I am going to incorporate parts of the show into my chapters but going in no real order…I will be jumping around season. I loved last night's episode and have tons of great ideas for our blossoming little couple. Thanks for all the great replies keep them coming…it keeps me writing I hope your enjoy this one…sorry it's a little long.
"Watch me close watch me close….choose the two or three you lose choose the queen and win some green."
Callen could hear Deeks in the bullpen trying to scam most of the other agents and personnel in the office out of money after learning some quick tricks from his most recent under cover assignment. Callen couldn't help but laugh, the kid certainly was resourceful but his confidence was going to come back and bite him in the butt.
It was hard not to laugh as Nell stood on the balcony with the x-ray cam and Sam relayed to him exactly where the Queen was. After collecting all of Deeks money they were called up for a briefing…after the assignment Callen planned to take his team out…compliments of Deeks.
"What are we looking at here Eric?"
"It looks like a protest at a Navy recruitment center downtown…looks like there are hostages."
"What do we know about the guy," Sam asked?
"Not a guy…a women."
"This just in it is reported the woman inside is Tracey Keller a Valley Miller soccer mom."
G stepped forward and starred at the screen in disbelief.
"You know her G," Sam asked?
"Something like that."
"Hmm that's weird the military has no Tracy Keller as next of kin or family relationship."
"There wouldn't be because Tracy Keller is an alias."
"An alias for whom?"
Callen sighed knowing this was not going to go well.
"My Ex-wife."
Nell had to try very hard not to gasp out in shock. Did he just say ex-wife? He was married? That couldn't be. He hadn't ever mentioned anything to her about ever being married before? Sure they weren't really together together but they were together. Nothing was officially expressed but more often than not he would show up at her apartment after long cases just to talk and relax or they would meet up somewhere for drinks and dinner. They talked on the phone daily and when he couldn't sleep at night he would send texts to see if she happened to be awake. There had been plenty of opportunity to mention he had been married before yet here she was in the Ops center completely floored by the news like the rest of the team. She took little solace that even Sam looked shocked by the news his partner was previously married.
"We were in the CIA together and we went undercover as a married couple," Callen went onto explain.
So was he really actually married to this women or was it all back stopping for a cover? Nell was confused but still hurt that she knew nothing of this.
"Anything we should know?"
"She is smart like other worldy smart…has an IQ over 140."
"She can't be that smart," Nell stated hoping that didn't sound as bad as it did in her head. "I mean she must have missed sniper awareness school," she quickly added.
She knew the only person in the room that would question her statement was Callen. He had yet to look at her and she knew why. He was trying to avoid the ice glare he would certainly receive if he were brave enough to look her in the eye. Callen jumped into Lead agent mode and quickly started putting together a plan to breach the Navy recruitment center and talk to Tracy while getting everyone else out.
Much to her chagrin Kensi and Deeks drove to the scene while Nell was forced to go with Sam and Callen. Nell was going to be 100% professional after all Callen hadn't done anything really wrong but she was still annoyed with him…and partly at herself for feeling this way. She shouldn't be jealous of this women…after all she was currently breaking multiple laws and god knows what other trouble she was in….Callen didn't go for women like that. At least she hoped not. She wasn't ready to admit it to herself but she really liked Callen and if he suddenly stopped coming over or even worse she had to watch him build a relationship with someone else….she wasn't sure she could handle that.
"What are you running away from home," Callen teased Nell as she got her stuff out of the back of the car.
He desperately wanted to get a smile out of her. He could sense her tension and annoyance with him ever since their debrief this afternoon. Normally he wouldn't care if something was annoyed with him…it came with the job and being a lead agent. However this wasn't just anyone…it was Nell.
Nell ignored him as she pushed by him and started pulling her gear out of trunk. Callen decided to give it one more shot.
"Don't take candy from strangers."
That did it. Nell stopped dead in her tracks turned and stared daggers right through him. Luckily Sam had his back to her and she was back on her way after her message was sent loud and clear to G.
G had to ignore his own feelings and get back to focusing on the mission. He had to figure out what Tracy was up to and fix this mess. No matter how long they had been apart he knew that while she might have been a crappy partner she wasn't some rouge agent.
Nell was happy to have a little distraction of being in the field. It was a thrilling experience to help the team outside of the ops center. However when Eric stepped out of the room and no one was left she tapped into the boatshed and watched briefly as Callen interrogated Tracy. She hated seeing the intensity between the two….the comfort level was evident even though they were at opposite sides of the table.
Knowing Eric would be back soon and she was just driving herself nuts watching this she flipped it off and got back to work on tracking down those sim cards and the buyer. She heard he was going back undercover as Tracy's husband and told herself over and over again it didn't bother her. Once the mission was over and all team members checked in safe she was out of ops and headed home.
