A/N: Hi everyone, it looks like we've finally gotten to Callen and Nikki's first date, which will of course be some time during this chapter.

I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Ten: Feeling Better

Callen opened the door of the modest home. It had begun to rain while Amy and he were at the park. Amy went running inside calling to her mom, leaving her rain coat and boots in a pile on the floor.

He quickly cleaned it up, before his very pregnant wife saw the mess. Nikki was pregnant with their second child. Amy came running back into the front foyer, her pigtails bouncing as she went.

"I can't find mommy," Amy said, as she hugged Callen's left leg. He looked upstairs to see that the master bedroom's door was shut. He scooped Amy up into his arms and climbed the stairs to the second floor. He stood in front of the door and knocked quietly before entering.

There on the bed in her cashmere pyjamas was Nikki fast asleep. Callen smiled at the sight and quietly backed out of the room, letting his wife get some rest.

Callen woke to see Nikki fast asleep. He smiled. Even in his dream, she looked adorable while she slept. She had her arms wrapped around her stuffed panda.

The door opened behind him. He turned to see Gibbs, a cup of coffee in his hand.

"G," he acknowledges.

"Gibbs," Callen returned.

"How's out girl doing," Gibbs asked, taking a seat in the other chair.

"She's still groggy from all the pain medication they have her on, and she mostly sleeps, but continues to cling to my hand," Callen responded with a smile on his face. Gibbs nodded. Callen was nervous. Neither Tony nor Gibbs were giving him trouble, for not protecting her enough. Neither one of them had even tried to hurt him.

"Alright, just do it already," Callen said looking at Gibbs. Gibbs returned the look.

"Do what?"

"Yell at me for not protecting her enough," Callen responded.

"Callen, it's a part of the job. There is a risk that we can get hurt and Nikki did just that, got hurt, she'll bounce back, she always does" Gibbs offered, hoping that Callen would see that and stop blaming himself.

"But I could have protected her more. If only I got back a few minutes earlier," Callen yelled, pulling his hand from Nikki's and stormed out of the door. Nikki cringed at the loss of the hand, but she did not wake. Gibbs sighed and went after him.

"Callen, where are you going," Gibbs called to him.

"To shoot something," he answered. Callen continued to walk out of the hospital.

Gibbs walked back into the room to see Nikki staring right at him.

"What happened? I heard yelling," Nikki asked, as Gibbs retook his seat. He sighed before taking a sip of his coffee. Nikki looked at him, silently telling him to tell her what the hell happened to cause Callen to leave her bedside.

"He believes that he's the reason why you're lying in that hospital bed," Gibbs explained. Nikki looked at Gibbs and blinked. Did she just honestly hear, what she thinks she heard?

"He blames himself for this," Nikki asked. Gibbs nodded in confirmation.

"Well he should."

"WHAT?"

"Jethro, if it weren't for him, showing up when he did, I would most likely have been dead and not here lying in this very uncomfortable hospital bed right now," Nikki explained. Gibbs sighed. Nikki always did look at the bright side of things. Nikki clung to the panda and began to cry.

"What's wrong," Gibbs asked, seeing the tears.

"I could have lost him," Nikki explained, as she continued to cry into the stuffed animal. Gibbs wiped away her tears.

"Look who I found in the parking lot," said Tony, as he walked into the room. Nikki looked at the door to see Hetty.

"Grams," she said, smiling. Hetty walked forward a smile on her face, glad to see that her granddaughter was awake and looking much better, than she did the day before.

"How are you my dear," Hetty asked.

"Better than I was," Nikki answered, as she grabbed Hetty's hand with her own. Her Grams may drive her crazy, but she wouldn't have her any other way because everything that drove her crazy were the things that she loved most about her Grams.

"I have some news," Hetty said, as she held onto her granddaughter's hand.

"I can go home early," Nikki guessed eagerly, causing everyone to laugh. They all knew how much Nikki hated hospitals.

"No my dear, you're still here until at least Friday," Hetty said, laughing at Nikki's reaction.

