13Disclaimer: The characters appearing in this story are property of CBS
As Callen and Sam were walking in to the mission it was business as usual, and then they notice something that was off. The atmosphere remained the same, but something else was off. They walked up to the bull pen and saw that their desk had occupied; along with their owners gear. Sam and Callen shared a look, and then jump out of their skins when Hetty approached them from behind and started talking.
"Mr. Callen to my office; Mr. Hanna, to the armory." Hetty said and then walked away.
"I'll take your bag big guy." Callen said to Sam. Sam handed his bag to G, and then head to the armory.
"Thanks G." Sam said. Callen walked over to Hetty's office and put the bags down and took a seat in the chairs.
"So… who is replacing us while we're on leave?" Callen asked.
"Red team." Hetty said without looking up from her paperwork.
"Then where are they at?" Callen asked
"They're in Ops being briefed on the case that just came in." Hetty said. Callen looked over his shoulder at Ops and wondered about the case, but it wasn't necessary. He knew the mission would be in good hands while they were gone. Paris is a top agent and would get the job done with them were gone. "How is Joelle doing?"
"She's good. Kind of rough having to part ways for a six month haul, but she knows that I'll be back. I told I would be back." Callen said.
"And that you would pick up from where you left off at?" Hetty asked
"Yeah, spent this much time building the relationship not going to quit now; definitely continuing after the op." Callen said. Hetty opened her drawer and pulled out two pieces of paper. One had the words "Callen" written on it the other had "Sam" on it. Callen looked up at Hetty with cautious look on his face.
"Kensi and Deeks are going to be together for the next sixth month haul, and won't be missing their partners. Think of this as a secure line to communicate with you loved ones while on assignment." Hetty said. Callen smiled back and realized that in the folded paper was an email address for which Sam and Callen where to communicate with their lovers, and family.
"So how did it go?" Callen asked.
"How did what go?" Hetty asked.
"How did Kensi and Deeks react to the reasons behind the Afghanistan assignment?" Callen asked.
"They are accepting my judgment for the time being, but I will have to earn their respect, and trust in the future if I want them to trust me again." Hetty said.
"You didn't do anything wrong." He said.
"Are you sure about that Mr. Callen?" She said
"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked.
"They both admit they made mistakes, but given the state of the year they had it was a bit harsh to send Kensi away like that." She said.
"How so?" He asked.
"Kensi is the only one who was helping Deeks cope with his trauma, and I sent her away." She said.
"Deeks was doing well." He said.
"No I think "Mr. Deeks was doing just fine" would be the proper phrase, wouldn't you say?" She asked.
"Come on Hetty you were just doing your job." Callen said. "They weren't thinking properly and it could have gotten the team killed."
"Be that as it may, but we never got Mr. Deeks the necessary treatment to cope with the sudden reassignment, let alone to cope with the rigors of the job." Hetty said.
"True, but how are we supposed to help if Deeks didn't reach out for help?" Callen asked.
"Mr. Deeks didn't know what to do, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have reached out sooner and got the help that he needed, instead of leaving he to suffer in silence. Kensi went to his house and helped him to get better enough to quell the chaos inside so he can return to work. Not only that look at the treatment he received for the first few years he was here: you followed my lead and accept him. You never reached out to him and made Mr. Deeks feel welcomed. Mr. Hanna practically hated Mr. Deeks from day one; and it took Mr. Deeks practically dying before Mr. Hanna received him as one of our own. I know Kensi was trying to gauge if the detective could keep up with her, but it took her a year before she accepted him as her partner. Mr. Deeks provide crucial information that would have taken months, even years for us to set up and acquire and he handed it over on a silver platter; yet you guys still kept your eyes on him like he was the weak link." She said. Callen couldn't respond to that accusation because he knew it was true, so he just sat in silence for the time being. After a few minutes he got up and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Hetty asked.
"To the range. Sitting here until Sam is done with Nate is going to be boring." Callen said and then walked off. Hetty just shook her head and returned to her paper work.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Upon entering the armory Sam realized the purpose of the visit when he saw the lone occupant standing at the middle table: Nate Getz.
"What can I do you for Nate?" Sam asked.
"You know the answer to that question." Nate replied.
"Yeah I do." Sam said. Sam sighed and approached the middle table and took a seat. Nate pulled up a chair and waited for Sam to start.
