A/N: This is not a crossover. Steve and Danno are only in this chapter for support. Someday there may be a 50 story but this isn't it. I know that some of you don't believe that this could happen...neither do I. This story nagged at me for months and now that my husband found out I hadn't been writing he insisted that I write it. His exact words were "Just write something..." Enjoy this chapter. BB53

Honolulu 2018

About ten months later he received the letter from Jane. At first sight of the letter he felt a heavy weight lift from his heart; she was alive. He let out a sigh of relief as he read the brief passage. She said she'd meet him Honolulu the day before her son's birthday and that she'd have three days before she needed to be elsewhere. He had a couple of weeks to get that picture of Peter and get the time off from his boss. Hetty would want an explanation but he felt leery about giving her the real reason and he knew she wouldn't buy that he just needed a vacation. He never went away just to get away. While she knew that Jane was still alive, the woman still wasn't one of the favorite women in Callen's life and Hetty made no bones about that. The rest of the team thought she was dead so they didn't need to know where he would go or with whom.

About a week later Callen found himself in Jane's hidey-hole waiting for Peter and Nick to come home from school. He took several pictures of the boy playing with his dad and unloading a new puppy. He knew that Jane would find it touching. He snuck back out of the hole and drove away.

Two weeks after he'd asked for his vacation time Callen sat in first class on his way to Honolulu. Jane had said she'd meet him in baggage claim. He had everything he'd need in the backpack by his feet.

Five and a half hours later the plane taxied to the terminal. Callen found himself getting more excited about seeing her. The taxiing takes quite a while at the Honolulu airport but today this taxi seemed an eternity. The plane finally came up to the gate and let the passengers deplane. Even that took what Callen thought was an excruciating amount of time. Once he stepped off the plane he bolted to Baggage Claim. At first didn't see her and he began worrying. He stood waiting as others from the plane grabbed their bags. There was still no sign of her.

A woman came through the doors wearing a pink sparkly ball cap, with her reddish-blond ponytail tucked under it. She wore an extremely large football shirt from the Los Angeles Rams. She seemed to be moving very gingerly and she limped as she walked towards him.

Callen knew then that something happened to her: something bad. He reached to hug her but she shied away as if his touch would hurt too much. She just kissed him lightly and backed away. "Jane, how'd this happen?" His voice filled with worry.

Jane looked around at the people in the terminal as if she thought she'd been followed. "Not here. The car is outside. Where are your bags?" She looked around again, nodding. "Let's get going. I've rented a bungalow over in Kailua." She thought for a second and gave a small chuckle. "You'll like it."

He showed her his backpack. "This is all I have. I travel light. Let's go." He gave the once over, not liking what he saw. "I'm driving." He took the keys and grabbed her hand and let her lead him to the car. "Why do you think I'll like the house?"

She snickered a little through the pain. "It's so you."

He looked her way. "Oh? What no furniture? You might be pleasantly surprised if you came back with me."

She honestly tried to laugh at that little jab at himself but it hurt too much. "Don't make me laugh."Those words were weakly spoken so Callen knew how much she hurt.

When they'd left the airport and were on their way G gave Jane a good look. Her eyes were surrounded with a gray color and black and blue marks that were beginning to fade. She wheezed when she took a breath. It sounded like broken ribs and that she'd taken a real thorough beating. "What happened to you and how long ago? Tell me what I need so that I can get you some help."

She shook her head no. "I'll heal. No one can know that I'm here. I took a great risk picking you up at the airport."

Callen shook his head and chuckled softly. "So this is what I'm like when I get hurt." He chuckled again but stopped quickly. "I have friends here who will help. I'll call them when we get to the bungalow. I could use some directions."

Driving the highway and then Route 61 into Wailua gave Callen time to think about calling a friend who could help Jane. He couldn't let this go. She needed more help than he could give her. The drive also gave Jane time to take a nap. She needed to sleep. When Route 61 neared the end he had to wake her and ask for the final directions. He drove up to the shingled bungalow, weathered a light gray which sat at the end of the long driveway. Plumeria trees surrounded it along with Torch Ginger and Crotons. It was a beautiful, secluded, little place. He had no reservations that it had been chosen just for this aspect.

