Sorry, I just couldn't resist, but I promise the cross-over reference is just in this chapter and only the first part of it. For those who don't know what I'm talking about: It all comes down to BeeEhVee's "Fluffy Hair and Nosy Bosses". Deeks and Danny befriended each other and over the years this friendship grew. But apart from certain team members, most don't know about their friendship.

To answer one of a guest's questions or better, to try and answer: I'm not sure if you want to know if Deeks is going to surf with Eric or Callen in this story (sorry, but the answer is no) or if you want to know why he isn't, which should be kind of obvious given the state Deeks is in right now…

And to another guest (or maybe the same): Brownies…

Chapter 9

Nell glanced at the ringing cell and considered her luck to be alone with some files and the incinerator which allowed her to take the call without fear of someone overhearing. She had needed a quiet place to mull over what Sam had told her and Eric this morning wondering if there was anything she could do to help Deeks.

"Detective Williams, this is Nell Jones speaking, what can I do..."

"Call me Danny and why are you answering Deeks' phone, Nell? What did the idiot do to himself this time that you have to monitor his calls? He would have told me in case he'd be out of touch for some time due to a mission. He didn't, so I knew something was wrong when he ignored Grace's message. I'm used to him sometimes ignoring mine, but never Grace's. Especially not when she sent him some brownies she made from my mother's recipe."

Nell, amazed that Danny remembered her after having met her just once and their short conversation on the phone in the middle of the night several months ago, was so stressed she did something she hadn't done for a long time – she started babbling.

"They were nice, the brownies I mean. Tasted great. He brought me a few that morning, as a late thank you after the nightmare. Grace's nightmare that is, not Deeks'. Then he went to a funeral. He was in a car accident. I mean Deeks, not the colleague they buried. He saved a mother and her child but had to jump in front of a car to do so and he was in hospital. Did you know there had been an average of 2,758 fatal collisions and 159,696 injury collisions in 2012? I couldn't find any more recent statistics on short notice. He's at Callen's now, but he is suffering from amnesia and no one knows for how long and if it doesn't get better he may have to leave Los Angeles, because it would be too dangerous for him to stay when he doesn't know friend from foe and…"

"Nell, breathe!"

The petite intelligence analyst took a huge breath and chuckled nervously.

"I'm sorry, but I babble when I get nervous. Haven't done it for a long time, but with all what had happed and …"

"Stop!" Danny interrupted but not unkindly.

Again the nervous chuckling, but before Nell could say a word Danny went on.

"No need to be embarrassed. With your babbling, my ranting, and Deeks' rambling we ought to have it all covered, don't you think? Amnesia, huh? At least that's kind of creative. Been done several times already, but, hey, why not stay with the classics? What else?"

"Bad cut on his left leg, but it's supposed to heal without side effects. Bruised ribs, well, bruised all over, but ribs got the worst of it. Slight concussion, but that's also on the mend already. Worst is and will be the amnesia. It's a so-called psychogenic amnesia, which means he doesn't want to remember. No one can say how long it will last." Nell took a shuddering breath after listing all of Deeks' injuries.

"Psychogenic amnesia? Sounds like something I want to have so I can forget who I work with." Danny chuckled. Then he continued with a more serious voice "Don't worry, Nell, Deeks will get better. He's too stubborn for it not to. It might take time, but I'm sure something will happen and everything will be fine."

"Thank you." Nell whispered. She hadn't acknowledged just until now how worried she was. It was good to hear Danny's kind assurances.

"You're welcome. And now I have to think about a revised version to tell my daughter. She's getting too old to be fooled with flimsy lies." A sigh "She's growing up too fast." Another sigh "Tell the idiot to call me once he got his memory back. I expect that call no later than the end of this month."

This incited a surprised laugh out of Nell as the end of the month was only about a week away.

"You're confident." Slipped before she could stop it.

"In his case I am. He's got Hetty at his back. She will find a way to make him remember if she needs to."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I will tell him. Thanks again."

"You're still welcome. Have a nice time. I have to quit, my partner is creeping close." with those departing words Danny ended the call.

Nell finished burning the files she brought with her, momentarily calmed by the short conversation. The calm stopped however when she was back at the main room and saw Hetty on the phone. She wondered who her boss was talking to, if it had anything to do with Deeks. Their liaison just had to get better. They couldn't lose another member of their team. To be precise, as long as Kensi was on a mission, there wouldn't be a team anymore if Deeks didn't regain his memory. That would be a harsh blow to them all. Nell wasn't aware she still stood at the foot of the stairs, lost in thought.

Hetty turned after ending her call with Nate, who had made true on his promise to give her a call to fill her in on his call with Callen and Sam. They had also discussed further options regarding Mr. Deeks' future care in case he didn't regain his memory, Nate vetoing some of the places Hetty had chosen, naming others instead. The operations manager was a bit surprised to find Nell at the foot of the stairs, cell phone clutched in her hands, looking a bit lost and desperate.

"Ms. Jones, a word?"

The analyst visibly shuddered and carefully made her way to Hetty after some deep breaths.

"Yes, Hetty?"

"Is everything alright, Ms. Jones?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You seemed a bit lost over there and I wondered what…"

"Danny called. Grace made brownies for Deeks and when he didn't call to say thank you she wondered what happened and made Danny call to check and I answered the phone as his number is rerouted to mine right now to take all the calls and…"

Hetty sighed. Nell hadn't done that kind of babbling for a long time. She must be really tired and upset for it to happen.

