Hey everyone!
Thanks for all the lovely reviews and all the story-alert/favorite notices, that always makes my day! Unfortunately I have to tell you all that this is probably going to by my last posting for at least a week if not longer. This is because I really need to work on my college papers as well as study for upcoming exams and prepare for presentations I have to give. But don't worry this should all blow over in about two weeks tops! So enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer is in Chapter 1: Who?
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Take-Out
Annie drove Travis back to her place. She gave out her own sigh of relief as soon as she walked into her apartment. She quickly took off her suede pumps at the coat closet and turned left to her kitchenette. Her apartment had an open floor layout, the kitchen was on her left from the entrance and on her right was the living room. The walls were painted a mint green with mahogany wood floors leading to the bedroom and bathroom. In the living room there was a warm brown leather couch and recliner, dark mahogany wood coffee table, and a nice flat screen TV. The kitchen had steel appliances and similar dark wood counters. Annie took out a tea pot and filled with water before putting it on the stove top.
"Annie, you should go take a bath, unwind. I will pick up dinner for us and then we will call it a night." Travis stated and started pushing her towards her bathroom. Annie, at first, fought against separating, last time that happened he got arrested, but then she thought that maybe he needed more time to himself. And she would give her best friend that; she knew how it felt to lose someone you loved so quickly and the need for space to heal. Hell that's what she was doing by globetrotting for three years.
"Fine, what are you getting?" She asked.
"Well, I was thinking the little Italian restaurant a couple blocks from your place would be nice. Baked lasagna?" He replied and Annie couldn't help but smile at that.
"You know me too well." She said and stopped resisting and walked voluntarily towards the bathroom. Annie heard Travis leaving her apartment, what she didn't see was that he was texting someone on his way out and that was when the silence settled in. To offset this, Annie turned on the stereo system that was installed in every room of the apartment, minus the closets. She then drew up a bubble bath and found herself soaking in a hot jet-streamed tub within the next ten minutes.
Back at NCIS: OSP headquarters Callen and his team was hard at work at trying to find any clues that might be found in Commander Johnston's case file that the local D.C. police sent. Apparently they were getting nowhere and were eager to push the case off to a federal agency. Hetty, Eric, and Nell, remained with the team after work. While the team of four racked their brains trying to find any new lead, Hetty received an interesting text.
'Meet me at Alfonzo's near A's place in ten and bring Mr. Broody with you.' The text from Travis Johnston read and Hetty laughed, wondering who Mr. Broody could be. She ran through her team and recalled that in the footage she had watched with Eric and Nell of the interrogation of Travis Johnston, he referred to Callen as Mr. Broody. Hetty chuckled even more so at how accurate the nickname was. Nonetheless, she got up from her desk and made her way to the section containing Callen and his team.
"If we are going to stay any later we are going to need some dinner. I am in the mood for some Italian; please compile a list of your orders to Mr. Beale who will send it to my phone. Mr. Callen you are with me for I will need a little help carrying everything." The older woman ordered with ease and everyone scrambled to follow her commands. Hetty just ignored them and made her way to her car, Callen joining her after a few moments.
"Hetty, what's really going on?" Callen asked after they pulled out of the secret parking lot near the headquarters.
"Did you not hear me clearly earlier ago Mr. Callen or do we need you to go get your hearing checked?" Hetty quipped and Callen remained silent knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere anytime soon. So, he just sighed in frustration at being pulled away from the case files. He was scouring them for any hint of a clue; he was not going to give up on this case involving him, Annie, and her friend Johnston. He barely processed the streets they were driving by or where Hetty was going until she stopped.
They were somewhere in downtown L.A. and they were parked in front of a small restaurant that occupied the lower half of a high rise. It was called Alfonzo's and looked like it was going for the tacky old school Italian theme and he could tell this just from the column façade on the outside. He shuddered at what it must look like from the inside. It was such an eyesore for Callen that he had to look away.
He noticed the street sign and recognized where he was and then realized that he was within walking distance from Annie's place. Although Callen had never been there personally, he knew where she lived from when she brought the occasional fashion magazine with her to work from home. Apparently she subscribed to them, for her address was on them under her legal birth name.
But before he could say that aloud to Hetty, Callen had to catch up with his boss as she entered the restaurant. He was right though; the décor was like he stepped into the home of a mobster with Venetian plaster, red velvet, and gold accents throughout the building. Callen refrained from snorting in disgust as he hesitantly walked further into the restaurant. Hetty and him went straight to the maître-d and ordered their food.
"Thank you Ms. Lange. If you could please wait over there by the bar and we will have your food as soon as possible." The spunky blonde teenaged girl replied and the two did just that. There was one other person at the bar and Callen recognized him.
"Small world Mr. Johnston," Hetty commented as she took up the seat right next to the man who spun around on his barstool when she began to speak.
"Why yes it is Hetty, it's great to see you again you little ninja! Come here and give me a hug!" Johnston exclaimed and Hetty readily obliged. Callen stood awkwardly and looked around hoping to see if Annie was there with Johnston.
"Annie isn't here Mr. Broody, just like how I want it to be. If she knew what I am doing she would rip my tongue out on the spot." Johnston explained and Callen gave the man his full attention at this.
"Why?" He asked, glad that they were going to get some information and not just dinner.
"Because, no offense to Annie, but she is too uptight when it comes to these things. When the going gets tough, she clams up and tries to tackle it by herself and keep outside help to a minimum. Which, believe me as an old co-worker, was infuriating enough but now with this new turn of events? No, I know when we are in too deep." Johnston clarified with Hetty nodding in agreement about Annie's work habits as an agent. Callen could see that and understand that from both perspectives.
