Nell walked past Callen's desk, surreptitiously slipping a piece of paper in with his work as she headed for the sofa, where Natalie was curled up. The analyst quietly sat down a few feet from the young girl, taking a minute to observe her. Natalie had inherited her father's chestnut-brown hair, which fell haphazardly in a longish-pixie or shortish-bob cut. Her piercing green eyes were fixed on her book, ignoring Nell's presence just a little too much. Hetty had already cleaned her fresh scrapes, but Nell noticed Natalie's newest injuries joined with several older scrapes and what looked like a two-week-old skinned shin. Her uniform polo was more than slightly rumpled, haphazardly tucked into chino shorts that partially concealed the young girl's surprising amount of muscle. Her khaki socks wrinkled before disappearing into suede Mary Janes. Somehow, looking at the kid reminded Nell of a comment among the team that while Callen wore a suit, the suit tended to wear Deeks. Come to think of it, the uniform looked as if it was wearing Natalie more than the other way around.
"Hey, Natalie," Nell greeted.
The girl shot her something between a cheeky taunt and an outright glare.
Nell gently reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Natalie."
Natalie shrugged the hand off, continuing to stare defiantly at the book. One glance at her eyes told Nell she wasn't reading, just testing to see how far the analyst could be pushed.
"Do you need a bookmark?" Nell asked cheerfully.
Natalie pressed her lips together before nodding. After a quick trip to her own downstairs desk, Nell handed over a lime-green index card, which Natalie inserted into the book before reluctantly closing it.
"Hi, I'm Nell." Another nod.
"Sam and Callen told me what happened back at your school. We want to help you, but I need you to tell me what was going on."
After a minute, Natalie nodded slowly before scooting closer to Nell.
"Those boys…wanted something I didn't have. Couldn't give it to them, but they said I was lying and they were going to hurt me if I didn't give it to them."
"Did they say…how they would hurt you?"
"In a way nobody else would know," Natalie quoted. "They have lots of people to do their dirty work. They've done it before."
"How long have these boys been threatening you?"
"Them? Only a few days. Their people have been at it all year." And with that, she clearly wanted the conversation over, because Natalie reopened her book and stuck her nose back in it.
Callen beckoned Nell to his desk. "Get anything?"
"Not much. The buys wanted something of hers she didn't have. They threatened to hurt her in a way nobody else would know, and she said they've done it before."
Callen leaned back in his chair, studying the ceiling. This entire situation was just a bit too close to home.
"Am I the only one who thinks that uniform is wearing her?" Nell asked.
"Nope," Callen replied. "It's almost like she's trying to act like something she's not."
"Yeah, I got that feeling too," Sam concurred. "Give her a few minutes and try again, Nell. We need to get to the bottom of this."
"Actually, I was thinking I could talk to her," Kensi cut in. "I have a sorta-idea what's going on."
Nell shrugged. "Be my guest. I'll go ask Nate if he has any insight. Anyone seen Hetty?"
Her inquiry was met with blank looks. "Oh boy," Nell breathed as she turned back to Ops.
xxxxxx
As Natalie finished her book, Kensi slipped over with two chocolate bars and a bottle of water. "Hi, I thought you might want a snack."
Natalie's face lit up as she took a bite of the bar. "Thanks."
"I can get some more if you're still hungry afterwards."
The girl nodded slowly. "I'm pretty hungry. Didn't eat much lunch."
Kensi asked gently, "Any particular reason?"
Natalie shrugged. "Not hungry, I guess. My stomach felt kind of sick at school, but it's better now."
"I was wondering if you might like to play a game. Something we play sometimes on team nights when we all go out to eat."
She shrugged, then smiled a little bit.
Within a few minutes, Kensi had gathered the entire team. "Since Natalie doesn't know the rules, and someone" giving a significant look to Deeks "undoubtedly needs a refresher course, here's how the game works. On your turn, you ask a question, and then everybody else has to answer it. You have to be honest, and no questions involving love lives or anything disgusting." She glared at Deeks.
"You're forgetting the most important rule," Deeks reminded.
"Which is?"
"Kensi always goes first."
Kensi grinned. "Okay, here's the question: if you had a day with absolutely nothing you have to do, what is one thing you would do?"
Deeks was first. "Surfing. Definitely surfing."
"Take my kids to the park," Sam replied.
Callen shrugged. "Probably go with Sam."
"I would surf," Eric concurred with Deeks.
"Ditto," Nell added.
"Skateboard," Natalie replied softly.
"Cool," Deeks told her, "I like skateboarding too! And…the question is…your favorite comfy outfit."
