Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: Los Angeles or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. I make no money from this.

Author's Note: I'd really appreciate some feedback on this chapter. I'm not sure about how I portrayed Callen here. Is he too out of character? And there are at least a couple of more chapters after this, how many I'm not sure yet.

It was the car stopping and the engine shutting off that finally drew Callen's attention away from the sleeping girl. He blinked in confusion as he took in their location. "Why are we here?" He'd figured they'd be going to the boat-shed.

Kensi and Deeks shared a look. "I told you, Granger and Hetty wanted us back at Headquarters."

Callen frowned, looking down at Callie. "But-" Outsiders weren't allowed to know where Headquarters was, it was too dangerous. This was against protocol.

"It was cleared by Hetty and Granger," Kensi told him, understanding what he was thinking.

He nodded, letting the subject drop. Besides, Callie was asleep and after the day's events the chances of her waking up any time soon were miniscule. She'd have no way of learning the actual location. With that thought, he slid out from under her and climbed out of the car. She stirred slightly but settled down as he reached in and lifted her back into his arms. He quietly followed Deeks and Kensi inside.

Hetty stood just inside the door waiting for them. "Welcome back," she told them. He nodded at her. The other two looked between her and Callen before heading into the bullpen where Sam was already seated at his desk. Hetty stepped closer to the senior agent. "How is she?"

"She'll be alright," he answered as he tenderly brushed some hair away from her face.

Hetty noted the action with a small smile. "And you?"

Callen gave her a grin. "You know me Hetty. I've had worse from when Sam supposedly pulls his punches."

She shook her head at him. "I'm sorry we weren't in time to save Ms. O'Rourke."

A sigh escaped him and he headed over to the lounge area, gently laying the teenager onto the couch. He accepted the blanket Hetty handed him, draping it over her. "Me too, but she's at peace. She gave her life for Callie."

Hetty studied him as he stood there, staring at the sleeping girl. "And what do you plan to do now?"

"She's mine Hetty. I'm keeping her."

The Operations Manager rolled her eyes at his choice of words. "She is not a stray dog that you take in off of the streets Mr. Callen. Are you prepared for the trials that lie ahead of you?"

His head rose to fix the small woman with a serious look. "I'm the only family she has left. I am not letting her go into the system."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I know how you feel about the system after the way it failed you. But is that your only reason?"

His gaze dropped back down to Callie and he knelt down beside her, one hand reaching out to rest on hers. His eyes closed as she unconsciously squeezed his hand.

Hetty reached down and patted their joined hands. "I didn't think so. Rest assured you will have whatever support you need Mr. Callen." She turned to walk away.

"Hetty," he called and she paused. "Why did you have us come back here?"

"I thought that she would be more comfortable here than at your house. At least here she has a couch to sleep on. That is a situation that you will have to rectify in the very near future. Oh, and you owe me some paperwork." With that she continued to walk away.

Callen shook his head as she left. He gave Callie's hand a squeeze and whispered "I'm here." Then he stood and headed over to the bullpen.

He stopped as he spotted Eric and Nell at the base of the stairs. "Good work today," he told them. "I owe you."

"No problem," Nell told him.

"You'd have done the same for us," Eric added. "It's what we do, look out for one another."

He thanked them again, then entered the bullpen, heading for his desk. The rest of the team looked up as he approached.

"Thank you," he said simply, meeting each of their gazes.

"It's what teams are there for G," Sam waved him off.

"You helped me catch my dad's murderer, even when I didn't want your help," Kensi added.

Deeks shrugged. "It was the right thing to do. You'd have done the same for us, have in the past."

With that they turned back to their paperwork. Callen took a few deep breaths to get his emotions back under control then reached into his own pile of paperwork. But he found himself constantly turning to check on Callie, making sure she was still sleeping soundly.

After a couple of hours Deeks pushed away from his desk. "Well that's done. Kensi?"

"Me too." She also stood. "See you guys tomorrow." The two left.

A few minutes later Sam also stood. "Think I'll leave the rest for tomorrow. I want to get home and tuck my daughter in tonight." He paused, glancing at his partner who was once more looking at the couch. "You need a ride?"

"Nah, I'm good. As Hetty pointed out I've got nowhere for Callie to sleep except the floor."

Sam laughed. "Now you're actually going to have to buy some furniture. This I've gotta see."

Callen shook his head. "Get out of here already."

"I'm going, I'm going. Night G."

"Night Sam."

He continued to sit there, trying to fill out his paperwork for a little longer. But once Nell and Eric called their goodbyes he gave it up for a lost cause. Tossing his pen down on the desk, he rose, returning to the lounge area. He pulled the arm chair over to the front of the couch and sat down in it, just staring down at the sleeping girl.

His daughter. He had a daughter. He was a father. The words repeated over and over in his mind as he stared at her. He leaned forward to let his hand rest on top of hers once more. He stayed there until eventually he fell asleep.

Hetty smiled as she watched the two from her desk before turning back to her own paperwork. Just as she was finishing up a small sound drew her notice and she looked over in time to see Callie sit up. She sighed at the expression on the girl's face.

Callie bit back a cry as she jerked awake. Her eyes filled with tears as the last image of her dream repeated in her mind. But it wasn't a dream, it was a memory. Her mother was dead. She sniffled slightly before wondering where she was. She started to sit up, stopping as she realized someone was holding her hand. But who?

Her eyes widened as she saw her father sitting in a chair beside her. He had stayed? A small smile formed on her face before she wiped it away. Why was she happy? She shouldn't be happy, her mother was dead.

With that thought her face crumpled up in grief and she sat up, pulling her hand free from the agent's. She angrily wiped at the tears that flowed down her face, hadn't she cried enough for one day?

"It's alright to cry my dear. It's normal after suffering a loss like the one you have."

