Title: Blue Christmas
Author: DizzyDrea
Summary: Callen and Nell face a blue Christmas without each other. Part the next of Scenes From an Accidental Courtship
Rating: T
Spoilers: Free Ride
Author's Notes: So, it kinda sucks that our favorite NCIS team is spending their Christmas aboard the USS Van Buren. Of course, the Muse thought that Nell would have something to say about that, and this story is the result. My apologies for getting this out so late. I had a terrible headache all day, so writing was the last thing on my mind. I finally found the motivation because I definitely wanted to get this out before the holiday.
Happy Christmakwanzikah to all!
Disclaimer: NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles and all its particulars are the property of CBS, Paramount, Donald P. Bellisario, Belisarius Productions, Shane Brennan, Shane Brennan Productions, and a lot of other people who aren't me. I am doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~

"So, did you and Eric have fun at the Toys for Tots event?"

Nell Jones grinned at Callen from the flat screen over the credenza. "It was fun. We had a whole bunch of new volunteers this year, so there was more chaos than usual, but I think it went well."

"Did Eric dress up?"

"Yes, finally," Nell said, rolling her eyes. "He kept complaining, but he looked pretty good in the tights."

"Leggings," Callen corrected her.

Again with the rolled eyes, which was the point of the comment. "Whatever."

"How'd you get him to cave?"

"I kissed him."

G Callen liked to think of himself as a modern man, not prone to caveman behavior, but he had to actually restrain himself from leaping out of his chair and trying to grab Nell by the elf ears. It wasn't that he was jealous, per se, but nobody kissed his girl.

"You kissed him? On the mouth?"

"Yes, on the mouth," she said. "Is there some other way?"

Callen shrugged, trying for nonchalance. He didn't think Nell was buying, though. She was an intelligence analyst; she read people for a living. If he was radiating any kind of discomfort over this, she'd know. She was freaky like that, a junior Hetty Lange in the making.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe on the cheek?"

"Are you jealous?" she asked, a little incredulous.

"No, not jealous," he said. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down just a notch. "Just, you couldn't think of another way?"

Nell rolled her eyes. Again. "It was mistletoe, you goof. I kissed him under the mistletoe. And it worked, didn't it?"

Callen leaned back in his chair, chuckling as he shook his head. It wasn't that he didn't trust Nell; he trusted her with his life, always had. He just tended to be a tad possessive with his stuff. And Nell was most definitely his, now.

"How about next time you find a way to motivate Eric that doesn't involve your lips and his in close proximity?"

"I promise," she said, smiling at him in that way she had that always turned him to jelly. Then her expression softened. "But you know that nothing will ever happen with him, right? He's not you, and he'll never be you."

"I know." And he did. He knew that Eric Beale was mostly harmless, a good friend and nothing more. He also knew that this thing with Nell was special, and it was made to last. It had scared him at first, though he wouldn't admit that to anyone, if asked. But Nell was Nell. She took everything in stride, and didn't fault him or try to change him at all. She just let him be who he was and took him as he came. With her he didn't need to play games, or worry that she didn't know who he was. It was… liberating. "It's just, I miss you."

"I miss you, too," she said, soft and kind. "I was… upset, earlier, when Eric told me he couldn't get you home for Christmas. I mean, it's our first Christmas together, and I wanted it to be special."

"I know," he said. He felt his own heart melt just a little at her softly-spoken words. "I was happy for Sam, that he was going to get home to see his daughter, but I couldn't help but think about everything I'd be missing out on with you."

He could see the tears standing in Nell's eyes at his words, and found himself getting a little choked up as well. The holidays had never held much significance for him; he usually volunteered to work so that those with families would be able to spend the holidays with their loved ones. He'd never had loved ones of his own to spend the day with, and now that he did, it seemed cruel that he wouldn't get home to spend it with her.

