Ellie x Nick Oneshots

Baby nicknames

''Hey guys,'' Jimmy said as he came into the bullpen, stopping between Ellie and Tim's desks.

Tim, Ellie, and Nick greeted him as well before Jimmy turned to Ellie and asked her a question that made her raise her brows.

''How are you and baby Ellick?'' Jimmy's voice was cheerful, a smile on his face until he saw the looks Ellie and Nick were giving him, the latter standing behind Ellie's desk.

Turning around to glance at the third agent, Jimmy saw that McGee also had a questioning expression on his face.

''Baby what?'' Ellie asked curiously once Jimmy faced her and Nick again, looking a little puzzled at the realization that neither of them had laughed or even smiled at the nickname he had bestowed upon Nick and Ellie's unborn baby.

So he tried to explain.
''Baby Ellick...you know, since you don't know the baby's gender and you haven't chosen any names yet, I thought I'd just refer to your baby as 'Baby Ellick'.''

Sadly, his explanation didn't cause any different reaction than before, and instead only resulted in Ellie tilting her head to the side a little.

''Okay. So...uh, your names are Ellie and Nick, so it's a combination of both of your names. You know, Ellick...'' Jimmy tried once again, but to no avail.

This time, Ellie and Nick shared a look, before Nick outright told the medical examiner ''That's a stupid nickname for our baby, Jimmy.''

Ellie lightly slapped his arm for that comment. She didn't like it that much either, but there was no need for Nick to be so rude about it.

Just then, Gibbs strode through the bullpen, stopping at his desk to grab his gun and badge out of his desk drawer while saying ''Then think of a better one, Torres'' before telling them to grab their gear because they have a case, after which he continued in the direction of the elevator, Ellie, Nick and Tim following him suit while Jimmy was left a little dumbfounded, still standing there as the elevator door closed behind them.

_______________________________________________________________________________


Later that night after work, when Ellie and Nick were back at home, eating some takeout they'd picked up on the way home, Ellie addressed the topic from earlier once again.

''Jimmy was right earlier. We should at least have a nickname for our baby until we know the gender and have chosen a name. I've read that giving your unborn baby a nickname is also a good way to bond with it even if it's still in your uterus.'' Ellie told her husband after she swallowed the piece of pizza she had been chewing.

''I didn't disagree with that. The question is, do you have a suggestion?''

Ellie thought for a moment, thinking back to some names she read on the internet when she had looked up fetal nicknames earlier on her phone.
''How about lemon? I'm 13 weeks along, and the internet said the baby should be about the size of a lemon now...'' Ellie suggested thoughtfully.

''I don't know...That almost sounds too trivial, don't you think?'' Nick complained, making Ellie sigh.

''Okay, you suggest one then,'' Ellie told him, a little annoyed by his criticism.

''How about little Cody?'' Ellie had apparently liked the name back when they had been looking after the baby boy.

Ellie frowned though and scrunched up her nose.
''But we don't know the gender yet, so it doesn't seem right to give our baby a male nickname.''

''Okay fine.'' Nick held his hands up, showing his submission.
''How about jellybean then? Or cupcake?'' Ellie wrinkled her forehead, while Nick apparently had another idea for a nickname, his eyes widening as he suggested another food-inspired name.

''Uhh or snickerdoodle. Or cheese puff since you've been craving those lately.''

Ellie shot him a disapproving look.
''Okay, now you're just mocking me.'' She sounded a little offended.

Nick let out a chuckle.
''Well, there's no denying that you love food. Besides, you're the one who suggested the first food-related nickname,'' he told her teasingly, making her sigh.

''Okay, you know what, maybe it's better if we stop trying to come up with something now. Maybe baby Ellick isn't such a bad fetal nickname after all,'' Ellie suggested, doubting they would be able to think of a better one.

Nick pondered over that for a moment, before he had to admit the same.
''Yeah, okay...it does kinda make sense I guess... Ellie and Nick, Ellick...'' he mused.

''Good. That's settled then,'' Ellie quickly announced, before Nick could change his mind.
She stood up and threw the empty pizza boxes into the trash can, deciding to sit down on the couch afterward, where Nick joined her, putting his arm around her shoulder as he turned on the TV, though he turned down the volume.

''You know, since we were talking about names anyways, I thought that maybe we should also talk about actual names for once the baby's born,'' he told her in a quiet voice, pressing a kiss to her head.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and cuddled up against Nick some more, and Nick could feel her nod against his shoulder.
She was obviously a little tired now.

''Do you have any name ideas yet?'' Ellie sleepily asked him, and as he looked at her face he saw that she had closed her eyes.

''Yeah, one or two. I was thinking maybe Olivia for a girl and Alejandro if it's a boy,'' Nick told her, gently nudging her with the shoulder she was leaning on when she didn't answer, making him wonder if she fell asleep...
''Don't you think Alejandro is a little long?'' Ellie asked with the slightest smile on her lips.
Nick's name suggestions weren't half bad though, she had to acknowledge to herself.

''He can have a nickname. I mean, we do too. Or if you don't like the names, you suggest one.''

Ellie didn't bother telling him that she did actually like them, she could do that after they had collected a few potential names first, instead of just deciding on the first one they both liked.

''I like the name Isabella. Or Noah for a boy.''

They tossed in a few more names for a while, causing Nick to think that maybe he should get up to get a notepad and pen to write them down, but Ellie's head-shaking along with her words stopped him from doing so.

''No need. I have them all memorized in my brain. For girls, we have Olivia, Isabella, Ileana, Mary, Emma, Julie, and Zoey. And for boys Alejandro, Noah, Alan, Jaiden, Zachary or Zach for short, and Nathan.''
Nick stared at his wife in admiration. She had once again managed to impress him, her brilliant mind and memory never ceased to amaze him.

''Okay then. Which ones did you like most? My favorites are Olivia and Julie if it's a girl, and Zach if it's a boy. Or, of course, we could always name our baby Nicky, it works for both genders,'' Nick teased Ellie with a grin, making her chuckle and shake her head.

''Not a chance.'' There was no way they were going to name their child after Nick, nope.
His ego was big enough as it is, so she was in no way letting him name the baby after himself.

''I also like Mary. And Noah. So I guess we'll keep these five names in mind for now. Who knows, maybe a completely different name will come to our minds once baby Ellick is born.''

''Yeah, that may be'' Nick agreed, before taking one look at Ellie again and asking her whether she wanted to sleep, now that the name issue was resolved.

''No. Let's just sit here for a while longer...'' she murmured sleepily, obviously starting to fall asleep already.
Nick changed his position on the couch so that he was now actually lying on it, and Ellie was quick to do the same, cuddling up against his chest, using it as a pillow, her head resting right underneath his chin as she closed her eyes again.
Comfortable as can be in her husband's arms, she dozed off within minutes.