Hope you have been enjoying the ride. If this was a roller coaster we have crested and plummeted down the biggest hill. Six more chapters to go with those little rolling hills found towards the end of the ride, nothing major but they complete the journey, or in this case the story. Thanks for the reviews to date. I really enjoy reading them.
When they pulled up in front of the hospital, Deeks ran into his next dilemma, how to get Callen into the ER. He could not leave the Challenger parked at the curb because it was a no parking zone and God forbid Sam's car got towed while Deeks was helping Callen into the ER.
Option two was to have the valet parking attendant park the car. However, he quickly nixed that idea as he could imagine how Sam would react if he heard that Deeks let some total strange drive his car. Deeks was still amazed Sam let him drive the Challenger.
Deeks quickly started running through his other options; go park in the visitors lot and make Callen walk from there to the ER which fundamentally felt wrong; let Callen go into the ER by himself while he parked the car, but if Callen bolted Sam would kill him; let Callen park the car...NOT; put Callen on the bench out front and tell (well maybe ask) him to wait while he parked the car and then come back and escort him in.
Reaching no conclusion, he sighed in frustration and cleared his throat. "Ah Callen. We're here."
Callen cracked his eyes, then confirming where they were, he opened them fully, unbuckled his seat belt and started to exit the vehicle.
"What are you doing?" Deeks asked quickly.
Callen gave him a strange look. "We're at the hospital right?"
Deeks nodded in concurrence.
"So I am getting out of the car and walking thru that door into the ER," Callen said patiently as if explaining to a three-year-old.
"Yeah, but I can't leave the car here."
"No you can't. So go park the car and wait for me in it, unless you insist on coming in."
Deeks thought for a moment. "I don't think waiting in the car was an option I was given."
"You're a big boy Deeks. There are always options."
"Yeah, ah no, not with Sam and Hetty on this one."
Callen sighed theatrically. "Fine. Then go park the car and meet me inside." Callen opened the door and started to swing his legs out. "And Deeks, I'd park it far away from other vehicles. Sam won't be happy if his paint gets scratched."
"I don't suppose you'd let me handcuff you to that bench over there while I parked the car in a safe place?" Deeks asked as he desperately scanned for Kensi. What had happened to her?
Callen gave him his nonverbal 'get real look' that spoke louder than words.
"Alright. I get that. But you do realize if I go park the car then come back and you are not in that ER...I am not saying you would take off or something...but if you are not in there when get I back, I have to explain that I lost you to Sam and Hetty. I just don't picture that as a fun event."
"And you picture you trying to handcuff me to that bench as a fun event?"
"Ah, no. Could you please just sit on that bench, until I come back? Please?" he whined.
Callen got out of the car, swayed a bit, then steadied himself and walked over and gently sat down on the bench. He smiled innocently back at Deeks. "Happy?"
"I will be if you are sitting there when I return," Deeks muttered as he drove away. It took him longer to find a 'safe' parking space than he wanted and he was sweating by the time he hurried back to the bench. Of course it was empty!
"I should have used the handcuffs. This is so not fair," he said to an elderly couple walking by who gave him a wide berth. Rushing inside, he scanned the waiting area for Callen but did not see him. Muttering under his breath, he hurried to the reception desk and started babbling to the woman seated there. "Excuse me. Did you see an injured man?"
"Could you be a bit more specific?" the woman behind the desk asked looking up at him. "This is an ER. We see a lot of injured men."
"Of course you do. But this one was outside on the bench."
"Why would an injured man be outside on the bench?"
"Because I had to park the car and he wouldn't walk in from the parking lot."
"I thought you said he was injured? Why would you want to make him walk that far?" asked the receptionist clearly confused at the twists and turns in this conversation.
"Because he wouldn't let me handcuff him to the bench. I knew he wouldn't stay on the bench, even though he said he would, but obviously he didn't because he is gone, proving I was right " Deeks exclaimed flinging his hands in the air.
A second woman walked up to the desk to see what the commotion was about. She took one look at Deeks, giggled and said, "Oh, it's you. You do look like Shaggy."
Deeks stared at the new woman. "Excuse me?"
"You must be looking for your friend. A woman with long dark hair said some man who looked like Shaggy was going to come to the desk in a panic with a wild story. I am guessing you are he."
"Panic! Why should I be in a panic just because the Hulk and his ninja sidekick are going to kill me because I didn't handcuff the poster boy for disobedience to a bench. I'm not in a panic. I'm just... Wait...Woman... long dark hair? But I left a blond man on the bench not a woman and for the record he was not handcuffed.
