Last chapter and epilogue.

The next time Lily remembered having a conscious thought, she realized that her brain felt much clearer and that it was easier to form coherent thoughts. The only downside to this was the further discovery was that now her shoulder hurt like hell since the doctors started cutting back on her medication. Well, given the options, she would prefer clear thoughts, Lily told herself, until she moved and the pain in her shoulder elicited a colorful set of Russian explicatives.

"Good morning," Tim said as he sat up on the coach which had served as his bed. His eyes, still shaded with worry, swept over her and he seemed to relax as something he saw seemed to reassure him. "You seem better today." Tim walked over to place a gentle kiss on her lips

Lily started to shrug her shoulders and then thought better of it. "I think I am better," she said and realized that it was true. She looked around looking for...

"Tony went to get some coffee," Tim said. "The doctor was in a little while before you woke up," he continued, "he said that Callen had a good night and that he is much stronger today than he was yesterday." Lily had just opened her mouth to ask when she saw the small, gentle smile on Tim's face. "He was awake briefly and the first thing he did was ask for you."

"When can I go see him?"

"Your carriage awaits," Tim said with a laugh as he pushed a wheelchair toward her bed. It had been in the corner, and she had not noticed it.

Tim was helping her get settled in the chair, when he happened to catch her eyes. There was something there that concerned him. He stopped what he was doing and knelt down beside her. "What is going on?" he asked gently. "Talk to me."

Lily sighed. She had been trying to put her feelings into words and had so far failed. But for Tim, she would try. "I have known that I have a brother other than Tony for no more than three weeks and I have known Callen for a bit less than that." She felt her voice start to quaver and her eyes start to sting. "How is it possible, that he has become so important to me? How is it possible that I care so much? How is it possible that almost losing him terrifies me to the point that I can't breathe?" She paused a moment, blinking back tears. "It feels the same as if it was you...or Tony." She looked at Tim trying to make him understand. "It can't be the same, I can't let it...shouldn't let it...but it is. And...and...," she stumbled, "... and it feels like I am being a traitor."

"Oh Lily," Tim whispered. Leave it to her to worry about caring too much. He looked at the woman, he too had felt like he could not breathe when he realized that she had been hurt. It was close...to close. He understood more than Lily knew. Almost losing her once, was too much. Having her unconscious and bleeding in his arms again, almost broke him. He took a deep breath and forced himself to smile; he would not burden Lily with his own issues. He and she will have this conversation at some point...but not now; not when she needed him to be strong. "Lily," he repeated to get her attention. "Callen is your brother. On some level you know that. More importantly that even that is that he needs you. There is nothing for you to feel guilty about. Tony and I understand; it couldn't be any other way for you. We get it and we both love you for it."

Lily looked into Tim's eyes seeing only truth and love. She knew everything that Tim said to be true, but she just needed to hear him say it. She took a breath, tried to speak and failed. Tried again. "Okay," was all she was able to say. "Lets go see Callen."

Tim wheeled Lily into the room and Sam, who had been sitting on the chair by Callen's bed, smiled, nodded, and moved the chair over to permit the wheel chair. With one more look at his partner and friend, Sam turned to leave. Tim placed his hand gently on Lily's good shoulder for a moment, bent down to kiss the top of her head and followed the other agent out.

Lily was alone. Somehow, for everything that Callen had been through, he looked better this time around than when she had seen him before the surgery to replace his bone marrow. She knew that she was desperate, but she took that as a good sign. She watched the heart monitor for a few seconds and saw that his heart had a much steadier beat than the last time. She released a breath that she had not realized that she was holding.

Lily's hand reached out to cover Callen's, her fingers wrapping around his palm. She can feel the strength in those hands and the calluses from holding weapons and from...other things. "Callen," she whispered. "God, Callen, you can't scare me like that." Her voice was thick with emotion and she gripped his hand tighter. "I thought you were giong to die. I thought that you were going to leave me...leave me just when I had found you." She was crying now; tears running down her face, unheeded. She had so much to say to him and she had almost lost her chance. "There are not that many people in my life that I consider family, I can't lose any of them...I can't lose you. I never knew how much I needed you in my life, until you were there and then you weren't." A deep shuddering breath as she forced herself to calm down. "But now we have our whole lives to figure this out. To figure out how to be brother and sister...how to be a family even if we are on opposite coasts. I promise you, Big Brother, I will always be here for you...always."

Lily felt more than saw the change. Again, there was a sense of Callen relaxing, but this time she felt something else. She felt large, strong fingers wrapping around her much smaller ones. Just a little bit, but it was enough. She looked over and saw just the slightest hint of a smile on the older man's face. It was enough.

"I never thought that I would so hate leaving anywhere," Lily said with a sad smile as she sat on the edge of Callen's bed. Her arm was still in a sling to protect her healing shoulder, but the doctor's had cleared her and she had been discharged. After a few days to finalize business...and the loads of paperwork...Lily thought with wry disgust, she, Tim and Tony were slated to fly back to DC in two hours. Callen, was still convalescing, but the doctor's believed that he would be released in another week. He would have work to do to rebuild his strength and stamina, but he too, was going to be fine. "Once you are out of here," Lily said, her arm waving vaguely around the hospital room, "you'll come visit? Really visit? Like going placed and having lunch at a restaurant and hanging out...visit instead of a going after bad guys type of visit."

Callen laughed. He had been doing more of that lately and he liked it. "Yes," he said. "A real visit, I promise.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted and Lily saw Tony. "Its time," he said gently.

Lily nodded and Callen pulled her into a fierce embrace. "Take of yourself," he whispred.

"You too," she whispered back as she returned the hug. "Ok," she said, her voice quavering only a little bit. "Time to go." She walked to the door and looked at Tony questioningly.

"Just gimme a sec," he said with a smile. With a last look at Callen and wave, Lily walked out.

"She's quite something, isn't she, Callen said as Tony walked in.

"That she is," the other agent agreed. "And you've just seen a little bit of it."

Callen nodded in understanding since Tony had told him at least some of what had gone since he and Lily had reconnected. "Keep her safe," he said to Tony as he reached out to shake hands.

"I will. I swear." For once, Tony's manner had no spark of humor; he took this promise very seriously.

_Tim was waiting at the door for his chance to say good bye and his eyes tracked Tony as he walked by. "Coming McLate," Tony asked. The joke almost perfunctory.

"Yeah, just give me a sec," Tim said almost absently. Tony nodded and walked on. Tim watched his retreating back, his hand in his pocket cradling a small, black leather box. He could almost hear Tony's reaction when he told him his plans, but that could wait until they returned to Washington. But now that Lily had two brothers, he had a very important question for Callen before he left. Gripping the box a little tighter, he walked in. "Callen," he said, managing to keep the trepidation out of his voice, "I would like to ask you something."

As with all my current stories, this took longer than I would have wanted. But it is done. I hope that you enjoyed it and would love to hear from you. I am hoping to come back to this and to further explore what the relationship between Callen and Lily would be in another story. Again - those of you who have hung in with me. Thank you. It is very much appreciated.