The perfect date
Eric and Nell are in the OPS center waiting for the team to join them for today's mission. Callen, Sam, Kensi and Deeks comes.
"morning guys." Nell greats.
"morning." Callen and Sam greats.
"how is the girlfriend doing?" Deeks asks. Everyone look confused to untile they realize that Deeks question is towards Eric. Eric sends Deeks a very angry look that clearly tells Deeks that he was not supposed to tell anyone about that.
"ups." Is Deeks only response. At the same moment, that big doors opens and Hetty enters the room. Everyone is just staring at Eric. Especially Nell. Hetty looks at Nell who normally is the one who always notices Hetty's appearance.
"Miss Jones will you please," Hetty asks referring to starting the briefing. Nell has been in shock about the revealing of her partner's secret girlfriend until now. She walks over to the screen and starts the briefing.
Later in OPS.
Nell is standing at the table with her tablet and working on the case when Eric enters the room. Eric notices that Nell doesn't even look up at him when he comes in. he walks over to her.
"can we talk?" he asks.
"you got something then you should call Callen and Sam," she says with a cold tone of voice.
"no, I want to talk to you." He is standing right next to her and takes the tablet out of her hands and turns her towards him. he looks straight into her eyes.
"I'm sorry about what happened this morning."
Nell pretends to not understand what he is talking about.
"I'm sure everything is fine for whatever you are apologizing for."
She turns back to the table and picks up her tablet.
"hey. Could you please…" she sighs heavily. She doesn't want to talk about this. She takes a moment before she puts down the tablet. Just to think about what to say.
"okay, Eric. I am happy for you that you got a girlfriend. I'm sure she is nice and I'm sure you have a reason for why you didn't tell me. But for whatever reason you have. It is fine."
Eric looks down. He doesn't feel so confident anymore.
"she is not my girlfriend. We haven't been on a first date yet."
Nell looks surprised at him. she is trying to hide her happiness but fails miserably by asking: Why not?" not until after the question flys out of her mouth she realizes how wrong that sounded.
"sorry I didn't mean it that way."
He forces a little nervous smile.
"I think I am going to screw it up." He admits honestly.
"why?" she asks. "just be yourself."
"yeah, that is about the worst advice you could give me." He says and walks over to his computer. Nell looks confused at him and takes that tablet and walks over and takes her seat next to him.
"why is being yourself a bad advice? That is the best thing to do on a date."
"not for me." He regrets he even started this conversation.
"just forget I ever started this conversation." He starts typing on his computer. Hoping that she will just let it go and forget about this.
"no Eric. Why is being yourself a bad idea?"
Eric stops typing and looks down.
"because I screw things up. Say stupid nerdy things and people things I'm weird. And it always ends with I completely screw things up and ruins everything."
"you haven't ruined our friendship." She says trying to make him feel better. "and I'm weird too… you know."
"yeah but you are also nice and really sweet and beautiful and smart."
Nell feels she starts blushing by his sweet heartfelt compliments.
"stop Eric. If that girl can't see that you are the most amazing guy in the world she doesn't deserve you."
They just look into each other's eyes until Callens voice interrupts their moment over the headset.
Later in OPS
At around 5 pm Nell comes into OPS. Eric has shot down the OPS center and is packing up his stuff.
"done for the day ha?" Nell asks. Not really knowing what to say after their conversation earlier she has had this strange feeling that can't really explain.
"You have any plans for the night?" he asks her when they leave OPS together.
"Nah not really. Watching a movie maybe working on my drone. I don't know."
Nell feels sad about making herself sound so lonely just because she want him to feel bad for her. She tries to force a smile on her face.
"so do you have any plans with your secret friend?"
She chuckles a little.
"maybe." He smiles and then looks down at the floor. "I don't know. I want to invite her on a date, but.." he stops op top of the stairs.
"I'm not sure where to take her. I mean. I want it to be perfect."
"big, fancy and expensive is not always perfect."
He looks confused at her.
"what do you mean?"
"not all girls want prince charming on the white horse treating her like cinderella."
Eric chuckles because of her explanation.
"I kinda thought that was what every girl wanted."
Nell laughs a little.
" not everyone. For some girls, the location or the entertainment doesn't matter. It's the company she is with and the chemistry that is important. If you have a lot to talk about or a lot of things in common, then… you don't really have to plan anything. Everything will just come along all by itself and it will be all natural and perfect."
"I don't get it." He is confused.
"what I mean is." She takes a step closer to him to make sure no one else can hear them even though everyone else has gone home for the day.
"a perfect date can just be spending a night at home together. Doing whatever you enjoy doing together. Maybe just some snacks and then it will all come naturally. It is not about how much money you spend on the date or how fancy the restaurant is."
He nods in understanding.
"okay, I think I get it now. With the perfect girl, nothing else matter."
Nell nods.
"exactly."
Eric gets a text.
"speaking of which."
He says with a smile. Nell forces a little smile on her lips. She has a strange feeling in her stomach but she doesn't want to ruin his date.
"she ask if I can come pick her up. I'll see ya tomorrow." He says and runs down the stairs. Nell is left alone on the top of the stairs. She is just standing there for a while. Thinking:
Why didn't he tell her about his girlfriend? Would he think she wouldn't be happy for him? is she happy for him? what kind of friend would she be if she couldn't be happy for her best friend have find love? She is happy for him. she is his best friend. He counts on her. She has to be happy for him… but then why does she have this feeling of not being happy?
"hey, Nell."
Her thought gets interrupted by a familiar male voice. She looks down at the bullpen. The so familiar, tall psychologist Nate is standing at the foot of the stairs.
"hey, Nate," Nell says trying not to show her feelings of sadness and loneliness. She walks down the stairs. She gives him a hug.
"hows it going kiddo?"
"good." Nate notices that Nell avoid eye contact when she answers him.
"hey, Kiddo. I have known you for a long time. I know when everything is not okay. And right know everything is not okay. What's going on?"
Nell knows that Nate can get her to say everything if she lets him so she is trying not to let hi in.
"nothing. I'm fine. Just tired. It has been a long day."
Nate looks up towards OPS.
"where is Eric?"
"he has gone home for the day. He was tired too."
"well, probably not more tired then to go see his girlfriend. He was on the phone with her outside when I came."
"does everyone know about his girlfriend beside me?" Nell realize that her outburst sounded a little more frustrated than she wanted it to be. Nate looks at her with a look that tells her he was just trying to push the buttons to get her to spill the beans.
"i…" Nell doesn't know what to say. She hates that Nate that easily can get in her head. She is smart but the psychologist can still easily trick her.
"nicely done Nate. Are you happy."
She walks away from him and walks down the hallway. He quickly follows her.
"no I'm not Nell. I am not happy when I see my friends miserable. Come on. I'll buy you dinner."
"I'm not going to tell you anything, dr. Gates."
"that is okay, miss Jones."
They leave the bullpen together.
When Nell gets to bed that night she hate herself. She told Nate everything. How she was feeling when she realized this morning that Eric actually has a girlfriend. This gnawing feeling she has had in her stomach all day. She even admitted to him that she wanted it to be her he would be taking on a nice relaxing date. What kind of friend is she?