Right, First off I want to thank you if you're reading this. I appreciate you taking the time to read anything I've written, and something that's not canon.

Secondly I want to apologise for the formatting of this story… I sort of jump back and forwards in time over the course of a week

Sunday Evening

"Stay away from my husband, you tramp!"

"Oh no… the mean little woman is threatening me. However will I cope. But I think it's obvious that he would prefer me to the…" Anna half laughed "… librarian" she finished as she rolled her eyes. "Don't you realise you're not his type, Ms Jones. He deserves a woman he can worship like a goddess. Not the analyst who just sleeps with her co-workers to get a man"

Nell, out of anger at this comment, reached behind her, wrapped her left hand round her Glock and waited for the opportune moment. She hadn't planned on pulling a weapon on Anna. She was an ex US marshal … and probably knew a hundred different ways to disarm someone.

…

The Previous Tuesday Morning. 10am

"Come on, Doc… tell me I can go home… please?!"

"I honestly think you should stay here for at least another week, Mr Callen. I checked your records. You've been through rather a lot in the last few years. Countless injuries, burns, beatings, bullet wounds… and from what I'm told, you were even blind for a few months little over a year ago. To say nothing of your recent injury. I believe your wife best described your injury as being like the bullet being like a pinball in a pinball machine. Quite a good analogy if you ask me. I don't think you appreciate how serious your present injury is…to say nothing of your history"

"Look… I'm a federal agent. Bullet wounds and beatings come part and parcel with the job. I have a wife who not long ago was in this very hospital for treatment for her breast cancer, a new-born daughter, At least one criminal organisation that wants me dead, a boss who will probably follow through on her threat to introduce her letter opener to my groin if I keep using up sick days… oh yeah, and the fact that I can't sit in the fucking bed any longer watching shit daytime TV. So please, let me go home. I'll come in regularly for check-ups. I'll do anything… just let me go home"

….

Sunday Evening (continued)

"Did you honestly think he wanted you. That he wouldn't sleep with anyone after you ran off like the little girl you are?. Be honest with yourself… you were the booby prize, and not much of one"

Anna was really pissing Nell off. It was like all the worst things she had ever thought or thought about herself, being used against her by someone, by the 'popular kid'. Nell tightened her grip on her Glock, and prayed she wouldn't regret what she did next.

Outside the apartment door, all that could be heard were 3x gunshots

…

Tuesday Morning (again)

"Honey, I'm home!" Callen called out, as he opened the door to Nell's apartment

Nell walked into the lounge from the bedroom, with Grace held tight against her.

Callen stepped around the numerous boxes in which Nell had started packing her life into. Now that she and Callen were wed, there was no point in maintaining two households, especially not when Callen had a big house, with a garden for Grace to play in, and was full of happy memories for both Callen and for Nell.

"I thought the doctor was going to see sense and keep you in. What did you say to him? I hope you didn't bribe him"

"I tried. But he was already on your payroll" Callen joked

"So why did he let you get out?" Nell asked, placing Grace down on a blanket that looked to have been spread out on the floor for a while

"I told him I couldn't bare to spend another night apart from my blushing bride… that, and that if I put in for any more sick days, that Hetty would stab me in my fun zone with her letter opener"

"You know, if you keep telling people that, they're going to start believing you"

….

"You still wanting a hand, or can we just go straight to the bar?"

"No. You can still give us a hand moving my stuff. You can go to the bar later" Nell replied, despite knowing Mike hadn't been asking her

"Which boxes?"

….

"Am I doing the right thing?" Nell asked, looking at her empty apartment

"Regretting my invite, already?"

"It's not that, G. It's… this was my first apartment. My first place after leaving home. It's special to me"

"I know. I thought this was what you wanted. We can move in here instead, and sell my place if you'd prefer"

"No. This … what we're doing… it's the right thing for us all. And I moved in here when I was fresh out of Uni and FLETC… it was fine. But I've grown, and it's not. I want what's best for us all… You , Grace and me. Come on, let's go… if we're quick we may even have time to go for that drink with Mike"

"Have I told you lately that I love you!"

…..

Sunday Night

[…]

"Yeah I'll be right down" Callen replied, before ending the call

He quickly got up from the couch and walked though into Grace's room and picked her up from her cot

"Looks like Mummy had a bit too much fun" HE said to Grace as he carried her though to the lounge and out the front door, making sure to lock the door behind him. Getting out to the car, he sat Grace in her car seat and secured her, before nipping round to the front and slipping into the driver seat

Just what had Nell gotten herself into. Why was she being held at the police station…

Turning the key to start the engine, Callen pulled out of the drive and set off to the police department.

…..

"I'm here to collect my wife… Nell Callen" Callen told the desk sergeant

"She'll be right out. She'll have to attend court in the morning…. So if you can make sure she's there"

Callen sat down on the bench and started bouncing Grace on his knee. He had hoped she wouldn't ever have to see the inside of a police station. Before he could give anymore thought to the subject, one of the doors buzzed open and out walked Nell.

