I'll be honest... I've lost my mojo a little with this after seeing episode 2, which left me feeling a bit cheated and 'empty'. I don't think it was a bad episode - in fact I think if it had been an'ordinary' episode, maybe episode 3 or 4, I would have liked it. But as episode 2, as the immediate follow on to the pace and drama of both the S9 finale and the S10 premiere, it just felt a bit weird, and like it was missing something... Like I'd started a movie half way through.

However. I won't leave a story unfinished, so I will get on with getting Callen back to work (and the episode 3 promo looks like it should be a lot more fulfilling - if nothing else, Callen in a suit is always a treat for the eyes! :-) ) One more chapter after this one I think.

CHAPTER FOUR

Callen ran up the hill, feeling the nagging ache in his back intensify. Reluctantly he slowed to a jog, his steps choppy. He stopped, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees and panting hard. He'd lost more fitness than he realised in his enforced time off. Already over two months and counting. It was driving him crazy.

"Should you be doing that?" a familiar voice called from a car pulling up behind him. He shook his head. He'd been so focused on his fitness – or lack of it – that he'd lost awareness of what was going on around him. He turned to see Sam grinning out of the Challenger's open window, though there was a hint of concern behind the wide smile.

"What are you, my mother?" Callen retorted, unable to think of anything more original. Sam chuckled.

"I'll give you a ride home."

"I can walk…"

"Sure you can. But I'm here and I'm passing, so you might as well hop in." Sam was giving him a get out clause, and he accepted gratefully, stepping round and easing himself carefully into the low seat of the Challenger.

"How's it going?" Sam asked.

"Slowly," Callen admitted reluctantly. He was finding the gruelling weeks of rehab hard going. Knowing his team were all now back at work left him feeling frustrated and ostracised. Partly his own doing, he knew, as he'd been avoiding contact with them as much as possible, whilst discreetly keeping tabs on how they were all doing without him. After six long weeks he'd finally been given the go ahead to stop wearing the brace, but the exercises to re-strengthen the wasted muscles in his back were intensive and tiring and he hated how off his game he was. He tried to distract Sam from any further probing into his health. "How about you? Work okay? The place not falling apart without me?"

"Yeah. Not bad. We've been fairly quiet, thank goodness. It's all a bit boring, if I'm honest, but Deeks only started back full time last week so it's been good not to have too much on."

"You wait til your best agent is back in the field. All the good cases will come flooding in once I'm back," Callen said with a smirk.

"Did you get hit on the head as well as your back?" Sam teased. "That sounds like something Deeks would say."

"God, you're right…" Callen paused. "How is Deeks anyway?"

"He's good. I don't know what went on with him and Kensi but they seem to have sorted stuff out. The wedding is back on."

"I'm glad," Callen said genuinely. "I guess it takes the risk of losing someone to make you realise what's important." The two of them were quiet for a moment, and Callen thought guiltily of Michelle. He glanced at Sam. "Sorry." Sam waved a hand dismissively and they continued in silence for a while. Callen cursed himself for his insensitivity. It seemed his brain as well as his body was letting him down still. He'd only just stopped taking the various painkillers and anti-inflammatories he'd needed for his back and he hoped once those fully cleared his system his mental faculties would return. Some agent he was at the moment; not noticing Sam pull up behind him, making such a tactless comment in front of his best friend. He bit back a yawn and tried not to let Sam see how tired he was after his run. Sam kept driving, but he had half an eye on Callen as well.

"I'll walk from here," Callen said, indicating a street corner two blocks from the ground floor apartment he was currently calling home. Spacious, no stairs; rehab friendly. He was feeling ready to move on, he just couldn't decide where.

"I'll join you for lunch," Sam said, pulling the Challenger into a vacant parking spot on the side of the street. He understood Callen's security paranoias. "I'll bet you haven't got anything in to eat, have you?"

"Erm…." Callen said, trying to think of a suitable answer that didn't involve an out and out lie.

"I thought not. You need to eat properly, G. Your body needs good nutrition to repair itself."

"Alright, alright," Callen grumbled. They backtracked to the convenience store on the corner, and Sam loaded a basket with enough to ensure Callen ate at least some decent meals over the next week. Callen added a pack of beer and Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm celebrating," Callen explained. "No more drugs."

"I didn't say a word." Somehow Sam doubted Callen had abstained from alcohol for the entirety of the past two months anyway.

They walked the short distance back to the apartment with Sam surreptitiously watching Callen for signs of pain or fatigue. If his partner was struggling after his run, he was keeping it well hidden.

"I'll make lunch. You have a rest," Sam instructed once they got in, and Callen didn't protest which gave Sam a pretty clear indication that he was in some pain, even if he wouldn't admit it. He busied himself in the kitchen before carrying two plates into the lounge, where Callen was lying stretched out on the sofa.

"Have you got any idea how much longer til you're back?"

"Oh I don't know," Callen sighed, moving to sit up so they could eat. "Not much longer, hopefully."

"Don't rush it."

"What, you don't miss me?" Callen said it as a joke, but Sam detected a hint of insecurity under the witty reply. He answered in kind.

"Well, DeChamps is less grumpy, a better conversationalist, a hell of a lot more attractive…" he winked. "Seriously. DeChamps is great. We work well together, and she's enjoying the experience in LA. But we're all missing you." Sam paused. "We're all missing Hetty. Have you heard from her?"

"Once. She rang me." Sam looked at Callen with surprise. "Burn phone," Callen expanded. "Checking up on my rehab." He made a face.

Sam snorted before becoming serious once more.

"Whatever she's doing, she's staying off the grid then."

"Yeah. I just hope she's okay," Callen sighed.

"It's Hetty. She'll have a plan." Sam smiled with more confidence than he felt. He didn't wholly trust Mosley not to throw them all under a bus. The Executive Assistant Director could make life very difficult for all of them if she felt like it. He hoped there would be a degree of gratitude and maybe even guilt after what they'd all done for her and her son, but out of sight out of mind… if she had a chance to save her own skin, her own career, now that she was distanced from the immediate aftermath of Mexico, he wouldn't put it past her to try.