A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting a new chapter. I'm so pleased so many of you are enjoying this story. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed - your comments are much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, only my stories. NCIS LA is owned by CBS, Shane Brennan and all the writers. Thanks for bringing them to life for our pleasure.

Chapter 8:

Gibbs, who was undertaking physical therapy exercises on Callen, was so engrossed in what he was doing that he failed to notice others arriving until he heard a little voice saying indignantly "Who are you and what are you doing to my Uncle Callen?"

Gibbs turned to see a young black girl standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. Just then Sam came round the corner and took in the situation. "Kamran, it's OK. This is Special Agent Gibbs. He's a very good friend of Uncle G's. And he knows me too." Looking over to Gibbs, Sam says "Hi Gibbs, sorry about that. This is my daughter and she's very protective of G."

Gibbs stopped the physio and lowered Callen's leg and covered it up. Smiling, he shook Sam's hand "Sam, good to see you again. Sorry, it's under such circumstances".

"Yeah, man, it's tough" said Sam.

Gibbs turned his attention to Kamran, holding his hand out to her. "Hello. I'm Gibbs. What's your name?"

She took it gingerly and said "Kamran. Are you really Uncle Callen's friend?"

"That's a pretty name. Yes I am. I used to work with him a long time ago. Long before you were born and before he started working with your daddy. That's good that you're protecting G. He needs our help, doesn't he?"

"Yes I think so. But I haven't been allowed to see him until now. But Mommy and Daddy says it's OK now. Oh here's mommy now" as Michelle came up to them.

"Michelle, this is Special Agent Gibbs, a friend of G's. He heads up a NCIS team in DC. We've worked together in the past. Gibbs, this is Michelle, my wife – she's CIA" explained Sam.

Taking Michelle's hand, Gibbs shock it and said "Pleased to meet you. Sorry about Callen. I was just giving him some physio when you came. Let me say goodbye to him and he's all yours. I'm supposed to phone Hetty when I'm done. She's going to take me back to the office. Abby's there already."

"I caught up with her briefly earlier. I'll phone Hetty while you say goodbye" said Sam.

"Thanks" said Gibbs as he turned to go back to Callen. Taking Callen's right hand in his right hand, Gibbs said "Sam and his family are here now to see you. Hetty's gonna pick me up and take me back to the office to meet up with Abby. Sam and his family will be here but I'll be back later." Placing his left hand tenderly on Callen's head, he bent down to whisper in his ear "Remember what I told you, we need you to wake up. We all love and care about you. I love and care about you." As he went to turn away and take his hand from Callen's, he looked back as he felt a slight resistance, an almost imperceptible tightening of Callen's fingers but there was absolutely no change to his face or his body position. When Gibbs took his hand away, it came away easily with no resistance.

On leaving the room, Gibbs and Sam looked at one another as Michelle went into the room with Kamran.

"That was really odd" said Gibbs. "When I went to take my hand away, I was sure I felt Callen grip my hand. It was almost imperceptible but I swear he did."

At that moment, Hetty arrived and having caught the end of what Gibbs had said, countered "You're not the first, Jethro. Tuhon felt it when he took away a blade he had made for Mr Callen. Oh, it's a long story, I'll tell you later. I think you felt it just last night, didn't you Sam?"

"Yes, again I thought I was dreaming as there was no other change. I was very tired and had been dozing. Like with you, it was imperceptible but I swear I felt something."

"May be he's starting to wake up" said Gibbs.

"I do hope so" said Hetty.

Before Hetty and Gibbs could leave, something caught their attention. Kamran, who was in the room with Michelle, flung herself onto the bed and wrapped her arms around Callen. Although they couldn't hear her, she was sobbing "Why aren't you waking up? What have I done? Why don't you want to see me. Don't you love me anymore, Uncle Callen? I love you so much and I really miss you loads." Michelle was holding her hand to her mouth and tears were streaming down her cheeks and she looked from Callen and Kamran to those outside.

Sam was looking distraught and just about to go in when Gibbs, who had noticed something, put his hand on his arm, pointing at Callen. "Sam, Hetty – look! I think he's crying." They both looked and plainly saw a tear trickle from his eye.

