1. Chapter 1

Melissa moved through the crowd making sure everyone had a glass of champagne and that all the women were admiring the jewellery on display. Nora Jones was crooning one of the gentle ballads that Melissa's employer Gregory Dean had requested. The reclusive man was the best in the jewellery business and in high demand by all those who could afford to buy his designs. The elite of the jewellery world and the many rich from around the world were all gathered in the ballroom of the exclusive Sunset Tower Hotel.

As Mr. Dean's assistant, Melissa had organised the party according to her boss's express instructions and this was the result; a room full of wealthy guests, millions of dollars' worth of jewellery on display, the best in hors d'oeuvres and champagne money could buy, and the wealthy of the world flocking to buy G. Dean jewellery.

Melissa reached a hand up to the heavy collar of pear and marquise cut diamonds set into platinum circling her neck. Mr. Dean had been insistent that she wear one of his most expensive pieces for the night. She had been reluctant at first but she had been persuaded when her dress and shoes had arrived with the makeup artist, an armed guard in tow with the silver case handcuffed to his wrist.

"Mademoiselle Gordon." She was tapped on the shoulder by the maître d' of the hotel. He had been amazing to work with, every one of her requests had been followed to the letter and Melissa had come to enjoy their discussions about the service for the night.

With a smile she looked around, "Oh, Henri the ballroom looks magnificent." She complemented easily. And it did. The room was dripping with black satin and every piece of jewellery was perfectly lighted. The only damper on the whole night was the fact that Mr. Dean's daughter, Patricia had insisted that the waiters wear black masks. The overall effect wasn't ruined by the silly extra but Melissa still thought the idea had cheapened the drama of the night.

The tall skinny maître d' didn't look around, instead a small wrinkle formed between his eyebrows. "Forgive me Mademoiselle but there are three monsieur's and a mademoiselle out in the cocktail room. They are asking to see the host."

Melissa sighed. "Did you tell them that Mr. Dean doesn't see clients without an invite or booking?" she asked twisting the beautiful platinum ring on her middle finger. It was set with a radiant cut emerald with four marquise cut and one small round cut diamond running down either side of the setting.

"Oui Mademoiselle." The maître d' bobbed his head emphatically. "They insist that they must talk to the host." He added seeming annoyed with the four people in question.

Melissa let her gaze move over the party again and, seeing that Patricia was suitably caught up in a conversation with an oil magnate and his bottle blonde significant other, she sighed once more, brushed her hand over the full skirt of her black lace ball dress and lifted her chin. "Very well, Henri. These people want to see the host but they will have to be happy with seeing me."

The tall Frenchman bobbed a nod again and straightened his jacket, "Oui Mademoiselle." He affirmed before leading the petite but fiery brunette to the cocktail room.

Melissa had to shake her head at the sight of the four people standing to one side of the room; a loose circle of security personnel surrounded them. There were in fact three men and one woman. All four were dressed impeccably; the men in well-fitting tuxedos and the woman in a beautiful one shoulder black dress with a slit up the side of the skirt to mid-thigh. However, they looked tense and angry and although one of the taller men with messy blond hair looked more at ease and the shortest of the men looked stoic, the tallest man and the dark haired woman looked like they were about to try and fight their way into the party. Not wanting to deal with a brawl, Melissa stepped forward, her dress gathered in one hand to keep it from under her feet.

"Good evening. I am Mr. Dean's Personal Assistant, Melissa Gordon. I have been told that you would like to talk to the host. Is that correct?" she asked gaining the attention of the four newcomers as well as the security personnel.

The shortest of the men took charge and answered her. "I'm Agent Callen and this is my partner Agent Sam Hanna and Officer Marty Deeks and Agent Kensi Blye. We're from NCIS. We have information that points to the threat of an armed robbery occurring at this party by a group of ex-navy officers. We need you to evacuate everyone from the premises and allow us to sweep the area."

Melissa studied the leader of the group as he spoke. He wasn't extremely tall but neither was he short. His looked to be in his late thirties to early forties, with short-cropped hair. Smile lines around his blue-grey eyes and a well-built body gave Melissa pause but she shook it off. "I'm sorry Agent, but that isn't possible. We have employed the best security in Los Angeles. No one could get into this party without an invitation." A thought occurred to her as she remember seeing all four of the agents inside the party an hour or so ago. "Which reminds me; how did you and your team get in, I don't remember seeing your names on the guest list?"

Agent Hanna looked ready to get into an argument and Melissa wondered if any of her security personnel could stop him if he decided to barge into the party. By the look of him he was built like a brick wall and the petite woman wasn't too keen to see what he could do if he put his mind to it. Luckily, his partner pulled out a badge. "We have our own invitations." He said looking unaffected by the whole encounter.

Melissa nodded. "Of course. However, I don't have the authority to kick anyone out of this party. You may come in and look around if you wish." With her piece said, she stepped to the side and looked at the agents expectantly.

Agent Callen nodded to his team and he and his partner led the way back into the party.

A few hours later the evening was winding down. Melissa was organising the Hotel staff to clear down the room of drink glasses and canapé plates before moving on to ordering the packing up of the many pieces of jewellery.

"Well, I bet you're pleased with yourself." The slightly accented voice of Mr. Dean's daughter broke into Melissa's thoughts.

The shorter woman supressed an annoyed huff and turned to her boss's spoilt daughter. "Why would I be pleased with myself, Patricia? This was your father's vision. You have to admit, he does throw the best parties." Melissa waited for the outburst as she calmly pulled the pins from her hair. She had learnt that the best way to deal with Patricia's jealous rages was to be calm and to stay composed.

"My father's vision! Who do you think gave him that vision? I told him he needed a party to get more buyers in. I even went so far as to suggest that he put his newest and most expensive creation on a human model so that it could circulate through the room." The older woman pointed angrily to the heavy necklace at Melissa's throat. "But then you had to stick your nose in and this turned into a charity event and my father had that put around your neck." She sneered. "I should be the one wearing G. Dean's newest creation. I'm the bloody heiress for God's sake!"

Ruffling her hair quickly, Melissa pinned Patricia with a cold look. "Your father chose me to wear this piece. I only suggested that he should throw a charity event some time. I never suggested this should be that event. And finally Patricia, stop with the fake English accent. We all know you were born and raised in Kansas." At the pampered woman's disbelieving stare, Melissa turned to leave only to find Agent Callen and Agent Hanna standing behind her. A soft blush coloured her cheeks when she realised they had heard her scolding and she saw Agent Hanna's half-hidden smirk. "Agents." She greeted them her blush heating her face as Agent Callen raised an eyebrow.

He took a moment to glance behind her before he spoke, "We've finished our search. There's no one here that shouldn't be."

Melissa tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you." Seeing the other two members of the team moving toward them, she added, "And thanks to the rest of your team as well."

A commotion at the ballroom entrance made everyone turn. The sound of a gunshot shattering the crystal chandelier in the middle of the ceiling made Patricia and many of the other women in the room scream.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Melissa. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Agent Hanna grab Patricia and pull her down behind one of the tables. The other two agents threw themselves down and over-turned a table for cover when a spray of bullets came towards them. Suddenly, Melissa was grabbed around the waist by Agent Callen and pulled down onto the ground under his body. The next few seconds felt like they lasted for a lifetime. Agent Callen pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked down at her. Blue-grey eyes met green-blue and Melissa felt like she couldn't breathe.

The moment was shattered by another round of gunfire and then Agent Hanna was shouting at them. "G!"

Melissa was confused when Agent Callen shouted something at her, tipped the table beside them onto its side and then, pulling a pistol from a holster at his hip, he turned on one knee and aimed over the edge of the table.

Squeezing her eyes shut as he pulled the trigger, Melissa covered her ears with her hands and prayed no one would be hurt. She could hear Patricia and others in the room screaming as glass shattered and the walls exploded under the shower of bullets. Suddenly Agent Callen threw his body over hers again. The table sheltering them splintered where he had just been kneeling and Melissa had to bite back a scream of fear.

Without hesitation, as soon as the bullets stopped, Agent Callen was up and firing at the armed men.

And then silence reigned.

Melissa's ears stared to ring and Agent Callen's next words to her didn't register. The feel of his hand on her arm, however, did. She looked down at it only to gasp when he pulled her into a sitting position.

"Are you alright?" he asked his eyes searching her gaze.

Melissa didn't answer right away; instead, she looked around at the carnage in the room. Inhaling sharply she glared at Agent Callen when he caught her chin and turned her face to him. "I'm fine." She huffed annoyed at his rough treatment.

He shook his head. "There are some casualties. You shouldn't see them." He told her gruffly before he stood up. "Just stay there and let my team make sure everyone else is alright." He slipped out of his jacket before putting it around Melissa's shoulders. Without any further explanation, he was gone.

Feeling slightly sick, Melissa stayed where she was until an EMT worker, led by Agent Blye, checked her for signs of shock. The next half hour passed in a blur. She was ushered down to the hotel's foyer and an LAPD officer took her statement. Mr. Dean was there comforting his hysterical daughter, the NCIS team handed the scene over to the LAPD but not before Agent Blye and her partner Officer Deeks moved to where Melissa was standing with Mr. Dean and Patricia, Agent Callen's jacket still wrapped around her.

"Sorry to have to ask this, but we need to take that necklace." Agent Blye said to Melissa.

The shorter brunette blinked before glancing at her employer.

"May I ask why?" Mr. Dean asked his arm tightening around his daughter's shoulders.

Seeing the suspicion on both Agent Blye and Officer Deeks' faces Melissa jumped in, "It's an expensive piece. Mr. Dean is protecting his investment." She explained.

"You also his lawyer?" Officer Deeks asked playfully only to receive an exasperated look from his partner.

With a smile, Melissa shook her head. "No, but a P.A. has the same privileges."

He grinned again before his partner answered Mr. Dean's question. "We think there might be another reason why this necklace was a target for the thieves. We need to analyse it to make sure. And if there is another attempt to get to it no one else will be hurt if we are the ones who have it."

"You must be highly trained in combat." Patricia simpered, smiling prettily at Officer Deeks.

Agent Blye cleared her throat, as her partner shifted uncomfortably not trying to hide the uneasy look on his face. "We like to think of it as a job like any other." She said before pressing her lips together to try to hide a smile.

Melissa wasn't inclined to hide her grin at all. After a final check with Mr. Dean, the dark haired woman slipped her arms into the sleeves of the jacket over her shoulders and reached up to unclasp the weighty piece of jewellery. Agent Blye took it from her hands carefully and laid it in its titanium briefcase before closing the lid and snapping the locks closed. Her partner then put one cuff around his wrist and closed the other around the handle of the case.

"You better have the key for this Kens." He mumbled as he and his partner left the jeweller standing with his daughter and his P.A. in the foyer of the best hotel in Los Angeles.


	2. Chapter 2

A few weeks later, Melissa opened the door to see Tracy, her dresser and best friend standing with a rack of clothes and a burly courier in a dark suit standing behind her.

"You're a life saver. I didn't know what to wear today." Melissa joked as she stepped away from the doorway and let Tracy and the nameless courier into her apartment.

Tracy smiled and wheeled her rack straight into the bedroom saying sarcastically as she went, "You're so cute when you're trying to be funny."

Melissa turned to her courier. "Thanks for bringing these." She took the silver box-like case from him. It was about the size of a kettle and could only be opened using her fingerprints and a code or her employers' fingerprints and his override code. The courier merely nodded and left as silently as he had come.

Tracy sighed dreamily when Melissa carried the small box into the bedroom. "You are so lucky you know? I would kill to be able to wear all these clothes and have priceless jewellery given to me to wear for the day."

"Oh, yeah. I love being told what to wear and wearing a few thousand dollars' worth of jewellery everywhere." She put the box down onto her bed. "Oh and I love having to go and try and sell all of this to rich old men with really young girlfriends. Not to mention following Patricia's every command."

Tracy laughed when Melissa huffed out a longsuffering breath and plopped down on her bed. "Oh and the perks don't outweigh the downfalls of the job?" she asked starting on Melissa's hair and makeup.

"Sometimes." The brunette murmured moodily to her good friend.

The tall redhead shook her head. "Yeah, sometimes." She echoed as she pulled Melissa's hair up into an elegant chignon. "By the way, the jacket's been dry cleaned and Mr. Dean has asked that you go to the NCIS headquarters and pick up the necklace. They contacted the office to say that it was ready to be collected"

Melissa pouted childishly. "Could you go and get it instead of me?"

With a cute giggle, Tracy moved to start on her friends' makeup. "No can do, kid." She said before smirking. "This is about that officer isn't it?"

"Agent. And it isn't about him. It's just that the way he acted that night really annoyed me and I can't get over how emotionless he was over everything."

Tracy popped a hip and propped her fist up on it. "You do realise you just defeated your own argument." She then added a little more eye shadow to Melissa's eyelids. "Anyway, they wouldn't let me out of that place with a necklace that precious. They know you." Finishing her work, she stepped back. "They really should pay me more for having to do this every day." She mused.

Melissa scoffed as she got up from her bed and took her clothes bag from the rack Tracy had brought in. Closing the bathroom door behind her, she hung the bag up on the hook beside the door and unzipped it. Pulling out the charcoal, asymmetrically panelled, pinstripe pencil skirt she stepped into it. She zipped it up and moved onto the dove grey blouse. It was sleeveless and open backed, with a high collar - sexy but professional. Careful of her newly styled hair she pulled it on and buttoned it up. Pulling out the white tailored jacket with a square neck and three quarter sleeves she opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom to hear the end of Tracy's sentence.

"…him, are you?"

"I'm sorry?" she asked as she walked past the rack and picked up the shoebox sitting on the shelf at the bottom of the frame. Putting her jacket down on the bed, she sat down and took the dove grey strappy high heels that matched her outfit out of their box.

"You're not having sexy daydreams about him are you?" Tracy repeated.

Melissa's head came up and she glared at her friend. "Of course not. He's annoying, that's all. There's nothing romantic about it." She buckled up both shoes quickly and grabbed her wallet, phone and anything else she might need that day and threw them into the large white handbag that was a part of her outfit. Picking up the file for her client, she slipped it into the bag and clicked the magnetised lock shut, placing the handbag next to the large black artist's file sitting against her bedroom wall.

"If you say so." Tracy shrugged before nearly skipping to the bed to flop down on her stomach and stare at the small silver box sitting on the covers.

Rolling her eyes, Melissa moved to the bed and quickly went through the process of opening the case. Tracy gasped when she saw the earrings and bracelet sitting nestled in padded black velvet inside the case.

"You are such a magpie." Melissa smiled as the redhead reached out a hand and reverently picked up the bracelet.

Tracy didn't answer and Melissa studied the piece of jewellery. It was a chain of five small silver oval shaped balls about the size of macadamia nuts. Each ball was set with a ring of four marquise cut sapphires around the middle of the ball and six round cut diamonds around each end. The middle ball was a little fatter than the others were and the sapphires were a little bigger as well. Each ball was connected by a delicate ring of silver, and a clasp of silver was at one end with a final ring and a small disc of silver stamped with the G. Dean logo at the other end. The earrings were hooks with a single hanging oval ball with four marquise cut sapphires around the middle and six round cut diamonds at either end of the oval. The jewellery was exquisite but Melissa couldn't help but wish she had had a hand in designing it rather than solely wearing the end product.