He parked the car and walked around to help Jane out. He heard her give a small gasp as she tried to rise from the car seat. He gingerly lifted her out and into the house. He laughed out loud as he walked through the door. It was sparsely appointed but he thought that was at the renter's discretion not lack of need. It was a pretty place with tropical touches. He brought Jane to the sofa and set her down and sat on the coffee table across from her. "Do you need anything?"

Jane looked like she wanted to just sleep. "Some acetaminophen and water and a good night's sleep, I know I'll get the first two but the last item will probably not happen." She sat back in the chair and closed her eyes.

Callen went to the bathroom and looked in the medicine chest for the pain killers and a glass for the water, brought them back to her and stepped out on the lanai. He hit redial for a man who he thought would help.

The phone rang once, twice and then picked up. "Steve McGarrett, Hawaii 50."

Callen grinned. "Steve, its G Callen from NCIS."

The person on the other end of the phone got real quiet. "How's Sam?"

Callen knew that is where Steve's mind would go at first. "Sam's fine." He heard a sigh of relief on the other end. "I have another who's not fine, here on Oahu. I arrived about two hours ago to find that a friend of mine had been severely beaten and can't go for help. Is there anything you can do to help. Here's the thing…I need someone who won't remember this."

Steve, having been in situations like this before, agreed. "Danno and I are on the way. We'll grab some help if we need it and be there in about an hour…where are you?"

Callen gave him the address and hung up. G knew that if anyone could help them it would be Steve.

A little over an hour later Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams showed up.

Danny carried an EMT bag.

Callen looked surprised.

Danny just smiled at his expression. "It's what I did before being a cop. I'm still up on all emergency care." He gave Callen a big Danno grin.

When they reached the door, Callen shook both the officer's hands and ushered them into the bungalow.

Danny stopped smiling and went right to his patient to begin examining her. Jane didn't fight him she just looked at Callen as if to say thanks.

Steve, however, touching Callen on the shoulder, motioned to G to join him outside.

Callen knew what came next because it would be what he would do. Steve would need answers but right now he really didn't have any to give him.

Steve pulled him further from the house, towards his car and the look on his face showed his concern. Danny's initial look left nothing to the imagination. The woman needed help badly. "How'd this happen to her?"

All G had were the assumptions one makes in situations like this. Jane hadn't said a word about how or where to him about it. He could make a few good guesses. He shrugged. "I don't know. I can guess but that won't help her. She's basically slept since she met me at the airport."

Steve looked down the drive to the road as if he scoped out the site for a battle. The bungalow hid behind the ginger and low bushes that lined the street and he felt that the house had been chosen for just that fact as if they were hiding from someone and that worried him. Just who is this woman? "I want you to be prepared to protect her. The people who did this to her might come after her to finish the job. This particular house was chosen for protection." He stopped and gave G a look that begged for help. "Anything you could give us would help us nail the baddies and to protect both of you."

Danny came out of the house. "She wants to see Callen."

G went inside.

Danny pounded over to Steve. "Jane, the woman inside, whoever did that to her pummeled her good; she's lucky to be alive. Did it happen here in Hawaii, because if it did, I want the bastards that would do that to a woman." He stopped talking and took in the scenery just as Steve had. "She should be in a hospital but she won't go."

Steve shook his head. G couldn't or wouldn't give him any answers. "She makes the call. Can you do anything for her?"

Danny grimaced with both his anger and concern. "Yeah I can wrap her ribs and hope for no punctures. She can keep up with her acetaminophen and rest or I can give her pain killers, but she's taking a real risk. Why do that?"

Callen happened to come out of the door as Danny asked the question. He knew because of the situation he couldn't keep this from them. "Because she's a woman who doesn't exist. She died two years ago in Los Angeles and struck a deal with the CIA and NCIS to hunt down an illusive group called the Syndicate. She chose to die to protect her son and husband. No one can know she's alive."

Steve looked up to him as G walked to the car. "And you know this how?"

Callen looked away from the Hawaiian officers. He honestly didn't know how to explain their relationship. "I was there when she died."

Both Steve and Danny gave him quizzical looks.

