A/N – Thanks once again for your patience and support on this.

I know this one has been a long time coming and I am sincerely hoping that it won't be so long before the next update. With a new bub and a brand new school girl, these last couple of months have been busy and slipped away quite quickly. Things aren't looking like they will slow down much, but we are getting a little more settled which should led to a little more me time!

Disclaimer in Chapter 1

Chapter 6

Friday 21st January/Saturday 22nd January

The day went incredibly slowly. Even with the fresh, multiple sets of eyes trying to search for anything, nothing new surfaced. The police vehicle had been clean of any evidence – good or otherwise. They had no sightings, no clues, no brainstormed idea on who it could be or where Tabby could be. Callen was restless, itching to get out there and bring her back. He was also worried about both Alyssa and Hetty. Alyssa had been incredibly quiet for most of the day and it was easy to see Hetty was stress. She wasn't hiding it as well as she usually did though she was trying to keep positive for Alyssa. Her answers were short and to the point, her words didn't contain the usual Hetty flair. Thankfully, Alyssa's parents respected the restraining order so that was one less strain on everyone.

In the early part of the afternoon Kensi had found Alyssa staring at a box on a bookshelf that looked quite familiar. There were tears on her face and Kensi didn't quite know what to say so she focused on the box.

"That looks like the one Hetty gave me for Christmas," Kensi said. "I told her she should give it to someone in the family."

Alyssa turned to face her and smiled a little. "Hetty doesn't give things like this away unless the person she's giving it to means a lot to her. I take it that it was her mother's box?"

Kensi nodded. She didn't really know what to expect from Alyssa regarding the box, but it hadn't been this easy and obvious acceptance of it. "Yeah it was. I put some special things of my dad in it. He died when I was fifteen."

"I'm sorry," Alyssa said sincerely. She looked back at the box. "This one was my grandfather's box." Alyssa ran her fingers over it tenderly as she continued. "We keep some special things of Paige's in here. Tabby makes a card for her every birthday, with a little list of things we've done that year and we put it in some photos too. It's a special place to keep some of the little things I kept of Paige's. Tabby enjoys hearing the stories about them on her birthd-" A sob stopped Alyssa's words.

Kensi moved closer and gently place a hand on her arm. "We'll find her. It's what we do. I've never seen Callen this determined. He won't stop until we do."

Alyssa turned back to Kensi. "It's Tabby's birthday tomorrow," she admitted softly. "The anniversary of when Paige died and I don't know if I can do this without her."

Callen came in at that moment and slipped his arms around Alyssa. Kensi stepped back a little to give them space.

"You're not alone Ally," Callen said reassuringly. "We're all here and we aren't going anywhere until we find her."

Callen glanced at Kensi and they both knew that there was a fleeting thought of Dom go through their minds. Both were determination to not let history repeat itself, even if things were heading in the same direction with nothing to go on – yet.

Kensi smiled a goodbye and left Alyssa in Callen's capable hands. She headed back to the computers and the information to see if there was anything else she could do.

Callen stood there for a while holding Alyssa close. She took some steadying breaths before turning in his arms and looking up at him. "I want her back. I want her back today."

Callen lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. "You know I can't promise you that. I wish I could. All I can promise you is this. I'm not going to stop until she is back here safe, with us."

Alyssa leant into his hand and watched his face carefully as she spoke, like she was trying to see past any defences or masks. "You weren't just telling me a story last night were you?" she asked. "About your dream? About wanting it?"

Callen held her gaze and shook his head. "No. It's true. I want what I saw, and that include both of you."

Alyssa nodded. "Thank you."

It was after midnight when the phone rang. Alyssa woke abruptly and jumped up from the couch where she'd drifted off to sleep with her head on Callen's shoulder. Instinct had her reaching for the phone.

"Wait," Fornell ordered. He waited for the phone to ring five times before nodding she could pick it up. It gave them just a little more time to track the call this way.

"Hello?" Alyssa said tentatively. Callen gently rested his hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Aunty Alyssa?" came a confused sounding female voice.

