The agents quickly ducked away. Callen signaled to Kensi and Deeks that he was gonna go around back. Callen stayed low so they wouldn't see him through the windows. On the side of the house he carefully peeked up to see how many people there were inside.

"Two shooters inside," Callen spoke through the com.

Callen walked around to the backdoor. The shooters were at the front of the house so they didn't spot him.

"I'm going in," Callen said through the com. Quietly Callen opened the backdoor and went in. He carefully walked up to the front of the house so he had eyes on the shooters.

"Federal agent!" Callen yelled and he aimed his gun at one of the shooters that was in his sight.

The man turned around and wanted to fire at Callen but Callen was faster and shot him. At that moment Kensi and Deeks came through the door since the attention of the other shooter was also on Callen.

"Federal agents!" Kensi yelled.

This man wanted to shoot Kensi as well so she fired her weapon at him. Both shooters were dead. Kensi called it in as Callen went to look through the house to see if he could find the weapons. He found nothing in the house but at the back of the yard was a shed.

"Guys, I'm going out back," Callen yelled to Kensi and Deeks.

Carefully Callen made his way up to the shed, not knowing if someone else was in the shed. He looked through the window and saw someone in protective gear working. He figured he was probably busy with the chemical agent. The person seemed to be oblivious to what had just happened inside. Callen noticed the power box outside the shed so he went there and turned the power off, trying to lure the man outside. He couldn't see the man's face yet but Callen suspected that this was Walker since Walker wasn't one of the people they had just shot inside. Callen peeked through the window and saw the man moving towards the door to check out the power. Callen stayed hidden around the corner waiting for the man.

"Federal agent," Callen spoke with his gun aimed at the man when he came around the corner. The man visible shocked and froze. "Down on your knees."

The man moved down on his knees and put his hands up. Callen moved closer and took his mask off.

"Petty officer Jason Walker, you are under arrest for stealing military equipment." Callen kept his weapon at him as he talked through his com. "Walker is in custody. Eric, alert Hazmat, send them to our location."

"Copy that," came the response of the tech.

Callen kept his weapon at Walker while they waited for Hazmat to disinfect him.

"Why did you do it huh Jason?" Callen asked Walker.

"They were using it for the wrong reason. I wanted to show them what could be done with it. To make them suffer like I suffered." Walked looked Callen straight in the eyes. "Once I was a great SEAL but when I got hurt they just tossed me aside and had me training and testing new weapons, knowing I would never be able to use them myself in the field."

"So you just decided to use their own weapons against them?"

"They needed to pay."

A little later Hazmat was there and they disinfected Walker before he was taken into custody and they secured the chemical agents inside the shed.

"Chemical agents are all accounted for," one of the Hazmat agents said to Callen. "We'll make sure it gets back to where it belongs."

"Thank you."

The agents wrapped up at the scene and Callen called Asher to tell him that the items were all accounted for. The agents went back to the office and wrapped up their reports before going home.

…..

It had been two months ago that Zoya had been diagnosed with postpartum depression. The therapy sessions were really helping and she was started to get back to her old self. The triplets were now three months old. Zoya was starting to enjoy being their mother again. Callen was glad that he was starting to get his Zoya back. Zoya had a month left in her maternity leave. With her postpartum depression she had taken some weeks extra before returning to work.

Callen woke up when his alarm clock went off. He reached over to his nightstand and turned it off.

"Hmm," Zoya stretched herself as she woke up.

"Good morning honey," Callen spoke to her.

"Good morning honey," Zoya replied and snuggled closer against Callen's chest and Callen wrapped his arms tighter around her. "Do you have to go to work?"

"Yes unfortunately I have to."

"Too bad, cus I'm really comfortable right here."

"Me too," Callen replied as he gave Zoya a soft kiss on her head.

Callen enjoyed being close to Zoya again. When she was first diagnosed with the depression she pulled away from him too but now she was starting to enjoy his company again.

Zoya sat up a bit so she could kiss Callen. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Zoya kissed Callen again and Callen rolled them over so Zoya was lying on her back and he lay on top of her. Zoya moaned against his lips as Callen kissed her passionately. Callen wanted to make love to her again but he decided to let Zoya be the one to decide when she was ready after the birth and her depression. As much as he wanted her so badly he wasn't going to push her. For the time being he enjoyed just being close to Zoya again and kissing her. They lay there kissing for a few minutes until the triplets started crying.

