N/A: after the frentic rhythm of the first chapters it's time to slow down. Callen is at home just grateful to be alive. Thank you very much for your beautiful comments, I'm overwhelmed for your kindness :)
Next day a wonderful smell from the kitchen arrived to a recently awake Callen. The pain was still there, but he was feeling better. He didn't remember last time he slept in a bed more than five hours.
A knock on the door woke him up from his reverie.
- "Come in."
- "Good morning Mr. Callen"- said Hetty entering the room with a big tray – "Are you trying to set a new record? Ten in the morning Mister and I thought you'd help me with the cooking!" – she said putting the tray on the desk and opening the window, letting the sun to invade the room.
- "It smells great Hetty, I'm hungry!"
- "How are you feeling?"
- "Much better, thank you" – he answered as he started to get up.
- "First things first Mr. Callen, open your mouth"- she said producing a thermometer.
- "Hetty… I'm good, really, I haven't fever…"
- "What word from the sentence "open your mouth" you don't understand Mr. Callen?"
Sighing exaggeratedly Callen did as he was told, while Hetty prepared three syringes from the tray.
One minute later Hetty announce:
- "99.5."
- "I told you, no fever. Can I get up now?"
- "No so fast Mr. Callen, I rather inject you lying down, we don't want an accident if you pass out."
- "What? Hetty no! I feel ok, I swear! I don't need that."
- "Mr. Callen, face the wall. Now."
- "Hettyyyyy! My arm already hurts, you can put it in there…please!" –he begged.
- "Oh no. A large muscle is needed for the antibiotic and I think your thighs don't have any more room. Don't make a fuss, the sooner the better if you don't want the needle to block."
- "Whaaaat?Why?"
- "MR. CALLEN!"
- "All right, but make it quick" – he said turning on his side and giving Hetty the back.- "I hate needles."
- "If were you I wouldn't want this one quick" - Hetty lowered a little Callen's boxers, she wiped with alcohol his hip in a circular motion and rising a syringe full of a white and thick liquid she said. – "Ok, deep breath." – then without hesitation she stabbed Callen's hip and started to inject.
- "This one buuuuurns!" - Protested Callen his head buried on the pillow.
- "No, that one hurts. This one "– said Hetty injecting a second one on the same side- "is going to burn."
- "Hettyyy! Not even a warning? I do hate needles!"
- "And the last one stings like a bitch"- announced Hetty injecting again nearly on the same spot.
Callen jumped, but in spite of the burning sensation that was descending his leg, he didn't make a sound.
- "That's cruel Hetty, three on the same side! I really hate needles!"- Exclaimed in pain, his voice muffled by the pillow.
- "Don't be such a moaner, c'mon sit down and let me have a look at your eyebrow".
- "Hetty, don't you have anything better to do than torturing me before breakfast?" – Callen said standing up a little too fast and feeling suddenly dizzy.
- "Always the same" - murmured Hetty – "Mr. Callen, sit down, low your head and control your breath."
It wasn't easy for Callen to recognize his weakness. He did as he's been told his good arm on his knee supporting his head, sweating, trembling and pale because of the pain.
- "I was feeling ok until you used me for target practice."
- "You just need to take it easy for a few days. Don't move I'm going to change the dress; I don't want your wound infected again with all this sweat. Good, the swelling is nearly gone, it's time for you to get some stitches."
- "Hetty…" -complained Callen weakly.
- "Not know Mr. Callen, don't worry. Just drink your tea, it would settle your stomach. I'll send Daniel to help you as soon as you finish."
- "I don't need any help!" – said Callen.
- "Yes, you will need some help to put your arm in a sling. There're some clothes on the closet that may suit you, and hurry up, the team is coming and the dessert isn't ready yet!" – Hetty said exiting the room.
Some minutes later a refreshed Callen entered the kitchen where Hetty, beater at the ready was mixing some eggs with sugar and flour. He was wearing navy blue chinos, a fancy light blue and white plaid shirt and a pair of buckskin loafers without socks. Supporting his left arm an also blue sling was hanging from his neck.
- "What did you do with my jeans Hetty?" – he asked amused sitting down at a high stool and picking a piece of apple.
- "That tattered thing with more holes that this strainer? I used it to polish the armor. And before you ask about the disgusting tennis shoes you left here last time, I burned it with the stubble. This is a Christmas celebration, it won't hurt you for once to wear something more stylish than your usual T-shirts."
- "Thank you Hetty" – he said sincerely.
- "You're more than welcome, Mr. Callen. And now get out of here before you get dirty."
One hour later Sam was at the door bottle of vine in hand. He was worried about Callen and he couldn't wait to see him. Daniel let him in and Hetty called him still from the kitchen:
- "Mr. Hanna over here!"
- "Good morning Hetty!"
