A/N - Thanks again for your continued support and patience. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Disclaimer in Chapter 1

Chapter 12

Sunday 29th January 2012 - very early

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Callen glanced at the clock at the same time he moved quickly for his gun and a frown creased his forehead.

It was 2.34am and experience made him wary. Nothing good could come of someone at his door that early in the morning.

He listened carefully, tuned in all his senses as he moved to the door, silently readying his gun in his hand. He peered through the peephole. He kept his body away from the usual position – just in case.

The frown deepened when he saw blond hair and blue eyes – friendly and familiar ones.

He placed the safety back on his gun and opened the door quickly.

"Ally?"

She looked exhausted. The shadows under her eyes looked almost like bruises.

"Hi," she said quietly, a touch nervously too, if he wasn't mistaken.

Callen ushered her in and gave a quick check of the corridor before he closed and locked the door.

He turned to face her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Callen hadn't been expecting her for a few more days. She was packing up the house in Salt Lake City and, supposedly, moving to LA on Wednesday. Or at least that was where he thought she was.

Ally let out a breath in a quick puff. "Not really." Then she started pacing.

Callen waited patiently. He was concerned but not too worried, as he was pretty sure if something had happened to Tabby either Hetty would have already let him know or Ally wouldn't be this controlled.

Ally turned and looked him in the eye. He saw a determination in hers. She took a deep steadying breath.

"G, I …." She swallowed nervously before she pushed on. "I love you. I need to know. Do you…" Ally stopped abruptly and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she added before she opened her eyes again. "I shouldn't have come. I have no right to ask that." She moved toward the door but Callen reached out and stopped her gently with just a hand on her shoulder.

He turned her around and pulled her close. Gently he tilted her face up to his and waited until she finally looked directly at him.

"Yes, Ally." His thumb brushed her cheek softly. "I love you. And you have every right to ask that question." Callen smiled. He'd finally said those three little words and they felt so very right. It wasn't quite the way he had planned to tell her for the first time but the opportunity was there and he took it. She'd needed him to take it.

"Now," Callen continued, "How about you tell me what this is really about?"

He saw pain and confusion and tears in her eyes and he had no idea what had put them. What he did know was that he wanted to remove them as quickly as possible.

"Ally?" his voice softened. "Talk to me please."

Ally moved into his arms. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted but..." She trailed off, let out a deep breath and rested her head on his shoulder. He let her stay there silently for a little while before he spoke softly.

"It's not like I'd told you. You didn't know."

Ally held him a little tighter. "You didn't have to say anything. I felt it and I knew but I couldn't help the doubt." She turned her head into his neck seeming to seek a move comforting position. Callen heard her sigh and felt some of the tension leave her body.

Obviously she needed this – needed him and, damn if that didn't make him feel a touch euphoric that someone really needed him.

Him.

Not just what he could give them in terms of protection or something job related. She needed him. No one could take his place right now and it was a feeling, strangely enough, that he really wanted to get used to.

When Ally lifted her head, Callen steered her to the couch and settled down comfortably pulling her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest and got comfortable before she started speaking.

"My dad visited me today. Yesterday, I guess."

Callen kept his mouth shut, just made a noise that told her he was listening.

"It started out okay and then … I don't really know." She shook her head a little against his chest. "All of sudden it felt like he was attacking me."

Callen tensed. He hadn't seen any sign of injury when she'd walked in but he hadn't actually been looking. The fact that she was there at that time of the morning and looking exhausted and nervous had been his focus.

"We were talking about something," Ally continued. "I can't remember what anymore and then he was telling me how stupid I was for moving for some guy who just wanted to get me into bed and then leave. Mind you, his words were a touch more vulgar than that. I'm just glad that Tabby was sick in bed and asleep so she didn't hear any of it."

"Tabby's sick?" Callen frowned.

"Just a little cold. She'll be fine in a few days. Just needs rest," Ally assured him. "Hetty's taking care of her at the moment."

"Figured as much," Callen added with a smile.

He felt her smile against him.

"I shouldn't have let what he said get to me, but I was tired."

Tears started to well in her eyes. He could hear it in her voice as she continued.

"So very tired. I haven't been able to sleep since we got home."

That would be four nights since they'd come back from the skiing weekend and he'd returned to LA with Hetty on Tuesday. It would explain the exhaustion and the shadows under her eyes.

"Why?" Callen asked gently, though he suspected he might know. It wasn't hard considering what she'd been through recently.

"Too many memories. I kept having nightmares where things went horribly wrong and they'd feel so real. Sometimes it was real struggle to wake up from them."

Callen tilted her head up gently. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't want to bother you or Hetty. I thought they'd go away. A night or two maybe, but they didn't stop. I'd get so tired and close my eyes and there they were. It was easier to stop sleeping."