Sam smirked. "Henley and jeans."
"T-shirt and jeans," Callen replied.
"Um, what I'm wearing?" Eric asked. "So, that would be cargo shorts, tee and button down. And flip flops, of course."
"Favorite comfy outfit…hmm, probably track pants and a t-shirt," Nell added.
"T-shirt, hoodie, basketball shorts, and high-tops," Natalie specified.
"Jeans, tank top, and your sweatshirt," Kensi replied with a smirk towards her partner. "Sam, you're up."
"Favorite comfort food."
"Mac and cheese," Callen started.
"Spaghetti," Nell replied.
Eric scratched his chin. "Chicken noodle soup."
"Lasagna," Natalie added.
"Twinkies!"
"Kenz, Twinkies are not a comfort food," Callen replied.
"Says who?"
"Oh, whatever, you two," Deeks cut them off, "pizza."
"Okay," Callen conceded, "Favorite style of music."
"Electronic," Eric replied.
"Country," Nell added.
"Me, too," Natalie followed.
"Techno!" Deeks answered for Kensi, "and R&B for me."
"Rap," Sam finished, "just in case you hadn't figured that out, G."
Eric through for a minute before asking, "Okay, what's your favorite video game?"
Nell sighed. "More specific, Wolfram."
Natalie looked questioningly at Kensi, who rolled her eyes.
"Okay, just a favorite video—"
"game," Nell cut him off, "Assassin's—"
"Creed." Eric finished. "Three, to be specific."
Natalie thought for a minute before replying "Minion Rush."
Kensi smirked. "Connect 4, multiplayer."
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"Against me," Deeks added. "That's mine, too."
"Don't play video games, Eric," Callen replied.
"Only with my kids, so probably Mario Kart Double Dash," Sam finished. "Your turn, Natalie."
"Your favorite part of the day," she inquired.
"When we get off work, and I go home and eat," Kensi replied.
"Early morning, when the waves are great," Deeks countered.
"Anytime someone isn't trying to kill me," Callen deadpanned.
"Eating breakfast with Michelle and the kids," Sam added.
"I'm with Deeks, morning surf," Eric concurred, "but night surfing's great too."
"In the evening when we're all winding down and getting ready to head out, everything's just relaxed and laid back," Nell finished.
"So," Kensi returned to instructing, "the second round is either popcorn or fill in the blank. Popcorn you have to say the first response that you think of, fill in the blank you finish the quote. Natalie, your choice."
"Um, fill in the blank."
"Okay," Kensi started, "Traditional category is movie quotes, you say the type of movie." The agent left out that the looser usually had to buy the next round of drinks. "So, fill in the blank, from a romantic movie, 'Well, I do believe I—'"
"Owe this lady a dance," Nell finished. "Sweet Home Alabama."
"And that is two points for Nell!" Eric announced, taking over his traditional role of scorekeeper.
"Okay," Deeks considered, "'nother romantic movie, but an action scene, 'There's something I ought to tell you. I'm…'"
"Not left handed either," Callen finished. "Have to say, one of the best swordfights in film history, The Princess Bride. Aaand, the line is, from a romantic animated movie, "This is bad. This is bad. This is really, really bad…"
"They just can't get my nose right!" Natalie exclaimed. "Tangled!"
"Do I even want to know how you knew that?" Kensi asked Callen.
"My kids," Sam replied. "I dunno, action? 'If I stare at the post hard enough, it will burst into flames and melt."
"Now I'm concerned on a number of levels." Kensi finished. "Bolt."
Eric scratched his jaw. "Science fiction, "I had forgotten how much I—"
"hate space travel." Nell finished. "Star Wars IV, C3PO. Okay, romantic, 'Probably just some local fisherman—"
"Out for a pleasure cruise at night in eel infested waters," Sam finished. "Also Princess Bride."
"It's a new movie, fairy tale, I guess?" Natalie started. " 'Do you, Anna, take Christoph to be your—"
"trollfully wedded husband," Kensi finished. "Frozen. Game for another round?"
Natalie nodded.
"Musical, 'Moses supposes his toses are roses,'"
"But Moses supposes erroneously," Nell continued, "For nobody's toses are posies of roses as Moses supposes his toses to be. Gotta love Singing in the Rain."
"Okay, this one's action." Deeks followed. " 'I've gotta give you your dream shot. I'm gonna send you up against the best. You two characters are going—"
"To Ops," Hetty cut in. "All of you, Nate's waiting."
Natalie poked Deeks in the arm. "You two characters are going to Top Gun," she whispered, smirking.