He could see why that would be infuriating because when you are working with someone you want to have their back and them keeping you out of it or withholding information is counterproductive. Callen especially learned that lesson with his SEAL partner who instilled the belief of 'leave no man behind' with everyone he worked with. But, Callen connected with Annie about wanting to get the job done by herself, she would only have to worry about herself. In this case, being the outside help, he was infuriated that she was trying to keep this to herself.
"What is exactly going on Mr. Johnston? I have feeling that both you and Ms. Smith know what is going on with these murders." Hetty stated and Johnston gave a grave nod.
"We do and truthfully, this bastard is big and bad and I have no clue how we are going to catch him, last time we tried he almost blew us up. All I know is that we are going to need you, Mr. Broody over there, and his team's help. That's why I texted you two down here. With you two there with me when I confront Annie about this, maybe you guys can convince her to see it our way and to stop her from murdering me." He added jokingly at the end but his tone suggested the seriousness of his statement.
"Then show us the way after we get our food Mr. Johnston." Hetty responded.
"Of course, Hetty." He replied and the threesome waited for the next ten minutes to get their food. Afterwards, Hetty and Callen loaded their food into the car before following Johnston a few blocks and up to Annie's apartment. When they did enter the apartment, Callen was surprised to see what Annie's tastes were. The apartment looked nice, but he didn't think it fit her. It was a little too sleek and modern for Annie in his opinion. Even though her clothes were brand name expensive, bought straight from the top designers most of the time, there was something earthy and laid back about her style while still being fashion-forward.
What counter-acted the obvious different style of décor for Callen was the music that flowed throughout the house. It wasn't what he particularly listened to but the melodic strumming of the acoustic guitar gave the house more of a presence similar to Annie's. Callen snapped out his observations when a figure flashed in front of the group, gun drawn. Callen immediately reacted by pulling out his own fire arm, but what stopped him was when he recognized the person holding the gun.
"What the hell? You guys scared the crap out of me!" Annie accused but lowered her weapon and so did Callen. He was going to say something when he noticed that she was still soaking wet and wrapped in a towel.
"Sorry Annie." Johnston stated simply and shrugged.
"Why did you bring them here TJ?" Annie rounded on her best friend and Callen struggled to pay attention to the conversation and not how short the towel is as well as mesmerize every single droplet of water that still clung to her skin.
"We need them Annie and you know it. We will not stop him and get revenge for Gabriel without them. This is bigger than us." Johnston reasoned with her, or attempted to by the way her eyebrows synched down and her jaw clenched in anger.
"No, they got involved once and Callen got stabbed. I am not endangering any more people. Not because of us." She dismissed and shook her head for emphasis. But at the mention of his stabbing, and the fact that she was going after a man who ordered the torture and murder of three people, Callen's attention was restored to the situation at hand.
"You are right, whoever it is almost killed me and I want justice for that. I am already involved in this, whatever this is. You have no right to keep me out of it." Callen retorted and crossed his arms ready for Annie to retaliate.
"G, please, don't do this, don't play that card. I felt so horrible when that happened knowing that it had a slight connection to me. If that happened again or worse if you actually died and it was because of me…I couldn't handle that. Hell, I have half the mind to just up and leave and go after the bastard myself so I don't have to worry about TJ or anyone else getting injured or killed because of me." She vented. Thankfully she set down her gun on the side table when she first started talking to Callen for now she was waving her hands in frustration.
"So you expect me and the rest of your friends to sit back and let you go after whoever it is? A man who we both agree is extremely dangerous and know has no hesitation to kill people? Where's the logic in that?" Callen countered. Annie opened her mouth but closed it when she realized she had no reasonable response. She just stared at Callen; he could see the gears turning in her head. Annie was trying to think of a way to win this argument but was clearly coming up short. She turned to her last resort.
"Hetty, come on, you of all people understand where I am coming from!" Annie pleaded to the short woman two people in the room called boss.
"I do, but I have to side with the gentlemen here. We all care about you and wish to protect you just as much as you wish to protect us." Hetty stated and Annie sighed in defeat.
"Fine! I surrender! TJ and I will brief everyone at ops center in 30 minutes after we eat. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to change because as much as Deeks would like for me to debrief you all in a skimpy towel, I rather not." She replied and turned to leave.
"Can you two stay; I don't want her to kill me when no one is looking. You saw the gun!" Johnston exclaimed and Annie laughed at that, stopping at what Callen assumed was her bedroom door.
"Oh I'm not going to kill you TJ. Next time you need my help I will just send you to Carrie and let's see how she will react to you pulling a stunt like this." Annie commented ominously and disappeared into the room, closing the door behind her. Johnston visibly shuddered at the thought. Callen wasn't sure if he ever wanted to meet this sister of her's by the way everyone was describing her.
"That is our cue to leave Mr. Callen. We need to get everyone their food before it goes cold." Hetty said and with a brief farewell to Johnston, she exited the apartment. Callen nodded to the man and followed in his boss's trail.
As he made his way back to Hetty's car and then back to NCIS: OSP headquarters, Callen couldn't help but notice that the tension in his shoulders had lessened since he first made this trip out with Hetty. He knew it was because he was going to learn what was going on with Annie, or at least some of it, and that she wasn't going to go on a one-woman-crusade for justice that could wind up with her injured or dead. Callen now had the chance to step up and be there for her and to protect her. And that is exactly what he was going to do.