Disclaimer: I own nothing but pretty silver shoes.
A/N: Thank you for all the reviews/alerts/favourites. I'm not kidding when I say they make me write faster. They really do make me smile. Thank you!
KMW: You read my mind with the Hetty idea. I'm thinking of having her involved with Unit and the Brigadier, if you're familiar with old Doctor who that will make sense. If not, they're basically the people Martha Jones worked for. Thank you again for your review. They're so detailed and lovely!
And a warning, this chapter's darker than the others, especially the first part. It gets fluffier further on but consider yourself warned.
And without further ado…
Chapter 3
She was running. Through the maze of concrete corridors, past the flickering yellow lights hanging off the walls and she had no idea where she was going. Her breath came in ragged gasps. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. This wasn't the plan.
She ran around a corner, praying for an exit- something, anything- to help her escape. She skidded in a puddle; her high heels giving out from under her. She fell face first. Her hands absorbed the brunt of the impact but slipped in the cold liquid on the concrete.
Trying to get up, she finally noticed the colour of the liquid. It was a deep red, almost crimson colour. It was blood. She tried to scream but her voice had vanished. She scrambled to her feet, using the wall for support and leaving a small, bloody handprint behind.
Then she saw him. Callen. He lay on the coarse concrete, surrounded by the pool of blood. His pallor was ashen- too pale to be alive. He was dead. She reached for him, trying to do something. It was her fault. How, she didn't really know but guilt coursed through her veins, throbbing out a painful rhythm.
Your fault.
Your fault.
All your fault.
A hand clasped onto her shoulder, squeezing hard.
She tried to gasp but silence echoed instead of her terrified cry. Her voice was gone. She looked at the diminutive woman with the iron grasp. It was Hetty.
"It's not your fault, dear," The older woman reassured her, patting her on the back as they stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at their dead friend.
I'm sorry, she tried to say.
"It's not your fault at all. I should have known better than to put you in this situation. You aren't an agent. Heaven forbid, you should know what to do in this mess. You couldn't possibly have helped."
Her green eyes widened. That wasn't what she'd expected her boss, her mentor, to say.
"You're still such a child," Hetty continued, oblivious to the young woman's agony. "You can't even imagine being capable. I should have let you stay in Ops. Then everyone would be safe."
Tears swamped her eyes. The chant reverberated around her head. Your fault. Your fault. You stupid little girl.
"Or maybe not," Hetty looked past her, focusing on something behind her. "Look what you did."
She turned slowly, dreading the sight. An anguished scream tore at her heart but her ears heard no sound. No. No. No. Please, no.
It was Eric. He staggered blindly towards her. His trademark glasses were missing. In their place was a black eye that had swollen his baby blues shut. He clutched at a gaping chest wound as if he was trying to hold his heart together. Their eyes met for a split second but it felt like an eternity to her. "You failed," He told her venomously. Then he collapsed.
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And Nell woke up. She jerked awake, straining against the seatbelt. Her rapidly beating heart slowed as she became aware of her surroundings. She sat in the backseat of Kensi's Cadillac as the agent drove and bickered with the detective riding shot gun.
It was just a dream. She could have cried with relief. Nell fell back against the seat, closing her eyes. It wasn't real. It was just her fears talking. She could do this. She had to.
"How can she sleep," Deeks asked, his voice soft. Nell realised they were talking about her. She debated internally whether to tell them she was awake or find out what they really though. Curiosity won out and she feigned sleep and let them talk.
Kensi shrugged, "Eric said she was up all night last night doing paperwork."
Nell decided she would be talking to her techie friend about what he said.
"She pulled an all nighter and now she's doing this?" Deeks let out a low whistle. "Brave kid."
Kid? Nell grumbled silently. She wasn't a kid anymore. She worked in a top secret branch of a federal agency; that pretty much ironed out any immaturity that wasn't a coping mechanism.
"She's not a kid," Kensi corrected Deeks, much to Nell's gratitude. "She's one of us."
"I guess," He didn't sound convinced. "Do you remember your first?"
"My first undercover?" Kensi asked for clarification.
"I would like to hear the story of the other first too," Nell could hear the smirk in his voice.
"We'll you're not," Kensi replied curtly, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.
"I kinda figured," Deeks rolled his eyes. He knew his partner better than she thought. "Anyway, my first undercover," He got back on topic, "I spent the entire week before hugging the toilet."
Now Nell didn't feel so bad about the somersaults her stomach was doing. She was still holding it together.
"What happened on the mission?" Kensi asked curiously. Deeks rarely gave her private information. Miscellaneous information she got by the truckload with her talkative partner but meaningful details were few and far between.
"I got the guy," Deeks shrugged. "What about yours?"
"I messed up," Kensi confessed, keeping her tone light to mask out embarrassed she was about it. "Renko had to chase him down the street. He caught him after a couple of blocks."
Deeks twisted in his seat, craning to look at the petite redhead in the backseat. "She'll be okay, won't she?" He didn't bother to hide the concern that was evident in his voice.
