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There was a quiet clang of metal, and the orange walls appeared before his eyes. Staring ahead of him, he walked at a brisk pace to his desk. McGee's desk was empty, but their other colleague seemed determined to start the day early. Her laptop screen flashed alternating pictures and numbers that he couldn't see from a distance.
"Huh, Jess, is Palmer kicking in his sleep?" Hinting at her early appearance, Nick muttered. He tossed his backpack next to his desk and, not hearing any sarcasm in response to his silly joke, slowly turned around, ready to apologize.
"Ellie?!"
"Yep."
"Bishop?"
"Yes I am."
"Eleanor, Bishop..."
"In person!"
Nick batted his eyes, looking at the girl in front of him, not believing what he was seeing. "Ellie...my babe..."
Ellie rolled her eyes, not knowing how else to convince him that she was in front of him and not a vision. Maybe it was a bad idea to show up at the office unannounced. It was worth a visit to his house, too, not just to McGee's. Because right now Nick's brain seemed to have gone into a complete reboot. Nervously looking around and seeing no one, she decided a kiss would help him come to his senses.
"Yours?"
"Um yeah..." Barely breathing, Nick replied, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "...Mine."
"So what's this about Palmer and Knight?"
"That can wait." Nick pulled her along to the elevator, intending to spend a few minutes alone where they wouldn't be disturbed: the roof where Gibbs had once made a great resting place for himself with a view of the city. Ellie might not tell him everything that had happened to her or where she'd been, but the hell he wasn't going to let her go now.
"Nick, what are you up to?" Ellie gasped as Nick sat down in the chair and pulled her into his lap.
"To admire the view. You obviously miss this city, don't you?"
Feeling something resting against her thigh, she involuntarily squeezed her knees, hinting that she didn't mind taking a ride down its streets. "Ohhh...you have no idea..."