Chapter 2

Nell awoke to warm arms around her, and for a second she jerked in fear until she heard his voice.

"It's ok, Nell. It's Greg, you're ok," he said softly.

She looked up at him, "Where are we…are they coming?" she asked.

Callen shook his head, "It's dawn, and I haven't heard them for a few hours. There is a town about five miles from here. We could slip in before anyone wakes up, then we need to figure out how to get you across the border."

He had been thinking about it for hours; his exit route had been planned until he met up with her. Go back, rejoin the group in the firefight and get out. Only he could not do that with her in tow.

He looked downat the fear in her hazel eyes, "You're not going to leave me?" she asked.

"Never!" he exclaimed surprising himself with his answer.

She looked up at him, a small smile crossing her face.

Not even thinking, he dropped a small kiss on her red lips. She pulled him in and kissed him fiercely, "Thank you," she said her eyes bright and focused on his face.

Callen smiled, "There's a stream just that way. Do you want to freshen up?" he asked.

Nell nodded and he walked her to the stream and turned his back. As she cleaned up, he checked his pack for supplies.

He looked through his backpack. They had Army surplus Russian MRE's, one spare clip left with only half the bullets in it for his gun, his passport and one for the woman he had been supposed to meet in 3 days time. But he wasn't worried as Monique, the woman whom the CIA had been due to extract from Sanchez' compound would soon be on her way home with another member of the team.

G knew that for killing Sanchez, he would be well paid by the people who did not want him to spill his secrets to the CIA. Therefore, money was not an issue for the future. Although he had five thousand US Dollars on him, he could have done with more at the time.

His thoughts kept wandering to the young woman behind him. She looked like a kid, but she told him she was a woman, so maybe she was just short. She definitely kissed like a woman. "Stop it!" he told himself. He needed to focus.

First things first, he had to get her into town, find them a change of clothes, transportation and the local priest, since it was well known that he would be able to help them get out of town and across the border into the US.

"You nearly ready?" he called without turning around.

Nell pulled her top over her head, "Yep."

He turned and stopped at the sight of her in a cut off T-shirt, jeans and a pair of sneakers.

"Oh I'm going to hell!" Callen said under his breath. He had no idea why but he was rapidly falling for this girl. "We need to get going, we might be able to get a room in town, and we need to see a priest."

"Why?" Nell asked.

"We need to forge you some papers, so we can get you back to the US."

"Okay," she said, pulling her long, red hair up into a ponytail.

The sun was just breaking over the houses as they walked into town; the adobe walls were glinting in the sun.

Callen pointed to the church in the center of town. "Father Moreno is our contact," he said quietly, even though there was no one around.

They checked out the road as they crossed, making certain that no one saw them. Callen tapped on the door in the rear of the church.

"Gregori!" Frank Moreno said as he opened the door, "It has been a long time."

The younger looking, well-worn man with the young, redheaded woman tucked closed to him, did not go unnoticed by the priest. "Come in … quickly." After he closed the door, a latch near the top was put in place. "Who is this?" he asked, turning to face his friend.

"This is Nell and we need your help," Callen said as he collapsed into a nearby chair with a heavy sigh. His jacket had moved slightly when he sat, bringing to Nell's sight a fresh bloodstain.

"Callen! You're hurt!" she exclaimed and moved to take his jacket off. "I need water and medical supplies," she said to the priest.

"You are the girl Sanchez kidnapped five year ago?" Frank asked looking her up and down. He remembered the description of her from the missing person's bulletin board in the nave of his church; so many young people went missing in Colombia, but a small red headed American girl…she stuck in his mind.

Nell nodded absentmindedly as she looked worriedly over at Callen, "Just get me your first aid kit, please!" she begged as she peeled Callen's blood soaked T-shirt from his body. As Frank walked out she turned to Callen, "How did you get this?" she asked.

"One of Sanchez's bodyguards had a knife. He moved a bit faster than I did," Callen replied. He could not help the thoughts he was thinking as her fingers ghosted over his skin. He smiled lopsidedly as her touched tickled him a bit; also, he thought he would not mind being cut again if this was the result.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she used his t-shirt to wipe up the excess blood.

She kept moving her eyes between his well-defined abdominal muscles and deep blue eyes in an attempt to stay focused on the task of tending to his wound. After two minutes she concurred that the attempt was futile.

He coughed as a wave of pain went through him, "Nothing."

"Sit back and close your eyes, you need to relax," she directed. As she wiped the sweat off his forehead with her hand, he pulled her in closer.

"Don't …" he said with a heavy voice.

Nell looked up, "I'm sorry, but I need to stop the …"

She was cut off, as he pulled her in for another kiss.

She smiled and dropped the balled up t-shirt on the floor as a light cough sounded from behind them, "I have the first aid kit," Frank said, "I also have a small cot over here. Lay him down and you'll be able to help him better." He moved aside a curtain that revealed a door to a small room.

They lifted Callen, took him over to the room and laid him down on the cot. When Nell stood up to get the first aid kit, Callen grabbed her hand.

