A/N: Huge apologies for the length of time it's taken to update this story. I hope you think it is worth the wait. I'll try not to leave it so long for the next chapter. Thanks for your patience and your reviews.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing of NCIS LA. It is owned by CBS, Shane Brennan, R Scott Gemmill and all the other marvellous writers.

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Chapter 12

Seeing that Callen was tiring, Sam said "Get some rest, G. I'll go and update the team on your condition. I'll be back later to sit with you."

Callen nodded in acknowledgement and said "Thanks, I'm feeling a bit drained. Give them my best. I'd like to see them sometime. Whilst I'd like to see you, you don't have to come back. Stay home with Michelle and Kam."

Sam nodded and said "OK as long as you're sure, but I'll be back tomorrow. Now get some rest."

Callen nodded and shooed him out with his good hand. As Sam left the room, he turned and saw that Callen was already sleeping peacefully. He hoped he remained like that and that the nightmares that normally plagued him would stay away for once.

Sam made a quick call home. When Michelle picked up, he said "Hi babe, how's Kam?"

"She's OK now but exhausted. It was a lot for her to take in. She fiercely resisted but I finally got her to sleep. How're things with G?" asked Michelle.

"Good. He's tired too so I've left him sleeping. I'll be home shortly and I'll fill you in then. I've got to update Hetty and the guys in Ops first. Love you." Sam disconnected and dialled Hetty's number.

"Hetty, it's Sam" said Sam when Hetty picked up her cell.

"Mr Hanna, I trust everything is alright with Mr Callen?" she asked with a hint of worry sounding in her voice.

"Yeah, he's good. He's sleeping, peacefully I hope. He appears to be making slow progress. He's told me to spend time with Michelle and Kamran and not to go back later on. I'm a little reluctant to leave him alone so soon" said Sam.

"Mr Hanna, he's in good hands but if it makes you happier, I will go and sit with him for a while" offered Hetty.

"I don't want to spoil any plans you may have for tonight, but thanks. I feel a lot better that someone he knows is with him" answered Sam.

"Of course. Don't worry, Sam, I had no plans for this evening and I've been meaning to go and be with him" said Hetty. "Good night and no doubt I will see you tomorrow."

Hetty heard Sam chuckle as he answered "Yeah, I'll be there first thing in the morning. G'night, Hetty."

As she disconnected the call, Hetty smiled to herself. Callen may well be the team leader, the person who held the team together but Sam was definitely the 'mother hen', the one who always ensured everyone was alright. She was proud of her team, each of them having a vital role which solidified them as a whole. When one member was not present, they rest did not function as well as was the case at the moment with Callen being in hospital. Hetty hoped that now he had emerged from the coma, he would start to make progress and get back to work as soon as practicable. Hetty knew it would be a long and hard road for him but with the help and support of his friends, she was confident that he would succeed. If, of course, he allowed them to help. Hetty made a few preparations before making her way to the hospital.

Standing outside Callen's room, she gazed at his sleeping form. He appeared to be resting peacefully for which she was grateful. Over the years, Callen had confided the contents of some of his nightmares and she really did not know how he endured them. Entering she sat down in a chair beside him and settled down to read a book, waiting for him to wake.

Hetty had been there about an hour when she noticed Callen twitch. Putting her book down, she watched him closely. She could see rapid eye movement under his closed lids and he was mouthing something silently. As the nightmare deepened, his twitching increased and he started to writhe, tossing and turning frantically, getting caught up in the bed clothes.

Hetty stood up and reached for his hand. She held it in hers gently rubbing her thumb in circles on the top whilst her other hand stroked his hair. Soothingly Hetty said "Sshh, я здесь, сын мой. Все в порядке, это просто дурной сон."

Hetty continued to utter this until he finally relaxed. Satisfied he was sleeping peacefully once again, Hetty sat back down but found she could no longer concentrate on her book. Instead she sat and watched Callen closely for signs of the nightmare returning. Confident that it would not, Hetty allowed herself to doze.

