Callen was looking thoroughly disgruntled as Sam was telling him off. Normally he would be poking fun and try to wind him up some more but today was not a day for that. Because, for once, he didn't deserve the scolding Sam was giving him. And he was going on a big one too.

He gave a pointed and annoyed sigh, hoping Sam would take the hint. He did not. To be honest, Callen didn't know if his partner deliberately ignored him or that he was so into his rant that he didn't pick up on it. It really could be either.

"I'm just saying, G, you could have made it this morning."

Callen gave him an incredulous look.

"Seriously, Sam?"

"You said you were going to work out more." Sam reminded him. "A bit more strength and you would have done it, I'm telling you."

"And I am! At my own pace," he insisted.

Just because he didn't do everything at full speed to the same intensity as one Sam Hanna did not mean that he wasn't doing something. Or, in this case, working up to do something but Sam didn't need to know the details.

His partner rolled his eyes. "Your pace is non-existent."

Callen gave him an offended look. "It is not." Sam raised his eyebrow. "It's unmotivated," he acquiesced.

Sam snorted. "I'm trying to help."

Yeah, and his help was likely to get him injured. Or annoyed. More than likely annoyed but he didn't want either of those things to happen. Injured meant hospitals (something he did not want by a long shot) and annoyed meant that Sam would keep going on at him (also something he didn't want).

"I don't need help. It's not like I'm not unfit or anything."

And he wasn't. He could do his job. Quite well, in fact. They already had one Sam Hanna. They didn't need another one. And there was another eye roll. Come on! He wasn't even being that annoying! There was no need for that!

"And that is a miracle in on itself. But seriously, G. You said you'd turn up today."

"I was otherwise occupied."

"By what? We've been over this before, you hardly do anything."

"I was busy."

"Anna busy?" Sam teased then blinked and shook his head. "Wait, I don't want to know."

Callen just smirked but shook his head. "She's in D.C. for training this week."

Unfortunately. They kept in touch with video calls and the like but it wasn't the same. And they barely managed to even do that thanks to the time zones and work. Neither of them had what you would call a normal schedule, after all.

"Then you literally have no excuse. I'm picking you up tomorrow."

There was such a determined look on Sam's face that it was cause for alarm.

A brief, horrified and panicked look crossed Callen's face. "Wait, wait. You don't have to do that."

"Obviously I do or else you would be doing it yourself by now."

Maybe he just didn't want to do any exercise first thing in the morning. Was that so hard to understand? Apparently, it was for Sam.

"You turn up way too early. A 5am start is unnecessary."

That meant that he had to be awake earlier than that, not to me turn be dressed and actually coherent. None of which he usually was at that time in the morning.

"Lazy."

"Sane."

"Come on, G."

"What is with you and my level of exercise? I can run and defend us just fine."

"Fine is average."

"Fine gets the job done."

"You shouldn't be happy with mediocrity."

"But I am."

Mediocrity in some areas was fine. There was nothing wrong with it. Unless you took it as an insult as Sam did.

"You are actually ridiculous."

"You are ignoring my current capabilities," Callen said matter-of-factly, waving in the general

direction of his legs which were heavily bruised and had a slightly lower muscle tone than usual.

Not that you could see that through his jeans but Sam knew what he was talking about. Despite all of his joking around and excuse, this was the real reason why he hadn't wanted to work out or jog with Sam today.

"I'm tired of your lame excuses," Sam said dismissively.

"I was thrown off a building!" Callen exclaimed. "Cut me some slack!"

Sam gave him an unimpressed look.

"One, you only fell three feet and it was onto a window cleaning platform."

"It hurts when you go 'splat' on them."

It really did. Especially when the damn thing tilted because of the sheer force you feel onto at and slammed into the side of it. It had done quite a bit of damage too! A fractured shin bone and a weird muscle injury. Sure, he was all healed now but that didn't mean he was completely back to normal. Strengthening up muscles again sucked.

"And two," continued Sam loudly over his partner's pout, "that's exactly why I'm supplementing your PT. To strengthen those muscles."

"Do you think my physio can't do his job? The guy has a degree and is a very gruelling task master." Callen told him and then gave him a thoughtful look. "Kind of like you now that I think of it. If you're ever thinking of a career change, that just might be your calling."

Sam made a noncommittal grunt and glared at him.

"He's Hetty approved," Callen tried. "Surely you can't do better than that?"

That just got him narrowed eyes. Callen knew that his partner was caught between being approving of Hetty's choice or taking that as a challenge. Hopefully, he'd go with the first one. He really didn't need any more physical challenge during the day. Surely PT and their job was more than enough exertion for him? Sam was taking too long to reply to him, which was never a good sign, so, Callen did what he did best and distracted him.

"This is like the left-handed shooting all over again."