DISCLAIMER: As always, I own nothing. They are just wonderful characters created so that we can have fun messing with their lives for just a little bit.
A/N I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I had the entire story written before I even began to post...but you know how that goes. The characters start calling for a bit of change here and there. Nell has been completely unreasonable. I have had the hardest time making her chapter work for me. In the beginning, it was a very tiny chapter which didn't seem quite fair considering her big personality on screen...but they simply haven't given much to go on where she is concerned...so I have had to be creative at times. I do hope you enjoy this chapter. We are only 2 chapters from the end, I believe.
I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read and review. It has meant the world to me. If I haven't gotten a message sent back to you saying as much, my apologies. Thank you for the favorites and follows as well.
Now, with all that said...please, please, please, take the time to review, just drop a line and say you liked it or if you have a friendly note of improvement you would like to share, that is welcomed as well. It's such a wonderful lift to find those messages waiting...it's like Christmas...kinda. Okay maybe not EXACTLY like Christmas, but close. ANYWHO... get on with you now, read, review and remember, I tried. HA.
"Nell Jones" Hetty chuckled. "A very big IQ in a very petite package. But then you already knew that, didn't you, Mr. Getz? Perhaps you should be telling ME how she found herself on my radar. She was an Ivy League graduate being courted by several prestigious Think Tanks. She certainly had opportunity for a much grander income than we could ever offer. So, Nate, how did you manage to convince her to consider a position here?" Hetty asked curiously.
Nate leaned back in his chair while considering Hetty with a fond smile. It wasn't often one could leave Hetty Lange missing facts. Callen was perhaps one of the very few who had the ability to keep her in the dark when he wanted to bad enough. He prided himself on the fact that now it appeared he and Nell had managed the great challenge. They had known one another for quite a while. They knew everyone had questions as to just HOW they knew each other, but they had long decided that a little mystery never hurt anyone. So in the end, they decided to leave that bit of knowledge between them. With a grin he decided to disappoint Hetty by holding true to their pact.
"Hetty, everyone knew how much you disliked analysts." He shook his head as he remembered the days before Nell. "Do you remember all the poor analysts we went through? Just how many of them left here in tears after only a matter of hours? Men included…. You talk about Callen and his rejecting your number four picks but you were equally bad with analysts." He chuckled at the withering look he received from Hetty.
"Yes. Well, as I recall, I was not the ONLY one who dismissed my analyst choices. Mr. Callen bristled more than once." Hetty responded as she looked over the top of her glasses, her lips pursed.
Nate threw his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying, as team psychologist, you and Callen are tied for who was hardest on the new recruits."
Hetty considered their conversation thoughtfully. "I will admit, these little computer geniuses are a unique lot. Quirky at the best of times. Yet, as brilliant and talented as our Eric is, it became very obvious early on that he couldn't do it all. Kensi would stay and help as much as she could when she wasn't required to be in the field. More often than not, however, Eric would find reasons to send her off on errands. He didn't like to share his space."
"Eric needed a partner as much as Kensi did." Nate stated.
Hetty nodded agreeably. She had been blessed up to that point in the way the team had come together….these last two characters were such a trial for her to find. "Indeed, but one must never be too eager to throw all the ingredients into the bowl at one time or you risk the desired results." Hetty reminded him. "Up until then we had been lucky with our treasure hunt. They all got along. Even Callen seemed pleased enough… once he and Sam had finally found their traction, if you will. When all was said and done, Eric was like this little brother in the group, especially where Callen was concerned. You know, Callen isn't nearly as illiterate where technology is concerned as he'd have them all believe. After all, he's been in this line of work long before we had an eagle's nest with geniuses on call. He didn't always have someone to have his back. He created his own aliases and back grounds. He was good at it, he had to be…. He didn't trust anyone else enough to let them. Eric was a unique individual to have gained his trust. I've never quite figured it all out but I'm content in the fact that he allows him and Nell to take care of at least that much for him." Hetty quieted for a moment as if lost in thought before she continued.
"In the early days of this unit, Callen would torment Eric. Oh, he'd complain about the communication equipment he had to use in the field. Petty things that would get Eric all riled up. He'd have him so frustrated! HA. Ultimately, however, it would completely distract Eric from the nervous energy that would build any time he had to sit and watch the screen as a mission played out. Callen knew that Eric was a sensitive soul. He also knew he was good at what he does and needed him. He had to find a way to focus Eric's attention on the moment at hand and not on the 'what ifs'." Hetty laughed at the memory of Eric's response to Callen's chiding.
"I did notice how it worked as a distraction for Eric and that's when I realized it was time to find him his own partner. One that you'd approve of." Nate's statement was rather matter of fact.
"…and you chose Nell." Hetty querried, "Why?"
"The better question might be, why not?" We established the fact that she has the highest IQ of anyone at OSP, save one maybe. Besides that, she was fluent in at least one more language and could no doubt learn more if it were required. Her extensive knowledge of South America… and while she may not speak Arabic, she knew enough of the written language to be more than helpful." Nate attempted to explain his logic.
"As well that may be, so were the others." Hetty stated.
"True…minus the IQ. Still, they lacked the personality required to blend with the others… and well, you have to admit, we are an eccentric bunch." Nate concluded.
"As memory serves, Mr. Getz, she didn't exactly win them over her first day either. In fact, Eric was quite ready to fire her himself had he been granted the authority to do so." Hetty smirked.
"Type A personality" Nate replied.
"Type A personality… that's what you are going with?" Hetty quipped.
"Yes, She's very outgoing... something this team certainly needed. Though she may have proved a bit too aggressive that first day. I chalked that up to nerves. She was very excited and more than nervous to get to work with Eric." Nate explained.
