Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. Here's the second installment and it's kinda sugary sweet (in my humble opinion) so be warned. Enjoy. Zoe.

As Nell drove home, she thought about what just happened and what she was about to do. She had known from almost the moment she met him that she harboured feelings for the Senior Agent in Charge. How could any woman not, he was handsome, suave, intelligent, funny, witty and the first time she watched him in action in the field with his gun hunting down terrorists, her heart had fluttered at the sight of him, all super agenty and bad ass. But since she knew nothing could, or would, come of it, she kept her feelings buried deep. When she had left him the birthday card, she hadn't intended to garner any attention from it. It was a simple, understated birthday card for a man she admired and cared about. Yet here she was, rushing home to change so she could meet him for a birthday dinner because he had asked her to join him. Granted, she was a substitute Sam while he was on an undercover operation only Hetty was supposed to know about, but she was about to have dinner alone with a man she had tried to keep at arms length for her own sanity. She had a feeling things were about to get a little complicated.

Callen was waiting outside Yamashiros when Nell's cab pulled up at exactly 8.25pm. She noticed immediately he had dressed up for the occasion, donning a pair of smart inky blue jeans, a perfectly fitted black shirt and a black jacket. Nell glanced down at the simple black dress and cream cardigan she had chosen and hoped it was appropriate. He approached the cab as she got out and held the door while she stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Hey." He greeted her with a smile. "I've got a table waiting." He nodded as he led her towards the main door, a hand placed gently on her lower back.

Once inside, a waiter showed them to their table but half to an empty table in the middle of the restaurant Callen leaned forward and whispered something in the waiter's ear. The waiter quickly changed direction and led them to a different area of the restaurant and a table in the corner. Callen walked around the table and while the waiter pulled out Nell's seat at the side, Callen slipped into the chair in the corner where his back was to the wall and he could see the whole restaurant. She watched as he scanned the room, realising he had wanted this table so he could keep an eye on the crowd and this was probably something he did on a day to day basis as standard, given the line of work he was in. She accepted the menu the waiter handed her and immediately started scanning the contents, needing a little distraction. Surrounded by couples and sitting at a cosy table alone with Callen was starting to feel a little more like a date than dinner with a friend.

"Red or white?" Callen asked, snapping her from her thoughts.

"This is your dinner." She reminded him with a smile. Nodding her acceptance of his choice, Callen called the waiter over and ordered a bottle of red. If Nell hadn't misunderstood which one he ordered, he had just bought them a hundred dollar bottle of wine. Nell could supply herself with enough wine for months for the same amount and the look on her face expressing such a thought was blatantly obvious.

"Hey, if I can't drink an expensive bottle of wine on my birthday, when can I?" Callen smiled and Nell relaxed a little and she forced herself to push all the strange thoughts running through her head to the back of her mind. There was good food to be eaten, a really good bottle of wine to be drunk, and great conversation with Callen, with whom she wasn't entirely surprised to find out she had a lot in common with.

But all too soon they were drawing to the end of the meal. Their plates were empty and the bottle of red wine was almost dry. As their current conversation drew to a natural close, Callen leaned back in his chair and appeared to take a moment for thought before leaning forward again.

"Nell, I just wanted to say thank you again, for the birthday card." His voice was soft and genuine.

"It's just a birthday card Callen."

"It's my first birthday card." He told her.

"You haven't got any others yet today?" she asked, oblivious to the history.

"No, I mean it's my first birthday card…ever." He watched her face fall and her eyes widen.

"Oh." She said quietly.

"You know that I grew up in foster homes my whole childhood." Callen reminded her. "I moved a lot… and I mean a lot." He took a drink of his wine. "Birthdays are just not important when you have no family and you don't stay anywhere long enough for anyone to care."

"That's sad." She said, her bluntness making Callen laugh.

"Yes Nell, it really is." He smiled.

"If I'd known it was going to be your first ever birthday card, I'd have picked a better one." Her voice sounding a little sad as her gaze dropped to the plate in front of her.

"Hey, I love it. Who doesn't love a chimp with balloons?" Callen smiled reassuringly and was pleased when he saw a smile tug at her lips.

"My uncle, but that's a whole other story." She laughed. "Can you excuse me, I'll be right back…ladies room." She said quickly. As she rose to her feet, he did that terribly gentlemanly thing where he half rose out his seat, only sitting down when she had left the table. She was gone for several minutes and Callen wondered why it was he missed her and why there was a flutter in his chest when he saw her walking back to him.

"So, what are birthdays like for Nell Jones?" he asked when she had settled back in her chair.

"Birthdays are big in my family." She looked over at him, her fingers playing with the edge of the napkin on the table. "But my family use any excuse to celebrate – birthdays, anniversaries, every known holiday and some I think they just made up." Her face began to light up as she spoke of her family. "When I was kid, my mom would throw these amazing themed parties for us. We'd get dressed up and decorate the back yard. And my aunt would make me a birthday cake to fit the theme. This one year when I think I was eight, no I was nine. I had a star wars theme for my party, and she made me a cake decorated like the death star." Nell giggled to herself at the memory. "I know, I know." She shook her head laughing when she saw how wide Callen's eyes had grown. "I was a geek back then too."

