Emma was excited to get back to school. She just wanted to start this new chapter in her life. As she waited for the water to boil, she packed her lunch. Julia had an early morning meeting but left Emma a note telling her she'll see her after work and she was waiting to hear how her day went. While her tea seeped, she heated a bagel and packed her lunch in her backpack. Sitting down to eat her breakfast, she sent Callen a quick text, telling him to be safe and she'll wait to hear from him later. Emma placed her plate in the dishwasher and poured her tea into the travel mug Kam gave her for her birthday, adding the cup to the dishwasher. Grabbing everything she headed to the bus stop. Julia offered to drive her to school but Emma felt this was one thing she wanted to do by herself but if she ran into trouble, she'd call her to pick her up. Emma studied the maps and got her bus pass yesterday while she was out with Julia. Putting her earbuds in, she started the playlist she had added to her phone. She only had to wait for 15min when the bus arrived. Getting in, she greeted the driver with a smile and found her seat. The bus wasn't too crowded so sitting her backpack on the seat next to her, Emma just stared out the window. There were so many places she wanted to explore in LA and maybe one day, travel a bit. Perhaps she should make a list of all the places she wanted to see. The bus ride was over before she knew it since her mind was on something else. Waving bye to the driver, she got up and walked the two blocks to school.
Emma loved Mondays… she only had three classes and then she was free to sit in the library and do her work. Now and again, she'll look over her shoulder, waiting for Daniil to show up but he never did. Hetty must have told the school about everything that happened, because nobody asked about Daniil or her time away. They were happy to have her back in class and that she kept up with her work with everything that went on in her life. As she signed into the library, Ms. Keller told her it was nice to see her again and that her seat was waiting for her. Emma just smiled and said thank you before heading to her seat. The one thing she still didn't feel comfortable doing, was talking to people that she didn't know. Sure, the girls at the centre were different, they knew what happened and they understood. She still needed to work up the courage to start a conversation with someone new. But she told herself she had time to meet new people and she's just taking it one day at a time.
She kept an eye on the clock that sat just above her library desk to ensure she still had enough time to get to the bus stop and make it to OPS on time. As she passed the parking lot close to OPS, a tall gentleman greeted her and asked her for her ID.
"So, you're little Callen?" he asked her with a smile. "Hetty told us to expect you soon."
"That's me, Emma-Grace." Emma answered as she held her hand out for him to shake.
"Scott Green. It's nice to meet you, Emma-Grace. If you just sign here, then you're all set. Here are the keys and you can just give this number to the boys at the back when you're ready to leave."
"Thank you and it was nice to meet you, Scott."
Emma made her way towards OPS and wondered what the keys were for but she'll ask Nell about it. As she entered the building, she could hear Deeks and Kensi talking about something relating to a case.
"When did they find the body again?" Deeks asked.
"9:30 am, like told you ten times already." Kensi said without lifting her head off the desk.
"This doesn't make sense. Why would they say he died 24 hours before he was found but the body says he died between 3 and 5 am?"
"I don't know." Kensi said as she finally lifted her head.
"Maybe the A/C was on or the body was in a cold place like a freezer. That can make the time of death seen later or earlier than it was." Emma said as she walked into the bullpen.
"Pixie, you made it. Wait how would you know about the time of death and stuff like that?"
"That's what she's studying, you idiot." Kensi said as she came to hug Emma. "How was school?"
"It was good. Professors were happy to see me again and glad I kept up with all my work while I was away."
"Emma-Grace, you're here." Nell said as she walked down the stairs.
"I am. Ah, quick question. Scott gave me these when I signed in." Emma said as she pulled the keys out of her pocket.
"Oh, that would be your car keys. They must have forgotten that you can't drive yet, so I'll take those." Nell said as she took the keys.
"Wait, what car did they give you?" Deeks asked.
"Don't know. He told me to give the ticket to the boys at the back."
"This looks like the keys to the Jeep." Nell said.
"Wait, you want to tell me they gave her the keys to the new Jeep?" Kensi said.
