DISCLAIMER: If only I were so lucky. Plus also, if I DID, in fact, own these characters...the show would be covering some story lines sadly missing and forgotten. But I don't own them...I just borrow and dream.
A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story. I thank you so much for those who have taken a moment to drop me a review. I am having so much fun with these characters. I hope I am doing them justice. Well, without further adieu, here is the next chapter. Enjoy! Please Read/Review.
"Ah, well, I hit a bit of a snag with number four. Gibbs had convinced Callen to come out to LA and give the team a shot. Which he reluctantly did with a strict understanding he would NOT be having a partner. You must surely understand the small steps that were taken to get us where we are today? Mr. Renko came in to help out when the need arose….but the fourth member was eluding me and so I decided to let things roll and allow Mr. Callen some room to wiggle, as it were." Hetty smiled fondly. She glanced over at the bull pen for what must have been the dozenth time….and still the desk of her "favorite agent" remained empty. Her eyes scanned the other three desks with occupants that were all rather on edge and sober looking. Sam glanced at Deeks from the corner of his eye which did not go unnoticed but rather ignored. Kensi sat, absentmindedly chewing on her pencil while studying the entry way. "It seems so long ago, they all looked so young then….Mr. Deeks was not yet with us at that point in the game. I watched from a distance as Macy began the arduous task of breaking in this motley crew. To say Callen was a challenge would be a powerful understatement. He came to work, on time, every single day and worked with Kensi. He sparred with her, he ran one scenario after another by her and waited for her to tell him how it should be handled. She relished the undercover missions when he worked with her in the field. Sam was not quite so enthralled with his new partner. He too had heard of Mr. Callen. He didn't like that he was always on the move and never knew where to find him. He didn't like that Mr. Callen refused to share even the smallest part of himself with him."
"I can see where he is coming from. SEALS are all about true partnership. In order to be a partner you need to understand how the other person ticks… be able to know their next move without asking. To work as one. SEALS believe in team work. Their partner becomes family. I still can't believe you ever got those two on the same page." Nate shook his head in disbelief. "You certainly managed something no one else thought remotely possible."
"That's because no one ever tried, Mr. Getz. Not unlike the foster system, the agencies just passed him from one "home" to another. He never found a place where he felt safe. That's no way to live a life, don't you agree?" Hetty looked across the desk at Nate expectantly.
"No, I absolutely agree. I just don't see how you ever thought these two would work."
"Because Sam is nothing if not loyal, honest, and trustworthy. Something he has very much in common with our Mr. Callen. The only difference is, Callen has found few worthy of any of those things. They just needed time to realize how very much alike they were in the important things. Ohhhh, I must say, it was indeed a rough go for Lara. She had her hands full. Kensi settled in fairly well. While she had serious trust issues, she seemed to know that this team was a good place to be for her. Sam worked well with everyone…"
"But Callen…oh sorry, go on" Nate added, realizing his mistake by the scolding glance he received from Hetty which quickly softened to an ornery grin.
"Yes, you are correct, Sam worked well with everyone BUT Callen….and Callen worked well… with no one. Oh he gave due diligence to training Kensi and he seemed quite impressed by her or he wouldn't have bothered. She did, after all, become his 'favorite agent'. That is one reason why number four was so hard to find. Callen has always been quick to size people up….if he didn't see them as completely honest and trustworthy…they were gone. No second chances. Dom came while Callen was on leave….so he didn't get much say….or I doubt the poor boy would ever have had the chance."
"Why? Dom was very trustworthy and honest."
"Yes, and he was also very young and new at this game. Kensi took his death very hard. He was her partner and she blamed herself for not having had his back. Callen was angry at himself over the fact that his team was struggling with the pain of loss when it was obvious the blame laid squarely on the Team leader's shoulders. Looking back, perhaps it would have been best had Callen had the opportunity to decide…thoughts better left for another time, I should think…." Hetty took a moment to collect her thoughts and control her emotions brought on by the painful memories of Dom's death. "Callen would frequently disappear until the actual mission. Everything would be in place and Macy would be scrambling to figure out where Callen was….then at the last minute, he would be there. Ready to go."
"I remember those days. She honestly thought I knew where he would be. He was always on the case but he worked it from his own perspective and would check in for the actual planning of a take down. I always found it amazing how he could do that….as if he knew what everyone had been doing when he wasn't anywhere to be found and then be able to pull together a plan right there….and they were always spot on. I also found it interesting to watch him slip into character. He changes personalities like people change clothes. Genius, really."
