#4

"Kens? I've done something stupid and need to talk it out"

Kensi got up and followed Nell to the locker room, keen on getting away before Deeks had a chance to say anything

Once in the locker room, Kensi bolted the door and turned to Nell, interested to try and help her friend out

"I slept with Eric"

Kensi's pupils got wide, shocked by what Nell had just said… she didn't even know what to say.

"Oh, right. Did em.. you and… Eric.. you… your sure?" Kensi said, stuttering and stammering, not knowing what the hell she should say… never mind that, she'd love to be able to say something, anything to help the young analyst

"I Don't know what happened… One minute I was on the phone to Renko, and he said I didn't have to take Callen any dinner, since he was taking him out 'on the pull'. Then Eric asked if I wanted to go for dinner… after that the next thing I remember is waking up, in bed, naked, next to Eric"

"… and you're sure you…"

"Yeah" Nell replied, cutting Kensi off "I'm sure"

"So you…Yeah. Right. Had you been drinking?"

"Pretty sure, Yeah. I had a hell of a hangover when I woke up"

"So does … did… Did Eric remember what happened?"

"I don't know. I got dressed and snuck out of Eric's apartment before he woke up"

"Whoa"

….

"Sorry about last night"

Nell continued putting out the dinner for herself and Callen… keen on not thinking about last night

"It's not big deal. You needed to get out and meet … new people"

"Mike thought it'd do me good to get out and mix with women again. That it'd 'be like shooting fish in a barrel' to quote him"

Nell didn't want to think about him hooking up with some stranger, almost as much as she didn't want to think about what she had done last night

"Did you meet anyone nice?" she asked, trying to not sound bothered that he had preferred to spend the night with some strange woman.. hell it was probably women, plural. He may not have been able to see, but he still looked like him, and still had those piercing blue eyes. He'd probably broken several hearts last night… not just her own

"Not really. I think I should have just stayed in last night. I mean sure, it was good to get out and have a drink. But… meeting women is just too difficult when I'm like this. I can't see… I can't tell if they're genuinely nice… or if they're just trying to get into my boxers. Which… I know… I should probably not be bothered by"

"Sounds like your night was as bad as mine"

"What happened?"

Nell didn't know if she wanted anyone else to know that she had had sex with Eric. Eric had been disgustingly sweet today, and Kensi couldn't look him in the eye after Nell told her what had happened. Maybe it would be good to talk things out with someone other than Kensi.

….

Callen strode into the mission, his cane sweeping from side to side, to reveal any obstacles to him before he got too close to them.

He hadn't been able to stop thinking about what Nell had told him last night… it bothered him… for several reasons.

He had promised Nell that he wouldn't tell anyone else, she didn't want the information getting out any further than himself and Kensi.

The fact that she had told him was testament to the fact that they had become closer recently.

Strangely he hadn't struck anyone with his cane… he knew there were people around… he could only just barely hear indecipherable whispering. Obviously his current condition was something that was being gossiped about in his absence.

He knew the layout of the Mission almost as well as he knew the lay out of his own home., meaning he could navigate roughly, without any help. His cane came in contact with something ahead of himself, with his other hand he reached out, finding the railing for the stairs up to OPS. Slowly he took step after step until he found himself with no more steps to ascend. Once again relying on his cane, Callen walked towards where he thought OPS was, his cane hitting along the outer wall… hearing the doors slide open just ahead of him, Callen continued walking, setting foot inside the nerve centre of OSP's operation

"Callen? Are you sure you should be here?"

Eric Beale… the man-child was an expert with computers. Nell's best friend, and expert tech operator. Callen had trusted the younger man from his first day. But right now…. He was grateful that he had no sight.

"Can you come over here, Eric?"

Eric said yes and approached the expert special agent, laying his hands on the older mans shoulders

"Can I help you with something, Callen?"

Callen was gritting his teeth. He would happily have shot Eric right now… not that he wished the younger man dead. Just wanted him to feel pain.

"You get lucky, Eric?"

"Well, since you ask…"

Callen didn't let Eric finish his sentence… immediately lifting his right leg from the ground and struck Eric's groin with his knee with some force

Callen ignore the groan from Eric, leaned in and whispered something, so that none of the other operators could hear

"Don't take advantage of a girl when she's been drinking. Not ever"

And just like that, Callen left OPS, once again sweeping his cane to guide him

….

