Just wanted to say thanks again for all those who are continuing to read and support our efforts with this story. This is a pretty long chapter, but we just didn't come to a good stopping place, well, until we stopped lol. In any case, thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy it :)
xxxxx
After walking quickly for a good ten minutes, Callen finally started to slow his pace. He wasn't sure why he had just done what he'd done, but the brisk walk had done him good. He definitely felt better except for the cold which he swore he could feel was penetrating through his jacket and deep into his bones.
"Hey Callen," Eric said, catching up and beginning to walk beside him. "You mind if I walk with you?"
Callen shook his head. "No, of course not, but I'm wondering if we ought to be starting back soon."
Eric shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we should wait until Sam and Deeks catch up to us and find out?"
"Yeah," Callen said, nodding. "It's really cold, don't you think?"
"Oh it's freezing," Eric said. "I never really thought it would get this cold."
"I didn't think so either." Callen cupped his hands in front of his mouth and blew on them, then thrust them into his jacket pockets in an attempt to keep them warm. He was definitely not a fan of the cold.
"Hey guys, break time?" Sam asked as he and Deeks reached the other two men.
"We were actually thinking it might be time to head back," Callen replied.
"Yeah?" Sam asked, looking at Eric who nodded reluctantly. He then turned his gaze towards his other teammate. "Deeks? What do you think?"
Deeks looked at Callen and Eric who both were beginning to look miserable and knew he didn't want to be responsible for their continued exposure to the elements. "I think that's probably a good idea."
Sam chuckled. "I think so too. Come on, let's start back."
The four men began walking back the way they had come and were casually chatting when the first flake fell from the sky.
"Uhhh…" Callen stopped dead in his tracks as the flake was followed by another and then quickly by more than he could count. "What the hell…"
"Snow?!" Eric yelped. "This is not good. It's not good at all."
Deeks didn't say anything but it was obvious from his expression that he was also concerned.
"Come on, let's get back to the cabin," Sam said. Outwardly, he appeared very calm, but inside he was wondering how this had happened. He hadn't seen any signs of snow the last time he'd checked the forecast. If he had, he would have surely changed locations.
The men fell into silence, walking at a faster pace back in the direction of the cabin. The wind was howling now and the snowflakes were whipping around, hitting their faces with tiny cold stings.
Finally, they arrived back at the cabin. Shivering, they went inside and slammed the door behind them. "Hopefully, this is just a small bit of weather, just enough to make things interesting," Sam stated, attempting to calm the others who he could see looked nervous. It wasn't like they were used to snow, living in Southern California.
"What if it's not?" Deeks asked, his voice steady, but he was unable to mask the concern in his blue eyes. "What if it's some kind of storm?"
"Well, we've got a supply of fresh water in the lake," Sam said "And I have enough food so that we're not in any danger of starving. There's a good supply of wood to keep warm and plenty more if we need to go get some. No need to worry. We'll be okay."'
"Okay." Deeks nodded, allowing Sam's words to calm him for the time being. He glanced at Callen and Eric who looked to be a bit more at ease as well. Sam was right. Maybe they would be in for a bit more of an adventure than they had first anticipated, but everything would be okay.
xxxxx
After their scary walk back to their cabin, the boys enjoyed a quiet dinner inside, each of them mostly keeping to themselves, except for the occasional tease or random comment. Then, they had all watched a movie Eric had downloaded into his iPad. Sam constantly complaining about the small screen and the use of technology on a camping trip, but not able to offer much in exchange as the weather made it hard for them to do anything else. Once the dinner and movie were over, the team had gone to sleep, the air inside the cabin cold, making the rugged law enforcement officers shiver as they had gotten in bed.
It was a little past midnight when Callen woke up abruptly, his breathing coming in ragged and his eyes failing to adjust to the light in the room, the soft glow of the moon over the snow reflecting inside their room and casting a white aura that traced his teammates sleeping forms. Noticing no other sounds in the room, Callen got out of bed and silently walked outside. Finding a lounge chair located in a small porch at the back of the cabin, Callen sat down to watch the snowflakes fall slowly onto the ground. Earlier, when he had seen snow his first instinct had been to freak out, but seeing it now, Callen could admit the sight was quite beautiful.