"Okay, enough with the drooling. You're making me late for my meeting." Melissa told the redhead still entranced by the bracelet in her hands. Picking up the earrings, Melissa slipped them into her earlobes and reach out her right hand so that Tracy could carefully clasp the bracelet around her wrist.

Pouting, Tracy got up from the bed and moved around the room packing up her brushes and makeup products. Kissing her friend on the cheek, Melissa slipped on her jacket, caught up her handbag and artist's file. With a shouted goodbye to Tracy and a call to lock up after herself, Melissa rushed out the door to meet her town car outside the apartment block.

Her meeting with Mr. Dean's newest client went well and Melissa closed on a deal for a commissioned jewellery set for a New York heiress before lunch. After a quick lunch she shot by the office to drop off the agreed upon design, her artist's file, debrief with her boss and pick up a courier to bring the necklace straight back to the office so that it could be closed in the vault until its new owner picked it up. She didn't know exactly who had bought it but had a feeling it was the oil magnate from the charity party.

Just as she was about to get into her town car to drive to the NCIS headquarters, she was stopped by someone calling her name.

Tracy jogged to the car with a clothes bag in her arms, "You forgot this at your apartment this morning." The bag was handed over and Tracy winked saucily. "Don't daydream about your cute Agent too much now." She smirked at Melissa's annoyed and embarrassed look. "Tootles." And with that, the redhead was off down the road.

Exasperated, Melissa slipped into the car and closed her door roughly.

The drive to the NCIS headquarters was quick. The courier sat in the front with the driver while Melissa fielded calls for Mr. Dean on her cell and set up some important meetings with clients. She finished a phone call just as the driver pulled up outside a beautiful Tuscan villa backed by the mountains. Grabbing her handbag and the clothes bag, Melissa opened her door and stepped out of the car. Having left her coat at the office, the heat of the sun on her back made her smile as she asked the driver and the courier to wait in the car while she went and got the necklace.

Walking into the building Melissa couldn't help but wish this was where she worked. Everything was so open and it looked warm and friendly. Ignoring the curious looks from the people milling about in the foyer, she walked straight up to the front desk. Before she had opened her mouth to ask for Agent Callen she was interrupted by a loud yell from the archway that led to the rest of the building.

"You thinking of a job change or are you just bringing us presents!"

Melissa smiled at Officer Deeks as he walked over to her and stuck a hand out. "Not a job change but I am bringing a gift. Or rather returning it." She said shaking his hand.

Deeks looked a little lost as to her meaning but motioned for her to follow him. "Let's go. Callen's been missing you." He grinned at Melissa's blush and led her into the heart of the building.

"This is where we all sit and do things." He said as he leaned against a desk that was one of four in a small alcove made by filigree wire screens off to one side of the large open space in the middle of the building.

"This place is beautiful." Melissa complimented enjoying talking to the tall blond officer. His eyes seemed sincere and he had the widest grin she had ever seen.

He stretched his arms above his head, obviously flirting. "Yeah, well. It's not much but it feels like home." Something seemed to occur to him. "You wanna drink or anything?" Without waiting for a reply, he pulled out a chair for her. "Sit down and I'll get you something to drink." And he was off to the other side of the room and the water cooler.

Not knowing what else to do, Melissa sat down in the chair and crossed her legs, the clothes bag folded carefully on her lap and her handbag sitting beside the chair. She looked around the small area and noticed how unique each desk was, knowing it said something about the person who sat there and wishing she knew what it meant.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

Melissa looked up to see Agent Blye moving toward the messiest desk closest to the right side of the alcove smiling.

She smiled, "I've come to return Agent Callen's jacket and to collect the necklace."

The tall brunette nodded as she shuffled some papers around her desk. "Oh, okay." After a few minutes of silence, the Agent turned on her heel and sat on the edge of her desk. "Can I ask you a question?"

Tucking an escaped strand of hair behind her ear Melissa nodded. "Sure."

Folding her arms across her chest Agent Blye shifted a little. "This is gonna sound weird but…where do you get your clothes?"

Melissa smiled softly and turned a little so that she could lean her arm on the back of her chair. "My job requires me to dress a certain way. G. Dean has a contract with many top brands. Their sales people are dressed and styled by the best."

The younger woman looked surprised. "Seriously? People come to your house and tell you what to wear?"

With a small laugh, Melissa nodded, "Essentially, yes. My clients see me in these clothes and they can log onto an exclusive website to order clothes from there."

"How much do you have to earn to get onto that website? I'll buy you something pretty/sexy like Miss Gordon's wearing, Kens." Officer Deeks was back and he handed Melissa a paper cup of water.

Melissa's cheeks coloured a little. "I wouldn't know, Officer Deeks. Even I don't qualify to get on that website." She took a sip of her water and looked away from the two people she felt she had offended.

"It's Deeks."

Melissa looked up and smiled at the open look on his face. She nodded in thanks. "Thank you for the water Deeks."

The blond officer grinned and motioned to Agent Blye with a file he picked up from his desk when he moved around it and sat down in his chair. "And that's Kensi, or Kens or just sweet-cheeks." He added leaning back in his chair with a mischievous look in his eyes.

Kensi threw a balled up piece of paper and hit him in the forehead. "It's just Kensi or Kens." She corrected. "Not even you get to call me sweet-cheeks."

He looked up from where the paper missile had fallen at his feet, "Who gets to call you sweet-cheeks then?" he tilted his head down and grinned, "Is it Sam?"

Kensi hurled another balled up piece of paper at his head with deadly accuracy and Melissa hid a laugh with a cough as it hit dead centre of his forehead again. "Not even Callen or Sam."

"Not even Callen or Sam what?" Agent Hanna asked as the two men in question came down the staircase opposite the alcove.

Melissa had to tear her eyes away from Agent Callen's chest. He was in sweat pants and a grey t-shirt, a white towel over one shoulder. But that wasn't what directed Melissa's gaze to the Agent's torso; it was the fact that it looked like he had been at the gym and the t-shirt was stuck to his shoulders, chest and most likely his back by sweat, and he was ripped.

Agent Hanna was in the same state but Melissa's gaze gravitated to Agent Callen of its own accord. Taking a breath, she looked down at the garment bag in her lap glad that her unravelling chignon provided a temporary curtain for her flaming cheeks. Quickly she pulled a pin from her hair and re-twisted the hairstyle so that is would sit nicely at the back of her head. Clearing her throat, she uncrossed her legs and stood up, with a smile she held out her hand to Agent Hanna first.

"It's good to see you under better circumstances, Agent." She turned to Agent Callen and shook his hand as well. "It's good to see you all without the threat of imminent danger. Which reminds me, Agent Callen." she handed him the garment bag. "Thank you for lending me your jacket that night."

He glanced at the bag he had taken from her and looked her full in the face, "Why are you here?"

Melissa was taken aback by his bluntness. It took her a few moments to answer but when she did, it was with anger in her voice. She lifted her chin and stared him down. "I came to return the jacket and collect the necklace that belongs to my employer."

The taller man clenched his jaw, "Wearing that?" he asked his gaze flicking down her body judging her in that small look more than she had ever been judged before. The others around them seemed to cringe collectively.

"I wore this to work." Melissa said after a moment of shocked silence, her voice cold and aloof.

Agent Callen raised an eyebrow, assessing her to see whether she was telling the truth. Melissa nearly slapped him.

A woman, small in stature but large in presence, stood on the landing of the staircase opposite the alcove, "Miss Gordon, I see you have reacquainted yourself with my team."

Recognising the voice of Special Agent Hetty Lange whom she had been in contact with regularly since her team had taken Mr. Dean's necklace; Melissa sent the small woman a tight smile. "Yes, thank you Hetty. Hopefully this is the last time I will have to reacquaint myself with some of them." She said acidly. Turning on her heel she caught up her bag from beside the chair she had just vacated and then, with a smile for the three other team members, she marched past Agent Callen without sparing him another look. "Thank you for taking such care of this." She said taking the briefcase from Hetty who had come down the stairs to meet her.

"Of course." Hetty smiled before glancing at Melissa's wrist. "Remind me to pay a visit to your offices, Miss Gordon."

Melissa smiled genuinely, all her frustration at Agent Callen melting away in Hetty's calming presence. "Are we still meeting up for high tea Thursday?"

Hetty smiled. "It's in my book."

With a laugh, Melissa stooped to hug the older woman and then waved goodbye to the team ignoring the scrutinising look Agent Callen had when she glanced at him one last time. With a final smile for Hetty, the beautiful brunette walked out of the NCIS headquarters never seeing the cool look Hetty sent to Callen for his attitude toward her.

* * *

Melissa walked into the NCIS headquarters; it was empty, but what else would you expect so late in the afternoon? She listened to the silence of the large building and smiled as golden dust motes twirled down through the rays of sunlight filtering into the room. She made her way to the alcove where Deeks had guided her when she had picked up the necklace for her employer. Callen was sitting at his desk bent over an open file. With a sigh, Melissa leaned her hip against Sam's desk and folded her arms across her chest watching the man who could rile her up with a single look.

"You're here again?" his voice was mildly annoyed.

Melissa studied him. He was wearing the grey t-shirt again and she watched as the muscles in his forearm and shoulder moved beneath the material when he picked up a pen and jotted a note down in the file. She turned her body and leaned her hands on the edge of the desk behind her. "Yeah, I'm here again." She murmured.

She heard him push back his desk chair and with each step he took toward her she felt her heart speed up. He stopped in front of her and she lifted her green-blue eyes to his face. They didn't speak, and almost instantly he had grabbed her hips and pulled her against his body, his lips catching hers in a kiss that seared.

Without thinking Melissa pushed him away and glared, "If you think I'm going to forgive you just because you kiss me you're wrong."

Callen raised that damn eyebrow and, twisting his fingers into her now messy chignon; he cupped the back of her neck and pressed his lips to hers again.

Melissa giggled against his mouth when he wrapped his free arm around her waist and lifted her onto Sam's desk. Her hands were under his t-shirt and sliding over the plains and contours of his abs before she could stop herself. His lips moved down to her jaw and then her throat and her skin felt like it smouldered where his lips and hands touched her. She moaned, his name falling from her lips while his fingers found the buttons of her dove grey blouse.

With a gasp Melissa was jolted from her daydream at the sound of a loud knock. Her secretary poked her head around the dark wood office door, "Mel, are you okay?"

Feeling her cheeks heat with an embarrassed blush, the brunette nodded. "Um, yes. Is-is everything alright?" she asked obviously flustered.

The young blonde woman who had never seen Melissa anything but calm looked a little taken aback. "Yeah, I mean I was paging you about your two o'clock having just arrived and you never answered. I was wondering if you were alright, that's all."

Her cheeks becoming even redder, Melissa nodded quickly, her voice shaking slightly when she answered, "Yes…yes of course. I'm fine, Katrina. I was just daydreaming that's all. I think I'm a little tired." She waved towards the sitting room over the secretary's shoulder, "Please, have Mrs Rosen come in."

Katrina nodded and turned to do as her boss asked but in the back of her mind she wondered what could make such a poised and calm woman babbling and blushing. Closing the door behind an obviously surgically enhanced client, Katrina smiled, "It must be a man." She murmured to herself before she moved to answer the ringing phone on her desk.

* * *

"I blame you!" Melissa told her friend when she opened her front door the next morning.

Tracy blinked as the petite woman turned away and stalked back into the apartment. "If that's the thanks I get for bringing you these gorgeous new clothes and a hunky courier with a new and beautiful box of jewellery then I think I might as well go home, kid." She joked, tucking a long strand of red hair behind her ear and rolling her outfit rack into the bedroom as usual.

Melissa left her bed only to get the silver case from the courier and let him out of her apartment before she flopped face first back down on her bed leaving Tracy to place the jewellery case on the vanity and then prop her fists onto her hips and tap her foot impatiently.

"Well? What did I do now?" the beautiful redhead asked.

Her voice muffled by her duvet, Melissa recounted the embarrassment of having her secretary catch her in a sexy daydream starring none other than Agent Callen who was fast becoming the bane of her existence.

The cause of Melissa's bad mood told; Tracy sat down beside her friend and forced her to turn over and look at her. Straight faced she looked Melissa in the eye, "You better ask him out then." Then she waited for Melissa's reaction.

The ensuing explosion didn't even ruffle the taller woman's calm demeanour. "There is no way I will ever ask him out!" Melissa nearly yelled. "He's rude, blunt to the point of offense, mistrustful and an overall ass."

A saucy grin broke Tracy's appearance of calm. "I bet you think about his ass."

Gaping at her for a moment, Melissa then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. From between clenched teeth she gritted out, "You're not helping right now, Trace."

Laughing at her friend's growing blush the tall stylist stood up and brushed off her skinny jeans. "Yeah, well, if this guy is as good looking as you say he is then why not ask him out, huh?"

Outraged, Melissa nearly exploded angrily again only to press her lips together when her friend handed her the newest garment bag with express instructions to get dressed so that she could do her makeup and hair.

Once dressed and coiffed, Melissa said goodbye to the redhead, ignoring her jibe about asking Agent Callen to bed, and left her apartment. She answered the call on her phone as she was getting into her town car. "Morning Hetty, are we still on for high tea?"

"I'm sorry Miss Gordon but I must ask that we change our tea to three thirty and the venue may well have to be my office I'm afraid." Hetty's crisp voice came over the cell and Melissa's heart sank.

"Oh, of course. Is everything alright?" Melissa asked politely.

Hetty sounded as if she was smiling. "Everything's fine, Miss Gordon. I will see you at three thirty."

"See you then." Melissa rung off and closed her eyes. If she saw Agent Callen, with her emotions starting to go haywire she didn't know what her reaction would be, and that scared her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wow, you're looking peachy this afternoon." Deeks greeted Melissa when she walked into the centre of NCIS headquarters that afternoon. "Hey, Kens. Seriously, I'll buy you jeans like this!" he yelled over his shoulder in the direction of the team's alcove.

Kensi walked out, a takeout box and chopsticks in her hands. "I've got jeans, Deeks." She spoke around her mouthful of food sending her partner an annoyed look.

Melissa laughed and looked down at the skinny blue jeans, tan sandals with white beading, small white and beige Chanel bag slung across her torso, tan and white studded wrap around watch/bracelet and the beige loose blouse with three-quarter sleeves she was wearing. "It's beige, love, not peach; and with Kensi's skin tone she should be wearing bright jewel-like colours. They'll make her hair and eyes look darker, and her skin look more tanned."

Deeks shrugged. "Whatever that means. Hetty says to go straight to her office. She has tea ready."

"Thanks." Melissa smiled and followed a still eating Kensi to Hetty's office.

"Ah, Miss Gordon. It's good to see you." Hetty smiled from behind her large desk. "I'm afraid I am going to be a bad host and leave you alone for a moment. I have a small matter to see to before we sit down and chat. Have a seat and make yourself comfortable while I deal with this." And, with that said, she was off.

Melissa sat down in the comfortable wicker armchair in front of Hetty's desk and slipped off her bag, placing it at her feet. Feeling at ease in the open office, she slouched down in the chair a little, crossed her legs and propped her elbow up on the chair arm, her chin settling on her fist as she fell into pensive thought.

