Chapter 2

Timeline info - Current

Callen was at the pier, where Tash's shooting had happened. He came here every now and then, to remember. It was a weakness he wasn't willing to tell anyone about, though Hetty probably knew. Callen wondered how Tash was doing; wondered whether they had done the right thing not going after her. She was family, but they had no way of proving it; no way to claim her back from her uncle. It had been two years since she had gone, two years since he had seen her last, but he still felt that urge to go after her. He would have in a heartbeat, if he had thought she would welcome him, but all he could remember was how scared she was of them, of him.

Callen was walking toward the pillar when he noticed a woman was standing there. Her back was to him and she had her head tilted, like she was trying to figure something out. He tried not to think about how it reminded him of Tash. He stopped, not wanting to intrude and not wanting company. He preferred to face these particular demons alone, where no one would witness his occasional lapse of control. When she turned around, his breath caught. It was her.

Tash looked at him, and she frowned. Like she had done every day of those two months, but this time she didn't seem scared. She seemed more curious. She kept looking at him. Callen stepped forward slowly, not saying anything, just watching for any sign that might give him a clue to what she was thinking. Tash took a tentative step towards him and then stopped, though she still watched him. Callen kept moving though, slowly, closer. He couldn't believe it was her. That she was here.

"Do I know you?" Tash asked him softly, when he was close enough for him to hear her. He remembered her voice so well, it hadn't changed. Again, she sounded curious, not scared like the last time she had asked him that. Callen tried to remember what Nate had told them so long ago, how to help her remember without telling her anything.

"You did once," Callen replied softly. She hadn't changed much, though she did seem more softer, not quite so tough. He wanted to reach out to her, hold her and promise her he wouldn't let her go again. But he didn't, because most of all, he wanted her to not be scared of him. Because if she was scared, she would run away, and the only running he wanted her to do, was to him.

"How?" Tash asked, with that familiar frown of concentration he remembered.

"You have to work that out," Callen replied, trying hard not to let her name slip from his lips. He didn't want to scare her by saying it, though somehow he doubted he would, given her response so far.

Tash stepped closer, looking hard at his face.

"There is something, but I don't remember, I don't..." Tash said, interrupted by a male voice calling out.

"Natasha! It is time to leave," the voice said.

Tash turned her head toward the voice, "No Uncle Mike, I can't leave now," and quickly turned back to Callen. He saw the desperation in her eyes. It gave him hope, she might not remember yet, but she wanted to and she was fighting to.

"Natasha, we have to go," the voice was closer this time. He saw a familiar flash of anger in her eyes as she spun around.

"Uncle Mike. I don't know who I am, but something about here ... something here is about me. I'm not going anywhere. Two years I've tried, but nothing. Not until now. Please ... please I need to stay," Tash begged.

"I can give you ten minutes, but then we need go," Uncle Mike said firmly.

"Thank you," Tash replied. She turned back to Callen, looking at him intently.

"Carl?" she asked softly. Callen tensed at the name. It was who they had been hunting, who she had been undercover to get. She shook her head. "No, not you," Tash said, answering her own question. She put her hands to her head and ran her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes as she did. It was longer now than it used to be. He remembered how soft it was, especially after she had washed it. He watched as her hands stilled in her hair and she frowned. When Tash eventually opened her eyes, he saw a scared look in her eyes.

"Not you ... him," Tash whispered, her eyes glancing across to where her uncle stood, but her head didn't move. Callen froze briefly, as the meaning of her words registered.

"Tash, I need you to trust me," Callen said softly, so Carl wouldn't overhear. "I'll keep you safe, but you need to trust me." Callen saw her nod ever so slightly. He tried not to smile at that little sign that their Tash was still in there. Carefully, he pulled out his iPhone and sent Sam a text, hoping he would understand.

Text to Sam - tash carl pier now help.

"What do you remember?" Callen asked her.

"Mostly glimpses. Not much more than a picture, but I don't know what they are," Tash answered. He could hear the frustration, tinged with fear, in her voice and hoped that Carl wouldn't. He saw her fighting not to look at Carl.

