So I've had a terrible case of writers block and it took me forever to write this chapter. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with it and waited so patiently for my update :)

When Callen arrived back at Nell's apartment armed with ice and Thai food, he knew he had to explore whatever this 'thing' was that seemed to be going on. He just had to go about it in a way that didn't leave him exposed. There was a lot more at stake than the potential embarrassment of having misunderstood Nell's feelings. If things went wrong, it could put the future of whole team at risk. His team was what held Callen together and the thought of losing that stability was unsettling to say the least.

Almost two hours after first returning home from their run Nell was settled on the couch and finally somewhat comfortable thanks to a large bag of ice wrapped in a kitchen towel wedged between her right leg and the back of the couch. If nothing else, the ice was at least numbing the aches and pains. Callen was sprawled out in the armchair opposite her, finishing off a box of noodles. She didn't mean to but she was staring at him. He had never been inside her apartment before and she was amazed at how at home he could make himself. He looked like he just belonged there. He hadn't felt the need to make awkward small talk but the silence wasn't uncomfortable either.

"You sure you don't want anymore?" he asked, tilting the box towards her.

"I'm sure." Nell nodded as she adjusted the bag of ice. Her leg was well and truly numb and the cold had slowly been spreading up her body. She rubbed her arms to bring a little warmth back into them and looked about for a throw she knew she kept close by.

"You alright?" Callen asked as he paused mid bite, noticing her movements.

"Just cold – the ice." Nell told him. "I have…" she sat up a bit and began pulling the cushions off the couch to look for the throw. "…a throw around her somewhere." Callen put the box of noodles down on the coffee table and rose to his feet, crossing the room in just a couple of strides. He peered behind the couch and found what she was looking for. It was a red, brown and orange crocheted throw which matched the décor of the room. It was very much Nell's style, he thought.

"This it?" he asked, holding it up.

"Yes." Nell smiled. She held her hand out but instead of passing it to her, Callen walked around, sat down on the edge of the couch beside her and proceeded to wrap the throw around shoulders, tugging it close around the front and letting his hand brush down her bare arm causing her to shiver.

"Thank you." She replied quietly as she lifted her gaze to meet his. They locked eyes for a just a moment and Nell felt her breath catch in her throat. He was looking at her with such intensity she wondered what he was thinking, what he was going to do. But all too quickly his gaze shifted.

Callen tore his eyes away from Nell and let them fall on a photograph sitting in the middle of the mantle over the fireplace a few feet away.

"Your family?" he asked, looking at the photo. Nell turned her head and followed his gaze, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Yeah, taken the week before I moved here." She nodded. "They threw me a going away party." A little laugh came out as she remembered the event and the fun she had.

"You have a big family." Callen noted the number of people in the picture.

"I do." She nodded. "I miss them a lot, and it's hard, not being able to share with them what I really do."

"What do they think you do?" he asked, leaning a little closer to her.

"TV News editor." She replied, a little shyly.

"Interesting choice." Callen smiled back. "Better than Kensi's curator at a gallery cover."

"It's just hard, lying to family…you know." She nodded.

"Actually I don't." Callen sighed and pulled back from her a little.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't…I mean you don't." Nell covered her mouth with her hand, aware she was putting her foot in it. She knew Callen didn't have any family yet she had stupidly let those words slip out.

"It's okay Nell." He reached out and placed his hand over hers in her lap. "I may not have blood family, but I have family." He told her, his small smile putting her at ease. "My team is my family." He saw Nell was staring at him intently. "Hetty, she's like the mom, Kensi and Sam are like my brother and sister, Eric…" Callen cocked his head to the side and frowned a little. "Well, Eric is like the annoying cousin your parents force you to spend your summer with." Nell laughed loudly at the comparison.

"What about Deeks?"

"Deeks is a bit like the family dog – he needs a lot of attention and has to be kept on a short leash." Callen laughed.

"So what does that make me?" Nell asked as she tried to ignore the fact that Callen's thumb was stroking the skin on the back of her hand. She wasn't sure he even knew he was doing it because he was focused on her.

"I don't know Nell, I'm still working on that one." Callen replied. There was an awkward moment of silence between the two before Callen pulled his hand away and glanced at his watch.

"I should actually be going. Sam's expecting me soon. I promised him we'd go for beers tonight." He rose to his feet, not missing the flash of disappointment that crossed Nell's face as he spoke.

"Oh, okay." Nell nodded. "Thank you, for everything you did for me today." She gave him a warm smile and made to get up.

"No, don't get up." Callen stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "I can see myself out. Remember to alternate ice and heat tonight, and tomorrow you should make sure you move around or you'll be really stiff. Trust me." He added with a knowing look. He had banged himself up enough times to know what worked.

"Thanks for the advice." She grinned.

"And if you need anything, you can always call." He turned to leave, but stopped himself. After taking a deep breath, Callen leaned down and gently kissed Nell's forehead. "Goodnight Nell." He headed out of the lounge and down the hall, casting one last glance back in time to see her touch her head where he kissed her with a look of confusion on her face.

Nell spent the remainder of the weekend torturing herself by replaying everything had happened with Callen. The way he had cared for her in the aftermath of the fall, the kiss to her cheek, the kiss when he left, the words he said, in particular that he didn't know where she fit into is pseudo family. She figured she would have to find a way to help him decide that and that meant she had to step things up a notch. Callen was a decisive man when it came to work but she was getting the impression that his personal life wasn't so clear cut and he might just need a little help.

Having followed Callen's advice on treating her aches and pains, when Monday rolled around Nell was still a little sore but she was walking almost normally. But there wasn't much she could do about the very visible graze on her elbow or the cut on her cheek and as she arrived at the office, she prepared herself for questions from her colleagues and what Callen might say or do.

Walking through the arch and into the bullpen, Nell could feel the eyes of everyone on her; everyone's but Callen's. She didn't know if he was deliberately ignoring her ir really just hadn't noticed her coming in.

"Morning." She greeted the agents cheerfully.

"Nell? What happened?" Sam was the first to ask. He had that 'big brother' look in his eyes and she immediately thought back to how Callen described Sam as his brother. She could tell Sam was concerned and she subconsciously lifted her hand to her cheek and brushed her fingers against the now healing cut, inadvertently showing the dressing on her elbow also.

"This? It's nothing. I just had a little fall in the park at the weekend." She explained, but she noticed he didn't look convinced as his eyes scanned her face and arm. "Really, it's nothing." She assured him. "A good Samaritan came to my rescue." She chanced a look over at Callen and saw he was smiling but he wasn't looking back at her, his gaze focused on the newspaper in front of him.

"Good Samaritan?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow. Nell could tell he was wondering who this mysterious stranger was and if he posed any threat to her - she thought it was sweet that Sam was looking out for her.

"Uh huh." She nodded with a sly smile. "Anyway, I'm going to head upstairs." She drew her words out and started towards the stairs. "Lots to do, the world to save and all."

"Does she seem different this morning?" Deeks asked when Nell was gone.

"You mean perkier than normal?" Sam asked with a laugh.

"Maybe it's the good Samaritan?" Kensi offered.