G wasn't too surprised that Sam was waiting for him when he finally left Bruce's room. He was surprised that Alfred was there with the Phantom.

He grinned at Alfred. "Kicking me out already?"

"Perish the thought," Alfred replied.

"Time for me to get back to Michelle and the kids," Sam said. "How much longer should I tell Hetty you'll be?"

"I'll go back with you," G answered immediately, almost instinctively. "I've done what needed to be done here."

"Will you say goodbye to anyone, sir?" Alfred asked, and G paused to give that question some thought.

Who did he have to say goodbye to besides Alfred? Oh, sure, it was good to see Babs again, but she clearly had no interest in him. Robin - well. That kid had more chips on his shoulders than G cared to deal with. And he and Bruce had already said what needed to be said.

"I don't think so," he said finally.

Alfred frowned, very slightly, but all he said was, "Very good, Master G. Master Hanna suspected as much, so your bag is in the trunk."

G blinked. "You're finally calling it the trunk, not the boot?"

"After so many years in America, a few bad habits were bound to rub off." Alfred's expression remained neutral even as his eyes glinted with mirth.

G allowed Alfred to open the door, then climbed in after Sam.

The ride to the airport was comfortably quiet, even with Sam's barely-concealed excitement. G agreed with him - it was time to go home.

G raised an eyebrow when he saw the plane waiting for them. "The Wayne Enterprises jet?"

"Master Bruce insisted," was Alfred's only reply.

Then they were out of the car, accepting their go-bags from Alfred.

"Good to meet you, Alfred." Sam offered his hand.

"And you, Master Hanna." Alfred eyed Sam's offered hand dubiously.

"C'mon," Sam said. "It won't kill you."

Alfred's lips twitched, but he shook Sam's hand briefly. Sam grinned at him.

"Thanks for contacting me," G said.

"It was the right thing to do," Alfred answered. "For him, and I daresay for you."

"It was." And then there was really nothing else to say except, "Take care of yourself."

"And you."

G held Alfred's gaze for a long moment, then nodded a farewell and turned toward the waiting jet.

He was at the bottom of the steps when Alfred's voice rang out across the tarmac.

"Do give my regards to Henrietta."

G froze, only for a moment, but Alfred was already in the Phantom by the time he turned around.

"Y'know," Sam mused, "that explains a lot."

Hetty enjoyed the quiet of the mission when the staff had gone for the day. It wasn't silent, but the background noise of conversation and movement faded to be replaced by the hum of HVAC climate control and appliances like the refrigerator.

She didn't make a habit of staying too late unless a case demanded it, but tonight, she'd chosen to linger and bask in the muted sounds of her domain.

…the muted sounds that were punctuated by near-silent footsteps.

She looked up from her work.

"Mr. Callen. Welcome back."

His pace never wavered as he took one of the chairs opposite her desk. "Good to be back."

Hetty studied his expression, then rose and retrieved a bottle of scotch and two glasses. "I trust your family emergency is sorted out?"

"Well enough." Callen sat forward to accept the glass she offered him.

He waited until she resumed her seat before saying, "Alfred Pennyworth sends his regards."

Hetty felt her eyes widen, then narrow. Pennyworth. An obvious conclusion from P. Worth, and if it had been less than forty years since she'd seen Alfred Pennyworth, she might have made the connection sooner.

But that didn't explain how Callen knew Alfred - nor even what Alfred was doing now. So, really, there was only one thing she could say.

"There's a story there."

Callen grinned. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."