Not a Victim

Finally, after a couple of months I was able to write something. It's been so long and I'm not sure how good it is, but it felt so wonderful to actually put words on paper (ok, on the screen). I was inspired by the look exchanged between Callen and Nell near the end of Kill House. No Romance this time.

Disclaimer: Not mine no matter how many times I ask for it.

GRAB THE MAGAZINE AND DROP! The words slammed into her brain even though she never saw his lips move. DO IT NOW NELL! Without even thinking Nell did what the voice told her feeling the bullets whiz past her as she dropped.

Afterwards she accepted the hand up from Deeks, let Kensi pull her in for a comforting hug and smiled at Sam as he patted her on the shoulder. Looking over her shoulder Nell couldn't summon up much sympathy for the man that had taken her hostage, killed a member of his own team and was responsible for the massacre that happened at the raid on Cisneros.

Soon she was back at OPS being enveloped in a huge hug from Eric and consoled by Hetty. Even Granger had apologized; well it was the best she could expect from him. She upheld her part in the conversation with the rest of the team, still waiting for his words.

The words that mattered the most, the words that would explain to her what exactly had happened between them in those few seconds. The words that never came.

Now it was time to leave, go home and let the events of the day run thru her mind on a constant loop. Nell needed time alone to analyze what had happened and try to figure out if there was anything she could or should have done differently.

So once again she accepted the hugs and good wishes from the team, stopped to have one last conversation with Eric. A conversation that included his wish to wrap her up in cotton wool and never let her out of OPS again, a conversation that told her that he like the rest of the team didn't think she was capable of being a field agent, that she had been a victim not a member of the team.

After gathering her belongings Nell refused the offers to walk her to her car, calling out final goodbyes to everyone; that is everyone but the one person that she had yet to hear from. The one person she had yet to see since coming back from the "Kill House".

Stepping to the rear of the car, she stowed her belongings and turned to open the driver's door of the red Mini Cooper that usually brought a smile to her face. Taking one last look at the condemned building Nell let out a deep sigh before climbing into the driver's seat.

That's when she heard the sound of her name reaching out to her thru the cooling night air.

"Nell" he didn't need to speak loudly to make his voice heard. The note of command always made one take note of what he said. It was the same voice that she had heard in the "Kill House", the one she had obeyed and would always obey without question.

Getting out of her car Nell leaned against the door as she watched him approach; he was still wearing the black outfit from before down to the thigh holster with his goggles hanging out of a pocket. He moved soundlessly and quickly across the pavement, seeming to glide thru the air without disturbing it.

So many thoughts sped thru her brain as he approached; was he finally going to tell her how useless she had been today, allowing herself to be captured so easily, which proved that she could never hope to be a field agent. Wondering how he had gotten into head to give her instructions without uttering a word. Realizing that he really was a super-agent with amazing skills, thankful that for once she had been there to see him and the rest of the team in action.

Finally he stood in front of her; his handsome face unreadable though she thought there were little flames in his blue eyes. The same blue eyes that had locked on hers hours ago when Innes was holding her, the blue eyes that had seemed to be made of ice while he tried to talk the man down. The eyes that had bored into hers with the knowledge of what he wanted her to do.

"Yes Callen, is there something I can do for you?" Nell managed to speak around the huge knot in her throat determined not to let him see how scared she was.

"I just wanted to say that I thought you handled yourself really well today. It was a stressful situation, not many would have been as calm as you were." He ran a hand over his head before speaking again. "So thanks and I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. "Really, you are giving me a compliment? I was expecting a lecture on how stupid I behaved and how I should never leave OPS's again. You know something along the lines of not needing another victim to watch out for."

His eyebrows raised as he looked into her eyes. "I don't see you as a victim Nell. All I saw was an agent left on her own without even a weapon to protect herself. That was my mistake, one I won't make again."

"Thanks Callen, I guess I needed to hear that." Nell gave him a big smile before turning serious once more. "Thanks for saving me; I would have never known what to do without you telling me."

"No problem, now I suggest you go home and get a good night's sleep. After all we have to do this again tomorrow." He smiled down at her before turning to walk towards his Jag.

Nell smiled as she climbed back into her car, happy that at least one person recognized that she was not a victim but an agent doing her job. Finally realizing that he had never acknowledged the wordless communications between the two of them earlier today until she pulled up to the exit pausing as the sleek, black Jaguar moved up beside her.

Seeing his window lower silently she pressed the button that would lower her window as well anxious to hear what his last words would be.

"I think that if you are going to continue to venture out in the field you will need to put in some extra training time. So I'll see you tomorrow morning at 5am in the gym." His trademark smirk appeared as the car window started to rise, a few last words slipping by.

"Make sure you get some rest, you're going to need it."