnessing, firsthand, Olivia's 'groggy' reference.

G's eyes began to blink slower and slower until, finally, he lost the fight to keep them open.

A little less than an hour had passed, when Kensi and Deeks came through the door. They both grinned the moment they laid eyes on the snoozing Senior Agent in the bed.

Castor quietly rose to his feet. "Hey, guys," he mouthed, more than spoke.

"Castor," Kensi greeted softly. "How is he?" she asked, now looking back toward the bed.

"Much better than when you guys left here."

Just then, Sam entered the partially opened door. Without regarding anyone else in the room, he made a bee-line to the bed. He took a moment to study his partner before speaking. "Did he give you any trouble, Castor?" he asked, keeping his voice down.

"Nope." He shook his head. "He was cooperative."

"How long's he been sleeping?" Sam asked, his gaze never leaving his partner.

"Uhhh… pretty much since he took his medicine at seven," Castor answered quietly. "He's been resting pretty well, except for a few times he jerked, like he thought he was falling or something."

Sam's brow furrowed. "Dreaming," he said, as if thinking aloud. After a brief pause, he turned toward Castor and continued his questioning. "Did he eat any of his supper tray?"

"Not much."

"What about the protein shakes?"

"Sam?" came a soft, raspy voice from the bed.

Sam turned to find G awake, but bleary-eyed.

Callen squinted up at his tall partner. "Sam. Ev'ryonez' okay?"

Sam took a big step to one side so that G could see the others in the room. "All present and accounted for."

Callen's gaze slowly scanned the room, stopping briefly on Deeks, and then lingering a few moments longer on Kenzi. "Zamora… who haz 'em?" he asked, now looking up at Sam again.

"We handed him off to the FBI… He's being processed, as we speak."

Callen closed his eyes and let out a long shaky breath.

"And just before we left the office," Sam continued, "we got word that the San Diego team rescued the girls."

G opened his eyes and looked up at his partner with a look of tired confusion. "Girlz?"

"Sam," Kensi said softly, reaching from behind, touching Sam's arm. "I don't think he knows. He was pretty out-of-it yesterday, when we talked about Zamora's human trafficking ring."

G frowned up at Sam. "Here in th' states?"

The big SEAL nodded. "Yep. Most of the girls were taken from Mexico… But they were smuggled across the border. Scheduled to be shipped out from San Diego tonight."

Anger rose in Callen's bleary eyes. With his lips pressed together in a tight line, he turned his head to face the window.

Sam looked back at Deeks and Kensi. The three of them quickly exchanged worried looks, before Sam turned his attention back to his partner. "Hetty said, when you're feeling better, she'll set up a meeting with our legal team… begin prepping you for your deposition."

Still glaring toward the window, Callen seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"G?... G."

Callen blinked rapidly a couple of times before looking up at Sam.

"You okay, G?"

Callen let out another shaky breath and gave a single, unconvincing nod. "Yeah."

Sam moved a little closer to the bed and rested his palm on Callen's shoulder. "G. He's off the streets now. He's not going to hurt anyone else… Okay?"

Callen finally visibly relaxed, as his eyelids seemed to becoming heavy again.

After a long while, Agent Castor broke the silence when he softly cleared his throat.

Sam turned sideways so that he could see the brunette.

"I'm going to get out of here, guys," Castor said. "Glad the mission was a success. And that everyone's okay."

Kensi smiled and gave Castor a slow-motion, fake punch to his upper arm. "Thanks for helping us out."

"Yeah," Deeks agreed, reaching out and fist-bumping with Castor. "Good to see ya, man."

Sam removed his hand from Callen's shoulder and shook the Agent's hand. "Appreciate you staying with my partner."

"Not a problem. Glad to help." Castor took a few steps closer to Callen before stopping to address him. "Agent Callen? Take care of yourself."

Callen looked at him with a faint, tired smile. "Go home an' hold your lid'l girl," he said softly.

Castor smiled broadly. "Will do."

G swallowed thickly as moisture suddenly gathered in his eyes. "Don't ever le' her go."

With an understanding nod, Castor gave Callen a two-finger salute, and then exited the room.

Forty minutes later, G was jolted awake by a forceful shiver, accompanied by, apparent, intense pain. Clutching at his right side, breaths coming too fast, and appearing a bit disoriented, he lay blinking at the space in front of him.

He flinched when something touched his shoulder.

"G. It's me."

Callen turned his focus to his partner, who was standing at his side.

"Hey, sleepy-head," Sam said, while sliding his cellphone into his jeans' pocket.

Still desperately trying to get his bearings, Callen looked around the room. His searching stalled on Kensi, who was seated sideways on the couch, eyes closed, her long legs stretched out in front of her.