"Yes, well, you should have warned her up front that rallying the troupes is Eric's thing and his alone. He takes a certain amount of pride in his creativity at doing such. Oh, and finishing sentences for others… not a wise move around here. Callen gave me quite the look that day. The one that asked if I was at all serious" Hetty exclaimed with a bit of a smile. "He could see how Eric bristled at her gumption. As a leader, he needed to know whoever sat behind those keyboards would not be distracted when they were needed most and Eric was most definitely distracted. Poor boy!" Hetty chuckled at the look of confusion on Nate's face.
Nate considered her words while he looked up at the balcony just as the two subjects of their conversation disappeared back into the eagle's nest. They were no doubt checking on things in the bullpen. They were the most sensitive of the group. They worried over the four agents who frequently spent their days in harm's way. It concerned him sometimes to think of how it might affect them long term if something were to happen to one or more of the team. Eric had taken it very badly when Callen had been shot and again when Dom died. Dom and Eric had become friends as they both were very much into computers and gaming. He was glad that things had worked out with Nell. They balanced each other out very well.
Nate looked back to Hetty, "So why did you keep her? I mean you said yourself, Callen was pretty adamant when it came to choosing members. How did she survive the cut? What kept you from sending her back home to Wisconsin?"
Hetty steepled her fingers together under her chin. Well, for one, It's much too cold there for someone so small. She'd freeze." Hetty grinned as Nate joined her with a laugh of his own. Then she sobered as she continued. "Callen hadn't yet spent any time with her one on one. He had only seen her for those first few introductory moments in the eagles nest. Once the mission was over and once my birthday balloons had all been popped," Hetty smiled at the fond memory. "Once he had time to study her file… he was a little less committed to his original judgements. By that point she and Eric had struck a truce. In fact, the dear boy was smitten with her. So while she may have come across competitive and overly ambitious at the outset… there was little need for it. What Callen feared would be an antagonistic relationship for those two quickly evolved into something more… well… more." Hetty finished thoughtfully.
"Hmmm…" Nate started slowly, "Did you know that once the Assistant Director started her on field work she turned to Callen for help?" Nate asked.
Hetty raised her brow. "Well, I can certainly think of few better for her to turn to, though I would have thought Kensi would have been a more likely choice, what with their friendship. It has turned into a most beneficial friendship all around but most certainly for Miss Blye. She had been outnumbered by the boys for quite a while."
"I agree. Kensi needed to have another woman to relax and confide in where the job was concerned. While Callen and Sam were always available to her, it wasn't the same. However, Kensi was in Afghanistan at the point Nell began getting field experience." Nate explained, he knew that Eric needed a partner but he also knew Kensi needed someone that could understand in some degree the pressures of the job from a woman's perspective. Working with a group of men who seldom shared anything about themselves, let alone emotions, could be hard on a female agent. Kensi was a good agent. She was a strong individual and while she would undoubtedly deny it had they asked, she needed a person she could confide in… someone who wasn't her boss or a man. Nell had quickly proven to be the answer to that problem. He had also seen in recent months that the feelings were not quite the same when it came to Anna Kolchek. There was a rivalry that, had he the time to delve into it, he would love to figure out.
"Quite right, Mr. Getz," Hetty said bringing Nate back from his thoughts. "However, I do happen to know that Miss Blye worked with her on knives and how to fight with them. In fact, the one she carries in her boot was a gift from Miss Blye… so, Mr. Callen you say?"
"Yeah, I was surprised too. Sam is much more approachable. I would have thought she would have been intimidated with Callen. Turns out they have created a special friendship of their own over the past several years. Callen did agree to work with her. He coached her in the shooting range as well as with hand to hand combat." Nate explained.
"Well, I'm not at all surprised that he would agree to help since she asked. He wants everyone on the team to be able to protect themselves in a crisis. There has been several time when Eric or Nell have been in compromising situations that required members of the team to come to their rescue. He started in about giving them further training shortly after that. I guess Nell decided to take things into her own hands. I'm glad, it worried me to think of her out there even though I knew she had the backup of the team. It certainly paid off when she was forced into her first kill. Oh," sighed Hetty, "Callen and Sam felt awful for having to put her in that position. Thank goodness you were able to be here for her." Hetty looked to Nate gratefully.
"I wouldn't have been anywhere else. Nell is stronger than you think. She has come a very long way from that little home town girl from an Ivy League College." Nate replied.
They sat quietly for a few moments when Hetty finally spoke up at the inquisitive smile on Nates face.
"What is it, Mr. Getz, for goodness sake, speak up!"
Nate thought for a moment longer before diving in head long. "Okay. Rumor has it that you are training Nell to be your replacement." He stated, stumbling over the last words as he saw Hetty roll her eyes dramatically.
"Really. Have you, good doctor, seriously fallen victim to the wild claims of office gossip? I would have thought you were above that sort of thing. I am TRAINING Miss Jones to be the best agent she can be. I am ensuring her future for years to come. As if I would actually retire. That would mean I was old and beyond the ability to do my job. Then there is the question of who could put up with the lot of you?" Hetty responded in a light tone followed by a look that dared him to question her sincerity.
"Well then…" Nate cleared his throat nervously before continuing, "I think that leaves us with number four."
Hetty glanced at her watch and tapped the face of it as if checking to see if it was working right. "Well it appears we have yet to run out of time…" Hetty stated in a distracted tone that concerned the psychologist in Nate as much as the saddened look she gave as she glanced towards the entry.
"Right, so number four…" Nate started when Hetty interrupted.
"So when did Deeks become number four…." She began.
"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of… How did he SURVIVE to be number four." Nate threw in.
"Ahhhh, Well….. " Hetty stated as she watched her "number four pick" from across the room….