The kiss that first night had been a 3 weeks ago and neither one of us had spoken about it. The following morning, Callen had pretended it had never happened. It had broken my heart, but I didn't say anything and we went back to how we were like beforehand, laughing and joking and poking fun at each other. We hadn't shared anything that intimate since and despite my best efforts, I couldn't forget what had happened.
We had just sent Eric and Nell the incriminating evidence I had found in the Fox's system when I decided to talk to him about it. He was in the bedroom, packing, when I approach him.
"We need to talk," I says.
"About what?" he asks, pausing his packing to look up at me.
"About that first night." Callen stiffens and turns away from me, continuing to pack his bag.
"What about it?"
"We can't just not talk about." I watch the muscles in his back tense underneath his shirt. He doesn't say anything. I say softly, "I need to know."
"Need to know what?" His voice was strained and tense. I begin regretting my need to have this conversation. I almost didn't want to ask.
"Who was I kissing?" My voice was quiet. He pauses, still not looking at me. He is quiet for a long moment. I almost thought he wouldn't answer but he let out a long breath.
"Jack."
It was the answer I was expecting, but it hurt anyway.
"That's all I wanted to know," I say softly. I was glad he wasnt looking at me. Otherwise he would have seen the tear roll down my cheek. I turn and step into our bathroom, locking the door behind me. He calls my name, but he stops when his phone begins ringing. I listen to him answer through the door. It was Eric. They speak for a minute and I let the tears silently fall down my cheeks. I listen to Callen hang up and there is a silence before he gently knocks on the bathroom door. I don't speak.
"Kensi, Sam and Deeks are on their way to arrest Everett and Lucinda," he says softly. I exhale softly before stepping away from the door and turn the shower on.
I stand under the hot water for a long while, letting the it wash over me and mix with the tears on my face. I finally turn off the water and step out of the shower. I dry myself before realising I didn't have any clean clothes. I wrap the towel around my body and step up to the door. I stop, my hand on the handle and consider what I was doing.
Before I could second guess myself, I open the door. I find our clothes were all packed into suitcases but Callen nowhere to be seen. I pause, listening to the house, but it was silent. I look at the neatly made bed and see a set of clean clothes with a note. I pick up the note and read it, using one arm to keep the towel around my body.
'I've gone for a run. Be back soon.' It was in Callens familiar handwriting. I knew he could be out running for hours before he returned. I look at my packed bags and the empty walk-in and my heart ached. I push down my emotions and dress quickly. I found myself standing in the living room with the note in my hand, looking out the window and waiting for Callen to return from his run.
Someone grabs me from behind. I struggle as a cloth clamps around my mouth and nose. I don't remember passing out.
When I woke, I was bound to a chair in a large warehouse. Fear settles into my stomach.
"Sleeping beauty is finally awake," someone to my right says. I turn and see a man I recognised. The Foxs head of security, Mitch, was prowling towards me, the financial advisor, Benson, leaning against a table.
"Good afternoon, Adelaide," Benson says. "But thats not youre real name, is it?"
"Just like Jack isn't your husbands real name," Mitch says, stepping behind me before appearing on my left. "That is, if he really is your husband."
"What do you want?" I say.
"We want you to pay," Benson says.
"For what?"
"For giving the cops evidence against Everett and Lucinda." My heart begins beating hard.
"I don't know what youre talking about." I try to sound confident.
"Oh?" Benson says. "Jack seemed to know."
"What did you do to him?" I ask, the fear in my stomach becoming more intense. Mitch laughs and grabs the back of the chair I was strapped to. He spins the chair and my heart stops. Callen was strapped to a chair, unconscious. He had cuts and bruises all over his face and body.
"No," I whisper. "No please. Dont hurt him."
A tear slips down my cheek as I silently beg Callen to wake. He groans.
Mitch walks over to a small table beside Callen and picks up a knife. It was coated in blood. My eyes widen in horror.
"No, please, don't hurt him," I beg. Mitch grins wickedly as he places the point of the knife on Callens thigh, preparing to push it into his skin. I begin trembling. Mitch begins applying force and Callen groans in pain.
"No, please, stop," I sob. Mitch only keeps going. Callens eyes shoot open as he begins gasping in pain. Callens eyes meet mine and I see pain and fear on his face as he realises that I was here with him. I turn my attention back to Mitch and Benson. "I'll give you whatever you want. Just stop hurting him."
"That's the thing though," Benson says. "We want you to watch him hurt."
I scream as Mitch plunges the knife into Callens leg. I struggle against the rope, needing to get to Callen.
