Ball Drop

Author's Note: Happy New Year to all of my readers! I'm back with an Ellick oneshot. The High Tide chapter two will most likely be up either later today, or tomorrow. Remember to review or leave constructive critism please. This story is completely AU and does not correspond with any other stories I have published.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or the characterse, just this plot idea.

"Happy New Year, guys!" exclaimed McGee, who was entering the bullpen. "Did you guys all have a good holiday?" he asked.

Ellie grinned. "Hello. And yes, I did have a good Christmas. I went back to Oklahoma, and I had a lot of apple pie."

"How traditional. And you, Torres?"

Nick shrugged. "Went back with my family. We went to the Bahamas for a few days. Had ham and tamales. Not much. What about you, McPapa?"

Nick grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that." he gushed. "The twins laughed at the same time. And Dee got it all on video. It was SO adorable."

Ellie laughed. "Aw... really?"

McGee nodded. "Yeah... and Delilah's bringing them up right now!" he squealed. "Wait." he muttered. "I'm going to go help her."

Nick chuckled lightly, "Yeah Tim boy, she might need that!" he shouted after McGee, who was sprinting down the stairs.

Ellie walked over towards Nick, and shrugged. "So..."

Nick looked up. "Ya need something, B?"

"Yeah. Kinda." she admitted.

"Talk away."

"Uh... so a few months ago, I planned a little getaway with Quinn, as we were the only female agents on this team. But then, you know, her mother became worse, and so I now have an empty plane ticket. Do you... want to go see the balldrop with me? I mean, you totally don't have to, and you're kinda like-" she blabbed.

Nick nodded. "Of course."

Ellie looked surprised. "Really?" she asked. "I mean, this is like a 3 day trip, and I don't even know if-"

"Hey." said Nick, "I'll go with you okay? Friend bonding. It'll be fun."

"Fun for me or you?" asked Ellie, snorting. "I don't know. But... we gotta get there in like a few hours. The airport I mean. I can pick you up."

"Okay." said Nick, "But let's stay here with the twins first. I forgot to give them their McBaby 1 and McBaby 2 shirts."

"I really hate security. And TSA." muttered Nick, who stared at the long line of people who were impatiently waiting.

"Ahhh... My friend can get us through. It's nice knowing people who can get you out of long long lines." chuckled Ellie, lugging a small carry on and her Swiss Gear backpack. Nick snorted. "And this friend is..."

"Ellie!" shouted an attractive redhead who was waving her hands towards her. "Ellie! Over here! It's me! Jenny!"

"That's your friend?" questioned Nick, "She looks like she belongs in a Strawberry Shortcake playhouse."

"Nick shut up. Be nice." snapped Ellie, before turning to her friend. "Hi Jenny. Thanks for cutting us through the TSA lines."

"No problem!" exclaimed an excited Jenny. "I love helping out other people!" she squeaked.

Nick raised an eyebrow, before snorting.
"And who is this handsome fellow?" asked Jenny.

Nick grinned. "Nicolas Torres, NCIS." he said, introducing himself.

"You have a really nice name." she complimented. "Well, Ellie, and Nicolas, follow me. I have a special machine thing for your handguns. It's so cool that you guys get to carry guns!" she gushed.

Ellie shrugged. "And dangerous."

"Nah." said Nick, "You're trained well, Ell."

"Are y'all dating?" asked Jenny, "Y'all would be SO cute together."

Ellie snorted. "No we're not dating."

"What a shame." mused Jenny, "I was about to start planning your wedding."

Nick coughed loudly and turned his head towards the security entrance. "Uh, Jenny. Can you just... get us through the lines. I need... some water."

"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Jenny, before leading them through the door.

"Nice office." muttered Nick, staring jealously at the new, high tech fingerprint scanners. NCIS never got those. Ellie noticed, and shrugged at Nick's stare.

"Oh thank you!" squealed Jenny. "I love working with the TSA."

Ellie nodded. "Yes, and thank you again for getting us through that line."

"Oh." said Jenny, "No problem. After all, you did shield me from a few bullets. You saved my life. The most I can do, is get you folks through a long and depressing line. Especially since it's almost the New Year!"

"Amen." muttered Nick, swinging his backpack behind him.

After they got out of the security office, Nick tapped on Ellie's shoulder.

"You saved her life?" he asked softly.

Ellie nodded. "I saved hers... but I couldn't save her son's." she admitted, sighing. "That little boy was the first person I couldn't save, here at NCIS. You can ask Tim. I was distraught for days."

"Hey," said Nick, taking Ellie's hand. "You did what you did."

"Yeah... I screwed up." she muttered.

"Uhh... do you even know what I've done? I left McGee and Gibbs behind in Paraguay. I almost let the twins grow up without a father. I almost let Delilah down."

Ellie sighed. "I knew this job would be hard... but that feeling when you don't achieve what you want is the worse."

Nick snorted. "Amen to that, Bish."

"Ellie?" asked Nick, who was sitting next to her on the plane, "Yo. You want anything to drink?" he asked her, rubbing her shoulder, as an attempt to wake her up. "Ellie?"

