Chapter 19

It had been another month of intensive therapy for Todd but at the end of this week, he was finally coming home.

Callen had walked off from the center a month ago, He had gone back to work but had been distant and snappy then he had walked out of work, he had left a leave request on Hetty's desk and then he had just left, despite the team trying to see him he hadn't been seen for a week after that and then exactly a week later he turned up at work, brushed off all questions as to where he had been from his partner and Kensi and Deeks and just sat down and did his paperwork.

Hetty had talked to them and told them that he had helped Todd in getting better and then needed a vacation, she had not told them that unusually for her, she hadn't heard from him either while he was away.

Eric came down the stairs as soon as he heard that Callen was back.

"Hey Callen." He said

Callen looked up "Hey Eric, How's the kids?" he asked.

"Summer is great, she's finally back at UCLA full-time and her grades are already back on point. Todd's finished his therapy, he did a weekend at home, last weekend and he comes back fully at the end of the week." Eric said grinning like a lunatic; although it faltered a bit when he mentioned Todds' therapy, he wanted to tell Callen how much he appreciated his help, but here in the bullpen was not the place to do it.

"Glad to hear it," Callen said, not elaborating on anything.

"How are you doing?" Eric asked him trying to be as vague as possible.

Callen instantly knew what he meant and put up his walls, "Fine…I have to give Hetty a report," He said and stood up and walked away.

The others looked in shock, Callen had never snapped at Eric…He was hardly ever snappish with anyone; he never wanted anyone to see that much emotion.

Callen dropped a file on Hetty's desk and slumped in the over-sized armchair she hid in the back corner where she would sit and listen to her Agents through the antiquated air duct system and then surprise them with how much she knew.

Callen curled up and closed his eyes.

"Is this report for me?" Hetty asked quietly walking over to him.

"Dunno," He shrugged.

"Mr. Callen, are you ok?" she asked.

Callen sighed, "I dunno…" He admitted

He looked at her, "Todd's coming home this week, his therapy's progressed well, and it was a good thing talking to him….wasn't it?"

Hetty took a typists chair bringing her up to his height and sat next to him.

"It was good for Todd…how about you?"

"She's dead….I went to see her…I needed….did you know she was dead?" he asked, he watched as she nodded.

"What did you need?" She asked.

"Permission, forgiveness…closure…I guess." He said sadly. "Todd said I had failed her…I thought maybe…She would have some answers about me; for me."

Callen sneezed and Hetty looked at him again, he looked tired and drawn.

"Where have you been?" she asked again, Callen looked away.

"I…" He started to get up; Hetty put a hand on his shoulder.

"Cal, where have you been?"

Callen shook, "please…don't….I…."

"Cal, now!" Hetty hated using this tactic but she knew it would get information she may need from him quicker.

The others in the bullpen looked up at the raised voices but didn't move, whatever was going on between Callen and Hetty was obviously private.

Callen got up and tried to walk away. He took three steps when Hetty pulled her trump card.

"CAL REPORT!" she shouted and instantly he dropped to his knees.

Within moments he composed himself and got up walked to the edge of her office, as mad as hell.

"I was with her ok….All week, I haven't left her, do you know how much it took me to leave…and you do this…..BITCH!" He yelled and stormed right past a shocked team as Eric came running out of ops.

"CAL STOP!" She shouted at him, rooted to the spot his hands clenched to his sides he stopped.

He had heard Callen yelling and Hetty call him Cal. Knowing what he knew he came to Callen's' defense.

"Hetty! How could you?" Eric said.

"I needed to get him to talk to me. I needed to know and he needs a doctor." She walked up to him, "Mr. Callen I am sorry, but you need to see Dr. Peterson and a paramedic, Eric can you call them now." She said.

Callen started to sway, he was exhausted with the effort of fighting the order Hetty had given him, that with the exposure for the nights that Callen had lain beside his Mistress's grave willing himself to leave but not being able to he was mentally and physically on the edge.

Hetty and Sam guided Callen to the couch and lay him down, "I'm sorry Hetty…" He said ashamed as she covered him with a blanket.

"Its fine Mr. Callen, we both went too far." She reassured him.

"No…I didn't go far enough." Callen mumbled as exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

Hetty caught that as she was leaving, "Sam are the paramedics on their way?"

