Yeah, yeah, I know it's been a while since I updated this file but I had a little time to work on it. So here it is.

Enjoy

Chapter 16

Eric sat quietly in the courtroom awaiting his arraignment. He was both uncomfortable and nervous at the same time. The discomfort came from being told by his lawyer to wear slacks and a nice shirt. The buttoned down dress shirt he didn't mind, it was the dress slacks he was wearing that were driving him crazy. But he had really no choice in the matter if he was going to get any kind of bail and so he had to look good before the judge. Eric had argued and whined with his lawyer about what he was to wear in court but his lawyer had made it perfectly clear, "if you show up in shorts and flipflops, the judge is going to not only throw you in jail but order a psych eval as well and I don't think you want that." Eric recalled the guy saying. "For God's sake this is federal court, not municipal court and what you and your co-worker did has seriously pissed off a lot of people on both coasts." So Eric had lost the argument and had been forced to dress up a bit to show some respect and the fact that he was taking the matter seriously. It had taken Eric nearly a week for the whole thing to sink in as to what he and Callen had done.

When Eric was first taken into custody, he had been allowed to call his lawyer and with his lawyer present told the FBI nearly everything. He had forgotten to mention that he had also gotten a hold of social security numbers, birth dates, and credit card information for not only Nell, but members of Nell's family and friends and had saved those on his tablet. That was until one of their cybercrimes geniuses found it while searching it. Eric still remembered that conversation and it had derailed a possible plea deal his lawyer was trying to work out with the US Attorney's office and the DA's office out of New York City.

Flashback

"So is that everything," the FBI agent asked.

"Yes," Eric replied tiredly.

"Then how do you explain our cyber geeks finding personal information on your co-worker, her family and friends on your computer."

"What do you mean," Eric asked.

"That's what I would like to know," spoke his lawyer.

"I'm taking about names, DOB's, social security numbers, and credit card numbers. Of not only the co-worker you tried to get out of the New York City Marathon but her family and friends." The agent said, not to amused that the blonde sitting in front of him wasn't totally forthcoming.

Eric couldn't respond, he was trying to come up with a good explanation but couldn't.

Noticing Eric's sudden silence he pounced. "Unless you want identity theft added to the charges, you had better come clean now,' he nearly shouted at him.

Eric knew he shouldn't have gathered that information. Even worse, Hetty and Nell would probably kill him once they found out. But he had done it anyway. Maybe it was to find out more about her since he didn't know much and Nell was never forthcoming about her private life anyway. He should have known that Nell was not really interested in him, but he kept trying to impress her but not succeeding. With no real explanation he spoke, "I don't really know why I gathered that information. I shouldn't have but I did. It wasn't just what was on my tablet, but one day I did put software on her phone when she wasn't looking. I know I shouldn't have done it. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell her that but I can't since I don't know why I did it in the first place."

End Flashback

Now he was sitting in a federal courtroom awaiting his arraignment. His lawyer had been informed of the charges and they were pretty serious. When it came his time he stood with his lawyer and just listened.

"Hacking, one count of attempted hacking … counts identity theft … stalking, …" the DA was saying.

Eric looked at his lawyer surprised by the stalking and identity theft charges. "What …" Eric whispered to his lawyer.

"The lawyer horridly whispered back, "I'll explain it to you later but they were tagged on after the information found on your computer, and what you admitted to putting on that girl's phone. "

All Eric could do was sigh and slouch his shoulders. He knew he had really screwed up but he didn't expect the stalking charges but then again they were added based on what he had said when he was first questioned.

"And how does the defendant plead," asked the judge.

"Not guilty," replied Eric's lawyer.

Eric wished he'd had the chance to talk to Deeks but the blonde LAPD officer wasn't giving him the light of day period and, he was still recovering and on medical leave.

"And on bail,"

Eric listened as the lawyers argued it out before the judge. Finally the judge made his decision. "Considering the fact that the defendant has cooperated in regards to the hacking but not stalking and identity theft charges, bail is set at $50,000 and if Mr. Beale should make bail, he is ordered not to have access or use a computer of any kind that includes tablets or any kind of electronic device so your smart phone is out as well. He is also not to have any contact whatsoever with the alleged victim in the case either electronically, by phone, written, in person or through friends, family or co-workers he is also to stay 100 yards away from her. Any violation of this order and your bail will be revoked. Do you understand?"

"Yes your honor," Eric responded

"One other thing, I am also ordering monitoring with an ankle bracelet."

Eric thoroughly didn't like that idea but he would accept it whether he liked it or not. Besides he had hurt Nell and he knew it.

