Disclaimer: "Don't Ever Let It End" is a song title to a wonderful song by Nickelback.

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Chapter One

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Thursday, 5:48 PM

Los Angeles Office of Special Projects

Kitchen

As Callen handed a smoothie and medium sized fast food white paper bag to Eric, Callen asked, "Where's Nell? You sure she didn't want anything to eat?"

Eric took a sip of the smoothie as he sat down in his chair diagonally across from Deeks and beside Kensi. Sam placed a large fast food white paper bag on the table directly between Deeks and Kensi as he took a seat at the end of table. Sam neatly took the sandwiches and respective sides out of the bag and handed Deeks and Kensi their order before placing his own on the paper plate in front of him. Kensi had set the table with paper plates and plastic utensils.

Eric shrugged as he took another sip of the hot pink colored smoothie, "She said she had plans, but she didn't sound happy about it. She was talking to her parents when I left Ops and came down here."

Callen nodded as he placed two cups onto the table with one hand, the other hand pulled out the chair at the opposite end of the table as Sam and sat. He pulled his phone out of the inside pocket of his leather jacket and sent a quick text to Nell, "Kitchen, now. Have surprise for you. – Callen"

"Kensi, you're going to have a heart attack by forty." Deeks admonished Kensi as she took a bite of her bacon triple cheeseburger with extra condiments.

Kensi glared as she quickly chewed what was in her mouth before taking a large exaggerated bite and moaning, "Yum."

Deeks looked at her in horror.

Sam shook his head, but agreed with him, "Come on, Kens, the way you and Callen eat, I'm going to end up partnered with the mutt."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Deeks sarcastically laughed as he popped a French fry in his mouth.

"Speaking of Callen eating," Kensi said as she wiped her mouth with a light brown paper napkin, "Where's your food?"

"Didn't order any," Callen replied picking up the plastic cup on the right and taking a sip of the milk shake.

Kensi stared at him for several minutes. He arched an inquisitive eyebrow at the undue attention. Although, he showed no signals or tells as to why he had not ordered anything, her eyes widened and her mouth formed a large Cheshire grin. He narrowed his eyes at her, because the grin she flashed him was the 'I know something that you don't' one, and in his experience, he never ended on the 'correct' side of that 'something.' Kensi glanced at Sam whom shrugged signifying that he either did not know or did not care. Deeks looked around at everyone before making eye contact with Eric. Eric shrugged and continued to eat his sandwich. Deeks rolled his eyes, before his eyes landed on the plastic cup in front of Callen.

"Is that?" Deeks asked, but paused in the middle of the question. He, too, grinned before he glanced at Kensi and nodded in understanding; Callen hadn't ordered anything, because he was going to con Nell into getting something to eat, because she had said that she didn't want anything. She wouldn't be able to refuse his nice offer. The only one that could get Nell to do something that she did not want to do was he. Not even Hetty could always force her to do something.

"Is that, what?" Callen asked tiredly, as he started to second-guess agreeing to spend his Friday night in the office's large industrialized kitchen in an attempt at team bonding. Hetty and Nell had somehow slipped out of the bonding session over fast food.

"Nell's favorite flavored milk shake," Eric answered. His eyes widened in surprise at the looks of surprise that the other four gave him. "I wouldn't be her best friend, if I didn't know what her guilty pleasures are."

Deeks smirked, "Guilty pleasures as in plural, ni-i-ce."

Kensi threw a French fry at Deeks head as Sam glared at the amused Detective, before his dark brown eyes landed on his partner in a look of concentration.

Callen sat back in his chair, placed his soft drink down onto the table, and motioned to the milkshake, "Okay, best friend, what is it."

Eric gave him a look that asked, 'really, you want to go there?'

Callen arched an eyebrow and his lips tilted into the start of a smirk as if daring Eric to answer.

Eric answered proudly and unafraid, "Strawberry Oreo Milk Shake with extra Oreo pieces, whipped cream, and two cherries."

Callen leaned forward in his chair, picked up the milkshake, and slightly waved it in the air back-and-forth tauntingly at Eric. Callen smiled smug as he placed emphasis on the corrections and said, "Strawberry Oreo Layered Milk Shake with extra mint flavored Oreo pieces, and extra whipped cream, a dash of sugar, and two cherries."

