A/N - Thanks for the alerts and review.

aussietrueblue - thanks for the request on more Kensi/Tash interaction. This chapter is a bit longer now because of it. Reviews do make a difference. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer in Chapter 1 & Reviews forever appreciated.

On with the story...

Chapter 11

Hetty walked into the bullpen with Nate close behind. "Miss Farrow, it is time for your session with Nate."

Inwardly Tash groaned. She wasn't in the mood for another session but she knew that it was one way to help. "Okay," she agreed, reluctantly. As she stood up, she was sure she heard a muted chuckle from Callen and glanced over at him. He looked innocent enough and she turned back to Nate and smiled slightly. They walked away together towards Nate's office and Hetty returned to her desk.

Once Hetty was out of earshot, Sam turned to Callen. "Twenty bucks says she's out of there in five minutes."

"Ten minutes and you're on," replied Callen, not quite sure she had remembered yet.

Kensi looked over from her desk and asked, "What are you two betting on this time?"

"How long before Tash gives Nate the slip," Sam replied, as they both looked over at Kensi, who was now frowning.

"Why would she?"

Sam chuckled before he replied. "She didn't really sound like she wanted to go and she's never been one for forced talking. Doesn't have a problem talking to Nate, just prefers to be the one who goes to him, rather than be dragged away."

"She had a talent for giving him the slip and him not even being aware of it," Callen added. A talent not many people shared.

Kensi, even more curious now. "How did she manage that?"

"Not entirely sure." Sam glanced over at Callen. "She only ever told G her tricks."

Kensi looked over at Callen, who smiled before he responded, "Not all of them, and she took a lot of convincing to get those out of her."

"Gonna share?" Kensi asked him. Callen just shook his head. Nate hadn't worked out how he did it yet and he didn't want to lose that advantage.

"Do you remember the time when she had slipped him in less than two minutes?" Sam asked.

"I remember."

X

"How does she do that?" Sam looked over Callen's shoulder. Callen turned to see Nate talking to Hetty.

Callen frowned, concerned. "Isn't he supposed to be with Tash for the next hour?"

"Yep, and she only just went with him a couple of minutes ago," Sam replied.

"You take Nate, I'll take Tash." Callen got up and went in search of Tash. He saw her heading for the bathrooms.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Nate?" he called out to her. She stopped and turned around.

"Not ready to talk," Tash replied.

"And he just let you walk away?" Callen really wouldn't mind knowing how she did that.

Tash smiled. "I have my ways."

"Gonna tell me?" Callen asked. He doubted she would, but it couldn't hurt to ask. She might surprise him yet.

"In your dreams G," Tash replied. He saw her smile again, that one full of mischief she had when she knew something he didn't.

"Trust me Tash, when you're in my dreams, Nate doesn't factor in." It was nice to see her a little happy, after what she'd been through with this mission.

Tash's eyes sparkled just a little. "Dream about me do you?"

Callen ignored her question and asked one of his own. "So why aren't you ready to talk?" He was close enough now to see how tired she was.

Tash sounded tired too, as she replied. "I've been her for two weeks, G. I want to be me first. I need a shower and a change of clothes. I'll talk to Nate this afternoon. I promise."

"You better," Callen said. He'd stay outside Nate's door if he had to, to make sure she dealt with this today.

Tash frowned. "Why?"

"It was a tough one, Tash. You need to get it out of your head before Hetty will let you start work again," Callen replied.

"I know." Tash's voice was soft and sad. A part of him wished he had continued the dream conversation, just to keep her happy. He watched as she turned away from him, walked into the bathroom and closed the door, before he returned to his desk.

"She okay?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, she'll talk to him later. Nate tell you anything about how she slipped away?" he asked Sam. Sam shook his head.

"Nope. You?"

"Nope."

"Think she'll ever tell us?" Sam asked.

"I think it will take a lot of convincing," Callen replied.

X

As the time ticked away, Callen, Sam and Kensi did some paperwork. After ten minutes though, Callen and Sam started to concentrate less on their work and more on keeping an eye on the clock and the direction she would come from Nate's office. Callen finally saw Tash walking over to them and glanced at the clock again. "Thirty minutes."

Kensi looked up at Callen's works and asked, "So who wins?"

Callen noticed Tash had smile on her face as she arrived, one that, from experience, he was sure meant trouble.

"Remember anything?" Callen asked her.

"A bit." Tash continued to walk over to Sam's desk rather than the one she usually sat at.