"I would hope you wouldn't handcuff an injured man to a bench."
"You might if you knew him," Deeks countered.
"It was not a good idea to leave your friend out there alone," she scolded. "It's a good thing your girlfriend came along and brought him inside."
"Yeah but you don't understand. See there was Sam's car, which he let me drive and I had to park it and he won't agree to handcuffs...wait my what?""
"Your girlfriend. She brought your friend in here and it was a good thing too. This way please." She motioned for him to follow her down the hallway.
"Colleague more than friend. Well I don't know maybe both...maybe not. You know this is not as crazy as it sounds..." Deeks jabbered as he followed her through a maze of curtained beds until she came to one where she stopped and pulled back the cloth to reveal Callen sitting on the examination table with Kensi standing alongside.
"Fern! You!" Deeks exclaimed in a mixture of surprise and relief.
"Deeks. Why are you so surprised to see me?" Kensi questioned. "You know I was following you here."
"Yeah but you weren't here and there was a bench..."
"I don't think it was a good idea to leave him on that bench in the sun."
Callen smirked at Deeks behind Kensi's back.
"Yeah but he wouldn't let me handcuff him to it," he said like a petulant little boy which earned him a withering look from Kensi and the nurse. Sighing, he finished, "You had to be there."
The nurse clearly had enough from this strange group and took charge. "You," she said addressing Callen, "need to change into that gown," she pointed to the offending object that Callen had already decided he was not putting on. "We'll get an IV started and then the doctor will examine you further." She turned her attention to Kensi's next. "Can you to assist with filling out the paperwork?"
Kensi glanced questioningly over at Callen who succinctly said "Tom Martin."
Turning back to the nurse she said, "If you access your patient files for Thomas Martin, you will find his complete medical history."
"And it's a doozy," Deeks added earning him a scowl from Callen.
"I see. Well there are still a few forms he needs to fill out now. I will get them. In the meantime, please step out while Mr. Martin changes, unless you need their assistance?" she inquired of Callen.
"No," came the quick reply.
Deeks grinned wickedly. "The ties go in the back and you have to take off all your clothes. Complete commando." If looks could kill, Deeks would have been dead on the spot.
Kensi swatted her partner on the arm. "I said don't irritate him. He's got a gun and he knows how to use."
The nurse shook her head and thought it was not even the full moon and the crazies are already out. "Ok. Then you two please go to the waiting room and I will call you after the doctor has examined him."
Deeks looked at her as if she was about to make a huge mistake. "You're gonna leave him alone?"
"He will hardly be 'alone'. He is surrounded by very competent staff members. Don't worry. Your friend will be fine."
"Yeah but..." then Deeks hesitated and shrugged."Ya know, not my butt. Sam told me to bring him here but didn't say it was my responsibility to keep him here. Have at it," he said cheerfully to the nurse. "And good luck."
Kensi looked at Callen knowing his antics when it came to medical care. She tried to take the nice, be sensible approach. "It really would be a good idea to let them check you out Tom. We are all worried about you, especially your brother and mother who I am sure will be by to check on you in a bit. You know how upset they would be not to find you here."
Deeks couldn't resist. "Yeah, you know how scary Mom can be. Right sister Fern? Remember the last time brother Tom escaped from the hospital and Mom..."
Kensi elbowed her 'brother' and the nurse had enough. "Out!" she commanded.
Kensi looked at Callen who gave no indications of what he would do as soon as they all left him alone. She sighed and followed her partner to the waiting area.
"What are the odds he stays put?" Deeks asked as they sat down on the utilitarian furniture.
"Not good," Kensi answered realistically. "Wonder if I should call Hetty now?"
"No need dear," came the familiar voice from behind them. "Where's Mr. Callen?"
"Brother Tom is in the back, Ma. Changing into a gown," Deeks said grinning evilly.
"I see. Where you injured Mr. Deeks? Perhaps a blow to the head?"
"No. Why?"
"Huh. No reason," she said clearly indicating there was a reason. "Well I best get back there before our reluctant patient skedaddles, son." She marched up to the reception desk and was quickly taken back into the maze.
"How does she do that?" Kensi asked impressed at how quickly Hetty got her way.
"I think she gives off some sort of scent, pheromone, or maybe she has magic powers."
But magic powers or not, she quickly returned to the waiting room. "It would seem I am too late. Mr. Callen is already MIA."