"I called them," Kensi said, she looked down and saw a small drip of blood on the tiled floor looking up she saw a small drop of blood on his finger "He's bleeding."

Hetty lifted his shirt sleeve and saw a bloody elastic band around his wrist, "OH Mr. Callen…not again." She said sadly.

She walked off looking for the first aid kit, so she had it at the ready by the time the paramedic arrived.

"Toby?" Eric said recognizing him from the hospital. Toby had looked him up having found out what he had done and personally apologized to Eric and Todd for what he had done.

"Wow Eric man, nice to see you, who's hurt?" He asked.

Noticing Callen on the sofa Toby's new partner looked at him, "Callen…" the other man said.

The others looked in shock; Callen never used his real name in hospitals.

"I can give him basic first aid, but I can't treat him." The man said, "We need to call another team in, Apart from his wrists and thighs, is he hurt anywhere else?" the man asked.

"You haven't even touched him how in the hell do you know what's wrong with him?" Sam asked the older man.

The man ignored Sam and turned to Toby, "Tobes, I need gauze and scissors and saline, for his wrists and small gauze pads for his thighs."

"Okay Boss."

"Raymond?" Hetty said as she walked up, "I didn't realize; have you called for a back up team?" Hetty asked.

"Toby's calling as we speak; I'll just give him basic first aid." Ray said already cleaning his wounds. "How long has he been out there this time?"

"A week." Hetty said.

Ray rolled his eyes and started gently tapping Callen on the cheek. "G…G, come on wake up."

"Fuck off Ray." Callen slurred.

Ray smiled at least he knows it's me this time.

"Back to work." Hetty said to the others, Kensi and Deeks turned and walked to the bullpen, Sam refused to move.

"Who the hell is he and why won't he treat Callen?" Sam snapped.

"I can't treat Callen, he's my brother." Ray said.

"Shh Ray, I'm sleepin'" Callen slurred and turned away from the annoying voice.

"Aw Christ! CAL!" Ray said looking at the bruises on his back as he turned over.

Callen sat bolt upright at the use of the name. "Son of a…..RAY! What the hell?"

Ray looked at his little foster brother and glared at him, "I should be asking you that, what set you back bro?"

"I….helped a friend…it kinda backfired on me." Callen said. Ray sat on the sofa next to him and placed an arm across his shoulder, "its ok Bro, we're free from her…we're safe now." Callen turned his head and unashamedly wept on Ray's shoulder.

"How long you been bleeding?" Ray asked.

Callen gave a half-hearted shrug, "Dunno, few days…maybe more."

Ray glared at Sam then looked at Callen, "We have to take you to the hospital, what the hell set you off this time?"

"Saw Peterson, Had to, I had to help a kid…" his eyes rolled back again.

Sam looked at Hetty, "Who the Hell is this and who is this Peterson…and what is going on with my partner?"

"Not now Mr. Hanna…" Hetty said as another paramedic team turned up.

"Mr.?" The paramedic asked.

"Peters." Ray said, "He's my little brother."

The Paramedic started checking him out and Callen pulled away, leaning closer to Ray. Looking at his wounds the Paramedic looked at Ray, "Does he have a Therapist?"

"Dr. Peterson…For this." Ray said.

"No…" Callen tried to pull away, "Not again, Can't do this again…please Ray, don't let em…" Callen's voice trailed off as the paramedic injected him with a sedative and laid him down on the gurney.

Eric had stood just outside the circle of people and watched as Callen was placed on a gurney and wheeled out to the bus, he grasped Hetty's arm as she went with Sam to follow him, "Did I do this…Did helping Todd do this to him?" Eric asked.

"Not exactly Mr. Beale, it in a way helped Mr. Callen as much as it helped your son, Where Todd received his therapy follow up, Dr. Peterson offered Mr. Callen follow up therapy before he left but Mr. Callen turned him down."

"Oh, Can I help at all, I owe him Hetty." Eric said earnestly.

"Come to the hospital, maybe you, Mr. Hanna and Mr. Peters can convince Callen he has a family too and he can heal as much as Todd can."Hetty told him, "Maybe, what happened will finally help both boys to heal." She said to herself as she turned to follow the ambulance.