Callen had been at rest, enjoying the feeling of Nell wrapped up in his arms.

He would have happily lay there for the rest of the night, had it not of been for the sound of his phone receiving a text

'Who would be texting me, in the middle of the night?' he thought to himself, not wanting to let go of Nell's sleeping form

Curiosity won over, and he gently (so as not to wake Nell) rolled over and reached over to grab his cell phone from the bedside unit

….

"Could you do me a favour?"

"If you have to ask, I'm assuming it's something you know you shouldn't be doing?"

"How can you do that, how do you know… just from looking at me, Nell?"

"I'm unique. The only person that can look into your soul and see what you're really thinking"

"You have no idea just how true that is"

"What can I do for you, G?"

"I received a message during the night with a set of coordinates, out by forest falls, and a date and time. I need you to run the number, see who it's from"

"You're thinking about actually going, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Very few people have my number… all of them within OSP"

"Does this not worry you…? you receive a message, that could be from anyone, basically asking you to show up in the middle of nowhere, and you're seriously thinking about going"

"Well, yeah. But I could really do with some intel, into who messaged me"

"I'll let you know what I find… I'm guessing you don't want Hetty to know"

"Got it in one"

….

"What the hell is going on between you and Hetty?"

"Trust me, Sam. You don't want to know."

"No, I do. I'm your partner… I need to know what's affecting the work place atmosphere"

Callen stood, staring back at Sam…

"Okay, Fine. But when you want to tell me… you know where I am"

….

"You got a moment, Agent Callen?"

Callen got up and followed Nell, not sure where she was leading him, but wherever it was, she had cause for not letting the others know.

Having reached the locker room, Nell turned to Face Callen, front on

"I checked out that number that messaged you. It's a burner, purchased out in Fawnskin"

"Any idea who purchased it?"

"No. But the only number it's contacted, is yours"

"So you still think it's too risky to show up?"

"I do. But you're gonna go, no matter what, aren't you?"

"I think so"

"Okay… well, you're not going alone!"

….

"What are you thinking?"

"That I'm glad I trained on firearms"

"I am too. I'm glad you're the one here, to have my back"

"I know you could have told Sam… so the fact that you trust me with this, means a lot"

"I trust you with everything. I need you to know that, Nell…"

Before Callen could finish what he wanted to say, he was interrupted

"Quite the love birds"

Callen and Nell each turned to face the direction the voice had come from. Both of them pulled their service weapons out, ready to fire to defend themselves if need be

"Come on, G. You don't need that"

"Who are you?" Asked Nell, gripping her Glock so tightly, her hand almost hurt

"You know who I am, Miss Jones. We've met before"

"Mike?" Callen asked, almost doubting his own suspicions

….

"…But I thought for sure Hetty would keep you out of jail"

"Yeah… so did I, but the little ninja made sure I stayed there for every minute of my sentence. Worse than that… she blackmailed Nell into joining OSP"

"Blackmailed her how?"

"She said if I came to OSP, that she would keep G safe while he was inside" Nell added

Renko looked confused

"She had me kept in solitary" Callen explained

"That little bitch" Renko responded, both surprised, and not in the slightest bit surprised by what he had just been told

….

"Much as I have enjoyed catching up, brother. It's not why I contacted you"

"You're in trouble, aren't you!"

Renko simply nodded his head "I had an arrangement with Macy… but I don't think she's been doing her part"

"Macy's dead, Mike. About 6 weeks ago"

"Shit. I hate to burden you, brother, but I need you to pick up where Macy left off"

"What do you need me to do?"

"Protect my daughter"

….

"Did you know he had kids?"

"Mike always liked sewing his wild oats wherever he could… I just never thought he'd get one of his lady friends pregnant"

"Do we tell Hetty?" Nell wondered aloud

"Definitely not. I'll just need to do double duty till Mike finishes work on his op"

"So you're going to do your normal job, and then when you finish at night… you're going to go home and babysit?. Not happening… you're not on your own on this one"

"This isn't your job, Nell…." Callen began, before Nell interrupted him

"The hell it's not. I was there too. We'll do it together"

….

"Fancy going for a drink?"

"Not tonight, Sam. I've got plans that I can't put off"

….

Nell and Callen stood at the door, waiting for an answer…

Neither of them truly knew what to expect… Mike hadn't gone into much detail about his daughter, aside from where she lived and her name, Casey.

The door opened and there stood a young woman, probably in her mid to late teens, by the looks of her.