"Bullshit," Eric stated in disbelief, "She's never gotten mint flavored Oreo pieces, it's always regular or strawberry. She only gets layered when she's had a bad day."

Deeks choked on the bite of his sandwich, coughed, and washed the half-chewed, completely lodged food down his throat. His eyes watered as they landed on Eric in a mixture of wonder and pride.

Kensi's mouth opened in shock, a piece of half-chewed lettuce fell out and landed on her plate. She blinked as she took a large gulp of her soft drink. She was shocked that Eric had called Callen out on something that had nothing to do with Technology.

Sam's eyes bulged in shock over the facts that Callen was bickering with Eric about Nell's favorite milkshake and that Eric had called Callen out.

Callen smirked as he heard the telltale sound of heels tapping against tile. He said teasingly, "Okay, best friend, we'll see who's right, Benjamin Franklin says I am." He took his wallet out of his jean pocket and held up a hundred dollar bill.

Sam went to speak up, to warn Eric, but Callen silenced him with a glance. Sam shook his head and took a bite of his sandwich.

Eric grinned, "You're on," He boasted, "Easiest hundred bucks ever."

The tapping sound became louder, he placed the hundred in the inside pocket of his leather jacket, as he said without turning toward to the door, "Hey, Nell."

"Woah," Deeks exclaimed as he and Kensi shared a look, "I thought Hetty was good. How did he know that Nell was coming through the door?"

Sam smiled, holding his sandwich an inch from his mouth. Sam answered Deek's rhetorical question, "He's got skill where you have none."

Deeks glared at Sam before looking at Callen.

Nell walked across the kitchen to the table where they all sat. When she was a few feet from them, she said tiredly, "Hey guys, I'm sorry that I can't join, I'm just about to leave," She adjusted the shoulder strap of her computer bag as she paused beside Callen, behind an empty chair next to Deeks. "OMG, I love you, Callen!" Nell exclaimed blissfully as she saw the milkshake that was obviously for her. No one else she knew could drink such a sugary overload of flavours.

Deeks did a dramatic double take that Eric mirrored. Sam grinned. Kensi played with her straw as she quickly took a sip. Callen stared up at Nell, smirking, "Really? I wonder what I did for that declaration."

"Oh My God," Nell exclaimed properly, as she bent to hug him, he loosely one arm hugged her back, and patted her back not comfortable with the looks that Sam shot him, he refused to look at the other three. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly as she pecked him on the cheek. She pulled away and went to grab the pink and black shake topped with extra whipped cream that had begun to melt. The two cherries had sunk. Callen grabbed the treat before she could grasp it. "Callen! Don't do this to me! You're such a tease!"

Deeks blinked, the only movement of the set dramatic double take had done since her declaration of love. Eric's mouth slightly fell. Sam grinned wider as he arched an eyebrow. Kensi innocently sipped her soft drink.

Callen smiled as he waved the shake at her as he had Eric, "What do you say?"

"Thank you, Callen!" Nell replied. "You're the best." When he did not hand it to her and his smile turned into a smirk, she groaned, "Callen, come on, not to be rude, but I don't have time for your game." She glanced at her watch.

His smirk remained in place as he said playfully, "Your hot date, can wait a minute, I'm more important."

Deeks shook his head as if that would prove that what he had just heard was a figment of his imagination, but once he glanced at Sam, he knew that it had not been. Sam was now sporting the same double take that he had, the same one that Eric still had. Kensi blinked twice shocked at the traces of possession in Callen's voice, but continued innocently to drink her soft drink, as if nothing that had happened was shocking to her. Deeks narrowed his eyes on his partner and realized that Kensi knew something that he did not.

Nell rolled her eyes, pulled the shoulder strap of the computer bag over her head, pulled the chair in front of her out, sat, and placed the bag on the floor. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "There is no hot date. I'm going to be toast when my mother finds out."

Callen asked, secretly relieved that she had no date, but completely confused, "What does your mother have anything to do with having a date?"

"Well," She swallowed; mortified that she was going to admit this in front of the men, specifically Callen. "My mother thinks that I have a boyfriend who lives with me and my parents want to meet him. Their plane lands in an hour."

Kensi interjected, "A-ha! I told you that lie was going to come back and bite you. It took a while, but it has."

