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Again don't own. Sarah is mine.
Thanks to Anthrdumblond for your help.
Thanks also for all reviews and favorites!
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Chapter 4
May 1984
Hetty Lange stood by the car watching Sarah sitting at the grave site still holding the flag in her hands.
"She's going to be there all day if you let her." Mike Franks said pacing back and forth.
She looked at him then looked at the time. They needed to get her to the house or Sarah's Aunt was going to form a search party for her. "Go get her Franks. Just be easy on her okay." She said.
He tossed his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his foot. "So picking her up, throwing her over my shoulder, and bringing back here kicking and screaming is not an option?"
She glared at him and smiled slightly because she could see him actually doing that. Any other time she would have let him just to hear Sarah laugh. She longed to hear their Goddaughter laugh now. "No. Be nice!" She watched him walk over to the grave site and sit down next to her.
She noticed that there was a couple still over by their car. It was the Marine who presented the flag to Sarah at the service. Hetty knew that he was the one that Bill took his place for the mission. She kept an eye on him during the service. There were several times where his wife put her hand on his shoulder. Hetty walked over to the couple and looked at the young Marine. "He took your place didn't he?" she asked him.
The guilt on his face said it all "Yes Ma'am."
She touched his arm "It's okay. He would have done it for anyone in his group." She said looking at his pregnant wife.
"He's been feeling guilty since he got the news." The woman said.
Hetty smiled. She knew why Bill decided to take his place. Because he wanted to make sure that this young Marine was there when his child was born. Too many times he had friends who went off to war or even on a training exercise and they never came back. "The thing about Bill is he wouldn't want you to. He would want you to be there for your child."
"But she..." he looked at Sarah still sitting there with a man.
"How long have you known him?" Hetty asked.
"Three years now."
"Did he ask you to keep an eye on her if anything happened to him before he left?" She asked.
He looked at her shocked. "Yes Ma'am."
She smiled. Bill had that vibe where he could tell that there was something about a person. He knew that there was something about him that would have him keep his promise no matter what. "Keep that promise."
She handed his wife an address "We'll be at this address. You can talk to Sarah there." She walked away and then turned around "Oh call me Hetty." She said.
"Shannon and Leroy Jethro Gibbs" His wife said.
Hetty walked into her office, got on the phone, and dialed a number. "Gibbs...We need to talk." she said.
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Callen and Sarah walked into the building about an hour later. She placed the bag on the chair and looked over at Hetty "I'll be back in a minute." Sarah walked over to Hetty's desk.
"She alright?" Sam asked.
"Yeah." Callen said going over to get some tea.
"Okay, where is she?" Deeks said walking in to the bullpen.
"Who?" Sam asked knowing what he meant.
"Sarah?" Deeks said.
"Talking to Hetty" Callen said sitting down.
Deeks looked over at Hetty's office saw her. She stood there writing things down on a pad of paper. "No really." Deeks said thinking that this whole thing was a joke. He heard that Callen and Sam helped out a woman whose purse was almost stolen but she kicked the guys ass. This woman did not fit what he was picturing.
"Really". Callen said coming back to his desk.
"Okay I haven't seen the video yet but with everyone talking about her around this place I was expecting someone like Batgirl" Deeks said.
"Batgirl?" A voice said behind him.
He turned around to see her standing there. "Sorry Wonder Woman is already taken" Deeks looked at her. Cute. There was something familiar about her.
"Cool" she smiled. "Nice to know I'm being thought of as one of my heroes" She said sitting down.
"Don't tell me you're a librarian also?" He said sitting on the edge of the desk and flirted with her.
"No. I'm a music teacher over at the college. I teacher voice lessons and I'm in charge of the musical/opera class."
"Sarah This is Marty Deeks, our LAPD Liaison." Sam introduced them.
"The one who talked to the officer last night."
"Yes"
"Thanks" she said.
He smiled back at her. "Welcome to the zoo Batgirl." Deeks walked away.
"Full schedule today so I guess I'll see you later."
"Yeah" He said smiling.
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She walked over to the office and saw Nate reading her file and writing down notes. She didn't want to talk to a head shrinker but Hetty told her that it was required for the mission and since she had her purse stolen it would help since she was the victim. Sarah saw it as another thing for Hetty to check on her.
She knocked on the door "Nate?"
"Yeah" Nate he said trying to rearrange files.
"Sarah"
"Yeah. Sorry I just got your file. Come in sit down." Nate moved some of the files off the couch
"Thanks" She said.
"How are you?" Nate asked
"Been an interesting night." Sarah said.
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Callen waited until Sarah walked out of sight for him to talk to Nate
"How is she?" He asked.
"I cannot discuss what we have talked about." Nate said
"Okay as the senior agent-"
"Callen" He knew this was going to be a problem.
