Would like to thank each and every one of you, who are reading this story and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

Kenzie

Nell sat for several moments trying to compose herself and prepare herself for the questions she knew would inevitably follow. The team was talking among themselves about everything from the weather to the basketball game they had all played the night before. Nell could tell that they were trying to make her feel comfortable and give her the space she needed. She appreciated it more than they knew. Hetty sat down next to her, "I know that you don't want them to know and I understand why you are hesitant to tell them. But trust me, your fears and concerns are pointless. They will quite frankly act the complete opposite than you think they will act. None of us are going to turn our backs on you and no one is going to think any less of you once they know the truth….trust me."

With that Hetty cleared her voice and the team stopped talking and turned their attention to Nell. Nell was finding it hard to swallow and her mouth was incredibly dry. "I….uh….. I don't know where to start."

"Just start from the beginning." Callen told her.

"Well….I don't….umm..." Nell stopped and everyone sat waiting for her to continue. "I was living in Indiana with my family and I met this guy name Jeff." She stopped again and Sam glanced at Deeks remembering his guess of an abusive relationship. "He was an NCIS agent. We ended up engaged and moved out east to the NCIS Headquarters in Suffolk, VA. We were in love and had planned my dream wedding. My fairy tale had came true. Two months before the wedding Jeff came home and said he was going to have to hold a meeting at our house with his team. Saying that it wasn't safe at their office. I asked Jeff what time he was expecting them and he said a half an hour. There wasn't anything to snack on in the house so I told him I'd run to the grocery and pick up a couple of items. Then I left the house."

"When I came back home Anthony was already there and I assumed everyone else was on their way. I grabbed the two bags of groceries and I made my way into the house. When I opened the door I noticed Anthony lying on the floor. When he seen me he pleaded for help but I couldn't think about him or the fact that something was not right. All I could think of was the fact that I didn't see Jeff. I bent down and grabbed Anthony's gun and I promised him I'd be right back. I made my way to the kitchen and I saw Jason standing there with a gun to my fiancés head. I didn't know what to do, I just hoped I could delay him long enough that the rest of the team would have a chance to get there. I tried to stall him. I had always herd that it would help if I connected with him. So I tried to bond with him over his hatred of the government. I mean why else would he be a mole, if he didn't hate the government. Jeff yelled at me to run, but I couldn't. I knew now that I had seen Jason there was no way he was going to let me live anyways. I kept talking about how the government owed me something."

"He just laughed and said I knew nothing about him. I tried to keep him talking….I….I tried not looking at Jeff. Jeff told me to stop, to run, but I wasn't going to leave him. Jason put his finger on the trigger and told me the game was over. Before I could even think I aimed the gun I had gotten from Anthony and I fired." Nell stopped once again, and she looked up to the lights in the ceiling to stop from crying. Kensi approached her and leaned down and put a hand over Nell's as she gave her a reassuring smile.

Callen said, "Nell there is nothing to worry about what ever happened is now in the past we are your family here and we care about you." Nell looked from Kensi to Callen to Sam, Deeks, Eric and Hetty knowing that Hetty was right they wouldn't judge her for what happened.

"After I fired I expected Jason to fall to the floor, but he didn't. He just stood and laughed, it was then that I noticed that Jeff had gone limp in Jason's arms. I didn't know what to do, I stood shocked and before I knew it Jason laughed at me and then pulled his gun up and aimed. Everything was going in slow motion he opened his mouth and said that it was a shame he would have to shoot a pretty lady like me. Next thing I know, I felt a pain in my chest and I was finding it hard to breath. A minute later I heard the door open and knew that the rest of the team had arrived. I tried to call out to them and tell them that Jason was there but I couldn't find my voice. I heard shots being fired, but I couldn't tell where they were coming from. As I was laying there I could hear Chris say hang in there everything will be alright, just hang in there Nell. In the distance I could hear the sirens growing louder and I knew help was on the way. I remember I kept repeating Jeff's name and Chris told me he would check on him. Steve bent down and just kept telling me that it was going to be okay. I asked about Jeff and he told me to stay calm and relax. He put pressure on my chest and the pain was so intense that I lost consciousness."

"A couple of days later I woke up in the hospital not knowing completely what had happened. When a nurse walked in she was surprised I was awake and called for the doctor. When he came in he checked all my vitals and told me that I was doing a lot better. I had asked what happened to the others . I asked him where Jeff was. The doctor looked at me and replied that the paramedics had tried everything, but that they had died at the scene. They had me stay in the hospital for a couple more days to make sure that no complications would arise. During that time I heard from Chris a few times saying that he and Steve were going after Jason and that they would make sure that Jeff had not died in vain. The doctors made me go to all kinds of psychologists and stuff to work out my feelings and survivor's guilt over what had happened. It happened on base at our house, so I was in a military hospital. I wanted more than anything to get out and help Steve and Jason, but my psychologist seemed to think me being released would mean I would be a danger to myself or others. So instead of being locked up in a prison where I belonged, I was held prisoner in a hospital. "

Callen sat listening intently to what Nell was saying, "Nell, you didn't belong in prison. You were trying to save him."

"But, I didn't. A drunk driver accidently hits someone and kills them, they go to jail. I mise well have been a drunk shooter. A drunk driver is said to not be able to drive the car because he is impaired. Well I was impaired when I was holding the gun, I had no idea how to shoot someone. And I killed someone innocent and instead of being treated like the convict I was, I was hailed as a hero."

"Nell we've discussed this again and again. From the day that you woke up to the day you were released." Everyone turned to Nate who had walked in. Everyone seemed surprised that Nate knew what was going on and they looked from Nell and back to Nate.

"Nate and I met back in VA when he was working at a Navy Base Hospital and he was the one that cleared me to leave the hospital. He was the person who I had to talk to about everything that had happened." Nell explained.

"So what happened once you got released from the hospital?" Sam asked.

"Shortly after I was released I got word that Steve had been killed and no one had heard from Chris so I was scared. At that point in time I had moved back to Indiana. Since I was living at home with my family and afraid that Jason would find me...I ran...I didn't want them to be in harm's way. For years I kept running and hiding hoping that Jason would never find me. I was also hoping that Chris would get ahold of me, so I would know what had happened to him. He never did, so I just assumed he had went into hiding as well. Not long ago I decided to settle down here and not run anymore and I figured it was time to learn how to defend myself. So I started to go to shooting ranges and practice shooting a gun so that when the time came I would be able to handle myself. That is where I met Hetty she knew of the situation and offered her assistance, and at first I didn't believe her or trust her. But after the second meeting at the gun range I felt that I could trust her and she brought me here saying I would be an asset to the team. I thought I was prepared to face Jason and I thought I knew what to do, but when I got the letter I panicked. I've grown so accustomed to running that I thought that is what I needed to do. I didn't want you guys to get hurt or to know that I killed someone…." Nell's voice trailed off and Kensi was whispering to her.

Hetty waved at Callen to follow her. They went into the hallway, "Mr. Callen, I think you should know that before Chris went on the run, he confided in Nate that Jeff had been laying bleeding out and he had made Chris promise that Chris would take care of Nell. Chris asked Nate to protect Nell and said that he was going to go after Jason. Nate told him that he would keep an eye on her and Chris left. Nate is who put me in contact with Nell when she first arrived in LA. Chris died in a car explosion a week ago….Jason is the only suspect in his death. Nell knows none of this, and I think for now we should keep it that way. Mr. Callen, we need to keep her safe and we need to find Jason, there isn't another option."

"We will Hetty, we will." Callen replied looking into the room where Nell was still having a conversation with Kensi.