"Be careful Nate, you almost sound like a fan." Hetty grinned, "Sam hated not being able to have his back. He always knew what the ultimate directive was for this team. Callen was the lead and he was to have his back, be his partner. The fact that Callen fought that tooth and nail did nothing to help Sam's frustration. HA. What Sam hadn't taken the time to realize was that Mr. Callen was very in tuned to his team. He knew every move they might make. He studied them from a distance. While he may have refused to be involved in office banter, it gave him the opportunity to see how they worked. He kept his distance because it allowed him to remain objective. Callen always felt that any emotional involvement with people he worked with was a weakness. Little did he know that it would sneak up on him one day."
"I've read their files but when did those two ever become friends?"
"Ahhhh, it was so gradual that I doubt even they could tell you the real answer to that….but I can. It was a case involving a Mexican drug cartel. Callen had infiltrated the group and Kensi had gone in as his girlfriend. All was going well until the end of the deal. They had caught wind that we were onto them. Now, while they hadn't put the finger on Callen or Kensi we knew their time was limited and Sam decided to move in before all their back up was in place. That was a bad move. They were outnumbered. In the end, Sam took a bullet, however it would have been much worse had Callen not pushed him out of the way. The head of the cartel had grabbed Kensi as a shield…and thinking Callen had gone down, he was not concerned with him. That was HIS fatal error. Callen is an excellent shot. He was able to get Kensi's attention long enough for her to understand what he was planning. She would've had to have had a lot of faith in Mr. Callen. With one well-placed bullet the leader dropped and Kensi was able to pull away."
"Well, that's not a very positive story, Hetty….I mean, how would that do anything to bring them closer….a botched take down? Really?" Nate asked
"Actually, yes. You see, Sam never believed they had a true partnership. Callen refused to allow him to have his back and so Sam went into the field expecting no one to have his back in return. In all the chaos, Callen knew exactly where his team was at all times. If not, Sam would have probably died that day. That bullet would have done more than graze his shoulder…and Kensi would likely have been shot as well, or worse…we could have lost her to the cartel and who knows what would have happened then. He did what any team leader is expected to do. He led them into battle and he brought them all home, leaving no man behind. Now Callen didn't see any big deal in it but Sam saw everything differently. He saw Callen for who I knew him to be all along….someone worth fighting for." Hetty leaned back in her chair and laughed, "ohhhhh, Mr. Callen hadn't realized the implications of his actions. Sam was worse than ever at trying to get Callen to open up. Sam is like a bull dog. When he gets something in his mind he won't let it go. Mr. Callen didn't quite know what to do with him. He would show up for work, do his thing and sneak out before Sam had the chance to try and wrangle him into dinner with the family. That was huge for Mr. Hanna. He wanted to share what was most important to him with Callen. Sam's family was a tight lipped secret. Until Callen did his research upon meeting him….no one knew he had a wife and kids. He did, finally, manage to convince Callen to allow him to meet up each morning and come into work together….that was the beginning." Hetty grew somber and quiet. "Gradually, you could see the emergence of the great team they would one day be. Little by little, bit by bit. Over the next two years Callen became slightly more receptive to having a partner in the field….the trust was minimal even still but it was something. Callen eventually caved and went to dinner with his family. His kids fell in love with Mr. Callen…Michelle warmed up to him. They found their banter which has become famous within these walls. THAT banter is what many times calms the waters and assures us all that we are going to be okay here at home, regardless of what is happening outside those doors. It's what is missing now and is very much needed… Just as it seemed everything was falling into place…."
"What? Ohhhhhh…..the shooting?"
"Yes, Nate, the shooting. Even in that, had it not been for Sam's persistence in their fragile partnership, I'm not sure Mr. Callen would have fought so hard to survive. Sam had finally breached one of those nearly impenetrable walls of his. Callen found someone who was worthy of his trust in that moment. As Sam sat on that ground and held him, begging him to stay…. Callen had a family. For maybe the first time, Callen knew he wouldn't wake up alone….there was at least one person who would be waiting. THAT, Nate, was when they finally solidified the great friendship you see today…until now.
"Okay, so that leaves us with Nell and Deeks." Nate stated hoping for something a little less heavy to end their conversation on.