She was brought out of her train of thought by Hetty's return. "You look deep in thought." The older woman said as she moved around her desk, picked up the large floral patterned china teapot siting to one side of the desk, and poured two measures of tea into the matching china cups set on their saucers in the middle of the desk. Handing one to Melissa, she picked up a china plate of finger sandwiches and small pastries and offered her one. Taking a small pastry, Melissa sat back with her tea and finger food and the two women fell into easy conversation.

They were interrupted a few minutes later by none other than Agent Callen. Unwilling to be in the same room as him, Melissa put down her teacup and picked up her handbag. "I'm sorry Hetty but I must be going." She said standing up and ignoring Callen where he stood between the lattice screens that made up the entrance to Hetty's office.

Hetty glanced between her and Callen as the young woman shook her fringe from her eyes. "This is unacceptable, Mr. Callen." The short Agent sighed. "You need to apologise to Miss Gordon. I won't have my agents offending people."

Callen looked down at his supervisor a small disbelieving smile on his face. "Come on, Hetty."

But Hetty interrupted him. "It is unacceptable Mr. Callen." She said firmly.

He looked up at Melissa and she saw the accusation in his eyes. Angrily she lifted her chin. "I'm sorry to have offended you Agent." She said coldly. "I do not know, however, what I could have done to deserve your mistrust. So allow me to say this; don't bother apologising. I wouldn't want you to strain yourself."

Again, that eyebrow lifted and Melissa felt as if he were mocking her. "How would you know if I don't trust you?"

Crossing her arms, Melissa looked him square in the eye, "It's written all over your face, Agent." She stressed his title. "Tell me, how do you work in a team with trust issues as deep-seeded as yours?" Knowing the question was a low blow, Melissa watched with a small amount of satisfaction as Agent Callen's eyes darkened with anger. But her heart sank the moment his face and eyes became blank and emotionless.

"Here's that suit back, Hetty." Callen said, his tone cool.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

Deflated, Melissa sank into the chair she had vacated a few minutes before. Raising a shaky hand to her mouth she turned her gaze onto Hetty who was still looking after her agent. "I'm so sorry Hetty. I should never have said that. I just can't seem to control myself around him." When Hetty turned to look at her Melissa swallowed guiltily. "I'm so sorry."

Hetty clasped her hands in front of her, "I believe your apology shouldn't be directed at me."

Thoroughly scolded by those few quiet words the pretty brunette nodded. "Of course." Thinking quickly she bit her lip. "Do you think you could give me his address so I could send him something as an apology? From the looks of it, talking to him only makes the both of us say horrible things."

Hetty studied her for a minute before nodding. Walking around her desk again she jotted down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to Melissa with a warning, "I'm not excusing his behaviour but because of Mr. Callen's past he finds it hard to trust."

Feeling sick Melissa looked down at the white piece of paper in her hands wondering how to make her mistake with Agent Callen right.

* * *

Standing outside Agent Callen's house, Melissa felt like an idiot. She had decided to apologise in person to the man who riled her up. And so, the day after their argument, she was standing on his doorstep at five in the afternoon dressed in a specially chosen outfit of faded boot-cut jeans, a comfortable white t-shirt and dark brown sandals with three dark stones running down the front. Paired with this was a dark grey, tasselled scarf wrapped around her neck, a large brown handbag and gunmetal hoop earrings. With her aviators slipped up on top of her head and her wavy dark brown hair hanging loose down her back, she pressed the doorbell.

The chime that sounded inside the house caused a thrill of trepidation to run down her spine. It took a few minutes but the door was finally opened and Melissa came face to face with Agent Callen, with no one else around to act as a distraction.

He opened his mouth to speak but Melissa jumped in and cut him off, "I came to apologise. Hetty gave me your address. Is it all right if I come in so I can explain and say sorry?"

Silently the NCIS agent studied her before he stepped back from the doorway and let her in.

Nervously Melissa crossed the threshold and waited for Agent Callen to close the door and lead her further into the house. She followed him into what looked to be his living room come den. He picked an open beer bottle up off of the coffee table in the middle of the room and switched off the flat screen TV hanging on the wall on the other side of the room before turning to Melissa expectantly.

Unnerved by his silence, the petite brunette bit her lip and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. It was thoughtless, rude and a horrible thing to say. You're entitled to your opinion of me and the only thing I can do is hope you forgive me so that we can move past this hostility." Her apology given, she waited for his answer.

"Okay."

The answer was unexpected and for some reason it made Melissa angry all over again. She had a brief thought questioning why she was so affected by this man but then he casually took a swig of his beer and that did it. "Are you really that emotionless or do you just play it up for my benefit?" she snapped.

Recognising the anger in her voice, Callen narrowed his eyes and moved into on guard mode. "Hey, you came here. I didn't force you to apologise." He told her.

Gritting her teeth, Melissa threw her hands up into the air. "God, you are unbelievable. I have never met a more infuriating man in all my life and you wouldn't believe some of the clients I work with."

Callen raised an eyebrow at her outburst.

Biting her tongue at that, Melissa shook her head, closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths. Composed once more, she sighed, "Look, can we just start over?" When Agent Callen didn't object she held her hand out to him, "Melissa Gordon, Personal Assistant and company liaison."

For a moment she thought he wasn't going to shake her hand but then he swapped his beer to his right hand and took her hand in his. The firm handshake was accompanied by his greeting, "G. Callen, NCIS agent."

With a smile of relief Melissa dropped his hand. "Since we're starting over, it feels too formal to call you Agent Callen all the time."

With a small quirk of his lips, the Agent folded his arms across his chest and Melissa couldn't help but admire the way the dark red, long sleeved thermal he was wearing tightened across his shoulders and chest. "My team calls me Callen." He said bringing her gaze back to his face.

Melissa nodded and cleared her throat, "My friends call me Mel." Realising he still wouldn't be the one to do any more than nod, and with a crazy idea overtaking her brain, Melissa blurted out, "Do you want to be my date to a client's party tomorrow night?" seeing the confusion on his face and trying to back pedal a little, the fiery brunette said hurriedly, "It's not a date. Just two acquaintances going out to learn more about each other." Cringing at her exact description of what a date actually was, Melissa waited anxiously for Callen's answer.

"Sounds good." Callen said carefully as he tried to figure out the whirlwind of energy that was the woman in front of him. "Do I pick you up or do we meet there?"

Melissa couldn't help the happy smile that overtook her face. "I'll give you my address. We can meet outside my apartment at seven. Dress nice." She added before tucking some of her hair behind her ear and jotting down her address on the back of a business card. "So…I'll see you then?" She asked handing the small rectangle of white card to him.

"Sure." Callen nodded before leading her back to the front door.

Before the atmosphere got any more awkward Melissa left the house and walked to her car leaving Callen to watch her and wonder what exactly he had got himself into.

* * *

"Would you quit moving?" Tracy whined as Melissa moved for the fifth time meaning that the eyeliner the stylist was trying to apply to Melissa's eyes wasn't even.

"Are you almost done? He's going to be here in half an hour and I still have to get dressed." Melissa stayed still at her friend's threatening glare only long enough to get her makeup finished before she was off, grabbing her garment bag and closing herself in the bathroom. She emerged a few minutes later in a royal blue cocktail dress. It was one shouldered with an origami-like design over the shoulder and bust. She took out her shoes next. The black platforms were peep-toe pumps showing off her blue pedicure. Next she put her I.D., some cash and lipstick into the small black clutch with black crystal embellishments on the front. The final touch to her outfit was the jewellery. The company had sent over earrings, a bracelet and a ring. The ring was a black crystal set into a patterned background. The bracelet was gunmetal with a large pear shaped royal blue crystal at the centre while the side panels were set with crystals in many different hues of blue. The final piece of jewellery were the earrings. They were white gold drop earrings. The stud part was set with a pear cut sapphire, a chain dropped down from this with another larger pear cut sapphire at the end.

"Wow." Tracy breathed. "If your Agent isn't gobsmacked by you tonight, he's gay." She said plainly.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "He's not meant to be gobsmacked, we're going out as friends, and this isn't a date."

Tracy shook her head, "Well, he better hurry up and get over his friend status because every man at that party is going to be all over you from the get go. You look sexy as hell, Mel."

"Okay, okay." Melissa blushed prettily checking her side-swept curls in the mirror above her vanity before she turned to Tracy. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for, you know that?"

The redhead grinned. "Just go and get that sexy agent of yours, Mel."

With a quick hug for her friend, Melissa grabbed her small black clutch purse that was embellished with black crystals, and left the apartment both excited and nervous. When she stepped out of her building's front entrance, it was to see Callen leaning back against a small silver sports car. Seeing that he hadn't seen her yet, Melissa studied him. He was wearing a black suit. With no tie, the collar of his black striped shirt was open. Shaking herself out of thoughts that were heading into dangerous territory, the petite brunette moved toward the car. Seeing her, Callen stood up and stepped away from the side of the car.

Stopping in front of him, Melissa smiled, "You scrub up nicely." She complimented feeling almost too shy to look up at him.

Callen pushed his hands into his pockets, "I'd say the same but it'd be an understatement."

Melissa was shocked by his sudden genuine smile and couldn't help but smile herself. Callen stepped to the side and opened the passenger door of his car for her. Sliding into the car, she admired the soft leather and beautiful interior while she buckled her seatbelt and Callen got into the car and started it up. Giving him the first set of directions to the client party, Melissa sat back and took the initiative to start a conversation. By the time they had arrived at the entrance to the large mansion in the hills near Santa Monica she had learnt about Callen's early years in foster care and they had joked about his first name being a letter of the alphabet. She had also told him about her job, and why she thought of Mr. Dean as a grandfather.

The valet opened her door for her and Callen moved around the car to help her out before giving his keys to the valet and receiving a parking number in return. Slipping the little stub of paper into the inner pocket of his jacket, Callen gallantly offered Melissa his arm. She smiled at the old fashion gesture and was inwardly thrilled at it. Slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, the beautiful brunette allowed the NCIS agent to lead her up the front steps of the mansion and into the party.

Moving through the crowd, Melissa allowed the jewellery she was wearing catch the light and the attention of every available buyer at the party. The host, a CEO of an airline company, had caught Callen up in a discussion about cars and the agent was even giving his opinion about what was the best make for the CEO to buy. When Melissa was satisfied that he was relaxed and had someone to talk to she moved off with her glass of wine to see if there was any interest in the jewellery she was wearing or the company she worked for.

A few people had already taken photos of her clothes and jewellery with their camera phones and some had even booked appointments with the company for the following three weeks.

With a start, Melissa turned as an arm snaked around her waist. "Well, you're looking gorgeous as ever, sweetheart." A tall blonde man said grinning down at her.

"Stan." Melissa said her voice becoming cool and distant. "Who let you in?"

Stan's grin widened, "Come on now, sweetheart, I've got as much right to be here as you do." His arm tightened around her waist. "Besides, I've got the women queuing up to buy their boyfriends and husbands a new G. Dean watch and cufflinks."

Neatly slipping from his touch Melissa put her nearly full glass of wine down on one of the drinks tables scattered throughout the house knowing Stan's penchant for slipping a pill or two into girl's drinks, just to make them 'agreeable', and he had been too close to her drink for her liking.

Seeing her weary stance and the fact that she had ditched her drink, Stan's grin turned into a smirk, "Come on, sweetheart, you know I would never do anything to a woman's drink."

Raising her eyebrow in a fair imitation of Callen's emotionless stare, Melissa relaxed slightly seeing Callen moving through the crowd toward her and Stan, two drinks in his hands and his eyes locked onto her and Stan. "You should go and find some of those women then Stan."

His eyes flicked down her body and Melissa felt disgust at the look on his face. "We're having a nice conversation though."

"Hey, Mel." Callen interrupted walking straight past Stan, handing her a drink and turning a little so that he could see Stan but was also looking at her.

Accepting the glass of champagne, Melissa smiled at him before turning her cool gaze onto Stan.

"Who's your friend, sweetheart?" Stan asked obviously not in the least bit put off by Callen's presence.

Stiffening at the use of his stupid and overtly intimate nickname, Melissa lost all patience with him and glared, only to start a little as Callen turned to face Stan putting his body next to hers, his arm wrapping around her waist. His heat instantly warmed her even through the layers of their clothes.

Easily, Callen transferred his glass of champagne to the hand that was at Melissa's left hip and held out his right hand to Stan. The taller man took the proffered handshake with a cocky smirk on his face but it slowly started to fade at Callen's words, "G. Callen, Melissa's date."

Stan's dark eyes turned to Melissa, "You never have dates." He blurted extricating his hand from Callen's quickly.

Embarrassed by his outburst and the truth of his words Melissa looked away taking a much-needed sip of her champagne as she felt her cheeks heat up. She jumped a little when Callen's arm tightened around her waist gaining her attention and her gaze turned to his.

"Wanna go dance?" he asked nodding toward the couples slow dancing in a space cleared in the middle of the room; soft music played by a quartet in the corner added to the mood of the room.

Swallowing hard, Melissa nodded, and without a second thought for Stan she put her half-finished glass of champagne on a passing waiter's tray and let Callen lead her to the dance floor. Fluidly, he took her right hand in his and wrapped an arm around her shoulder blades leading her easily into the group of dancers without missing a beat.

Swallowing the emotions she was feeling, Melissa looked up at the man she was falling for far too quickly. "Did they teach you to dance in agent school?"

Callen's lips quirked in the smile she was coming to love, "No. Hetty taught me."

Unable to stop herself, Melissa laughed. "I would have loved to see that." She murmured when Callen pulled her closer as more couples moved onto the dance floor.

He shook his head. "No you wouldn't. First, she bullied me into the lessons and then every time I put a foot wrong I got the patented Hetty stare."

Melissa shuddered playfully, "I know that stare well. I received it after our fight the other day."

Callen nodded. "She's a master at getting you to follow her every command without saying a word."

Grinning, Melissa let Callen spin her expertly before changing the topic of their conversation. "I'm sorry about Stan. He's been flirting with me since I started at G. Dean and he uses that infuriating nickname so that everyone within hearing distance will think we are having an affair." She frowned. "I really need to slap him one day."

Her comment earned one of Callen's raised eyebrows, but this time it was paired with a smirk. "I would pay to see that." He told her.

But before Melissa could sort out her jumbled emotions at the sight of that smirk and the tone of his voice and think of a comment to his remark, the song ended and the couples broke up to applaud the entertainment. She was then ushered away by her client to show off her jewellery to other prospective clients on the other side of the room. Callen was left to go to the bar set up near the mansion's entrance but Melissa had a clear view of him as he chatted to the bartender and had a few of the female guests flirt with him. She lost sight of him when her client started a conversation about his order from G. Dean and when she next looked up it was to see Callen walking out the front door.

Panicking, Melissa quickly ended her discussion with her client with the promise of a meeting on Monday at the office. Not even stopping to grab her bag, she all but ran to out the front door in time to see Callen accepting his keys from the valet further down the wide drive. Moving quickly she got to him just as he was opening the driver's door of his car.

"So what, you're just going to leave me here without a word?" she asked sharply putting her hand out to stop him from opening his door all the way.

Callen looked at her and the disgust she saw plainly on his face made her take a step back. "I'm going. I shouldn't have come. This was a waste of time." He growled his shoulders tense with anger.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Melissa wrapped her arms around her stomach, "What's a waste of time? Coming to this party or trying to be friends?"

Callen slammed his door shut and turned to face her, "Both. What you do, it's so fake. It's disgusting."

The familiar anger welled up in Melissa's chest again. "What disgusts you about my job?" she asked him coldly.