"You Nell Jones, are no geek." Callen told her.

"I don't think Sam would agree with you. You should have seen the look he gave me when I referenced Lord of the Rings."

"Yeah, Sam's not really a fantasy novel or film kind of guy." Callen nodded. "He's more Bruce Lee and Steven Segal." Callen laughed.

"I figured." Nell smiled. "So, how was your birthday dinner then?" she asked before she drained the last of the wine from her glass.

"I think Sam's going to have to pull out all the stops next time." Callen grinned.

"And you haven't even had desert." Nell added.

"We can order something if you want?"

"I have something else in mind. If you're up for a little surprise." She grinned mischievously.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of this." Callen said in a playfully suspicious tone, but he knew he would go along with it, he was enjoying her company too much to let things end now. So after settling the extortionately high bill thanks to a very expensive bottle of red wine, they got a cab to head to Nell's mystery destination.

Twenty-five minutes later a yellow cab pulled up at the curb and Callen looked out seeing only closed store fronts.

"Thanks." Nell handed the driver a bill to cover the fare, then got out the cab, with Callen exiting somewhat cautiously behind her. As they stood on the sidewalk, a light suddenly flickered on in a store behind them. Callen looked over and saw a young woman around Nell's age standing at the door to 'Sprinkles Cupcakes'.

"Nell?" he asked, confused. She just smiled and walked over to the door.

"Hey Kacey, thanks for opening up." Nell said as she stepped through the doors of the 'Sprinkles Cupcakes' store.

"Consider us even after tonight." The young woman smirked at Nell.

"Come on." Nell grabbed Callen's hand and dragged him through the door when he appeared hesitant to enter. "Kacey, this is my friend Callen and it's his birthday today, well, for another half hour at least."

"Happy Birthday." Kacey beamed him a smile.

"Thanks." Callen nodded, somewhat embarrassed by the attention.

"We need something…special." Nell pulled Callen with her over to the counter where there were a number of cupcakes set out, ready for the morning trade. She knew she was still holding his hand but with several glasses of red wine in her system, she was feeling pretty free and not worrying about what it meant or didn't mean, or that he was making no effort to pull his hand back.

"That one." Nell pointed at what she wanted and Kacey stepped behind the counter to box up the creation Nell had chosen.

"Here you go." Kacey handed over to Nell a small box, just the right size for one cupcake and as she reached for it, Nell finally dropped her hold on Callen's hand. He looked down at his hand, feeling a strange emptiness. "The extras are inside." Kacey winked and as Callen looked between Nell and Kacey, his face was worried, wondering what on earth that meant.

"Drinks next week?" Nell asked Kacey.

"Absolutely." Kacey smiled as Nell and Callen headed back out the store.

Callen and Nell stepped back out into the cool evening air and began to walk down the street.

"When did you plan this?" Callen asked.

"When I went to the bathroom." Nell replied smugly.

"And your friend Kacey, she just dropped everything to open the store for you at 11.30 on a Friday night?"

"She owed me." Nell said.

"For what exactly?" Callen's interest was piqued.

"A few months ago I was in the store and she was having a nightmare with their internet ordering system. I offered to help fix it for some free cupcakes."

"Resourceful." Callen nodded.

"My vice was starting to cost me too much." She laughed. "This…" She held up the little box. "…is my final payment." She paused as they reached a small park at the end of the street. After a quick glance around looking for the perfect spot, she walked over to a bench and sat down. Callen followed and took a seat next to her as she started to open the box.

"Close your eyes." She told him.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She nodded. Callen gave her one last look before sighing heavily and doing as instructed.

"Keep them closed." She told him as she got everything ready. "Okay, now open." She was grinning when he opened his eyes and he soon saw why. She had removed the cupcake from the box and was holding it up in two hands, a single lit candle stuck into the top.

"Happy Birthday Callen." She said. Callen was floored. He stared at the cupcake then at Nell. It was probably the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him and he didn't know what to say. He had been pushing his thoughts aside all night, determined to enjoy the night for what it was – dinner with a friend – but with every little thing Nell said or did he was beginning to think about her in a whole new way.

"Nell." He said quietly.

"Make a wish." She encouraged him. He shook his head and laughed a little, before closing his eyes, thinking of his wish then blowing out the candle.

"Here, enjoy. It's chocolate coconut." She held her hands out closer to him and Callen lifted the cupcake from them.

"Split it with me?" he asked as he started to pull the cupcake into two. He didn't wait for her response before handing her half. She began to pick small pieces off and pop them in her mouth while Callen ate his in two bites.

"It's good." He nodded. Then he paused before asking her a question he needed to have the answer to. "Why did you do this Nell?"