"Caroline?" Alyssa frowned. "What wrong?" she asked.

"You're… I mean Tabby, she's –" Caroline stopped suddenly. Then came a whispered voice "I think she's here."

Before Alyssa could say anything, the phone call was disconnected.

Fornell looked at Alyssa who seemed frozen in place.

"Ally?" Callen carefully turned her around. "Who's Caroline?"

Ally shook herself out of the daze she was in. "Conrad's daughter." She turned confused eyes to Hetty. "Could Conrad have taken her?"

Hetty shook her head. "No. He wouldn't have the … courage to do that."

Suddenly Alyssa started moving toward the door. "I'm going over there," she told them.

Callen was quicker and moved in front to stop her. "No. We need a plan first. And you aren't going."

Alyssa looked at him and he could see the fury at his demand – this was a side of Alyssa he wasn't expecting but he didn't back down. He continued quickly before she could say anything.

"Ally, listen carefully," he said. "If Conrad has taken her, you don't know him. You don't know what he is capable of at all. Let us do this. I promise I'll bring her home if she's there."

"They took her from me," Alyssa said. "I won't just sit back –"

"Alyssa," Hetty's firm voice stopped her and Alyssa turned to face Hetty. "You and I and Nate will stay, along with Officer Kincaid. Just in case this isn't the right lead. The others are trained to handle this. You and I are too close."

Hetty glanced at Callen and he silently told her not to go there with just a look. Close or not there wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that he wasn't going. Hetty got the message and continued without questioning his involvement.

"We'd just cause emotions to run very high," Hetty told Alyssa. "I promise you my dear, I trust them to bring her home."

Alyssa took some deep breaths and then walked out of the room. Callen followed. She stood there, arms wrapped around herself staring at a picture of her and Tabby that was on the dresser. He could see her trembling.

"Ally," he said tentatively, moving close though not touching her.

"I need to be there G," she said without looking at him. "I need her to know I'm there."

Callen put his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her around. He could feel the tension in her, so much more than before.

"It's too dangerous for you to be there," he told her. Callen pushed the thought out of his mind about what it would be like if they were too late. He really didn't want to go there. "If we can keep the emotional side down," he continued, "we have a better chance of no one getting hurt."

Alyssa stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I failed her G. Someone took her from me. And they did it so easily."

Callen tilted her head up to look at him. "You did not fail her. Do you understand? There was nothing else you could do. You took great care of her. You taught her what she needed to know if this happened. You did not fail. You are a great mum."

Alyssa's arms slipped down to his waist as she made a move to rest her head against his shoulder. Her hand bumped into his gun and she pulled back quickly.

"Show me," she told him. "Show me how to use that."

"Why?" Callen asked, taking a small step away.

"To help me protect her."

"Not now. Maybe later."

"Now. Please," she begged.

Callen heard the desperation in her voice, mingled with a touch of panic. He moved away, pulled out his gun and emptied it. He checked the chamber and fired into the ground, just to be safe. He'd fix the floor if he'd been wrong about it being empty. Instinct told him that trying to talk her out of this right now would just make things worse. But letting her see now wasn't a good idea was better.

Once Callen was sure the gun was safe, he stepped closer to her again. He put the gun in her hands correctly and told her to raise her arms and aim at the window.

She did.

But, as Callen had already guessed, her hands were shaking too much and he knew she could see it. He saw her arms dropped and heard a small sob escape her lips. He took the gun out of her hands, put it down and then pulled her into his arms.

"When this is over," he said gently, "when Tabby is safe and you are calm again, I promise I will teach you how to shoot." He tilted her head up and brushed away the tears on her cheeks. "For now, until you are ready, let me protect you and Tabby."

Alyssa nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. He held her tighter for a few minutes before he stepped back.

"I need to be out there and help them work out how we are going to get Tabby back. Do you want to stay here or come out?"

Alyssa shook her head. "I think I'd better stay in here until you're ready. I don't think I can take anymore."

Callen brushed a kiss across her forehead and stepped back. "I'll come get you when we are done."