Nell had been observing quietly G pacing around her living room. He would start sitting but before long his leg would shake and he would stand and move to another location. First he ventured to her DVD collection and then over to her book collection before trying to sit again. It wouldn't be long before the cycle repeated itself. She could almost set her watch by his movements and tried not to laugh when she silently guessed within a second of Callen's next movement. She felt bad because she knew this was torture for him. Torture or not she drew the line at him taking apart her electronics again….exactly what was going to happen when instead of making a 5th lap around the living room he deviated to the kitchen.

"G put down the toaster and step away slowly," Nell said appearing in the kitchen Hetty style.

Even though his heart skipped a beat he didn't not physical show he was startled by her sudden appearance.

"I was just going to look at it."

"What is there to look at it is a toaster…a perfectly working toaster it does not need to be taken apart."

"I am going nuts Nell…I can't turn my brain off and relax while hundreds of pounds of cyanide is out there killing people."

"You also can't work days on end with no sleep. The night team is picking up where we left off tracking down all the leads for us so when we get there in the morning we can solve this. They are very capable agents G."

"I know…I know it still doesn't stop my brain from going through 100 different possibilities and thinking about 20 different ways we can track these guys down."

Nell left the kitchen for a brief moment before walking back in with a box.

"What is that?"

"A car the needs to be assembled," she said holding up the box for him to see.

"You got me a toy car to put together," he asked not even sure what to say about that.

"Yeah it is a very complex car and instead of killing another toaster you can use your brain power to put this together….it even comes with directions."

"I don't need directions."

"Oh I can't wait to see this car when it's done….but please try and get some sleep I am going to bed."

Nell gave him a little kiss before heading back to her room. G sat down at the kitchen table and looked at the box and what the car should look like when it is done.

"Well, I guess Zach will like this," G mumbled as he tore into the box.

Nell had fallen asleep shortly after she got in bed. After working through the night the day before the team was ordered home not to return for at least 8 hours…she wasn't sure if that was federal law or just Hetty's laws but either way she was grateful for the break. She too hated leaving a case in the middle but not all cases were open and shut….and having agents working on caffeine alone was not effective or safe.

"What the….

Nell was startled awake by a single loud thud. She looked over and could tell G had not been to bed yet. Glancing at the clock she knew she had only been asleep for 45minutes and while she knew there was a chance someone was trying to break into her apartment there was a greater chance that thud came from G.

Grabbing G's oversized sweatshirt and tossing it over her tiny pajama set and stepping into her slippers she slowly ventured out into her apartment. The lights were still on and it was clear no one was trying to break in. Nell had to stifle a laugh as she walked into the kitchen and saw what was the toy car laying on the ground across from where G was sitting and G himself pacing again.

"What happened?"

"I super glued this tiny part to my figure….seriously how can anyone with normal sized hands put these things together?"

"Don't pull it you will rip your skin let me get my nail polish remover."

Nell darted back to her bathroom to grab the nail polish remover knowing G didn't have much patients left.

"Here let me see," Nell said taking his hand and rubbing the cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover over the glued piece.

"How did you know to do this?"

"One of my many skills," she said with a smile. "Why did you throw the car?"

"I got annoyed… too big hands for too small a car. Plus nothing was going where it was supposed to go and the tiny piece stuck to my hand was the last straw and I just shoved it off the table. I am sorry I woke you up," he said softly truly not meaning to wake her.

Nell couldn't help but give him a soft smile. He looked so cute just getting so frustrated over a small toy car yet still worrying about waking her.

"Come to bed."

"I am not tired."

"Maybe I can help with that," she said giving his hand a tug.

With little resistance G followed Nell back to the bedroom.

Over an hour later Nell cuddled up to G resting her head on his chest as he ran his hand softly up and down her bare back occasionally causing a chill the run through her.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Great," he said with a content sigh.

"I am glad," she said giving his bare chest a soft kiss. "I know I am nothing like those dancers but I hope I live up to your fantasies."

G paused for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just those dancers are all so attractive and sexy and confident….they scream sex appeal…the girl every guy dreams about."

"Not every guy," G said turning so he was facing Nell. "Not this guy…my dreams….all my desires….my life is about you Nell," he said running his hand softly down her cheek before leaning in to kiss her. "I don't want some fake implanted caked in make-up girl…that does nothing for me. The only time I have ever been inside a strip club was for a case. You Ms. Jones couldn't be anymore my type if I designed you myself."

"Really," she asked with a shy smile?

"You know it baby," he added with a kiss to her forehead.