Eric finally snapped out of his moment of shock, "Just tell her that it's me, they already think that I work as a news editor with you anyway, and explain to them that I'm working on a super-secret Hollywood story."

Callen glared at Eric, but quickly changed his facial features to neutral. However, he was not quick enough for no one to notice. Deeks smirked and looked at Sam, thinking that he, too, had caught it, but was disappointed when he saw that Sam watched Nell with a contemplative look. Nell slightly pursed her lips and squirmed in her chair.

Kensi saved her from answering. Kensi soothingly replied, "Eric, the reason she lied in the first place was, because her parents were worried about her living alone in Los Angeles. They think that she's too young and vulnerable. And," Kensi paused, but decided to continue after her momentarily second thought, "Well, Eric, they aren't expecting a news editor. They're expecting someone that could take down a home invader."

Deeks brow furrowed, "You've been out here three years, why are they so worried now?"

"We-e-ll," Nell drawled.

Callen open mouthed smiled, "You didn't."

"We-e-ll," Nell repeated as she slightly shrugged.

Callen laughed, "You've lied to your parents for three years." He continued to laugh before he exclaimed in mock surprise, "Naughty, naughty Nell."

Kensi, Deeks, Eric, and Sam laughed.

Nell glared and growled, "Hand me my milkshake, Agent Callen, or I'll show you, Naughty Nell."

His eyebrows raised high and his playful smile transformed into a sensual grin, his blue eyes smoldered. She swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable and overheated. Her pupils dilated, but she willed herself not to react to his teasing. She knew that he was only teasing, playing with her, as he had on and off for the past a couple of months. Although, they normally did not tease so hard or obvious in front of the team. Early on, she had rationalized their flirting into a harmless game, a game she thought he played, because she was safe to flirt with, that she would not have any expectations of him, and in return, he would have none of her.

Deeks brought her out of her trance when he asked her, "Nell, what's your favorite flavored milkshake?"

Nell blinked and looked to her right, at Deeks, confused as to the question, but she answered, "A Strawberry Oreo Layered Milk Shake with extra mint flavored Oreo pieces, and extra whipped cream, a dash of sugar, and two cherries, why?"

Kensi covered her mouth with her hand. Deeks grinned and nodded his head at Callen, impressed that he had won the small quibble with Eric. Sam rolled his eyes knowing that Callen had been right.

"What," Eric exclaimed, looked from Nell to Callen, "Y'all are tricking me like the time with Deeks and the x-ray cam. You texted someone when you and Sam got back," Eric shook his head in disbelief, "You texted Nell to answer that way."

Nell looked at Eric with wide eyes as she answered, "Eric," Her brow furrowed, "Callen did text me," She paused as Eric exclaimed that 'he knew it,' but she continued onward to correct his assumption, "But it wasn't about my milkshake, or rather, it was, but,"

Callen interrupted her, before she started on a rambling tangent, "I texted her to tell her that I had a surprise for her in the kitchen. She did not know that I got her milkshake; remember you said that she did not want anything. I didn't use Nell to trick you into a bet you should have known not to take. When I bet, I win."

"Nuh-huh," Kensi interjected amused, "I can remember several times where you betted against me and lost."

"Which is why I never bet you anymore," Callen replied with a smile that said, "I know better now."

"Woah!" Nell exclaimed as she looked from Callen to Eric back to Callen, "You two betted on me?"

"Uh-oh," Deeks whispered to Sam, "Nothing ever good happens when a girl finds out when two guys betted on her."

Sam rolled his eyes.

Kensi threw another French fry at him, but Deeks had expected and caught it with his mouth. He grinned as he chewed it.

"Nell," Callen started to explain, but stopped when she started laughing.

Nell continued to laugh as she asked, "How much did you swindle from him?"

"A hundred," Callen answered slowly, not expecting her to laugh.

"I might not have helped you trick him," Nell stated, as she regained control of her laughing, "Callen, but you did trick him."

"See!" Eric exclaimed, before he looked at Nell, "How do you know that he tricked me? When did you change up your favorite shake?"

"Um," Nell said, "Remember when I went out in the field, with Sam and Callen, to get the Intel from that Embassy about a month ago?"

"Yes, what does that have anything to do with a milkshake?" Eric asked perplexed.