Callen went over and shut the door. He sat down on the couch. "Is she okay to do this that is all I'm asking" Callen said.
"Yes." Nate said.
"Are you sure?" Callen asked.
"Yes" Nate assured him.
"That's all I need to know." Callen got up.
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She went though all the tests. Barely had time for lunch before Hetty had her do another test. She knew that the schedule was going to be rough and she also knew that in Hetty's twisted mind she did the schedule on purpose to keep both Sarah and Callen away from each other for most of the day.
She got done with the self defense which was harder than she thought it would be. Being grabbed from behind had flashbacks of what happened the night before. She walked over to the bullpen and saw the note by a new purse "Dinner. 6pm. Callen" she smiled, got her Ipod, headphones, notebook and walked out the door.
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Callen sat in the break room with Nate waiting for the others to come over for their report.
Sam walked in first "So?" Callen asked.
"Damn good with a gun" Sam handing the file over to him.
"Really?" Callen opened it and saw the scores.
"Right and left handed" Sam said.
"Well Hetty did train her" Callen saw Deeks and Kensi walk in.
"How did she do with self defense Deeks?" Callen asked.
"She's good." He groaned sitting in the chair.
Kensi laughed.
"She needs some work but she did good. Kicked Deeks ass" Sam tried to not laugh.
"Only because Kensi distracted me." Deeks said feeling betrayed.
Kensi glared at him "I did not."
"You rooted for her!" Deeks said.
"Because there is another female in the boys club. What I don't understand is why didn't she do that last night?" Kensi asked.
"People react to things differently. When she stopped being an agent she did not look back. She's a teacher and that life that she had as an Agent is over. Also she didn't expect this to happen. I hear people say all the time that if they were in that situation that they would fight but you know what when they do get into that situation they are so stunned they cannot believe that it's happening to them." Nate said.
"But she still trains." Callen said.
"You can take girl out of the agency but you can't take the agency out of the girl." Kensi said.
"Also do you really think Hetty would have her stop if she put her on reserve status?" Sam asked Callen.
"Why did she leave?" Deeks asked.
"Hetty said a mission went bad." Callen he opened Sarah's file again to see if he missed it.
"Is it in her file?" Kensi asked.
"Got sealed. Even Hetty doesn't know. Went above Hetty's supervisor telling them that it was a conflict of interest" Callen said.
"That's not good." Nate said looking at her file again to see if there was anything from this morning that would of been a clue.
"Where is she now?" Callen asked.
"She said something about feeling like she was being watched." Sam said.
"Told her this place is like being in a zoo" Deeks said.
"Okay well we'll do the rest of the tests later." Callen got up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked already knowing.
"I'm going to look for her." Callen told him.
"G let me" Kensi volunteered.
"Really?"
"I just got to see her for a minute this morning. I've been busy with the place that she'll be staying at." Kensi told him. She also wanted to find out who this woman was who got Callen so hooked.
"Okay."
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Sarah sat in the courtyard listening to the rehearsal recording that she had on her ipod and making notes.
"Hi. I'm Wonder Woman" Kensi said smiling.
"Batgirl" Sarah sat up on the bench.
"Nice to meet you. Hetty wanted me to give you this" it was a key to a locker.
"Thanks" Sarah she put it in her back pocket.
"You okay?" Kensi asked.
"I'm not used to being watched. I appreciate everyone making sure that I'm okay I just-"
"Need space?" Kensi understood.
"Yes. The last time I was watched this closely was when my Dad died." Sarah said.
Kensi looked at her and felt a connection to her already "When?"
"Fourteen" Sarah said.
"Fifteen for me." Kensi said.
"I lost my mom when I was eight. Dad basically moved heaven and earth to make sure he could be there for me."
"How did he die?" Kensi asked.
"He went on a mission in place of a friend whose wife was about to give birth."
"Wow. That must of been hard on both of you." Kensi said.
"It was. It is. A couple of weeks before Dad took him out to give him the 'your life isn't over because you're having a kid but it will change' speech. It also turned into a 'Anything happens keep an eye on my kid' speech." Sarah remembering years later about that conversation. After fighting and saying things they didn't mean he told her about the request. The guilt that he felt for surviving and her Father gone.
"Has he kept the promise?" Kensi asked.
She smiled. "Yes he has. Sometimes he gets too protective but Gibbs means well."
Kensi sat there stunned. "Gibbs. As in Leroy Jethro Gibbs"
"Yeah. He's like an older brother to me."
"Interesting. How did you meet Callen?" Kensi asked.
