All city bones (Callen)

[STASJA NADEAH BEREZIN]

Stasja was not too eager to move around during the day anymore. Not after the break she’d made through the vent of the immigration office. She had only gone back to her little apartment in order to get her stuff. It was clear enough that she couldn’t go back there now, they’d know where to find her. She didn’t have all that much faith that they could actually find her, immigration that was, but it wasn’t worth the risk. She knew what she could possibly be going back to, and she wasn’t all that eager to get there. Instead she’d hidden out in some old nooks and crannies in the city that she’d known until she was able to get a hold of her contacts. Now she was on her way to meet them, and try to get herself out of this situation. Thank god that she had at least one option.

Stasja walked quickly with her bag tucked under her arm. Sadly one of the things that she had left at her apartment was her umbrella, and she was woefully unprepared for rain at this point. None the less it seemed to be pouring now. She muttered under her breath in frustration at the situation. How is it that it doesn’t rain all summer until today? All summer! Then again that was really the least of her problems at the moment. Right now she was tired, sore, and ten kinds of paranoid. Now add to that wet and slightly dirty and there was no way of making that a fun combination, not even if you tried. She wasn’t going to throw the rest of the words into all of that, those being homeless, wanted, on security camera escaping a locked office. She’d done what she could about that though, her cell phone was a start, it was at the bottom of the Hudson now.

Stasja looked at the slip of paper that had the address she was looking for on it. She half bent over in order to protect it from the rain as she looked at it again. It seemed that she was getting close, and that was enough for her. She tucked it back in her pocket and kept her head down as she hurried along. The rain was good for that at least. No one was looking up or around, just down to make sure that they didn’t step in any puddles. Also Stasja took care to cross through as many crowded areas as possible. If anyone was following her, which she doubted, it would be hard for them to keep up with her in those crowds without her noticing. It was more habit than anything else for her.

Then she turned the corner and there it was. It said right on it, Flower Bay. Stasja headed around back and checked her watch. It was about ten at night, just about the time she should be showing up. She stepped up to the back door and twisted the knob, giving it a push. It opened. At least they were expecting her. She walked in and put down her bag, running a hand through her wet hair. “Hey, is anyone here? It’s Stasja.”

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[CALLEN MICHAEL O'CONNOR]

WELL IT'S THIS KIND OF THING THAT GETS ME TO LOSE MY MIND AND IT'S THE FLASH
FLASHY EYES THAT MAKE IT WORTH WHILE AND EVERY TIME

Callen didn't burn bridges. He didn't know if that was due to the CIA and all of it's training, or if that was just his own version of common sense coming to the forefront of his brain. He didn't know when he'd need someone, for what reason, and what they could do for it. That being said, he was also a helpful person, so usually, they were the ones owing the favors. He usually didn't cash them in - he wasn't that type of person, either, but it was good to know that there was some sort of safety net if he ever came to need one. He also didn't break off from any of the people he'd been in the CIA with, for the same reasons. Today, he wasn't the one that needed something. Instead, it was a girl that had been two years behind him in training and age, but that didn't matter. Age didn't matter, really. As long as she needed help, then, the ex-CIA would be there. He and Dmitri were better off than a lot of the people that had been dumped out of the CIA at twenty, and so they used that to help out others. The apartment building above the Flower Bay housed the ex-CIA's HQ, as well as many of it's members. It was an interesting, but workable, setup. It was a 'do what they can' type of situation.

It was late, and raining. He hoped that Stasja had an umbrella, if she even made it tonight. Maybe she decided to stay away for another night, get herself properly packed. She hadn't explained much over the phone - smart girl - but she had said that she would need a place to stay, if he had one. Which, even though he technically didn't, Dmitri did. Callen never called the building his, never called anything his really, because it wasn't. He knew that Dmitri would protest, because in his eyes anything that was his was Callen's too, but Callen didn't think of things the same way. Never had, really, but he kept his mouth shut. Things like that weren't things he told Dmitri in the first place - if he didn't know already, since Dmitri was partially psychic that way. He shook his head when the door to the shop opened, weapon from the register close at hand if needed. When the blonde came in, soaked and carrying her bag, the first thing Callen did was grab a clean towel for her. They had a few of them in the shop, just for when they were out back working with the plants and ended up having to get their hands dirty, as you did when you worked with plants, and he figured that she could use one. "Stasja, glad to see you made it safe and sound." He said, quirking a smile. "Shut the door behind you. Here, towel, figured you could use one. Didn't have an umbrella?" He asked, after handing her the towel. He gestured to the small table behind the register with two chairs that he'd relocated to the shop after closing. He didn't want to take her upstairs before she figured out if she was committing to the ex's or not, and so he figured somewhere to sit while they talked would probably be a smart idea. "Why don't you sit down? Then you can explain what's going on and everything."

T A G G E D ? ! stasja!
W O R D C O U N T ? ! five ninety seven
M U S E ? ! could be better
N O T E S ? ! hope this was okay!
C R E D I T ? ! graphic credit goes to ZOMG ! ITS RORA ! of caution two point oh. lyric credit goes to mercy mercedes with the song the perfect scene.