Ellick One-Shots

Tension

"Thanks for the ride." Ellie smiles as she looks to Nick, who had just put the car in park on the street outside her apartment.

"Of course El. Any time." He responds, grinning back at her.

The amount of tension between the two could be cut with a knife. For being two of the most fearless NCIS special agents, they were serious wimps when it comes to the subject of each other.

On the drive to her place, they laughed together, having light conversation as each of them dove into a deep inner conflict.

As Nick chuckled about Gibbs' haircut, his stomach was tying itself into several jumbo knots that all seemed to be surrounding a warmth in his gut. At each red light he stopped at, he wanted to turn and stare into Ellie's eyes, appreciating the brightness he always finds in their fleeting glances.

Meanwhile, Ellie's brain was racing with all the negative outcomes that might be the result of inviting him inside once they arrived. He might reject her, telling McGee about it on Monday and humiliating her. He could laugh straight in her face and kick her out of his Jeep. But for every negative she could think of, they were all topped by a single positive. The same positive each time. Nick. More time with him, and nothing she could imagine would make her happier than being with him a little longer.

Back to the present, Ellie catches Nick's eyes, and they both melt slightly into their gaze, neither noticing the others action.

The look intensifies, but still neither seem aware of their movements. Each is moving in a slow, almost trance like fashion, leaning into each other. Slowly, Nick's hand ventures to the passenger side of the car, grazing her chin before resting his warm, open palm on her cheek.

The contact freezes the air in Bishop's lungs, and a slight gasp escapes from her throat. Between the touch and the sound, it jerks Ellie out of her dreamlike state of mind, and she pulls away out of surprise, freeing Nick from his trance.

"I-"

"Yeah..."

"That was..."

They stammer through two completely irrelevant explanation-apologies, turning away from each other.

"Um... I should go." Ellie murmurs, already starting to open the door and climb out.

"Yeah, you probably should-" Nick starts, the door closing behind Ellie. "-not."

Ellie walks around the front of the car, stepping onto the sidewalk, but pausing and turning back to the car.

Stretching up, she taps the window next to Nick and he confusedly lowers it.

"I..." she immediately begins blushing. "I didn't say bye. So... bye. Um, drive safe." Her head is raised just outside his window, her face inches from his as she smiles at him, her eyes glancing between his eyes and lips.

"I will." Nick whispers, staring blatantly at her lips before snapping his attention to her eyes, which seem to have fallen.

"Yeah." She mutters, standing and walking away, disappointed that she had finally worked up the courage to make her move and he hadn't responded.

Nick curses himself as she recedes down the sidewalk. He had been so focused on her lips that he hadn't comprehended that Ellie had practically invited him to go with her. He's so oblivious.

He closes his eyes, leaning his head against the back of his seat with a heavy sigh.

After everything that had happened today, he really thought he would have the confidence to kiss her, but apparently not.

Suddenly the car door flies open, quickly followed by Nick's eyes.

Ellie's standing next to the open door, eyes widening as if surprised by her confident movements.

Throwing caution to the wind, she steps up next to Nick, one arm above her on the roof of the car to prevent her from falling, the other eagerly taking Nick's neck. Her parted lips surround Torres' closed mouth in a light, airy kiss.

His response is immediate, opening his mouth to kiss her back, his arms making their way around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Ellie-" Nick murmurs during his break for air, but she recaptures his lips before he gets any further. After a few more seconds, she pulls away.

Grinning mischievously, she steps back from the car.

"So... good night." She heads to her building, letting herself in and closing the door behind her.

After about 30 seconds, Nick follows her.