A muscle jumped in Callen's cheek, "You sell yourself, not the jewellery. Do you realise that?"

Shocked beyond words at his cruel comment unwanted tears blurred Melissa's vision, "What?" she breathed her voice shaking.

Folding his arms across his chest Callen's face became impassive but he didn't say anything.

Shaking, Melissa balled her hands into fists her long nails biting into her palms. "How dare you!" she said sharply, "You know nothing about me or about what I do."

With a dispassionate voice Callen spoke up, "You dress up and try to pretend that none of it is about selling yourself. It's twisted and fake."

Melissa gaped at him in disbelief for a moment before clenching her jaw, "So this is about your trust issues, is that it?" she grit out.

"What?" Callen asked anger leaking into his voice as he took a step toward her.

A single tear slid down Melissa's face, "I'm not the enemy, Callen. Don't use my job as an excuse for your opinion of me." With that said the petite brunette turned to walk away only to have Callen catch her arm and turn her to face him once again.

She thought she was dreaming when he stooped down a little and his lips caught hers in a passionate kiss tinged with anger. A thrill went down her spine before her stomach dropped and she pushed him away. "Don't use that against me Callen, please." She whispered her eyes glued to the lapels of his jacket.

He pushed a lock of her hair away from her face and tilted her chin up so that she would look at him, "I'm not." He murmured. The anger that had been plainly evident in his stance a few moments before was now gone and he seemed more relaxed than Melissa had ever seen him. "I'm sorry, Mel." He murmured. "I need to learn to trust you it's…it's just gonna take me a little while, alright?"

Melissa pushed up on her toes and gently kissed him on the cheek, "Okay." She whispered as she lowered herself back to her heels again. Looking into his blue-grey eyes. "You mix me up Agent G. Callen. It better not become a habit."

Callen smiled, "We'll see. Are we going back in?"

Melissa studied him, he seemed to be preparing himself mentally and she didn't want to make him go back into the party after they had just averted another fight. She shook her head. "Get the car running, I'll go inside, make our excuses and get my bag and then you owe me dessert." She grinned saucily.

Callen leaned back against his car and looked at her, "I do, do I?"

With a nod, the fiery woman stepped forward and kissed the corner of his lips. "Definitely. I would offer to go back to my place and share a tub of extra rich chocolate chip ice-cream but because everything's moving so fast with us I think we need to take things slow from here on out."

By the end of her mini speech Callen was grinning, "You talk a lot, you know that?"

Turning to walk toward the party again, a smirk on her lips, Melissa threw over her shoulder, "And you don't talk much at all, Callen. It makes us a perfect match." She went back into the party to excuse herself and Callen but the only thought in her head was a girlish squeal of excitement because he had kissed her, the man of her dreams had just kissed her and he wasn't making any objection to taking things further in their relationship.

* * *

That Saturday Melissa and Callen drove to Santa Monica Pier for an official date. She chose jean shorts and a floaty red sleeveless top. A brown plaited leather belt, dark brown and gold sandals, a brown tasselled bag and a white fedora added a casual element to the outfit contrasting with the gold shark's tooth bracelet, blue red and gold nautical bangle, anchor cameo earrings and two woven gold, blue and white bracelets. Sunglasses made the look very much a summer outfit.

With a grin, Melissa all but ran out the door to Callen's car when he came to pick her up. The drive to the pier was short but once the car was parked Melissa slipped her hand into Callen's and they walked up the steps to the pier. They talked about their past and the people they worked with. After a few rides at the miniature theme park, and a few hours looking at the stalls, the couple sat down at a picnic table sharing a huge ice-cream sundae.

"So your parents are English?" Callen asked as Melissa took a spoonful of the quickly melting ice-cream sitting in its large bowl in the middle of the table in front of them.

She looked at him over the spoonful and nodded. "They grew up there but my family's originally from Greece. My great-grandparents moved to England when they were first married in 1895 and my family was there until I was fifteen. They live in Sitka, Alaska now." Eating her spoonful of dessert, the pretty brunette smiled at her date, "Where is your family from?"

Callen seemed to tense, "It's a long story." He told her putting some distance between them by looking away and focussing on a busker on the opposite side of the pier.

With a sigh, Melissa took one last spoonful of the quickly melting ice cream and pushed the plastic bowl aside. Resting her chin in her hand and her elbow on the picnic table, she watched as Callen's shoulders slowly relaxed. "You know I won't push you into telling me everything, right?" she asked him only to see his shoulder muscles tense again before his shoulders drooped slightly.

Callen turned to the woman that was very quickly becoming a huge part of his life, "Yeah." He murmured turning his full attention back to her. He shrugged. "Habit."

Smiling, and in what was becoming a habit, the pretty brunette reached out to touch him, gently curling her fingers around his hand. "I will never force you to open up to me, Callen. But if this is going to work, and I really hope it does, we are going to have to be totally honest with one another." She told him truthfully. "And we are going to have to work at trusting each other, okay?"

Callen searched her face looking for the truth that was plainly written on her face. He smiled and nodded before lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her fingers. He then got up from his side of the picnic table and circled it, straddling the bench behind Melissa and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back so that she was leaning back against his chest.

The couple sat that way, enjoying the summer day, their ice cream sundae completely forgotten on the table beside them.

* * *

The next week went quickly for Melissa. She texted Callen most days and they decided to meet at a local diner for dinner on Friday night and then go and see a newly released film that both had thought looked good. For some reason Melissa was nervous and excited all day Friday and kept running through the clothes in her closet in her head trying to figure out what to wear. In the end she decided on dark blue straight leg jeans, a white tank top with a beige transparent long-sleeved top over it, white sandals with flowers on the thong, chandelier earrings with soft pink and dark grey metal leaves hanging from them and pink tinted aviator sunglasses finished off the casual outfit.

At dinner she tried to persuade Callen to teach her some Romanian words.

"Come on." She wheedled her good looking date over their servings of coffee and pie. "Just give me a few cute things to say to you when we're alone. Just don't be too harsh on me for pronunciation." She grinned.

Callen sat back in the booth and shook his head in resignation.

"Please? I'll only ever use them if you want me to." She begged.

Callen smiled at her. "No you won't." Deflating a little the bubbly brunette sighed and stirred her coffee morosely. Callen leaned his arms on the table and caught her blue-green gaze, "Dragă." He murmured.

Melissa felt a soft blush heat her cheeks at the tone of his voice. "What does that mean?" she asked breathlessly.

Callen's gaze never wavered from hers, "It means darling." He told her. "Now, tell me something in Greek."

Biting her lip Melissa looked at him shyly. "Glykia mou. It means my sweet. I-I know others but they're…more endearing." She sat back against the red leather seat and worried her bottom lip with her teeth not realising how beautiful she looked to Callen in that moment.

"I have to go away on a case tomorrow." Callen spoke up voicing the fact that had been sitting at the back of his mind all week.

Melissa's heart sank at the prospect of him going away. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she put on a brave face and smiled. "Oh, how long will you be away for?" she asked.

They were interrupted by the waitress with their check. Callen paid for their meal and led Melissa outside. "It's only for a week." He assured her as she slipped her hand into his, hugging his arm to her side as they walked.

Feeling a little better at the thought that she could last without seeing Callen for a week without being too sad, Melissa sent him a genuine if not mischievous smile, "I suppose I can't ask where you're going. It's probably top secret. 'If I told you I'd have to kill you' sort of thing, right?"

Callen grinned and pulled his arm from her grip to wrap it around her waist and hold her against his side. "Something like that, yeah."

* * *

The week passed quickly for Melissa with meetings with Mr. Dean every day as well as client meetings and private exhibitions to get through. She missed Callen but got through the week by texting him about what she would be doing during the day. He wouldn't receive the texts until he got back at the end of the week but it made her feel better to send them to him anyway. The day before he got back, Melissa sent him a longer text than usual, _[Getting ready for a big meeting today. The company is trying to set up an exhibition in the jewellery store on Mountain Avenue. All thanks to Patricia. It's going to be tedious. Wish you could see my outfit. __I've cleared my schedule for tomorrow afternoon. If you're not too busy I thought we could go for a swim.__ I cannot wait to see you again, D__ragă.]_

The next day, after her hair and makeup were done, she dressed in the white pencil skirt, red wrap around silk blouse and white platform, peep-toe pumps that Tracy had brought for her. Then, after she had opened the silver box and waited for Tracy to finish drooling over the beautiful bracelet and earrings the office had sent over, she slipped her hand through the garnet and silver lattice bangle and then hooked the ruby and diamond pave tear drop earrings in a white gold setting into her ear lobes. She filled her white patterned handbag with her phone, keys, diary and a file of the agreement to be signed when she had approved of the store's security and display. She was met outside by her driver who opened the back door of the town car for her. The drive to the jewellery store didn't take long and Melissa was on time for the meeting. After being shown around the store and complimenting the owner on her set up of the display and especially the silent alarm of her security protocol, Melissa sat down with the owner at the large mahogany desk at the back of the store and signed the papers as well as verifying all the small print of the jewellery sales.

With a smile Melissa stood up and held out her hand to the shop's owner. "It was a pleasure doing business with you Francis." She smiled as the older woman shook her hand.

They both jumped as the door at the front of the shop slammed open.

"Everyone down on the ground!"

The sales assistant dove to the ground as a man with a shot gun and a ski mask over his face kicked the door closed behind him. The only relief Melissa had as she got down on the ground next to Francis and her shop assistant was the knowledge that the shop assistant had pushed the silent alarm and the cops would be surrounding the shop in a few minutes.

"Welcome back." Kensi greeted Sam and Callen as they walked into the bullpen of NCIS headquarters just after lunch.

Callen looked up from reading the last of his texts from Melissa to nod to both Kensi and Deeks as he dropped his duffle at his desk.

"Ignore him." Sam said with a bemused smile. "He's been glued to that screen since the carrier touched down. I think he's got a girlfriend." The last was teasing and Callen looked up at his partner.

"Just because no one texted you while we were away doesn't mean you have to be depressed." He teased back.

Sam rolled his eyes and glared good-naturedly, "Would you stop with that depressed thing. I'm not depressed."

Deeks walked into the alcove in time to hear the last part of the conversation. "Who's depressed?" he asked slapping first Callen, and then Sam on the shoulder as a welcome, before making his way to his desk.

"Sam." Kensi explained.

Sam groaned, "For the last time, I'm not depressed."

The team laughed and then turned to listen as Eric called them up to the debrief room. But Hetty intercepted them, "No time." She told them. "There's a robbery in progress at the high end jewellery store on Mountain Avenue. A faction of the ex-navy jewellery thieves from the G. Dean party two months ago. The LAPD are asking for our help on this one. You'll be debriefed on the way."

Callen tensed and swore under his breath. At Hetty's look he explained; "Mel's meant to be there for a meeting. Have LAPD said if anyone got out before the robbery."

Hetty shook her head leading the team to the ammunitions room to suit up, "There were three hostages but one was let go."

Melissa sat in a chair her head bowed a little listening to the armed man pace as cop cars pulled up outside the small store. Hearing Francis try and stifle a sob she turned her head and sent the petrified woman a comforting smile. "Everything's going to be okay. All we have to do is stay calm."

Heavy footsteps made her whip her head around to look up at the thief as he crossed the room and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head back and leaning down to growl into her face, "Didn't I tell you not to talk? Huh!" he tightened his hand in her hair ripping it out of its low bun as Melissa grabbed his wrist and tried to pry his hand away.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered tears pooling in her eyes.

He sneered and pushed her head down so that she was looking at the floor. "Shut up and keep your head down or I'll shoot her!" he ordered and Melissa saw Francis shake when he pointed his sawn off shotgun at her. "Understand!"

Melissa nodded and kept her head down praying the police would stop him before someone got hurt.

"I'm going in." Callen told his team as he started to pull open the Velcro at the sides of his bullet proof vest.

"What?" Deeks looked at him as if he was crazy. "You're gonna get yourself killed if you go in without a vest."

Callen rounded on him barely holding it together at the thought of Melissa getting hurt. "He's got two hostages in there and he's not gonna let them go just because we ask him nicely." He all but growled. "If he talks with someone face to face he might change his mind."

"Come on, man." Sam said putting a hand on his partner's shoulder to hold him back as much as to get through to him. "You know that guy in there isn't gonna give up his hostages just coz you go in."

Callen looked at his team. "He's got hostages. He wants something and if he doesn't get it those two in there are as good as dead." Shrugging off Sam's hand he started toward the store front. "And I'm not gonna let anything happen to Mel." He said to himself.

With an annoyed shrug to both Kensi and Deeks, Sam lifted the loudspeaker they were using to communicate with the thief, he pressed the red button on the handle and spoke into it, "A mediator is coming in to talk to you so that we can get you what you need. He's unarmed."

The sound of Sam's voice coming over the loudspeaker made Melissa jump but she couldn't risk looking up to see who was coming into the shop. The sound of someone knocking on the front door was followed by the thief unlocking and opening the door. Once it was closed again, Melissa peeked up through the curtain of her now loose hair to see Callen standing with his hands up, palms facing out; the masked man motioning for him to move toward the back of the store with the shotgun before he checked that he hadn't brought any weapons in with him.

Shaking, the petite brunette lowered her eyes to her fists as they lay in her lap and listened as Callen tried to talk the thief into letting her and Francis go. She winced when the thief became more and more agitated. And then suddenly the shotgun went off breaking the store front window. Callen moved quickly, knocking the gun from the thief's hand before he grappled with him landing a few good hits and receiving a few as well.

Quickly, Melissa dropped to the ground and pulled Francis down with her as the thief grabbed the gun again. Another shot went off and a display case near Callen exploded raining down shards of glass before the NCIS agent managed to pin the thief down, kicking the gun from his hand. A moment later the store was swarming with cops and the rest of Callen's team.

Handing the now cuffed and unmasked thief off to Sam, Callen moved to the back of the store and caught Melissa as she threw herself into his arms shaking badly.

Glass crackled under their feet as he led her out of the front of the store and out into the heat and sun of a Los Angeles summer day.

He kept repeating in her ear, "You're safe now, baby. You're safe." What he didn't realise was that he was saying it in Romanian.

After Melissa had given her statement to the cops she called into the office and explained what had happened before she let Callen take her back to NCIS headquarters. Kensi loaned her a pair of sweat pants, an LAPD sweat shirt and a pair of flip flops that she had in her locker. Changing into the baggy clothes made Melissa feel better. The office had sent over a courier with a case and a garment bag to take back the clothes and jewellery as well as an agitated Tracy.

"Oh my God!" the redhead gasped when her friend emerged from the women's locker room.

Melissa was enveloped in a tight hug by the taller woman and spent the next ten minutes calming her best friend down before she was able to sit her down on the chair beside Callen's desk and wave away the courier with the clothes and expensive jewellery. "I'm fine, Trace. Promise."

All but in tears the leggy redhead sniffed. "If anything had happened to you I don't know what I would've done, you know that, right?"

Hugging her Melissa smiled. "I know, love. But I'm fine. Stop fussing."

With a final sniffle Tracy nodded and then looked around. "So are you gonna introduce me to your agent boyfriend?"

Hearing Tracy's question, Deeks lifted his head from where he sat at his own desk. "No way, you and Callen are dating?" he blurted with a clearly shocked laugh.

