Turn of Events

Office of Special Projects

Callen entered the large carved doors to the Spanish style building with a smile spread across his handsome features. It felt good, real good to walk back inside to his other home. He felt safe there, the one place he would always return after a case with his family. Where his mother hen, Henrietta Lange, would welcome her chicks back into the nest.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Matthew Summers." Hetty hid her own smile and pursed her lips as she approached her team leader. "You were ordered, were you not, to stay away from today's operation?"

Callen faltered, oh she was good, he thought. Every time, she knew how to make him feel guilty. But he wasn't going to allow anyone that privilege this time. His need to rescue Sam was important to him. "Hetty," he began. "You know how much Sam means to me. He's more than just my partner. I've missed him after his absence for the past three months. Surely you understand why I had to do what I did?"

Hetty shook her head as she tried to hide how proud she was of the man before her. It was important that she didn't allow her own personal emotions get in the way when dealing with Callen in the work place. She couldn't afford for him to disobey orders whenever it suited him. But he had followed all the usual protocols just the same. It proved that his head was in the right place and that he would be ready as soon as the doctor signed off on his request to return to work. She noted how much he had worked to recover from his heart attack and from his abuse at the hand of Namena. He really was an amazing man. "You disobeyed my orders to stay away. You haven't been cleared. If something had happened to you, the insurance for your recovery would have been terminated. And I would have been dragged back to D.C. to be questioned by Congressman Michael Thomas once again. As it is, he believes I don't care about my people. The fact is, Matthew, I care too much for each and every one of you. I cannot lose another member of my team." She looked up at him and gazed into his eyes. "I cannot lose you, Matthew." Her stoic reputation would be dashed now, that she'd weakened from her love for her boy.

Callen stepped forward and hugged her. "Hetty, you're not going to lose me."

"We've come too close too many times already, my dear boy. Oh, you are so much like your mother. You would make her proud. I know I am very proud of the man that you've become." Her eyes misted over and she took in a deep breath to prevent the flood gates from opening.

"You know how much you, Sam and the rest of the team mean to me, Hetty. I would follow each and everyone of you to the ends of the earth to rescue you," he openly admitted.

"I know you would, Matthew." He had done just that when she went to Prague and Romania to stop the Comescu blood feud once and for all.

Owen Granger walked down the stairs, ready to pounce on the team leader for breaking command in going to Sam's rescue. But when he saw the special moment between Callen and Hetty, he hesitated. He'd heard Callen and Hetty's admission to each other and it filled his heart with pride for both the woman and the younger man. He'd been part of this unique team for only four years, and he would be the first to admit that his relationship with the team, especially with Callen had been a rocky start. Yet slowly he proved to them just how much they meant to him and that he would do whatever it took to rescue them. He had in turn gained their respect, just as he too had gained respect for each of them as he worked along side of them. He'd made it difficult from the start and he noted how they closed ranks around each other when he threatened one of them. He'd tried to find Callen's father for him, without success. He'd saved his sister from drowning years earlier and placed her with the Tates, yet Callen had no knowledge of any of it, until recently. He was going to change from that moment on. To make amends with the past and press forward with a confidence in his people, who made him proud each and every day.