"Why'd you hit Eric?"

"What'd he say?"

"Nothing. But the whole office is talking about it. So, you gonna tell me what he did?"

"I can't tell you … I promised"

"What'd he do to Nell?"

"Why do you think he did something to Nell?"

"Come on G. I'm not stupid. You'd only hit him if he had said or done something to Kens or Nell. And since Kens is unlikely to let Eric get away with something he had said or done to her, That leaves Nell"

"I still can't say"

"Christ sake G"

….

Callen had been sitting in his chair since Mike had left him. He had no idea of the time… but it felt like he had been sitting there for an eternity.

He had to admit, he was surprised that he had not had a visit from Hetty, since his field trip to OPS. She would have no doubt been infuriated at his assault on Eric.

Although maybe she knew what it was all about… she seemed to know everything else.

'I wonder how she does it' he thought to himself, just as he heard a key slide into his lock

"Why did you attack Eric?" he heard as his front door was slammed shut

"Look at me, Nell. DO you honestly think I'm in a position to attack anyone?. All I did was give him some advice, as I slipped"

"You 'slipped'. That's your excuse?"

"I'm sticking to that story"

"Hmm. I know your 'slip' was from a good place. But did you really have to 'slip' in front of so many other members of staff?"

….

"So ladies… what's the latest gossip?" Deeks asked the gathering of support staff in the break room, hoping someone knew more about what had been going on

"I'm not sure we should tell you, detective" Susan offered. Susan worked in HR and was normally the central source for Gossip

Deeks looked over the three women, trying to decide who would be most likely to spill the latest

"Come on… we all work here, Where's the harm."

"You work with Agent Callen don't you?" Tracy asked

"Yeah?"

"Is it true that he and Nell Jones have a 'thing' going on?"

"Callen and Nell? You're joshing me, right?"

"No. Word around OPS is that Agent Callen beat Eric Beale up for sleeping with Miss Jones"

"No way. Not a thing… I mean sure, Nell's been spending a fair bit of time with Callen. But they wouldn't have something going on" Deeks explained "what other gossip is there?"

….

"Don't start rumours, Deeks" Renko replied

"I'm telling you… I didn't start anything. I heard from the head of HR that Eric had slept with Nell. Don't get me wrong, well done to the guy for getting out of the friend zone, if it's true, but is that something that anyone with some common sense would do… I mean think what Hetty would do to someone that violated her protégé"

"Come on Deeks. You know G wouldn't do that" Sam explained

"So why'd he beat up Eric?" Asked Deeks, not willing to give up just yet

"Callen didn't beat up Eric. He 'slipped' and hit Eric in the process" Mike offered, wanting to put an end to the discussion. He couldn't very well confirm that Callen had gone to OPS intent on hurting the operator

"What'd he slip on then?"

….

"Quite the muddle you've caused"

"Come on, Hetty. I Slipped… I did not hit Eric intentionally. Why would I want to?"

"Why indeed. Is there something I should know?"

….

As Mike had suggested, Hetty did have all sorts of experts flown in to check Callen over.
Callen felt like a pin cushion as he had numerous samples taken and scans performed.

None of the consulting doctors gave any indication, to Callen atleast, that they had found anything that could identified as a problem. He just hoped that there would be some sort of benefit from all of the extra time he had been forced to spend in the hospital.

….

"How d'you fancy doing something different for dinner tomorrow?"

"No pizza?" Asked Callen, sounding seriously bothered by the prospect of missing his regular Tuesday night pizza

"You can still have your pizza. I was just thinking… maybe we could go out for something to eat rather than ordering in. And maybe invite the others?"

"Sure. Why not"

"It would mean you'd have to apologise to Eric"

"In that case, No"

"Come on, Callen. It's not doing you any good to be stuck in this house all day"

"I have no problem going out, Nell. but I'm not going to apologise to Eric"

"You are the most pig headed person I've ever met" Nell groaned, as she threw the bag of takeout at Callen

"That almost hit me" Callen defiantly stated, grabbing Nell's attention

"How do you know?"

"I… I think I saw it. Did I see it? What's happening?"

"I don't know, but we'll find out, I promise you"

….

Opening the curtain, the doctor briefly glanced up from his clipboard to find Callen sitting on the bed, while Nell was sitting on the chair, while she was holding Callen's right hand with her own left hand

"So what can I do for you Mr Callen?"