"Our babies are awake," Zoya told Callen.

"Yes they are."

Callen gave Zoya one more kiss before they got out of bed and went to get the triplets.

"Good morning my sweeties," Zoya spoke as they walked into the room.

Zoya first got Elena and Callen got Luka. Once they were dressed Zoya took them downstairs and Callen got Maksim. Zoya placed the babies in their bouncy chairs but they were having none of it, they were hungry. Zoya went to the kitchen and got the bottle warmer started so Callen could feed them as well. Zoya grabbed one bottle and sat down on the couch. She picked Elena up and breastfed her. Luka stood next to her on the couch in his bouncy chair and she fed him the bottle.

"There's already a bottle warm for Maksim," Zoya said when Callen came downstairs.

"Good, cus this little guy is hungry," Callen replied as he came down with a crying Maksim.

About twenty minutes later everyone was fed and burped. They placed the babies in their playpens as Callen went to get breakfast and lunch ready and Zoya went to wake up Maya since she had to go to school.

An hour later Callen left with Maya and Esme was at the house to help Zoya.

….

It was now the end of October. It was Halloween today, it was on a Tuesday so Callen did have to go to work today but he hoped he would be off on time. Maya could get dressed up for school today. Maya was dressed in a long purple and pink dress with a blond wig with a long braid on it, she was Rapunzel. Callen brought her to school before going to work.

In the afternoon Zoya went to pick up Maya. Esme stayed at home with the triplets. Zoya waited until Maya came out of the classroom.

"Hey sweetie, did you have fun at school?" Zoya asked as Maya ran up to her.

"Yes, we have a fun Halloween party and we did some games. One of the classrooms was a haunted house."

"Ooooh that sounds like fun."

"And I made this," Maya spoke proudly as she held up her pumpkin candy basket.

"That's beautiful."

"For trick-or-treating tonight."

"Yes. We'll do that after dinner."

Zoya took Maya home and they enjoyed the rest of the afternoon playing.

Luckily it was a slow day so Callen was home just after 4pm.

"Hey guys," Callen spoke as he walked into the house.

"Hey honey," Zoya replied.

"Hi uncle Grisha, we're carving pumpkins."

"I see." Callen walked over to Zoya and gave her a kiss. "Hey honey." Callen walked over to Maya and gave her a soft kiss before walking over to the babies, who were in their swing chairs. Callen crouched down and gave each baby a kiss. "Hey my little sweeties, daddy missed you today." Callen walked away to help with decorating the house for Halloween but Elena was having none of it, she wanted her daddy.

"Hey sweetie, it's okay," Callen spoke as he picked her up. "Daddy's right here." Elena calmed down once she was in Callen's arms. Callen grabbed the baby carrier and strapped Elena down on his chest. "There, that's better huh."

Elena was calm now and snuggled against her daddy. It was so cute to see.

"She's a real daddy's girl," Zoya stated.

"Oh yes she is."

Zoya snapped a quick picture before Callen went to decorate the house outside. Elena was warm and snug in her baby carrier so she wouldn't get cold. Callen placed some decorations in the front yard. At the entrance way to their front door Callen hung a curtain. He covered the entrance way from the top with black plastic sheets. Their entrance way was completely dark now. He put some lights on the ground so there was a bit of soft light, but not too much. He hung some spiders and webbing in the path and placed a moving skeleton next to the doorway. When he was done he went back inside. Maya, Zoya and Esme were done carving the pumpkins and they placed them outside as well. Esme helped clean up before she went home. Callen went to get the triplets dressed in their Halloween outfits as Zoya got started on dinner. Elena was Rapunzel as well and Maksim and Luka were Flynn. Callen placed the babies in their playpens and went to get dressed himself as well. He was dressed as Flynn as well. Once Callen was back downstairs Zoya went to get dressed as well. She was also dressed as Rapunzel. After dinner Callen took Maya for trick or treating as Zoya stayed at home with the triplets. But before they left they snapped a quick family photo. Callen went around the neighborhood with Maya. Zoya stayed at home to give candy to the kids. She heard some of them screaming when they walked up and the skeleton started moving.

About an hour later Callen and Maya were back at home. Maya's pumpkin basket was full.

"Wow, that's a lot of candy!" Zoya exclaimed.

"Can I have some candy?" Maya asked.

"Yes you can have one piece, the rest we'll put in your jar."