- "Good morning Sam. Humm, Pinot noir excellent choice as always. Thank you"
- "How is G, Hetty?"
- "Weak as a kitten and stubborn as a mule. Yesterday he managed to menace the doctor with a gun to get the fractured arm reset and the bullet of his shoulder extracted." – Sam eyes grow big in disbelieved at Hetty's words. - "It was a rough night, but when his fever broke he finally rested some hours. Go to look for him, I'm betting he'll be in the library. Fourth door on the right behind the stairwell. I'll join you once I finish with the sharlotka, I'm afraid I'm out of practice."
Sam walked out the kitchen admiring Hetty's house. When he arrived at the library's door he peeked inside to discover Callen napping on a couch with a big book covering his face. Smiling, he approached without making noise not wanting to wake up his friend.
- "I'm not sleeping Sam"- said Callen with a sleepy voice that come behind the huge book.
- "No, you're getting yourself suffocated by a book!" – answered the big man taking the heavy book from Callen.
- "Hey! I was reading this!"
- "Is it a new technique of speed reading to hold the book at one centimeter of your eyes?" - Teased Sam putting the book on a table beside a chessboard where a game was being played with beautifully decorated pieces that waited to be moved.
- "How are you, G?"
- "I'm good" – Callen answered quickly- "in fact, I'm not. I'm starving! He said incorporating himself from the couch and hissing in pain to his regret."
- "Yeah, good. I see."
- "Really Sam, I'm fine, just still sore."
- "You menaced the doctor!"
- "I wasn't going to a hospital, besides what's the point of bringing him here if I had to go to one? I was just being logic."
The ring from the front door sounded on the house.
- "You and your logic. I heard Kensi and Deeks. C'mon let's go before they eat all the aperitif."- Sam said offering his hand to Callen who took it in order to stand up without failing, his side didn't make it an easy task. – "And by the way, are you wearing loafers? Really?"
- "A day is a day, Sam. Besides, no laces to deal with"- Callen said moving the fingers of his splinted arm.
- "Just ignored him, Callen. You look great!" – said Kensi, who was wearing a green dress, hugging G and interlacing his waist with her arm.
- "Not as great as you! you look beautiful"- Callen said kissing Kensi on the chick and putting his good arm on her shoulders.
- "A day is a day"- she smiled back.
- "A day is a day for what?" - Asked Deeks entering the house and waving everybody.
- "For dressing well, not like you." – said Kensi.
- "And what's wrong with my fancy T-shirt?"- he said.
- "Nothing, but it's just revealing."
- "Revealing?"
- "Revealing the fact that you don't know how to make a tie knot."
- "Touché."
- "Lady, gentlemen, why are you here? Mr. Beale and Miss Jones are already on the garden waiting for us."- said Hetty leading the group to the back where an aperitif was being served.
- "Hey guys"- greeted Nell- "how are you Callen?"
- "Better Nell, thanks."
- "Yeah Callen, are you ok? 'cause you're walking funny."- said Eric innocently.
- "Yes, G, you're walking funny"- mocked Sam guessing the reason and laughing at the embarrassing of his friend.
- "You wouldn't make fun if it you knew how it hurts."- replied Callen to Sam- "shots, Eric, thank you for reminding me."
- "Shots like shots in plural?" –asked Deeks grimacing.
- "Three of them, same place, big needles, Hetty."- summarize G.
- "Ouch! I can't imagine a worse nightmare"
- "I heard you Mr. Deeks, and pray God for not needing it."
They exited to the garden. It was a beautiful sunny day, blue sky with a tiny solitary white cloud, light breeze that made waves on the tempting swimming pool. A waiter offered the team a tray with glasses of French champagne.
- "No tequila this time Hetty?"- asked Nell when everybody was served.
- "The day is young, Miss Jones, the party has just started. Now I want to propose a toast: for all of you. Last weeks were difficult times for all of us. Without resources, bounded hand to foot, the best you aroused in order to bring one of you home. Miss Jones, for your imagination. Mr. Beale for achieve the impossible with that tablet of yours. Mr. Hanna, for this lesson of friendship, Miss Blye, for all that exhausting work of translation and lip read. Mr. Deeks, for keeping everyone sane. And, of course, Mr. Callen, for not giving up."
Everybody was moved at Hetty's words. Less than a day before they were still anguished and working till exhaustion trying to find a little clue that leads them to Callen.
- "For you Hetty, the only person in Earth capable of changing Christmas' celebration of day."- said Deeks making everyone laugh.
Callen cleared his throat and raising his glass said:
- "Hey guys, I want to thank you for being there. I found my strength to come back in knowing that you were waiting for me. For us and the best No-Christmas day ever"- he added raising his cup and drinking the champagne. – "And now let's eat, I'm starving here!"