-x-x-x-
Waiting a few minutes, Deeks stepped out from bed and shivered. Moving gingerly towards his bag, he grabbed some winter gear Kensi had packed as a precaution, putting on gloves and a beanie, his blonde locks peaking out in every direction.
"Remember what I said. Don't push too far and don't get offended if he closes off." Sam cautioned when Deeks entered the common area, eyes still closed and arms folded over his chest, even as he wondered if he should stop Deeks from trying to bond with his partner.
Deeks nodded, and determinedly walked outside. "Hey, man. Are you okay?" He asked when he reached Callen, staying on his feet, even as he saw an empty chair next to his teammate, but wanting to first judge how welcomed his presence was and how long this meeting would last.
"Did Sam put you up to this?" Callen asked annoyed, not even bothering to turn around to look at Deeks.
"Put me up to what?" Deeks questioned. "Checking up on you? No, that's a concern that comes from me."
"I'm okay. And I'm the one that should be asking that question." Callen challenged.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Deeks said innocently.
That earned him Callen's attention as the team leader finally turned around, demanding eyes staring back at the detective.
"I'm okay." Deeks echoed Callen's response, before turning serious and explaining to Callen what he had shared with Sam before.
Callen just nodded as he heard about Deeks' panic attacks and the way Kensi was usually able to calm them down. The agent secretly wishing he had someone like that but thinking about Joelle and Anna made him realize that opportunity had passed. Especially if he couldn't locate Anna or if she rejected him when he finally did so.
"What about you?" Deeks asked then. "You have been… moody all day and you didn't participate in our contest. I would have loved to say I beat all four of you." Deeks quipped.
To his surprise the question made Callen smile, because even if he didn't have a Michelle or Kensi, he still had friends, and that what more family than ever before. The thought making him realize that said family was a gift that shouldn't be taken for granted. "Just a bad memory, Deeks. They come back sometime."
"Foster care?" Deeks asked knowingly, choosing that time to sit down in the chair next to Callen.
Callen nodded before he drew in a deep breath, then began sharing with Deeks the same story he had told Sam. Trust and loyalty are a two-way street and Deeks deserved him to open up as well.
"That sucks. I'm sorry." Deeks said. "Surprisingly, it's one of the few good memories I actually have."
"What do you mean?" Callen asked, eyes blinking a few times as he failed to understand.
"What? Skipping stones is fun." Deeks defended himself.
"I didn't mean it was a bad thing to have as a good memory. Just, what do you mean one of the few?" Callen now fully turned around, giving his full attention to Deeks.
"It's nothing, man. Just like you said, some old memories resurfacing. But my childhood wasn't all sunshine and rainbows." Deeks admitted bitterly, not wanting to let old memories of his father ruin his good mood or deter him from his original intention for this talk.
Callen nodded, not sure if Deeks was speaking the truth or if he was just saying that for his benefit. He was grateful, either way. But the shadow that crossed Deeks' eyes and the dark blue of his eyes, told him that unfortunately his younger teammate was being sincere.
"I'm sorry." Callen said automatically, even when he didn't specifically know what he was apologizing for.
"Thank you." Deeks said with a smirk. Knowing that tonight both men had gotten a step closer to each other, even if the distance had been bridged by more questions.
With that, both men remained in silence for the next few minutes. Both enjoying each other's quiet company, while they stared at the snow and marveled at the way the world was changing right in front of them. A new experience they hadn't been able to live as kids, neither of them having loving parents like Kensi's and Sam's who took them to winter wonderlands and taught them how to ski.
xxxxx
The following morning, Eric awoke first. He slowly got out from underneath the covers and stretched his arms up over his head. He then reached for his glasses' case which was beside his pillow, put them on and looked out the window. His eyes widened in appreciation for the world beyond the glass. "Wow," he said, a little bit louder than he had intended.
"Wow, what?" Deeks murmured as he tried to wake up but ended up burrowing deeper underneath the covers.
"Outside...it's amazing."
Not one to overlook anything amazing, Deeks forced his eyes open and sat up, the cot creaking slightly as he did so. He turned towards the window, and like Eric, was more than a little bit impressed by what he saw. "You do not lie, Beale. It's beyond amazing."
