N/A: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your nice reviews and the time you pass reading this story. And now, time of truth, it's Christmas day :)

Chapter 16

Christmas day

Sam entered the nearly empty open space at 10h30a.m. carrying a chocolate cake made by his daughter. As usual the little one got early that morning all excited and woke the family up to open the gifts together. After a late breakfast Michelle kicked Sam out of the house. She knew that he needed to be in the office trying to find Callen.

To his surprise Sam found Eric and Nell working on the downstairs computer.

- "Good morning guys. Merry Christmas!" – Saluted Sam approaching his friends.

- "Merry Christmas to you Sam"- said Eric giving Sam a brief hug.

- "Yeah, Merry Christmas"- added Nell disappearing on Sam hug.

- "Woof, woof"

-"Monty?" – the three of them turned their heads at the sight of the dog who trotted proudly with two plastic antlers on his head followed by Deeks, who was dressed as Santa, and Kensi.

-"Monty Christmas, ho, ho, ho!" – He said from the tunnel. He saluted Sam and taking the cake from his hands – "It's that a chocolate cake? Hummmm, Monty, chocolate! Say thank you to Sam!"

- Woof, woof"

-"Good boy."

- "Merry Christmas, Sam. I'm sorry for the other day." – apologized Kensi.

- "Don't be Kens, it's me who need to apologize"- Sam answered hugging Kensi. - "Merry Christmas, by the way."

- "Well, well, well, Merry Christmas everyone"- said Hetty making her appearance in the middle of the group.

- "Hetty! You were not supposed to be at Aspen? How is that you're here?"- asked Kensi.

-"The same reason all of you, my dear. And now, let's go to work… eh Mr. Deeks, I strongly recommend you to take your canine friend to the patio, we don't need to find surprises around here, if you know what I mean."-

-"Mr. Beale, Miss Jones, please, to my desk."

Little by little each team member returned to the activities they were doing the day before. Kensi with big headphones taped frenetically a transcription on the computer while Sam contacted the member of the SEALS infiltrated on the Turkish police.

Eric concentrated his efforts on the satellites and Nell and Deeks came back to the audio records of the armed groups.

The morning passed quickly and little by little the frustration and deception were having again an effect on the spirits of the team.

Then Hetty's phone rang. The sudden noise made Sam and Kensi to look at their boss who at the same time the conversation advanced she was changing her usual serious expression for a smile that only could mean good news.

She hanged the phone and pressed the number one to contact the team in ops that one second later joined the others downstairs.

- "What is it, Hetty? – said Sam raising from his chair and pulling his T-Shirt.

- "Good news, finally! It was Granger, we had the green light to reprogram the satellites and sweep all the Cappadocia if necessary for the next fifteen hours."

- "Yes! On it Hetty! –said enthusiastically Eric running upstairs – "Nell I can use a hand or two in this case."

Looking at Sam in the eye Hetty could see how his heart was sinking again in the pessimism. It was hard to see the usually happy big guy so down.

- "I know you're disappointed Sam, but this is the best possibility of finding Mr. Callen we have had in days. With this pictures Eric we'd be able to find a needle in a haystack."

- "Hetty do you think G…? - Sam was incapable of finishing his question.

- "I don't give up, Mr. Hanna, I don't give up."

- "Thank you Hetty"

The team passed the afternoon reunited in ops studying the images and videos that Eric and Nell downloaded from the satellites. All the screens were full of plans and pictures and formulas. Nothing new so far. All the hopes put in the technology dissolved like salt in water. Kensi looked devastated and Deeks didn't know what to do to cheer her up.

-"This is not possible! He can't just vanish in the thin air!" – she said. – "I reckon we've missed something."

- "You're probably right, Kens"- Sam sounded desperate- "Humor me, Nell, play that Turkish video again."

Big silence. Nobody wanted to see the video recorded by the SEALS; that last image of his friend in pain and falling was enough to give nightmares for a life time.

- "Sam, I went through that video one thousand times- believe me- there's no way…"

- "I found him!"- Shouted Eric suddenly, his eyes fixed in a little security monitor. – "It can't be…"

-"Where?" - The other four cried looking at the screen.

- "Eric send the address to the cell, I'm on my way" - said Kensi who was already running through the ops door.

- "Ehh, he is downstairs, guys!"

- "What the hell…?" - muttered Sam in disbelief looking at the screen.

- "He's here!" - exclaimed Eric, who stood up and gained the door at the same time than Deeks. With everybody bumping into each other on the stairs the team arrived to the open space seeing indeed a battered Callen letting his bag on the floor near his desk.

- "Hey Kens, you've cleaned the desk!" – saluted Callen smiling.

Kensi jumped into his arms before than the newly arrived had the time to recover his position making him to stumble trying to hide his left arm from the agent.

- "Callen!" - She cried hugging him thigh. Deeks, Nell and Eric pounced also into a collective hug that was preventing Callen to breath.

-"Ouch! Someone missed me?" - He asked happily blinking at the same time in pain.

- "Let him breathe guys"- Sam asked pushing everyone away from his partner – "G!" - he said touching gently the side of his head- "you made it, buddy." Sam approached to hug Callen, but seeing him tensing in anticipation of the gesture, he guessed.