"Would you like to sit down? We've got ten minutes if you want to talk," Callen said, holding out his hand to her to help her sit down on the sand. Tash looked at it for a moment and then tentatively put her hand in his and they sat down. Callen felt the familiar feel of her hand in his, hoped she did too. He'd know her touch blindfolded. When Tash let go, she looked at her hand for a moment and then at him, frowning again.

"Why did you come here?" Callen asked, hoping that if she talked to him, something might come back.

"I had flashes of here in my dreams, but nothing solid," Tash said. "When I saw where we were, I had to stop. To see if there was something more."

"Why were you fascinated by that pillar?" Callen asked, glancing briefly toward it. She turned and looked at it, shaking her head slightly before turning back to him and answering.

"I don't know. It just ... seemed familiar," Tash said. "Why can't I remember who you are? I know you, I'm sure but," she stopped. He could hear her getting more frustrated.

"Maybe I remind you of someone else," Callen said.

"Maybe, but then if you do, I probably don't remember who either," Tash said. She looked down and started to play with the sand with her fingers. Callen watched her for a moment and his heart leapt when he realised she was drawing the letter G in the sand, over and over. He hoped Sam wouldn't be too far away with back up.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sam's POV

"Hetty! Eric!" Sam bellowed as he looked at the message from Callen that he just received on his phone.

Eric poked his head around the corner, "You know Hetty hates..."

"Need you to bring up audio from G's phone and listen. Now!" Sam said to him firmly, pointing at Eric and then upstairs, as he spoke.

"What..." Eric started.

"Tash," Sam said and Eric turned and raced up the stairs, without another word, already typing away on his portable machine.

"What about Natasha?" Hetty said behind him. Sam turned around.

"G's found her at the pier where it happened, but she's with Carl," Sam said quickly.

"And you are still here because?" Hetty asked. " Go Mr Hanna, Now!" Hetty ordered, turning away and heading toward her desk.

"Kenz, come on," Sam said, grabbing his keys. Kensi looked at him confused, but followed quickly.

"Another team will be on route shortly Mr Hanna," Hetty called out to him as she picked up the phone on her desk.

"Thanks Hetty," Sam said as they almost ran out the door.

Once in the car and on their way, Kensi finally spoke.

"Who's Tash?" she asked.

"Natasha Farrow. She was who you replaced," Sam said, flooring the accelerator as he weaved in and out of the traffic. He knew the way to the pier by heart, he'd driven it quite a few times over the last couple of years when Tash had been on his mind.

"The one who lost her memory?" Kensi asked.

"Yeah, that's the one," Sam replied.

"And who's Carl?" Kensi asked, holding on tight as Sam drove well over the speed limit.

"The bad guy we were trying to get when it all went wrong," Sam replied, concentrating on the best way through the traffic. Tash was so close. He hoped they could get her back safely this time. They were just a couple of minutes from the pier when Kensi's phone rang.

"Callen's talking to her, but you don't have long. Only a few minutes left before Carl is going to try and get her to leave again," Eric said, having managed to get some cameras near the pier and monitor Callen's talk with Tash.

"We're almost there Eric. What about the other team?" Sam asked, seeing the pier just up ahead.

"Just a few minutes behind you," Eric replied.

"Not close enough," Sam said.

"They're going as fast as they can. Be careful guys. There are two bodyguards standing by a black car, watching them. They are far enough away, but with guns, they'll be a problem," Eric said.

"Send the other team to get them. We'll get Tash," Sam said.

"Will do," Eric said, hanging up, just as Sam pulled up at the pier, luckily finding a car space easily. Personally, he would have been happy just to stop in the middle of the road, but that would have probably put the bodyguards on a higher alert.

"I can see them Sam," Kensi said, as she looked around and saw the bodyguards Eric had mentioned.

Sam looked at her, grinning a little, but Kensi could see the tension behind it. "Feeling like a nice, romantic stroll under the pier?" Sam asked.

"Just don't go getting too frisky," Kensi replied as they got out of the car.

Sam slipped his arm around her, low on her hips and Kensi leaned in to giggle as she slipped her arm around him as well. Sam lent down as he whispered in her ear. At least that is what the bodyguards saw. In reality, Sam was getting his hand close to Kensi's gun, as was she his, just in case they needed one quickly.

