Ellie x Nick Oneshots

Déjà Vu

Gibbs had sent Ellie and Nick to a high school, that a teenager who might possibly be involved in their current case was attending to interview the teenager.
When they got there and talked to the boy's teacher though, it turned out that they'd driven there for nothing, since the teacher informed them that the guy hadn't attended his classes in days.

They were walking through the crowded hallway of the school on their way out of the building, the loud voices of countless students who were chatting or shouting across the hallway ringing in their ears when Ellie saw a scenario that made her stop dead.

Nick ceased walking as well and turned to her to see why she had halted her steps.
Looking in the same direction Ellie was looking, he saw it.

There were some girls who looked to be about 15 years old circling another girl, pushing her back against the lockers behind her, the girl obviously intimidated, judging by the expression on her face.
Her eyebrows were raised and pulled together, and she was biting onto her lips with her teeth.

Ellie took a few steps in the direction of the girls, Nick following her.

Now that they were closer, they could hear the insults and how the three girls surrounding the other teenager were mocking their selected victim.

Ellie starting making a beeline for them, taking the few more steps until she was standing directly behind the teenagers, despite Nick's attempts of trying to stop her by calling her name.

He wasn't sure if it was the best idea to interfere.
But Ellie ignored him, clearing her throat to get the younger girls' attention.

Said girls stopped making fun of the other girl and turned around, revealing their all dolled up attires.
They were wearing stylish outfits, which Ellie wasn't sure were fulfilling the dress code of the school since their skirts were quite short and their neckline was quite revealing as well.
In addition to that, they each seemed to have at least a ton of make-up on their faces, Ellie thought as she faced them.
Meanwhile, the teen the three had been making fun of simply wore a plain-looking t-shirt under a cardigan and a pair of loose jeans.

''What do you want?'' the girl in the middle -apparently the leader of the small group- asked Ellie, raising her eyebrows while crossing her arms, the other two followed suit and did the same.

Ellie had to keep herself from snorting at their obvious arrogance, it was clear that all three girls were totally conceited, thinking they are better than anyone else.
Which made Ellie remember once more while she didn't like people like that.

''What do you think you're doing?'' Ellie questioned, looking at the three girls in front of her while motioning in the direction of the lone girl behind them with her head.

''What do you care? It's none of your business,'' the brunette in the middle retorted.

''How about you stop bothering the girl and go find a different occupation to pass your time,'' Ellie recommended strictly, trying very hard to stay calm.

The girl let out a snort, rolled her eyes and replied in a sassy tone ''You can't tell me what to do'' while raising her eyebrows.
''That wasn't a suggestion, kid.'' Ellie now used a tone that was much more insistent, her eyes narrowed and brows drawn together to underline her tone of voice.

Nick came to stand beside her, before then having quietly stayed in the background, and gave the three impudent girls a stern glare as well.

After a few seconds of staring at the adults, the leader of the small group of girls finally huffed and turned to the other two.
''C'mon, let's go. This isn't worth the trouble,'' she said, and then the three teens gracefully walked off, leaving Ellie and Nick alone with the girl.

''B, we should go now,'' Nick said to Ellie. But there was a piece of advice his partner wanted to give the teenager first.

''Don't let them talk to you that way or push you around like that. Fight back, if need be, until they stop and leave you alone.''

The girl nodded shyly and thanked her for interfering and bringing them to get off her back.


After that, Ellie and Nick finally left the school and went back to where the car was parked.
Just before Ellie was about to get into the car, Nick stopped her, putting a hand on her arm, making her turn her head to look at him.

''You okay?'' Nick wondered.

''Yeah, of course,'' she replied, managing a tiny smile, but Nick didn't believe her.
He knew that this must have hit close to home for her, having been bullied in high school herself. Therefore, he knew that she'd just been putting on an act when she told him that she's fine.

''You sure?'' Nick inquired, in a voice that made it clear he was doubting her statement, cause while he did not want to outright state that he knew she was lying in case she didn't want to talk about it with him, he also didn't feel like just letting the matter go that easily.

It took Ellie a few seconds to reply.
Leaning back against the car, she hesitantly revealed how she was truly feeling about the situation.
''It was kind of...a déjà vu, actually.''

Moving to stand beside her, also leaning against the car, their shoulders slightly touching, Nick said ''Yeah, I thought so.''

''I know that maybe I shouldn't have interfered, but...it just made me think back to how I was mocked and laughed at in high school, so I couldn't just leave and tolerate those teens doing that to the girl,'' Ellie explained, trying to justify her behavior to Nick, staring straight ahead instead of looking at Nick.

''I know.'' That simple statement was a relief to Ellie. Nick apparently understood.

''Hey, Ellie.'' He turned around to her, laying a hand onto her shoulder, making her turn to him as well so that they were standing opposite to each other, Ellie's eyes now fixated on his.

''It was the right thing to do,'' Nick told her, making her expression soften and a small smile appeared on her lips.

Her next response, which was said with more of a little smirk than a smile on her face, made both of them chuckle slightly, especially Nick since it was a repeat of his words from earlier.

''Yeah...I know.''