Now I am a devious and evil person so I thought, why not throw a bit of a love triangle into the mix, don't worry it has nothing to do with Deeks and Kensi. But I have always found myself switching from Nallen and Neric….

Enjoy my twisted sense of writing Muhahaha…..by the way I own nothing

Here for You

Chapter 21

Kensi's P.O.V

The ride to the beach was filled with the sound of the wind whipping through the open windows, Eric claimed he wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather after last night's storm. Halfway through our destination I became painfully aware that Eric was beyond nervous, whether it being stuck with me for the trip or what he saw I didn't know but his tension was putting me on edge.

"Eric, man you need to relax I am not going to bite you." I say over the wind.

I hear him sigh. "I know Kensi, I just…I don't know how to…" he stops at a red light and turns to look at me and shrugs. "I want to help you, I want to help Nell but I don't know how to do that…"

I reach over and grab his hand gently squeezing it. "You are helping, your taking me surfing you are taking some of my burden off of her shoulders because she stubbornly refuses to let me carry it myself."

"That's because she loves you Kensi, we all do." He opens his mouth but the light turns green and he focuses back on driving towards the beach. I keep staring at him, the way his jaw his tense and his eyes squinted against the sun's rays. I place my hands in my lap but keep staring at his profile.

"I miss him." I say simply. "All this time away from him I realized how alone I really was. I mean I had only him, Nell was an occasional confidant. Don't get me wrong I trust Sam, Callen's questionable at the moment," I say causing Eric to chuckle, the clear seriousness in my voice lost in the wind. "But I find it hard, to talk about this with Sam and Callen because…"

"They would go all big brother on him…"

"To the point of unintentionally trying to talk me out of it, and I don't want that." I finish.

"What about me?" I glances over at me and I smile at him.

"You are the type of brother who…would digitally erase him, but wouldn't say so, Nell would in a heartbeat, but you…" I point at him. "You would just be happy for me. And that is what I need right now, someone who understands I don't want to be protected from something that's not going to hurt me, I just need friend."

Eric parks the car and turns to me, the sounds of children playing and dogs barking assaults my ears but I turn to look at Eric, he has a soft smile on his face, but it soon vanishes. "You know Sam and Callen want to be there for you too right? As much as I do?"

"I know, but after Callen's stunt yesterday and what he did after I was shot…I just don't really feel comfortable talking about this with him, especially after he blew up at Nell yesterday. And Sam…he's Sam, he's overprotective…"

"And you don't want that," he nods. "You know that I am protective of you too right?"

"I know Eric but what I need more is your silent protectiveness. Now enough talk for now, and more surfing.

Several hours later

I watched from my perch on my beach towel as Eric continued surfing. I smile as he throws his fist in the air, his cheering audible from where I am sitting. I hear a phone ringing, coming from Eric's bag. I begin rummaging through it before victoriously pulling his phone out and see Nell's smiling face for the incoming caller. Without thought I answer.

"Hey Nell its Kensi."

I don't hear anything for several seconds before the other line goes silent. I pull the phone from my ear and place it back in his bag. "That was weird." I say to myself but Eric coming closer distracts me. "You look like you were having fun."

He nods quickly. "Hell yea, that storm was a surfers dream, now come on if my calculations are correct it is time to eat."

"Yes yes, I would hate for Deeks to come back and have no surfing buddy because he didn't feed me on time." I say as I throw my arm around his shoulders as we walk back to his truck.

Eric finds a small hole in the wall diner that serves the best cheeseburgers in all of LA…or so he said. While we waited for our orders we talked, it felt nice, just talking.

"So Eric, tell me are there any special woman in your life?" I ask leaning forward with a smile. I can't stop the laugh that escapes as he chokes on his soda. He furiously clears his throat as a blush rises up his neck.

"N-No no special woman."

"Oh come on Eric I was trained since birth almost to tell when people are lying and you," I say twirling my finger in front of his face. "Are lying. Come on, you know about me and Deeks." I say tilting my head to the side. I see his sigh and his face turn serious, instantly I am on alert.

"No special woman…."

I shake my head. "You are lying," I say this time softer than before. He refuses to life his eyes from his hands that are folded together on the table. "Hey, this confidant thing we talked about earlier goes both ways. I talk about Deeks and whatever is bothering me, and you do the same." When he still doesn't look up I place my hand on his folded ones, the tension clear. Finally he looks up, his face impassive. "Eric, talk to me."

After several minutes he huffs out a breath. "There is someone…" he shrugs. "I love her…but she doesn't look at me that way, too busy with someone else to notice." His voice dropped in tone as he grabbed my hand. He breathes in deep. "But I can't say anything to her, because she's happy, at least I think she is."

"I'm sorry Eric, and you never know maybe one day she will see. You are a great guy Eric and if she doesn't see that she's not worth it."

"That's the thing she does see it, she's even told me but…I don't know I think she just sees me as a brother…" he shrugs again. The food arriving ending the conversation…don't judge I was hungry.

We devour our food before heading back to my place with enough time to spare so that I could get ready to head over to my mother's. When we walk in I sense something…off with Nell. Her back remains to me and Eric even as I walk by her in the kitchen lightly brushing her shoulders, in doing so I feel a slight tremor. I want to say something but something in the back of my head tells me to leave it be for the time being.