"We need to wait until the other team get here if we can," Sam whispered. As they got closer, Sam could see Tash sitting on the sand in front of Callen. They weren't close enough to hear anything yet, but at the squealing of tyres and the sound of gun fire coming from the street, Kensi and Sam broke apart and moved quickly to focus their aim on Carl. As Carl pulled a gun on them, Sam fired; his shot accurate. He wasn't intending on letting him get away, Carl had taken too much from them already. Kensi was already checking on Carl, Sam still having his gun aimed at him, just in case. Kensi confirmed that he was dead and Sam turned to check on the bodyguards. The other team gave them a thumbs up and he turned to look at Tash for the first time in two years. Relief flooding him that she was all right. That this time, they had kept her safe.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

When the gunfire started, Callen had pushed Tash back into the sand, covering her with his body, to protect her the only way he could. He pulled his gun ready, but he trusted that Sam and Kensi had it covered and focused on protecting Tash. Eric had sent a text, letting him know that Sam and Kensi had arrived. When the gunfire stopped, he looked over to check on Sam and Kensi and then turned his attention back to Tash.

Tash looked up at him, as a memory flashed through her mind.

He had her pushed back against the wall. Their bodies pressed together. He was looking deep into her eyes, his hands running up her body gently. She enjoyed the feel of it. But she had to focus. He moved his head closer and whispered in her ear, "Do you see them yet?"

Tash shook her head and frowned at him. What was she remembering? It didn't make sense.

"Are you okay?" Callen asked Tash, seeing the frown and confusion on her face.

"I think so," Tash replied with a small smile.

Callen moved off her and held out his hand. Tash looked at it for a moment, before taking it and standing up. She held on as her legs felt unsteady under her. Tash looked over to see the man she had thought was her Uncle Mike, lying in the sand by the feet of a woman with a gun. There was a tall, dark man watching her, a gentle look on his face. She turned to Callen with a frown.

"Who are you?" Tash asked again.

"Friends," Callen said. It was the closest thing he could think of at the moment. His phone rang.

"We're fine Hetty," Callen said as he answered it.

"Good. Now bring her home," Hetty said and hung up. Hetty didn't need to worry about that. That was exactly what he intended on doing.

"Tash, do you still trust me?" Callen asked as he looked down at her.

Tash looked at him, and then back to the tall dark man and the woman standing next to him. Somehow, she did.

"Yes," she said. Tash started to glance toward where her 'uncle' lay, but Callen put his hand up and turned her face back to him. Her breath caught at his touch and she almost closed her eyes. She wondered why.

"Don't look," Callen said, gently. He had noticed her reaction to his touch on her face and he felt a ray of hope that she was coming back. "Come with us. I promise, we'll keep you safe," Callen said. Tash nodded and he slipped an arm around her waist to hold her steady, as he steered her away from Carl's body. He could hardly believe that she was back. She felt so right by his side, almost like she'd never been gone.

"Callen, you two okay?" asked Kensi, as she and Sam came to join them, with Sam finally looking at Callen instead of Tash. Tash tried to focus on his name, but she couldn't get anything from it.

"We're okay. Hetty wants to see her," Callen said, glancing down at Tash as they stopped in front of them.

"Who's Hetty?" Tash asked.

"Our boss," Sam said, looking at Tash and smiling gently. He was rewarded with a gentle smile back. There was something about him Tash couldn't place, but whatever it was, somehow Tash knew it was good.

"Do I know her too?" Tash asked, looking from Sam back to Callen.

"Yeah, you do," Callen replied. "You also know Sam," Callen said, nodding in Sam's direction.

"And I definitely know you?" Tash asked looking back at Callen after glancing at Sam, remembering the flash of a memory she had just had.

"Yeah," Callen said.

"You?" Tash asked, looking at Kensi.

"I'm Kensi. Sorry, we've never met," Kensi answered. A couple of guys from the other team arrived to take care of the body, freeing them up to take Tash back to the office.

"Let's get you out of here," Callen said, starting to move them to the car. Kensi smiled as she saw Sam step in close beside Tash. There seemed to be something about Tash that made those two act very protective. Actually, everyone had jumped at the mention of her name. Hetty had even seemed slightly strange, more forceful if that were possible, with the way she had ordered Sam to go. She was looking forward to finding out more.