"But when you do get to go home, your doctor's have agreed to let Mr. Callen take care of you," Hetty announced. Nikki smiled.

"Really?" Hetty nodded, which resulted in Nikki squealing. Hetty laughed at her granddaughter.

It was then that Callen re-entered the room to see Nikki smiling brightly at Hetty. He had relieved some of the tension in his body by shooting a couple of things, but he knew that he needed to return in case Nikki needed him. But the guilt inside him kept growing. Callen did indeed believe that he was the one who put Nikki in that hospital bed.

"Callen," called Nikki. Callen looked at Nikki to see her looking at him very seriously. Tony, Gibbs and Hetty looked between the two of them and began to leave the room. Nikki beckoned him closer to her.

"What's wrong," Nikki asked, Callen sighed.

"It's my fault," Callen answered.

"What's your fault?"

"You lying in that bed," Callen answered, lowering his head as if in shame.

"G, listen to me carefully, yes it is your fault, because without you coming in when you did, I would have been dead," Nikki said, placing her hand on his cheek. He kissed her palm. She smiled at him.

"I just can't lose you Nikki, I've only known you a month, but-"

"G, don't worry, I can't lose you either," Nikki replied, cutting Callen off.

Callen stood from his seat, and leaned over Nikki, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Nikki's hands went from on top of the bed sheets to around his neck. Callen was so intoxicating for her. She absolutely couldn't live without kissing this man.

"I'm going to take you out tonight," Callen said, as he helped Nikki into his car two days later.

"Really? Where?"

"That's the surprise," Callen hushed, as he shut the door. Nikki pouted at him, hoping that Callen would tell her, when he got back in the car. Instead however he leaned over to Nikki and kissed her. She graciously accepted it.

Later that night Callen and Nikki were sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in and out. Nikki was wearing a white spaghetti strap dress and Callen's jacket.

"Warmer?"

"Much. Thanks," answered Nikki, leaning into Callen's arms. He kissed her head and continued to watch as the oranges, yellows and reds began to fade to black as the sun set. The sand was soft beneath their toes. Nikki was mesmerized by the colours. She had seen other sunsets, but none of them could compare to this one and its beauty.

It was a relaxing first date. Callen had take Nikki out for ice cream on the beach to watch the sunset. She liked those kinds of dates, it wasn't trying too hard, but it also wasn't not trying, it was right in the middle.

"Afterwards, we could go back to your place and watch a movie," Callen whispered in her ear. She smiled up at him.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that you were trying to seduce me G," Nikki replied.

"Nope, scouts honour."

"You didn't tell me you were a scout," Nikki said leaning her head against his shoulder.

"That's because I wasn't," Callen replied. Nikki slapped his shoulder. The sun continued to set as they looked on.

"We could go back to my apartment, if you pinkie promise me that you'll behave yourself, because you know full well that I can't sleep with you, even if I wanted to, which you know I do," Nikki said looking up at him, holding out her pinkie. He smiled at her.

"When you're all better and the time is right, we will," Callen replied, linking his pinkie with hers.

Nikki leaned forward allowing Callen to get up. He stood and then turned to help Nikki up.

The two walked back to Callen's car. Nikki had Callen's arm securely wrapped around her waist, as she held her shoes in her hand, enjoying the feel of the sand beneath their feet.

"Choose a movie to watch, I'll get us some popcorn," Nikki said as they walked into her house. Callen nodded and walked over to the DVD rack that Deeks had knocked down, the first time he was here.

The smell of freshly popped popcorn began to fill the air, as Callen searched for a movie to watch. Nikki had an extensive movie collection, but at the very end of the last shelf, he saw the old worn out case of Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.

He picked it off the shelf and put it in the DVD player.

The movie was almost over, the popcorn was gone and Callen and Nikki had fallen asleep in each other's arms to the sound of Sandra Bullock's voice.

A/N: I hoped you all enjoyed that. I sure did enjoy writing this chapter and if I had to say, I would say that this is my best chapter yet.

Stay tuned for Chapter 11, I have some exciting tricks up my sleeve.

xo