A crimson blush flooded Melissa's cheeks and she rubbed her temples. She was saved from having to answer by Callen's entrance into the team's office space. She looked at him beseechingly when Deeks repeated his question. Kensi, Sam and Hetty heard the question as they followed Callen into the alcove.

Folding his arms across his chest Callen looked at Hetty and his team, "It's not your business, but yeah, we're dating." He told them his face calm.

Tracy all but squealed and threw her arms around Melissa's shoulders again realising that that was a huge step from Callen even if the others seemed to be in a state of shock.

Kensi smiled looking between Melissa and Callen, "No way."

Sitting on the edge of the front of his desk Callen looked at Melissa who managed to pry her best friend's arms from around her. Her cheeks were still a soft pink but she was smiling softly.

Sam was the first to recover from his shock. "Congratulations, man." He smiled holding out a hand to Callen who took the offered handshake and finished it with a manly pat-on-the-back-hug.

Hetty moved to Melissa's side and patted the younger woman's hand. "Treat him well, Miss Gordon." She told her gently before allowing Deeks, Kensi and Sam to offer their congratulations before Melissa officially introduced Tracy to Callen and his team. The redhead made eyes at Sam and gave her unwanted advice that Deeks and Kensi should be more than just partners. With another blush, Melissa sent her friend home promising to call her that night.

With a saucy smile for Sam and a wink and more unwanted comments about Melissa not worrying too much about ringing her if she and Callen had other plans for the night, the tall woman left the NCIS headquarters.

"Mr. Callen." Hetty gained her agent's attention. "I would like you to take Miss Gordon home and make sure she gets a good night's rest. After the day she's had she needs it."

Deeks nearly spit out his mouthful of coffee as Hetty left the alcove. "Did Hetty just give you two permission to have a sleep over?"

Kensi slapped him up the back of the head and they all clearly heard Hetty's voice calling, "I heard that, Mr. Deeks!"

With the blond officer subdued, Callen grinned while Melissa slipped her hand into his and he led her out of the headquarters leaving a still shocked but happy team behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Melissa opened her door to find Callen standing on her threshold. "Hi." She smiled before stepping back and letting him come in.

"You feeling better?" he asked wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked to her living room.

She shrugged. "It all seems a bit surreal, like it didn't happen to me." She murmured twisting the silver stacking rings on her right hand ring finger. The small moon on one and the small sphere on the other twisted together while the plain silver band in the middle stayed still.

Callen saw the dark circles under her eyes. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" he asked.

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder as he led her to her lounge. "How did you know?"

Sitting down with Melissa against his side Callen explained, "You look tired, you always fidget when you're tired or stressed and I know you better than you think."

She smiled at him. "Well, aren't you a great detective, Agent." She teased before getting up and stretching, her loose grey t-shirt showing a strip of her stomach above the waist line of her black and grey yoga pants. "You want a beer. Tracy made sure she brought some over this morning because I told her you were coming over."

Callen looked up at her, "She brought you those clothes too?" he asked slouching back into the cushions of her couch as his eyes moved over her.

Melissa wrinkled her nose at him. "No, these are my clothes, thank you very much." At Callen's grin she shook her head. "Is that a yes for the beer?"

His grin widened. "Sure, thanks."

Shaking her head, the petite brunette padded barefoot to her kitchen. Getting a beer out of the fridge she opened it and took it to Callen before going back to the kitchen to brew herself a cup of tea. When she got back to the lounge it was to see Callen flicking through her leather bound sketch book.

"Seriously? I leave you alone for a few minutes and you go through my things?" she put her mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat at the opposite end to Callen looking away in embarrassment while he continued to flick through the sketches of jewellery designs she had made.

"I know nothing about jewellery," he said his eyes on the designs in the book, "But these are really good."

Melissa bit her lip playing with the small silver moon necklace around her neck, folding her legs under her. "I suppose. I-I thought that I could go back to school and learn to be a designer but then I got this job and now I just couldn't leave Mr. Dean. He's almost like a grandfather to me now because he's done so much for me, you know." She picked up her mug and sipped at the hot, fragrant liquid inside. "I mean I love my job but I just wish I could do more instead of just being the clothes hanger, you know?" She looked up to see Callen watching her, a bemused smile on his face. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just wondering why you don't follow your dream."

Melissa moved slightly and then sighed. She put her mug back down on the coffee table and moved across the couch to lie against Callen's side again. "I will one day, but right now I'm going to tell you something that I very rarely tell people so you had better listen because with my temperament I won't be saying it too often." She closed her eyes and snuggled into his side. "You're right. I'm exhausted because I didn't sleep well last night. Now if you stay still I might be able to get some sleep and then we can go to the beach or whatever you want."

The feel of Callen's fingers running through her hair soon lulled her to sleep but what she didn't know is that her tough NCIS agent just wanted to sit on that couch with his girlfriend sleeping against him.

* * *

"God, you're unbelievable!" Melissa all but shouted as she slammed into her apartment, Callen following behind her.

"What did you want me to do, huh? He grabbed you!" Callen growled moving past her to the lounge, loosening his tie as he did.

Melissa threw her purse onto the hall table, followed him into the lounge rubbing her temples and then rounded on him. "Please enlighten me as to how punching one of my clients was a good call then, Callen?" At his silence she threw up her hands. "Was it the fact that he touched me the problem or was it the fact that I didn't tell him to stop?" Callen's face went bank but Melissa wasn't having it. "You nearly lost me my bloody job, Agent. The least you could do is tell me the truth." She glared up at him.

"I thought I was protecting you, alright. That…guy just wanted one thing." He folded his arms across his chest and Melissa felt like slapping him.

"After everything you still don't trust me, do you?" she asked her teeth clenched in anger.

"He touched you, I asked him to stop, he laughed, I hit him. Simple as that." Callen explained.

Melissa stared at him before exploding, "Simple as that? You nearly got me fired and all you can say is 'simple as that'? Not to mention the whole possessive thing."

"I'm not possessive." Callen growled glaring at her. "He made a pass at you Mel. I made sure he'll think twice about touching a woman like that again." Melissa stalked passed him and into her bedroom, slamming the door closed behind her, but Callen wasn't finished. "We're gonna talk about this." He said gruffly as he followed her into the room.

She rounded on him. "No we're not. You don't seem to see how much of an ass you were being so I don't see why we should discuss it." She turned back to her vanity mirror and proceeded to take off her jewellery, purposely ignoring Callen as he glared at her in the mirror. Pulling the pins from her hair she moved to go to her bathroom only to have Callen bar her way. "Move!" she grit out glaring at his chest.

"No." Callen told her.

Clenching her jaw she glared up at him, angry tears filling her eyes, "Tell me just one thing, Callen; did you hit him because he touched me or because I let him?" Callen looked away and she had her answer. "Get out."

"Mel…" he reached for her but she stepped out of reach.

"Get. Out."

He straightened and turned on his heel, leaving the room silently. The sound of her front door clicking shut broke something inside of her. With a gasp Melissa collapsed on the edge of her bed, tears filling her eyes as she covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

* * *

It had been two weeks since their big fight. Two weeks since Melissa had heard anything from Callen. Two weeks of hell. She knew it was taking a toll on her from the way Tracy was watching her and making sure she ate three times a day. Patricia had even made a comment that the petite brunette was 'rather aloof and cold lately'. She received a withering look from Melissa for her trouble. Tracy, on the other hand, wasn't as easily cowed. She managed to wheedle a brief explanation about why Melissa was depressed but didn't get any specifics.

Melissa had received a phone call from Hetty the day after her and Callen's big fight. The tough NCIS handler told her that Callen had accepted a deep undercover assignment that day and she was worried that he was doing it for the wrong reasons. With the feeling of betrayal still fresh, Melissa had told Hetty that she and Callen weren't together anymore and that he could take whatever assignments he wanted, it was his life. Hetty had told her in no uncertain terms that Callen had been the happiest she had ever seen him when he was with her and that if she really cared for him she would try and fix what had happened. Upset by the truth of Hetty's words, Melissa plucked up the courage to ring Callen a few days later but he never answered and after a week Melissa resigned herself to the fact that he never wanted to talk to her again.

* * *

After a long day at work, two weeks after her and Callen's break up, Melissa grabbed her gym bag and took the office elevator down to the employee gym. She changed into her black running shorts, aqua sports bra and grey tank top. She pulled her iPod arm band on and threw her hair up into a pony tail before she laced up her black and grey Nike running shoes and grabbed her water bottle, towel, wraps and boxing gloves. After warming up with some stretches she ran for twenty minutes on a treadmill before wrapping her hands, turning her iPod up, pulling on her boxing gloves and taking out her frustration on a boxing bag. An hour later she collapsed on a bench against the wall and took a few deep breaths. Her skin was slick with sweat and her tank top stuck to her back but she was still as angry and frustrated as ever. Pulling the Velcro straps of her gloves open with her teeth she grabbed her towel and wiped her face, pulling the headphones out of her ears before taking a long pull from her water bottle.

Slow clapping made her lift her head, her eyes narrowing when she saw Stan push away from the wall to her right. "Now that," he pointed to the still swinging bag, "That was impressive."

Rolling her eyes Melissa took another drink of water, ignoring him as she got her breathing under control. She didn't even look up when Stan walked in front of her saying something about how it was good to see her outside of work hours. "And that outfit." He shook his head with a lecherous grin. "You're looking as good as ever, sweetheart."

Ready to get away from him, Melissa stood up, gathered up her things, put them into her gym bag and stepped around him to leave.

But he caught her arm in a firm grip. "Come on, sweetheart. Now that your poor excuse for a boyfriend's gone we can have a little fun."

Melissa looked down at the hand on her arm and then lifted angry blue-green eyes to the tall man's face. "If you don't let me go-"

He interrupted her, "You'll what? Punch me?" he smirked before he tried to pull her closer.

Digging her heels into the carpeted floor, Melissa dropped her gym bag, pulled her free arm back fist clenched and punched him square in the face. With an ugly yell, Stan fell back his hands cradling his eye and cheek.

"What the hell!" He yelled up at her from where he had sunk down to the ground.

Emotionlessly, Melissa picked up her gym bag from where she had dropped it. "You should have let me go." She threw over her shoulder at him as she left the gym's boxing area.

* * *

"Everyone's talking about you knocking out Stan, kid." Tracy told Melissa that evening as she did her makeup.

Melissa kept her eyes on the window she was facing as Tracy brushed the final coat of bronzer over her cheeks. "I didn't knock him out. I just made sure he'll think twice about touching a woman that way again." With a jolt she realised she had just repeated some of Callen's last words to her.

Swallowing hard, the beautiful brunette got up from the bed and grabbing her garment bag, she disappeared into the bathroom. She took off her silk kimono robe and unzipped the garment bag. She found a black mermaid skirt inside. Stepping into it she pulled it up and tried to ignore the fact that the sides had curving transparent panels that showed off her legs from ankles to upper thigh. The top that went with the outfit was strapless black satin in a pleated origami style. She zipped that up the back and then walked back out into her bedroom. Looking at the shoes that she had been sent to wear she left them in their box knowing her feet would be killing her all too soon and decided to put on her jewellery first. She opened the silver box that had been sent over and lifted out the spiralling silver collar. Fastening it around her neck she moved on to the jet and silver studs, cage-like ring and heavy silver and black bangles that had been sent along also.

"What is Patricia trying to do, make you all look like hookers?" Tracy asked appalled.

"Ah, but we're classy hookers." Melissa joked humourlessly as she threw what she needed for the night into the small silver and black clutch that went with her outfit. "I'll see you tomorrow." She added as she pulled on the sky-high black leather pumps that she had put off wearing before.

"You'll talk to me when you're ready, won't you?" Tracy asked softly as Melissa turned to leave the bedroom.

Dropping her gaze to the door handle where her hand was resting Melissa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Maybe I'll be able to one day. But not for a while." She murmured before leaving the room and the apartment.

The party was dark and cold or that's what Melissa thought as she walked around the room pretending to smile and laugh with the many rich and famous that were there. But all she could think about was Callen's words to her the first time she had taken him to a party like this 'What you do, it's so fake.' 'You sell yourself, not the jewellery.'

Feeling like her chest was about to burst, Melissa excused herself from the group of women she was talking to and hurried to the bathrooms. Breathing hard she caught herself on the edge of the vanity as her knees gave way. A muffled sob and the sound of shuffling feet from the last cubical made her look up. As she moved toward it, she heard the lock on the door of the bathroom turn. She spun around and stared as Stan looked up at her, his shirt partially open and a red handprint on his cheek that hadn't been there earlier that night when she'd seen him.

"You just don't know when to keep out of things, do you sweetheart?" he growled a demented look in his eyes.

With a sick realisation, Melissa ran to the end cubical and pushed open the door to see a blonde waitress, bloody and bruised, curled into a corner of the stall sobbing.

"Oh, God." Melissa gasped as she dropped to her knees beside the cringing woman. "Did he do this to you?" she asked.

The woman's lips trembled and she then burst into tears, curling in on herself even more.

"I promise, he won't hurt you ever again." Melissa told her before she stood up slowly and turned to see Stan lounging against the vanities almost opposite her. "You're a bastard." She hissed making sure she stayed between him and the beaten woman as she stepped out of the stall doorway.

Stan smirked. "She glared at me like you do when I suggested she come home with me tonight." Melissa clenched her jaw and glared at him in contempt. He smiled. "Just like that. She looked at me just like that and I wanted to wipe that look off her face. So I did."

A shiver went down Melissa's spine at the casual tone of his voice and she realised the only way she was going to get the woman away from Stan was to distract him. She brushed down her skirt and let her glare melt away. "If I had known how much you wanted me, I would never have given you that black eye, love." She told him hating the way her stomach roiled at the thought of calling him such an intimate name.

He seemed a little confused before Melissa leaned her shoulder against the stall doorway and cocked a hip. The woman behind her moved slightly and Melissa prayed silently that she would know what she needed to do to get out before Stan read the lie in her eyes. With a grin, the tall blond man straightened and took a step toward Melissa.

The woman behind her sniffled before pushing past her and running toward the door. Unable to watch her, Melissa held Stan's dark gaze and was barely able to supress a shudder when he took another step toward her and reached out a hand to brush his fingers against her neck.

"You think I'm stupid?" he asked his face darkening with rage so fast that Melissa had no time to scream before his hand clenched around her throat and he slammed her back against the tiled wall beside the bathroom stalls. "You think I'm stupid!" he all but yelled in her face.

Dropping all pretences, Melissa spat in his face and managed to croak out, "I think you're a bastard."

His dark grin shook her to the core. "You're gonna regret that." He sneered crowding her in.

Melissa clawed at his hand only to cry out as he backhanded her. She fell onto her hands and knees and raised a hand to her lips. Her fingers came away spotted with blood and she knew her lip was split. Stan dug his fingers into her hair, ripping out pins as he did, and dragged her to her feet, pushing her against the wall again. Without a word he grabbed her jaw in a vice like grip and smashed his lips against hers. Melissa's cry of pain was muffled by his mouth. She pushed against his chest trying to unbalance him. He didn't move a step. Squeezing her eyes shut, Melissa jerked her knee up into his groin. He fell with a yell the moment the bathroom door slammed open and two burly bodyguards burst in followed by Mr. Dean, Patricia and the beaten waitress.