"Two days before Halloween I was with some friends for their anniversary over at Lonigan's Bar. I was dressed up as part tribal part gypsy belly dancer. A drunk cowboy thought it would be fun to make a move on me asked me to dance since 'Belly dancers are strippers' and wouldn't leave me alone."
"Callen saw what was going on and very discretely told the guy to go away. He has been there for the past two weeks. I finally got the courage to give him my number last night. Luckily he was there when..."
"Sounds kind of romantic." Kensi
"Yeah. It does. So how long have you been seeing Deeks?"
"I.."
"Are you not dating him?" She started to blush. "I'm sorry I deal with college kids most of the time I'm usually pretty good about this stuff."
Kensi sat down "How did you know?"
"I had a feeling he was texting his girlfriend most of the day and the way you distracted him when I had one of my tests confirmed it." Sarah said.
"It started about six months ago." Kensi said relieved that she was able to say that to someone.
"When Hetty went off grid."
Kensi sat there saying nothing.
"Are you happy?" Sarah asked.
"Extremely." Kensi smiled.
"Then that's all that matters." She told her. "Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise." She put the ipod away and packed up her notebook.
"I have to get ready. Dinner with Callen and probably more tests that Hetty has decided to have me do" She got up and picked up her purse.
"Sarah. G. has had some rough couple of months." She tried to find the words.
"I know Kensi." She smiled at her. "Don't worry." She said and walked back into the building.
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Sarah stood in front of the mirror of the locker room putting on her make up. "Up or down?" She asked not even looking but knew Hetty was there.
"You had it up last night?" Hetty came out from behind the lockers.
"Yes"
"Down." Hetty walked up to her.
Sarah went to the bag and pulled took out the clip with Celtic knot designs and went back to the mirror.
"You still have this" Hetty looked at it.
"Still my favorite. You bought it for me while we were in Dublin." Sarah remembered Hetty giving it to her.
"When you were sixteen." Hetty remembered looking for the perfect one for her.
"Little did I know you put in a tracking device in it." Sarah took out the mascara.
"Well I had to keep track of my agents."
"Is that why you put it in the box you sent?" Sarah said trying not to have her words sting.
Hetty kept quiet.
She looked at her. "Did you expect me to go after you six months ago?"
"You're still angry." Hetty said walking away.
"What I am angry about is you knew what you were going to do!" Sarah could feel the the emotions raging.
"Sarah Jane!" Hetty said raising her voice.
"No! I didn't get to tell you this in the hospital because I was only allowed to see you for ten minutes and that was undercover and Gibbs telling them to get lost." Sarah tried to remain calm.
They stood there in silence. Hetty sat down on the bench "Go ahead."
"We had a great dinner and talked about things I had not thought of in years. Two days later I call to tell you that Franks was murdered. You told me that you had a case that you couldn't get away from. Which I understand but to then send me a box and since I wasn't there to get it Vance had someone sent it to DC."
"Sarah" Hetty knew that this was hard on her.
"Those weeks were hell. Franks was murdered. Gibbs did not take it well. I stayed with him a couple of days longer just to make sure that he was okay. I'm about to leave and Gibbs gets me in Vance's office and asks me about the last time I see you. I then have a call from Director Vance, who is in Los Angeles, telling me that you resigned and in looking for where you went he found a box on my porch. The box that has 'In case of my death' packet and a note from you that says I'm sorry." Sarah remembered feeling her heart drop seeing the packet.
"And you wanted to find me." Hetty said quietly.
"I was willing to go back on agent status, call all of my contacts that I knew in Europe, and grab who ever I could find to go with me." She admitted.
"How did he get you to stay?" Hetty asked.
She sighed "Gibbs drugged my coffee."
"And that's why you drink tea now."
"That's why I make my own drinks at the office now." Sarah stressed.
"I'm sorry Sarah. I know that you would take it hard. I sent the box because you are the only one I trust outside of NCIS and I knew that you would...take care of what needed to be done." Hetty put her hand on Sarah.
"Now for the real reason why you are here." Sarah said knowing that there was always another reason for Hetty.
Hetty got up said nothing.
"What did I fail?" Sarah asked.
"You need some work but nothing that you won't have within a couple of days."
"You're worried." Sarah said.
"I'm concerned" Hetty said truthfully.
"About me or him?" Sarah asked.
"Both. You both basically think you can be on your own without anyone and yet something happens when you're together" Hetty smiled.
"Hetty-"
"Callen has had a rough two years. I know that things have not been easy on him the past couple of months and I know I'm part to blame for that. But seeing him look at you like he did this morning. It's the first step to maybe trusting someone outside of this family that he has now and maybe to get you to trust also" Hetty took the clip and handed it to Sarah.
