Author's Notes – Not mine...unfortunately.

I am very happy to see all the reviews for this story! I am enjoying reading your ideas and the way you are perceiving the storyline. It's been very helpful in giving me insight as to how others view the characters we all enjoy. While I have the map laid out for this story, I have come to learn everything in writing is fluid. What I think will happen when I start a story may well turn out to be only a small part of the overall work once it is complete.

This chapter is definitely smaller than those before it, but it happened to be a natural break in the story. I didn't want to mix too much present to past and then back to the present, but wanted to give Callen's thoughts during the exchange with Nell. So, you guys get a mini-chapter of sorts.

I hope you enjoy!

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Callen finds himself standing in the middle of the gun range at OSP finally having gotten himself under some semblance of control. It took entirely too many clips and he momentarily tries to tally up what he is sure will be deducted from his next pay. He has long since ceased replaying the events of the evening through his mind. Which is probably why he is calmer than he was when he arrived at his second home.

Hell, who is he kidding. It probably qualifies as his first home. More so than the one that holds what few belongings he owns. He spends more at this place than anywhere else. At least he had until Nell. He had landed on her doorstep after a particularly grueling case. His intent was to make sure she was alright. Give her a chance to talk if she needed. It really did start out as simply a team leader checking up on those under his command. Make sure the team was intact and functional.

She invited him in and talk they did. Though only the first few minutes were anything to do with the case. The quickness at which he found himself relaxed while sitting in her apartment that night became a feeling he wanted to repeat over and over again. One night turned into two when he showed up a couple of days later with food from her favorite restaurant. Callen had told her that first night that he knew the name of her favorite take-out restaurant and she hadn't believed him. So he proved it. The look of surprise was quickly replaced with a smile as she invited him in once again.

Before he knew it, they had fallen into a pattern. Always her place. One night he would bring food and another she would cook. She even got him to cook on some nights. And he found he enjoyed it immensely, though he is pretty sure it was the company more than the activity.

He has no idea what the hell happened over the last week. What had changed. He sensed she was more distant. She would just disappear into her mind for minutes at a time, but she was always quick to cover with something innoculous. She was tired or a case had just weighed heavy on her mind. Always a reason. He knew the reasons weren't true. That's when he realized he needed to be upfront with her. Tell her how he felt. He was afraid his unwillingness to put a label on this dance they were engaged in was the reason she seemed to be pulling away from him.

Now he is even more confused than ever. Callen knows his pitfalls better than most. He is well aware of his tendency to push away anyone who gets close. He doesn't know how to put himself out there. Be vulnerable. Everything he knows screams for the opposite. Now he has to interpret a language he can't speak.

When he got the text from Nell asking him to come over to her apartment, he was relieved. A weight lifted off his chest that was heavier than he had realized. When she answered the door all he could think to do was pull her into his arms. Find out where she had gone. Which is exactly what happened, then he saw Eric. The anger immediately returned. When he heard Eric tell Nell he was going to step out for them to talk, he tried to let go of all the thoughts running through his head. But then Nell told him to stay. Pleaded with him not to go. It wasn't just with words. Her eyes pleaded with him as well. Just one look and Eric knew how important is was to her that he not leave them alone.

Watching Eric's hand find its way along her cheek almost made Callen turn and walk out the door, but then her voice broke through before his legs could receive the command. Why the hell is she making this so formal? She quit asking him if wanted something to drink after the third or fourth day, they both knew he would get whatever he needed. Make himself at home, she had said.

After he pulled her over to the couch, he thought he would finally get answers. Except he was wrong. Because she couldn't talk to him. Correction, wouldn't. The option was there, but she had set it aside. All rational thought left his brain. He knew he was just lashing out in frustration, but he had to confirm the suspicions that were whirling around in his head that she had talked to Eric about what was happening.

When he heard the confirmation, he felt like everything was slipping away. She was falling away. Into the arms of another man who, for all intents and purposes, seemed like a much better fit for her. Even though he knew on a rational level, Nell didn't have romantic feelings for Eric. In that moment, all he saw was her running to him. And he had to find a way to stop her. Had to ask for help. Find out how to keep her from turning to Eric instead of him.

He felt the frustration rise again when she asked him to wait. Give her time. Callen knew the man she was describing wasn't him. Never in his life had he just waited while someone he cared about was hurting. It wasn't in his genetic make-up. He was the guy on the front lines running point. Except she had given that job to Eric.

The look on her face as the words he had spoke sank in almost made him re-think his decision to leave. Almost. But in the end, he was just too hurt to face anything else right then. He had let her into his heart and this was the end result. She chose Eric. He was her confidante. The first one she called when faced with a problem.

When he heard Eric call his name, his instincts prompted him to just keep moving. She made her choice. It didn't matter what words were said. Her actions had spoken loud and clear. Then Eric accused him of being unfair. The only thought that went through Callen's mind was how someone so damn smart could get things so wrong.

Then Eric added that Nell needed him. Needed Callen with her. That was probably the most absurd thing he had heard. He momentarily questioned how Eric could be this. Maybe if Callen just said it straight out Eric would finally get it. He didn't stick around long enough to find out if he had. Callen knew it would've hurt all that much more if he had stayed.