Melissa felt like crying as the two bodyguards grabbed Stan and dragged him off the floor. They stopped only long enough to allow Mr. Dean to tell him that he was fired before they dragged him out of the bathroom. Collapsing into Mr. Dean's arms she started to shake hearing Patricia's apology for what had happened to her. The police were out in the club but Melissa just wanted to get away from everything.

After giving her statement and pressing charges she caught a cab home from the police station. Once inside her bedroom she quickly stripped off the jewellery and clothes she had been made to wear and turned on the shower. Not even caring that her makeup was still on and her hair was still partially pinned up, she stepped into the still cold shower and sat in the corner under the spray. Finally she let her tears flow. Hugging her knees to her chest she let the slowly warming water pour over her as she pressed her face to the tops of her knees.

* * *

The next night, after calls from her parents and Tracy during the day and a follow up interview with the cops, Melissa needed to get out of the house and away from everything. So, as the sun set, she changed into a pair of black sweat pants, her sports bra, a white tank top, a dark grey sweatshirt, and her running shoes. Throwing her hair up into a pony tail she didn't even bother to remove the night sky studs from her ear lobes. Making sure she had her wallet, keys and cell phone in her sweatshirt pocket, she closed the door of her apartment and left the building. As soon as her feet hit the pavement she started running. The pounding of her feet on the rough pavement matched the pounding of her heart spurring her faster. She only stopped once she got to the beach. Catching herself on the railing of the sea wall she turned her back to it and leaned her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. Breathing hard through her nose Melissa turned to face the water again and, putting her hands on the railing, she leant down and pressed her forehead to her knuckles; the sound of the surf crashing on the sand and rocks a few yards away calming her frantic thoughts.

The peace was broken by the shrill ringing of the phone in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw that the number was blocked. With a little trepidation she pushed the green answer button and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Melissa? It's Kensi." The voice on the other end of the line said.

At the tone of her voice, Melissa knew something was wrong, "Kensi, what happened? Is Callen alright? Is the team alright?"

There was a moment of silence and then Kensi spoke up, "Callen's in hospital, Mel."

Collapsing back against the sea wall Melissa closed her eyes. "What happened?" she murmured.

"Tell me where you are so I can send Deeks to get you." Kensi told her.

Melissa explained where she was and Kensi seemed to talk to someone else for a moment before coming back on the line. "Deeks is on his way. I'll explain some more when you get here."

"O-okay." Melissa nodded even though Kensi wouldn't be able to see her and then rung off on the call.

Kensi was right about Deeks not taking long. Within fifteen minutes Sam's car pulled up with Deeks at the wheel. Melissa rounded the black Charger and got into the passenger side. As she buckled her seatbelt Deeks pulled out from the curb and put his foot down on the accelerator. The normally animated cop was sombre and quiet and that made Melissa scared.

When they were half way to the hospital Deeks spoke up, "How did you hurt your lip?" he asked having noticed her barely healing split lip.

Turning her attention to the scenery slipping by her window Melissa dodged the question, "It's a long story that's not very interesting."

And that was the end of the conversation until they got to the hospital. Deeks parked in the underground parking lot and he and Melissa jogged to the elevator. When they got up to the right level Melissa followed the tall blonde officer to the wing where Callen's room was. Seeing Kensi at the end of the hall, Melissa ran the rest of the way to her.

"Kensi, what happened?" she asked scared and breathless.

Kensi reached out and put a hand on the petite woman's shoulder, "He was taken on a case; they thought he was a spy." The taller woman swallowed, "They tortured him to get information."

Melissa's eyes widened as her body went cold. "What?"

They were interrupted by Sam as he came out of the hospital room just past Kensi. "Hey, hey. You shouldn't be here." He said catching Melissa around the waist as she slipped passed Kensi and moved toward the hospital room where she knew Callen was. "Callen asked us not to call you." He glared at Kensi and Deeks over Melissa's head.

Pushing his arm away the fiery brunette glared up at the tall bald man. "So he was just going to disappear for a month or two and come back with fading bruises? Not bloody likely."

Sam moved uncomfortably before folding his arms across his chest and looking her in the eyes. "He's hurt bad, you get that right?"

Tears filled Melissa's eyes and she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Of course I get that. That's what torture means." Her voice broke and she looked away furiously wiping away tears. She looked back at Sam trying to control the tears and her breathing.

Sam gave her a hard look. "He has a cut over his eye, bruises on the side of his face. They cut his chest and stomach. He hasn't woken up yet."

Melissa clenched her hands in the material of her sweatshirt as more tears slipped down her face, "Is he going to survive?"

Sam seamed to relax a little and gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, takes more than that to kill G."

Biting her lip, Melissa glanced over her shoulder at Kensi, Deeks and Hetty, who had just arrived, before turning back to Sam, "I want…I need to see him."

Sam studied her for a moment before stepping to the side. Taking a breath she stepped toward the hospital room. Her heart started to pound as she walked through the door and to the side too scared to lift her head. The rest of Callen's team filled in behind her and spread out through the room. Taking another deep breath Melissa steeled herself and raised her eyes to the bed against the wall opposite her. Her breath froze in her lungs when she saw Callen lying in that bed. His face was pale against the stark white pillows. His eyes were closed and looked sunken and both were smudged with dark circles. An angry red slash of a cut ran from his left temple to his left eyebrow. Dark bruises marred the right side of his face and jaw and his shirtless chest was swathed in bandages. Tubes and wires connected him to different beeping machines and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose.

Hands shaking, Melissa looked up at Hetty who was watching her carefully, "I-I need a moment." She whispered before turning and slipping out the door. Walking a few feet back down the corridor she caught the railing on the opposite side of the corridor and covered her mouth with her hand to try and stifle her sobs.

She was caught by strong hands as her knees gave way. She turned her face to Sam's chest as she wept out her pain and fear. He held her as she slowly calmed down and then took a deep breath and stepped away from him. "I'm sorry." She murmured wiping her eyes with her sweatshirt sleeves.

Sam shook his head. "It's a lot to take in."

Melissa lifted blue-green eyes to his dark brown ones, "I'm okay now. He needs me and I'm not going to turn my back on him, not now." She said to him knowing that was why he was weary of her.

Sam nodded and led her back into Callen's hospital room. Melissa walked up to Callen's bedside and gratefully accepted Deeks' chair. Pulling it up as close to Callen's bedside as she could the brunette sat down and gently picked up Callen's hand. Bending down she pressed a soft kiss to the back of his hand and closed her eyes, dropping her forehead onto Callen's fist as she twined her fingers with his and started to pray.

* * *

Melissa woke slowly. Her whole body felt stiff from sleeping curled up in the chair beside Callen's hospital bed, her arm starting to go numb because it had stayed in one place as she held Callen's hand through the night. She slipped her hand out of his as she sat up in the chair, stretching her legs and rubbing her shoulders blearily.

She felt tired and achy but somehow she was more at peace and relaxed than she had been for weeks. She pulled the hair tie from her hair and ruffled it a little letting the dark waves fall naturally around her shoulders. After stretching her arms above her head she pulled out her cell phone to check what time it was. Seeing that it was only seven in the morning she sighed and settled back in her char, picking up Callen's limp hand again. She sat silently staring out the window that overlooked the courtyard outside. She felt Callen's hand close around hers. Her head snapped around and she watched with bated breath as his eyes slowly opened. Tears filled her eyes and she slowly got up and leaned over him.

"Hey, baby." She whispered cupping his cheek with her free hand. "I'm so sorry." She blurted. "I should never have chucked you out of my apartment like that. And then you nearly died and I will never forgive myself-"

She was cut off as Callen winced as he reached up to pull off his oxygen mask and then cupped the back of her head. Without a word he pulled her head down and kissed her. Breaking the kiss slowly he grimaced and moved slightly.

Melissa stood over him, shocked, a soft blush growing in her cheeks. "Callen…"

He cut her off again by lifting those bright blue-grey eyes to hers. "Stop apologising Mel." He told her. "Just stop apologizing."

Tears filled her eyes and she collapsed into the chair her fingers entwined with his. "I thought I'd lost you."

Painfully Callen pushed himself up in the hospital bed cutting off a groan. "Takes more than that to kill me, dragă." He told her and Melissa couldn't help the smile that slipped over her face at his use of the Romanian term of endearment.

She tightened her hand around his, "You don't get to do that again, Callen." She told him suddenly stern.

Callen turned from studying the bandages around his chest to look at her a little surprised. "Do what?" he asked.

Melissa rubbed her thumb over his fingers. "You don't get to volunteer for dangerous missions like that again."

Callen's hand tightened around hers and he carefully pulled her toward the bed. She got up and gently sat down on the edge of the bed beside him, her back to the door. "Then you can't go to any more of those parties." He told her.

Melissa nearly glared at him until she saw his eyes drop to her lips. Slowly she moved forward and kissed him. "You're not going to get beat up any more." She said in between kisses.

Callen grinned and kissed her again. "No more sexy office clothes." He told her as she pressed her forehead to his shaking her head.

"No more guns and car chases." She murmured before stealing a soft kiss.

Callen's arm slipped around her waist. "So both of us are gonna quit our jobs and go and live on a beach somewhere."

Nodding Melissa cupped his face between her hands and smiled contentedly. "Sounds like the best idea in the world. It sounds like heaven."

"I promised myself I'd tell you something if I got out of there." Callen told her the tone of his voice making her look up into his deep eyes.

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about that fight, Callen. It almost ruined the best thing that's happened to me since forever. That fight was stupid and useless and, can't we just forget about it?" she pleaded.

Callen shook his head, "That's not what I want to talk about, Mel. I want to forget about that night too." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Iti dau inima mea."

Melissa searched his eyes but he stayed silent. She smiled, an unexplainable excitement bubbling up in her chest. "I-I don't…" she shook her head her gaze slipping away from his shyly.

Callen caught her chin and turned her face to his. "It means I give you my heart." He said looking a little uncomfortable but completely truthful, his eyes for once unguarded.

New tears pooled in Melissa's eyes and she pressed her forehead to his again. "Iti dau inima mea." She whispered back haltingly. He kissed her gently and she savoured every brush of his lips against hers, every touch of his hands against her skin.

They were interrupted by someone clearing their throat from the doorway. Melissa pulled away slightly, a deep blush colouring her cheeks as she turned to see Hetty standing in the hospital room doorway.

"Well Mr Callen, I see you're feeling better." The small woman said with a glint of mischief in her eyes making Melissa blush even more. Hetty continued with her banter. "I see you're looking a little flushed Miss Gordon, would you like a glass of water?"

"Hetty." Callen warned good naturedly as Melissa bit her bottom lip.

Brushing down her coat, the tough as nails NCIS handler looked unaffected. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr Callen, but will we be seeing a lot more of your Melissa from now on?" she pinned Callen with a look that clearly stated his answer should be a yes.

Callen forced a half shrug, hiding a wince of pain from Melissa when she turned to glance between him and Hetty, "That's up to her."

Hetty nodded and smiled knowingly at Melissa. "You need to go home and get some rest Miss Gordon. I'll stay here and look after our Mr Callen. The doctors say he can go home tomorrow if everything is alright. I don't see how he'll be able to manage alone-"

"I'll look after him." Melissa jumped in before biting her lip and looking at Callen slowly.

"You will need to move in with Melissa if that's acceptable." Hetty said to Callen but Melissa shook her head.

"There are too many stairs at my apartment. Your place is fine if-if that's what you want."

Callen looked at the woman he had only months ago opened his life to and only moments ago opened his heart to. "Up to you, Mel." He murmured.

A beautiful smile lit up her face at his words and she leaned down and kissed him until she was breathless.

Too excited and so happy she could jump up and down; Melissa swooped down and hugged Hetty before kissing Callen again. "I won't be long. I'll just go home and shower and change, pack some things. Then I'll ring work and take some time off. They owe me. Then I'll be back and you need to sleep." She finished seeing how tired Callen looked.

He smiled silently his hand lifting to tuck some of her dark waves behind her ear. "See you later." He told her.

With one last kiss and another quick hug for Hetty, Melissa took the keys to Callen's car that Hetty handed her and left the hospital.

Once at home she took a long hot shower and changed into another pair of sweatpants and a soft blue t-shirt. Calling the office she organised to take three weeks of her accumulated leave and then organised for her client meetings to be given to other associates or rescheduled. Packing a bag with enough clothes for a week at least she ate a quick breakfast of cereal and orange juice before going back to the hospital.

As she walked into the car garage elevator her cell went off. "Hello?"

"Oh, Thank GOD!"

Melissa smiled. "Would you take a breath Tracy? I'm fine."

The redhead's voice turned grumpy. "Then why haven't you picked up the last five times I've rung you? And why did you take time off of work? And why are you sounding happy?" she asked suspiciously.

Melissa couldn't help but laugh. "So now I can't be happy?"

Tracy was silent a moment before she squealed loudly. Melissa winced holding the phone away from her ear. "Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god! You're back with sexy agent boy, aren't you?"

"Would you stop yelling?" Melissa told her. "And yes, Callen and I are back together. He got hurt on a case and I came to the hospital last night and we made up."

She could almost imagine Tracy jumping up and down. "That is the best news I've heard since you two started going out, you know that kid? After you two broke up I was just about to find him and kill him for crushing your heart like that."

Melissa shook her head a rueful smile on her face. "You done with the dramatics love?" she asked. "I've got to go. I'm back at the hospital visiting."

"Oh, right. Is sexy agent boy okay?" Tracy asked sobering a little.

Melissa turned the corner in the hospital and saw Sam pushing Callen in a wheel chair toward the elevator to go out to the court yard. Both men were smiling and talking and Callen looked relaxed and happy. "He's going to be okay, Trace." She answered her friend. "I have to go. I'll call you later today."

"Sure thing, babe." Tracy said before ringing off.

Melissa caught up with Callen and Sam, the tall black agent throwing an arm over her shoulders as they stepped into the elevator.

"Whoa, man. Wait up!" Deeks called as he, Kensi and Hetty moved to catch up with the three in the elevator. When they had piled into the elevator and the doors closed Deeks smirked down at Callen before glancing up at Melissa and then looking back at Callen again.

The wounded agent gave his blond friend a placid stare only to raise his eyebrow when Kensi punched her partner in the shoulder. Realising why Deeks was acting so weird Melissa stepped out from under Sam's arm and propped her hands on her hips. "You told everyone, Callen? I was gone an hour, tops."

Callen leaned back a little in the wheel chair wrapping a protective arm around his ribs as he did so. He sent her that dry half-smile she loved, "Don't blame me. Ask Hetty how they knew before they got here."

A small wrinkle appeared above the bridge of Melissa's nose as she pulled her eyebrows together and turned to Hetty. "Really?" she asked the short woman.

Hetty kept her eyes on the doors of the elevator. "Something like that shouldn't be kept a secret, Miss Gordon. Believe me." The elevator bell dinged. With her advice given the strong NCIS handler stepped out of the small metal room and walked toward the doors that led out to the courtyard.

Deeks broke the silence in the elevator by catching the doors as they closed. "Good advice." He said dryly before leaving the small room, the rest of the team following along behind.

Once out in the court yard Melissa sat down on a wooden bench beside Hetty, Sam pushed Callen's wheel chair beside Melissa and locked the wheels and then joined Kensi a little way away where she was teasing Deeks. Melissa reached over and took Callen's hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Hetty cleared her throat gaining the attention of the agent who was like a son to her and the woman who now shared his heart. "I hope you made sure the man that gave you that bruise and split lip paid dearly." She told Melissa.