Sarah gathered her hair and opened the clip "You know a couple of days after Dad's funeral you started getting phone calls. You would tell me it was work and move on. There was one time where I heard you talking. Asking them 'How can you lose him he just got there?' and telling them that you couldn't chase after 'him' because you were taking care of me."
She put the clip in and walked over to the mirror "At first I thought it was my Dad. That he survived and just was in hiding. Then you said words like 'runway' and 'he's just a kid'."
Sarah turned around and looked at Hetty "Does Callen know that you had been watching him since he was a child?"
"He does now." Hetty admitted.
"Should I continue this relationship with Agent Callen after this is over?" she asked. 'Or even start now?' She thought.
"If it were anyone else it would have been stopped at the boat-shed before you kissed him." she said. She saw Sarah blush even worse than she did this morning.
"I know your abilities in protecting yourself so I'm going to tell you no you do not need to stop the relationship with Agent Callen after this is over. But I will tell you that you will need to be in agent mode for the rest of your life." Hetty said.
"I think I can do that" She smiled.
"Have fun. Tomorrow you both have work to do." Hetty smiled and walked out of the lockeroom.
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May 1984
Sarah walked outside of the house and tried to breathe. She sat down on the porch swing and tried to block every one's voices out. She wished she had her walkman at least the music would help the world go away for awhile. She looked to see more guests were arriving. More people to give her the long sad look. The pity look. She hated the look. Especially when she never even met them before. But they knew her Dad.
She saw the car drive up. The man got out of the car and then helped his very pregnant wife out.
"I'll be okay." She assured him and then then looked at Sarah smiled, "Go talk to her." and walked to the backyard where everyone was. He watched her leave and then walked over to the front of the house.
"Hi." He said.
Sarah looked at him. It was the man who handed her the flag at the service hours ago. "Hi."
"My name is Leroy Gibbs I worked with you Dad." He said walking up the stairs.
Her phone rang and got her out of the daydream that she was in. Sarah smiled at the caller ID name and answered it "Hello Gibbs."
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Sam sat at his desk and saw Callen walk into the bullpen. "You look nice."
"Thanks I got a date." Callen put on a jacket.
Sam got up and walked over to him "Yes I know." he smiled "Sit down." pulled the chair and made him sit down.
"What's going on?" Callen asked as Sam took the chair out of the bullpen with him in it.
"You're going out with Sarah tonight." Sam stood in front of him.
"Yes" he started getting a bad feeling when the guys came over.
Deeks stood next to Sam "Well, since she is the newest member of our Merry band of misfits we just want to give you some ground rules for taking out our little girl" Sam walked behind Callen.
"What?" Callen went to get up and Sam made him sit back down again.
"Open the door for her." Eric said.
"Do not order for her" Sam said.
"Take her to a place that is nice and not too expensive" Nate said.
"Pull out the chair for her to sit" Sam said.
"What if we're in a booth?" Callen asked interrupting Sam's train of thought.
Sam looked at him annoyed "Wait until she sits down."
"Ask her about her interests" Nate started back up again.
"And listen no matter how boring" Deeks stressed.
"Tell her she looks nice" Eric said.
"Boys boys boys! Stop it you're scaring him." Kensi said walking down the stairs.
"Thanks Kens" Callen relieved.
She stood in between Nate and Deeks "Treat her a lady" She smiled.
"Trader" He mumbled.
Sam walked over and stood by the others "Now when you take her home-"
"Enough!" Hetty said coming out of her office hearing the whole thing and wasn't going to let them have all the fun.
"I'm sure Mr. Callen knows how to treat a woman out on a date." She stood by him. She leaned over and whispered, "You do know...right?"
He looked at her. "Not you too!"
She smiled. "Mr callen, Miss Burgess is waiting outside."
"But-" Sam said almost pouting.
"I think we have all have some paper work to do or something." She said walking him to the door. "Here are the keys to the safe-house. The address is already sent to your phone, it's a new one. Nell is ready over at the restaurant and the others are in place." She put the keys in his hand.
"Okay" Callen said looking nervous.
"One more thing. Have fun" Hetty smiled.
"Thanks" Callen said and walked out the door.
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He walked out to see Sarah out by the car on the phone. She wore a dark purple silk blouse with black pants. Her hair was down and pulled back with a silver and leather clip. "I will tell him. Thanks. Love you too" She said and turned off her phone. She turned around and saw him there.
She took his breath away "You look great."
"Thanks" She put her phone in the purse.
She looked at him. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah" He looked back at the door ."I just got the 'you're taking my sister out' speech from the guys, Kensi and Hetty.
"Oh?" She smiled wishing she could of seen that.
"Seems you are now accepted into our Merry band of misfits."
She laughed "Good. I'm glad they approve."
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Thank you all for reading. I hope to have Ch 5 up soon. Thank you all for the favorites and please review.