A/N – Finally got this one done, short as it is. I'm not sure when the next update will be with Christmas and New Year etc happening, but I will try not to leave you hanging too long. My original plan to get this finished by Christmas just didn't materialise at all.

So on that note, Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to all of you. I hope you have a great time with whatever celebrations you have planned.

Thank you so much for all the support and encouragement you've given me throughout this story and many of the others I have done this year. It's been another interesting and complex (especially my story Compromised!) but enjoyable year on FF.

Disclaimer in Chapter 1

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Chapter 5:

Thursday 20th January 2011/Friday 21st January 2011

Callen made his way to the bedroom to check on Alyssa after over an hour of scouring through files and information except she wasn't there. He frowned and listened carefully but there was no sound from the adjoining ensuite. Then he heard it. A slightly muffled sound coming from across the hall. Quiet crying.

He moved quickly and silently into Tabby's room. Alyssa was lying on Tabby's bed with her arms wrapped around a stuffed cat. He slipped carefully onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her. She sunk into the comfort of his arms without hesitation.

"She always sleeps with him," Alyssa told him softly. "We don't go anywhere without Rusty."

The name suited the cat. It was a rusty red colour with a blue ribbon who looked like he'd been well cuddled.

"She'll be back sleeping with him soon. I promise," Callen replied.

Alyssa lifted her head to look at him. "You can't know that."

Callen brushed the tears off her cheeks and smiled at her. "But I do. It's a strange story that you probably wouldn't believe."

"Try me," Alyssa whispered.

Callen could see the desperation in her eyes for something to distract her from her current thoughts. He moved slightly and settled her more comfortably against him in the small confines of the single bed.

"Christmas Eve," he started. "I had a dream. You were in it. So was Tabby. I'd never even meet you but you were there. It was like the story A Christmas Carol. Hetty past, Sam current, Eric future … and you two were there in my future."

"How?" she asked while her fingers slowly moved on his chest.

"Not telling."

"That scary huh?"

He felt the slight movement of her cheek that told him she was smiling, just a little.

"Not scary at all." But he wouldn't elaborate any further. He didn't want to jinx it – even though he didn't believe in jinxes he wasn't going to risk it. "I thought it was all a dream, until I arrived at Hetty's that day and things started to match up."

Alyssa lifted her head. "You don't think it's a dream anymore?"

Callen reached up and tucked her hear behind her ear. "I don't want it to be a dream," he told her gently. "I want it. I want you and Tabby and everything else that was in it." He cupped her face and looked her straight in the eyes. "I will do everything I can to make sure I get a shot at that. I promise."

The tears filled her eyes again and she settled her head back on his shoulder. "I'll hold you to that," she managed to say. "I can't do anything else, because I can't go through it again. I can't lose her. I barely survived everything when Paige died. It hurt that bad."

Callen tightened his arms around her hoping somehow, by some miracle – which he was starting to believe in – it could ease her pain.

Alyssa continued.

"It's not that I didn't want to take care of Tabby," she said, "that wasn't a question I even had to think about. It was just that everything changed so quickly and I could barely breathe with the changes. I'd lost Paige. She was so much more than a sister. She was my best friend, my support. I'd gained Tabby. My life changed completely in a matter of minutes. I gave up work to be there for her. Most of my friends slipped away. They couldn't understand and then I was fighting for Tabby with my family. I didn't have time to grieve for Paige for so long."

Alyssa snuggled a little deeper into Callen's hold and took a deep breath. " If it hadn't been for Derek and Georgia dragging me to LA when Tabby turned one, I don't think I would have had that time. They kept us there for six weeks, entertaining Tabby whilst leaving me free to lose it. I spent so much of that time crying and talking to them. There's no way I can repay them for giving me that time and chance. If I'd lost it like that when it was just Tabby and I, I'm sure my family would have succeeded in taking her from me."

Callen's arms tightened a little at the thought of her parents having anything to do with raising Tabby. He had to consciously ease his hold before he hurt her.

"Hetty wouldn't have let that happen," he told her. "And I'm sure that Derek and Georgia don't want you to repay them. That's what friends and family do."

"I know," she said softly. "I just hope that they don't need to do it again."

Callen kissed the top of her head. "They won't."

Alyssa didn't say any more. She stayed quiet and eventually drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Hetty popped in later and quietly covered them with the covers. As she did Callen saw something in Hetty's eyes when her gaze landed and stayed on Alyssa briefly. Love – deep, unconditional love. The kind he saw in Martha's eyes when she'd looked at Faith or any of the boys. Hetty may not be Alyssa's biological mother but the love that she felt for her was more than just a devoted aunt. Another piece of the complex puzzle that was Henrietta Lange slipped into place.

Callen smiled his thanks. Hetty returned it before leaving them alone and closing the door. He rested, drifted occasionally and slept eventually, his mind still buzzing in the background with the information he'd pulled from the files, trying to find something that they had missed.

In the morning, he felt Alyssa jump as she came awake. "Tabby?" she whispered.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here" Callen reassured her.

Alyssa turned into him. "I was hoping it was all a bad dream." She buried her head in his shoulder and took a deep breath. "Not that I don't like having you here but…"

Callen allowed himself to smile a little at the fact that she did want him her.

"You'd rather Tabby was safe and home and I hadn't need to come," he continued.

Alyssa lifted her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Callen stroked her hair back off her face. "I'd rather the same too. Even given how much I missed you two."

Alyssa smiled a little. "You missed us?"

Callen returned the smile. "Yep. Who'd have thought I'd miss someone I'd only spent a day with so much."

Everything had happened so quickly. He knew some of it had to do with the dream and the hope that dream had given him, but a lot more had to do simply with who Alyssa and Tabby were.

"We missed you too," she added softly.

Callen held her for a little while longer before he made a move to get up. Alyssa moved out of his arms and sat up on the too small bed. Callen stood up and held out his hand to her.

"Come on. Now you've slept, let's get something to eat.