"Now where do you want me to start from?" Sam asked.
"Wherever you are most the comfortable starting from." Nate said.
"I wasn't happy about Kensi reassignment because of the affect it would have on Deeks. I know if I had been in his position and Michelle was my anchor, and she got shipped out, I would have been feeling the pain." Sam said.
"Did you say something to Hetty about it?" Nate asked.
"This is Hetty we're talking about. She already made the decision before anybody knew what was going on. G and I asked for clarification, but she already made her decision. I'm surprised Deeks made it as far as he did without relapsing; though he could have and didn't tell anybody." Sam said.
"What makes you say that?" Nate asked.
"Well he didn't receive a warm welcome. I didn't give him the respect he deserved, and everybody else was just wary of him because he was a cop and not an agent." Sam said.
"Even though he proved himself over and over again?" Nate asked.
"I won't speak for Callen, or Kensi; they are going have to give an account for that later. All I know is: Deeks is a willing to do the job; even at the expense of his own wellbeing. Not only that Deeks gets paid to lie for a living. Kensi would be the only person to truly Deeks personality and demeanor." Sam said. "Just wish I was more forgiving of Deeks, and his methods."
"Okay, before this session goes any further, I'm going to divert it back to the main topic at hand: Afghanistan and your abduction." Nate said which got an eye roll out of Sam. "Something wrong?"
"Afghanistan is nothing I haven't dealt with before. I was concerned for Deeks and his condition, but I wasn't really affected by the mission itself." Sam said.
"Why were you worried about Deeks?" Nate asked.
"Kensi was his anchor, and she was gone for four months. Then she goes running off to get answers about a relationship that she hasn't dealt with for nearly a decade, I think. All the while she has no back up, or means of communication. I know Kensi is afraid to lose Deeks, but she isn't willing to see that it's a two way street. Her death would affect Deeks just as deeply as his death would affect her, but Kensi will have to learn that lesson someday. I just hope it's not too late." Sam said.
So, onto the abduction then." Nate said. Sam chuckled at Nate's enthusiasm and became stoic. He doesn't remember much other than being knocked out and tied to a chair, and then more instruments of horror cause pain to him.
"I don't really remember that much about the incident, other than I spent a lot off time unconscious. When I was awake I was being tortured, and then questioned by a random stranger asking about the White Ghost, followed again with more torture. After a while I blacked out. I'm guessing that was about the time I fell into a coma because the next thing I know I'm laying a hospital bed in one of our safe house surrounded by a medical team that Hetty hired." Sam said.
"What happen while you were in your coma?" Nate asked.
"I took a stroll down memory lane." Sam said. That got a sideways glance out of Nate. "I saw scenes from my past: as a child and a teenager; then my days in the Navy. Then I saw a scenes working with N.C.I.S.; it was very "nostalgic", though I'd be glad if I didn't have to relive that experience."
"Also a possibility in this field." Nate said.
"That is a bridge I will cross when I get there, Nate." Sam said.
"I will say that you have a high strength of will." Nate said.
"How so?" Sam asked.
"You were in a coma for a day and a half and came through no worse for wear." Nate said.
"Here's to hoping I don't have to live through again." Sam said. "Nate if you don't have anything else to ask, I'm going to go find Hetty. I've come to terms with the events of the past four months and in as good of shape mentally as I can be."
"Actually go find Callen, I will talk to Hetty." Nate said. With that the men shook hands and part ways upon exiting the armory: Sam was heading to the range and Nate to Hetty's office.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Sam was approaching the firing when G had loaded another magazine and emptied it into the target. He had seemed a little upset by his talk with Hetty.
{Time for me to go talk some sense into the man.} Sam thought. After Callen load another magazine and unloaded it into the target, Sam walked into chat with Callen about Hetty's decision.
"What was the conversation with Hetty about?" Sam asked G.
"She said that she would have to regain Kensi and Deeks trust again in the future after her decision to send Kensi on the Afghanistan mission." G said.
"And she shouldn't have to why?" Sam asked.
"Because they weren't using their heads; and could have gotten us all killed." Callen said.
"True, but you know that sooner or later those two were going to act on their feeling. You know that." Sam said.
"Too bad they couldn't have picked a better time to do so." Callen said.