"What time is it?" Callen asked from across the room.
"Sorry, Callen," Eric said, looking somewhat abashed. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay." Callen came across the room and looked out at the view through the window. "That's really something," he said appreciatively. "Definite picture weather."
Deeks nodded in agreement. "We should be able to get some great shots."
"Definitely," said Eric with a smile. He felt a sudden sense of kinship with the two men he was sharing a room with and the beautiful view they were sharing. He felt peaceful and happy and very glad that he was a part of this trip.
"So, you know what this weather is perfect for?" Deeks asked, looking out the window thoughtfully.
"Hot chocolate?" Callen asked.
"More s'mores?" Eric contributed.
"Well yeah," Deeks admitted. "Both those ideas are good, but I wasn't talking about anything we put into our stomachs, I was talking about exercise."
"We don't have any skis," Callen said, putting his hand to his mouth as he yawned. At this point, he would be more than happy to go back to bed, at least for another hour or so.
"Are we going to build a snowman?" Eric asked eagerly.
"Maybe later." Deeks smiled at Eric. "But right now, I'm talking about an activity that will get our minds and our bodies working."
"Snow angels?" Callen smirked.
Deeks rolled his eyes. "A snowball fight! A good old fashioned snowball fight."
"Oh," Callen looked intrigued by this possibility. "I'm in for that, except I don't have gloves."
"I have extra gloves," Eric said proudly. Getting some from his bag and throwing them to Callen.
"Well then, yeah, I'm in. When should we do it?" Callen asked, giving Eric a grateful smile.
"No time like the present," Deeks said. "It can build up our appetites for breakfast."
The three men walked out into the main room, taking care to be quiet, but Sam was already wearing his heavy jacket and he looked at them with a sparkle in his eyes. "Someone said something about a snowball fight?"
xxxxx
After they had put on their jackets and appropriate winter gear, the men headed outside. "So, teams or every man for himself?" Sam asked, already caught up in the excitement of the game. Somehow it felt like an old school Navy Seal training exercise. He was definitely going to kick some butt.
"Teams?" Eric said quickly, not feeling very confident in his chances on his own.
"Every man for himself," Deeks said. He smiled at Eric and winked. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."
They split up and headed for cover behind the trees and bushes. Eric made sure he was very well hidden then started to make snowballs as quickly as he could. Finally, he had a good little supply and he settled back to wait, his heart beating rapidly, almost as if he was really in peril.
Sam grinned after he had a few snowballs made and could easily spot his partner's blue jacket behind some brush. "Oh G, you really needed to hide better than that," he said, smiling to himself. He then picked up his first snowball and with almost perfect aim, hit his partner square on the back with it. "Gotcha!" he yelled gleefully, laughing as Callen scampered to another location. What he wasn't prepared for was the snowball that hit him right on his butt. He whipped around to see Deeks laughing at him. He then picked up another snowball and whipped it at Deeks hitting him on the chest.
The game went on like that for a while, men picking and choosing their shots, but no one really getting any kind of clear advantage. Even Eric was managing to hold his own so far.
Deeks was starting to get a little bit bored with the current pace of the game and a glimmer of an idea began to form in his mind. Smiling to himself, he scouted out the current locations of Callen and Eric. Closest to Callen, he quickly and quietly made his way to the other man's side. "Hey" he said when he reached him.
Startled, Callen made a move for a snowball but Deeks shook his head. "Relax, man. I come in peace."
"So, what's up?" Callen asked.
"How would you like to get the upper hand on your partner?"
Callen smirked, his eyes lighting up. "Well, he is my partner and I have a certain amount of loyalty to him, but… I'd like that very much."
Deeks grinned. "I thought you'd feel like that. Eric is over there. I'd like to get him involved as well." The two men ran over to Eric and Deeks quickly outlined his plan.
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Sam called out from wherever his latest location was.
"He really is pretty cocky," Callen said, shaking his head in amusement.
"That won't last for long," Deeks said, chuckling as he worked on making snowballs. Eric and Callen worked quietly beside him until they agreed they had more than enough. "Okay. Are we ready?" Eric and Callen nodded.