"We got her back," Kensi answered with a confidence Nell wished she had. "She'll be fine."
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Callen stormed after the interim Operations Manager, waves of fury radiating out of his ice blue eyes. Support staff scrambled to get out of his path; it was common knowledge that when G Callen was angry, no one should be near him. "What the hell are you playing at?" He demanded loudly, causing Hunter to finally face him.
"I don't know what you're talking about,' The slender brunette replied evenly, not allowing any emotion to flicker across her face.
"Nell," Callen explained simply. "You're dropping her in the deep end."
"I think Miss Jones can swim well enough, don't you?" She put a hand on her hip and eyed him, the perfect picture of passive aggressive.
"Whether she can or not isn't the issue. You putting her in that situation is," Callen took a step towards her, using his height to loom over her.
Her warm blue eyes flickered up to meet his. They were only inches apart. "And why is that, Agent Callen?" She didn't let the proximity bait her- she'd been trained better than that. She'd been trained by the best after all.
"It's irresponsible and incredibly stupid."
Hunter blinked at the overt criticism. He'd never been so direct before. Hostility had reigned during her brief tenure as his boss but he'd never called her out like this before in front of anyone. "My office. Now," She turned on her heel and walked away, using her peripheral vision to watch the support staff quickly avert their eyes. She sighed internally. Why must he make it so difficult? She was just like him – a pawn in an ever changing game.
Callen followed her, "You mean Hetty's office."
She moved to sit behind her desk, "During Hetty's absence, this office and its responsibility is mine. You would do well to remember that."
"If you're so responsible, why are you sending an analyst into the field?"
"Hetty warned me you were a lone wolf but I'm beginning to think you're turning into a papa bear," Hunter looked up at her, a slightly amused look on her face.
"That's Sam," Callen told her dismissively. "But I can see how you can get us confused, seeing how you consider us so expendable."
"I do not consider anyone expendable," Anger entered her voice and she slammed her hands on the desk. "I'm not the enemy."
"I consider anyone who puts my team in danger as an enemy," He leant down on her desk, glaring at her.
Hunter leant back in her chair, impenetrable mask in place and glanced up at him coolly. "In that case, I hope you've learnt enough to beat Hetty."
"What?" He straightened, pieces suddenly falling into place. "This was Hetty's idea." It wasn't a question.
"Yes," She nodded.
"Why?
"Since when does Hetty share her secrets with anyone?" Hunter asked dryly.
"Hetty's got plans for Nell," Callen realised, his previous conversation with Sam echoing in his mind.
"I would imagine so," Hunter nodded again, grateful he was finally getting it.
"But she's just a kid," Callen looked at her, wanting a reason.
"Mr Callen," Hunter regarded him with a sombre look, "We were all just kids."
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"We're almost there, should we wake her?" Kensi glanced at Nell through the revision mirror just as Nell's phone beeped with a message.
The redhead started at the sudden sound, instantly reaching for her I-phone out of habit.
Deeks turned to look at her, "Hello Sleeping Beauty."
"Hi," Nell replied absently, reading the text message. She bit back smile. Have u been shopping with Kensi B4? I'll trip the fire alarm at ur request.
"Oh, somebody's smiling," Deeks sung. "Who is it?"
"Deeks," His partner chided.
"It's nothing. Just Eric," Nell answered him, texting him back.
Thnx. Mayb l8er :P Kensi swung into a nearly deserted car park behind an expensive looking mall. "Is this the place?" Nell asked looking at the glass building.
"Yep," The brunette grinned. "One of the best perks about this job."
Deeks leaned out of the window as he took off his seat belt. "This place looks expensive."
"Because it is," Kensi told him, getting out of the car. "You can't mingle with rich people if you dress like a broke hippy."
"It looks nice," Nell cut Deeks off before he could retort.
"You should see the inside. It's amazing," She was smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. Nell was beginning to see why the guys had been wary of sending Kensi shopping.
"I thought you didn't like stuff that you had to be careful with," Deeks comment as they walked into the mall.
"Stuff, yeah. This is clothes. Totally different. Am I right Nell?" Kensi looked at her for back up.
"Yeah, totally different," She said, not really meaning it. She didn't understand what they were talking about.
"Can I help you?" A man in a tailored grey suit met them at the door of the formal dress shop.
"Hi, yes you can," Deeks stepped forward and gestured to Nell. "My baby sister here is going to a ball and I want her looking like a princess. Cost is of no concern." He flashed the credit card Hunter had given Nell.
The shop assistant looked at Nell and smiled, "Is there anything in particular you're after?"
"Something she can move in," Kensi spoke before Nell had a chance. "She loves to dance."
"Nothing to flashy though," Deeks added, "She's pretty enough without trying to hard."
Nell blushed at the compliment.
The shop assistant looked at the three of them, "Would you like to look around for a minute then and see if anything takes your fancy?"
"That would be great, thanks, Steve," Kensi read name off his badge.
"My pleasure," Steve nodded. "Please call if you need something," He walked back to his station at the counter.
"Okay," Deeks whispered in Kensi's ear, "He is totally gay."