Callen glanced at her, and in that moment, he could see… he could easily tell who her father was. If he hadn't known in advance that this kid was Mikes progeny, he would have been able to tell by her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Casey Robertson?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm G, and this is Nell…We… We're friends of your father. He's going to be out of town a bit longer and wanted us to watch out for you"

"That's nice and all… but he's been gone for almost six months. I think I'm capable of taking care of myself"

'She has her father's spirit and confidence' Callen thought to himself

"Yeah, he told us… but our friend Lara, had been checking in with you before, but she's not been…" Callen paused, trying to think of how to explain Macy's absence, without saying she was dead

"She had to return home to take care of her mother. And agreed with your dad, that we would check in on you 'till he gets home" Nell quickly explained

"So you both know my dad?"

"Yeah. I've worked with him for a long time" Callen replied, finally able to speak once more

"I take it you can't tell me where he is, can you? The other woman just said he was away on work"

"It's a bit hard to explain"

"Try"

"Would you mind if we come in?, we can continue this conversation inside?" Nell asked

….

""Your old man kind of surprised me when he told me that he had a daughter"

"Yeah… that woman said something kinda similar"

"Do you mind me asking where your mom is?" Nell asked, hoping she wasn't overstepping

"Dead. 'Bout 4 years"

"Oh!, I'm sorry" Replied Nell, suddenly feeling very awkward

"So how's this meant to work? Are you expecting to stay here, or are you just gonna check in on me every so often?"

"Well… I hadn't really planned on staying here… but I'm sure we can agree to something that suits us both"

"Look, Mister. I don't need to be baby sat. I just need someone to keep paying the bills, occasionally show up at school for Appointments with teachers"

"I can … I mean we can do that" Callen replied, aware of Nell watching him very intently

….

"You did well back there, with her"

"Not sure I'd agree. I don't have any experience dealing with kids... I don't know how I'm meant to act… I didn't ever have a proper example… not when you're passed about between care home ever few days or weeks"

"Well.. Wherever you learned it… you did good"

….

A few nights later:

"D'you mind me asking, why you're, I assume, dating that old guy?"

Nell was taken aback by Casey's question. They had mostly stuck to questions about the young girls needs… questions about her father and where he was, not that they could honestly answer. They hadn't really answered any personal questions about themselves or their own situation

"You mean, G?"

Casey nodded her head, and returned her focus to her text book

"We are… Yeah, I think we're dating"

"But does his age not bother you… I mean you're so young, and he's… well he's not!"

"I don't think about his age… he's just… he's the best man that I've ever met. I was always told I was an old soul. Do I know why we work?… nope. But we do… and I'm happy with that"

"But are your parents not bothered by the age difference?"

"They don't know… they haven't met him yet. But even when they do… it's my life and I'm happy with him. That's what matters. That doesn't mean I suggest you go out and try to meet a guy 14 years older than you"

"So how did you meet?"

"He was assigned to be my body guard. I don't know exactly when… but I just… I fell for him, hard"

"That's kinda sweet"

….

"How come you're not up for going out anymore? Is it Nell?"

"It's nothing to do with, Nell. I just have things that keep me busy, now"

"G… you and Nell disappear together, every night, in one car. So how's it nothing to do with her?"

"Sam… Things are just … they're complicated"

"Well uncomplicated them… your my partner, and your my friend… and between whatever you're doing with Nell, at night, and the cause of tension between you and Hetty… I can't help by feel like you're shutting me out"

"Okay… fine. Hetty… The reason for the tension, is that I found out how she got Nell to leave the DoD. She blackmailed her… Hetty assured Nell that I would be kept safe in prison…. IF Nell joined NCIS"

"Come on, G. I can't believe that…"

"Well ask Nell yourself… ask her why she joined OSP. She'll tell you the same thing I'm telling you now"

"But if what you're saying is right… well that would mean that Hetty did nothing to keep you out of prison just to grab Nell from the DoD"

"I'm not saying that I should have gone without punishment for what I did…"

"Yeah, I feel you. So what's going on at night?"

"Honestly?" Callen watched his partner for his response

"Yeah"

"Okay… Mike's alive, he messaged me last week… needed to meet, needed me to do something that Macy had been doing before her death… needed me to watch out for his daughter!"

"No way. Now I know you're taking the piss… Mike doesn't have any kids"

"I swear to you, Sam. He has a daughter… she's 15, called Casey. Mike didn't know about her 'till a few years back. Hetty doesn't know about the kid, and that's the way things have to stay"

….

"What are we?"

"How do you mean?"

Nell sat in the car seat wringing her hands… looking down at them, not feeling able to look at him directly

"I was just wondering… what are we?. I mean, are we friends, friends with benefits, a couple… or … something else"

"Why would you even have to ask that, Nell?. I thought I had been quite clear with my intentions"

"So… what are we?"

"We're dating… in my mind we have been for a good while now. Now why would you have to ask that?"

"I was talking with Casey… and it got me thinking… I mean we have a substancial age difference… I didn't know if … well you know the rumours at OSP about you"

"Yeah… I know everyone there thinks I sleep with any woman that moves. But that's not the way it is with us… Look… I don't like using this word… it normally gives women the wrong idea… but yes, … I love you, Nell. We're a couple… at least in my mind we are"

….

