A/N- Don't own anything related to NCIS: LA

The Only Easy Day

"So when was the last time you saw Holgate?" Callen asked Sam as they walked the hallway of the Federal Building.

"Bosnia. When was the last time you saw your daughter?" Sam retorted, on the offensive. He had tailed Callen last week after work one night, well, tailing him the best he could. He ended up outside of a house in the suburbs of Santa Monica and was surprised to see Callen walk out with a teenage girl. She was laughing and Callen seemed….happy. He had approached Callen about it in the car the next day and he wasn't divulging, other than the teenage girl was his daughter. Sam had tried bringing it up every day since, to no avail. Callen wasn't budging and Sam was about to go behind his partner's back and ask Hetty who the mysterious teenager was.

"So, you two have history together?"

"We weren't dating, if that's what you mean. If you're going to keep interrogating me like this, I'm going to start interrogating you again on your mystery daughter," Sam fired back. Callen dropped the attack.

"Really, dad? Golf attire?" Taylor muttered, that evening, as she came down the steps to her father in the living room, chatting with Skylar.

"Got anything wrong with golf attire?"

"I just didn't think you owned anything but long sleeve shirts and jeans, that's all," she said. "We going? I'm kinda hungry and Skylar doesn't have any food in her house."

Callen stood up. He had run out of the Mission before Hetty could say anything about the clothing, anxious to have a dinner date with his daughter. "I guess. Let's go."

Taylor was already waiting by the door, flip flops on her feet. "Are you coming? For some reason I thought you walked faster than a turtle. Geez!"

Callen rubbed his face in exasperation and looked at Skylar. She just shrugged sympathetically. Taylor had the attitude to match Kensi's and more. Whew. He hadn't really missed the insults thrown his way every time she opened her mouth. Actually, that was a lie. He did miss her. A lot. Insults and all.

They were at a diner in Venice, for dinner. Taylor's choice. "You going to come to my game tomorrow?" Taylor said, in between bites of ceasar salad. Taylor played on the Santa Monica High School soccer team and also played club soccer for Santa Monica United FC.

"Do I have to?" Callen joked.

Taylor shot him a look. If looks could kill, he would have been dead. "I'm just joking. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The next day, they had a case and Callen kept looking at his watch. Taylor's game was at 4, and it was 3:51 right now.

"What's up with all the watch looking?" Sam asked, driving back to the Mission in his Challenger.

"Just drive faster," Callen said.

Sam looked over at him and smiled. "Going on a date or something?"

"Nope." And that was all Callen was going to say about the subject.

By the time he had got to the soccer field, it was over half time and SMU was up 2-1. He sat down on the grass beside Skylar.

"I'm impressed you made it," Skylar said, not taking her eyes off Taylor playing. She was a forward and even in the couple seconds Callen had been watching the game, he could tell Taylor was good. Really good.

"Why?"

"Just your past record and everything. You normally tend to make promises like these, and not follow through." Skylar replied. She finally turned to Callen, who had just given her a look. "Okay. You have a clean slate, again. I'm just hoping for Taylor's sake you can be a little more involved in her life. And I am really happy that you are making a commitment. I really am."

Callen didn't say a word back to his ex-sister-in-law. Skylar had been right. He remember one instant when Taylor was 14 and he had told her he was going to come to her soccer game and in the end, right before the game, the CIA had told him he was going on another op. Callen had phoned Taylor after the game to apologize and she had just hung up on him.

Taylor's team had won 3-1 and she came off the field, beaming. She even gave him a hug, sweaty and all. Callen was just thankful he wasn't in clothes that needed to be returned to Hetty, because his daughter smelled like a locker room.