AN: Sorry this chapter is so short, I have had zero time to sit down at a computer and write. But I promise the next one will be longer.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or NCIS: LA
So without further adieu, here's the latest chapter in the Nallen universe
Nell's in bed, completely aware of the pounding in her head. And then she hears the doorbell ring in her apartment door. She rolls over and looks at the clock. 10 13. Who the hell would be ringing her doorbell at 10 am on a Saturday morning? Way too early, and the added fact she has a hangover from hell. She grabs the gun that is on her nightstand and walks over to the door, rubbing her eyes while she walked.
She peeks through the peephole and sees its none other than Callen. As she opens the door, she turns the safety on, on her gun. "Christ, Callen." She knows she really doesn't sound like herself. She blames it on the alcohol and the fact she probably only got about 4 hours of sleep.
Callen eyes the gun. And then the lime green t-shirt and blue short pyjama shorts she's wearing. The t-shirt reads on the front "Down in Mississippi" and as Nell turns around to put the gun on a stand near the door Callen can read the back: "And up to no good." "So is there some kind of story behind that shirt?" Callen hates country music but he knows the song by Sugarland song probably is behind the meaning of the t-shirt.
Nell rolls her eyes. "Yeah. Not that I don't love having you come by unannounced, but it's Saturday morning."
Callen has been hiding a coffee cup behind his back the whole time. "Here. Large, 4 creams," he recites. He also knows its Nell's favorite coffee shop.
"Is there some kind of hidden agenda by bringing me coffee?"
"Yeah. I was wanting to see if you wanted to go out for breakfast."
Nell silently chuckles. "Give me 15. Make yourself at home." She appears 14 minutes later, freshly showered and with jeans and a black cardigan over a yellow t-shirt.
"So, last night was good?"
"I remember the dinner, going to the club, puking and I'm not entirely sure if all those events were in sequence."
Callen smiles as she locks the door behind her. "College friends?"
"High school, actually."
"Are you younger than I thought you were?"
Nell just slyly smiles at the older agent. "Maybe."
"I don't even want to know the age difference."
"I didn't think so."
Callen turns the subject. "Where do you want to go, my hung over friend?"
Nell laughs. "Hung over?" She mutters. "That's an understatement."
"Patty's Diner?"
"How'd you know that's my favorite place?"
He opens the door on the Jag for her. "I'm good like that."
After being seated, menus on the table and coffee served, Callen decides to ask the question that has been bugging him on the drive over. "You grew up in Boise. High school friends all ended up in Los Angeles?"
Nell laughs. "I didn't just grow up in Boise. But Jess lives in St. Paul and had a work conference in Los Angeles, Becca lives in Reno so she came down and Annie lives in Cheyenne, but her sister in law lives here so she figured it would be a god time to visit. So we got the gang back together."
"And where is Jess and Becca?"
Nell smiles. "Both of them are single. You figure it out."
"Ah. Didn't want to do the lovely walk of shame?"
"And I'm the type of girl to sleep around?" Nell asks.
Callen laughs. "Your words, not mine."
Nell sips on her coffee. "Would you judge me if I had?"
"Probably, considering…"
"I'm having breakfast with you on a Saturday morning and you showed up at my door this morning. Is that what you mean?"
"Yeah, that's what I mean."
Nell and Callen finished their breakfast and somehow the conversation switched to work. The main topic was Kensi and Deeks and their "no thing". Both Nell and Callen suspected they definitely had a "thing." Three days ago, Hetty had given the team the afternoon off and the next morning both of them showed up wearing the same clothes the day before and both really hung over. Kensi claimed tequila shots and Deeks blamed it on the 151 Proof Rum he was drinking. And well, Callen, didn't exactly believe in coincidences.
They had gone for an afternoon walk on the beach in Venice, enjoying each other's company. Suddenly, Nell makes a mad dash for the ocean, even in all her clothing. Callen elects to stand on the beach but Nell wouldn't let him get away with just standing there.
"Come on!" She says, splashing around in the Pacific.
"Why? It's cold!"
"You're just afraid of a little water!" Nell smiles at him, daring him to prove her wrong. She has her hands on her hips and she looks him in the eye. She's already up to her knees in the water. She looks at him challenging.
"No, I'm not!" Callen argues.
"You're afraid!" Nell taunts, splashing water.
Finally Callen slips off his shoes and socks and runs into the water, after Nell. He catches up to her, picks her up and then "accidently" drops her in the water.
She shrieks as she comes up and shakes her head of the water. "You're not getting away with this Mister!"
"Watch me!"
Nell laughs and runs after him and jumps on his back, soaking the back of his t-shirt. "There was no way I was letting you get away with that."
"Maybe I did that so you wouldn't be wearing so many clothes," Callen smirked as she got down as they walked onto the beach.
"You're bad."
"Do you blame me?"
Nell didn't even respond to that. She just laughs and follows him up the beach, putting her shoes on when they got to the pavement. Callen took her hand as they walked down the pavement to their car, soaking wet. Nell wasn't really even believing she got Callen, of all people, to lighten up and have some fun.
That afternoon, after Callen dropped her off, she changed, dried her hair and put some makeup on and went to the airport to say goodbye to a very hung over, tired and miserable Jess and Becca. Annie was flying out tomorrow. Jess and Becca were not very happy with their choices of men, Nell on the other hand was happy with her decision to go home alone.
Nell's sitting at the airport, wondering what to do. It's Saturday night and she has no plans. So she sends a text to Callen. So far he's made all the moves, but she figures it's her turn. Kings/Canucks game tonight. My place?
Callen sends a text back rather promptly. I'll be there. I'll even bring you your favorite beer. Nell reads the text and smiles. First he brings her coffee and then her favorite beer. She was a lucky girl. Growing up she told Becca that the key to her heart was coffee and any man who brought her that in the morning, she automatically was in love with him. Nell wasn't sure if it was love, but she definitely liked spending time with Callen.
Callen comes by around 4 45, as the game is starting at 5. Nell has her Dustin Brown jersey on and she looks way too enthusiastic for the game. "What is this? Game 4?"
"No silly. Game 5. Kings are up 3-1. If they win tonight, they move on to the second round," Nell smiles as she takes the beer and puts it in the fridge. After last night, 5 pm was a little too early to be drinking for her taste.
He laughs and sits on the couch as she turns the game on. "What made you so interested in hockey?"
"Well it was either learn to like hockey or be prepared to be bored and watch nothing from October until June. I definitely didn't get a say in who had the remote. And then my brothers played hockey as well, so… I started playing and soon enough, I couldn't get enough of it."
Callen's eye brow is raised. "You played hockey? Against boys?"
"Really?" She knows the comment is raised because of her slight stature.
"It's just a question!"
"They do have girls hockey," she smiles back at him, letting him know he's forgiven for the earlier comment.
Callen looks at her. "You said your brothers played hockey? Which ones were that?"
Nell gives him the look that says I-can't-believe-you-just-tried-that. "Nice try."
"What? I'm just trying to find out a little more about you."
"You thought I'd answer."
Callen shrugs. "Maybe. So? You going to answer the question?"
Nell heads back to the kitchen. "Nope. Because the game is about to start."
"You can be very difficult; you know that, Miss Jones?"
She shrugs. "I like being that way. Keeps things interesting."