Callie's head shot up to see the small, elderly woman standing there. Hetty, her name was. What was she doing there?

Hetty held out her hand to the girl. "Come, let's get you cleaned up. It will make you feel a bit better."

Callie allowed the older woman to lead her to the bathroom. Once she had washed her face and taken care of some basic necessities she had to admit she did feel a bit better. "Where are we?" she asked as she followed the older woman back the way they had come.

"This is the headquarters of our branch of NCIS," Hetty told her. "Though I'm going to have to ask you to keep that quiet as no one is supposed to know where we are located."

Callie quietly agreed. They reached the main room and she looked back at the couch. But she didn't feel like trying to go back to sleep at the moment. So she remained standing there, at a loss for what she should do now.

"How about some tea?" Hetty said, gesturing for the girl to follow her to her office.

Callie did so, sitting where Hetty indicated while the older woman retrieved her tea set. She watched as the tea was poured before accepting a cup. "Thank you." To be polite she took a sip, her face immediately twisted in distaste but she swallowed it and put the cup back down.

Hetty observed her. "Not to your liking?"

Privately Callie thought it was disgusting but she wouldn't say that. Mom had raised her better than that. "I'm not a big tea drinker," she said instead.

Hetty sighed. "I suppose you're like your father then, preferring coffee."

Callie blinked, a warm sensation filling her at the mention of her father. "Actually no, I can't stand it. I prefer hot chocolate."

It was Hetty's turn to be surprised and she smiled at the girl. "Well at least you don't have all of your father's bad habits." She watched the smile spread over her features with pleasure, it was why she had worded it that way. The girl needed to be reminded that she hadn't lost everything after all. She watched as the girl glanced back at the sleeping agent, a curious look upon her face.

"Is there anything you would like to ask me?" Hetty said knowingly.

Callie chewed her lip for a minute, thinking it over. This woman knew her father, pretty well it seemed. Maybe she could give her some insight? She opened her mouth to ask when a loud crash startled both of them. They turned to see Callen on his feet, the chair he'd been sleeping in overturned behind him.

Callen awoke with a start. He lifted one hand to wipe at his face then turned to face the couch to check on Callie only to leap to his feet as he took in the empty couch. He stood with such force that the chair he'd been sitting in toppled over behind him. He paid it no mind as his eyes frantically darted around the office, searching for the missing girl.

"Is everything alright Mr. Callen?"

He turned at the voice, relief filling him as he saw her sitting with Hetty, the two staring at him with matching looks of confusion. Though Hetty's quickly changed to a knowing look.

"No, I'm alright. Just stood up too fast," he said as he righted the chair before joining them. "Everything alright over here?" He frowned as Callie stared down at her hands.

"Everything is perfectly fine Mr. Callen. We were just having some tea. Would you care to join us?"

He glanced at the tea set. "No, I'm fine."

Hetty nodded and took a long sip from her own cup. "Well in that case it is getting late. I'm going to do one last check of the building before I lock up." She stood, leaving the two alone.

Callen barely acknowledged her words as he knelt down. His gaze was fixed on the teenager's hands where she was nervously twisting them in her lap. He reached out, laying his own hand on top of hers, stilling the movement. "Hey."

She glanced at him for a moment before returning her gaze to their hands.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Tears welled in her eyes.

"Bad dreams?" Not waiting for a response, he pulled her forward into his embrace as she began to shake. "Your mom?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, I don't understand why men like Connors do what they do."

"No," she shook her head against him. "Why did she do it?"

And then he understood. Callen leaned back and placed one hand under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Erin loved you more than anything in this world. She would never have let anything happen to you if there was even the slightest chance she could prevent it." His heart ached at the confusion visible in those blue eyes.

"She left me. She was smiling."

"She was smiling because she knew you were safe. She gave her life to save yours. She didn't want to leave you, I promise." He gently stroked her hair.

Callie studied him for a moment. "You loved her." It wasn't a question.

His eyes closed briefly. "I did."

More tears filled her eyes. "Y-you must h-hate m-me. It's m-my f-fault." Her gaze dropped back to her lap.

His hands went to her shoulders, holding her there. "Look at me," he told her firmly. "Look at me." Slowly she did so. "I could never hate you, моя дочь. Never."

With a sob she threw herself back into his embrace.

"It wasn't your fault. None of this was your fault. Never think that." He let her cry against his chest as his hands soothingly rubbed her back. "It's ok, let it out. Let it all out."

After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, he felt her slump in his embrace, the tension easing out of her body. He stood, lifting her into his arms. It felt so right to hold her, he never wanted to let her go. He remained there for a long moment before turning and walking back to the couch. Bending down, he started to lay her back on it when her hands clenched tightly around his shirt. He looked back down into her face in surprise, he'd been certain she had cried herself to sleep.

"Stay?"

Callen found it impossible to ignore her pleading tone. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." He sat down on the couch and kicked off his shoes before lying down, his arms securely wrapped around the girl lying on his chest.

Callie sighed as she turned her head slightly, her ear resting directly over his heart. The steady sound of his heartbeat was soothing and, combined with the hands gently rubbing circles on her back, quickly lulled her into a deep, restful sleep.

A small smile came over Callen's face as he felt her completely relax. "I'm here," he whispered again as he tilted his head to gently kiss the top of her head, taking a moment to simply breathe in her scent. A feeling of contentment quickly came over him and he allowed his own eyes to drift closed.

And that was how Hetty found them a few minutes later. She stood in the doorway, watching them with a small knowing smile. She retrieved the blanket that had fallen to the floor and covered the two with it. With one last look over her shoulder at the two, she turned off the lights and left the building, knowing that they would be alright, that her agent had finally found what he'd been missing for most of his life.