A/N: I can't apologize enough for this chapter taking so long to write. Believe it or not, it's been a work-in-progress for over a year. Today, I am not sure if I found my muse or if this chapter found its soul. Either way, here it is. Thanks for your patience and I look forward to your thoughts, comments and feedback. Please read and review.

Chapter 5 – Faith

The day hadn't gone as planned. They never do, but never since Callen had gotten shot all those years ago, had their day or their case, ended with a tense night in the ER.

The waiting room was eerily quiet and calm. In the background behind the big doors marked "authorized personal only" were the muffled sounds of nurses yelling and machines beeping, and in the distance there was the remote sound of CNN playing on the waiting room TV. The walls were a not-so soothing whitish-grey and were covered with posters of the well-recognized lessons like "Just say no to drugs" and a "Mind is terrible thing to waste." Peppered between the PSA messages where the occasional obligatory framed print of a watering can filled with muted colored flowers, designed to calmly soothe the 'inmates' as they waited for whatever was to come next.

There among the distinct smell of burnt coffee and the endless piles of dog-eared magazines, sat Nell and Callen.

Today's case seemed like an easy one, and honestly, a little cookie-cutter, and maybe that was the root of why it all went wrong. It was another situation where a Marine was killed because of what he might know – in this case, the locations of key military assets off the coast of East Africa. As typical, Eric monitored from ops, tracking bank accounts, traffic cams, etc., while Nell continued to dive into the satellite reports for the Sec Nav as Hetty requested.

Their search had led the team to a vacant building on La Cienega Blvd, south of Culver City. It was a turn of the century relic, still made of brick and likely never brought up to code. A rare site in LA, a city plagued with thousands of little earth quakes a year.

It had been an ambush that none of them saw coming. After a brief exchange of gun fire, Callen and Sam had cleared the building, or so they thought. The terrorists had left behind a bomb, well hidden in the belly of the old building. Sam came across it first, alerted by the ever slight glow of digital numbers on the mechanism. He quickly warned the team; there was no time to defuse it. Their safest bet was to clear out. It was during their exit, just as the building was going down in a shower of bricks that they heard the shot and systematically, Sam's cry of pain.

Hearing the shot the second it was released, Kensi's training and instinct instantaneously kicked in. Her movements were swift and robotic as she decisively and quickly took down the lone shooter. He's been the only one, perked on roof next door and was clearly there to ensure there were no survivors. Thankfully, he hadn't anticipated Kensi's unmatched sniper skills.

Now, hours later, Callen and Nell silently sat across from each other as they waited. With the case still active, Hetty had sent Nell in her stead with strict instructions which included keeping Callen away from the Mission. "Mr. Callen needs to be where he'll be most useful. Michelle will need him."

Kensi, Deeks and Eric, with some support from another OSP team, continued to pursue the terrorists, while Nell headed towards the hospital, making only one stop to pick up Michelle. Knowing Michelle's strong willed personality and likelihood to panic, Hetty did not want her to be alone when she heard the news about Sam. And she wanted her to hear it from someone who knew the case and more importantly, knew Sam.

After several hours, Callen grew restless with no word from Michelle or Sam's doctor. And the nauseating sterile smell of the hospital was starting to overwhelm him. As far as he knew, Sam was still in surgery and it was still touch and go. Michelle, being Sam's wife, had been escorted to a special waiting area, while he and Nell held vigil in the ER waiting room. Hetty had checked in a few times, and Deeks, Kensi and Eric had all sent texts wanting to know the latest news. Even Nate had called from some undisclosed location. Hetty must have let him know and Callen had money on that they'd likely be seeing Nate before the week was out. Hetty would want to know that they all had their heads on straight, especially Sam.

For Callen, waiting was never really his thing. He was a man of action, solving problems and following his gut, rather than waiting it out. The EMT in the ambulance had told him that it would be touch and go and likely a long surgery. The bullet was lodged very close to Sam's heart.

Now hours into the wait, Callen was feeling caged and desperate to break free. He wanted to be there for Sam and Michelle, but his inner demons were starting to overcome him.

As a distraction, if not by accident, he looked over at Nell. Oddly, given the events of the last few days, after she arrived at the hospital they had each gone their separate ways. Physically, they were sitting across from each other, but each were lost in their own thoughts.

Callen could see she was clearly still processing what had happened to Sam. They all faced danger every day, but it was easy to forget how real that was. Their team was known for successfully beating the odds, but no one ever really considered that their luck could one day run out. They each had their own way of escaping their reality – Eric surfed and immersed himself in imaginative worlds online, Kensi relished her girl time with her friends and living a few random moments outside the spy game, Deeks would shoot hoops with his friends from the old neighborhood and Sam found solace in his family, reminding himself what he was really fighting for. And Callen would plunge himself into his never ending search for his past.

But with Nell, he had no clue. How did she deal with everyday stress of NCIS? For as long as they had worked together it amazed him how little he knew about her. He, of course, knew the basics – the things in her file – she grew up in a large family, her IQ was off the charts, and she spoke Spanish fluently and was an expert in South American government and politics. Admittedly, she was a bit quirky, a control freak, and she liked to finish others' sentences. She even shared that she mildly had ADD. And oddly enough, he knew she liked flowers. But nothing more. He knew nothing of what she liked to do for fun, who she was outside the office or even if she had a favorite food.

