Hey thanks for hanging in here so long. This is the final chapter which brings all to closure. Hope you have enjoyed the ride. Please be safe while exiting the vehicle and enjoy the rest of your day.

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Trying to wake up was like swimming through jello but eventually he got his eyes to open and remain that way. He glanced around at his surroundings and new exactly where he was, a hospital. A quick examination of his person confirmed it; he was wearing a hospital gown. His eyes roamed the room again and stopped to rest on his partner who was sitting in a chair near the bed.

"You lied," were the first words out of Callen's mouth.

"And good morning to you too Sunshine," Sam greeted his grumpy partner.

"Don't you have some place to be, like with your daughter?"

Sam placed the magazine he'd been reading on the night stand. "Nope. They released her yesterday." Sam could see Callen trying to do the math in his head so he decided to help him out. "You have been in here two days...so far."

"Two days! What happened to no overnighters and no needles," he complained holding up his arm with the IV in it.

"I already told you. I lied. Oh wait, that's right. You didn't hear cause you were passed out on the ER floor."

"Well I am out of here now..." he stated as he pushed himself more upright in the bed.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Sam warned.

Callen froze. "Please tell me you didn't handcuff me to the bed." Callen quickly scanned his extremities for metal.

Sam smiled. "Not yet," he said sweetly. "But it can still be arranged."

Callen flopped back against the pillows. "How bad," he questioned.

Sam laid out the facts for him. "The bullet 'graze' on your thigh, 4 inches long, moderately deep, about 20 stitches. Gonna add to your scar collection. The one on your side, not so much a graze as a thru and thru hence the prolific bleeding leading to the passing out. Let's skip the stitch count on that one. The lacerations on your back, you were sort of lucky there. The hot metal cut your skin but also cauterized the wounds too. Only problem was there was some debris left behind. But not worries, they dug it all out and the antibiotics eventually knocked the infection out. Luckily, whatever was in those barrels did not produce toxic fumes so your lungs are fine. And of course you were severely dehydrated, but they have been pumping you full of liquids via that nice IV. Would you like to know about your urine output?"

"Nope. I'm good," Callen said sincerely. "So when do I get out?"

At that point the doctor walked into the room. "Ah, Mr. Martin. You're awake."

"And ready to leave." The doctor laughed and Callen put on one of his 'scare the bad guys' scowls. "That wasn't a joke," he said trying to intimidate the doc.

"Impressive, Mr. Martin" his ops manager stated walking into his room. "Awake less than 15 minutes and you are already causing problems. That has to be a new record."

Callen dropped the scowl. "How do you do it Hetty?"

"It's like a good magic trick. Not half as much fun if you know how it is done." She turned to the doctor. "How is our patient doing?"

"The infection has responded well to the course of antibiotics. I still need to examine the wounds..."

"Oh by all means don't let us get in your way," she said moving to stand by Sam.

The doctor seemed a bit hesitant.

Callen sighed. "Go ahead. It's ok. She buys my underwear and he's seen me naked."

The doctor, being wise, did not dig past the surface of that remark. Instead he walked over to the bed and examined the wounds. "Healing nicely," he proclaimed flipping the sheet back over Callen's torso.

"So you're gonna release me..."

"If all goes well, first thing tomorrow morning."

"But you said..."

"You still have a few more boxes to check off before you can be released," the doctor explained.

"Like eating," Sam interjected. "I took the liberty of filling out your dinner menu. All vegan. All healthy."

"I'm gonna kill you," Callen threatened.

"Wanna know what else you have to demonstrate you can do before they will release you?"

"No!" Callen answered with conviction.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Tomorrow morning I will be back and if all is well you will be released," and with that he left the room.

Callen laid in bed pouting. "It's only one more night, Mr. Callen. Deal with it."

"Easy for you to say," he muttered to Hetty.

Hetty slowly shook her head with a sad look on her face. "No. It is not easy for me to say. I know."