When Eric left the courtroom, he scanned the room to find Hetty there and he thought he saw Nell leaving. But the look in Hetty's eyes as they made eye contact was frightening. She was livid and Eric knew he had thoroughly pissed her off. If there was one person on the planet he was afraid of, it was Hetty.

After posting his bail he was fitted with an ankle monitoring bracelet and then released. When he walked out, he found both his lawyer and Hetty waiting for him. He felt nervous and his mouth went dry at the sight of his diminutive boss. When he reached them he greeted his lawyer, "Jack thanks for your help."

"No problem we need to meet to discuss your legal option and look over this," he handed some legal documents to him.

"What's this," he asked.

"It's a court order barring you from having any contact with anyone from NCIS," spoke up Hetty.

"Hetty, I'm .."

"Save it Mr. Beale, I'm also here to inform you that your service will no longer be needed at NCIS," spoke Hetty. "Both you and Mr. Callen have been suspended indefinitely.

I'm being fired! Eric couldn't believe his ears. He knew what an indefinite suspension meant, it was tantamount to being fired from NCIS. Eric knew, he could never go back to the job he lived.

"Yes, Director Vance made that decision after the list of charges were announced at your arraignment." She said. "And your personal effects will be sent to you."

"Hetty I never meant to hurt anyone especially Nell," he said trying to explain.

"Well Mr. Beale in light of what has been discovered I have to ask you this one question. How many other NCIS employees do you have personal identifying information for?"

Oh shit! She thinks I've stolen others identities as well. "None."

"Well I can't trust that answer," she replied.

"May I ask why," spoke up Jack, Eric's lawyer.

"Because after what was discovered on your work tablet, the FBI is conducting a search warrant of your home at this very moment. I'm also going to have to inform the whole of NCIS to do credit checks on all their accounts to be sure none of their financial and other information has not been compromised by your client."

"Hetty I'm sorry," Eric said.

"It's a little too late for that Mr. Beale. You should of said no to Mr. Callen's request to get Nell out of the New York City Marathon and told me but instead you went ahead and deleted her entry along with some other random entries as well as cancelled her family's hotel reservations. Needless to say, the Jones's family is not very happy with either you or Mr. Callen at the moment."

"Hetty, I tried to restore the information but I was blocked."

"Because, the FBI was already on the case and to you."

Eric couldn't say anything. He had really screwed up and now he was out of a job.

"Now if you two gentlemen will excuse me, I need to get back to work," Hetty said leaving the two men standing there.

NCISLA

When Hetty got back to the mission, she found Sam, Deeks, Kensi, Nate and Nell talking quietly at the team's area. It appeared they were filling Deeks in on the events that had transpired after the Fourth of July holiday.

"I don't believe this," Deeks was blurting out. "They actually did this."

"Yeah, and Vance suspended them both indefinitely," said Nell who already knew about the suspensions. Nell could have sworn she saw the guys flinch. Indefinite suspension meant you were basically fired.

"Wow I hadn't heard that one yet," spoke up Kensi. "When did that happen?"

"As soon as Eric's arraignment was over and Hetty called Vance to inform him of what the FBI had discovered."

"Ouch, good thing I wasn't there for that," chimed in Deeks.

"Same here," chimed in Nate.

"Yeah well Hetty had to hold her phone away from her ear, you could hear his outburst quite literally," said Nell.

"So what happens now," asked Sam.

"Everyone one of you is to run a credit check on all of your personal information and accounts," came Hetty's voice as she approached them. "Ms. Jones I assume you and your family and friends have already done this?"

"Yes Hetty, already done."

"Why Hetty," asked Kensi.

"As we speak the FBI is executing a search warrant of Mr. Beale's home. They suspect that Mr. Beale has stolen identities of other NCIS employees," she said.

"Wait, he stole your identity," Sam said shocked, looking at Nell.

"Apparently so," replied Nell.

"And so they think our identities might have been stolen ... just great," blurted out Deels not too amused.

"Apparently that is a very good possibility," cane Assistant Director Owen Granger as he headed towards the group.

"There goes my credit score," Deeks said to no one in particular.

Nate actually had to agree with the blonde detective.

"That could be true if it is discovered that Beale has stolen your identity and used it," replied Granger.

"Or sold it on the web," replied Sam.

"Or even worse, used it to open accounts in our names." replied Nate.

"Bugger," replied Hetty.

"You can say that again Hetty," replied Granger not amused either.

"Why thank you Owen." she replied. "So I see you've spoken to Vance?"

"Yes, and he's given both myself and Assistant Director Craig the go-ahead to notify everyone in NCIS of the possibility of identity theft by one of our own who is now no longer with this agency," referring to Eric.

"I see," she replied.

"Great," Sam muttered. Michelle is going to love this one. Thinking of his wife who is CIA.

