Photo's

I checked to be sure and I still don't own them. Drat!

Callen sat in the truck and stared at the door, trying to block the bad memories that were contained behind it. All he really wanted to do was drive away without ever going inside, to completely avoid the emotions that were tied to some of the items inside.

But there were other things in the storage unit that didn't have bad thoughts attached to them; tools that he needed to work on the projects he wanted to complete. Tools that would cost him quite a bit of money to replace; besides it would be silly to let a few bad thoughts keep him from opening that door. After all he was a special agent working for NCIS with past jobs at a number of alphabet agencies. His skills were deadly and legendary; many times he had stepped in front of a bullet or raced into a building wired to explode without hesitation. So there was no way a few bad memories were going to keep him from his goal.

Climbing out of the truck he approached the door and opened the lock, sliding the door up in one push. Callen surveyed the contents of the unit; his blue eyes ice cold as they glided over the boxes stacked inside.

He knew what was in each box and carton without having to check the labels on the side as he passed them by on the way to a couple of box's on the side. Grabbing the first box he quickly carried it out to his truck making a quick return trip for the second box.

As he turned to retrace his steps out of the storage unit Callen's foot caught the corner of a small stack of box's causing a couple to fall and spill out some of their contents. Letting a few curse words slip past his lips he sets down the box he was carrying to pick up the items scattered over the floor.

Picking up loose papers and photos he automatically takes the time to make neat piles before returning the items to the box. Glancing down at the photo on top of the pile he came to an abrupt stop at the sight of the brunette woman smiling up at him. The blue eyes darken as he remembers her dark eyes, the taste of her red lips and the feel of her silken skin under his hands. The fingers gripping the photo tighten for a moment as the memories of a marriage that really wasn't a marriage slide threw his head. Letting out a small laugh Callen recalls the last time he saw Tracy; in handcuffs being led away to serve time for her latest scheme. Somehow he didn't think she had cared for the silver bracelets he had enjoyed clicking on her wrists.

He placed the photos and papers back in the box, pausing to pick up a slightly worn dog chew toy. A rarely seen happy look settles on his face as the memories of a golden lab come back to him. Putting the toy to one side he searches thru the photos in the box until he finds what he is looking for. Stacking the fallen boxes back in their place Callen grabs the items he took from the "Tracy" box and shoves them in the box he had been carrying.

Leaving the unit he places the box in the back of the truck with the other box, pulling out the photo before climbing in the truck and driving away.

He's in a much better mood as he heads towards home; stopping to grab his favorite "animal style burger" from a drive thru on the way home dazzling the young woman in the window with the huge smile he gives her in return for the food bag.

Walking in the front door, Callen drops the food bag on the table before walking over to open the box over the fireplace. Pulling the picture of him kneeling beside the golden lab from his pocket he takes one last look before placing it in his treasure box.

As he walks towards the table he laughs "Maybe I should get a dog, wonder what Sam would think of that?"