"You should have called. I would've come back. Helped you pack. Helped you sleep. You know that right?" He'd have done anything he could to make her feel safe again. Because obviously she hadn't been feeling safe in that house.

Ally nodded and glanced away. "I know. I guess I'm just used to having to handle things on my own."

Callen directed her gaze back to him. "You're not on your own anymore," he assured her.

"I know," she whispered and moved up to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. And I did call Hetty, just after he left. She had the movers out within the hour and a few hours later things were settled enough that we could go. I put Tabby in the car and left. She slept most of the way so I just kept driving until we got to Hetty's."

"And then you came here?"

Ally nodded. "I asked Hetty how to find you. After getting Tabby settled I knew I needed to see you. The more tired I got, the more difficult it was to remember anything except what he'd said. So here I am."

Callen hoped he'd didn't come across Ally's father anytime soon. He wasn't sure what he would do to him considering this, the way he was when Tabby was missing and the other things he'd heard. Though he was sure it was less than what Hetty would do.

"You know he was wrong, right?" Callen asked. "You know that's not what I want to happen?"

"I know," Ally replied sadly.

Callen couldn't take it anymore. He hated seeing her this sad, especially after everything she'd been through – She deserved to happy that Tabby was home, that they were starting a new life. He smiled a little cheekily – he wanted to see her smile properly, to clear a little of that sadness out of her eyes. Plus, he missed her smiles.

"I won't deny that I want you – a lot. But I am not going to run after the fact. And it's not just you I want. You said you and Tabby were a package. I'm in this for it all. You and Tabby. I promise you that."

Ally did smile then. It was a tired one, it was small but it was real. He'd take that and work on a better one later.

Ally rested her head back down on his chest. Her fingers played gently with the buttons on his shirt. "I know," she said. "And I do trust you G. It was just all too much. Everything was so fresh and raw and the thought of losing you, after coming so close to losing Tabby, and knowing how I felt about you and to think that you didn't..." She sighed. "I'm sorry."

Callen could hear the tears in her voice again. Knew he'd see them in her eyes if she looked up. He could also hear how tired she was. And he was pretty sure if he just held her and stayed quiet, she'd be asleep in a minute.

"Nothing to be sorry about," he said softly and quietly against her hair. She wiggled a little. Her hand stilled on his shirt and, as his hand slowly gently rubbed up and down her back, he heard her breathing settle into the smooth rhythm of sleep.

Callen gave her a little while to settle into a deep sleep before he carefully extracted himself and laid her on the couch. Quietly he went to the bedroom and made up the bed with fresh sheets – since he rarely slept in the he didn't keep it made. Once done, he made his way back to Ally, picked her up and moved her to his bed. He eased off her shoes and covered her up with the sheets and a blanket. He stepped out of the bedroom, closed the door mostly over and moved away from it so she wouldn't be disturbed by his voice.

He retrieved his phone from the mantlepiece and called Hetty. He had no doubt she would awake and waiting for his call.

"Mr Callen, how is she?" Hetty asked by way of greeting.

"Exhausted," he replied. "She's asleep now. She's also reassured."

"Glad to hear it," Hetty said. Callen could hear the undisguised relief in Hetty's voice. She'd obviously been quite worried about Ally. "I take it you do not mind that I gave her your address," Hetty continued.

"Not at all, Hetty. I'm just glad I was at a place you could give to her." He had a few different places he was keeping up covers in. Thankfully this wasn't one of them.

"As am I."

Callen could almost hear her nod.

"I don't want to wake her yet," he said. "She desperately needs to sleep, Hetty. I don't know how much you know. Will Tabby be alright if Ally's not there when she wakes up?"

"I know enough to agree with you and do not worry about Tabby. I'll make sure she understands. I think Tabby suspected something was wrong with Alyssa. She came to me after Alyssa had left. I told her that she needed to talk to you and that she'd be home later."

"How's she doing?"

"She's coping." There was a smile in Hetty's voice. "Tabby doesn't like being sick. She's much too active a child for that."

"I can imagine," Callen replied with a smile. "I'll bring Ally home when she wakes up. Just call if you need us sooner."

"I will. Thank you, G, for taking care of my girl."

"Thank you Hetty, for letting me. Goodnight."

Callen hung up, sat down on the couch and removed his shoes. Then he quietly made his way into the bedroom where he settled down in the bed next to Ally as gently as he could so he didn't disturb her. As if sensing him, she rolled over closer and he eased her into his arms. A smile settled on his lips and he let his eyes close. If sleep didn't claim him too, he wouldn't mind a bit. He would definitely enjoy being awake with her in his arms, safe and protected.

And where she belonged.