Sam beckoned Michelle out of the room. He hugged her and asked "What happened? What did Kamie say?"

When Michelle told them, Gibbs and Sam both looked as if they were welling up and Hetty put her hand to her mouth "God, love her. Poor little mite" and wiped away a tear.

"Perhaps it was a bad idea to bring her, but I thought it was the right thing to do. I didn't want her to see him on life support and all beat up" said Sam.

Gibbs said "Sam, kids are so resilient. They understand much more than we give 'em credit for. I would've done the same thing but having heard what she said, if you hadn't have brought her in at all, she would've continued to think she'd done something wrong or that he doesn't love her anymore. It breaks your heart but now you know you can explain it to her."

"He's right, Sam" said Michelle "We've done nothing wrong but I can see that we've been so caught up in our own feelings that we gave little thought to what she may be thinking. She's not a little girl anymore. Go into her and comfort her – she needs her Dad; then I'll take her to buy ice cream."

Gibbs said "Let me do that. I'm pretty good with kids and it may be better coming from a stranger as to why you kept things from her. Michelle can come with me. He can obviously hear what's being said to him so he's likely to be distraught – you and Hetty need to be with him."

They nodded their agreement. Sam went in and picked up Kamie who clung to Callen sobbing. "It's alright, sweetheart. He does loves you. But he's not well so can't tell you. C'mon, Mommy and Agent Gibbs want to talk to you."

She released her grip and flung herself into Sam's arms, sobbing. He stood for a while rocking her gently to soothe her whilst looking down at his friend. "I'm sorry, G, I didn't mean Kamie to upset you." He turned and left the room as Hetty entered, "I'll be back soon, Hetty" She patted his arm as he passed.

Gibbs held his arms open and Sam kissed Kamran before passing her to him. She put up a bit of a struggle but exhausted she nestled into his strong embrace still sobbing. Gibbs and Michelle went to the sofas in the family room and sat down. Gibbs was rocking her gently while Michelle had her hand her leg for reassurance.

"Y'know, Kamran, you're a very brave girl. It isn't easy seeing someone you love in hospital. Your mommy and daddy told you ages ago that Uncle Callen had been hurt, didn't they?" He felt Kamran nod and heard a tiny 'yes' amongst the tears. "Well, he was very, very badly hurt. No one knew if he'd survive. Do you know what that means?"

Again, she nodded. This time she lifted her head and looked at Gibbs "That he might die?" she said in a quiet voice, tearing still flowing down her checks but she was no longer sobbing.

"That's right. Mommy and Daddy, and all of his friends, were very upset and worried because we all love him. Just like you do. When the doctors made him better and he didn't die, he was still very ill. He had broken bones and he also didn't look like himself because of his injuries. He had to be on this special machine to help him breathe. Do you know what I mean?" Gibbs continued.

"I think so. Like when I fall over, cut my knee and it bleeds and get a bruise? I'm not sure about the machine."

"That's right, good girl. Now he had cuts and bruises all over his face and body so he didn't look as handsome as he normally does. To help him breathe he had to have a tube in his mouth. They had to put tubes into his arm so that they could give him medicines to help him get better" said Gibbs.

Kamie's eyes widened "Yep, it's very scary. It's hard for a grown up to see someone they love like that. For a little person like you, it would be even harder as you don't fully understand what's going on. Now your mommy and daddy were trying to protect you. They didn't want you to get upset seeing your Uncle Callen like that. They didn't know that you thought he didn't want to see you; that you thought he doesn't love you anymore."

Kamie looked at her mom, who was crying. Michelle nodded to say that what Gibbs had said was true. "We thought we were doing what's best, darling. He was really badly hurt and didn't look the same. His wounds were very scary to look at. Uncle Callen wouldn't want you to see him like that and be upset or scared. That's why we've only just brought you to see him" said Michelle.

"Does he still love me?" asked Kamram, looking between Michelle and Gibbs.

"Of course he does – who couldn't love a gorgeous little girl like you - and he'll tell you himself when he wakes up" said Gibbs. Kamie gave Gibbs a big hug and then reached over to her mom, who took her from Gibbs and cradled her daughter. Over her head, Michelle mouthed "Thank you" to him. Gibbs smiled and hugged the pair of them.