AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just want to thank everyone for reading, favoriting, and following. A double thank you to everyone who took the time to review. Those reviews mean a lot. Keep 'em coming. This is a new story approach for me. Callen has had relationships of sorts in the past but nothing quite so serious... I'm not a fan of all the lovey dovey crap on the show. It's supposed to be a drama/action show... just not THAT kind of action. Those storylines should be the ones to open and close with... Never mind, I'm rambling. Stay with me even if you aren't a fan of the love story aspect. I'm in agreement... Hopefully you will be okay with this. OHHHHHH, just read it... LOL
He hated you as a kid, trust me, it's only grown stronger."
"you make it sound as if I'm the only one on his hit list. Need I remind you; I wasn't alone in sending him to jail."
"True, but you were also really good at hiding my involvement for this very reason."
Callen chuckled, "touché" he stated holding his bottle up slightly in salute before taking a drink.
"So, where are you staying?"
"I found a small hole in the wall… wanna come with?" she smiled.
His blue eyes brightened and it made her laugh. "I never tire of looking into those eyes of yours. It's been too long G Callen." She stated before leaning in and whispering into his ear, making him grin and leaving him with a slight blush as he watched her leave.
Feeling the eyes of his teammates and Roberta on him, he downed the last of his beer and followed her out as he called over his shoulder, "See you tomorrow," with that, he was gone.
"Well, now… I'd say, whoever that was knows Callen very well." Deeks broke into a big grin, "Was it just my imagination or did it look like perhaps, he was leaving for the night?"
"Or at least awhile", Sam agreed, finishing his own drink and bidding his friends good night.
"See you in the office." Deeks called after him.
"Night, Sam", came the dual response as Kensi moved to start clearing the table.
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"So, how long are you planning to keep me a secret from the rest of your friends?" Jess asked between kisses as she curled up next to Callen, pulling the sheet up around them.
"You are hardly a secret." Callen responded to both her questions and her kisses.
"Look, I get we've been a hit and miss game since Blackguard but I'm seriously starting to think I should be offended at this point," she argued
"Jess, you know the reason I joined Blackguard."
"I know as much as you were willing to share and it wasn't much, as I recall," she interrupted, her fingers playing at one of the many scars he now sported.
"Point is, we aren't the same people we were before."
"You don't trust them?" she queried, raising her head off his chest to look him in the eye.
"I didn't say that, exactly" he replied, staring at the ceiling.
"Yeah, you kinda did. Why are you working with them if you don't trust them? That isn't like you."
He remained quiet for a moment, caressing her back as he considered her question, "It's not that I don't trust them… they've proved themselves in the field. They are professional and good at what they do."
"But?" she pushed.
"But…that doesn't mean they need to know my personal business."
"What are you afraid of?" Jess frowned.
Frustrated Callen rolled away to a sitting position on the side of the bed, "It's not that simple. My whole life has been controlled by others…. Even when I thought I was in control of my decisions, there was an outside entity calling the shots… Is it so wrong that I should want to keep one thing that's important to me… to myself?"
Crawling up behind him, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him back against her. Her heart broke for him. His whole life had been a struggle. The hardest yet was perhaps his time with Blackguard. She'd known he'd been with NCIS for a long time prior and the reputation of his team was known throughout the agencies.
Bypassing the question, she chose to change the mood, "Soooooo, I'm important to you?" she grinned as she pressed kisses along his neck and shoulders until he grabbed her and pulled her around to his lap, "Maybe…" he grinned back.
"Maybe!" she cried out in mock indignation.
"Maybe…" he repeated, tracing her lips with his finger, "Maybe, I should show you…"
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The next morning, the team was surprised and slightly concerned that their team lead wasn't already at this desk when they arrived.
"Hetty, you seen Callen?" Sam asked as he approached her office.
Shaking her head as she paused mid pour of her fresh pot of tea, stopping the flow into her cup. "No, not sense yesterday. Why do you ask? Should I be concerned?" She asked as she quickly took account of his stance and the other two agents watching from the bullpen.
"Not sure. Some woman showed up at the bar looking for him last night…gun in hand."
"That is concerning. Do you believe Mr. Callen to be compromised?" Hetty asked.
"Not the way you are thinking," Sam grinned briefly, "I don't think so but I did hear her reference Blackguard. Do you think they've already started up again? Maybe they are coming after him. Maybe she was one of them." Sam stated, dreading the thought.
"Hmmmm, not that I'm aware of… but I've no doubt the agency is biting at the bit… still, I don't believe Mr. Callen would be likely to reprise his role with them regardless. However, that in itself could ruffle feathers. Her being a member of the group... possible, I suppose." Hetty steepled her finger tips under her chin.
"He seemed okay with her. He knew her, that was certain."
"Who's he and who does he know?" a familiar voice came from behind.
"G" Sam startled.
"Mr. Callen, you're late." Hetty admonished.
"I over slept," Callen offered lightly.
"Over slept." Sam stated incredulously, "Right… more like slept over." He then mumbled under his breath, garnering a look from Callen.
"What's the problem?" Callen asked, growing annoyed.
"The problem, Mr. Callen" Hetty emphasized, "is that the day starts at 9 and it is now 9:15"
"Ch! 15 min. All this over 15 minutes? To be fair, Hetty, I'm only five minutes late then. I've been standing here for a good five minutes and was in the locker room approximately that long but hey, if it's a problem, dock my pay."
"I just may," Hetty replied, deciding not to push the issue of the young woman. She had her thoughts on who it might be and it intrigued her that there was a sparkle in his eyes that was still so seldom there. If this young woman could do that… she wouldn't argue.
"Can I go or am I being suspended for tardiness?" Callen asked smartly.
"Don't be impertinent," Hetty smirked as Sam just shook his head. With that, Callen proceeded to the bullpen where Deeks and Kensi quickly busied themselves at their desks.
"Mr. Hanna"
Turning back toward the office, "Yes."
"Be watchful…"
"Yes, mam."
"So, Callen…how was your evening?" Deeks asked with a big smile.
"Like any other evening," Callen responded.
"Oh, really."
"Deeks," Kensi warned.
"Oh, come on… So, who is she?" He asked outright.
"Oh, the girl last night?" Callen asked as he opened his laptop.
"Yes!" Deeks waited eagerly.
Callen raised his sights, "That… girl… would be none of your business."
"Ah, come on! It was obvious there was chemistry between you." Deeks prodded.
"Oh, really… chemistry. What kind of chemistry were you seeing?" Callen baited the man.
"Deeks, drop it. It's none of our business." Kensi warned.
Deeks looked from Callen to Kensi and he decided by the look on Callen's face and the tone of his wife's voice, it was best to let this one go.
Realizing he had won the battle; Callen settled into his seat and opened his computer.
He knew his time was limited before they would be demanding answers and Jess was wanting to meet them, as well. He knew they were concerned or curious because of the long weekends he'd been taking. Kensi and Deeks romanticized while Sam's mind went to the darker places… wondering if his lone wolf tendencies were once again surfacing.
It wasn't that he didn't want them to know, he just didn't want them to know now.
He thought he'd satisfied her need of meeting those special in his life by taking her to meet Eliot and the rest of the leverage team. She and Parker had really seemed to hit it off, much to everyone's surprise.
Parker was a unique young woman who's start to life was not easy… perhaps that's what drew the three of them together.
A text alert brought him from his thoughts. He smiled at the recipient. Instead of replying in kind, Callen called.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, as he walked out into the back hall. Knowing all along there were four sets of eyes watching his every move.
"I'm calling to say good-bye," she responded.