"Like?" Sam queried. Tash didn't answer. She just looked down at Sam, smiled and held her hand.

Sam frowned, confused. "What?"

"Hand it over. I know you guys placed a bet." Tash glanced at Callen and then back to Sam. "And I know neither of you won."

"What bet?" Callen asked, his voice full of innocence. Kensi did her best not to laugh.

Tash turned to look at him, eyes narrowed.

"I may not remember how to give Nate the slip, but I do remember you two loved betting on how long. So, which of you took five, and which took ten?" Tash turned back to Sam. He reached into his pocket and handed over the twenty.

"Five," Sam admitted. He was pleased she'd remembered more, but to have to hand over the twenty, well at least Callen would too.

"Such confidence in me. You used to be a ten guy." Tash turned and walked over to Callen.

"Think I've lost my touch do you?" Tash asked him, as she held out her hand for the money Callen had in his. He pulled it away at her words and looked at her carefully.

"You cheated." Callen watched the expressions on her face and his eyes narrowed suspiciously at what he saw. "You remembered, and deliberately waited it out."

Tash lent over to reach for the money, one hand on the table to support her. She smiled as she looked at him. He was so close by then.

"I don't cheat, G. Perhaps I bend the rules a little, but I don't cheat." Her voice was soft and mischievous. He'd missed that voice.

Callen fought the urge to close the distance between them and kiss her. She was so close, still looking at him and she wasn't moving, even after she had taken the money out of his hand. He saw her swallow nervously and he started to move but she finally pulled herself away.

"So Kensi, feel like lunch out? Boys are paying." Tash turned and walked over to Kensi's desk to put some distance between her and Callen. She was relieved that she hadn't done something potentially stupid such as kiss him. She had wanted to try again, to see if it would be the same as the other day. But here, in front of everyone, probably wasn't the place.

"Sure." Kensi stood up and reached for her bag and keys asking, "Anywhere in particular?"

"I'll trust you." Tash reached for her things and turned slightly to Callen and Sam and smiled. "Thanks boys."

Callen looked at Sam, after the girls had left, and shook his head.

"Should we join them?" Sam asked.

Callen shook his head. "They can't get up to much."

Sam gave Callen a disbelieving look and he promptly changed his mind.

"Oh." Callen remembered that both Tash and Kensi could find trouble without looking for it on their own. The two of them together, so much potential for disaster.

"Any idea where they went?" Sam asked, as he stood up.

Callen's phone rang. "No, maybe Eric can tell us," Callen suggested and answered the phone as they started to walk toward the stairs. "Kenz, miss us already?"

"It's a girls lunch boys, don't even think of it." Callen heard Tash's voice on the other end of the phone, followed by the two girls laughing before she hung up.

Sam saw the look on Callen's face. "Tash?" Callen turned around and headed back to his desk and sat down.

"Yeah."

"Just what did she remember with Nate?" Sam asked, as he returned to his seat as well.

"No idea." But it was a good sign that the memories were continuing to come back. Now, if she could just remember them.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"You seem to be doing pretty well remembering things," Kensi said as she drove them away from the office.

Tash shrugged. "Bits and pieces. It's a little hard to place where they fit."

"Seems like you had a pretty good thing going with the team."

"Yeah," Tash replied, her voice soft and wondering. "Just not entirely sure what it was with them."

"With them, or with Callen in particular?" Kensi asked. Tash turned to look at her.

"That obvious huh?" Kensi smiled. She knew there was definitely something between Tash and Callen, but also knew that she couldn't say anything.

"You call him G, that was a big hint. Sam's the only one I've known, until you, who calls him that."

Tash gave a little chuckle. "Apparently I call him Callen when I'm mad."

"Well, he obviously hasn't made you mad since you've been back," Kensi replied. "Maybe that's why I don't call him G," she added with a teasing smile, as she pulled in to a favourite place of hers that wasn't too far from work.

Kensi looked over at Tash and asked, "You like burgers?"

"Who doesn't?" That at least, she knew. They got out of the car and walked inside.

"Want to eat in or take it back to the office?"

Tash thought for a moment about Kensi's question, then looked at Kensi and smiled.

"Depends. How much do the boys like burgers? I can't remember."

Kensi returned her smile. "Takeaway it is."

They walked up to the counter and placed their order.

"So how are you doing with all of this? Must be weird," Kensi asked Tash as they sat down at the counter.