"Don't leave me Nell," he breathed. With no rhyme or reason, he needed her beside him. He was the trained assassin and the CIA Agent, but right now, he felt like a small boy again, and could not be without her.

Frank smiled as he passed Nell the kit, "You have been hit by lightning, my friend."

Nell looked up confused and Callen copied her movements, "I was stabbed, not electrocuted," he told his friend.

Frank shook his head, "No, I meant you have both been hit by the true love. I can see it in your eyes that you both need each other, like air."

Callen shook his head. It could not be true. She was obviously a lot younger than he was and could do so much better. Also with the double life he was living, he could not drag her into it. Nell ducked her head shyly and he wanted so much to kiss her again. He winced as she poured alcohol on his wounds and started to stitch him up. He held tightly to the sides of the bed, trying desperately not to pass out. If he did, there would be no one to protect her.

She looked over, saw the pain in his face, and kissed his cheek. "I'm safe Callen. You can sleep now," she reassured him softly.

He smiled and allowed a wave of unconsciousness to overtake him. Nell finished off her stitching and sat back on the chair Frank had passed her.

"You need sleep as well," Frank said. "Do not worry, I will allow you to lock this door, and no one will know you are here. Callen has stayed with me before and he knows I do not tell when he is here."

Nell gave a small smile, but her hand was in Callen's bag holding the gun with the few precious bullets that they had, just in case.

"Sleep Nell. No one will find you here. You are safe."

Nell gave a dry laugh, "No one's looking."

She watched Frank walk through the doorway on his way to prepare for early morning mass. When he was out of her sight, she locked the door.

She sat in the chair, but did not feel safe, so she moved, taking the gun out of the bag and keeping it close for protection and climbed onto the cot, curling up on Callen's uninjured side.

In his sleep he instinctively moved his arm to hold her close, "Nell…" he breathed.

Nell smiled; he was not unconscious, as she had feared. He was just exhausted. Soon she closed her eyes and slept, her hand still tightly clenched around Callen's gun.

A few hours later Callen woke from one of the best sleeps he had had in a long time. He felt a warm body in his arms. This in itself was not an unusual occurrence, but unlike most times before, Callen wasn't feeling trapped. It felt right and instead of moving and putting space between him and his companion, he pulled her gently closer.

"Nell…Nell…" He said gently moving her shoulder to wake her.

"Greg?" she asked slowly blinking, "Are you all right? Does your wound hurt? Do you need anything?" she asked looking up at him with concern in her still sleepy, hazel eyes.

He smiled at her, "I'm fine." His answer was honest. He felt much better and rested than he had ever been in his life.

She smiled up at him, "I'm glad. Do you need something to drink?" She was thirsty and knew that he had to be feeling the after effects of his injury, no matter what he said.

She stood and walked over to the small table where Frank had left some bottled water. She took two, handing one to Callen as she sat back down. Callen sat up slowly before taking in the entire bottle of water.

"So … Mr. Secret agent guy, what's our next move? We are still in Colombia and need to get back to the US, and in case you hadn't noticed, I don't have a passport and I'm broke," she said a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Callen smiled, "That's why we are here." He walked over to the table, his hand brushing her neck as he moved past her to sit down. "I need you to tell me everything about Nell Jones."

"Why?" Nell asked worried.

Callen smiled. "Because I have a plan that will get you back to the US, but I need to know more about you."

Nell nodded, "I don't have any family, not anymore. I had a mother and father. I suppose everyone does. A family known as the Jones' adopted me. They were nice and I lived with them until I was fourteen." She sighed and looked out the window.

"What happened?" Callen asked.

"Dad, Mr. Jones, was killed in a car accident. Mom carried on as best she could. Then she met a new guy, I was twelve at the time, he seemed ok, but …" she stopped and wiped away a tear. "Well, he wasn't as nice as he seemed, he would beat me when mom wasn't around. I left the situation. CPS found out and threw me into the system. Let me tell you, it isn't anything like the brochures." She gave a small grin and Callen nodded in agreement.

"Then I got my first computer, discovered I'm good at it, joined a club at school and just for fun I hacked the CIA," she admitted and Callen only just suppressed a smirk.

"Then I get invited on this 'chance of a lifetime' all expenses paid school trip and that idiot abducts me to do hacking work for him." She sighed.

"And this was how many years ago?" Callen asked.

"I don't know...I'm not sure how long I was there." Nell sighed dropping her head in her hands.

"What year were you taken?" He asked.

Nell thought for a second…. "2000."

"It's 2005…you're 19!" Callen exclaimed.

Nell nodded looking at the floor.

Callen stood up and walked to the window. He was not sure what he was going to do. His plan had hitched on, well, them being hitched. However, she was nineteen …half his age. He could not do this, not now, but … He turned, walked to the door and locked it.

"Nell, I have to ask you something and I need your honest answer." His heart sped up a little as she licked her lips and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Okay." she said softly.

"I have an idea. It gets you across the border legally from here. However, once we're in the US, I could be thrown in jail but I promise you'll be safe. I won't … just let me ask you." He was tongue-tied and crazy. "Nell, do you have any feelings for me at all?"