Nell dropped her gaze to her lap and she took a moment before responding.

"You said earlier tonight that birthdays just aren't important when you have no family and don't stay anywhere long enough for anyone to care." She said, repeating his exact words. "Well, you have family, not blood family, but family all the same, in Hetty, Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Eric and me." She paused. "And you've been in the same place a while now and I guess…I guess I just wanted you to know that someone cares and your birthday is important."

Nell forced herself to keep looking at Callen even though she was now feeling a little foolish for the whole cupcake thing and wondering what it was he was thinking that had him staring at her so intently. Their eyes were locked for the longest moment before Callen leaned in closer and reached out with his hand to brush her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you." He whispered, before he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, letting his lips linger a moment longer he should for a 'thank you' kiss. Nell's eyes fluttered closed as she felt the warmth of his lips on her skin. When he finally drew back, she felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart was racing. She noticed that Callen didn't seem to be suffering the same effect, he had already turned and was leaning back against the bench.

"It's nice out tonight." He said.

"Uh huh." Nell nodded numbly, her body involuntarily shuddering as she tried to regain control of her senses.

"You cold?" Callen asked, noticing she was shivering a little. "We don't have to sit out."

"No I'm fine." She replied quickly. She may not know what she was thinking or feeling at that moment but she was sure she didn't want to leave, not quite yet.

"Here, at least take my jacket." Callen shrugged his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders. As he did so, he let his hand rest on the back of the bench behind her.

"Thank you." Nell replied as she felt the warmth from his body still in it. "You can actually see the stars tonight." she said as she leaned her head back and looked up, her head resting on his arm.

"Not something you see often in LA." Callen commented. He glanced down at Nell, watching her as she focused on the sky above and wondering if she felt the same electric charge between them that he had when he kissed her cheek.

"It's one of the many things I miss about home." Nell said in a melancholy tone. "At night in our yard, you can see every star."

"You miss home huh?"

"Not as much as I used to. When I first moved here it was awful. I didn't know anyone and I was living alone for the first time. I missed being around people." She turned her head a little and saw he was looking at her and not the stars.

"You don't feel that way now though, right?" he asked.

"I'm around people now." She smiled. "Insane people who choose to get shot at on a daily basis." She laughed lightly.

"Hey, I don't choose to get shot at. It's not my fault the bad guys think guns are the way out." Callen said pointedly. Nell suddenly sat up and glanced at her watch.

"Hmmm."

"Problem?"

"It's 11.57. Your birthday is almost over."

"In that case I should thank you for making it a great day." He dropped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze, drawing her momentarily into his body.

"It was nothing." She shrugged modestly.

"No Nell, you went above and beyond tonight." Callen told her as he turned his body to face her again. She lifted her gaze to meet his and for the second time in as many minutes they found themselves staring at each other in silence.

"Sam's not going to be mad at me is he?" Nell broke the silence before it became awkward. "I mean, I did kind of set the bar pretty high for next year." A mischievous grin crossed her face.

"We'll just not tell him about the cupcake." Callen laughed. "It might put too much pressure on the big guy. Come on, its been a long day, I'll get you a cab home." He rose to his feet and as Nell stood up beside him, he placed his hand on her back and started them walking down the street, using his other hand to try and flag down a cab. One finally stopped and Callen opened the door, taking a moment to look at the drivers face and check it against his ID – you could never be too careful.

"Thanks for sharing your birthday with me, I had a really great time." She shrugged off his jacket and handed it back to him before starting to get in the cab. But she turned at the last minute and stretched up, placing a kiss on his cheek, much like he had not long before. "See you Monday."

"I'll see you Monday." Callen nodded as he closed the cab door on behind her.

Callen waited at the curb until Nell's cab was out of sight before he started to walk down the street in the general direction of home. He desperately needed some time to clear his head. What had started out as an ordinary day had turned into something altogether extraordinary. In the space of just a few hours Callen was rethinking everything he thought he knew.

He had never thought birthdays were important, but now having had an incredible time he could see reason in celebrating them and understood why Sam insisted on taking him out each year.

He thought he liked Nell as a colleague and friend, but now after what she had done to make him feel special and show him she cared, he was wondering if there was more to it. She was a unique individual and she definitely kept him on his toes.

Callen rubbed a hand across his face, a little frustrated that the balance he had recently managed to achieve in his life was being rocked by the least likely individual. She told him she cared, but did her actions mean she cared or she really cared? Did he care or really care about her? He couldn't ignore the way he felt when he kissed her cheek, the surge of electricity that coursed through his body and made every inch of him feel alive. He just wasn't sure why he felt it. Was it genuine or just a reaction to a woman who had done something just for him with no expectations in return?

As he walked along the sidewalk, a yellow cab slowed and Callen contemplated jumping in to go home, but since he wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon, he waved it on by and kept walking. The cool air and the walk would give him time to think and maybe sort out in his head just what was going on.

Thanks for reading. I hope you leave a review!