- "You're hurting! Where? How are you feeling? C'mon, let's get your ass on the couch before you collapsed." -He said realizing the pallor of his friend who was biting his lip.

Overwhelmed with emotions, unable to swallow the lump in his throat Callen let his people help him to sit down on the coach. They were chatting nonsense at the same time, surrounding and touching him, like they needed to do it to really believe his presence. The anguish, the restlessness, the long days and longer nights, all vanish in that instant.

- "Where is Hetty?" - G finally achieved to ask, looking worried around.

- "I'm here Mr. Callen." - Hetty's voice made everybody to step aside. -"Welcome home" - she said approaching him and asserting his condition without a word.

- "Thank you, Hetty" – Callen smiled and made eye contact with her for the first time- "It's good to be home." - He said feeling blessed.

- "How are you G?" - Interrupted Sam worried for the look of his friend. The longer hair, the two weeks beard and the big band- aid on the side of his right eyebrow, weren't enough to mask the bruises and dark circles under his eyes.

- "I'm ok partner; I have nothing that a hot shower and a cold beer couldn't fix, Sam."

- "You were shot!" - Deeks said – "we saw a video from the SEALS' helicopter!"

- "Yes, I was shot, but only once" - justified Callen making Eric shiver – "and one week ago…"

- "Eight days"- corrected Nell.

- "I guess I lost some time… you know, jet lag"- Callen said and, exhausted throw himself against the back of the couch. The movement sent a wave of pain from his broken rib that made him to close his eyes for a moment, as he tried to regain control.

- "Here, drink" – Kensi said offering a bottle of water that Callen accepted thankful.

- "Give me one good reason for not bringing you right now to a hospital, G" – Sam asked looking concerned at his best friend.

- "C'mon buddy! I didn't make all this way to spend Christmas day on a hospital, Sam. I'm telling you, I'm fine, I'm already healing, I'm just a bit tired."- Callen's poppy face wasn't enough to convince his partner.

- "Mr. Hanna I'll assure you that Mr. Callen is going to receive a proper medical care no matter what he says" - Hetty affirmed, smiling and patting briefly Callen's leg – "but as his life is not in imminent danger, we can concede him a break."

That said Hetty left the sitting room to make some phone calls from her desk. She raised her eyes to Heaven to pray in silence to thank God, even if she wasn't sure of believing in one, this was a special occasion. Her boy was at home. Hearing from her place her team bantering and laughing again made her heart fill with joy.

- "In fact I got you some Christmas presents, I know that it is a little late, but…"- said Callen extracting a small flask from his pocket – "here, Eric, it's sand from Antalya's beach. Good surf there, you should go."

Eric was moved as he took the bottle – "Thank you Callen, it means a lot."

- "Nell"- continued Callen- "I hope you hasn't get it yet"- producing a small green mineral and extending his hand to the girl.

– "Bayldonite! How did you know, Callen? Wow, now I can say that my collection is completed" – said Nell giving Callen a brief hug and standing next to Eric to show him the irregular prismatic – "How did you get it?"

- "Long story Nell, nearly as long as the one to get this for Deeks" – Callen answered offering to the detective a round box.

- "Thank you, Callen, what is it?" - asked Deeks as he loose the lid of the box. A sweet fragrant smell escaped from the yellow lotion inside.

- "It's a mixture of Argan oil and some secret herbs that the friend of a friend makes to protect skin from sun burns. Believe me, it works."

- "Ha, ha, ha. Thanks pal, it smells wonderful." – laugh Deeks giving Callen five.

Sam watched his friend with fondness and preoccupation as he struggled to remove a curve knife from his pocket using only his right hand, it was clear that he wasn't feeling well.

– "Kensi, my favorite agent, I think you can use this yatagan much better than me" – said Callen who seemed even more tired after the little effort.

– "Oh Callen, you know I'll do. Thank you. You didn't have to, but I love it!" – Kensi said hugging carefully the senior agent.

Everybody was smiling and chatting when Callen suddenly become serious and trying to hide a wince sit himself up in the couch and stared at Sam in the eyes. With his right hand he took from his neck a pendant hidden under his shirt: Captain Washington's badge. Giving it to Sam he said in a tiny voice:

- "I brought him home, Sam…"

- "You did, brother, you did" - said Sam trying to repress the tears, embraced Callen in a bear hug.

FIUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIII! A strong and long whistle from upstairs made everybody jump. It was Hetty.

- "Ops, now. Granger is on line waiting for you and he's not happy. Somebody has to cancel the rescue operations in course and reprogram the satellites. C'mon, agents! Mr. Callen! don't you dare to move from this couch"- she added arriving nearby his agent as the rest of the team headed reluctantly upstairs.

Hetty stood in front of Callen. She was so proud of him!

- "Here Hetty - that's for you" – said Callen offering her from a pocket above his heart a blood stained raged sackcloth bag with some herbs inside. – "I know you reserves were running out. I hope it's still good."

- "Çay tea, one of my favorites, thank you very much, Mr. Callen, I'm sure that with a little care it will be good and strong just the way I like it."

- "Merry Christmas, Hetty" - Callen said suddenly overwhelmed by all the emotions, pain and weariness.

- "Merry Christmas, Mr. Callen"- she answered kissing him in the forehead.

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nN/A: again me. Please let me know if you want me to continue :)

N