"You can have it if you want, Kensi." Nell said with a smile.
"It's okay. I have my snacks in the perfect hiding spot in my car." Kensi said with a smile.
"Well, I'm not ready to learn to drive yet." Emma said, "I'm just getting used to the bus."
"Why are you taking the bus?" Deeks asked. "If you need a ride, we can always pick you up."
"Julia already offered but I like taking the bus. I want to do it for myself and you guys can't just drop everything to pick me up."
"Well, let us know if you ever need a ride." Kensi said.
"Thank you. Nell, put me to work." Emma said as she turned to the redhead.
"Okay, let's go this way. Kensi, Deeks. Eric has something for you up in OPS."
"Awesome. Pixie, Velma. We'll see you later." Deeks said as he took the stairs two at a time.
"Okay, we're heading to storage. This is your laptop for here and it's connected to the server so you can save the files there. Your log-in code and password are right here. Always keep them close to you. What Hetty wants you to do, is sort through every box, enter the information into the computer and then make sure the files in the box are in the right order. Label the box, seal it and place it in the right order."
"I can do that. How far back do you guys want these boxes to go? And do you sort them by date or case number?"
"As far as these boxes go and there are more boxes in the next room. If you need more space, you can use part of the gym to place them there before you bring them back in here. We normally sort them by case number but whatever works for you will be okay."
"Okay, let me start with this room first then I'll move to the next room. When does Hetty want this all done?"
"She didn't say but no rush. If we need you for something else, we'll come and get you. If you have any questions, just come a find me and I'll see if I can help you."
"Thanks Nell." Emma said as she pulled the first box off the shelf.
"I have to say thank you. This helps me a lot. Honestly, I don't get time to get in here and it's a process to find anything when you need it."
"I'm just glad I can help. I've never had so much free time. So finding something to do outside school is a good chance for me."
"We help each other in any way we can."
After Nell left, Emma started with the first box and soon she lost herself in work. Hetty came to check in on her and brought her some tea but she could see the teenager was in her own world. Not to frighten her, Hetty tapped Emma on the shoulder and placed the cup next to her. Emma started to remove her earbuds but Hetty stopped her and whispered she'll check on her later. Around 6, Kensi came and got Emma so she could take her home. Julia was waiting for them and Kensi wasn't going to turn down dinner with her mom. On the way Kensi and Emma made small talk and Emma was dying to know something she had picked up on since she met Kensi and Deeks.
"Can I ask you something?" Emma asked as she turned towards Kensi.
"Of course, what's up?" Kensi asked as she waited for the light to turn green.
"How long have you and Deeks been seeing each other outside work?" Emma said with a smile.
"We're uhm… we're uhm…" Kensi couldn't find the right words. They've been careful hiding it from everyone but here Emma is, asking about it. "We're uhm…"
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Emma said quickly. "I'm being nosy, sorry. Forget that I asked."
"No, you're not nosy. It's just we've been hiding it from everyone because you know, partners aren't supposed to date."
"Like I said, I was being nosy. Sorry."
"Emma-Grace, stop. You're not nosy. You saw something and you just wanted to know."
"I just spend so many years observing people, that sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. I just asked because I've seen how you are around him and how he looks at you. It's so cute!"
"Hey, it's okay. I understand and know I'm not angry, just shocked you figured it out and the others didn't." Kensi said as she put the car in park, "Emma, you know you can't tell anyone?"
"Your secrete is safe with me. I know what it feels like to have a secret but I hate to break it to you, I have a feeling they already know. They're just respecting your privacy." Emma said as she got out of the car. "But you guys are just so cute!"
"Don't tell Deeks that. I'll never hear the end of it. And how do you know they know?" Kensi said with a smile as she followed Emma into the house.
"I hear everything." Emma said with a wink.
"You're scary good. Great agent materiel."
"Not anytime soon." Julia said as she hugged Emma. The girls just giggled.
