Note: I had written this a week before the finale aired, and while I very painfully know how it really ended, I didn't want to toss this beautiful story out. So, here it is: The post finale story from the version that I so desperately wanted.
The day after the party
Callen almost couldn't believe what happened the last few days. He finally proposed to Anna, and in the midst of the beach celebration, Hetty returned in quite the dramatic way!
As he was walking up to her house, which he helped to keep clean in her absence, he hoped she would like hearing what he had to say.
Dovecote
'Feeling up to a talk?' He asked.
'Of course! I just unpacked, and just poured myself some tea. Come in!' Hetty happily replied.
A few minutes later
'So, how have you been?' Hetty asked.
'Pretty good actually. How have you been?' Callen replied.
'Well, I survived yet another dangerous mission. Not without it's difficulties though.'
'Yeah, I heard about that drone strike on TV. I was pretty worried about you.'
'I was too. I only remember feeling that explosion, waking up dazed, and knowing I had to get out of there as fast as I could. I had to hide out in an undisclosed location for a few days until it was safe.' Hetty said.
'Did you find your people?'
'I did. Enough about me though, what's up with everyone else?'
Callen told her about what was going on with Sam.
'Oh dear. I'm so sorry about that. Losing a parent is hard at any age. I hope he's handling it well.' Hetty empathically said.
'He's getting by. I actually came by here to give you some good news.' Callen replied.
'Like what?'
'Before you crashed our beach party, I proposed to Anna, and she said yes! We're getting married.'
Silence.
Reaching to give him a huge hug. 'Oh my gosh! For real?! I'm so proud of you!'
Callen was quite surprised by her happy reaction, and relived. And was also reminded by how much he missed her hugs.
(chuckle). 'Well, thank you Hetty! I'm glad you're so happy.' He replied.
'Why wouldn't I be? You've gone from being this lost boy who didn't know who he was, to this mature man who now wants to marry the girl he loves! You've grown so much, and I couldn't be prouder!'
Smiling. 'Yeah, I'm proud of myself too. And, I'm glad you're still alive.'
'I'm glad I am too!'
Endnote: The show's version of Season 13 is completely dead to me. There was nothing good about it at all, just 1 broken promise after another. And I'm not feeling too great now about Season 14 being better either.
Just to get it out of the way: Hetty must be at that wedding, no excuses, at, all! This is the boy that she openly called the closest to a son she's ever had, and he needs to have her there!