Double Standards

Chapter 7

"I'm sorry that some idiot broke your heart. It seems like a lot of guys these days, don't know how to act around amazing women. It's their loss. Anyway, you met Nate at the DOD? I didn't know that. I didn't even know you worked at the DOD." Callen spoke.

"Yeah. It's a time in my life of which I'd rather forget. Considering Nate is the one of whom I feel hopelessly in love with." Nell stated.

"What? Nate? Oh, Nell. Why didn't you say something? What did he do? He is an idiot."

Nell laughed, "It's alright, Callen. It was over five years ago. I'm over it. But, if you must know. We had been dating for about a year, when he met Rose, and yes, the rose that works at the morgue. He fell in love with her and dumped me, and I didn't see him again until that time in ops. I acted as if nothing happened because I didn't want to make a scene and I didn't want to have to explain, well, what I just did. Please don't tell anyone I told you this."

Callen made a motion of himself crossing his heart with his finger. "Promise. But, I can't believe he just dumped you like that. For Rose? Well, at least now I can say she dates guys with a pulse." He stated, trying to lighten the mood.

Nell laughed, "I guess so. Come on, it's your turn. Two truths and a lie. Go."

Callen nodded, smiling and turning to Nell. "Alright. I was married to a woman with the alias of Tracy. About two years before you joined NCIS, I was shot in a drive by shooting, five times in the chest. Not long before Deeks was assigned as our LAPD liaison, Kensi and I, kind of, hand a thing." Callen spoke, causing Nell to feel slightly uneasy at the thought of Callen and Kensi dating.

"Okay. Well, I kind of already knew about you and Tracy Keller. Eric has a big mouth, don't get mad. I think the lie is that you got shot in the chest five times. I mean, come on, you probably wouldn't be here today if you got shot that much. And a drive by shooting? No. If you get shot, it will be because you were out there with some drug dealers or something, trying to save the world. Not some drive by shooting." Nell stated, feeling content with her answer.

Callen laughed, "Obviously we really don't know a lot about each other, at all. You are wrong again. I was indeed shot, five times, in the chest. Sam was there, thankfully and called an ambulance, got me to hospital quickly so the doctors and surgeons could do their thing. It was a great analogy, though, Nell. And ew, you actually thought I would date Kensi? She is like a little sister to me, and I think I'd end up dying from the mess and clutter."

Nell laughed, "You make a fair point, Agent Callen."

"Alright, my turn. I'm making his one hard. I am terrified of the water, considering my oldest brother died from drowning. I am terrified of trains, because my youngest brother got hit by a train and passed away. And, hmm, I just recently graduated Ivy League."

Callen looked stunned. "Okay, how am I supposed to choose between those? I'm going to say the first one is the lie. Only because, now that I think about it, when we had that whole train case a couple of years ago, you couldn't stay away far enough."

Nell smiled, "Well done. Maybe that wasn't so hard after all." She commented.

"I'm really sorry, Nell. About your younger brother. No one deserves to go that way. It's very unfortunate." Callen stated.

"It's alright, thank you. Hey, what do you say we watch a movie now?" Nell suggested.

Callen nodded, "Yeah, sure. What movie are you thinking?" He asked, turning on the television attached to the chair in front of them, and turning Netflix on.