No Ordinary Love - G.Callen NCIS L.A

Chapter 55

He'd been putting off telling Sam. For some reason his partner was the last to know about the important things these days. Dee was first, then Hetty and Kensi and Marty, and finally Sam. Callen didn't mind, not really, it just was a far cry from two years before. Then again, a lot had happened it two years.

After another grueling day with chasing suspects and being locked up in the boat shed for the better part of fourteen hours, Callen exhaled. The cases seemed to get worse, the longer he stayed. When he looked at Deeks and Kensi, he saw that they thought the same. It was time to let go. This world appeared to get crazier with every day that passed.

So at the end of another week, he took Sam for drinks. Noticing that Callen had chosen a rather quiet booth in a far corner, Sam raised an eyebrow. "Is this going to be a serious conversation?" he asked, as he put his drink down.

Callen cleared his throat. "Maybe."

"What's on your mind? Something I did?"

"Not this time."

"Then what?" Sam wasn't dumb; he had noticed the looks between the three teammates after a long day. He knew Deeks and Kensi were counting down the days until they could go home and figure out what to do after law enforcement. Part of him already knew they had something lined up.

Knowing that he had to come out and say it at one point or another, Callen took a deep breath. "Hetty is looking around for a new team leader," he said. "Aside from the replacements for Deeks and Kensi."

Sam frowned. "Why? She not impressed with your performance anymore?"

"No, my last fit rep was stellar." He shook his head. "It's because I asked her to."

"Why?" Again, that same question.

He looked up, meeting his partner's eyes. "Because I'm going to retire, too."

Sam was silent for a moment, studying his face. "Aha." He cleared his throat, playing with his drink. "What did she say?"

"To me retiring?"

"To all of it changing?"

"You know Hetty; she's always prepared for anything. I think she saw it coming."

Nodding, his partner pursed his lips. "Why are you retiring? I know why Deeks and Kensi are resigning, and I think I can guess your reasons, but I'd rather you tell me."

Having expected this, Callen smiled. "Because Dee happened," he softly but firmly, said. "And because for the first time in my life, I fit in somewhere that has nothing to do with my skills as an operative. I fit in because I'm me. With all my baggage. So that's one."

"And two?"

"Two is because it's time someone else takes responsibility for the safety of the world. I've tried to keep everyone safe for twenty years, Sam. It's time to take care of my family, now. Somebody else can take over the world."

His partner smirked. "The things we do for family."

"You think I'm wrong?" Callen frowned.

"No, no I don't think you're wrong," Sam quickly deflated. "I don't you're wrong at all. And I get it, too. You finally have your family in one place. You of all people, are getting married. But who's going to keep your kids safe? Have you thought about that?"

"I have. I don't doubt my kids will be safe, Sam. I'm sure whoever is next in that office will do their utmost to keep all of us safe, like we've done for the past ten years. But I want the walk down the aisle, and the honeymoon, and the excitement over a positive pregnancy test, the sleepless nights and first steps... I want all that without having to look over my shoulder or going out the door in the morning, not knowing if or how I'm going to come through the door at night. I don't think that's fair to Dee or to any of the kids we'll have. Not even for the greater good."

Sam regarded him for a long time, not saying anything. "Good for you."

It took Callen by surprise. "Yeah?"

"You love her," Sam admitted. "And maybe a part of me is jealous. Because you're able to let go control. And I'm the squared away Navy SEAL who won't. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps Deeks and Kensi are right too. But this is the only way I know how to keep my family safe. And yes, I do it for the greater good, too."

"I'm not judging you. But this is what I have to do."

"I know." Sam swallowed his drink. "What did Dee say?"

"Believe it or not, she didn't believe it. But she's happy. It'll give us more time together as I figure out what to do."

"You don't have another job lined up?"

"Nope. I'm going to play it by ear, get Indulge set up with her, plan the wedding. Just take it easy for a little while. We'll see what happens. I want something with less irregular hours and a lower mortality rate. We'll see what comes across."

"You're going to play it by ear? You really think you can do that?"

Callen shrugged. "The old me with his day-to-day mentally is still in there, somewhere. Just that I have Dee now, doesn't mean I don't still have that."

"I bet." Sam shook his head, laughing. "You're finally retiring, Callen. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Bet you thought that I'd succumb to a bullet eventually?"

"Either that or an explosion somewhere. We have enough enemies who would love to see us dead."

"Most of them behind bars, thankfully."

Sam raised his glass. "Well, here's to you and Dee. To Hetty finding a good replacement for you, and to happy endings. Because if there is someone who deserves one, it's you."

"Thank you, Sam."

"Don't thank me yet," Sam warned. "The first few weeks you'll have to listen me whine about the new team. After that, we'll go back to being just friends instead of partners. Cause we're still going to be friends, right?"

"Always."