Maya picked out one piece of candy and Callen put the rest in the jar. Maya could stay up to watch a bit of TV before she went up to bed. Zoya had brought the triplets up to bed already. Callen and Zoya changed out of their customs before they sat down on the couch. Callen sat on the part of the couch with the ottoman attached to it when Zoya joined him on the couch. She moved Callen's arm and leg out of the way and sat in between his legs with her back against his chest.

"Hmm," Zoya spoke as she snuggled against him.

"Hey honey," Callen replied and gave Zoya a soft kiss on her head.

"Seems like Maya had fun."

"Oh yes she did. And you? Did a lot of kids come by?"

"Oh yes, it was pretty busy. We're all out of candy. Almost everyone got scared by our moving skeleton. And the triplets looked so cute in their costumes."

"They sure did. I can't believe how big they've already gotten."

"Oh yes me neither. It's seems like they grow bigger every day."

"Before we know it they'll be crawling and walking."

"Oh yes. I wish they could stay this little forever, cus they are so cute."

"We make pretty cute babies."

"That we do." Zoya turned her head sideways so she could look Callen in the eye. "I love you."

"I love you too," Callen replied and gave her a kiss.

"And thank you for putting up with me these last few months."

"It's absolutely no problem honey. I'm just glad you're feeling better again."

"Me too. But I can imagine that it wasn't easy for you, I mean on top of the newborn triplets you had to take care of me too. I'm sorry for that."

"Hey, it's not your fault honey, you have nothing to be sorry for. And I'm here for you whenever you need me, always."

Zoya gave Callen one more kiss before she snuggled back against him. They watched some TV before going to bed. Before going to sleep they fed the triplets once more. Luckily they were starting to sleep through the night a bit more. Usually they only woke up once a night.

…..

The twelfth of November was Maya's sixth birthday. It was on a Sunday this year so they held the party on the twelfth. On Saturday the eleventh they had a kids' party for Maya with some of her classmates. They went to We rock the spectrum, an indoor playground in Santa Monica. Esme went with them as well. The kids were laughing and running around.

"You wanna go play too?" Zoya spoke to Elena as she was holding her.

Zoya walked to the playground. There was a little baby swing as well.

"You can go too if you want Grisha. I'll watch Maksim and Luka," Esme told him.

Callen went with Zoya so he could take some pictures. Zoya placed Elena in the baby swing and strapped her in. Elena was all smiles as Zoya moved the swing back and forth. Callen was filming it. It was so cute to see the smile on Elena's face.

"Yeah are you having fun sweetie," Zoya spoke to Elena. "Weeh, weeh," Zoya said as she moved the swing. "Who's that there? Is that daddy? Can you wave to daddy?" Elena tried to move her little hand to wave to Callen.

After Elena they took Maksim and Luka to the swing as well. They were all loving it. Big smiles were on their faces as they sat in the swing chair.

They stayed at the playground until around 3pm. They dropped all the kids off at home before going home themselves.

"Did you have fun?" Callen asked Maya as they drove home.

"Yes it was so much fun," Maya replied happily.

On Sunday they had Maya's birthday party. She was up early and jumped onto Callen and Zoya's bed.

"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" Maya yelled happily.

"Hey sweetie," Zoya replied, still half asleep. "Happy birthday." Zoya gave her a kiss.

"Happy birthday Maya," Callen said and gave her a kiss too.

"Can I have waffles for breakfast?"

"Absolutely," Callen told her. "Go get dressed and we'll go make the waffles."

Before Callen even finished his sentence Maya was already on her way to her bedroom.

"Good morning honey," Callen spoke to Zoya and gave her a kiss.

"Good morning honey," Zoya replied.

"Why don't you make waffles with Maya, I'll get the triplets dressed," Callen told her.

"Deal."

Callen gave Zoya one more kiss before they went to get dressed too. Zoya took Maya downstairs and together they made the batter for the waffles as Callen got the triplets dressed. Callen first dressed Maksim and put him back in his crib so he could dress Luka but Maksim was having none of it.

"Daddy is right here buddy. Daddy is gonna dress your brother and then I will take you downstairs. Shh, it's okay."

Once Callen had dressed Luka he picked Maksim up again and brought them both downstairs. He placed them in their bouncy chairs, which were standing on the kitchen island, Maksim was calm now again.

"How are the waffles coming along?" Callen asked.

"They are almost done."

"Alright, I'll be right there, just have to get Elena."