He continued for clarity. "A few years ago we were introduced. Later I found out that she'd been planted on me to act as a mole inside of NCIS. I found out a year and a half later that she had a husband and a young son. She showed up at my house two years ago looking for my help which I gave but against my better judgment. Now, I'm glad I did. She ended up being shot and we used it to her benefit. According to her agreement with NCIS and the CIA she is now a paid government assassin. For every member of the Syndicate that she kills, she gets paid a bounty. It's a good deal for her and the government and that, gentlemen, is why she can't go to the hospital, even under an assumed name. As to why I'm here…it's a commitment we made to each other. Today is her son's birthday. I bring pictures of him and she stays away from Los Angeles. We also feel the need to be with someone who understands our line of work."

Steve nodded his understanding. He knew that as a Seal he'd done questionable things to survive. He knew what Callen did for a living and description of the woman's job was lonely at best. "Okay." He nodded again. "Danny and I will help in any way we can."

Danny's mannerisms showed that he still had difficulties with the way the events would play out. "G she needs time to heal. Will she be able to take the time?"

Callen shrugged once again. They had three days here and then she would head off to where ever she needed to go and she obviously would not be healed in those three days.

Danny went back inside to check on his patient again. He hoped he could talk some sense into her, but he doubted it.

Steve and G went and sat on the lanai waiting for Danny to come out. Steve asked how Sam and what life held for him without Michelle. He also asked about Deeks and Kensi. It seemed that Danny and Deeks kept in touch after the visit to Los Angeles. Steve inquired about Hetty. He really admired her spunk, drive and courage. He'd heard about her travails in Viet Nam and how NCIS almost lost her.

In turn, G asked about Kono and Chin and it saddened him that they no longer worked with Steve. Both agents made his team better. He found out that new folks had been added and looked forward to working with them someday.

By the time Steve and G finished asking about the other's team Danny returned to the lanai. He wore grave concern like his button down shirt. "I'm not liking the fact that she heads back to work in three days. Can you try to talk her out of it? I've made no inroads with her. She's got two broken ribs and without an x-ray I don't know if they've punched through or not. There is also a severe concussion that worries me. Do whatever you have to, to make her stay put."

Callen gave a smirk because he knew Jane so well. Both of them were cut from the same cloth. "I'll try but she's a woman on a mission."

Steve rose and shook G's hand. "Good luck with this and let us know if we can help with anything."

Danny stood and shook G's hand as they headed for their car.

Steve turned the car around in the yard and headed back to Honolulu.

Callen sat back on the lanai. He agreed with Steve and Danny. Everything they said was true from someone coming and trying to finish the job to getting Jane to rest for a few more days but how could he get her to do it?

If he succeeded in getting her to rest it could upend some of her operations but to go back so debilitated wouldn't help her either. Over the last two years she single-handedly stopped several of the Syndicate operations. While she wasn't working on those jobs she spent her time alone and that's no way to live. Callen knew that from first-hand experience.

A movement to his right brought him back from his thoughts. "Callen…I ordered dinner. It should be here in twenty minutes or so." She turned and left the doorway to go back inside.

Callen rose from his seat and entered the bungalow.

Jane went back to the sofa where Callen had placed her before.

G came to stand behind her."Danny feels that you may be pushing too hard. You have two broken ribs and a serious concussion. Stay here for another week." He hesitated. His fear was that she's see it as interference. When no response came he continued. "I'll stay with you if you want."

Jane's eyes met his and with that look she accepted his help. "I'll need to talk with the rental agency and see if this place is available. He wanted me to take it for a longer time when I first talked with him. Maybe I still can."

Callen knew at that point how much pain she felt. The Jane he knew would have argued it. He smiled down at her. "Good…That will make Danny happy." He intentionally left himself out of that quotient. "I'll go and call Hetty." He kissed her on the head and walked back out to the lanai. This might take some doing.

The next week and a half was spent keeping a look out for suspicious persons, of which none were found, healing, and making sure neither of them felt alone. Many moonlit nights were spent walking on the beach or cuddling and making love in their bed.

Jane made remarkable progress getting better and Callen also felt better about her going back to work.

At the end of that week and a half, they kissed good-bye at the airport. Callen flew home to Los Angeles and Jane, to wherever the Syndicate would be found.