He wasn't the only one stuck out on a ship in the middle of the Pacific. Kensi and Deeks were there with him, and everyone assigned to the Van Buren as well. But he wanted to be home, for once in his life, and he wasn't able to be. It was the life he'd signed up for—the life everyone at NCIS had signed up for—but it was days like this that made the price seem a little too high.

"Just think, while everyone else is going back to work, we'll still be celebrating Christmas," she said with false brightness.

"And I'm going to hold you to that," he said, smiling.

"Absolutely," she said, returning his smile, this one a bit more genuine.

She glanced away from the screen for a moment, then returned her attention to him. "I've got to go. Something just came in."

"No need to explain," he said, holding his hand up. "Just take care of yourself, and I'll see you in a few days." He paused, wondering whether to say what he was thinking. Deciding that he could be brave, he went ahead and said it. "I love you, Nell."

Her surprised start was well worth any embarrassment he might have if others were listening. She reached out a hand and touched the screen. "I love you back, G. See you soon."

And then the screen went dark, the Van Buren's logo replacing Nell's image. He sighed, sinking back in his chair. The next few days were going to be long and tedious. He was ostensibly assigned to the Van Buren as the NCIS Agent Afloat, but around Christmas people tended to behave, so he'd probably be bored out of his mind. He shuddered to think what sort of trouble Deeks could find on board an aircraft carrier, but he was sure the cop could find something.

A noise near the door caught his attention, and he whipped his head around to find Kensi standing there, smiling softly at him.

"Hey, I didn't see you there," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

Kensi held up her hands as she stepped into the room. "I promise I won't tell a soul. I think it's kind of sweet."

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough," she said, smiling. She settled into the chair across from his, leaning her elbows against the desk. "I'm only going to ask one question, and then not another word."

"Okay," he said, drawing the syllable out in suspicion.

"Are you happy?"

"That's it?" he asked. "That's your question? Not 'when did this happen?' or 'what are her intentions?'"

Kensi shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "It's really not my business when it started, and I'm sure Nell's intentions are as pure as the driven snow. She is Nell, after all."

Callen watched her for a moment, but if she had any ulterior motives, she wasn't giving them away. Besides, while his best friend didn't know, Deeks did, and he hadn't said anything yet. He suspected Kensi would do the same.

"Yes, she makes me happy."

"Then I'm happy for you," she said.

"Thank you," he said. Settling back in his chair, he shot his friend a knowing smirk. "So, what brings you down here? I'd have thought you and Deeks would be looking for the best hot spots by now."

Kensi rolled her eyes, leaving Callen to wonder whether she'd taught Nell that particular move, or if it was the other way around. "Deeks is regaling some of the enlisted with stories of his mad cop skills. I thought I might see if the Agent Afloat would let me call my mother."

Callen smiled sadly at his friend. He wasn't the only one whose Christmas plans had been ruined. Kensi had been planning to spend the holidays with her mother for weeks. He was fairly sure that Deeks had worn her down with his invitation for the both of them to spend the holiday with him in the snow. It might have been nice, and after his conversation with Deeks, he'd hoped that maybe the two of them would stop dancing around each other.

Now, that idea was out the window. Which didn't mean that they wouldn't find a way to be together; if the personnel on board an aircraft carrier could carry on with each other, a couple of NCIS agents could manage just fine.

Smiling at her, he stood up and turned for the door, announcing, "I'm going to see if I can rescue the seamen from Deeks' never-ending stories. Say hi to your mom for me."

He reached the door, and was just about to step through when he heard Kensi's voice calling him back. He turned her way, and she smiled at him. "Merry Christmas, Callen."

"Merry Christmas, Kensi," he said with a smile and a wink.

Then, he stepped through the door and pulled it shut behind him. This wasn't the way he'd expected to spend his Christmas this year, but here he was, and he knew they'd just have to make the best of it. There were a lot of other people on this ship that wouldn't get to go home in a few days. He had to remember that.

They might be having a blue Christmas, but that didn't mean it couldn't be the best Christmas possible.

~Finis