A little confused the brunette knew that Hetty was referring to her healing lip but she didn't know what bruise she was talking about. With a measured look Hetty directed her gaze to the bruise on Melissa's upper arm half hidden by the blue sleeve of her t-shirt.

Looking down at it the petite brunette felt slightly sick when she realised the bruise looked like a hand wrapped around her arm.

"I'll kill him." Callen growled.

Melissa knew he meant it and sighed. "Stan raped and beat a waitress at a party the night before last. I walked in on him as he was leaving. She got out and he grabbed me, backhanded me. She got the bouncers and they got the cops. He's going away for assault, battery and rape." At Callen's angry glare Melissa cut off his next comment. "You're too hurt to do anything to him now. Besides, I want to see his face when he's sentenced and realises he's going to be some con's little lady in prison." She sat back and smirked at Callen's surprised look. "He's learnt not to touch a woman that way again but it's too little too late."

Hetty smiled at her agent, "Hold onto this one, Mr. Callen. I like her style." She told him.

Melissa laughed and then leaned over and kissed the corner of Callen's lips. "You're stuck with me, dragoste. I just got the Hetty seal of approval." Seeing the spark in Callen's eyes at the use of the new word, she smiled and whispered in his ear. "I had time to Google it this morning. I love Romanian, it's…sexy." She added before pulling away, getting up from the bench and deliberately starting a conversation with Kensi, Deeks and Sam.

Callen's eyes followed her as she moved away.

Hetty smiled again. "I like her style." She nodded to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Melissa opened the front door of Callen's house and smiled at the homey feel of the place before she had even stepped inside. Sighing she turned back to the car where it was parked in the driveway and watched Callen fight with Sam as the larger man tried to help his hurt partner to the door of the house.

"I'm fine." The shorter man protested shrugging off the helping hand Sam put on his shoulder even though Melissa knew it hurt him to do so.

Unruffled, Sam scoffed. "Yeah right, G. You were wincing at every bump on the drive over."

Callen glared at his best friend. "Maybe that's because you're a bad driver, you ever thought about that? Probably aimed for every pot hole." He grumbled to himself moving toward the front steps.

Shaking his head Sam smiled at Melissa. "You sure you wanna do this, Mel. He gets grumpy when he's cooped up all day and can't go out for waffles."

Callen shot him a look as he forced himself up the few steps to the front door of his house. "Shut up."

A grin bloomed across Sam's face. "Or what, you'll shoot me?"

Callen stepped over the threshold of the doorway and turned back to his partner with a half smiled nodding, "Yeah, I'll shoot you."

Sam scoffed again, "Good luck." He told Melissa as he caught up the two overnight bags that belonged to Melissa from where she had dropped them by the door and took the stairs two by two to take them up the to the spare bedroom.

"Show off!" Callen called after him before he eased himself down onto the couch near the door.

"Seriously, Mel, good luck." Sam said as he came back down the stairs with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"Go home." Callen told him. "I bet Michelle's wondering where you are."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "I've changed my mind." He told Callen. "I hope you're in pain."

Grinning at his partner, Callen nodded toward the door. "Bye."

Melissa shook her head. "Thank you for everything, Sam. I'll keep you updated on how he's doing." She said sending Callen a look that he ignored.

"Don't bother." Sam told her. "Make sure he suffers a little."

Melissa laughed. "I'll see what I can do."

The large man hugged her before leaving the house.

Melissa closed the door behind him and then moved to sit down on the opposite side of the couch from Callen.

He turned to her.

"You going to get grumpy with me too?" she asked with a small smile.

"You gonna come over here?" he asked with a half-smile.

Melissa's smile turned to a grin and she crossed the small distance between them. Putting a gentle hand on his chest she leaned in and kissed him. He was the one that changed the kiss from soft and loving to passionate. But Melissa was the one that broke the kiss when she felt Callen move slightly to ease the pain she knew he was feeling.

"Callen, we can't do this." She murmured putting a hand to his wrist as he cupped the back of her neck to pull her closer. She lifted her green-blue eyes to his grey-blue gaze. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Callen's eyes closed for a moment before he looked at her again. "I'm hurt already, Mel."

Swallowing hard at the heat in his gaze Melissa nodded. "I know but, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet." Heat flooded her cheeks and Callen slowly sat back a little giving her some space.

He studied her before wrapping an arm around his torso, "Okay." He said carefully. "We'll wait until you're ready."

The petite brunette studied him. Whenever she had told past boyfriends anything remotely close to 'no' when they had pushed for sex they had either laughed in her face, pressured her into giving in, or instigated a fight and broken up with her. Callen was one in a million and she felt tears pool in her eyes at that.

Hating to see her cry, Callen sat up again, "Dragă." He murmured before Melissa shook her head.

"It's not that." She told him. "Just…I'm realising how lucky I am to have you G. Callen."

Looking slightly uncomfortable at the praise, Callen wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. They sat quietly enjoying the safety they both felt. Melissa with thoughts of how she could make sure Callen got better, and Callen with thoughts of how he could live up to the faith his girlfriend put in him.

* * *

The next two weeks were as close to perfect as Melissa had ever dared to believe. She and Callen sometimes fought but they quickly made up. The Agent and the P.A. settled into domestic bliss, or as close to bliss as two strong willed people could be. Callen's team would drop in once in a while to check on him and Melissa got to know each of them and learnt more about what Callen was like at work. She met Sam's wife Michelle and their daughter Tiffany. She heard from Kensi about the other people at NCIS headquarters like Nell and Eric who were both computer analysts and that they had a thing.

Melissa and Kensi became fast friends and they would go out with Nell and Tracy for lunch every week. But by the end of Callen's third week at home Melissa recognised the signs of 'cabin fever' as Hetty put it when she called for advice.

"Take him out, Miss Gordon. The beach or a road-trip will do Mr. Callen good." Hetty told her over the phone.

Melissa closed the kitchen door behind her as she carried the load of washing she had just bought in to the kitchen table. "He says he doesn't want to go anywhere, Hetty." She said as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder and started folding the still warm clothes into piles to put away or iron. "I asked him if he wanted to go to Santa Monica this morning and he just said 'No'." the brunette imitated Callen's deeper voice. "That's it, just 'no'. He's so frustrating I'm getting ready to slap him, I swear." She jumped as a knock sounded on the kitchen door. "I've got to go, Hetty. There's someone at the door." She said as the knock sounded again.

"Well, just get him out of that house, Miss Gordon. That's what he needs." Hetty told her before ringing off.

Melissa sighed as she put the phone back in its cradle. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to put up with a childish Agent all day." She moved to the door and opened it to reveal Kensi and Deeks. She smiled to herself, 'or maybe you do' she thought as she saw how livid Kensi was. "Come in." she greeted only to regret her words when Deeks followed Kensi into the house a scruffy dog at his heels. She moved quickly to the other side of the room and pushed open the kitchen door. "Callen, Kensi and Deeks are here." She called hoping the animal would stay with Deeks.

Callen got to the kitchen a moment later and Melissa was quickly at his side. "Hey." He greeted Kensi and Deeks before catching Melissa around the waist as she tried to step behind him. "What's wrong with you?"

Melissa swallowed hard. "Dogs and I don't mix." She said as she watched the scruffy mutt plop down and scratch himself behind the ear with his back paw.

Deeks gasped, shocked, "Say it's not so." He covered the dog's ears with his hands.

Melissa swallowed and curled her fingers into Callen's t-shirt. "It's fine, Deeks." Callen told the taller man. "We can still look after him for the weekend."

"We what?" Melissa squeaked out in fright.

Kensi looked worried, "Deeks, I don't think we should leave Monty here. If Melissa's not comfortable then it's not fair on her if she has to put up with him for the weekend."

Melissa pushed her fear down. "It's fine, Kensi." She said softly seeing how disappointed Deeks was. "Where are you two going, anyway?"

Deeks smirked. "I finally got Kens to agree to go to San Francisco with me."

Kensi laughed. "More like begged me. I thought he was gonna cry when I told him 'no' the first time." She shared a grin with Melissa.

Callen raised an eyebrow, "Really."

With a snort Deeks leaned down and unhooked Monty's lead from his collar. "Didn't take that much to convince you." He muttered before looking Monty in the eyes. "Be good for Melissa, okay buddy. She doesn't like kisses like Kensi does."

Melissa smothered a small laugh at the way Deeks treated Monty and the way Kensi rolled her eyes at the attention Deeks gave to the dog. "You done?" she asked her partner.

With a sigh Deeks ruffled the dog's ears and handed the lead to Callen. "Thanks, man. See you Sunday night."

Callen took the leash and wrapped his arm back around Melissa's waist. "Have fun." He told his two friends.

Sick of waiting Kensi hooked her hand around Deeks' arm and towed him out of the kitchen door as he continued to give Melissa and Callen instructions about Monty's care and say goodbye to him.

Swallowing Melissa forced herself to slip from Callen's reassuring grasp and move passed Monty to finish folding the washing on the kitchen table.

Callen leant back on the kitchen bench and folded his arms across his chest to watch as Monty sat in the middle of the linoleum kitchen floor and watched Melissa.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" Melissa glared over her shoulder at her boyfriend and tried to ignore the feeling of the dog's eyes on her.

Callen smirked and put the leash down on the counter before running a hand over his head. "Deeks' has wanted to take Kensi away for months now. Who am I to get in the way of an office romance?"

Melissa finished her folding and shot him a look as she picked up the washing basket and headed toward the kitchen door to the rest of the house to put away the clothes. Seeing the mischievous glint in Callen's eyes she scoffed, "Don't play the 'closet romantic card', G. Callen." She told him as she walked out of the kitchen.

Callen smirked his half smile at the sight of Monty following Melissa as she left the room.

Hearing the dull click-click of nails on the floor behind her, Melissa's heart sank knowing that Monty was following her. The rest of the day saw the scruffy dog follow her from one side of the house to the other while she finished her housework and made dinner. The only time he left her side was when Callen fed him. As soon as his dog bowl was licked clean he padded into the kitchen to sit beside the table and watch Melissa finish preparing and cooking her dinner of pasta and salad for her and Callen.

"He's been following and watching me all day, Callen. It's starting to freak me out." She told him when he sat down opposite her at the kitchen table and they started dinner. Seeing the half smile he was trying to hide the fiery brunette put down her knife and fork and sat back in her chair, arms folded across her chest as she glared at him. "It's not funny. Dogs scare me, especially big dogs."

Callen took a swig of his beer and glanced from Monty to Melissa. The dog lay on the floor near the kitchen bench but he was facing Melissa. "He's protecting you." The agent said suddenly understanding the dog's stance.

Melissa made a face. "That's not as comforting as you think." She told him before going back to her food.

After dinner the couple cleared up and moved into the lounge. Callen picked up the remote and turned on the flat screen TV. Melissa curled up on the couch beside him. She zoned out as Callen flicked between a baseball game and a football game. Knowing very little about either game and even less about the teams playing she decided mischievously to distract Callen a little and relieve some of the tension that had been between them since their conversation when she and Callen had first moved in together. She moved across the distance between them and lay against his side. After a few more minutes she moved again so that her head was lying on his shoulder. When he still hadn't noticed what she was doing she hooked one leg over his knee and watched as his eyes dropped to her leg. She knew her choice of denim shorts that morning was definitely working in her favour. After a moment Callen shifted a little and turned his attention back on the game. With a smile Melissa took control of the situation. She knew Callen was still watching her out of the corner of his eye. With a small sigh she started to play with the silver ring hanging from a leather thong around her neck.

"Really, you're gonna play the seduction card?" Callen asked suddenly his eyes on the TV again.

Melissa smirked. "Is it working?"

He took a deep breath through his nose before he shrugged and turned, surprising the brunette when he caught her lips in a searing kiss. Melissa grinned against his lips and let him tip her back onto the couch. Soon her hands were running under his shirt careful of the nearly healed scars on his abs and stomach. Breathless, the couple realised that Monty was growling. With a shiver Melissa pulled away from Callen.

"It's fine." He assured her but she was staring at the Police dog a smirk blooming across her face. Callen followed her gaze to see that Monty was growling at him his golden eyes locked right on Callen's face.

Swearing softly the agent moved away from Melissa slowly.

"He's only protecting me, Callen." Melissa teased him.

Callen sent her a dry look and sat up staring the dog down.

With a yip that made him sound like a puppy, Monty turned back to Melissa and bounded to her side, climbing up onto the couch between the couple to lay his head in her lap. After a moment of waiting to see what else he would do, Melissa relaxed and a giggle bubbled up through her.

Callen sent her a dry look and then went back to watching his game trying to ignore the fact that Monty's backside was pointed right at him.

For the rest of the weekend Monty would growl at Callen whenever the couple became too affectionate.

"He's driving me insane." Callen told Sam that Sunday afternoon when his partner came over with Tiffany for a visit. Melissa had taken the little girl into the kitchen and the two were now baking cookies, Monty sprawled out in a patch of sunlight on the kitchen floor.

Sam smirked in disbelief. "Come on, man. It can't be that bad."

Callen's grey-blue eyes glinted with annoyance. He got up off the couch where the two had been drinking beer and watching a football game. "Come on." He told the larger man.

Sam grinned and followed his best friend into the kitchen.

"You two almost finished here?" Callen asked ruffling Tiffany's hair as he moved by her to lean against the kitchen bench.

Melissa smacked his hand away from the scraped out mixing bowl as he scooped out some of the batter left on the edge with a finger and ate it. She then put her tray of cookies into the oven. "We just finished." She said before helping Tiffany wash her hands and then sending her into the lounge with the mixing bowl to lick out and permission to watch a cartoon.

Once the little girl was gone and the kitchen door had swung shut behind her, Callen caught Melissa around the waist and pulled her against his chest, kissing her breathless.

Monty started to growl and took a step toward the couple as Melissa pushed her boyfriend away an annoyed blush heating her cheeks.

Sam couldn't help laughing as Monty padded across the kitchen and sat at Melissa's feet growling up at Callen. "You're right, that animal hates you." He said to Callen.

Understanding what had happened Melissa glared at both men, "If you've finished your little experiment you can wash the dishes." She told both agents and then, slipping past them, she went to the lounge and sat down with Tiffany to watch cartoons, Monty a step behind her.

When Deeks and Kensi arrived to pick Monty up that night after dinner, the scruffy mutt was all but picked up and handed to them by Callen. "Never again." He insisted. "Get a dog sitter next time." He told Deeks as he took a tootsie roll out of the stash in the pantry cupboard.

Deeks wasn't even listening; he ruffled Monty's ears and patted him as if he had been away for weeks not two days. "Were you a good boy, huh? Were you? Yeah. Good boy, Monty."

Melissa smirked as Kensi rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Deeks? Can we go?"

"What's wrong with you?" Callen asked still grumpy after Monty's overprotection of Melissa all weekend.

Kensi's eyes narrowed, "Nothing, what's wrong with you?" she shot back at Callen.

Melissa's eyes went wide, "Don't even ask, Kens." She warned but it was too late.

Callen threw away his tootsie roll wrapper and then folded his arms across his chest. "That animal growls at me every time I even get close to Mel." He informed Kensi.

With a disbelieving smile the tall brunette allowed Monty to butt her hand with his head before she bent down to pat him. "We still on for our lunch meeting tomorrow?" she asked Melissa changing the subject.