When she awoke, she saw a pair of vivid blue eyes watching her and the owner of the eyes was smiling fondly.

"Hello, Hetty" Callen said.

"Mr Callen, oh dear, you caught me napping" said Hetty, appearing a bit flustered which made Callen smile more broadly and his eyes sparkled with mischief. Hetty's heart skipped a beat. She had so missed her boy's company and his ability to break through her resolve with just a smile. Composing herself Hetty looked at her senior agent and smiled back.

"I always thought you don't get enough rest, Hetty. It's good to see you relaxing" said Callen.

"Well, it's good to see you resting too albeit in a coma" said Hetty.

Callen's features darkened momentarily and Hetty quickly continued "Oh dear, I didn't mean to belittle what you've been through, I only meant "

Callen interrupted "It's OK, Hetty, it's not what you said. I just got a stab of pain, that's all."

"Are you alright? Do you need me to call the nurses or get pain medication for you?" asked Hetty, a little worried.

"No thanks. It's gone now" answered Callen. "Tell me, was I having a nightmare earlier? I've got a fragmented memory of it but then someone was soothing me, and telling me everything was alright."

"Yes, you were mumbling something and were thrashing around a fair bit. I took hold of your hand, rubbing my thumb in circles on the back of your hand, just like I did when you were a whole lot younger. You eventually settled back into a peaceful sleep" explained Hetty. "Was it one that you normally have?"

Callen smiled at the memory that Hetty had just described. When he first came to live with her, he had a lot a nightmare but Hetty was always there, patiently and gently easing him through them. Many of them had faded but there were still one or two that plagued his sleep.

"I think so but it developed into something else, which I can't quite remember" said Callen frowning slightly.

He looked at Hetty and smiled "Thank you for being here. I really appreciate it especially as you must be extremely busy with one person down."

"Pppff" said Hetty. "There is nowhere else I would be except with you as has Sam and the rest of the team. Granger stood the whole team down from active duty so they could be with you. Do you have any recollection of anything since you were rescued and when you woke up?"

Callen was quiet for a moment. "I remember virtually all that happened to me at the hands of Dallas and when Sam and the rescue team got me. The rest is a bit of a blur. There are times when I remember snippets of conversations or actions but they aren't clear. It's like I was viewing them as a third person, y'know? I know I dreamt Tuhon was here but that's impossible. Right?" he asked looking at Hetty.

She smiled. "No, actually Tuhon did come to the hospital to visit you."

Callen looked at her incredulously. "Tuhon was here? How? Why?" he stammered.

Hetty chuckled at the bewildered look on Callen's face. "My dear boy! Tuhon heard what happened to you and he came to see you, to see whether he could help you out of the coma." Hetty let out a sigh and continued. "Why do you find it so hard to believe, to accept that there are many, many people who care for you, who love you and were desperately concerned that you showed no sign of wanting to wake up from the coma?"

Callen looked a little uncomfortable and Hetty took his hand again. "I know you've had a rough childhood in the welfare system and were badly treated by those who were in a position of trust. I understand because of this you also find it hard to trust and let people get close. I honestly thought that with me and with Sam and his family and the rest of the team, you'd finally found a certain amount of peace and a place to call home with people you can call family."

"I have. I do trust more, well sometimes" said Callen "But Tuhon. He's got a price on his head. If he'd been caught …." Callen let his word tail off.

"I know but his concern for you as a friend outweighed the risks. Besides Tuhon knows how to look after himself" said Hetty smiling to herself as she thought about Tuhon and the times he and her team had met. "Anyway he brought you a gift."

Callen frowned and shook his head slightly in disbelief. "Tuhon's got a gift for me?"

"Yes. In fact he gave it to you when he was here. Put it in your hand and wrapped your fingers around it. When he tried to take it away to give to me for safe keeping, you wouldn't let it go. Just for a second but Tuhon felt the resistance."