"After we left LAPD," Sam answered, "She demanded ice cream. Long story short, she got her old favorite, but got a taste of," Sam hesitated at the warning look that Callen shot him, Sam rephrased what he had planned to say, "Some mint Oreo pieces and fell in love," Sam paused for a half of a second, "With them. She went back to the counter got a side of them and mixed it in her shake. She declared that she now had a new favourite. I'm surprised she didn't go into a diabetic coma with all of the sugar in those 20 ounces."

"Demanded?" Deeks repeated. "Ice cream? She gets shot at and arrested and she wants ice cream? Dude!"

"Hey," Nell said, unaware of the silent conversation that Callen and Sam had and were having, "You do not get in between a girl and her ice cream."

Kensi back her up, "She wanted ice cream; she gets ice cream."

"Shot at!" Eric exclaimed. He had known about the arrest, because there had been a miscommunication about which side the two Agents and one Analyst had been on. He stated, obviously betrayed, "You said that you weren't in danger."

"I wasn't at risk," Nell retorted, "I was with Callen."

Sam snorted, "Danger follows Callen, it's his middle name."

Callen glared at Sam as Nell giggled. Deeks and Kensi shared a smile as Eric silently freaked out that someone had tried to shoot her and she thought it not a big deal, simply because Callen was there.

Nell gingerly touched Callen's leather jacket clad arm as she said, "It's okay, Agent G. Danger Callen, I have faith in you. You're Superman."

"Well, G. Superman drives me batty. We need to find him a Lois." Sam retorted.

"At least, he doesn't wreck you batty." Deeks chortled.

"Yeah, or twirl you batty," Kensi added.

"Enough!" Callen exclaimed, irritated not at the banter, but what Sam silently accused him of partaking in.

"I'll make it all better," Nell stated soothingly, borderline seductively as she patted his arm with her right hand and unceremoniously grabbed her milkshake with her left. Callen smirked as he met eye contact with her, before he slowly trailed his eyes from hers down her nose to her mouth then back to her eyes. He arched an eyebrow. She inhaled a shaky breath.

"Nell," Eric pouted, "I can't believe that you didn't tell me that you almost got shot. You promised me that you weren't in danger."

"Eric," Nell sighed, her eyes reluctantly leaving Callen's to look at a hurt Eric, "Was it a dangerous situation? Yes. Did I have to use a firearm? Yes. Did I panic? Absolutely, I'm not proud of it, but I did. Was I in peril? No, why; Callen and Sam were there to protect me."

"Okay," Eric accepted, but added, "From now on, you've got to be up front with me, no matter how much you think that I won't like it."

"Deal," Nell readily replied.

"Oh," Deeks said teasingly, "Now it's Callen and Sam. I'm pretty sure that it was me and Kensi that busted you three out of jail."

"Shut up, signing release papers isn't busting someone out," Nell said as she playfully elbowed Deeks. After elbowing Deeks, she glanced at her watch, and sighed, "I had better go."

"Hey," Kensi asked concerned, "What are you going to tell your parents?"

"That I broke up with him." Nell replied as she exhaled.

"Won't that make them worry about you?" Callen asked, "Lying to them about a boyfriend for three years was pointless if you tell them that."

"They'll worry, true," Nell answered, "But it wasn't entirely pointless, it mostly got them off my back about dating and living in Los Angeles."

"How long they in town for?" Callen asked curiously.

"I don't know, at least until Sunday," Nell answered, her tone belaying that she wished that she knew. "Hopefully not long though, because I don't think I can live with them again for more than a few days. They're staying in my guest room. Tomorrow, we are sightseeing. Mom's got the entire weekend planned and I'm almost scared at what's on the Agenda, but her meeting the boyfriend is out of the question, she can go ahead and cross that off her list."

"No, she doesn't." Callen replied, "Since Hetty gave us all off tomorrow, I have nothing planned tomorrow, or for the weekend that matter, I'll meet them, stay the weekend."

Nell was stunned as was Sam. Sam was more stunned than Nell, because Callen had never met any of his 'significant others' parents, it was one of his rules, just as no dating women in law enforcement and a relationship ends after six weeks, no exceptions.

Eric and Kensi shared a smile that Deeks caught and added his smile to duo making them a knowing trio.

Nell shook her head, "No, I couldn't ask that of you. No," Nell cleared her throat, "No, but thank you."

