THUNDER AND STORMS
by MioneAlterEgo

DISCLAIMER: As if the Powers That Be would ever let me near these characters…

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks as always to the one and only imahistorian (aka Mel!), who always hands me just the right sword with which to slay the dragons of insecurity, or at least shut them up for a while. Thanks also to Angela6257, who helped shake the plot bunnies loose from their hiding places! I owe both these fabulous ladies a round of the adult beverage of their choice.

This is just a character study piece. It picks up with Nell and Callen already in a relationship (though still in the early stages). Hope you enjoy!

With a loud crack of thunder, the electricity cut out completely, plunging her small apartment into darkness. Nell sighed. The backup battery power on her laptop had kicked in (Thank God, she thought), and by the light of her cellphone she was able to dig a small lighter out of her kitchen drawer and light a few candles around her living room and kitchen.

A blinding flash of blue-white light illuminated the space seconds before a loud boom shook the walls and windows. Nell forced herself to draw in a slow, deep breath and walk (rather than run) back to her sofa. She'd never been the type to scare easily, and logically she knew she was in no real danger from the storm, but being alone without electricity in the maelstrom was a little unsettling. She pulled a small throw pillow into her lap, checked the battery backup on her laptop, and resumed typing on the report she'd been revising. It was at that moment that she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye through the living room window.

Someone was standing outside her front door.

The blinds were closed, so she knew that whoever was there would not be able to see inside. Moving slowly, she reached for her purse where it had fallen forgotten next to the sofa and pulled out the can of pepper spray she kept inside. A firm, decisive knock on the door startled her, causing her breath to catch in her throat and tighten her grip on the small, metal canister, but the same breath rushed out in a sigh of relief when she heard a familiar voice on the other side.

"Nell? Are you home? It's me."

She padded quickly over to the door and gave a cursory glance through the peephole before releasing three locks and pulling open the door. Her visitor glanced at the can of pepper spray still clutched in Nell's grasp, and he chuckled as he threw a smirk at her.

"Expecting company?"

"No, actually, that's why I came armed. Callen, what are you doing here?" The irritation in her voice gradually melted into relief as she spoke, and she stepped aside to allow him into her living room. She ran a hand through her hair as Callen shucked off his rain-soaked jacket and hung it behind the door, watching her all the while.

"Did I scare you?"

"There's a difference between being scared and being startled. Like I said, I wasn't expecting company," she grumbled.

"Well then, sorry I startled you. I was driving back from Sam's, and the evening news guy on the radio said the storm was causing some power outages, so I wanted to come make sure you were alright."

"You couldn't have called first?"

"Could've," he shrugged. "But I wanted to surprise you."

"Next time, call first."

Another blazing flash lit up the room at the same moment a deafening crack of thunder pierced the quiet. Nell jumped and gasped, then swore under her breath. Callen frowned as he reached for her hand, pulling her closer.

"You don't like storms."

"Not particularly," Nell sighed.

"Come on." Callen tugged gently on her hand, leading her toward the couch. He plopped down, one leg on and one leg off the cushions, and pulled Nell down to sit with her back against his chest. His arms circled her waist, and as she reclined against him he was surprised and a little concerned to realize he could feel her heartbeat, much quicker than usual, pounding in her chest. "This really has you on edge, doesn't it?"

"It's a combination of factors. I was here by myself, which was fine. But then, the storm started. Then, the power went out. Then, a dark figure was lurking outside my doorway…" She elbowed him lightly in the ribs. Callen squeezed his arms a bit tighter and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

They sat in silence for a few moments, Callen's hand tracing absently up and down Nell's arm. When the next crack of thunder broke their silence Nell managed not to jump, but Callen could feel her tense in his arms.

"So what is it about storms that you don't like?" he asked, shifting slightly to the side to get a better view of her face. Nell shrugged a little and angled her body toward him but avoided his gaze.

"When I was a little kid we had a big thunderstorm like this one night, with a lot of lightning, and the house three doors down from us got hit. Mom had gone to pick up Robbie from karate and I don't remember where Dad was, but Nick and Ryan and I were home alone. The lightning was so close to us that it rattled all the windows and knocked a couple of glass plates off the wall, and the house that got hit just about burned to the ground. We could see the orange glow from the fire all the way from our kitchen. Nick and Ryan thought it was the coolest thing—we were all pretty young, so they didn't really understand—but the girl who lived in that house was in my class at school, so I got pretty scared."

"Did the family make it out okay?"

"Yeah, they weren't home at the time, but it destroyed their house. I know it sounds silly, but storms still make me a little uncomfortable."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You're doing it," she replied, meeting his eyes for the first time and offering a tired smile. "It's better having someone here."

"As long as that someone calls first."

She chuckled and let her head fall to rest against his shoulder. "I'll let it slide."

They chatted quietly as the storm raged, and as the winds and rain began to die down and the thunder grew more and more distant Callen could feel Nell relax against him, her words and breathing becoming slower and softer until she was dozing against his chest. Carefully, Callen scooted down to lie fully on the couch, Nell still asleep on top of him. He tugged a knitted blanket from the back of the sofa and tucked it carefully around them. When the next wave of the storm blew in and Nell did nothing more than sigh and press her face into his chest as the thunder and lightning began, he knew that staying had been the right choice. Callen made a mental note to keep an eye on the weather report in the future. He knew he wouldn't get a wink of sleep tonight while being used as a human body pillow, but it seemed a small price to pay. He didn't sleep much anyway, and he'd always enjoyed the sound of thunder and rain, so if his staying helped Nell rest easier and gave him an excuse to hold her through the night, he was happy to stay. He didn't mind weathering the storm for her.