"You okay?" Callen asked, getting up from the bench

Nell ignored him and turned her attention to the desk sergeant, asking for her service weapon and ID badge back. Once both of these had been returned, she turned and lifted Grace from Callen's arms and walked out of the police station and out to the car

Callen followed

"You gonna tell me what happened…? I've known you for years, and have never had to come collect you from the police station"

Nell looked quite angry, and he couldn't think what he had done to deserve the treatment

"Nell. What happened?" He asked firmly

Nell faced him "Did you sleep with Anna Kolchek?"

'oh boy' He thought to himself

"Let me just explain…" Callen started, before Nell cut him off

"Did you sleep with Anna Kolchek. Simple question! Yes or no?"

….

Nell ignored him all the drive home

Callen was none the wiser about what had happened to her. You could cut the atmosphere in the car with a knife.

Callen hadn't even switched the engine off after pulling into the drive at home, before Nell had gotten out and grabbed Grace from her car seat. The little one had started getting fussy and obviously needed fed and changed for bed.

Callen watched as Nell walked into the house before rushing in at her back, not even taking the time to lock the car.

It was about 20 minutes later, after Grace had been put to bed, that she turned her attention back to Callen

"When?"

"I don't know. A while back. You were… actually I didn't know where you were. I got drunk and called her for a lift. Sam and Mike were under cover, Kens and Deeks were off on… some date night. She came and picked me up and… I don't know. I don't remember anything after that. I woke up the next morning and I was really hungover. I didn't remember anything that had happened. When I walked into the kitchen, she was frying eggs and was wearing one of my shirts. It was about 6 months after you walked out on me… nothing else ever happened."

"We work with her, and you didn't think you should tell me. Didn't think I deserved to know…"

"Wait just a minute. First of all… you left me, I had no idea where you had gone or if you were coming back. Secondly, I don't know what happened. I don't know if I slept with her… she made a few suggestions… but I don't remember anything happening, there was no condom… and I don't remember feeling like I had… well, you know" Callen explained, before continuing "Who told you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah. It does. You're my wife… Someone's spreading rumours about me. Trying to … destroy what we have"

"What we have… G, we're not even married a month and …" Nell scoffed, before Callen interrupted.

"You ask Mike, You ask Sam, Ask Kens, or Deeks… they'll all tell you what I was like during your 'holiday'. I was here, I was miserable I was lonely… I felt like my better half had left me. The last thing I was thinking about was sex. You don't want to believe me… fine. We'll get a divorce and I'll move out. But don't for one minute think I don't love you now, or didn't love you all that time you were away. Just because you walked out on me, doesn't mean I walked out on you. I've never loved anything, or anyone like I've loved you and that little girl through there… " Callen explained, finishing as he pointed towards Grace's room

….

What prompted Nell's aggression (Friday morning)

"Come on, Nell. It's not like I wanted you to be hurt…"

"How many time's, Eric… huh, How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in anything you have to say. You lost the right to talk to me about anything but work when you set me and my daughter up to be killed" Nell replied, raising her voice and sending the other support workers scurrying out of OPS

"Please. Just listen to me. You think he's some saint… you're just blinded because you married him. You think he can do no wrong. You think other people couldn't see how you looked at him, or reacted when he touched you… or how pleased you were, when he would call you for information rather than me. He slept with other people while you were back living with your mom. You know as well as I do that he's far from being a Virgin. He's a player… he'll sleep with any woman that has a pulse…"

"Real mature, Eric. What is this… some jealousy because I chose him over you?"

"You slept with me, Nell. That means something"

"Yeah, Eric… it does. I was drunk. You got me drunk. No more"

"What… are you trying to suggest that I forced you into sleeping with me? I would never do that. You know me… You know the REAL me, Nell. You should know I could and would never do that"

"Yeah… well I also never thought you serve me and Grace up to be killed by the Comercu's" Nell spat back

"Go ask Anna Kolchek… she'll tell you all about what happened with them."

"So why should I waste my time listening to someone who is trying to hurt me out of spite. You know what, I told Hetty I didn't know if I could work with you anymore…. This just proves it. I'm putting in for re-assignment… or tendering my resignation. One way or the other, I won't work with someone like you. Someone so petty, spiteful and vindictive" Nell replied, as she threw her tablet down on the desk and left OPS

…..

After Nell and Callen fought:

"You didn't hear her, Mike. She… she honestly believed that I consciously slept with Anna. That I.. I don't even know… that I chose Anna, over her."

"G! You know she's crazy about you… she cared about you for a long time. Sometimes we strike out at those we love the most"

"Maybe… but she chose to believe Eric. she chose to confront Anna without talking to me first… without asking for my side of things. Maybe… maybe we weren't meant to be. Maybe we rushed into getting married." Callen barely managed to force out before wiping away the tears that were starting to pick at his eyes. "Maybe we should just go back to being colleagues… or maybe I should get transferred. Before I drive her and Grace away"