"NCIS!" someone yells from behind me. "Put your hands up."
Mitch looks at whoever was behind me before trying to bolt. He got three bullets to the back, killing him. Benson considers his options before putting his hands up. I was still struggling to get to Callen, sobbing violently. Someone cuts my lose and I bolt over to Callen.
"Eric, we need an ambulance!" someone says, but I barely hear it.
"Stay with me, Callen," I sob as I try to slow the bleeding. "Help is on its way."
Callen mutters my name before he passes out.
I sit in the waiting room at the hospital, staring at my hands. I didn't know if they were red from the scrubbing and hot water or if they were still stained with Callens blood. A nurse walks out and I hold my breath, but she just kept walking. I felt like I had been waiting for an eternity for Callen to come out of surgery.
"He'll be ok," Sam says from beside me. I didn't know if he was telling me or himself.
"Of course," I whisper back. Somehow, I fell asleep, my head resting against Sams shoulder. I was instantly awake when Sam shook me.
"He's out of surgery," Sam says. Hetty, Nell and Eric had arrived at some point. We all follow the nurse into the small hospital room. We were all cramped in, but no one complained. Callen smiles up at us, clearly tired. His eyes linger on me, scanning my body for injuries.
"How are you feeling, G?" Sam asks.
"I've been worse," Callen says. He holds my eyes.
"We're glad to hear that," Hetty says, noticing where Callens attention was. "Now that we know you are fine, we'll let you get some rest."
The team begin filing out, a chorus of 'Get better's following them. I remain where I was. When everyone had left and the door was closed, I walk to Callens side.
"Are you sure youre ok?" I ask softly.
"Yeah, I'm ok." I sit in the chair beside the bed as he sits up properly, grunting in pain. Callen looks at me, studying my face.
"I'm ok," I say softly. "They didnt hurt me."
"Yes they did," he says softly. A tear rolls down my cheek and he gently brushes it away. I search his face, looking for anything that would give away what he was feeling.
"I lied about Jack," he whispers. "Jack was just a name, not an alias."
My lips part and Callens eyes drops to them for a moment. I watch him for a moment before asking, "Why did you lie?"
"Because every time I let myself care for someone, they get hurt or killed," he whispers, looking away from me. I take his hand.
"Thats a piss poor excuse to not love someone," I say. "And its a very sad way to live your life."
"I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you," he says.
"Then don't let anything happen to me." He looks at me. I meet his eyes, letting him see my honesty. "You take what we have with both hands and you never let anyone take that from you. You fight for us and I'll do the same."
I gently brush my hand over his cheek and he leans into, placing his hand over mine and holding it to his cheek. He closes his eyes as he lets out a sigh.
"Do you promise?" his voice is barely a whisper. He opens his eyes to look at me, tears in his eyes. "Do you promise you'll stay?"
"Of course." Callen moves his head so he could kiss the ball of my palm. "Get some rest."
I stand, but he doesn't let go of my hand.
"Stay," he pleads. I nod, placing a kiss on the top of his head before sitting.
I was sifting through my takeout menus a week later, trying to find the appetite to order something. Callen was still in the hospital and it had taken very heavy persuasion from Kensi, Sam and Hetty before I had come home earlier today. I had no food in my apartment after a month away. I had just decided on Thai when there was a knock on my door. I stare at my door, considering on just ignoring it when Callens voice called to me. I was at the door and opening it in record time. Callen looked quite pale and was leaning against the door frame for support, a box of pizza in his hand.
"You haven't had anything yet?" he asks. I smile.
"I was just about to order Thai, but I think I could do pizza." He laughs softly and I let him in. He looks around my apartment, taking in the simple furniture, bare walls and few photos I had framed on the side tables. "Are you even allowed out of the hospital?"
"No," he says, placing the box on the coffee table. "But I was told to hold on to what we have and never let anyone take it."
"I didn't mean escape from the hospital," I laugh. "I have half a mind to drag your ass back."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he says, stepping closer to me and taking my hands.
"And why's that?" His eyes drop to my lips.
"Because then I wouldnt be able to do this," he says before kissing me. He wraps his arms around my waist as I lean into him. I take his face in my hands. We break apart, our foreheads resting together. "Still want to send me back to hospital?"
"You still look pale," I say and he raises an eyebrow. "But I think if I feed you some proper stuff and not that hospital crap, you might make it."
He chuckles, kissing me again. I pull away and he pouts at me.
"I don't like cold pizza," I say. He laughs and so we spend the next several hours eating pizza and watching trashy reality shows.