Nell looked worried. How could she tell him that she had fallen in love with him? The age difference was too great, she was a kid, he was older, and she knew he would laugh at her.

"Nell, please tell me the truth." He was on the verge of begging.

"I love you." She said in a rush of words, "I know I'm too young for you, but I swear, it's not a schoolgirl crush. It is not because you took me away from there; it is so much deeper than that. I feel like my soul is whole when I'm in your arms and I feel safer than I ever have in my lifetime." She looked away ashamed and missed the huge smile that graced Callen's face.

Callen stood up and Nell's heart dropped. She closed her eyes waiting for his rebuke, and flinched as his hand touched her shoulder.

"Nell," he said, his voice soft and low, "To get us across the border, to get you somewhere safe, I promise to be a gentleman the whole time, but will you marry me?" He looked at her worried about what she was going to say. "I promise as soon as it's safe, we'll get an annulment."

Nell raised her eyes in a gesture of defiance, "No!" she said resolutely. "I would only marry you if you loved me as much as I love you and I would never want it annulled." She stood up and walked towards the window waiting for him to come up with a second plan.

Callen grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in for a searing kiss. "I do love you. God help me but I do."

Two hours later they were kissing again, just after Father Moreno pronounced them husband and wife. "I hope to God the two of you know what you are doing," he added as Callen smirked at his friend.

They walked over with the two witnesses, who did not speak English, and signed the marriage certificate.

"Remember my friend, do not hurt her," Frank said in Callen's ear, "Or you will go to the Special Hell."

Callen turned as Nell watched the witnesses sign her wedding certificate. "I love her Frank. With everything I am, I do love her."

Frank smiled. Here it was not uncommon for young brides, even ones of Nell's age, but usually they were scared and terrified. Frank hated those weddings, but the love he could see between Nell and his friend reassured him that despite the age difference they were doing the right thing.

"Greg, are you going to sign this?" Nell held out the pen for her husband. He took the pen from her and then kissed the top of her head.

"Thanks." He signed it with his real name, Gregori Nikitovitch Reznikov.

Nell picked up the pen and signed it, Nell Rose Jones. She looked at him and smiled, "All done."

Callen kissed her again, "Well Mrs. Reznikov, I suggest we go to our room. We will be leaving early tomorrow."

"Mrs. Reznikov, I like the sound of that." Nell smiled.

Callen looked over at her and turned her head to look him in the eye, "That is for when we are alone, for the rest of the time I will be just plain G. Callen. No name, no life and no family."

"And me?" Nell asked worried.

"You will always be my wife whether you are Mrs. Callen or Mrs. Reznikov," he told her honestly.

Crossing into the US took a month, travelling by road, rail and boat until finally they docked in the Port of Los Angeles.

"Nell, we're here," Callen said shaking his wife gently.

Nell woke up from the bunk the cargo captain had given them and grabbed a sweater to put over the sweats she'd slept in. "I'll just be a minute," she said and walked into the small bathroom with her clothes. She washed quickly and was dressed within moments.

Callen was looking over their passports, Mr. and Mrs. Reznikovs' passports. The first thing he was looking forward to, was introducing her to his father and hoped he loved Nell as much as he did. The cargo boat captain had allowed him a ship to shore call and he had been able to explain to his father that he was alive, married, coming home and to meet them at the port.

Nell had been nervous when she had learned that she was about to meet her father-in-law but she was also looking forward to it, to meeting the great man who had taught her Callen everything he knew.

And now he was indeed her Callen.

Although he had promised to wait until she was legal or at least 21 before they consummated the marriage, he was in every other sense of the word hers. He loved her completely and she knew that she would die for her in an instant.

He had used the time on the boat to inform her of what he did, and why he did it. He had expected her to baulk at the fact that he was, as well as a CIA agent, an assassin for hire. Nevertheless, she loved him and she told him of the skills she had in computers and how she was willing to do anything to help him behind the scenes.

Callen's breath caught in his throat as his wife walked out of the bathroom. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and small wisps of hair floated down to frame her face. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans with white tied up sneakers. Her small gold wedding band glinted with the same fire as her hair when she brushed her hand over it in the sunlight, which was streaming through the porthole in the wall.

"Beautiful," he breathed in awe of her.

She smiled as he pulled her to him and kissed her.

"Are you ready?" he asked as he picked up the bags they had with them.

Nell nodded and they walked out to the deck of the ship as it arrived into port.

Callen held his wife securely by the waist as she climbed the railing in order to get a better look at the port and the man standing beside a large black limousine.

"It that him?" Nell asked pointing to the man.

Callen nodded, "That's papa."

Nell waved enthusiastically at her new father-in-law and Callen laughed as Arkady waved back.

"Are you ready to meet my father and start our new life?" He asked.

She turned, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, "I am. I really am." She smiled as it was the happiest she had been in years as they walked down the gangplank and over to the immigration official standing at the bottom with their new passports.