"Come on," Callen said, not understanding her reluctance, "You're not asking, I'm offering. What's wrong?" Callen paused, and considered what to say to make her agree to the charade, he nodded understandably, as he realized what could seriously be the issue, he hoped not, but it could be a possibility, "Is it because I'm older than you are? Will your parents have an issue with it? Do you?"

Deeks folded his lips into his mouth and looked up at the high ceiling. He felt as if the entertaining conversation had turned serious, too serious for him to witness or comment upon it.

Sam looked at Callen in disbelief and almost in disappointment, 'pulling the age card is low G,'

Kensi shook her head and took a bite of her sandwich.

Eric took a sip of his smoothie to prevent him from answering the question for Nell. He knew that she would kill him if he did.

Nell answered after several seconds of contemplation, "Callen, I appreciate your offer, I really really do, but I don't think you'd enjoy spending the weekend at my place," She closed her eyes and a small telltale blush materialized on her cheeks.

Callen touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth as he bit his top lip from acknowledging what she had innocently said or the not so innocent implication behind it. He swallowed and arched an eyebrow at how she stuttered. He loved flustering her. He enjoyed seeing her vulnerable and not in control. Her embarrassment was amusing to him. She had a touch of innocence that he had never had. She was good and sweet where he was bad and bitter.

"I mean," Nell found her voice, winced, but continued, "Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. My place is boring and with my parents there, well, I don't want to be disrespectful about them, but you'll find them boring."

He cleared his throat, "I'm sure that your parents are not boring, but if they are, I'll enjoy meeting them. Perhaps I need a dash of boring in my life occasionally. I can't jump from burning buildings and moving cars all the time." She smiled and he commented on the smile, "See, you smiled, you know it's a win-win for everyone. Your parents get to meet the guy that they think protects you, you get them off your back, and I get a boring weekend free of burning buildings and moving cars."

Nell exhaled. She glanced at Eric, Kensi, Sam, then at Deeks. They all had various looks of amusement and shock written across their faces. She pursed her lips and said, "Okay, but you can back out at any time. If they or me get to be too much, just say so, and we'll stage a fight, and you can leave."

"I won't need an out, but thank you," Callen replied, before he asked curious as to the 'alias' he would slip into, "What's his name?"

Nell mumbled something no one understood, except for one.

"What!" Deeks exclaimed joyously as he heard what she said. He started to sing, "Here's the story, of a lovely lady…"

Nell sighed and quickly interrupted him, "Don't judge me Marty. The Brady Bunch is a perfectly respectful sitcom."

Kensi grinned in realization, "You didn't! Please tell me that you didn't use his last name, too."

"Kensi," Nell exclaimed, "I couldn't think of a name, but no, I never gave anyone a last name, because I was afraid they'd background check him."

"Background check?" Deeks repeated skeptical.

"Yes, my dad is," She paused, searching for the nicest correct term, "Thorough at being overprotective. There are one hundred cops in California with that name. I didn't want my dad to find a discrepancy in my story. I thought that if they thought I lived with a cop, that they wouldn't worry so much."

"A cop?" Deeks half-joked, "Forget Callen, I'll meet your parents, I have the badge to boot. Backstop me an alias."

Callen openly glared at Deeks as he interjected, "I'm not following, what is the guy's name?" He glanced at Nell, taking note of her severe embarrassment and uncomfortable body language, he didn't find this sort of embarrassment amusing as he had her earlier blush, "I need to know what you've told them so that I don't contradict it."

Deeks cheekily answered, "Glass, George Glass." He laughed, "Our little Nell Bell and Jan Brady share an imaginary boyfriend."

"George?" Sam repeated incredulous, before surrendering to bales of laughter at the coincidence of George and G.

"Yeah," Nell replied uncomfortable, unable to meet eye contact with Callen, "George."

Callen shrugged non-pulsed "Well, at least I can use my real name. It wouldn't necessary be a lie." He smirked as he unclipped his badge from his built. He tossed it unto the table in front of him as he looked at Deeks, "I have a badge to back it up without an alias."

Nell interjected as she fidgeted, "Oh no, Callen, I can backstop an alias for you on my tablet, give me five minutes."

"No," Callen firmly replied, "No, if I'm going to meet your parents, it's going to be as G. Callen, not some made up alias."