Chapter Text
“And contact the NSA,” Secretary Porter ordered.
“Yeah, I already did. Torres and I will head over there now.”
Gibbs and Torres looked around the high tech main entry space of the NSA. Nick rolled his eyes internally, and they shook hands with an Agent Flinderling, who seemed reluctant to take them to the agent they actually wanted to see.
“That thing I said about reclusive data nerds. Eleanor Bishop is not a field agent...”. Nick suppressed another eye roll. He didn’t usually get along well with data nerds, and they usually didn’t get along well with him. Besides, he thought, Eleanor Bishop would be someone awkward wearing thick glasses and a boxy suit. Flynn took them into the elaborate library where he stopped behind someone sitting on the floor, headphones in and paper surrounding her. Flynn held a finger up, so they waited, silently, until the girl jumped backwards in surprise and stood up.
As she harassed her boss for not flashing the desk lights, Nick had to do a double take. She was - there was no other word for it, stunning. And feisty, he thought silently as he listened to her rant at her boss.
“Special Agent Gibbs,” Gibbs intervened, shaking the blonde woman's hand.
“Agent Nick Torres,” Nick did the same, but when their names touched an electric spark went through him. Her eyes widened, and Nick knew she felt it too.
“Ellie Bishop,” she said, her voice clear, her poker face rivaling his. But her eyes didn’t lie, and Nick knew she was shaken, and trying hard not to show any reaction. Gibbs, meanwhile, was answering a call from Ducky.
Before Ellie knew what was happening, she was whisked away by the two agents, in autopsy staring at a dead body, trying not to show any reaction. The vibe she got from Gibbs was he wouldn’t have the patience for it, and Agent Torres, well, yeah.
Ellie finally escaped and set up a spot in the break room, leaning against the wall. It wasn’t long though, before she heard footsteps coming down the hall. One pair of them, male.
“There you are,” he smiled widely as he walked towards her.
“Needed somewhere quiet to look over this stuff,” she told him, “things happen so fast here.”
“Yeah. That’s why I like it,” he smirked at her, “So what do you think? What’s this guys end game?”
“I think it’s extortion,” Ellie began, but before she had even finished explaining further, Nick was striding down to the bullpen. Ellie called after him, trying to finish, and he turned, pulled her up with him, and kept his hand in hers as he practically dragged her along with him.
Gibbs arranged the money drop with support from the NSA, and had their perpetrator in interrogation, breaking him easily while Ellie and Nick watched behind the two way mirror.
As Gibbs and McGee read the guy his rights, Nick turned to Ellie, “Sorry about earlier,” he began, “Dragging you down the hall and not listening in the first place, I mean. I promise I’m usually a good listener.”
“Hmmm,” Ellie turned to him, knowing this was an opening for something, but she wasn’t good at relationships. She wasn’t sure she was ready for another one after her disastrous relationship with Jake Malloy, who still worked at the NSA and was now dating the DoD lawyer he’d been cheating on Ellie with.
Sure enough, “Can I make it up to you?” He continued, “Take you out? Dinner?”
Ellie looked at him. His was guarded, but his eyes were sincere, and there was that twinkle she’d seen earlier. That was what made her cave, so she nodded, “Ok, dinner would be great.”
Nick, meanwhile, did some fast calculations in his head, “Friday?” He came up with finally. They were off duty for the weekend.
“Friday works,” Ellie smiled.
“Uh....is it ok if I pick you up?” He knew this often raised eyebrows, but Nick hoped Ellie could trust him. She was silent for a moment, and he gave her time to consider, mentally crossing his fingers.
“Sure,” she said finally, “Am I getting ready for formal or casual?”
“Formal, if that’s okay.”
“Fine with me. I’ll text you my address.”
They had to turn their attention back to interrogation then, because McGee had banged the glass, needing Torres’s help transferring their suspect.
“Case closed celebration?” Tony asked as they finished up case reports.
“Sure,” Nick said.
“Why not?” Ellie asked.
“One drink,” Tim told his friend firmly. Abby and Jimmy appeared from the elevator, ready to join them.
They went to a bar near the navy yard. Tony insisted on picking up the first round of drinks. Nick was pleased when Ellie ended up squeezed next to him at the booth the group had chosen. The talk was light and cheerful. Nick winced a little when he overheard Ellie tell Abby that she had three “very over protective” older brothers. Abby laughed as she eyed Nick, seeming to know where his thoughts were headed. Abby always knew.
Nick drew Ellie into a separate conversation and found they had some hobbies in common - Ellie ran and worked out too.
“I bet I can beat your time at two miles,” Ellie challenged, while sipping on her garishly colored cocktail.
“Your on,” Nick told her.
“After Friday though,” she murmured so no one else could hear.
“Why only after?”
Ellie blushed, “I want you to see me dressed up before you see me in my workout gear and sweaty.”
He looked at her, “somehow,” he said, “I don’t think that will make a difference.” His eyes were twinkling, boring right into her, and she stared back, her own eyes a little dilated.
“Hmmm. Don’t speak too soon,” she warned him.