Tash found herself letting out the frustration to Kensi. "Weird? I'd give anything for this just to be weird. It's frustrating, Kensi. To not know who I am." Tash shook her head slightly and continued. "Not having the memories, not knowing people. That's not so bad. At least I can get to know people again. I don't know how to get to know me." Tash gave a small smile to Kensi. "Sorry, didn't mean to dump all that on you."

Kensi shrugged. "I don't mind. We all have our problems. We're all here for each other."

Tash shook her head slightly and frowned. "But you barely know me."

"So? The guys do. Hetty does. I've seen the way they are with you. You are a part of this team Tash. You might not remember, but they do. So, you're a part of mine too," Kensi replied.

Tash felt tears prick the back of her eyes at Kensi's acceptance of her and smiled. "Thank you."

Kensi grinned. "So when you remember, can you tell me how to slip away from Nate?" Tash chuckled and shook her head.

"Maybe. We'll see. I think I might need to keep all my tricks up my sleeve for a little while yet."

Kensi smiled and shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

"Sophie?" a male voice interrupted them.

Tash turned to the voice and frowned.

He asked her again, "Sophie, is that you?"

Tash shook her head, but a sense of dread settled in her stomach. "No, sorry," she replied, as she looked at him.

"Sophie Jones," he repeated. "Darren. Boyfriend. You left one night, never saw you again. Where'd you go?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not who you think." Her heart started to race and that feeling in her stomach intensified.

Darren was about to say something when Kensi stepped in to stop him.

"Look, I'm sorry. But this isn't Sophie. Leave." Darren looked at both of them and, perhaps sensing the danger from Kensi if he pushed it, he moved away, but continued to watch them.

"Tash, you okay?" Kensi noticed Tash had gone pale. Tash shook her head.

Concerned, Kensi stood up, moving slightly closer to Tash, just in case she needed to catch her and looked for someone to hurry along their order. The waitress walked up to them at that moment and handed them their order.

"Let's go," Kensi directed, taking the bag of food in one hand and reaching out to steady Tash as she got off the seat with the other. Tash left first, Kensi staying behind in a protective way. Tash didn't look at Darren, but she could still feel him watching her.

They got in the car and pulled away.

"Tash, what is it?" Kensi asked, concerned by Tash's reaction. "Did you know him?"

"I don't know, maybe." Her voice was soft and Kensi could barely hear her, it was almost like she wasn't even in the car with her. What she could hear, though, was the distress in Tash's voice. She just didn't understand what it was from.

X

"Come on Sophie, do you really have to go?" Darren asked.

"It's work, you know what it's like." She had pulled away from the kiss after she heard her phone go off with its distinctive ring.

"Yeah, I know. But it's late and it's Friday night. Surely they can do without you until morning." Darren pulled her back into his arms.

She gave him a quick kiss and moved to pick up her phone as she said, "I have to. They wouldn't be calling if they didn't need me."

"Sophie Jones," she answered.

"Time to leave. It's over." Callen's voice was harsh and she almost frowned.

"On my way, boss." She was confused. His words were so unfamiliar. He usually made some conversation, just in case Darren overheard. She hung up and turned around.

"Sorry, it's an emergency," she said as she picked up her jacket and put it on.

"It always is." Darren stood up and walked her out to her car.

She smiled up at him, "Thanks for dinner," she said.

"Anytime," Darren replied and he lent down to kiss her goodbye.

X

"We're here," Kensi's voice pulled Tash back from her memory.

They went into the office and sat down with their food. Callen and Sam watched them, but Tash didn't look at them. Something seemed wrong and Callen's eyes narrowed, as his gaze focused on Tash. He stood up and walked over.

"You didn't bring us any?" Callen asked. It wasn't the food he was interested in, but more what was up with Tash. She'd been so happy when they'd left.

"Why would we?" Kensi asked, taking a bite of her burger.

"To be nice," Callen replied.

"Sorry," Kensi mumbled around the burger in her mouth.

"Here, have mine." Tash stood up. "Not hungry anymore," she added as she walked away

"What's that about?" Callen asked Kensi, as he watched Tash leave. Kensi swallowed her food.

"We ran into a guy who thought he knew Tash. Well, a Sophie Jones anyway. Tash didn't take it too well," Kensi replied.

Callen swore under his breath and went to find her.

"Tash," Callen said as he walked into the break room where she was sitting, her head resting in her hands.

Tash looked up at him. "Is this what we do? Hurt people? Make them think we like them and then disappear?" She had seen the hurt in Darren's eyes at the restaurant. Callen sat down next to her before replying.