"OH NO!" Eric shouted suddenly.
"Eric! Are you okay?" Sam called, emerging from his hiding place and running towards the distressed voice.
"Now!" Deeks yelled and the three men began their well planned ambush of Sam.
"What the hell!" Sam yelled, having absolutely no defense against the barrage. "Okay, okay! I surrender!" he called out eventually, having no choice in the matter and already being covered with enough snow.
"Woo! We defeated Father Nature," Callen called out as all four men burst into laughter.
xxxx
"Mmm...That was delicious," Callen said, patting his stomach after finishing the last bite of his omelet. The snowball fight had definitely made them all hungrier than usual. "I wouldn't have expected it, but for packaged food, the meals have really been good."
"Glad you think so." Sam smiled at his partner as Deeks and Eric echoed Callen in their praise for the morning meal.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Deeks asked, looking at Sam speculatively, curious as to what might be ahead of them.
"Well, I think we ought to replenish our supply of firewood," Sam said, "as well as make sure we have enough fresh water inside, just in case Mother Nature gives us any more trouble."
Callen opened his mouth to make another Father Nature joke, but then thought of Michelle and quickly decided against it. "So, what should we do first?"
"We can divide the tasks up and get them done quickly," Sam suggested. "There are a couple of large water bottles in the front closet. I can fill those and maybe Eric would like to come along with me and fill the canteens?"
"Sure," Eric answered quickly. "I'd be happy to do that."
"Okay, then Callen and I can go get the firewood," Deeks said. He gave Callen a questioning look and the other man nodded. He couldn't help but smile, remembering their talk from the night before. Already, he felt like this trip was doing them a lot of good in terms of bonding.
xxxxx
Leaving the cabin in the direction of the lake, Sam and Eric had enjoyed some small talk, until the conversation died down and Eric had begun looking a little bit nervous.
"You do know nothing bad is going to happen, right?" Sam questioned eventually, having noticed Eric's change in mood.
"Yes, yes." Eric began doubtfully. "It's not that."
"Then what?" Sam wondered. "You don't feel comfortable with me?" The question had originally been meant as a joke, but even the slightest possibility of it being true worried Sam.
Eric shuffled uncomfortably in his place, squirming at the pressure of Sam's stare. "I just… I just wanted to ask you a question. But I don't know if it's okay."
"You can ask me anything Eric." Sam said softly, not liking that his teammate seemed so nervous around him. He had never been Eric's best friend but he also didn't think he had done anything to offend or anger him.
"Hmm." Eric looked like he wanted to run but Sam saw his teammate swallow harshly at the same time his free hand tightened into a fist. "I just wanted to know… how did you and Michelle know it was the right time? When?"
And now Sam understood his teammate's nervousness and apprehension. Asking that question had taken a lot of courage.
"But you don't have to answer." Eric said quickly, having mistaken Sam's silence for rejection. "I can just ask Deeks, don't worry." Then he turned around to look back in the direction of the cabin, looking like he wanted to bolt back to safety.
"Eric calm down. I'm not bothered by the question." Sam tried easing his friend's concern, before he got into the question itself. "Time for what? Moving in together? Getting married?" Sam inquired.
"I don't know. All of it, I guess." Eric said shyly.
"Well, Michelle and I, we met working together but then we went back to our different agencies so it was slow at first. But, it was also easier because we could better separate our work feelings from our personal lives, until eventually it all began clear and we began taking steps forward."
As it was second nature to him now, Sam took a quick look at the sky. Sending a silent I love you and I miss you to Michelle before he began talking again. "But for Deeks and Kensi it was different. And for each forward step they took, it seemed as then they went three steps backwards." The comment making both men laugh as they remembered the progression, and in some times regression, of the Deeks'.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's different for everybody, man. There's not a right timeline to follow." Sam hoped he could be more useful but love and relationships were complicated and there was no easy answer. "Why do you ask? Are you thinking of proposing to Nell?" He eventually wondered out loud.
"No… yes… No..." Eric rambled nervously, eyes rooted to the ground. "Not now anyways."
Sam said nothing and just waited patiently for his teammate to continue talking. It was clear that he had more he wanted to say.
