Hey everyone! So sorry about the delay. Here is the next installment!

Thanks,

Kenzie

After leaving Nell's house Callen and Sam drove back to OPS contemplating what Nell could have been doing with a gun and a suitcase in her possession. Nell on the other hand was exploring her options. She knew that the chances of her escaping were very small…which left her with making up a story. That would work only until Hetty realized what she had done and made her tell the truth. Nell felt like she had taken all of the precautions and had exhausted a lot of effort into her training so that she could be the one to take the man down…she didn't want someone else doing it for her. She had been the one to kill the innocent agent and she was the one who ultimately should avenge his death. Yes, it was true that Sam and Callen could handle themselves well thanks to their experience, but she felt like she needed to be the one to do this.

She was growing increasingly worried about what the team would think of her once she told them what she had done. Would they look at her different? Would they deem her a murderer? Would they shun her? Or would they just tell her that there was nothing they could do to help her and kick her out? Nell knew that they probably wouldn't kick her out to fight by herself, even though she felt like she had adequate training to do just that. It hurt that not only had Hetty showed up and told her she was going to tell the team what was going on, but that Callen and Sam had not trusted her enough to just let her be. Hetty had told her from the very beginning that the team only needed to know what Nell was willing to share with them. And she wasn't sure she wanted them to know about any of this. She felt like she had been betrayed by the one person who she had always been able to count on. She had spent the last couple of years hiding from him; she knew how dangerous he was. She also knew that she would be able to learn a lot being on the NCIS LA team. She would know how to stay off the radar and how to fight. These were two things she had lacked when this nightmare first started years ago. Nell knew that Jason would do what he had promised he would do, finish her off. She didn't want to put anyone else in harm's way. Nell had grown attached to everyone on the team and she didn't want to see anything happen to any of them. She knew that if she did indeed manage to make a run for it or if her unfortunate end that she had been able to delay finally did come that she would miss Kensi being like an older sister. She would miss the banter between Kensi and Deeks, and how they would never admit their feelings for one another. She would miss the brotherly spats between Callen and Sam who was the better agent and watching them try to outdo one another had always been priceless. More than anything else she would miss Eric, who would understand the technological aspect of the job and they both were always on the same wave length.

So after twenty minutes they arrived back at OPS. Nell was thankful that they took her here instead of the boat shed. Sam got out first and opened her door, "Ok Nell lets go." He noted how she looked anxious and nervous, "There is no need to be afraid or nervous. We just want to help you." They continued inside as Callen made a beeline to Hetty's filing cabinet. Sam leads her upstairs knowing that it would be best to keep her somewhere she would feel safe and comfortable. "Hey Eric I brought your partner in crime back. So why don't you to stay up here. I will go get everyone else and then we will hold a team meeting."

Nell had remained silent and it was driving Eric crazy so he stared at her hoping to get her to talk. Minutes passed and feeling extremely self-conscious Nell spoke up, "Would you please stop staring at me?"

"Why didn't you tell me that something was going on? I thought we were partners, I thought that we could talk about anything." Nell sat there and looked at him pretending she had no idea what he was talking about. After a few minutes of silence Eric asked the question again this time more demanding, "What is going on?"

"I really don't know what you are talking about Eric. Sam and Callen surprised me at home and Hetty wants me to say something when there isn't anything to say." She finished a little shaky and unsure of herself at the end but she hoped he would buy it. Nell knew that there was plenty that needed to be said but that she also knew she was not ready to open up just yet.

Eric just stood there staring at her trying to figure everything out. He knows what came out of her mouth is a complete lie and not anywhere near the truth but why she can't trust him or the others with what is going on is something he doesn't understand at all. He knows they can handle whatever it is that is going on and could help her out but why she doesn't want their help is what is troubling. He knows downstairs their all discussing the best way to approach it and the best methods to use to not only make Nell open up but to make her feel comfortable as well. After what seemed like forever, but was merely five minutes he walked to the chair beside her and sat down, "Nell I can see that something is bothering you. You should know that we all care for you and that we all stick together. We just want what is best for you. When someone on this team falls down, we all help that person up, you are no different. You might want to think that you have to fight this on your own, but you're wrong. We are all here for you and every single one of us will fight for you."

Nell sits shocked into silence. She doesn't know what to say. How could he say that they would be there for her having no idea what it was she was going to tell them? With nothing left to say she stood up to leave trying to hold back the tears that had been threatening ever since the note had arrived in the mail.

Meanwhile downstairs Callen flips through a folder that he took out of a filing cabinet and laid down on Hetty's desk.

"Maybe she was a secret spy and doesn't want us to know. I mean being held hostage in the kill house didn't faze her so clearly she has dealt with something like that in the past." Deeks said.

"It doesn't matter what happened, what matters is that we let her know that we are here for her and that we get her out of whatever situation she is in." Sam responded.

"So you think she was in an abusive relationship?" Deeks asked.

Callen shook his head, "Instead of being down here drawing conclusions let's just go talk to her." The team nodded and headed upstairs.

As the team walked in they saw Eric have ahold of Nell's arms as she hit him in the chest, "Just let me go! I'm not playing Eric. I'm leaving, right now!"

"Whoa! What is going on up here? Shall I go get some popcorn?" Deeks asked. Then he winced as Kensi smacked him.

Callen raised his voice, "Eric let her go." Nell stood looking around surprised that Callen had told Eric to let her go. Assuming that this meant she could indeed go she started walking towards the exit. Callen grabbed her arm, "And you are going to sit right here and explain to me what is going on."

"Why is it that everyone else gets to deal with things on their own and when it comes to me you guys can't just let it go?" Nell asked growing more irate.

"Miss Jones, the last four years you have dealt with it by running and hiding. Now it is time to fight and conquer. Clearly you have been unable to deal with it, so now we will help you do so. You are a part of this team and I don't want to lose you. So let's take a couple of minutes to calm down and gather yourself and then you can start from the beginning." Hetty replied calmly walking into the room.