"You will never let me down," Nell mumbled pulling out a pint of rocky road ice cream.
She plopped on her couch flipped her TV on to some random channel and started in on the cold treat. It wasn't long before she has polished off the small container. She was disappointed Callen hadn't made it to her apartment and just assumed he was out with Tracy or whatever her name was. She was glad she found out now before she was in too deep….that didn't stop it from hurting though.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Eric said seeing the normally perky intelligence analyst walk in with a noticeable storm cloud hovering over her head.
"I am fine," she said and got to work.
It didn't take her long to discover they had three markers out there and it looked like they were in close quarters someone in the grand Caymans.
"Uhh Eric are we actively tracking someone," Nell asked?
"Yes, there were some loose ends with the case. The money transfer needed to be recovered and they only way for us to find it was to follow Tracy."
"So these markers are…?"
"The two yellow ones are Sam and C the red one is Tracy."
"The three of them are in the Cayman Islands."
"Yeah they left right after the arms deal blew up….literally," Eric said laughing before getting back to work.
Great just when the day couldn't get any worse did and it was not even 10am yet. She was in for an extremely long day. Not only was it a long day because they were wrapping up the case from the day before and nothing new came across their desk but Nell was miserable thinking about Callen and Tracy in the Cayman island…how much more romantic could it get.
By quitting time another pint of rocky road was going to be needed. She swung by the store picking up a few odds and ends and of course the ice cream before headed home.
"Man I thought Hetty was going to keep you working all night."
Nell nearly dropped her bags hearing Callen before she was about to see him sitting in the living room.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you," Callen said helping her with the few grocery bags she had.
"Because sitting in a someone's should be empty apartment in a dark corner and speaking before they saw you is common practice for setting a smoothing and relaxing environment."
"Nell I am sorry," he said really not meaning to upset her.
"It's fine," she said going right for the ice cream before it could hit the freezer.
"You don't want to ruin your appetite for dinner do you," he said with a smile.
"For me this is dinner."
"I ordered us some Italian I am starving…airplane food is less then pleasant."
"I am sure you and Tracy found some please to eat in the Caymans."
"We were on the yacht for a little bit but all I had was a liquid lunch….my fault really but after the 48 hours I had I couldn't help but have one while waiting her on to arrive."
Nell didn't want to hear any of this and pushed past his to sit back on her couch where she had spent the previous night.
"Nell are you mad at me," he asked a little nervous about her answer?
"Why should I be mad at you…it's not like you were previously married and never mention that or anything."
Callen sighed and sat down next to her on the couch.
"Nell I am sorry," he said honestly. "It was a sham wedding…it was a cover story."
"Was it legal?"
"Yes there were legal documents signed but in our cover names. The wedding didn't mean anything to me."
"She seemed to mean something to you."
"At one point a long time ago yeah she did. She on my team, she was my partner and I cared for her more than just a partner….but things were done and said that makes going back to that impossible."
"But did you wish you could go back to that? I mean she is smart and beautiful you can't get much better than that."
"No, I don't want to go back…maybe a long time ago I thought about her a couple times but she hasn't been a blip on my radar in a very long time. And you're wrong?"
"About what?"
"Not being able to find much better than her…your wrong. She may be smart but there is someone smarter. She may be beautiful but there is someone gorgeous."
Nell couldn't help but blush. Even though he hadn't said it she knew he was talking about her.
"And while she is married to the job there is someone that can separate work and play…has compassion and love unrivaled by most and is the total package….I just hope I am a blip on their radar."
Nell tried to hold back her smile but she couldn't for very long. Trying to hide the grin she dropped her head and played with her melting ice cream.
"There is that smile I have missed for 2 days."
"I am sorry I have been acting like such a little girl," Nell whispered. "God we aren't even….and I am acting like the jealous girlfriend. You have every right to get involved with whomever you want to."
"And I am currently right where I want to be."
Callen gently took the ice cream from Nell and put it back in the freezer before it became soup. He sat back down next to her and took her hands in his making sure to have her complete attention.
"Nell I want you to know that I have never walked down that aisle waiting on pins and needles for the love of my life to join me…hell until recently I never thought that was in my future. I live a life where few people know the real me and I spend a vast majority living a lie. Even what I believe to be true might not be true…my past is questionable at best who would want that."
"I know you G Callen. I know you're a good man that helps and protects those who can't protect themselves. You risk your life on a daily basis often times in the background where no one outside of our team really knows it. You're fiercely protective of those few you allow in here," she said patting his chest just above his heart. "I don't know who wouldn't want that."
Callen brought her to him giving her cheek a kiss and bringing her into a hug he never wanted to let go. Unfortunately the food arrived which was probably a good thing. Callen was after all starving and they did enough with the serious talk….some good Italian food and wine and they settled in for a relaxing night.