"I guess sometimes after dealing with a case like this I just need a little reassurance."

"I thought my actions over the last hour show you how much you're my type."

"Well I think that plus what I am feeling now is helping build my confidence," she smirked pressing into him.

G groaned at the contact.

"Don't start something you can't finish."

"Who said I can't finish."

The next day after only a couple hours sleep G felt totally refreshed and ready to tackle the day. The night team had tracked down leads and were able to determine which ones were dead ends and which ones where hot. After a few hours Callen had successfully got into the group they believed were responsible for the attacks and the future attack on the city. The only problem was it involved someone they hadn't expected and previously had met as Federal Agents. It only went downhill after that for G Callen. The only good news was they had found the cyanide and stopped the city for being poisoned. That was actually great news but for G he still knew he had to deal with a firey little red head and she could be more deadly than all the cyanide in the world.

"Where is he," Nell asked seeing the large former Navy Seal sitting in a plastic chair in the sanitized waiting room?

"Nell you need to calm down he is fine."

"Yeah because most people who are FINE are in the hospital," she said getting louder by the minute.

Sam gently grabbed her arm and pulled her outside to get some air and to keep security from kicking them out.

"Nell….G is fine he is here just for some follow ups and to make sure everything is ok. He took the antidote immediately and doesn't appear to be any worse for wear."

"Antidote? You mean he ingested…

Sam dropped his head knowing he just said a little too much.

"You mean you didn't know why he was here?"

"Hetty told me to come down here and follow up and make sure G listening to the doctors and to give him a ride home. She did not say much and it didn't sound like anything but a check up."

"Well, yeah that is true."

"HE TOOK AN ANTIDOTE AND I AM NOT STUPID I CAN CONNECT THE DOTS," Nell spat not yelled knowing the only antidote that G would be taking during this case was for cyanide.

"Nell seriously you need to calm down….I am telling you G is fine. He finished the case and then came right here to make sure that is the case. I know it sucks to be told after the fact but that is what we are dealing with here….after the fact! Yell at him and freaking out will not help the situation any so I suggest you get it together before going back in there," Sam said in a firm voice before walking back into the waiting room.

Nell paced a few steps outside the entrance trying to get her head clear. Sam was right but getting blindsided did not leave her with much choice but panic and fear which ultimately lead to her freak out and melt down. She knew they were in a dangerous line of work but she wished just for once that it was not G getting shot at, stabbed, held hostage, had a bomb strapped to him or have a need to take an antidote for a deadly poison.

"How mad are you," G asked hesitantly as Nell walked into the room?

"I am not mad."

"Right," G said not believing that for a second.

"I am hurt."

"And that is way worse than mad," G said summarizing.

"I had to hear from Hetty that you were in the hospital and she made it sound like it was just a checkup. I knew you coming here after a mission was more than a checkup but I thought you bumped your head or something not taken killer poison."

Callen knew not to interrupt Nell when she was like this. Unlike himself who kept most things inside and figured them out on his own, Nell had to get things out and vent…talking through issues to have them make sense to her. It took about 10 minutes of ranting and pacing Nell seemed to be coming to an end. G held his hand out to her beaconing her to him. Once she was by the bed he gave her a gentle tug causing her to sit next to him.

"I am sorry you had to find out like this Nell. It was never my intention to hide this for you or for you to be blindsided by this. Everything just happened so fast and I had to get checked right away. I am fine though…I wish I did not have to take cyanide but it was either that or…you know what it doesn't matter. What matters is that I am here with you and I am fine."

"I just hate that you're here…that you again were so close to….

"Hey don't think like that. If we think like that or live in the what ifs we will drive ourselves crazy. We both know with our jobs at any given day something could go wrong but we both are doing this for the greater good of society. Besides I wouldn't want anyone else watching my six from the OSP center….I have the best field partner and the best intelligence analyst in the world…if I am not safe no one is."

Nell sighed softly and leaned into him knowing he was right. She hated when he was right.

"When can we go home?"

"Looking forward to playing Dr.," G asked with a bright smile.

Nell slugged his shoulder and giggled.

"Hey now that is no way to treat and injured patient…..I am going to need some extra TLC."

"Keep it up and you might need a wheelchair."

G smiled and hugged Nell to him. He was glad she was there with him. Honestly every time he had to visit a hospital it was a little scary knowing how close he came to it not being ok. With Nell there he had a distraction and a purpose for keeping focused on staying safe out in the field. He could only hope it would be awhile before he saw these sterile white walls again.