"Kensi and Deeks aren't you, G. And love, albeit dangerous, makes us do things that we wouldn't think twice about. Like Deeks not shooting Kensi. If that would have happened twenty-fours ago, he would have taken that shot; now that they are on the same page emotionally, more or less, Deeks isn't willing to take any action that would bring harm to Kensi. The only thing Kensi should have done differently was being more mindful of Talita's henchmen. Other than that, nothing was foul play really." Sam said.
Callen took Sam's words to heart, but was still conflicted. Though if he was honest with himself, he couldn't pass blame any further because they have already owned their mistakes and promised, though he knows it was going to happen again one way or another, to be more mindful in the future.
"Give the relationship with Joelle some time, and then you will understand their dilemma." Sam said resting a hand on G's shoulder. To which G just nodded his understand of the conversation. Next thing that happened was both of their phones started to sound of, it was a text from Eric.
"We are need up in Ops." Sam said. Callen reloaded his gun, and holstered it. Then both G and Sam walked up to ops to get briefed on what was going to happen while waiting for Jon Doe to resurface.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Fifteen minutes earlier…..
"Dr. Getz, what's the good word on the team?" Hetty asked.
"They are damaged, but functioning properly enough that they can return to the field." Nate said. "Got anything you want to add to that?"
"What is your assessment of Kensi and Mr. Deeks?" She asked.
"They are afraid for each other, but they will work it out. Their relationship can cloud their judgment, but given the events of the past year the relationship will also get them back on track to a full recovery." Nate said. Hetty pick up her desk phone and made a call up to Ops.
"Mr. Beale." Hetty said.
"Yes Hetty." Eric said.
"Would you page Callen and Sam to Ops. It's time to get them out of here and into the field." She said.
"On it." He said hanging up the phone. Hetty stood up and walked around to where Nate was and shook his hand.
"Your work here is finished for the time being. So you can go get packed to catch the next flight out to continue your field work." Hetty said.
"Alright and thank you, and tell the team I had fun seeing them again." Nate said.
"I will." Hetty said. With that Nate took his leave to pack his bags and fly off to the next hot zone that he was needed in.
N.C.I.S L.A.
Sam and G walk into ops and were briefed on what was to happen. Basically they were given new identities to take a vacation for the next sixth months so they were relaxed and prepared for the symphony op. Callen's identity was that of Ross Barton, a security guard at a mall in San Diego; and Sam's was John Sylibus, a sanitation engineer at the same mall that Callen was a security guard at. With their identities in hand same and Callen left and headed for San Diego to begin their op.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Six months later….
The team was recalled to discuss the operation with Jon Doe at the opera house. Deeks was not present for most of the mission briefings because he was at said opera house practicing with the symphony. It was a basic operation: Deeks was to distract the target long enough for Callen, Sam, Kensi, and Jon Doe and his men to get into position and take him down. The operations was in three days; so everybody went their separate ways until the mission: Sam went home to Michelle and his child, Callen went to keep Joelle company, and Kensi and Deeks went back to his apartment and got comfortable until the op.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
The night at the op, Deeks was already present at the opera hall to get prepared with the symphony. Then an hour before the production the rest of the team showed up and got into their roles waiting for the target to show up.
"You guys ever hear Deeks play?" Sam asked.
"Yeah." Callen said.
"Yes." Nell said over the ear wig.
"No." Eric said
"I have not." Hetty said.
"I was with him for the past six months; as not to make this awkward, yes I have." Kensi said. That got a laugh out of Nell and Eric.
"Well I'm going to go out on a limb and say I'm in for a treat." Sam said.
"Yes you are Sam. Yes you are." Callen said.
"Alright folks look alive; the target has just arrived and is heading to his seat." Jon Doe replied. Everybody sounded off and was in position. With that the lights in the hall darkened and the M.C. took the stage and introduced the symphony, and walked off. The symphony took their seats. The last thing that was heard before the symphony started to play came from Kensi.
"Knock 'em dead Shaggy." Kensi
"You got it Sugar bear." Deeks said. After Deeks finished speaking the conductor brought the symphony to attention and started the concert.
THE END
A/N: Thanks for coming along on this journey. The symphony mission will be, as I said in the previous chapter, will be part of the closing act to the story The Fire Rises. I wrote this story so I wouldn't confuse you with jumping back and forth between Kensi and Deeks story, and Sam and Callen's story. Thanks again, and thanks for supporting me.
