They entered the elevator and Sam pushed the button for the ground floor where the ER was located. The movement of the car made Callen's head swim and he grabbed for the railing on the wall to steady himself. Head bowed, eyes clenched shut he repeated, "no needles, no stays," as if it were a mantra. He didn't see his partner roll his eyes at the heavens.

By the time the car had reached the correct floor, Callen had gotten it together and strolled out of the elevator like he didn't have a care in the world. Sam had to give it to his partner; he could put on a hell of a show. But, he wasn't fooling Sam with his bravado and he expected Callen would make a last ditch effort to get out of this exam.

"Hey Sam. I'm feeling a lot better. How about you get your car..."

Sam ignored his partner and marched right over to the reception desk. "My friend here has been shot..."

"Grazed, not shot..."

"Multiple times..."

"Over exaggeration. It was twice..."

"He was burned in a fire..."

"Lightly singed..."

"Inhaled chemically laced smoke..."

"One or two breaths at most..."

"And pelted with sharp metal fragments."

"While protecting your daughter."

Sam rounded on his partner. "This is deal breaking behavior," he warned and Callen went silent.

Sam turned back to the receptionist and flashed his badge at her. "May I speak to whoever is in charge please?"

A few minutes later, a slightly harried looking, middle aged doctor, walked up to Sam. "May I be of assistance Officer?"

Sam pulled him aside out of Callen's earshot. Callen watched suspiciously as the doctor listened to Sam, glanced his way a few times and nodded. When Sam finished, the doctor spoke to a nurse who nodded her head before saying "right this way."

The hairs on the back of Callen's neck twitched at the way the doctor and the nurse looked at him. "What the hell did you tell them Sam?" he hissed when they were left alone in one of the examination areas.

Sam grinned a bit evilly. "Wouldn't you like to know. Here, put this on," he said shoving a gown at Callen.

"No," he said stepping backwards.

"Come on G. The doctor has to examine you. He can't do it with all your clothes on."

"Putting on that gown is one step closer to being admitted."

"You should be admitted. To the psych ward." Callen stood there stubbornly with his arms crossed. "So you'd rather sit there, in your underwear, than put this gown on," Sam rationalized.

Callen shrugged and quirked an eyebrow. "I did plan to leave my socks on too."

When the nurse came back in the room she found Callen perched on the exam table with a sheet draped over his lower extremities and his sock clad feet hanging out the bottom.

"Oh did we forget to give you a gown," she started before she saw it was on the chair.

"Didn't fit," Callen said sincerely.

"I see," she said in a tone that clearly said she didn't.

"Don't mind him. He thinks he is allergic to hospital gowns."

"Yes, well let's get some vitals shall we," the nurse said pulling a mobile cart closer to the table. She wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Callen's arm, stuck the thermometer in his mouth and the oxygen meter on his finger. "Your blood pressure is low," she noted

"Strike one," Sam counted raising one finger.

"Your oxygenation level is also low."

"Strike two." A second finger joined the first.

"And your temperature is high."

"Strike three and you're out!" Sam concluded with a jerk of this thumb.

The nurse made a few notes on Callen's chart. "Ok Mr. Martin. I'm going to start an IV and then the doctor will be in shortly." She went to get the required supplies, pulling the curtain back around as she departed.

The second she left, Callen tossed off the sheet. "I'm out of here." He started to reach for his clothes which were on the table next to him.

"No you're not," Sam replied adamantly as scooped up Callen's clothes.

Callen gave Sam an indignant look. "Did you hear what she said? IV. That involves a needle thereby negating our agreement."

"You already negated our agreement with your comments in the lobby and refusal to put on the gown. That was not behaving."

"That was personal preference and ensuring that you got the facts right," Callen stated as he made another stab at reaching for his clothes which Sam countered by tossing them into the hallway.

"Oh Sam. So not cool," Callen said frustrated. "You know that won't stop me from leaving."

"No, but perhaps I will," Hetty said appearing from behind the curtain with his clothes in her arms. "I believe these belong to you," she said dumping them on the chair.

"Technically they don't. I borrowed them earlier."

"I see. Well be that as it may, I don't believe they belong on the floor of the ER. Someone might slip on them and get hurt."

"In a hospital," Sam added amusingly.

"It's no laughing matter, Mr. Hanna," she scolded wagging a finger. "Workplace injuries generate a lot of paperwork."

"You must have writer's cramp from keeping up with Callen's paperwork."

"I seem to recall you getting into your fair share of accidents Sam," Callen countered.

"Not as many as you G. And my injuries were obtained saving your ass," Sam retorted.

"Gentlemen, please."

"I have to be going," Callen stated with conviction.

"By all means," Hetty said moving to one side. "Don't let me get in your way."

Callen looked at her suspiciously. "You're gonna let me walk out of here?"

"If you insist."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch, Mr. Callen."

"No catch?"

Hetty shook her head. "None."

Callen knew there was a catch but he couldn't find it at the moment. So he decided he would proceed slowly and keep his eyes peeled. As he went to slide off the table, a wave of darkness descended.

Hetty yelled to Sam, "Don't let him hit his head," as Callen slid off the table onto a boneless heap on the ground. Sam reached out in time to keep his partner's head from impacting with the floor.

"I lied, Mr. Callen. The catch is you have to be able to stand," she said to the unconscious man.

"How did you know he would pass out Hetty?" Sam asked as he scooped his partner in his arms and laid him back on the examination table.

"A well calculated hunch." Hetty pulled back the curtain. "You can come in now. He's all yours. I would suggest you keep him lightly sedated or handcuffed to the bed if you don't want to be chasing him around the hospital. Your choice. Keep me posted Mr. Hanna," she said with a wave of her hand as she left.

Sam grinned and spoke to the unconscious man. "And ya know what G. I lied. There is gonna be needles and an overnight stay. But ya know what; I will drive you home when they release you."