Title: "Beyond the Stars"
Rating: FR7
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Character(s): Nell Jones, G Callen, mentions of the OSP team
Summary: Nell begins to think about her own future while she dances with Callen.
Notes: Written for NCIS Verse's Bingo Tiles challenge. Theme eight's 'ship.' This is connected to the first story, "Fizzle, Fizzle, Fizzle, Pop," but it can be a standalone. Enjoy!

Nell stares longingly at the bright lights surrounding the docks. The reception at the yacht hasn't lost its excitement yet (and she doubts it will anytime soon), but her energy is wearing thin. Being the maid of honor, she had to spend a lot of time helping out in the wedding. Honestly, it still surprises her that Kensi has asked her to be the maid of honor. They arefriends, but she didn't think the bride viewed her as the closest she had.

Then again, maybe Kensi had Hetty in mind, but seeing that she will be the one to give her away she resorted to her second choice.

She doesn't resent the idea, though. It's just a possibility, and it's a fact above all other things. She still loves her involvement with everything. It warms her heart to think that she has something to do with the newlyweds being so happy with how their day turned out.

But she really does want to go home. She won't fully admit it, but not only is she exhausted, she's also getting lonely. Sam had been kind enough—and his wife kinder still—to ask her to dance with him once. It was a sweet gesture, but it was kind of awkward. Eric danced with her twice, but she's the one to ask him. Ever since that incident that almost got him and Kensi killed, he had never been the same. He's always so distant, and the team has been so worried.

That's why it makes her glad to recall his smile earlier, even if it was just a moment.

Deeks tried to talk her into spending some time with a good friend of his from LAPD—namely, the best man. He is a handsome man, yes, but his eyes seem to be trained towards another woman who looks more dashing than she does.

So, she declined, telling him not to worry about her and enjoy the night with his wife instead.

With the flow of things, she estimates that the party won't be over for another two, three hours. She heaves a breath. She doesn't know if she can wait that much longer.

"Nell."

Nell turns towards the familiar voice, and then smiles when she sees him. Her brows crease lightly when she beholds the hint of strain carving his features. "Hello, Callen," she says. "Um…?"

"Dance with me?" Callen holds out a hand, flashing a charming smile that stuns and confuses her.

"Uh, yeah," she says, taking his offer. "Sure."

They reach the outskirts of the dance floor just as the small jazz band that she and Hetty hired begins playing a gentle but lively tune. Callen surreptitiously looks over his shoulder a few seconds after they begin swaying along with the song. Nell easily notices this, and her curiosity begins to win over her bewilderment.

"Are you in any sort of trouble?" she asks quietly. Callen does not look at her, which makes for a sufficient answer. She exhausts a breath. "Please don't tell me you brought a problem to Deeks and Kensi's wedding."

"No," Callen answers before looking at her as if nothing is wrong. "The problem was already here when I came."

His answer sparks wariness within Nell. Her eyes slightly widen with fear, and her grip on him loosens. "What? Did…did you tell Hetty? We have a number of civilians here that could get hurt—"

"No, no. There's no need," Callen eases her. He holds her closer before she completely departs from him. "It's not that kind of problem."

The grin that surfaces on his lips offends then angers her. "What is it, then?"

"There are a couple of women that had been following me," he explains in a low tone. "Some of them were nice enough to leave me alone, but the rest keeps following me." He leads both of them to the middle of the dance floor when he spots someone in his periphery. "I tried dancing with them, thought they'd leave me afterwards. Then their hands began to wander. So I snuck out, but they keep finding me."

"So you're using me to keep them away?" she asks, none at all indignant.

They spin around.

He regards her apologetically. "They would have left if there were enough guys in this party," he says vaguely.

She chuckles. "No. There's just not enough you in this party," she points out.

He scoffs lightly. "I thought by now you'd be swept off your feet by some man," he diverts the conversation later.

She frowns. "Like who?"

"I don't know. The best man? Eric?"

She breaks out in a grin. "The best man is busy checking out Agent Moore. Agent Moore's to busy pining away because of Eric."

Callen hitches an eyebrow. "Is that right."

"Yep," Nell says, eliciting an approving nod from him. "Alicia likes him, apparently."

"Well. You still shouldn't have been alone," he says.

"I'm with you now," she answers then averts from his gaze when she realizes what it may have sounded like to him. Her cheeks turn a deep shade of red.

Meanwhile, Callen just smiles.

She shrugs awkwardly. "And don't tell anybody, but I really want to get out of here," she shyly admitted. "I've had a long day. I had to fight with the caterers earlier to make sure all the guests are served and that Kensi and Deeks get the wine they ordered. I haven't eaten since this morning, and I'm about to pass out."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," she looks up at him with irritation born from the tiresome events of the day. "But I still have to wait 'til everybody's gone, help the newlyweds move everything to their new house, and… I don't even want to think about it anymore."

"Looks like you need a drink," Callen suggests good-naturedly.

"I don't think that would help."

They dance quietly for a while before Callen speaks. "Relationships take a lot of work," he states.

"Weddings, especially. I mean, why not just go to the Court House, get married, and go to a restaurant?"

His brows wrinkle. "Because the divorce rate would have gone higher?"

She shoots him a glare.

He laughs lightly. "Just kidding," he says. "I get what you're saying."

"I'm not dissing Deeks and Kensi. They deserve this beautiful wedding. But…"

The curl on Callen's lips shrinks as he witnesses the darkened expression on her face. "You don't think you do."

"I've seen men leave their wives just because they've grown apart, some of them men who were close to me. Why should I let that happen to me?" she lifts her eyes up at him.

The unanswered questions hidden in her orbs makes Callen wonder what had happened that hurt her that much. "The guy fortunate enough to be with you won't leave you, Nell," he says.

"How do you know?"

"I just know." He smiles encouragingly.

There is not much left until the song is over, but Nell feels as if it's just started. She follows his lead mutely while observing the ever changing world around her. Perhaps she has told more than she ought to. She's known Callen for some time, and he probably got so annoyed or bored with her confessions. Or, better yet, he might have felt ill-at-ease. Yet, there is something in the way he keeps holding her hand and the way he glances at her that makes her think otherwise.

Maybe he doesmean what he said, she thinks.

But no person's infallible. He can be wrong. What if a month, a year, maybe ten years from now she will have the same conversation she's having with him now? Only that time, she will be crying and half-drunk after having signed her divorce papers?

It frightens her.

"This is my first time dancing with you, Nell," Callen begins gently after noticing her apprehension.

"Huh?" she glances at him too quickly.

"I haven't danced with you before."

Nell slightly takes delight in the refreshing change of thought. "Oh, yeah? How did I do?"

Callen sighs amazedly. "You…are a dancing queen," he says.

Nell chuckles lightly. Then, she curtsies. "Why, thank you."

Callen thinks of telling her the other reason why he sought her company but refuses in lieu of what he's going to ask her next. "If you're still hungry, I know this burger place not far away from here," he invites her.

"Sounds good," she says, "but how do we get out of here?"

Callen smiles slyly.

It is the one thing she remembers the most from that night onwards. Come Monday morning, when everybody's gone back to work—minus the honeymooners, she's still filled with the memories of the lifeboat ride to shore, the surprisingly engaging conversations with him while eating burgers at a restaurant, and the steady rhythm of "Somewhere beyond the Sea" that they danced to. Unconsciously, she whistles the tune for days, both happy and less afraid of what may come.

Constructive reviews and comments are very much appreciated! :)