Callen went back upstairs and got Elena dressed before the family had breakfast. They were almost done with breakfast when the triplets starting crying for food. Callen went to warm up two bottles as Zoya breastfed Maksim.

"Can I feed one too Uncle Grisha?" Maya asked.

"Yeah sure."

Callen placed Elena in her bouncy chair on the floor so Maya could feed her as Callen went to feed Luka. After everyone had been fed and burped they lay peacefully in their play pens which meant that Callen and Zoya now had time to give Maya her birthday present. Callen went to the garage to get Maya's present.

"Is there a little birthday girl here?" Callen called as he walked back in to the house.

"ME!" Maya yelled excitedly and she looked at Callen.

Callen came into the house with a beautiful pink bike with a basket on the front and frills on the handles.

"IS THAT MINE?!" Maya yelled happily.

"Yes it is," Zoya told her.

"Thank you." Zoya got a big hug and Maya walked over to Callen and gave him a big hug as well. "Can I try it out?"

"Sure."

It was a soft day outside so they decided to all go out. They grabbed their coats and shoes and put the triplets in their stroller before they went out. It was about a twenty minute walk to the Pacific Palisades recreation center. Callen and Zoya sat with the triplets on the bench as Maya went to play in the playground.

"I can't believe she's six already," Zoya told Callen.

"Yeah I know, me neither. She's getting so big already."

"Yeah, I just wish her parents were here with her."

"Yeah me too, but she has got a lovely family here with us."

"Yes she has and it's so cute to see her with the triplets. She really is like a big sister to them."

"Oh yes she is. I'm glad to see you're feeling better and enjoying the kids again."

"Yeah me too. I'm glad I'm feeling like myself again and that I enjoy spending time with my family again."

Callen pulled Zoya to him and gave her a soft kiss on her head. They sat there for about an hour before they went back home.

In the afternoon the guests came by for Maya's birthday party. She was spoiled with presents and was dead tired when Zoya put her in bed just after 8pm.

….

This Thursday it was Thanksgiving. Callen had taken the Friday off as well so he had a long weekend. Zoya was going back to work after the Thanksgiving weekend. She was looking forward in going back to work but she would miss her babies. She felt like she had her postpartum depression under control but to ease back into work she would start with 2 days a week.

For Thanksgiving weekend Callen wanted to do something nice with Zoya, just the two of them. He already had something in mind.

"Hey Zoya," Callen asked as they were getting ready for bed that Monday night. "I wanted to do something but I wanted to check with you first."

"What did you have in mind?"

"A weekend away, just for you and me."

"What about the kids?"

"I talked to your parents, they can look after them." Callen walked up to Zoya and placed his hands on her hips. "I want to do something nice with just you and me. After everything that we've been through these last few months I want to do something nice with you. Just you and me, no kids. I'm happy to have my Zoya back again and I would love some just me and you time."

"Yeah, we didn't have a lot of time together lately. With my depression and the newborn triplets."

"No we didn't. And don't get me wrong, I love our kids. I just want to spend some time with my wife."

"I know you love our kids honey, you're a great daddy."

"Thank you."

"Yeah it's important that we have some you and me time as well and not be covered in spit up or something," Zoya joked that last part. "But I'll miss them. But it might be a good test run before I go back to work. What did you have in mind?"

"Just a few days away, somewhere close so I case something happens we can be home in a short time."

"Alright. I think it would be nice. Did you have something in mind?"

"I already have it all planned out."

"Oh do you now?" Zoya asked cheekily.

"Yes. Just wait and see."

Callen gave Zoya a kiss before they got into bed.

That Thursday morning they brought Maya, Maksim, Luka and Elena over to Zoya's parents.

"Alright, be good to grandma and grandpa okay," Zoya told Maya.

"I will Aunt Zoya."

Callen and Zoya got a hug goodbye from Maya and they said goodbye to the triplets.

"Mommy is gonna miss you three. Behave for grandma and grandpa okay." Callen and Zoya gave the kids a kiss. "If there's anything you can always call us."

"I know, but we'll be alright," Vera told her.

"Bye guys," Callen and Zoya told them before they got in the car.

"I hope they'll be alright," Zoya told Callen once they were in the car.

"I'm sure they'll be alright."

"It's so hard to leave them."

"I know it is. I have that feeling every morning."

"It'll be good for them to try this. Should we need in in the future, they can always stay with grandma and grandpa and this way they'll get used to not having both of us around for when I go back to work. So where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," Callen said and he pulled away from the curb.