Car trouble
Nick's day started off quite well. After a week of no cases, a body was found on a marine base. Of course, a body meant that someone was dead, so he could not look as ecstatic as he was feeling inside but his mood seriously improved the nearer they came to the crime scene. After a quick assessment of the scene the team quickly came to the conclusion that the victim, identified as petty officer David Perez, had to have known his attacker. However, by the time that McGee finally found a connection it was already late into the evening and with McGee having twins at home, Nick and Ellie were send out to investigate.
"Please, I'm dying here Torres" Ellie's groan shook Nick out of his musings. They were only halfway, so consumed in their bickering over the radio station when they hit a hole in the road with a flat tire as a result. "I already told you that I don't have any bars left" he responded. "You're lying, I can clearly see the corner of a chocolate bar in the pocket of your jacket". "You mean this", he pulled at the corner of the wrapper, "its empty, you ate this one an hour ago and left me with only the wrappings". They had left in a hurry and had not had dinner, so it was to be expected that Ellie was hungry. Hell, he was hungry as well. He checked his phone, it was almost ten o'clock. "How long did Gibbs say it was going to take before he could get here again?". "At least an hour before he could get the spare tire and another hour before he would reach us. That leaves us with an hour and a half before he gets here" was the response he got. Great, he thought, an hour and a half with a hungry Ellie Bishop while stranded on an abandoned road in the cold was not his first choice to spend the evening. He allowed his mind to go off track for just a second, an hour and a half was surely enough time to have some fun in the car while waiting. Added to that came the thought that it was dark and just cold enough. He shook his head, there was no way that he could convince Ellie.
It took another ten minutes before he had an idea. "Hey, where are you going" He got out of the car and opened the trunk. "Ha, I knew it", he held up a bag and blanket for Ellie to see. "I forgot that I had some of those left". He opened the bag and proudly showed her what was inside. "Oh sweet Jesus. Nick, I think I love you" she exclaimed upon seeing the two chocolate muesli bars inside the bag. He swallowed upon hearing her saying those words but only responded with quickly giving her one of the bars. After eating the bars she looked quizzically towards the blanket he held on his lap. He followed her gaze and quickly picked up on her unasked question, "I was feeling a bit cold, but I remembered that I had a blanket". "Do you have another one?" she asked, looking hopeful. "No, but if you move to the backseat, we can share", he gave her a knowing grin. He got an grin in return, "but no roaming hands". "No roaming hands, I promise".
No roaming hands, turned out to be a slightly harder promise than he expected. The blanket was only just big enough for them both and they were full on cuddling. Not that he was complaining or anything, but as much as he wanted, Ellie and him were not in a relationship yet. They had definitely passed the just friends stage but were not yet at the 'couple' stage. It was normal for them to be touching, but this was the first time they were actually 'cuddling'. Not that there was anything to complain about, he thought. The way they fit together is like their bodies were made for each other.
Ellie kept shifting to get comfortable next to him and eventually they ended up with her head nestled in his neck, his arm around her and his hand on her back. Her shirt had risen up slightly and he couldn't resist the urge to slightly run his hand up and down the exposed flesh. He heard her let out a slight chuckle, "what happened to 'no roaming hands'?". He gave a slight chuckle as well but did not stop. They were so close to stepping over that invisible line, if they hadn't already. He kept on drawing on her skin when he felt her relax more and more. It was then that he realized that he wanted more. More nights cuddled up like this, preferably in bed and naked, but he really wanted to cross the line with Ellie. "Hey Ellie" he started, but when he looked down the words got stuck in his throat. She had fallen asleep all cuddled up to him. He smiled to himself, he would let her sleep. He closed his own eyes for a second. He would just wait for Gibbs to arrive with the spare tire and then tomorrow he would ask her.
…
Gibbs had seen the car on the side of the road. Almost passed right by as there were no lights on in the car, but that was to be expected. Stopping his own car behind theirs, he slowly walked up to the car. As the road was quite abandoned there were no street lights so he approached the car with a flash light. Seeing no one in the front he turned to the backseat. He was met with the sight of his two agents fast asleep and all cuddled up together. He smiled to himself "about time, you two".