Unexpected Connection

Sam and Callen left the office were getting ready to drop Callen off at his place.

"Do you think I'm blind G?"

"Well I hope not Sam considering you're driving." Replied Callen

"That's not what I meant G and you know it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Sam."

"G. I'm not the only one who can see it.

"See what Sam."

"Nell." Said Sam simply

"Well considering none of us are blind I'm pretty sure we all see Nell." Said Callen

"I'm saying that things have been different with you and Nell since her shooting. You act different around her. You're more protective, you connect more with her than I have seen you connect with anyone else, ever. Do yourself a favour G. Don't ignore this. Don't run away from it. I think it will be good for you. I think Nell would be good for you."

Callen sat and thought for a moment. Did he really want say anything to Sam? He'd practically already guessed anyway.

"She was having nightmares Sam. The night I went over there to talk to her. I stayed with her she woke up yelling. She thought I was dead, you were dead, and everyone was dead. I held her, but she was still having the nightmares even though she didn't wake up. She had opened up to me; she hadn't done that without anyone Sam. Hetty thought it was a good idea for me to help Nell through this atleast until she was ready to talk to Nate. When we left the mission she didn't want to go home, said she'd been couped up too much. We went to the beach. I told her there were things that I needed to tell her, important things. But I told her that it could wait, she pressed the issue, saying it was important. I told her that getting her better was important."

"And" said Sam

"And she walked off, she kept saying she was broken, she was rambling saying she was broken and that she would never be the same again and I kissed her."

"You what!" Said Sam

"I kissed her. I needed her to know how I felt. She kept saying she was broken and I knew she wasn't."

"I never knew you could be so bold, when talking, well in your case showing your feelings. You're not exactly known for it. Alright well was she upset?"

"She was more confused. She didn't think I thought of her in that way. I asked her why she would be surprised. She's a smart, intelligent beautiful woman.

"So where are you two at right now?" asks Sam

"We decided that we were going to put "us" on the back burner until Nell was stopped having the nightmares, get her back to work full time and then we decided we were going to figure out "us"."

"So what's the problem?" Said Sam

"That text message you were harassing me about?" Said Callen

"Yeah? The one from Nell." Said Sam

"Well she has been nightmare free for the first time in the last couple of days, which don't get me wrong is great. Nate just cleared her to go back to work, well supervised by Nate atleast for the next week."

"And now you two can talk about what this means for you and you're nervous."

"I'm not nervous." Said Callen unconvincingly.

"It's okay to be nervous G. It's unfamiliar territory for you.

"I just don't want to do anything to make her worse Sam. I don't want to screw this up."

"G, in all the time I've known you. You've never expressed yourself like you have with Nell; you've never wanted to invest in a relationship. Deep down I know you want this to work. I can see it in you G. You won't screw this up."

"Thanks Sam."

Callen got out of the car. "G"

Callen looked at Sam. "Don't hurt her."

Callen smiled. "I won't Sam. Thanks."

Sam drove away from Callen's smiling. Finally G Callen, giving love a chance!

An hour later Callen got in his car and headed over to Nell's. He knocked on the door and she welcomed him in.

"Hi"

"Hi. How are you doing?" he asks.

"Doing, good little nervous to be heading back to work, but otherwise good."

"So, are you ready for my famous Arroz Con Pollo."

"Famous huh."

"Yep, famous. You are going to love it. So make yourself useful grab a beer, and one for me."

Callen chuckled, he knew she could be forthright sometimes but it still shocked him, it was only second time since everything that happened that he had seen her like this. He sat a beer down in front of her.

"Thanks." She said

"So can I help with anything?"

"Nope, it's almost all done."

"Well I feel a little useless now don't I."

"Don't worry I'm sure you can make it up to me later." She said with a cheeky smile as she started to serve the food."

Callen took this a cue to take things a little further. He came up behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist. "Or I could make it up to you now." He said

Nell turned around to face "Hmmm and miss out on my famous cooking."

"I'm okay with that." He smiled.

"I'll bet, but no dessert before dinner." She smiled

Callen knew he wouldn't win this. "Alright" he said

They sat down and had dinner and had good conversation better Callen wanted to know about Nell and asked her questions about her family, her life growing up, questions to answers he wanted to know about her.

20 minutes later they finished dinner and moved their dishes back into the kitchen.

"Well you were right that was amazing." Said Callen

Nell smiled and pulled him into a kiss.

"I'm ready for dessert." She said after breaking the kiss.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm sure." She said.

Callen smiled and pulled her into a deep kiss. Nell broke the kiss and headed into her bedroom, striping off her jacket along the way

Callen smiled and followed her in