"It's just… we were good. We were really good. But then Nell's mom got sick, and everything got complicated, and she decided to take a step backwards. We were already living together so I thought the next obvious step was marriage, but now we are not. And I don't know what's the next step anymore." Once he had opened up the dam, all his doubts and fears had come pouring out, and Eric felt refreshed and lighter after that.
"Eric. There doesn't always need to be a clear step. Sometimes the road gets foggy. But you just gotta keep sight of the end point." Sam resumed his back, and signaled to Eric to follow. They could talk on the way but he wanted to get this done and get back to the cabin. "There was a time when Michelle and I took a break, and you know, Kensi and Deeks, they took a lot of those. But sometimes taking a step back is good, it can help us see a new perspective and get a clearer picture of what you want, or sometimes, even what you need."
"But what if… that perspective tells Nell she doesn't want to be with me anymore. We are no longer living together and breaking up is a logical next step after that." Eric was glad they were back to walking towards the lake, that way Sam wouldn't need to see the anguish in his eyes.
"Stop thinking about steps or objectives or checkpoints. Life is not a video game." Sam said honestly, having also noticed Eric's wide eyes. "Aiden played a lot of video games growing up so I know the language." He added as an explanation.
"Ok." Eric said, still sounding unsure.
"If Nell decides she doesn't want to be together anymore, that will suck, man, I'm not gonna lie. But you can't worry about that or do anything to stop it. You can just be yourself." Sam tried to reassure his teammate, understand from experience how he felt. "And for whatever is worth, I don't see that happening. You and Nell are perfect for each other. Just like Kensi and Deeks. And years ago I would have never said that. But I guess, our Duchess of deception is also our resident cupid, because she's two for two."
"And she could be three for three if you and Callen ever decide to get together. I mean, most days you already act like an old married coupl…" Eric trailed off, noticing Sam's murderous stare. "I'm sorry." He shrieked and ran towards the now visible lake, almost managing to slip in his effort to escape.
Sam smiled once Eric was out of sight. Hoping he had been able to ease some of his friend's concerns. He had meant it when he said love was complicated, but it was all worth it in the end. And he would never share any part of his history with Michelle… just how it ended, but that hadn't been his fault. Even if it had taken him a long time to accept that.
Shaking his head to rid himself of the familiar, sad feeling, Sam continued the last stretch towards the lake. Quickly they filled everything out and continued back towards the cabin. They had taken longer than usual so Callen and Deeks would surely be back and waiting for them to continue on with their day.
xxxxx
"With all these trees, I would have thought it would be easier to find firewood," Callen grumbled as he and Deeks walked along. They were being careful to keep the lake in their sightline, not wanting to take any chances on possibly getting lost.
Deeks nodded. "We'll find some, don't worry." He suddenly realized that Callen had said something else but he had no idea what. "Um sorry, I missed that," he said sheepishly.
Callen smirked. "I asked how you and Kensi were doing. How's married life?"
Deeks' face lit up as he smiled. "Married life is great. Better than I ever thought it would be. I mean, Kensi, she's just amazing and... " He realized he was gushing and stopped talking, knowing this could be the perfect opening for teasing.
"And what?" Callen asked, appearing to be genuinely interested.
"Well, you know Kensi," Deeks said with a shrug.
"I do," Callen replied, smiling. "Although it's not like how you know Kensi."
"I should hope not," Deeks said, chuckling. "It's kind of hard to explain. I mean, we lived together before, but now it just feels different. She's my wife and I just love her more than I ever thought possible. I just want to always be there for her, to make sure she's okay, to protect her…"
"So, does the job make it harder?" Callen asked.
Deeks considered the question. "I don't know. We've been partners for so long now. A lot of it is just instinct now. We know each other as well as we know ourselves. Probably like what you and Sam have, a silent communication."
"I know what you mean," Callen said, nodding. "I guess that's just the way it is when you've been partnered with someone for so long."
"And...and there's the question of children," Deeks said, shooting Callen a quick sidelong glance, unsure if it was wise to broach that particular topic.
"Yeah?" Kids would be great," Callen said. "Is that something you want to pursue now?"
Deeks hesitated, still unsure if he should be talking about it, but then nodded. "Yes...we...actually we've been trying. It...it just hasn't happened for us yet."