Callen frowned again trying desperately to remember. "I don't remember" he said.

Hetty patted his hand in reassurance. "That's alright. We hoped it was a sign that you were waking up. Look, I've got it here" she said as she let go of his hand and reached for her purse. Taking out the tribal knife which was wrapped in a protective cloth, she handed it to Callen, who unwrapped it carefully. His eyes opened wide in surprise at what he'd uncovered.

"Well, we thought the medical staff wouldn't be too comfortable if we left it lying around" chuckled Hetty.

"No, I can see that" said Callen. "But there must be some mistake, I can't accept this. I don't merit it!"

Hetty's tone became a little sharp. "Don't you dare belittle yourself in such a way and don't ever disrespect Tuhon either."

Callen looked at her sheepishly and Hetty could see her words at hit home. When she continued her tone was much softer.

"G, Tuhon is not a man who gives out these willy nilly. He wouldn't have given it to you unless he felt you deserved it. It is a real honour" she said.

"I know, Hetty, I really do. And I never meant to disrespect Tuhon. It's just that …"

Callen stopped talking when he saw Hetty glare at him. "I know, I should learn to trust people and accept gifts graciously" he said.

Hetty smiled "Quite right, Mr Callen."

Callen continued to stare at the knife and marvelled at it. "I hope I can thank him personally sometime" said Callen.

"Oh I think that would be quite easy to arrange" said Hetty smiling.

They remained silent for a while but Callen broke the silence.

"Hetty, I have something to say to you. It's been long overdue" he said.

"Yes, my boy, what is it?" asked Hetty.

Callen paused searching for the right words. ""You know how hard it is for me to show my feelings, let alone talk about them." It was a statement, not a question and Callen cleared his throat and continued. "I want to thank you."

"Thank me? Whatever for?" said Hetty, a little bewildered herself.

"For keeping me safe, for trying to protect me all these years." His voice cracked with emotion and he cleared his throat before continuing. "I know I haven't always made it easy for you." He looked up at Hetty and smiled.

"Indeed you haven't" said Hetty, desperately trying to keep her emotions under control.

"I know I've argued with you and I've even disobeyed you. But I now know and understand that you had your reasons, even if I disagreed with them. Thank you for taking in an unruly and very scared 15 year old boy and putting him on the right track. Thank you for persevering with him and encouraging him to take a certain path. You've made me the man I am today."

Hetty could no longer hide or control her feelings and she felt tears running down her cheeks.

"I promised your mother and I failed to save her but I swore I'd do all in my power to protect her children. Unfortunately I was too late for your sister but I did all I could to keep you safe. I'd move heaven and earth for you, you know that don't you?" she asked.

Callen nodded as a single tear trickled down his face as well and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

Hetty got out a handkerchief, dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose.

"Whilst I appreciate the thanks, why now? Why choose now to tell me?" she asked.

"It was the undercover mission. I got to know some of Charlie Connor's background and, although not the same as mine, there were enough similarities for me to associate with them. He was basically a good kid, who had been dealt a crap hand and got mixed up with the wrong crowd. I'd been working on him and was going to try and help him turn his life around. Dallas took that chance away by killing him in front of me. I'll never forget the look on his face as he was dying." Callen's voice choked and he paused before continuing.

"It was utter disbelief that someone he loved and trusted, Dallas, could do what he did. He died and I was unable to prevent it. That hit me hard and I kept thinking 'that could have been me'. That would have been me if you hadn't intervened with the police all those years ago and taken me under your wing. Hetty, you saved my life for which I am very grateful. I should've told you before."

"You are most welcome, Mr Callen. I'll admit you were a handful and much more of a challenge than I anticipated but it was worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat if it means having you in my life" said Hetty as she rose from her seat and held out her arms to hug her boy.

A/N: Sshh, я здесь, сын мой.Все в порядке, это просто дурной сон translates as Ssh, I'm here, my son. It's alright, it's just a bad dream (as from Google translate)