Double Standards

Chapter 12

Sam drove Nell to the hospital of which her sister in law was at.

"Hey Nell?" Sam asked.

Nell turned to Sam as he drove, letting him know she was listening.

"Are you okay?"

Nell nodded, sighing softly, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing. You just look a little down. That's all." Sam stated, looking from Nell, and back to the road again.

Nell sighed, "It's just, with everything that has happened the past few months, it's a little overwhelming, you know?"

Sam nodded in understanding, "I know, Nell. It will be. But you're going to get through it. I wish there was something I could do to make this easier for you, but unfortunately there's not much I can do."

Nell smiled slightly, "There is something you can do, Sam. Be there for me. Just like the others. However, you're already doing that, so don't worry. I'll be fine. It's just this whole thing with Derek has stuffed me up. I'm just worried that one day he is somehow going to get out of jail, and then he'll be after me again. Or even if he never gets out, there is always that constant paranoia that his friends are going to do the deed for him and come after me, only that time, it will be worse, because there will be more of them. I don't think I could deal with that."

"Well, you don't have  to worry about that, because Derek and his friends will be staying far, far, away from you. I won't let them come near you, and I'm sure G will make sure they don't. He wouldn't be able to cope if anything bad happened to you again." Sam informed, smirking slightly.

"What are you talking about? He would be fine. He stays calm in situations like these. That's basically what he's known for around Ops." Nell stated.

Sam chuckled, as he pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"What's so funny? It's the truth. Someone could be dying and he would be perfectly calm. That's just who Callen is." Nell stated, matter-of-factly.

"Not with you, he's not. Callen cares about you, Nell. You should have seen him when he found out what happened between you and Derek. He almost lost it."

"You're not serious, are you?" Nell asked.

"One-hundred percent serious. G would kill me if he ever found out I told you this, but he likes you, Nell. He has for a while. He would do anything to make sure you were safe. Oh and when I say he likes you, I mean, he really likes you. Like, likes you, likes you." Sam spoke.

Nell laughed, "Good one, Sam."

Sam looked at Nell weirdly, as they walked into the hospital, "All right, you don't believe me? Fine. That's okay."

"How could I believe you? When I kissed him, he practically jumped a thousand feet away. He couldn't even look me in the eye. When he came to talk to me earlier, I could almost hear the sigh of relief when I said the kiss meant nothing. Which, by the way, it didn't. Callen and I can't go there."

"Don't you get it, Nell? He only did those things because he likes you, and he doesn't want to get hurt. I, better than anyone, knows how high G brings his walls up. He doesn't let anyone in, because he is afraid of getting hurt. But I can tell. Over the past few days, G has really warmed up to you."

"I think you might be exaggerating the situation a little bit, don't you" Nell asked.

Sam said nothing, just tilted his head and kept walking.

"Okay, okay, wait a second." Nell spoke, grabbing a light hold of Sam's arm to pull him back.

Sam stopped, facing Nell, waiting for her to speak.