Callen's eyes widened slightly at Deeks' words. He was surprised, but not really sure why. "Sometime it takes time though, right?"
"Yeah, it does." Deeks stopped walking and took a deep breath. "It's just hard. Each month that goes by, Kensi is so disappointed and I don't really know how to help her."
"But...it's not just Kensi," Callen stated, watching Deeks closely. "I mean, it affects both of you...she's not the only one whose disappointed, right?"
Deeks nodded, quickly swiping his hand across his eyes which were suddenly filling with tears against his wishes. "I want to be strong for her though. She's the one who will actually be carrying this baby...It's still different."
"Well, we both know I'm not the world's utmost expert when it comes to this subject, so it might not be all that helpful," Callen said as he put his arm around Deeks' upper back, "but if you ever want to talk…"
"Yeah?"
"Any time," Callen said, nodding solemnly. "I mean it. Sam's kids are pretty grown up now, but I always liked being their uncle Callen."
"Thanks Callen," Deeks said. "I really appreciate that, and our baby would be honored to have you for an uncle." They shared a heartfelt smile until they were suddenly distracted by the sudden appearance of some scattered snowflakes which seemed to appear out of nowhere. "But for now, I think we'd really better get moving on the firewood."
"I think you're right about that," Callen said as they picked up the pace and began searching for firewood more intensely.
xxxxx
The road back to the cabin had happened much quicker than the walk down towards the lake. Sam and Eric only sharing small talk, but feeling more comfortable around each other, but the sudden appearance of more snow flakes pushing both men to walk faster.
Reaching the cabin, they secured the pots of water safely inside and promptly frowned looking at each other. Both men noticing that the cabin seemed all too quiet and there was no firewood around.
"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Eric asked, trying to keep his raising fear contained.
"Yeah, but I'm sure they will be back soon." Sam was trying not to use his mathlete brain to start making calculations but even without them he could agree that Deeks and Callen should have arrived already.
Eric nodded and walked to the window, hoping to see their teammates walking towards the cabin, but instead all he saw was snow. "What if they got lost?" He inquired eventually.
"Callen's been camping with me tons of time, and he's a good tracker. They aren't lost, Eric. They probably just got distracted." Sam explained as calmly as possible.
"But it's snowing pretty hard, that must make tracking kinda difficult." Eric hated to be the one voicing what he thought was obvious but he preferred to be safe than sorry.
Sam decided to stay quiet after that, but Eric's questions and evident fear had been passed to him and the usually composed ex-Seal was starting to get worried. "Let's give them 15 minutes."
Eric nodded again and went to sit down on the couch, hoping to entertain himself with a game on his phone, but images of avalanches, frozen lakes and Callen and Deeks trapped at either of them continued to play on his mind. Sighing in frustration, he threw his phone back onto the couch and began pacing the room.
"Oh, come on. Let's go." Sam eventually relented after just five minutes had passed. Already moving to gather his jacket and boots, along with a flashlight, and some other things just in case.
Eric raised an eyebrow in a silent question but Sam just shrugged. He then exited the cabin and waited for Eric to follow.
"You're all making me paranoid." Sam grumbled as the two men began walking back around the cabin, calling their friends' names hoping they would hear and call back to them.
"G!"
"Deeks."
But no answer came.
"CALLEN." Sam shouted a bit harder this time.
"Martin!" Eric added for good measure.
They continued to search for around 20 minutes, their fear and frustration growing with each passing second. They even considered separating to cover more ground, but seeing the storm intensity, both men quickly decided against it. All they wanted now was to be back safe at the cabin, but every moment that passed without finding Callen and Deeks, added more of a sinking feeling to the men, both of their minds silently stuck on all the worst case scenarios.
xxxxx
"You think we have enough?" Deeks asked, his arms full of various sized branches and sticks.
"I think so," Callen said, nodding. "I don't think I can carry much more anyway." Not to mention, it was freezing once again. "Do you get the feeling Sam brought us to Alaska without telling us?"
Deeks smirked. "Sure seems like it. This definitely isn't any kind of weather I was expecting."
"No, me either. "Come on, let's head back before the snow gets any heavier."