"So consider yourselves notified," spoke Granger.

"Got it," they all replied.

"Now I assume, Nell has informed you of the indefinite suspensions of both Mr. Beale and Mr. Callen," Hetty asked the group.

"Yeah, Hetty," replied Kensi.

"Yes," spoke up Nate.

"Uh huh," replied Deeks.

"Yeah Hetty, but does G know," Sam asked.

"I notified Mr. Callen's lawyer and he said he would inform him when he sees him later today at the federal holding facility," Hetty replied. Everyone knew that Callen had been denied bail since he was considered a flight risk due to his history of working with the CIA for which he was given training on how to disappear and the fact that he is multilingual and has contacts everywhere who could possibly help him.

"Yeah, and I know he isn't going to take it well,"

"I'm aware of that Sam but his big mistake was talking Eric into this mess in the first place and then not cooperating at all with the investigation."

"Yeah, I heard Eric gave him up," spoke up Kensi.

"Mr. Beale is cooperating but the unexpected discovery of stolen identities on his tablet has complicated matters." replied the tiny woman.

"Yeah," Kensi said noticing Nell's discomfort at the matter. She must feel betrayed by what Eric's done. She was saying her head. Maybe later Kensi could get together with Nell and just talk this whole mess was unnerving for everyone especially Nell.

Kensi wasn't the only one thinking about Nell, so was Nate. Hetty had brought him back to LA to help Sam and Deeks recover from their recent ordeal regarding stolen Nukes and their capture and torture. But then the hacking case involving both Eric and Callen came up just after the holiday and now it just wasn't the entire team that had been thrown into turmoil but the whole LA office. So Nate had decided to stay and help out with the unsettling thought that the entire LA office felt betrayed by what the two had done. Nate was trying to map out a plan to talk to not only Nell but everyone else here as well. But Nate knew this was just the tip of the iceberg. Once word got out, he would have to work with other operational psychologists and counselors in the agency since this whole mess would no doubt upset more than a few people. That meant coming up with a plan that everyone can work off in dealing with this mess. But first things first, he would talk to Nell since she was the victim in this case and at the moment was feeling very betrayed and hurt by what Callen and Eric did.

A short time later, Nate found the opportunity to speak to Nell in private arose and he took it. The two were in a quiet corner at the mission speaking quietly.

"How are you holding up?" Nate asked.

"not that good, Nate." She sighed. "I keep running it all through my mind as to why Eric and Callen would do this. I mean, I'm so confused."

"That's understandable Nell."

"Yeah, you're right but I just don't understand why they did it. I mean .. what did I do wrong? Was it because I was a runner …"

"No you have to know it wasn't you, you did nothing wrong but just be you. "

"Yeah I know, but I still feel like I've been punched in the stomach and it doesn't feel good."

Nate could say nothing to that. Nell was on the verge of achieving her dream of running in the New York Marathon later this year and Eric and Callen have knocked those plans askew at the moment. All he could do now was just be there for her. He watched as Nell slid down to the floor, pull her knees up to her chin and cry. Nate sat down next to the petite red head and pulled her so she was leaning against him and just let her cry it out saying nothing but just being there for her.

Kensi found them there on the floor against and her heart just broke. She really wanted to kill Callen and Eric after what the two had done to Nell. She gave Nate a knowing look and joined them taking a seat on the other side of Nell. Nate noticed the plastic bag Kensi had with her and was wondering what was inside but he would ask later.

After what seemed like an eternity Nell finally settled down she looked at her two friends mumbling a "Thanks," to them.

The two didn't have to say anything they understood. Nell glanced over at Kensi and noticed the bag. "What's that?"

Kensi reached into the bag pulling out a hammer and Nell's old cell phone. When the FBI informed her that Eric had admitted to putting spyware on the phone, Nell had immediately turned off her phone and with Hetty's help had gotten a new phone as fast as she could. Seeing the old one, a mischievous grin came to Nell's lips. "I know where we can go to take care of that phone," the red head spoke. The three got up and went to a work table in the armory. Setting the phone down on the table, she took the hammer from Kensi and repeatedly smashed the phone until it was in pieces. Nell looked at the carnage with a satisfying smile. While Nate and Kensi smiled with approval.

Nate scooped up the remanence of the phone and dumped it in the bag Kensi was holding. Kensi then tied it the bag closed saying, "I'll take care of this," walking out of the armory up the stairs through the building, past Sam, Deeks, Hetty and Granger who were wondering what was in the bag she was holding and out the rear of the building to where the dumpsters were and threw the bag containing what was left of the phone in the trash with a satisfying yelp.

TBC ...

You are welcome to R&R.