Whoa, it's been way too long since I've updated this story but I can honestly say I've had almost no inspiration and my muse has pretty much disappeared but I managed to think of this little scene and write it out for you guys. So hopefully you like it and not all of you have given up on this just yet!

Also, a very Merry Christmas/Happy Wednesday to you all!


Dancing Away With My Heart

Callen should have known from the beginning that this was a bad idea.

Sometimes he thinks he lets Sam get away with too much but it wasn't until right now that he really started to believe it. His feet ached and he was exhausted, shuffling across the gym floor with one hand draped across his partner's shoulder while Sam stood and barked orders at them over the sound of the music playing on the little stereo behind him.

He was starting to regret being cheap and ignoring Nell's suggestions of taking professional lessons for his upcoming wedding dance and instead, enlisting the help of his best friend who insisted he was just as good of a teacher as anyone else. What seemed like a good idea just a few hours earlier was slowly turning into a disaster.

Callen was trying desperately to pay attention to the music; counting the beats in his head and stepping accordingly but a loud yelp from his partner told him he was failing, miserably.

He winced and looked up sheepishly.

"Sorry Deeks."

The shaggy haired detective just huffed and managed a small grin but the pain etched on his face was evident. "Don't worry about it. Kensi's just as bad as you are. It's no different really."

Callen stifled a laugh but the smile disappeared as soon as he heard Sam walking across the floor, appearing beside them with a frown etched on his face. Suddenly both men felt like the child who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and they tried to look anywhere but at their friend.

"G," he barked, folding his arms across his puffed out chest, "we've been over this like four times already. How have you not gotten it yet?"

While he felt the strong urge to fire back a sharp retort and give Sam a piece of his mind, Callen knew he valued their friendship too much to ruin it over an argument as useless as this one (especially when he was just trying to be helpful) and instead hung his head in silence and took his position once more, hearing Deeks snicker under his breath. Callen quickly silenced him with a single glare just as the music began again.

It went on for another hour and by the end poor Deeks was sure to be sore while Sam just seemed agitated. Needless to say it was a relief when the larger man announced he had to get home to his family and Callen even had to hold back his laughter as Deeks flopped onto the hardwood floor in relief.

Callen was nearly ready to do the same but the sound of footsteps caught his attention and he looked up, eyes locking with Nell's as she smiled at him from the doorway. She had a few shopping bags in her hands, which she left by the door, and skipped over to him before capturing his lips in a kiss. They heard a groan coming from the floor and looked down at Deeks in amusement.

"I guess I'll leave you two alone," he said, pulling himself up and groaning as he limped across the gym before offering a wave.

Callen just shook his head at his friend as Nell giggled.

"How did dance lessons go?" she asked between kisses, fingers locking together behind his neck as he held her close.

He offered a dramatic eye roll and heard Nell sigh sympathetically.

"That bad huh?"

He scoffed. "You have no idea. Sam was like a drill instructor, it's a wonder Deeks didn't run screaming."

She giggled before placing a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips and raising her eyebrows.

"Oh come on. I'm sure poor Sam is just as stressed as you are."

"He's not the one getting married," Callen argued.

Nell shook her head and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "But he is the one who's supposed to make sure you don't screw up on your big day. You know how he is."

The sigh he let out only served as proof to both he and Nell that she was right, Sam was just concerned about his best friend being ready for a day neither of them ever saw coming. Callen had preached since the day they met that he would never marry and both men had believed the statement until the day little Nell Jones had walked OSP and turned the blue eyed agent's world upside down.

Of course, that still didn't mean he wanted to put up with an overdramatic, bossy Sam for the next two weeks, and he looked at his tiny fiancé with pleading eyes.

"How about giving me a little help at least?" he asked, "you know all the moves and I'm sure it would be easier to learn with a partner that wasn't a man with two left feet and a constant need to complain."

Nell rolled her eyes at Callen's words but he could tell by the grin on her face that there was no way she was going to turn down his offer and as she walked over to the radio in the corner and let the record play once more he knew he had won.

She walked back to him smiling sheepishly, as if he wasn't the man she was going to marry in a matter of weeks, and took one of his hands as the other settled on her hip, squeezing gently.

It was like he was a different man when he was dancing with Nell. He knew every move as he swayed with the beat, dipping and spinning and grinning as they slid across the floor with smiles on their faces. He was just glad Sam wasn't here to see how much of an improvement he had made as soon as the other agent had left.

The song came to an end and Nell found herself melted into Callen's embrace, the strong smell of his aftershave assaulting her senses as she clung to him and giggled. Peeking up at him she gave him a suggestive smile before pulling away.

"After that, I have a hard time believing you were as bad as Sam said."

Callen tipped his head back and chuckled, slinging an arm around Nell's shoulder, pulling her close as he pressed a kiss to her hair.

"What can I say; you must be my good luck charm."