"Not always. We do what we have to do to get the bad guys." He kept his voice soft, hoping it would help her calm down. He could tell something had distressed her by the tone in her voice and the look on her face. She hadn't really changed much.

"Even hurting the good guys?" Tash turned to face him more fully. Callen could see the shining of tears in her eyes. This was the reaction of Tash the woman. Tash the agent, knew the deal. She just didn't know that side of herself yet. He kept his voice gentle as he spoke.

"Might not like it but sometimes. It has to just be a job, Tash."

X

"It was just a job, Tash. Not my problem if you couldn't keep your emotions out of it," Callen said to her.

"What? So you never feel a little guilty using an innocent?" She frowned at him. Things had been so strange with him tonight.

"We do what we have to do. We do the job, no emotion. So no, I don't feel guilty," Callen replied, standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Well lucky you Callen. Not all of us can be emotionless machines." She tried to blink back tears that were threatening to fall. There was no way she would let him see her cry over this.

"Maybe you shouldn't be out in the field then." Callen's tone reminiscent of the harshness he'd had when he called the job off earlier. His words cut and she reacted badly to them.

"Go to hell Callen." She turned and walked away quickly.

She was looking through Hetty's wardrobe when he found her again.

"Tash." Callen's voice was gentle this time, which just made her more mad at him. She pulled some clothes off the rack, holding them up to her and turned to face him.

"What do you think Callen? Hot enough? Think I might be able to find a few guys tonight willing to make out with me?"

Callen frowned. She shrugged.

"No. Okay then." She turned back to the rack and pulled out a short black leather skirt and skimpy red top. "What about this?" she asked again, turning back to him.

"What are you doing Tash?" Callen stepped closer. She walked away from him to the shoe rack and started looking through it.

"Figure perhaps I should practice. Thought I'd head off to a nightclub and see what I can do. Hey, I can probably even get Hetty to cover the bar tab. After all, she is always happy for us to improve our skills right? Want to place a bet on how many guys I can get?" She picked up some knee high matching black leather boots and nodded.

"That should do it." She turned and walked toward the changing rooms, passing close by him. "Thanks for the advice Callen," she added as she walked into one of the small cubicles.

Before she could close the door, he was there, turning her around and pushing her against the wall. She saw the anger in his eyes and wondered what he had to be angry about.

"You want to practice, you practice with me," Callen growled, before crushing her lips under his. There was a brief moment of shock, but then she kissed him with just as much passion as he was kissing her. When he finally pulled back she managed to say, "Guess I don't need any practice after all," trying to deny that she had felt anything.

Callen smiled at her, but didn't reply. She knew she was in trouble though. He ran his hands slowly up her body and she couldn't help it when her eyelashes fluttered and closed, couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped her lips. She felt his lips rest on her neck, right where her pulse was pounding, and then he moved away, leaving her there, breathing hard.

"Hope you lie better than that in the field," Callen said, just after he stepped out of the change room.

X

Tash looked at Callen, trying to make sense of her latest memory. "Why were you so angry?"

"When?" Callen asked, not quite sure what she had remembered.

"When I was going to go out and practice?" Tash watched his face, trying to read his reaction.

Callen remembered the time she meant. There had only a few times he had gotten angry with her, only once had it been about practicing.

"Didn't want you to get hurt," Callen replied, though he looked away as he said the words. He knew she'd pick up on that little tell that he was lying, even though what he had said was mostly true. She hadn't had great choice in men. But he'd also had a hard time with that mission, watching her get close with Darren. It hadn't helped that he knew what Darren was hoping for that night. They had a couple of cameras in his house and when he had come in with roses that didn't stay downstairs, Callen had a hard time letting her go in that night. Not that she would have done anything. He knew that Tash had one line that she wouldn't cross for the job. Sex was it. She trusted them to get her out before things got that far. Thankfully, Sam had called to say they had what they needed from other sources so he had been able to hold up his end of their unspoken deal. He hadn't meant to be so abrupt about it though, which had ended up with the two of them in an argument about emotions and using people. Seeing her get ready to go out to find other guys was the final straw.

"Hope you lie better than that in the field." Callen looked back to her at her words.

"Why?" Tash asked him again.

"You didn't have the greatest taste in guys. I really didn't want you getting hurt." This time he didn't look away and hoped that would be enough.

"But if it was just a job, why would it matter?"

"You weren't," slipped out before he could stop it. Callen stood up and walked away before he said too much.