He was brought back to reality by McGee tugging on his elbow, wanting out of the booth so he could get home to Delilah and the twins. Tony followed suit. Ziva was at home with their three month old. There was a live band playing in the corner of the bar, and a small dance floor in front of it. When it picked up a salsa tune, Nick grinned, and turned to Ellie again.
“Dance with me?” He asked. She nodded immediately, grinning. He took her hand in his, lead her onto the dance floor, where a few other couples had started already.
Abby and Jimmy watched as Nick took Ellie in his arms, holding close enough that, “it wouldn’t be permissible in Catholic school,” Abby told Jimmy, laughing a little. Once they started, she kept in step with him easily, and they moved together like they’d been doing it their whole lives. The band finished with a flourish, and Nick swung her out one last time, then back into him, holding her so close you couldn’t fit a feather between them, let alone a bible. Their breaths mixed, and when she didn’t pull away, he brought his lips to hers, capturing them in a brief, but telling, kiss. Nick’s lips were still tingling after he released her, and he knew she felt it too by the way her eyes were wide as she looked at him.
The band struck up another tune, and he rose his eyebrows. She nodded in response, so they danced to several more fast songs, Ellie easily following his lead. The dance floor was crowded by then, and the next song was slow. It was Elvis Presley’s “I can’t help falling in love with you,” and as Nick held her close, swaying, and she rested her head on his chest, just over his heart, while his hand tangled in her hair, he couldn’t help but realize how apt the lyrics of the song were. He knew he was head over heels for her. It was like he had finally found the missing piece to a puzzle. The band took a break when the song ended, so Nick, keeping her hand intertwined in his, led her back to their table. He could feel her blushing, wanting to pull away as they rejoined Abby and Jimmy, so he purposefully let his arm sneak around her waist as they sat down. She didn’t try to pull away, but seemed to sigh deeply, leaning into him.
“Whoa, Ellie,” Abby began, “You got moves, girl.”
Ellie laughed, blushed a little, “It’s easy, with Nick leading,” she said.
“Nah,” Nick told her, “Most people can’t keep up with me. You can.” He kissed her on the cheek.
“Drink?” He asked.
She nodded, “Water though, for me. Work tomorrow.” Even though Ellie couldn’t get drunk, she wasn’t about to test the theory on a work night.
“Ok. Abby? Same again?”
Abby nodded, “One more then home.” She wanted to talk to Ellie alone, “Jimmy, go help Nick?”
“It’s only...” Jimmy began, but at Abby’s impatient look, nodded and followed Nick to the bar.
“So,” Abby began, looking at Ellie, “I’ve never seen Nick like this with anyone before.”
“Really?” Ellie didn’t really want to discuss it with a stranger, nice as Abby seemed, but she was curious. She had assumed Nick would be the type who always had someone. She also assumed he had felt the sparks too, but knew that didn’t have to mean anything.
“I get it. It’s not really my business,” Abby told her, “But Nick’s been through a lot. I get the feeling he’s going to fall hard for you, if he hasn’t already, and I want to reassure you that he’s. really good guy. One of the best, and I also don’t want to see him get hurt.”
“Well, thank you for that. I can promise I don’t cheat,” Ellie said, “Though it’s early days to know where this is going.” Their conversation ended abruptly when the boys returned and passed drinks around. Nick slid back next to Ellie, putting an arm around her waist again. Ellie took a grateful swig of water, and the four talked easily.
Finally, the announcer called the last song, another slow one. Nick looked at Ellie in question, and she nodded. Abby and Jimmy announced they were going to go home to best the rush after the band finished.
Ellie swayed, close to Nick, close as close could be, in fact, with her head rested on his chest as he held her. They didn’t talk, just enjoyed each other, and the music, and Nick kissed her on the top of her head when the music ended and the crowd cheered. He gently released her enough so they could join in the cheering, and then he took her hand as they joined the crowd crushing towards the doors.
Nick held her in his arms as she leant against the ancient blue truck she drove. Nick couldn’t help but laugh when he saw it, “I didn’t peg you for a truck driver,” he said.
“Grew up on a farm in Oklahoma,” Ellie responded. Again, he was a little surprised. She had the city sheen about her.
She seemed to sense what he was thinking, “I have many sides, Nick.”
“I can’t wait to meet all of them,” he murmured, leaning in to seal it with a soft kiss. Ellie finally, reluctantly, ended it, still holding onto him.
“Okay,” he said, letting out a breath, still not wanting to let her go, “Work tomorrow. See you Friday?”
“Friday,” she agreed, finally letting him go. He reached around her, opened the door for her after she turned the key in the lock. She climbed up, and he stood back so she could close the door.
Ellie put her phone on charge before resting it on her bedside table as she always did. Just as she settled back into her pillows, it beeped. She picked it up, rolling over to read the new text which flashed up from Nick’s number. She’d given it to him that evening.
“Thanks for one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. Sweet dreams, Ellie.” Her insides totally melted, and Ellie knew her smile was a mile wide. He wasn’t holding anything back, so she wouldn’t either.
“It was for me, too. Sweet dreams, Nick.”