G took in a steady breath and visibly relaxed.

"You know where you are now?" Sam asked patiently.

After a brief pause, Callen gave Sam a quick glance. "Yeah," he breathed out.

Sam squeezed G's shoulder once, before withdrawing his hand. "Hetty texted, right before you woke up. She said she's tying up loose ends at the office tonight, but she'd see you in the morning, bright and early."

The corners of Callen's eyes suddenly tightened. He rolled a bit to his side, easing some of his weight off of his sore hip, and then carefully pulled himself up a little more toward the headboard.

By the time he had found a more comfortable position, and his grimace had faded, Kensi had joined Sam at the side of the bed.

Callen swallowed hard and then looked up her. "Kenz."

"Hey, Callen," she greeted with a soft smile.

Sam stretched his long arms across Callen and began straightening the blankets. "You need anything, G?" he asked when he was done.

"Maybe something to drink?" Callen answered, his tone sounding much more like an apology than a request.

"Tea or water?"

"Doesn't matter."

Sam took a moment to study his partner. "You're shivering… Something hot." He turned toward the cabinet where the large thermos sat. "Kenz. Didn't Hetty send another mug?"

"Oops." Kensi cringed. "I forgot the tote bag in the car. Let me text Deeks." She pulled out her phone. "He can grab it when he gets back with the food."

Sam proceeded to pour some of the tea in a small Styrofoam cup. "This'll work for now."

Callen reached up for the drink when Sam approached the bed.

"Uh-uh." Sam lightly batted G's hand away. "No way I'm letting you hold this, right now. It's too hot."

Callen gave a disgruntled look, but then allowed his partner to hold the cup while he took a few sips.

"You want some more?" Sam asked.

"Nah. I'm good… Thanks." G relaxed his head down into his pillow and let out a small breath. "Zamora's in custody?"

"Yep. I just got off the phone with Hetty. She said they'd finished processing him and he's being transported to a secure facility."

Callen's brow wrinkled with worry, and his breaths came a bit faster. "He's slippery, Sam."

"They know, G. They've beefed up security… for him and his men."

Callen's facial expression didn't change. In fact, his breathing only became more labored.

Sam reached down and gipped Callen's right bicep. "G… Stop worrying. He's not going anywhere." Sam squeezed his partner's arm even harder. "Okay?"

Callen closed his eyes.

It took him several long moments of concentrated effort, but G was finally able to slow his breathing. After forcing himself to appear more relaxed, he opened his eyes and nodded once.

Sam had just released Callen's arm when Nurse Olivia entered the room. "Brought you another shake," she said, setting the container on the portable table. She walked to the other side of the bed, changed out the IV solution, and checked the IV line. She then gently uncovered Callen's forearm and checked his pulse.

"Your heartrate is still a bit fast, Mr. Callen," she said while moving the blankets back over his arm. "After you drink your shake, see if you can rest some more."

By the time the door had closed behind Olivia, Sam had opened the protein drink, and was standing at the bedside.

G looked up, gave Sam a halfhearted eyeroll before turning his head away. "Do you have any idea how awful those taste?"

"Nope. But if you'd eat, you wouldn't have to drink them."

Callen waited for a chill to pass. "I do eat."

Now it was Sam's turn to roll his eyes. "No, you don't. My kids ate more when they were babies."

Kensi cleared her throat loudly from across the room. "Boys?" she warned.

"Just smell it," Callen continued, completely ignoring her.

"I'm not going to smell it." Sam let out a huff. "Why didn't you give Castor this hard of a time?"

One side of G's mouth turned up into a small, tired smirk. "Because I like him."

Sam let out a breath. "Do you stay up all night thinking of ways to be a pain in the butt?"

Still smirking, Callen lifted an eyebrow. "Nah. It comes naturally."

Once corner of Sam's lips twitched a little. He shook his head. "Stop talking and drink this stuff."

"Fine." Callen reached out to take the container.

"I'll hold it," Sam said.

"I can hold my own drink." Callen shakily took the drink container from Sam and took a sip.

Several seconds later, G looked up to find his partner, who was still hovering over him. "What?" Callen grouched.

"Making sure you're not gonna spill that all over you."

Callen's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to spill it."

"I think I liked it better when you were sleepy."

"Boys?" Kensi said again, raising her voice just a little this time. "Do I need to call Hetty?"

"No," their voices chorused.

Sam casually returned to the chair he had been sitting in earlier. He inched up his pantlegs just a little, crossed one ankle over the opposite thigh, and leaned back in his chair.

Watching his determined partner slowly consume the protein drink, Sam smiled. In spite of the rough afternoon, G was getting stronger, and thinking a bit more clearly, each day. But, probably the largest measure of comfort came each time the banter resurfaced.