Kensi was right, she would never miss her mom's cooking for anything in the world. And with Emma in the house, the girls had a blast. Kensi even let her guard down about her relationship with Deeks. Of course, Julia knew what was going on between them and she was happy Kensi found someone who balanced her out. Julia can see how much Emma looked up to Kensi and maybe their relationship could show Emma what a healthy one looks like. Julia didn't know much about Callen's relationship status but she hoped that Emma could see that there are different relationships and that you had to work at it to make them work. Emma excused herself around ten saying that she needed to get her beauty sleep and at that Julia and Kensi just laughed. Making sure she had everything laid out for the next day, Emma placed her phone and earbuds on charge before heading to her bathroom. Brushing her teeth and washing her face, Emma heard her phone ping. Drying her hands, she grabbed her hairbrush and walked toward her bedside table. She smiled as she looked at her phone already knowing who it was.
I hope you had a fantastic day at school. I don't know when I'll be done with this assignment, but I'll text you again tomorrow. If you need anything, just ask Hetty or the team. They'll help you while I'm gone. Sweet dreams and see you soon. – G.
Emma quickly replied, her fingers couldn't type fast enough.
School was great, and everyone was glad that I was back. Hetty and Nell are keeping me busy at work, so I don't spend too much time worrying about you. I'm good for now but I'll ask if I need anything. Stay safe and I'll see you when you get back. – E.
Emma sat there just brushing her hair, thinking about everything that's happened in the last five weeks. She was happy and slowly started to forget her life before all of this. She'll catch herself thinking back on everything that happened in the house or that Olga would tell her. She didn't want to linger on them for long. She didn't want to give Olga that power over her. Not with all the work she's been doing with counselling and spending time with her family. She finally felt like she belonged somewhere and that she was loved. She was worth something.
The weeks passed quickly, and Emma was glad the weekend was coming. Julia had to go out of town so Kensi would stay with Emma for two nights since Julia didn't want to leave Emma alone and didn't think Emma would want to stay somewhere else. So, Kensi volunteered and where Kensi went, Deeks was too. Emma liked Deeks, he was funny and he was like a kid who never grew up. Sam and Callen made fun of him but she could see they also respected him. Emma was learning different types of relationships… friendship, love, parent/child. Of course, she knew about all kinds of relationships but reading it and seeing it was two different things. Emma was in contact with some of the girls she met at the centre and planned to meet in the coming weeks. That was one relationship she wanted to keep… not because she wanted to be reminded of the past but the reminder that you can go through hell and still come out strong. You can heal and still have a life even when you don't think you can survive.
"Hey, Emma. Hetty wants to see you in her office." Eric said as he walked into the storeroom.
"Is everything okay?" Emma could see something was up.
"Yeah, Hetty just wanted me to come and get you."
"Okay, let me just close this box before I forget." Emma said as she got up and closed the box, moving it to the corner. Grabbing her laptop, she headed to Hetty's office.
"You wanted to see me?" Emma said as she walked up the small stairs leading to Hetty's office.
"Yes, Emma-Grace. Come sit down and I'll pour you a cup of tea." Hetty said with a smile.
"Hetty, what's wrong?" Emma asked, knowing something was wrong.
"Emma-Grace, there's been an accident. Callen was… he was exposed to a virus called ' SPIRAL.' But you don't have to worry; he will be fine. He's on his way to CDC headquarters in Georgia. They're going to give him the antidote and then he'll be back to his old self in no time." Hetty said. Emma wasn't sure if Hetty was trying to convince Emma or herself that Callen would be okay. Before Emma could ask that question, Sam walked into the office with a small bag.
"Got what you needed Mr. Hanna?"
"Yes, I just wanted to stop by to talk to her before I head out. I'll meet him in Georgia and then look over him till he can come back." Sam said to Hetty before he turned towards Emma. "Hey, Emma." Sam asked but it looked like Emma saw a ghost. She was pale and looked like she could pass out at any time. She didn't even respond to him. Bending down, he put his finger under her chin and lifted her eyes towards him.
"Emma-Grace, he's going to be fine. Before you know it, he's going to be home and you guys can do whatever you do on your weekends. I'm going to make sure of that, okay."
