Nell wasn't proud of herself.

She'd dealt with terrorists, cybercriminals, and arms dealers. She'd kept her cool under pressure, even when her life was on the line. But none of that mattered now.

Because there was a mouse in the burn room.

She had been kneeling by the file cabinet, sorting through old case files Hetty had mysteriously marked for "review," when she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. At first, she thought she was imagining things. But then—scurry, scurry, scurry—a tiny, gray blur darted across the floor.

Nell didn't think. She reacted.

With a startled yelp, she scrambled to her feet and launched herself onto the nearest available surface—the heavy wooden table against the wall. She landed awkwardly on her knees, one hand gripping the edge as she tried to steady herself. Her heart pounded in her chest as she scanned the floor, looking for the tiny menace.

Silence.

She squinted. Had she imagined it? No, she was sure she'd seen something. And now, it was somewhere in the room with her.

That was when the door opened.

Callen stepped inside, pausing just two steps in when he saw her. His gaze flicked from Nell—kneeling on top of the table like she was about to deliver a dramatic speech—to the empty floor, then back to her again.

His lips twitched. "Uh… you okay?"

Nell exhaled through her nose, giving him an extremely unimpressed look. "No. There's a mouse."

Callen raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "A mouse."

"Yes, Callen. A mouse. It ran right across the floor."

He studied her for a long moment, then tilted his head. "And instead of, Oh I don't know, stepping away like a normal person, you climbed onto the table?"

Nell folded her arms. "It was a strategic retreat."

Callen smirked, crossing his own arms. "Right. Totally normal reaction."

She huffed. "Are you going to help me or just stand there looking smug?"

He pretended to think about it. "I mean, I was going to help, but now I kind of want to see how long you'll stay up there."

She scowled. "I hate you."

"No, you don't." He walked toward the table, hands in his pockets, eyeing the floor with mild amusement. "Come on, Nell, it's just a mouse."

She gave a full-body shiver. "It has teeth and beady little eyes and it moves too fast."

Callen chuckled. "You do realize we work in counterterrorism, right? You stare down dangerous criminals for a living."

She threw up her hands. "Yes! And I do great at it! But a mouse doesn't follow logic. It doesn't respond to negotiation. It just scurries."

Callen let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Wow. Of all the things I thought might take down Nell Jones… a rodent wasn't on the list."

She shot him a glare. "Are you enjoying this?"

"A little, yeah."

Nell exhaled sharply. "You are insufferable."

"And yet, you still like me," he said with a grin.

She scoffed, shifting slightly on the table. "Highly debatable."

Callen glanced around, then crouched down, peering under the table.

"What are you doing?" Nell asked, instantly suspicious.

"Looking for your little nemesis."

"Don't—"

Callen reached out and knocked on the table's side, making a thunk sound. Nell flinched.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Seeing if I can get it to come out."

She turned pale. "Why would you do that?"

Callen smirked. "I thought we could all face our fears today."

She groaned. "You are the worst."

He grinned and stood up, dusting off his hands. "Relax. Looks like it's gone."

Nell narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." He stepped closer, extending a hand. "Come on, I'll help you down."

She hesitated before finally taking his hand. His grip was warm and steady as she carefully stepped down, keeping a wary eye on the floor.

The moment her feet touched the ground, she let out a long breath. "That was humiliating."

Callen smirked. "A little bit."

She jabbed a finger at him. "If you ever tell anyone—"

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Your secret's safe with me."

Nell sighed, rubbing her temples. "I need coffee."

Callen smirked. "You know, I was going to keep your secret, but now I'm thinking I deserve something in return."

She eyed him warily. "What kind of something?"

"Coffee," he said, grinning. "You buy, I stay quiet."

She groaned. "That's blackmail."

"No, that's negotiation."

Nell sighed but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Fine."

As they walked toward the door, she hesitated. "But if I see that thing again, you are personally dealing with it."

Callen chuckled. "Deal."