#2

"I'm telling you he squeezed my hand, Hetty. I Swear to you that I'm not making this up"

"I never for one moment believed that you would"

"So what's going to happen with Callen?"

"The hospital will do an MRI and brain activity scan on Mr Callen, and then we'll take it from there"

"So you're not going to have his life support switched off?"

"Not now, my dear. Not now"

….

"You seem happier" Kensi said, having walked into the breakroom to fine Nell sitting whistling a cheery tune between sips of tea

"Did you not hear? Callen squeezed my hand… Hetty's not going to have his life support switched off"

"That's fantastic… Why didn't Hetty say anything to anyone?"

"I think she's waiting for the scan results. But he's responding… so that has to be good, right?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I'd think so" Kensi paused, quickly looking at Nell "Is that not what you were wearing yesterday?"

Nell didn't know what to say… she knew she didn't want to be honest. While Kensi wouldn't judge her, she would express her genuine concern, and at that moment Nell preferred that everyone's concern be directed at Callen

….

"Back again Mrs Callen?"

"Just wanted to see how he was doing"

Nell hadn't told anyone that she was still claiming to be Callen's wife… it had just been a charade she had carried on after he had been returned to the US. She had been lucky that none of her colleagues had been around the hospital at the same time. Nell knew that Sam would be checking in on Callen after work, so Nell made sure not to go to the hospital till later in the evening.

She was glad to see that since her last visit, that Callen had been taken off the life support machine, and seemed to be breathing on his own. It was a move in the right direction… now it was just a case of waiting for him to wake… Then the hospital could do their tests to see if there had been any brain damage from the attack that landed him in hospital.

….

A few days later:

Sam had just popped into the hospital, on his way home after work.

He had been visiting his partner every day for several weeks… both before and since the move back to the US.

He would come in, and sit and tell Callen about what had happened at work that day, or what Michele or the kids had done the night before.

He was just about to leave for the night when he noticed Callen's eyes open, and his head lifted from the pillow

"G?. Can you hear me?"

"Sam?, can you turn on a light… It's too dark to see anything"

Sam was concerned by what his partner had said, having got on his feet her moved to the doorway and called for a doctor or nurse

"Just give me a few minutes, okay"

….

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything without his wife's consent"

"What wife?, He isn't married"

"She's been here everynight… She shows up after 8pm. I'm sure if you wait, you'll run into her"

"Thanks"

This got Sam wondering who had been claiming to be G's wife… not that it took much thinking.
Suspecting that it was Nell, Sam sat down in the hallway and waited… pulling his phone out to send a text to Michele, to let her know he would be late getting home

….

"Mrs Callen… Good news. Your husband woke up"

Nell was elated at this news, and was almost incapable of containing her joy

"…He seems to have lost his vision. The doctor has checked him over… and he suspects that it's due to the attack on your husband" the nurse continued

"Wait… will he regain his vision?"

"The doctor isn't able to say. He may, or he may not. Only time will tell. One of your husbands friends is waiting. Maybe you can both break the news to your husband"

'Oh Crap' Nell thought… already knowing that the 'friend' would be Sam. How was she going to explain her deception

….

"So 'Mrs Callen', how long have you been doing this?"

Nell knew she stood no chance at lying to Sam… she was just lucky it was him, and not Hetty… although now that she thought about it… Hetty would have already know…. Right?

"Since he arrived back here from Scotland"

"Does Hetty know?"

Nell just shrugged… his guess was as good as hers.

"How is he?"

"Scared… Wouldn't you be if you woke up and found yourself being blind?"

"Does he know about … well, me claiming to be his wife"

….

"…So he's okay?"

"Apart from not having his sight… he's the very picture of health" Sam answered Kensi

"So what are we doing standing here… Let's get up the Hospital" added Mike

"We are here, Mr Renko, to work. We have managed to cope not speaking to Mr Callen for a few weeks. I'm sure you can all wait a few hours more. Now, If you could rush yourselves up to OPS, Mr Beale is waiting" Hetty spoke, spooking the Special Agents. leaving them, one again, wondering how she was able to move so silently "Ms Jones, a word in private, if you please" she added

….

Nell stood outside the hospital room, poised to knock the door… but she didn't know how things would play out. She hadn't spoken to Callen since he had woken up. She should have spoken to him last night, if only Sam hadn't of been there. Even if Sam hadn't been there… she would bet one of the nurses would have mentioned about his 'wife' visiting daily. How was she going to explain that… Hetty had been understanding, but had ordered Nell to explain the situation to Callen.

She had no idea how he would be coping… she couldn't imagine what it would be like to wake up and find yourself to be blind.

Sam had told her, and the rest of his 'family', that he was scared.

She had never seen him be scared… under pressure, sure. But never scared

She finally pushed herself… and made her chap on the door, then open the door so she could enter

"Who's there?"

"It's just me… Nell" Nell replied, thinking to herself 'he's blind, not deaf… he would remember my voice'

….

"How are you doing?"

"Just great… I'm stuck in a hospital bed, unable to return to my job…" he started Sarcastically"

"Sorry… stupid question"

"It's not your fault Nell. I just… I feel so bloody helpless. I can't do anything myself. I'm gonna need someone to do almost everything for me for quite a while…"

"You could get your sight back. They just don't know. So focus on that.. focus on getting back to normal"

"No offense, Nell… But how do you know what they've said?"

Nell steadied herself… this was it.. she was going to be honest with him.. let him know of her subterfuge

"They've been telling me your condition. They… When you were taken to hospital back in Scotland, Renko knew that they wouldn't tell us your condition unless we were family… So he told the hospital staff that I was your wife. When you were flown back here… I let the doctors and nurses here think that I was your wife… just so we would be kept up to date on your condition. I'm so sorry. I was just so worried…"

….

"So what did he say?"

"He said that he understood… that he would have done the same if it was you or I that was in the hospital"

"So did you tell him about your feelings?"

"No. Even if I had feelings for him, which I'm not saying I do. He'll never look at me like… like I was someone suitable… like Deeks looks at you"

….

"I sure am glad to see you upright and awake, brother"

"Wish I could say the same, Mike" Callen said before a brief, quiet chuckle

"You know this is just a temporary thing… you'll be able to see again. Probably just needs a bit of time"

"I hope so… otherwise I'll be spending the rest of my days being led around by a dog"

"You know Hetty… she'll have the very best doctors on the western seaboard flown in to check you over"

"Yeah, maybe"

"Even you don't see again… doesn't mean your gonna be alone for the rest of your days. You got 'family' that cares about you… that's not gonna change just 'cause you got a dog"