"I can't lose him yet." Emma said with tears in her eyes.
"Come here." Sam said as she stood up to hug her. "As soon as he wakes up, I'll call you and you can talk to him yourself. How does that sound?" Emma just nodded her head yes. "And I'll tell you immediately if something comes up, I promise you." Hetty said from her seat.
"He's stronger than we give him credit for." Sam said with a smile. "I need to go but I'll call you as soon as I know what's happening, okay?"
"Okay." Emma said in a small voice.
Sam gave Emma one last hug before transferring her into Kensi's arms. With a slap on the back, Deeks went to stand next to Kensi and Emma.
"Why don't you two take Emma-Grace home. I don't think there's anything we can do from our side anymore. The paperwork can wait till Monday." Hetty said as she watched the young girl hugging Kensi.
"My mom's out of town so we offered to watch her for the weekend." Kensi said to Hetty.
"Watch over her." Hetty said as she came around to hug Emma. "Go home and forget about work. Remember, Callen is in good hands and he'll be back before you know it."
"I need to go clean up in the storeroom." Emma said.
"Leave it. Ms. Jones can lock it so nobody goes in there till Monday." Hetty said.
"Okay, I just need to get my bag." Emma started but Nell handed her bag to Deeks.
"Let's head out Pixie." Deeks said to make her smile but all she did was stare.
"Okay, Deeks why don't you take Emma to the car. I just need to talk to Hetty for a second." Kensi said as she handed Emma to Deeks.
Kensi and Hetty watched as Deeks walked out with the teenager.
"Hetty, how's Callen doing?" Kensi asked.
"Ms. Blye, pray. Pray as much as you can." Hetty said as she walked towards her desk.
Emma couldn't remember the drive home. As they stopped, Emma got out of the car and headed for the door. Kensi knew Emma was a perfectionist so when she saw she didn't take off her shoes and just left her backpack in the doorway, she knew she was not holding up.
"Hey, Emma how about we send Deeks for dinner and we can see what movies are on Netflix." Kensi walked to the living room where Emma was lying on the couch. "Emma? Did you hear me?" Kensi said again.
"I'm not hungry." Emma whispered.
"I know but you need to eat something." Deeks tried.
"I said, I'm not hungry." Emma said again, a bit louder this time.
"Emma, I know you're worried but you need to take care of yourself." Kensi said as she came to sit on the couch with her.
When Kensi tried to touch Emma, she was off the couch fast. "I said I'm not hungry! Just leave me alone!" Emma said as she ran up the stairs.
Kensi and Deeks just stared after her. Emma has never lashed out at any of them. They didn't even know she could lash out. She was always so happy and shy but never had she raised her voice. But they couldn't blame her, a lot has happened and people deal in their own way.
"I'm going to order us some pizza and you get us something to drink." Deeks said.
"I should go check on her." Kensi said as she went to move but Deeks stopped her.
"Let her be. She'll come to us when she needs us. Today was hard on all of us and we deal with stuff our own way, you know that."
"I know… I just feel so helpless. I've never seen her like this but I'm glad she finally feels close enough to us, to let her guard down."
"I know but she's tough and we'll help her through it." Deeks said as he brought her in for a hug.
"Okay, you order food. I think my mom said she left us beer in the fridge."
Emma felt so bad that she yelled at Kensi and Deeks. They were trying to help and she yelled at them. Emma never had these feelings before… angry, sad, overwhelmed all simultaneously. She just lay on her bed and let the tears fall. Doing the one thing that made her feel better, she slowly walked towards the bathroom and started the bath water. Julia left her some bath bombs and salts when she moved in. Pouring the mint bath bomb in, she began to undress. She checked the water and got in. Laying back, she thought of everything Sam had told her. Emma knew Sam was a man of his word but anything could go wrong. What would happen if Callen didn't make it? She knew the team would step up but still she didn't want to go on with life without her dad. She just met him and yet he's a big part of her life. Emma just sank deeper into the bad and let the tears fall.