Chapter 8

Callen had slept solidly for a week, Archangel had narrowed down the drugs in his system and the company had an antidote for them, but the dosage in his system had to be scaled back slowly, or Callen would suffer from more hallucinations and irrational behavior.

To make sure he didn't try to kill himself again, the team had taken turns to watch over Callen, no one leaving him alone for a moment. Hetty however, had not returned to Callen's room.

Nell and Sue were in the kitchen, Sue was grilling up the catch of the day that String, along with Deeks had caught, Deeks delighting in the fact that he was good at fishing. Kensi had joked that Deeks could do anything water related as he was part fish. But Deeks had proudly brought his two large trout into the house and set them on the counter for Sue to clean and gut before she grilled them.

Hetty was sitting with Caitlyn drinking tea and chatting about the child she had announced a few days ago she was carrying. Hetty reminiscing about when both SinJin and Stringfellow were babies. The brothers grimacing at every anecdote and using it as an excuse to go and sit upstairs with their brother, grumbling about crazy old aunts as they went, though both were smiling as they said it.

Nell was looking up as much as she could about Rodriguez and his operation. She hadn't liked what she had found so far. They were in league with a number of Drug Cartels across northern Mexico and linked to the deaths of at least three DEA agents. Nell shivered as she thought of the fact that Callen had nearly joined the ranks of deceased agents whose demise was due solely to the Rodriguez family.

SinJin and String talked quietly as they sat in Callen's room. Every once in a while they would stop and look over at their little brother.

"We made a mistake." SinJin said.

String looked up at him from his chair, "You think rescuing G was a mistake?" He asked, surprised, not noticing Callen flinch in his sleep.

"No, I think us, obeying advice and not reaching out to him when we found out about him was a mistake." Sinjin walked to the balcony and looked out at the view beyond. "I trust Aunt Hetty, but it's obvious that G needed to know about us, about mom and her life here."

String nodded, "I don't like it, why would Aunt Hetty not tell G about her being a Comescu and why would that scare him so much?"

Sinjin turned checking G was still asleep, "I don't know, but she won't talk to us until he's awake and feeling better. But as much as I love her, he's our brother and I won't turn against him, no matter what she says."

"I know, I wish he would trust us. But I understand why he wouldn't. Hetty had Dominic stay here with me from when mom and dad died until I was an adult, but to find out she didn't take G in when she found him, she left him in the system, alone." String got up and started to pace, "I want to know why, and why she waited to tell us about him until he went to work with the firm."

G groaned as he started to wake up, he could hear voices and memories flashed back thick and fast.

Sinjin stopped and looked over at G as he groaned.

"G... Callen? Are you ok?" He asked, moving to help him up.

"'Et off me…" Callen moved away, not sure who had him.

String went to the door and opened it as Sam arrived, the others left to give Sam and G the room.

Immediately he went over to the bed, "G it's Sam, you're safe. You were drugged, you've been asleep for a week while we took the drugs out of your system."

"Sam?" Callen opened his eyes and sat up, groaning and holding his head as he did so.

Sam smiled as he saw Callen's eyes. "Welcome back partner." he said.

Slowly he looked around the room, "It's real isn't it."He sighed sadly, "Those men, mom, Hetty, I didn't imagine it?"

"They are your brothers G, isn't that great you have family."

Callen let out a long, low breath, "Yeah, it's great Sam."

Sam handed him a glass of water and helped him drink. "You feel better?" He asked concerned.

"I'll live." Callen replied.

Sam grinned, "Always a good start partner, I'll give you some privacy, the bathroom is over there, you can meet us downstairs and we'll get you some food and we'll talk." Sam walked towards the door, noting with a small smile that the balcony windows were now locked. "And shower will you, you've been asleep a week, you smell." He added with a smirk as he closed the door and left.

G walked into the bathroom, it was clean and comfortable, there was a shower, clean towels and a shaving kit all ready for him. Taking advantage of it, he showered, shaved and used the clippers he noticed to cut his hair back to a manageable level. Walking out of the bathroom, he found clean clothes on the bed. He quickly dressed and looked at himself in the mirror. He was thinner than he had been in a long time, he still had fading bruises and bags under his eyes, but he felt more himself than he had in a long time and he hoped that he would be able to face what at the moment were half whispered ideas in his head. He needed to be on top of his game to handle this, there was no way he was going to falter now. Before he had had drugs in his system and couldn't be held responsible, now he was going to go on the offensive. One last check through his bag revealed something that made him smile, he tucked it into the small of his back and headed to the door, now he was ready.

Sam waited outside the room and smiled as Callen opened the door.

"You ready for this?" He asked, worried about his friend. For a moment Sam thought he saw some anger directed at him behind his partner's eyes, but in less than an instant it was gone. He figured that Callen was working on his masks to handle what was about to face him downstairs.

Callen steeled himself and squaring his shoulders, walked to the top of the stairs Kensi, Deeks and Nell were nowhere to be seen, he looked over at Sam, who just shrugged, "They went for a walk." He told him.

In the main room below was that man in white again, leaning against the mantel warming himself by a crackling fire. Hetty was sipping a cup of tea in a wingback chair, smiling down at the Gundog who stretched out basking in the warmth of the flame.

SinJin and String sat on the couch, both drinking coffee and talking quietly amongst themselves. String stopped and looked up as he heard the quiet footfalls on the landing above them.

Hetty put her cup down and turned to see Callen slowly walking down the stairs.

She opened her mouth, but String stood up, "G, Sam, come join us."

They walked down the stairs, Sam shooting Callen a look of concern as he nonchalantly walked into the room, quickly surveying it for threats and took a chair with it's back to the wall where he could see them all.

"Coffee?" String asked Sam and G. Sam nodded, but Callen shook his head.

String went to get Sam's drink and Callen waited.

Surprisingly Callen wasn't the first one to voice the question that was on his mind. SinJin was.

"So, Aunt Hetty…" He started, "Why didn't you tell us we had a brother earlier, and why does the mention of this Comescu person make him angry and you sad?" He asked.

Hetty looked shocked, but she realized that it was time she explained and hoped that by the time she was done all three of her boys wouldn't hate her.

"My first thought was to protect you and Stringfellow," She started as he sat down, handing Sam his coffee and noticing her first words caused his little brother to start subconsciously rubbing his thumb and forefinger together in an attempt to get grounded.

Callen gave a small huff of derision and Hetty looked at him sadly. "They didn't live with your mother's name, they were safe from the blood feud." she said.

"What blood feud?" String asked.

"Our family against hers. That's why you kept us separated wasn't it, so eventually you could kill me, the last of the Callen's, they weren't given my name so I assume you wanted them to live." Callen stood up and started pacing, "I can't kill you, even if you are a Comescu… so…." He took his gun, which he had found earlier in the bottom of his bag and placed it on the small table next to her teapot. "I won't fight you anymore. Kill me." he stepped back, his palms wide awaiting her next move.