"A coke with ice, please." she muttered.

"One coke with ice, and a Sprite with ice, ma'am." asked Nick.

Ellie snorted. "No alcohol?" she asked him.

"Nah," waved off Nick, "I kinda want to remember this. Like... the start of something new."

"Are we going to be something new?" teased Ellie, "Like..."

"A relationship?" questioned Nick, grinning. "Maybe."

"Here's your Sprite, and here's your coke sir." said the flight attendant, handing them their drinks.

"Here... lemme get these for you." said Nick, taking the drinks. Ellie narrowed her eyes at him. "You being a gentleman, Nicolas Torres?"

Nick rolled his eyes at Ellie. "Nicolas makes me sound like some Catholic boy who reads comic books and stuff."

Ellie snorted at his response. "And Eleanor doesn't make me sound like an old grandmother who bakes cookies and brownies for all of her grandchildren?"

"Point taken." replied Nick, "But you as a baker? Da*n Ellie, you'd burn the whole house down."

"Hey!" exclaimed Ellie, "That is not true. I brought the snickerdoodles and the sugar cookies for the NCIS Christmas party a few days ago."

"That was you?" asked Nick, in shock. "Those were amazing."

"I know." boasted Ellie, "They were my grandmother's recipe." she replied smugly.

"Teach me." pleaded Nick, "Those were really good."

"You in a 'Kiss the Cook' apron and licking off the icing? I don't think so."

"I wouldn't mind kissing you." he mused.

"Nick shut up." she exclaimed.

"Never." he teased. "Come on, Ell. You're really smart and beautiful... and I like you."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

Nick smirked. "Yes. Plus..."

"Oh gosh." she mumbled, "We're in public Nick!"

Nick snorted. "That's never stopped you before."

Ellie's jaw dropped. "Pervert."

"Just a protective guy."

"Mostly perverted though." mused Ellie.

"Will you please shut up?! Either get together or don't! It's so simple! Oh my gosh!" screeched the lady sitting behind them.

"How the hell did you afford this?!" asked Nick, staring at the hotel chandelier in awe. "We make the exact same salary, and I doubt 45 thousand a year covers this."

"Divorce payements." she mumbled, "And my parents send me 5 to 10 thousand every year. They make quite a lot in the farming industry. It's surprising actually."

Nick nodded. "That's so cool."

"Hi, yes, one reservation for Bishop please." asked Ellie at the front desk.

"Eleanor Bishop?" asked the clerk, staring down at Ellie.

Ellie nodded. "Yes, that would be me."

"You don't look like an Eleanor." noted the clerk.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "I am Eleanor Bishop. And me, and my friend would like our hotel room, that I booked, 5 months in advance. I have all the email statements to prove it."

"You guys sure y'all just friends?" questioned the clerk, staring at the duo. "How long have you been having an affair with him, young missy?"

Ellie's jaw dropped, and she snorted. "An affair? I'm actually a divorced woman, and a woman who lost her fiancee just a year ago, and you have the nerve to tell me I'm having an affair?"

Nick grabbed Ellie's arm, to try and calm her down.

"Sorry." apologized Nick to the clerk, "She's a bit feisty. Now, could we just have our keys...? We won't get in your way again... Miss McNeel."

The clerk narrowed her eyes at Nick, before rolling her eyes. "Okay then. Here's your two keys. Room 1009. Floor 8. Pool is open from 7 am to 11 pm. No smoking allowed in the room. The basics." she waved.

"Okay then." grumbled Ellie, taking the keys and brochure from the countertop."

"She sucked." said Ellie, once she got out of the clerk's earshot. "I would have strangled her to death."

"I realize that, Ell, but please refrain from strangling old and bitter women."

"Now... Come on Nick." said Ellie excitedly, pushing the button on the elevator. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Hey, Ell? We got a problem." said Nick, once he got to the room. "There's only one bed." he called.

Ellie looked over at the room and blanched. "Okay. That's fine. We'll... bunk together? You okay with that, uh, Torres?"

Nick shrugged. "Just as long as you're okay with it. If you want, I could sleep on the floor."

"That's way too cold, even for you." chided Ellie, "I mean, it's just for two nights? What could go wrong?

"30!" chanted the crowd. "29!"

Ellie turned to Nick. "Well... it's almost the New Year. Anything you want to tell me while we're here, freezing our butts off in the cold?"
Nick grinned. "Oh yeah... I love you."

Ellie raised an eyebrow, before hearing the "5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" chorused the crowd.

Throwing her arms around Nick, Ellie grinned. "Now would be a good time to kiss me again... love" she chuckled.

Nick licked his lips and smiled at his girlfriend adoringly, before leaning down, and kissing her with passion and delight. He dipped her lightly, and flipped her back up, and stroked her hair adoringly.

"Happy New Year, darling."

"I love you too." said Ellie. "But kiss me again."

If you don't understand the ending, Ellie and Nick were already dating, but they were hiding it from everyone, and Ellie and Nick were just having a secret getaway with an excuse.

Happy New Year to all my readers, once more!