"Ms. Jones. How about you call it a day? I'm sure your work for today is already done. If it would make you feel better how about a short venture to Mr. Callen's place? He needs some files from his desk. You could bring them over and at this opportunity you could see for yourself that Mr. Deeks is well but for his amnesia."

Nell hesitated all for a moment. "I would like that, thank you." She finally said with a relieved look on her face and determination in her voice. "Thank you, Hetty." The women smiled at each other and after Nell fetched the files Callen needed she went on her way.

Callen wasn't really surprised to find Nell at his doorstep with the documents he had asked for in one hand, Monty's leash in the other. The dog gave him a lazy wag with his tail and sniffed the air coming out of his house. Not really an exuberant dog by nature he surprised them by suddenly pulling at his leash, gaining his freedom in the process. Claws clicking on the floor, leash tailing behind, Monty made his way to the couch and dropped his head into Deeks' lap with an audible huff.

Deeks, who had stared at the TV ignoring everything around for the last hour, started, tensed, and looked at the dog with a bewildered expression, tentatively moving to scratch his head. Monty's tongue flicked out and went over the back of Deeks' hand twice. Then the dog jumped up on the couch and practically plastered himself to Deeks' right side, his head in Deeks lap. Miraculously he had managed to avoid Deeks' hurt thigh in the process. With a contend sigh the mutt closed his eyes and relaxed.

"Well, don't you look cozy." Deeks said with an amused smile and scratched Monty behind his ears. "You know, I always wanted to have a dog as scruffy as I am. A dog no one else would want to prove them wrong later and show what they had missed by ignoring it. Its name would be Monty after Monty Hall. I liked his deals, kept me occupied some times." Monty yawned, turned around and presented Deeks with his belly. Deeks laughed and looked up "He yours?" he asked Nell who had followed Callen into the living room. They both had listened to his explanation with halted breaths, gaining some further insight to their liaison to add to their respective collections.

Nell took in Deeks' state. Now she could see for herself that he was going to be OK. The color of the visible bruises on his arms ranged from sickly green to pale yellow, not the dark purple and black she had envisioned in her mind. The scrapes were nearly healed all the way, not angry red and swollen. He wasn't ailing anymore, but healing. Everything was on the mend and now she was sure that his mind, given time, would follow the example his body set. Deeks seemed relaxed at the moment, his hands moving to pet the dog's belly with a familiarity he didn't seem to be conscious of. His right eye was startlingly blue due to the contrast of his still rather red sclera. When he continued to look at her expectantly she remembered his question.

"Oh, no, I'm just looking after him for a friend." She smiled and waved at am. "Hi, I'm Nell Jones."

"Hold on, I know you. I mean, I remember you from the photos Callen showed me. You're the intelligence analyst." Nell nodded with an enthusiastic grin which Deeks couldn't help but smile at.

"Well, and that's about all I know, I'm afraid." Deeks smiled again, but this time it didn't reach his eyes. His gaze went back to Monty who had started to rather enthusiastically roll around the couch and climbing Deeks' lap. When the dog hit a sore spot Deeks hissed and curled protectively into himself. Immediately the rolling stopped, Monty sat up and gave Deeks a disturbingly probing look. If he could talk the question would have been "What's the matter?"

"It's a little sore."

Monty appeared to roll his eyes, "clearly" he seemed to say. His head pulled back in a way that looked like he was raising his eyebrows to ask why.

"Hit by a car." Deeks lifted a shoulder.

Monty growled as if to say "Been there." The dog slid to the side and settled into a spot where Deeks could reach his belly but avoided Deeks' tender spot. They released simultaneous contented sighs. Neither man nor dog took any more notice of the other two with them in the room.

Nell and Callen shared a look. "Good plan, Nell." Callen whispered which Nell acknowledged with a dip of her head. He walked her out and she left feeling better.

When Callen came back with a bag of dog food in one arm and two bowls in the other Deeks was staring with huge eyes at the dog's name tag. He must have found it when he had freed Monty from the leash the dog had managed to wind around himself when frolicking on the couch. "It says Monty." The man told him in a bewildered manner.

"So it does." Callen confirmed calmly, placing bag and bowls in the kitchen, filling one of the bowls with water while he was at it. 'The things one does to help a team mate.' He mused while doing so. 'Not only do I furniture my home, now it seems I'm housing a dog, too.' Looking back at a still bewildered looking Deeks he amended 'To help my little brother.' And no one else but Deeks would get him to admit the last part aloud ever.

"What is it?" he finally asked despite everything slightly amused by Deeks' impersonation of a gold fish.

"So I'm the friend? Nell said she was looking after him for a friend. I'm this friend?"

"Yep, you are." Callen stated in matter of fact tone. "And don't sound so surprised, you do have friends who are willing to help you. The little guy here missed you, though, so she brought him over."

As Monty chose that moment to jump up again and give Deeks some energetic licks right over his face, the man was inclined to believe that statement. "Looks like I failed to train you properly in some regards, he?" Deeks chuckled and both men outright laughed when Monty buried his head under his paws leaving only his white snout to be seen as if he felt ashamed after hearing those words.