"Just because a guy works in a dress shop does not make him gay," Kensi hissed at him, she walked over to the nearest manikin and surveyed the slinky black dress critically.
"It's not just that… He talks too nice that's all," Deeks tried to explain. "And he didn't check you out at all."
"Just stop with the creepy compliments and tell me if you like this dress," She nodded at the dress she'd been staring at.
Deeks frowned at it, "It's a Kensi dress, not a Nell dress."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She whirled on him.
"I don't actually know. I mean, what does Nell like?"
Kensi's eyes widened, "I totally forgot to ask."
"Yeah," He looked around for her.
"She picked something out while you were talking," Steve offered, seeing them look around.
"Already?" Kensi asked.
"Some people aren't as picky as you, darling," Deeks told her teasingly and walked over to the sign that read 'changing room'. "Nell? What you got in there, honey?"
"A dress," The analyst replied tightly.
"Do you want a hand?" Kensi felt kinda bad for not paying as much attention to her as she should have.
"I'm good," Nell said, obviously focusing on something else.
"Just come out and show us when you're ready," The older woman told her as Deeks took a seat on the 'boyfriend' chair.
A sudden beeping from the change room echoed throughout the store. "Who is it?" Deeks asked.
"Eric. It's just logistics," Nell lied, a smile gracing her lips as she read the text. K. I'll b waiting. Having fun? She quickly tapped out a reply, trying not to focus on how shallow it was. U were right about K. They're not letting me talk. But the dresses are pretty. "I'm coming out now," She opened the door, adjusting the complicated straps one last time, and walked out.
Kensi smiled as she saw her, "You look great Nell."
She wore an emerald green a line dress with crisscrossing straps at the back. She smoothed down the skirt, nervously. "You think?"
The agent nodded, "The colour matches your eyes."
"Very cute," Deeks agreed.
"But we'll keep looking," Kensi said. "It's rarely the first dress you try on. I'll see if I can find something and pass it over to you." She walked away and Nell went back to the change room.
"And I'll just wait here, being useless," Deeks said to himself, crossing his legs.
Another beep alerted her to a new message. I'm always right :P. Tell them u'll give them more paperwork. Nell giggled at his suggestion.
"Why do I not think that that's work related?" Deeks asked her, raising his voice so she could hear him.
"It is," Nell lied. Mostly. That's blackmail, she texted back.
"Honey, you need to be a better liar."
"Leave her alone," Kensi returned, carrying a pile of different dresses. She passed them over the door of the change room. "Try these. I'm pretty sure they're your size."
"Thanks," Nell looked at the first one. It was a bright red strapless gown with a full ball gown skirt. It was gorgeous and she ran her hand over the silky material. She tried it on, loving the swish of the dress at her feet.
"You look amazing," Kensi clapped her hands together. "You're making me jealous."
Nell rolled her eyes. She doubted that. "Thanks."
"Try the others. Try the others," Kensi ushered her back into the change room.
"Urg," Deeks groaned. "How do you do this for hours? It's so boring."
"If you're going to complain, you can go sit in the chair. We're here for Nell, not you."
"You're having more fun than she is," Deeks pointed out.
Nell tried to ignore their bickering as she wriggled into the next dress Kensi had picked out. This one was a navy blue colour but hung to her every curve and made it hard to breath. It wasn't practical but it did make her look good. "What do you think?" She opened the door.
"The other one was better," Deeks said honestly.
"But that one's still nice," Kensi added hurriedly.
Her phone went off in her hand and she opened the text from Eric. It's fine. They do it all the time. I like the 2nd 1 btw. She blushed. U hacked into the security feed? Nell glanced up at the camera directly opposite the change room. It's blinking red tight stared back at her teasingly.
"If I may," Steve came over holding out a pale pink gossamer gown. "I think this would suit you."
Nell took it out of his hands, running her own over the soft material. "It's beautiful."
"Try it on," Kensi urged her.
She went back to the change room and put it on. She stared at herself in the mirror, running her hands over the dress. Nell smiled at her reflection. She could barely recognise herself. She opened the door timidly and waited for the other's reactions.
"Oh my God," Kensi stared at her.
"You look like Cinderella," Deeks grinned, sudden inspiration striking him. "Cinder-Nella!"
Nell laughed at him, "I vote for this one."
"It's your choice," Kensi said. "But I totally agree."
A beeping in the change room told her another text had come. She went back to answer it.
"Jeez, what's Eric talking about now?" Deeks asked.
"Just stuff," Nell replied, reading the message. It was just two words. That one.
A/N: This chapter's kinda different. I don't know what happened. I like the start then it kinda got fluffy. Tell me what you thought about the dream bit and the dialogue between Callen and Hunter. I don't normally write antagonistic people like that but it fitted the story and their chemistry is good. I will mention that the dress shopping bit is based on my experience formal dress shopping for my senior formal/prom for you Americans (which is tomorrow. Sorry just had to say that) and all mistakes about that are mine. Anyway, the rant is over. Remember, reviews are oreos for you and me.
