The day had wound down, reports filed, gear put away, and the team was slowly filtering out of the bullpen. Nell slung her bag over her shoulder, Gerald the aloe plant cradled securely in her arms. She was just about to head toward the door when Sam stepped into her path, arms crossed and an amused yet knowing expression on his face.

"So," he said, glancing at the oversized holdall she was carrying, "before you embark on this little adventure of cohabitating with Callen, I feel obligated to give you a warning."

Nell raised an eyebrow. "A warning?"

Kensi, grabbing her jacket nearby, turned around with an intrigued grin. "Oh, this should be good."

Sam nodded. "See, Callen doesn't exactly have normal living habits. He has… quirks."

Nell tilted her head. "Like?"

Sam held up a finger. "First off, Callen doesn't sleep like a normal person. He takes these weird, random power naps instead of actually sleeping through the night. So don't be surprised if you wake up at three in the morning and he's just there—wandering around the kitchen or sitting in the dark like some kind of brooding ghost."

Kensi snorted. "It's very unsettling."

Nell frowned. "What's he doing at three AM?"

Sam shrugged. "Could be fixing something. Could be reading case files. Could be staring at the wall contemplating life. I don't ask anymore."

Kensi chimed in, "And he moves silently. So don't freak out if you turn around and he's just standing there."

Nell chuckled. "Okay, now you're exaggerating."

Sam gave her a look. "Am I?"

Kensi added, "Also, if you hear him muttering in Russian in his sleep? Just ignore it."

Nell blinked. "Wait—what?"

Sam patted her shoulder. "You'll see."

Before she could ask more questions, Callen appeared in the doorway, hands in his pockets. "You ready?"

Nell glanced between Sam and Kensi, who were both grinning way too much, then back at Callen, who looked completely unfazed.

With a resigned sigh, she nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

As she followed Callen out, she could still hear Kensi whispering to Sam, "I give it two nights before she calls you for backup."

Nell just shook her head. This was going to be an interesting few days.