A look of panic flitted across Callen's face followed by one of dismay. He scrutinized his boss' face. "You do know," he said incredulously. "How?"

"A story for another day. Now you need to rest. Mr. Hanna will stay in case you need anything."

"You mean to keep me prisoner," Callen replied with a touch of repugnance.

"That Mr. Callen is totally up to you," she said as she left the room.

"Don't worry. I have it covered," he assured her. Sam was very curious what that exchange between Callen and Hetty was about but he knew his partner well enough to know digging now would lead nowhere. He would be patient and wait for a better time.

Callen laid his head back on his pillows looking rather miserable. "Cheer up G. I'll go out later and buy you one of those horrible, artery clogging, burgers you like."

Callen's eyes lit up. "You'd do that for me?"

"I'm your partner," Sam said sincerely. But before Callen could open his mouth, Sam added, "and I'm also gonna handcuff you to the bed when I leave."

"You know I can get out of handcuffs," Callen reminded him.

"Not without your trusty bobby pin which you don't have. In case you haven't looked under that sheet, no pants."

"That makes it a little harder," Callen admitted.

They sat in silence for a while, before Callen asked, "Jasmine is truly ok?"

Sam put down the magazine he was perusing. "Surprisingly so."

"She's tough like her Mom... and her Dad."

"And her Best...Uncle...Ever," Sam teased. "Seriously G. Thanks."

Callen looked away at a point far over Sam's shoulder. "Maybe this just proves a point. Connections to other people are too dangerous in our business," Callen mused falling back on his lone wolf tendencies. "If she didn't know me..."

"She could have gone to school and got her head blown off by a crazed student. Or gone on a subway and been gassed. Heck she could even be playing in her own yard and get hit by a drunk driver. Life is dangerous G. But the answer is not to be a monk and go into hiding. The answer is to be cautious and surround yourself with people that love and care about you. You can't do that in a cave."

Callen winced, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.

"Besides, Christmas is coming and don't even think you are getting out of buying my baby girl a great present. She wants this new electronic pony. I hear it is hard to find but with your great detective skills I am sure it will be a snap."

Callen screwed his eyes closed even tighter.

"And I think you should get something really nice for Michelle too considering how much she has to put up with from you. Diamonds are nice. Out of my pay grade but you're single. Maybe Arkady knows a good source."

Callen scrunched down under the covers more.

"And as far as I go, if you don't mind me giving you a suggestion or two..."

Callen opened his eyes and looked at his partner. "Sam...shut up. I'm trying to rest here."

"You are coming for Christmas."

"It's only September. Do you really need an answer right now?"

"Yeah, cause creeps up on you. Halloween goes by and next thing you know all the decorations are up and the toys are going fast..."

"If I say I'll be there will you shut up?"

"Sure."

"Fine. I'll be there."

"I'm gonna hold you to that."

"Great. Maybe you'll work harder to have my back."

"I always have your back."

Callen smiled sincerely. "I know. And I love you for it."

"Now I know you got hit on the head," Sam retorted playfully.

The rest of Callen's hospital stay went the same way, with Sam doing everything in his power to keep Callen preoccupied and not brooding over whatever secret terror hospitals held for him.

Good to his word, Sam got Callen his burger though he did cuff Callen to the bed while he was gone. Trust went only so far. When the nurse came in and saw Callen cuffed to the bed, it didn't even faze her. She went about her business with efficiency then left. Callen made a note to ask Sam what he told her.

In the morning, the doctor came in and signed the release papers. Sam, keeping one part of his original promise, drove Callen home, but not until they had a minor argument on whether Callen could go to his house or stay the night at Sam's. Callen won that battle but Sam told him he would drive him to work in the morning since his suspension officially ended when he was in the hospital.

The next day found them back at Ops, catching up on paperwork, bickering with the rest of the team and waiting for the next case which was soon to come. There was no lack of baddies in the world.

The End.