With a smile Melissa stepped up to Callen's side and felt him drape and arm over her shoulders. "Sure, I'll bring a few sample books and meet you at twelve. Did you clear it with Hetty?"

Kensi nodded straightening. "Yeah, she said we'll be there at twelve."

"Good." Melissa nodded. "Could you tell her I'll bring the designs for her piece with me as well so that she can look over them?"

Kensi nodded and then watched as Monty loped over to Melissa's side and pushed between her and Callen even going so far as to sit on Callen's feet until he moved over a little, dropping his arm from around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"What? No!" Deeks said a playful grin on his face. "Monty's got a crush."

Callen gave him a cool look. "Thanks."

Melissa bit her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing before she bent down to pat Monty and say goodbye. "See you, love." She turned to Deeks, "We'll have him any time." She added earning a dry laugh from Callen.

"No, we won't."

With a final pat for the scruffy dog she had learnt to like, the small brunette let Deeks clip his leash to his collar and then he had to almost drag him out of the house followed by Kensi.

Before she knew what was happening, Melissa was caught up against Callen's chest and his mouth caught hers in a searing kiss that took her breath away and made her heart pound a mile a minute in her chest.

"Glad Monty's gone I take it?" She asked when her breath had come back and her heart had slowed a little. Callen didn't answer. He was too busy pushing her over-shirt off her shoulders, his lips following the material. Swallowing hard, Melissa cupped his face with both her hands and lifted his gaze to hers. The love she saw there sealed her decision. "I-I think I'm ready, Callen." She whispered holding his gaze even as a soft blush spread across her cheeks.

Callen searched her face before his eyes softened. "Iti dau inima mea." He told her.

"I love you." Melissa said softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He gently swung her up into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen and toward the stairs. "I can walk kardia mou." She murmured as she nuzzled his neck and kissed his jaw.

"It's faster this way." He assured her as he took the stairs two at a time.

Melissa held on for dear life. "If you hurt yourself or drop me…" she left the threat hanging and sent Callen a serious look.

He grinned and turned right at the top of the stairs, carrying her through to his bedroom where they collapsed on the bed. His mouth covered hers again and Melissa gasped as his hand slid halfway up her ribs pushing her tank top up with it. Nervousness built in her stomach as Callen dropped a kiss to her flat stomach, his breath warm against her skin.

The shrill ring of her cell phone in her pocket made her jump.

"Ignore it." Callen told her a little out of breath as he kissed her again.

But the phone kept ringing and Melissa wondered if it was important. Callen, sick of the noise pulled the flat silver smart phone from her pocket and was about to screen the call when he saw the number. Within a second Melissa saw him shut down any emotions and hand her the phone. "Answer it." He told her.

Taking the phone from him, Melissa answered it as she pulled her tank top over her stomach again. "Hello?"

The voice that came through sounded a little tinny but was unmistakeably that of a woman, "Miss Gordon? My name's Tina Johnson. I'm prosecuting the case you and a Miss Amanda Beal are bringing against a Mr. Stan Hooper."

Melissa was thankful she was sitting down. Her eyes lifted to Callen who was pacing a little running a hand over his short hair. "Is everything alright with the case?" she asked her hands starting to shake.

"Yes. Everything's going well. However, the court date has been scheduled for eight days from today. As one of our star witnesses I need you to come into my office in the next two days so that we can go over your testimony and any questions the defence may ask." The lawyer told her matter-of-factly.

"Yes, of course. I'm free tomorrow afternoon after about one thirty. Is-is that alright?" Melissa asked unwanted tears starting to prickle the back of her eyes.

"That's perfect. My office will be in touch tomorrow to give you the address and set the meeting time. Thank you again, Miss Gordon and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Have a good night."

"You too." Melissa murmured and then the line went dead as the other woman rung off. Lowering the phone to her lap Melissa closed her eyes and tried to keep the traitorous tears at bay. But the feel of Callen's arms around her broke the dam and she spent the next half an hour sobbing into his shoulder.

* * *

"Never thought I'd see you in a neighbourhood like this, kid." Were the first words out of Tracy's mouth the next morning when Melissa opened the front door of Callen's house to find the makeup artist and hairdresser standing on the stoop with her usual rack of clothes and the ever silent courier behind her. "And you look unusually happy."

Melissa smiled having missed her best friend's daily visits. "Well, it's Callen's house." She said stepping back to allow both Tracy and the courier in. "But I love how homey it feels, you know?"

Tracy raised an eyebrow and looked the shorter woman up and down. "Uh-huh." Letting Melissa sign for the jewellery and then show the courier out, the redhead then started to unpack her makeup and hair products onto the coffee table in the lounge before continuing their discussion. "And the fact that you and Sexy Agent Boy are playing house has nothing to do with it?" she asked raising a perfectly shaped brow at her best friend.

Melissa opened her mouth to sling back a teasing comment only to look up as Callen walked through the swinging kitchen door, a cup of coffee in his hand. He leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms over his chest. "Who's Sexy Agent Boy?" he asked.

Melissa choked on a laugh as she saw her redheaded friend of seven years turn a shade of crimson that she had never seen before and become flustered, another thing she had never seen Tracy do. After a moment or two of enjoying Tracy's discomfort she decided to let her off the hook. "It's a name I came up with when we were first dating." She told him even though she was pretty sure he knew she was lying when his lips quirked up in a smile.

Tracy sent her a thankful look before starting to put her hair up into a large, loose bun at the back of her head. Callen watched for a moment before going back into the kitchen to finish the breakfast dishes. When Tracy had finished with Melissa's hair she moved on to her makeup. Using purple and metallic eye-shadow she highlighted Melissa's Blue-green eyes and then used pale pink lipstick and gloss to give her a pretty pout.

With her makeup and hair done, Melissa grabbed the garment bag that Tracy had brought with her and went to the downstairs bathroom to change. The beautiful white pencil skirt with a pink, yellow, orange and purple blossom like pattern flowing around the waist and down the right side of the skirt made Melissa smile. It was gorgeous. Paired with a white sleeveless peplum blouse and a thin orange leather belt it made her skin look tanned and glowing. She stepped out of the bathroom to see Tracy and Callen sitting on the couch, talking.

"Don't you have your first day back at work today?" Melissa asked Callen as she put her wallet, cell and other things she would need that day into the matching orange drawstring handbag that she grabbed from the shelf at the bottom of the clothing rack.

He smirked that sexy half smile, "I don't start until eight thirty."

Melissa pouted, "If only I could have that long in the morning to get ready."

"Would you hurry up with this already?" Tracy said motioning to the larger than normal silver box on the coffee table. She hadn't been able to have her fix of beautiful jewellery since Melissa had taken leave three weeks before to look after Callen and now she was getting anxious to see what the company had given Melissa to wear.

With a sigh the beautiful brunette caught up the shoe box that had been sitting under her handbag at the bottom of the clothes rack and walked over to sit on the couch between her best friend and her boyfriend. Putting the box down by her feet she typed in her code and pressed her thumb and fingers to the print reader's screen. The series of four lights on top of the box flicked from a dull white to green and the locks clicked open on either side of the box. She opened the lid and Tracy gasped. Nestled in the groves in the padded black satin interior was a beautiful gold chain hanging from which was a round citrine pendant, the hook that attached it to the chain was studded with diamonds. Beside this lay two gold earrings set with one round citrine and an oval cut amethyst with one round cut diamond on either side of these stones. An oval cut citrine and yellow gold ring lay near these beside a cuff of amethyst, citrine, topaz and quartz gem-stones set in yellow gold.

"They're sucking up to you." Tracy said her eyes taking in the gorgeous pieces of jewellery.

Callen watched as Melissa picked up the earrings and slipped them into her earlobes before picking up the cuff and sliding it onto her wrist. The ring was next and that slid onto her right ring finger easily. Each magnificent piece of jewellery added to the glow of her skin.

Picking up the delicate gold chain with its heavy pendant Melissa held it out to Callen, "Could you help me with this?"

He took the necklace from her, undid the clasp and looped it around her neck before he fastened the clasp again and sat back against the couch.

Melissa loved the feeling of his fingers brushing against her skin and took a breath when he had finished before she turned around and took the orange pumps from their box and slipped them on. Ready for the day ahead of her she stood up and put the shoe box and jewellery box onto Tracy's clothes rack.

With a sigh the redhead got up from the couch and gathered her things together. Once everything was packed she said her goodbyes and promised to be back the next morning with the next lot of clothes and jewellery.

Once she was gone Melissa grabbed her handbag, the house keys Callen had given her a week after she had moved in to look after him, and her A3 artist's file. After fixing her fringe in her compact mirror she snapped it closed and slipped it back into her handbag. She smiled at Callen where he stood near the coffee table. "How do I look?"

Callen's gaze moved down her body slowly and that told her everything. With a grin she crossed the room and went up on tiptoe to kiss him gently. Pulling away slightly she wiped her lip gloss off his lips with her thumb. "Be careful today." She told him. "I might be home late but I'll ring you." She said.

Callen pulled her in for another kiss, "I'll see you tonight." He told her.

With a grin and a spring in her step, Melissa left the house and got into the town car outside.

Two meetings, a latte and a debrief with Patricia and Mr. Dean later, Melissa's town car pulled up outside one of Los Angeles' most expensive restaurants. She was a few minutes late and hoped Kensi and Hetty were already at the table. Once inside she was ushered to her table and greeted by Hetty and Kensi.

"You're looking happy today, Miss Gordon." Hetty said as the three women sat down to look over their menus and talk.

With a smile, Melissa looked between the two agents. "These last three weeks have been good, that's all." She said before pulling out the sample books for Kensi to flick through while she and Hetty discussed the design for the bracelet that the NCIS handler had ordered.

"These are very good, Miss Gordon." Hetty said looking over the designs for the simple but beautiful silver link bracelet.

"Well, Mr Dean is the best in the business." Melissa said before pointing to the links. "They will be fine but strong and if you ever want to attach any charms to it, those can be easily added."

"Ah." Hetty nodded flicking through the sketches. "How many could I put on it before I have to be careful of the chain snapping?"

Melissa glanced over the plan and did a quick mental calculation. "Of course it would depend on the size and weight of the charms," Hetty nodded when she glanced at her. "But I would say with average sized charms, about one on every second or third link. But it depends on their weight and how often you would wear it."

Hetty's smile grew. "Of course, thank you Miss Gordon. This bracelet will be exquisite."

With a smile Melissa put the designs safely away in her artist's file before turning to Kensi who was still flicking through the sample books.

The beautiful brunette looked up at Melissa, "This stuff is expensive."

Melissa grinned. "That's why you ask someone to buy it for you. After all, Deeks has been begging you to buy a pair of the jeans in there. After what you said about his earnings at that poker game in San Francisco, he should be able to afford a few things for his partner." She smoothed her serviette across her lap and smiled conspiratorially with Kensi.

"That's a perfect idea." Kensi smiled and flicked back through the sample book in her hand before folding the corner of a page down. "I'll leave it on his desk for him."

Melissa's smile widened before she pulled two small black and silver cards from her handbag. They looked like credit cards but a little smaller. Handing one each to Kensi and Hetty she explained, "These are your log in cards to the G.D. website with all the clothes and jewellery we sell. All you need to spend is a minimum of three hundred a year. If you spend a thousand or more in your first eighteen months you're able to choose a gift from a selection of free jewellery and clothes. Your first year has already paid for and you both have a complementary gift. Pulling two small black velvet boxes from her bag, Melissa handed the squarer of the two to Kensi and the longer one to Hetty. Kensi opened hers first and gasped.

"Oh my god. It's gorgeous." She lifted a delicate gold chain out of the box. At the end hung a round filigree pendant. It was made of an outer ring of gold with one inside that. Small striations fanned out from that to a small inner ring.

"It's a sun medallion." Melissa explained. "I thought you'd like something you could wear whenever."

Kensi grinned as she fastened the medallion around her neck excitedly. "Thank you so much." She said to Melissa. "I can't get over how beautiful it is."

Hetty opened her box. Carefully she lifted out a beautiful stick pin. "Well, isn't that beautiful." The small woman breathed as she studied the pin. It was made of rose gold. The head of the pin was a small button with a circling of seed pearls around the outside and a seed pearl in the middle of a gold diamond shape at the centre of the button. On the smooth dome of gold inside the seed pearl accents were linked leaf-like shapes. With great care, Hetty slipped the pin into her lapel. "I will treasure this Miss Gordon." She told Melissa firmly.

With a happy smile the brunette looked at the two women she was becoming fast friends with. "Let's order lunch." She told them. "After all, what's a business lunch without good food?"

Hetty motioned for their waiter to come and take their orders and then the women got down to talking.

After lunch, Melissa went back to the office to drop off Hetty's designs and clock out. She handed her jewellery over there and then caught a cab to Johnson and Criers Attorney Office. She gave her name at the front desk and then took a seat to wait for Counsellor Johnson to finish another meeting.

She was shown into a large office by a secretary that came from the offices beyond the front desk. Counsellor Johnson was a middle-aged woman of average height. She had straight blonde hair and intelligent blue eyes behind red-rimmed glasses. When Melissa was shown into her office, she stood up from behind her desk and walked around it to greet her and shake her hand.

"Please have a seat." She motioned to the large leather seat in front of her desk. Melissa smiled gratefully and sat down.

The counsellor walked back around her desk and sat down in the large leather chair facing Melissa. "I know this is a hard case, especially for both you and Miss Beal – the waitress who was raped and beaten."

Melissa blushed realising she didn't even know the name of the woman Stan had raped.

Seeing her reaction Counsellor Johnson smiled comfortingly. "She's doing well. She's strong and she's lucky you were there to distract her attacker before he could do anything else to her."

Melissa sighed. "I never even checked if she was okay afterward. I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could."

The blonde woman nodded. "Of course. You were very courageous in confronting him though, and now, with your help and Miss Beal's help we will put that bastard behind bars." When Melissa nodded, the counsellor continued, "We'll be going through some of the questions I will ask you and the defence will ask you on the stand."

With a nod, Melissa folded her hands in her lap, "When will I be called to the stand?" she asked.

Leaning back in her leather office chair, Counsellor Johnson explained, "I will call you to the stand on the Wednesday and, provided there aren't many objections from the defence, which is highly unlikely, you will be cross-examined that day. However, with this defence lawyer's track-record, he will be objecting to almost every one of your answers and all of my questions so it will most likely be the next day that you are cross-examined." Tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear she continued. "I will need you to be at the trial from Monday to Thursday next week as a show of solidarity for the jury."

Fear twisted in Melissa's stomach but she nodded, "Of course," She said. "My office has been informed of that and has offered any support or resources you and Miss Beal may need."

"And I will take them up on that offer." The blonde counsellor smiled. "Now, shall we go through the questions I will ask you and the defence will most likely ask?"

* * *

Melissa got back to Callen's house late that night. Having called Callen when she knew she wouldn't be home for dinner she didn't expect him to be up but as she unlocked the door and walked into the house she heard the TV switch off.

"Hey." Callen greeted when she walked into the lounge.

Feeling physically and mentally drained, the petite brunette put her bag down near the wall, stepped out of her pumps and padded across the room to plop down on the couch and curl into Callen's side, her head on his chest and the beat of his heart sounding soothingly in her ear.


End file.