"He thinks he saw something"

"Well that would be progress. Was it a bright light or…what?"

"It was more like a shadow, like when your eyes are closed but you can still tell what direction the light is coming from"

"Hmm. Perhaps we should send you up for another scan"

….

"Well your scan shows nothing new. However I'd like to get another scan done in a few days just to be safe"

"He won't say it, so I will… thank you doctor"

….

"Don't tell anyone"

"But why? This is great news"

"Because I'm still blind. For a brief second I … saw, or thought I saw something. That doesn't mean that I'm gonna get my sight back"

"But it's not nothing… whether you saw, or sensed that back of takeout… it's progress, it's a sign of improvement"

Callen reached out and took hold of one of Nell's hands, as she gently guided him down the hall and out to the hospitals car park

"Please, Nell. I need you to do this for me"

"Okay, for now. But don't you see…your being able to reach out and grab my hand, is proof that you're getting better"

"Come off it. You're like half a foot away from me… I know where you are"

….

"So how did you talk him into coming out tonight?"

Nell glanced over at Callen, from the bar

"I just did…"

"You know, Sam, Mike and Deeks will be able to see how you look at him, if you're not careful"

"Come on, Kens. Please, not this again"

"I'm telling you… a blind man could see how you look at him"

"That's not funny"

"I'm serious, Nell. You need to be careful"

….

"Come on, G. Let's get you home"

"I'll be fine. Nell's gonna take me home. Just waiting for her and Kens to finish their chat"

"You know, You're spending a lot of time with her… makes a guy wonder"

"Wonder what?" Callen replied, oblivious to what Mike was getting at

"Come on, brother. She's young, good looking… and I'm pretty sure she has a crush on you"

"Don't talk so much shit."

"I'm telling you… that girl has the hots for you"

….

"Can I ask you something?"

Nell waited patiently, hoping that Callen would indulge her curiousity

"Ask away… so long as it's not about what happened to my training agent"

Nell worried about whether what she wanted to ask, was wise… she had skirted around the subject with Kensi. Never really asking outright, worried that she wouldn't like the answer

"Have you ever met someone who is a total polar opposite to you, but you still…" Nell paused… not sure if she could actually finish asking her question

"Go on…" Callen said, breaking the brief silence "… what?, can't imagine your life without them?"

"Yeah… but more than that" Nell replied

"Well what?, is this about Eric?"

….

"Come on, Mike. Answer the bloody phone" Callen groaned as he continued holding the phone to his ear. Glad that Nell had urged him to consider a basic non smart phone so he could contact her, or Hetty, or whoever else, without needing someone to dial the phone for him.

The phone rang and rang, but Mike didn't answer the phone.

He wished that Macy was still around… she had always been the more sensitive one of his friends… his family. Sam had his moments… and was normally always his first call whenever something was bothering her.

Mike was a self confessed man whore. Sleeping with almost any woman that let him. He was the first one Callen would call if he needed help dealing with women… although normally, that help was restricted to helping get rid of clingy girls who couldn't take the hint that there would not be a second date. Despite this.. Mike was still one of his best friends. Between Mike and Sam… Callen had himself a true pair of 'brothers'. He wouldn't like to think how his life would be without either of them.

….

"What's wrong, brother?. Something happen?" Mike asked, still a little breathless from rushing in from the car

"You were right about Nell"

"About the crush?"

"Yeah… I don't want to hurt her. But … well… you know me. I'm not right for her"

"If you'd asked me a few months ago, I'd have agreed. But… well, she's got you being more outgoing. Willing to ask for help… and you've not picked up one random since she's been helping you. She's a good influence on you. Maybe you should give her a shot"

"Come off it, Mike. What do you think Hetty would do.."

"So you obviously want to give her a shot… but Hetty is the only thing stopping you?. That's good. Forget about Hetty and do whatever makes you happy"

….

'What do I do. Should I follow Mike's advice and risk the wrath of Hetty, or should I play it safe' Callen thought to himself as he sat on the edge of the bath tub'Maybe it's best not to risk hurting her… after-all she's been through a lot, and can do a lot better than me'

Before he could make his mind up, he felt something akin to an ice cream headache

Clamping his eye lids shut and grasping at his eyes with both hands he couldn't help but cry out in pain as he fell to the floor