"They have Nell."

As Sam utter those three words the world stopped for G Callen. He almost forgot how to breathe until his brain screamed for oxygen. They had Nell, trained killers prone for violence and knowing they were running out of time now had a human asset.

Trusting his training and knowing panicking would not do anyone any good especially Nell, Callen jumped into action to formulate a plan on just how they would get their Intelligence Analyst back. Honing in on the trace Granger left on Inman they knew the team was back in the kill house. Going onto their turf was going to put them at a slight disadvantage but having already navigated the house once Callen knew what to expect.

"Remember what Inman said splitting up fractures the team….weakens us. We go in together and then in two man teams. Sam and I will clear the back rooms and the upstairs….Kensi you and Deeks clear the front and we will meet in the end game room. It is the hardest room in the house to get to he has to be keeping her there."

Armed for the fight of their life they set off into the building after quietly taking down two of the guards. This time it wasn't a game and lives were on the line. Callen and Sam reached the end game room first where they secured Cisneros.

"LET HER GO!"

Callen heard Kensi yell and took off for the hall.

"I don't have a shot."

"Neither do I," Deeks said trying to find an angle from the stairs.

"Your move," Inman said taking cover behind Nell.

Callen locked eyes with Nell and smirked

"No, its not."

Before anyone could blink Nell reached over grabbed the mag out of his gun and duck for cover trusting her team would have her back. Sure enough 4 simultaneous shots rang out before silence.

"You ok," Deeks asked being the first to reach her helping her up?

"Yeah," she said trying to get her wits about her

"That has got to the first and last time a hostage demagged her capture during a stand off."

"I trusted my training," said she with a small smile looking in the direction of Callen and Sam.

"Come here you," Kensi said with a smile wrapping her arm around her.

They made it back to ops where they met up with Eric and got a debrief from Granger. Hetty over looked her bullpen with a nice cup of tea and a smile. Nell Jones was a special one. Sure she was still going to need a little more time before she could hang in the field but the future was bright for that one. A field agent would just be one stop on her way to the top.

Nell was thankful the day was finally over. She had not really been able to process anything that had happened that day with everyone around. Now being at home alone everything became real. She was taken hostage and could have died today. The thought didn't terrify her as much as she thought it would. Maybe Same and Callen were right eventually she wouldn't be afraid at all anymore. However, she wasn't there yet and she was still pretty terrified at the day's events.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Callen," Nell whispered looking thru the peep hole seeing him standing there with two cups in his hand.
"Hey Callen," she said slightly confused. "What brings you by?"

Callen held out one of the cups in his hand.

"I don't think I should be drinking coffee right now…I think I still have more adrenalin coursing thru me that would rival straight caffeine being pumped into me."

"Which is why I got the coffee and I got you some of the finest chamomile tea in the country straight from Hetty's prized collect."

Nell was shocked.

"You took Hetty's tea!"

"I had permission…risking my life once a day is enough thank you very much."

"You put Hetty's tea in a paper cup!"

Callen chuckled.

"Trust me I was given a 20 minute lecture of how the paper of the cup mixes with the tea and something I dunno but I promised I would buy a travel mug for future use if she would let me use the travel cup for this one emergency situation."

"Bringing me tea is an emergency situation?"

"After a day like today yes."

Nell smiled and accepted the tea from Callen before allowing him inside.

"Nice place," he said looking around.

"You have been here before."

"Only once you changed things since then."

"Oh yeah like what," she asked challenging him?

"Well I think the big furniture is the same but the end tables are different…you have added pictures," he said picking up a picture of the whole team in the gym after an impromptu basketball game. "And you have definitely painted," he said with a smirk.

Nell was shocked he remembers so much as it had been a very long time since he had been over. However when it came to G Callen nothing should shock her anymore.

" All right miser smarty pants. So what brings you by tonight and don't say it was to bring me tea."

"I couldn't sleep."

"You never sleep."

"I really wasn't even tired. I couldn't turn my brain off and I kept replaying things…I figured if I was doing that you probably wouldn't be much different."

"Well your right there," she said with a sad smile. "I keep thinking about things to and how stupid I was."

"What? No Nell you didn't do anything wrong," G said walking over to stand in front of her.

"Yes, I did Callen. I let my guard down in the building after you guys left. If anything I should have been more on alert after you and Sam left."

"Nell it was my fault. I never should have left you alone there. I don't know what I was thinking but it was stupid and it could have really cost you."

"Would you have left Kensi there?"

Callen didn't respond.

"Exactly."

"Kensi is a trained season agent. I know what you have been up to with Hetty."

Nell looked slightly shocked.

"How are you feeling after today?"

"I am glad I trusted my training but that doesn't change the fact I had a gun to my head."

"That is something that no matter how many times it happens still gets me," Callen admitted. "I cant help but think that if this guy sneezed wrong it could be lights out for me. However as frightening as that moment is it also provides….

"Clarity," Nell finished for him.

G smiled.

"Yeah it's strange really. Every time my life is on the line and I think that is it I just get this moment of clarity and it just works out."

"I think I had a similar moment right before I pulled Inman's mag out. I was scared Callen, really terrified but then I saw all you guys up there pointing guns at me…

"At Inman," Callen correct.

"At inman all the fear left and I…

"Trusted your training."

"Yeah…I trusted my training."

"I know she is training you to be her little apprentice….but training and actual field work are different and some things you cannot learn until you're in the field and take a couple lumps."

"Well I definitely took a couple lumps today."

It was only then that G saw the bruise forming on her neck. He gently reached for her arm and pushed her T-shirt sleeve up a little seeing a hand print mark on her shoulder.

"Any others," he asked?

Nell turned around and lifted her shirt slightly revealing a mark on her lower back.

"He shoved me into a wall but it had a railing and it caught my back."

Callen started pacing slightly anger getting the best of him.

"I am sorry," came a meek voice.

Callen turned back and saw Nell near tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Nell. I am so mad at myself…if it wasn't for me none of this would have happened."

"If it wasn't for you things could have been so much worse. Thank you for coming after me," she said giving him a hug.

Callen was surprised at first and then carefully hugged her back.

"I don't know what I would have done if something happened," he said softly still holding her.

Nell pulled back slightly and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He really was scared over what transpired earlier that day.

"Nell I….

And before he knew what he was doing he leaned down and kissed her.