So I head to the shower to wash away the smell of the salt.

Nell's P.O.V

I walk into the café and my eyes immediately see Callen, as I walk towards him I take in his tense shoulders and his icy glare. Seems I was right; I wasn't going to like this conversation at all. "Hey," I say quietly but receive no response back. "Callen are you okay?"

He licks his lips before turning his gaze away from mine and upwards. "No Nell, I'm not. I know I said I would back off in the boatshed yesterday but…"

"Callen we have been through this, this is Kensi's case, not yours." I say but he shakes his head.

"I can't allow that Nell, I have been through every possible scenario in my head and every one where Kensi is leading the charge ends up with wither one or both of them dead. I won't allow her to make the same mistakes I did…"

"She's not you Callen." I feel anger rise up at his questioning of Kensi's ability.

"She blinded by feelings…"

"Not feelings G, love. That is where the difference lies between the two of you, Kensi knows how to love, even if she doesn't wish too. But you…" I say with borderline disgust. "You don't even see what is right in front of you," my voice breaks as I stare into his cold glare. I shake my head. "At least Kensi saw it, then went into denial for a time but you just plainly refuse to see…"

"See what Nell?" his voice was devoid of emotion causing my heart to snap in half. "All I see is you devoting all of your time and energy into Kensi…"

"See that I'm right in front of you…but now," I shrug cutting him off before he pissed me off. "At least Deeks never did anything to Kensi to make her feel that he didn't feel something towards her, but you…you are an emotional rollercoaster G. Callen, and I-…it's time I got off. I'm done waiting around for you to see me, I'm done trying to combat your jealously of me spending time with Kensi, done waiting to see that there are more important things than your family…"

"You know why I look for my father…I don't even know my first name Nell," he bites.

"And that is tragic Callen. But you are living in the past, and you want to control everything, even that which isn't yours to control, like this case." I stand up, the tears dangerously close to falling. "This is where I get off G… Kensi needs me right now…"

"Nell she doesn't need you 24/7, sit down, please Let me show you reason, why Kensi shouldn't be working this case." He grabs my arm.

"See right there, jealousy is an ugly color on you Callen you're not man enough to call me yours but you don't want me spending my time with Kensi…to help her through a hard time. You want me, but you won't take me, what does that say about you?"

He lets go of my arm, staring up at me with empty eyes, which is where I find my answer.

"I want you to stop me from walking out that door but, I know you won't." I turn and rush from the café and to my car. I make the ten minute drive back to Kensi's without shedding a tear. But as soon as I walk through her door they begin to fall one after the other. I stumble my way to the couch where I pull out my phone, calling the one person I can talk to about this.

I listen to the rhythmic tone of the ringing but instead of hearing Eric's ever chipper voice I hear Kensi. "Hey Nell its Kensi." At the sound of her voice I hear how light she feels…how happy…I can't…I can't tell her what just happened…that Callen is being a petty ass and is jealous of her…I can't do that after so much progress has been made these past few weeks since she was shot.

So I hastily end the call and begin the process of cleaning myself up before they got back.

Kensi's P.O.V

When I got out of the shower I through on a pair of jeans and began looking for a shirt. Rummaging through my drawers I came across one of Deeks' button downs…the black one from the night we spent together. "How did this get here?" I ask myself. I unfold the shirt and notice a piece of paper flutter out. I pick it up and turn it over.

Just so you don't forget me Fern –Max

I chuckle before throwing the shirt on and tucking it in so that it would fit better. Grabbing my keys I walk down the hallway but stop when I hear the mutterings of Eric and Nell. Peaking around the corner I see Eric with his arms wrapped around Nell as she buried her face in his chest. They were standing in the same spot and position that Deeks and I were in when he told me he had to leave.

Then it clicked…the protective way that Eric has his arms wrapped around Nell, the way he whispered against her hair…we the acts of a man in love, acts that Deeks himself was guilty of after Afghanistan…"Oh Eric," I whisper. I sigh taking a few steps back, wondering why Nell found herself in Eric's arms. I clear my throat and begin talking. "Hey Nell! Did you tell my mom we were heading over?" I say looking down at my phone as I walk around the corner, giving them time to situate themselves.

"Yea, we should head over now, we still need to pick up a few things for Julia."

I look up taking in the redness in Eric's cheeks and the fake smile plastered on Nell's face. I nod and smile, giving nothing away. "Okay then let's go. And Eric," he turns to me like a frightened deer.

"Y-yea?"

"Surfing on Monday before work?" I ask watching as the tension leaves his face.

"Sounds perfect see you bright and early." He cheers walking down to his truck.

"Don't forget to bring coffee…"

"And donuts!" he yells back. "Yes I know Kens, see you guys Monday!" he waves as he pulls his truck out of the driveway. I turn to Nell who is locking the door. I wait until she turns around before grabbing her in a hug, squeezing her to me.

"Something is wrong," she shakes her head. "I know there is, and when you are ready to tell me, I will be here." I pull back and look down at her brushing a tear away with my knuckle. "I'm here for you Nell, don't forget that."

-A. Grayson