In her unconscious panic to pick up Michelle and in the wake of the unexpected news that one of their own had been seriously hurt, Nell was still wearing the same outfit from the night before. The one that had awoken Callen's senses and enflamed an unexpected passion inside. Today, in the cool florescent light of the waiting room, her look provoked a different emotion inside the senior agent – something unexpected. It was one of interest, compassion and warmth. It was a sharp pang of something new and unfamiliar.

In contrast to the confident and controlled woman who manned the ops center, he found her lost and distant. And oddly, he wanted to console her. For the first time, he saw Nell as a person as opposed to their analyst. She wasn't a secret agent or even an infallible brain. No, she was a woman with true human emotions and a nearly broken heart, and his primal instinct was to protect her.

In what could only be described as an out of body experience, Callen found himself unmistakably standing and walking across the waiting room to sit next to Nell. Her back was toward him with her head down and her arms tightly wrapped around her knees with them pulled in close to her chest. And she had clearly withdrawn inside herself. Instinct told him to reach for her, but he restrained.

Instead he took a moment and pondered these new and unfamiliar feelings. Lost in thought and his wonderings of what could be, he suddenly felt the weight of Nell's back lean against him. He wasn't sure if Nell was even conscious of her actions, but in the end, it didn't matter. She was seeking solace and he couldn't refuse her. And as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he lifted his arm and invited her in. Nell instinctually unfolded herself and found a home in Callen's arms.

The moment could not feel more perfect to Callen. And he was quick to note that this was different than just moments before. Suddenly his anxiety over Sam faded, but it was replaced by a myriad of new and unanswered questions. What did this mean for him and Nell? Was this all just support in the moment or the beginning of something new and real? And why did he feel so suddenly attached and protective of this woman he barely knew?

His head was spinning, filled with endless questions. As if to give his brain a much needed break, he started to focus more on the woman in his arms. She was still and quiet, but from the soft pace of her breathing, he could tell she'd found a level of peace, even if only momentary. She'd found comfort in his arms.

While he didn't have all the answers, Callen couldn't help feel like this was the beginning of something important, and needed at some level to connect with Nell beyond the warmth of her small body cozied up against his. Continuing to hold her tight and snuggled close, he began to speak.

"I guess pizza's gonna have to wait," Callen started, nervous and not knowing if it was the right move to pull away Nell from her thoughts.

"Hmm?" She responded, leaning in and looking up slightly to catch Callen nervously looking down into her eyes.

"I guess our pizza plans are gonna have to wait," he repeated softly.

She smiled. The idea of pizza and talking about all those frantic kisses felt so surreal given the unfortunate circumstances of the moment. Sam was in surgery. Michelle was on auto-pilot. Their teammates were still out looking for the bad guys. Surreal indeed, but still a bright light.

"Yeah, I guess it will," Nell responded softly with a slight, unexpected laugh and smile before she looked down and returned to counting the metallic flecks in the floor tiles.

"Nell?" Callen said questioningly. He reached for her chin and turned her face ever so carefully towards him. "A penny for your thoughts?"

"What?" She responded slightly confused.

"You're lost in thought. Anything you want to share?"

"Sorry. I was thinking about Michelle." She paused to straighten up in her own chair and gather her thoughts. "When I arrived at the house, it was like she instantly knew why I was there. She never asked why. She immediately went into action as though she had been crafting a plan for hours and it all went like clockwork. We dropped Cam off at her mom's house and came right here."

Until Nell arrived at the front door of the Hanna household, it had been a normal Tuesday. There had been a PTA meeting, soccer practice and a run to the local Ralph's market for dinner fixings. Michelle, although it was never what expected for herself, had settled into domestic life nicely. She missed the adrenaline rush of being under cover, but found her new life as CEO of the Hanna family surprisingly fulfilling – often requiring the same cunning and fast thinking as needed as in the field. But even though she'd adapted quickly to domesticity, there had been a part of her that had always been preconditioned for the unexpected. The reality was that even if she was retired from the spy game, her husband had not and there was always something to be prepared for.

"It's her training. She's been programmed to move into action in stressful or unexpected situations, not to react."

"It just seems so cold," Nell pondered. "I mean this is real life, as real as it gets … it's not a case. It's her husband, and she didn't even ask me if he was dead or alive."

"She knew he was alive," Callen replied dryly.

"How so?" Nell questioned.

"Because I wasn't the one at the door." Now, it was Callen's turn to take a moment to catch a breath as Nell took in the implications of his words. He and Sam had been partners for years and as close as brothers. Michelle knew that Callen wouldn't entrust that type of news to anyone else.

She leaned back, returning to her place in Callen's arms. Her new found place of comfort. Callen, as before, wrapped his arm over her and pulled her close. Balancing his head on hers, both found peace in the other.

"Callen," Nell said softly.

Without moving he responded with a quiet "hmmm …"

"I am glad Hetty wasn't the one at Michelle's door today."

"Me too Nell. Me too."