They turned around and started back. "We're really lucky this lake is here to serve as a guide," Deeks said as they walked. "I'd imagine it would be pretty easy to get lost without it."
"Yeah it would," Callen said. What had seemed like fun that morning had definitely done a complete turnabout. Right now, all he wanted was to be safe and warm inside the cabin.
Suddenly, Deeks stopped short and Callen almost walked right into him. "Deeks, wh…" Callen shut up as Deeks put his finger up to his lips. Both men stood silently, listening. Finally, Callen heard it too, a low-pitched menacing growl. He and Deeks stared at each other, unsure what to do or which direction the sound was coming from.
The next growl was definitely louder. Deeks could feel his heart pounding and he wished Sam was here with them "Is it a bear? What do we do?" he whispered, all thoughts of what one should do in a situation like this totally gone from his head.
"I…" Callen's words were lost as the source of the growls suddenly appeared. A huge, brown bear made its presence known. Their fear intensifying, Callen and Deeks both froze and dropped their stacks of wood to the ground. The noise seemed to anger the bear as he began to approach them, growling more menacingly as it grew progressively closer.
Deeks instinctively reached for his back, but predictably there was nothing there. "I knew I should have brought my gun." He muttered under his breath, trying not to startle their new companion again.
"Deeks, you wouldn't shoot a bear." Callen called back.
"Why does everybody says that?" Deeks sneered. "If it's the bear or me I totally would." He then threw his arms up in exasperation.
"Well, at this very moment, I can see the logic behind your argument." Callen reasoned, not particularly wanting to die on what was meant to be a fun trip. "So, what do we do?"
"Run?" Deeks wondered.
"No! We could scare him and he might chase us." Callen explained as calmly as possible. Remembering all the many times he had been told to never run away from a wild animal.
"What if it's a she?" Deeks asked reasonably.
"What?" Callen was definitely confused.
"The bear. You said he. But it could be a she." Deeks explained as if he was making perfect sense.
"How is that important now, Deeks?" Callen tried to remain calm. "Either way, he or she, is gonna want us for dinner."
"Lunch." Deeks corrected, taking a look at his watch. "It's only…" He trailed off, seeing the look on Callen's face.
"Sorry." Deeks said sheepishly, drawing a hand along his hair. "I don't make any sense when I'm nervous. You know, say a lot of inconsequential things."
"Deeks, please stop rambling and shut up." Callen whispered with an apologetic look, but he had noticed the bear slowly getting closer again and he assumed their voices were to blame for that.
"Never thought it would end like this," Deeks whispered so low that Callen could hardly hear him. "Poor Kens…"
"Poor Hetty," Callen voiced quietly. To lose, not one, but two, team members on a trip she hadn't been comfortable with to begin with...he knew it was going to devastate her.
Poor Sam. They both thought to themselves, realizing that this would hit him harder than anyone else. Looking to their sides, they saw water to one side and infinite woods to the other, but nothing that could help them escape this current predicament. Looking at each other, both Callen and Deeks saw their own helplessness and desperation mirrored in each other's faces, as they both swallowed hard, noticing that the bear kept getting closer and closer.
Callen stared at Deeks, a sudden thought entering his head. "If we go in different directions, he can't catch both of us. I'll distract the bear and you go find Sam as fast as you can."
Deeks shook his head. "And have him tear you into pieces while I'm gone? Not happening."
"Come on Deeks, Think of Kensi."
"Think of Sam. After what happened to Michelle, he can't lose you Callen. I'm better at distracting bad guys anyways. You know I am."
"It's a bear, Deeks, not a bad guy. Not the same thing. I'll distract him."
Deeks shook his head again. "Not happening Callen. Either both of us get out of this or neither of us does."
"Stubborn," Callen muttered, staring at the bear as its pace quickened and knowing they were both going to die.
xxxxx
This sounds like the perfect time to add a little disclaimer. Apologies for any inaccuracy in this or the following chapters. We do the best we can but the extent of our meteorological and fauna knowledge is limited to tv shows and google, and we both live on the East Coast so we're not experts about California specifics. We're also sorry for ending this one on a cliffhanger but we will be back soon. Thanks for reading and following this journey with us!