Callen and Nell were round watching Casey again, as had become their usual pattern when finishing work

They were all sitting down to a meal… Callen had insisted on Chinese take out

"So how's the homework coming along?"

"Yeah, almost finished, G" Casey replied

Callen couldn't help but notice the grin on Nell's face.. he didn't know what the smirk was about for sure, but he'd guess it was because of how quickly he had transformed into a father figure to mike's daughter

The nice moment was rudely interrupted by the shill sound of Callen's phone alerting him to a text message

Callen quickly pulled his phone up and opened the message [911]

"Have you got your Glock with you, Nell?"

"Yeah? Something wrong?"

Callen slid his phone over to Nell for her to see the message

"Mike?" She questioned aloud, only to get a simple nod from Callen, before he stood up, reached over and grabbed the phone

"I need to go… but can you …"

"..Stay here? Yeah!" Nell replied, interrupting him

He briefly leant down and placed a kiss on Nell's temple, before starting to dial his phone as he opened and then closed the apartment door behind him

"I'm coming to you. We need to move quickly!. Agent needs assistance!" he said into the phone once the recipient answered the call

"I'll have Kensi meet us on the road"

….

"You sure this is a good idea, G… I mean we should let Hetty know"

"If Hetty needed to know, Mike would have followed the SOP. He didn't, so she doesn't"

….

"Where's G away to?"

"Work needed him"

"So it's nothing to do with dad?"

Nell looked at Casey with shock on her face

"You said dad's name" Casey explained, without request

"Your dad needs help… so he contacted G"

"Is he goin to be okay?"

"Yeah… course he will. You're his priority, he won't stop till he's back here with you"

"Not dad. G!"

"I know him… He won't come back without your dad"

"That's not what I asked, Nell"

….

Callen and Sam were waiting in a lay by, for Kensi to arrive, so that they could all continue on as a group.

When Kensi eventually arrived, she wasn't the only one to get out of the car

"So what is this op?"

"Agent needs assistance. You've run ops like this with LAPD, right?" Kensi asked Deeks, wondering if it had been a good idea to bring him

"Sure. Never with that sort of fancy name, though" he replied, with a smirk plastered on his scruffy face

….

"Everyone ready?" Callen asked over the radio

"Good to go" replied Sam

"Ready" Kensi confirmed

"Me too" added Deeks

"On my signal, then. Three…. Two… One… GO!"

The agents, and detective stormed the building, with their weapons drawn and ready to fire at anyone who tried to fire at them first

Callen was the first to fire at a trio of heavily armed men

With Sam, Kensi and Deeks each starting to take fire, they too started to fire back, taking out their opponents.

….

By the time the four reassembled, they had reached the room where Callen suspected that Mike was being held

"Ready?" He asked his collegues in a hushed tone, not wanting to any further alert people to their presence. Once they had all signalled their readiness to continue"

"Federal Agents" Callen shouted as the four of them stormed the room, finding Mike locked in a cage with two very large burley men blocking the cage's door

Quickly the foursome took positions behind anything that they could take defensive positions behind as the burley men started to fire in their direction.

Each of the agents would pop up and take a few shots, before ducking back out of sight to reload, or change weapons

Callen was the last man standing, as Sam, Kensi and Deeks were reloading… he took several shots, each one hitting his opponents , as he in turn had several shots taken at him… each one hitting him bang on his bullet proof vest

Sam stood up, firing off a few shots of his own as the large burley men were busy firing at Callen… each shot fitting the large men in shoulders or foreheads… clearing the way for them to release Mike

….

"Sammy… good to see you. You too Kens" Mike said, thanking them both for their help in gaining his release "You too, G. I knew I could trust you to come get me"

"Yeah… well you have someone waiting for you to get home"

Mike moved closer to Callen, before asking in a hushed tone, just who the other man was. Callen briefly explained that he was a LAPD detective, and was Kensi's boyfriend.

Mike offered his thanks to Deeks before suggesting they all head home

….

Casey and Nell were sitting watching something on TV… but neither of them was actually paying attention to what they were watching… they were both too lost in thought, only using the TV for noise to distract them

Both young women turned when they heard the sound of a key being pushed into the lock, with Nell reaching for her Glock in case it wasn't anyone they were expecting

Both of them feeling relief and excitement upon seeing who it was that entered the small apartment… both quickly getting up and rushing over to wrap their arms around Callen and Renko in turn.

"You brought Dad home!" Casey almost squealed as she hugged Callen before letting go and turning her attention to her father

Nell, however, was less pleased to see the blood stain on Callen's arm… immediately starting to demand that he go to the hospital to be checked over… eventually getting distracted as he wrapped his own arms around the younger woman and leaned down to place a chaste kiss upon her lips

"Let's go home"