Recently finished playing DED, and I noticed the extreme lack of Ellie and Mason shipping at all! I really feel like this pair doesn't get enough credit for anything, so here's a little oneshot for our nerdy science couple.

*Spoilers for The Deadly Device Ahead*

Nancy Drew © Her Interactive/Simon & Schuster Inc.

Ellie tapped her foot impatiently on the floor as she stared at the little box that had her name on it. She was ready to figure out who had her for their little Secret Santa game, and she wanted to know now. Typically, Ellie had patience, but her boyfriend, Mason, had been talking up this little gathering for weeks. She was extremely curious to know not only who had given her the mysterious gift, but also to know what Mason was up to.

Ellie had been working hard to try and determine who got her. The four scientists had been extremely quiet about their Secret Santa projects, and this was a much harder code to hack than she originally expected. She had a good feeling it wasn't Ryan, since the blabbermouth probably would've blurted it out to her after their friendship became so much stronger, so that left Gray and Mason. Ellie also felt that Mason wouldn't have been able to keep a secret from her, especially if he picked her name out of the hat. So that left Gray.

Or was Mason's secrecy all because he had picked her name from the hat? She groaned in frustration.

Her current focus was that small box that read 'Ellie' on it. It had been sitting under their metal Christmas tree for a week now with the rest of the gifts, mocking her with its presence every time she walked into the lounge. It almost seemed to call out to her, to throw things in her face about 'not being able to touch it' and 'you can look but don't touch'. Being a scientist, curiosity was a natural thing- perhaps a little too natural for this Christmas game.

Ellie sighed and leaned her head back on the couch as she waited for the other three members of the lab to show up. They were all running late now. Ryan was more than likely forgetting; Gray was never one for festivities, so he was probably putting this off; and Mason told her he would be down in 'just a minute', since he needed to finish up some work in his office.

Mason. Now there was a thought that pleased Ellie. She did not deny the hate she used to have for the man, that was certain. But as their secret deal carried on, she began to feel a tolerance for him, then an admiration for his work and stealth. Before long, the two ended up in a huge argument, spilling out their true feelings for each other mistakenly- they were both in love.

Mason had kept her here in Colorado after that. Two years they'd been together now, working side by side with Ryan and Gray to finish Niko's hard work. They were getting close, Ellie could just feel it.

Finally, the lounge door swung open, and in walked Ryan and Mason. Ryan pressed the alarm by the door, knowing it was the only way to get Gray over to their Christmas meeting. Ryan, the bubbly scientist that she was, bounced over to the metal tree and sat down on the floor by it. Mason plopped down next to his girlfriend and kissed her cheek. Ellie and Mason were never a 'Public Display of Affection' kind of couple, but they still enjoyed one another. Ellie was content when Mason swung an arm over her shoulders and she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

Gray came dashing in only a few moments later, completely out of breath and panicking. He looked around the room with extreme concern. Even though he had fallen back into the world of science, he still monitored the security in the building. When he saw the three sitting contently around their metal tree, he glared at them.

"What did I say about pressing the alarm, Ryan?"

"Well it was the only way to get you in here! How else was I supposed to do it?" Ryan exclaimed with a grin. Gray sighed and sat in the empty chair, ready for this to be over with. "Who wants to go first?" Ryan asked gleefully. Ellie figured that the sooner she went, the sooner she could figure out whom the little box with her name on it was from.

"Alright, I'll go first," Ellie volunteered. She grabbed the gift under the tree and handed it to Ryan. "Merry Christmas, Ryan," she said with a smile and sat back down next to Mason. Ryan's eyes lit up when she opened the box to reveal tons and tons of multi-colored gummy bears. She thanked Ellie gratefully before picking up her present and handing it to Gray. Ryan had given him a new flashlight and a new coffee mug. He seemed pleased, since she was the one who destroyed his last flashlight and mug in 'The Great Coffee Mug Flashlight Incident of June'. That was definitely an event they did not speak of. Ever.

Gray handed his gift to Mason, much to Ellie's interest. She quickly put two and two together as Mason opened his gift. Mason did in fact draw her name and manage to keep it under the radar for weeks. Needless to say, Ellie was rather impressed.

After Mason opened his gift- which consisted of a new organizing system for his office, something that gave Mason a lot more joy than most people expected, Mason handed the small box to his girlfriend.

"Merry Christmas," he said with a small smile. Ellie smiled back as she removed the bow.

"Very sly of you," Ellie said with a smirk. Although, she should have expected this of him. After all, they did almost succeed in selling off tons of top-secret scientific research. She unwrapped the box as if it were a bomb. A small velvet box was left after all of the ribbon and wrapping paper was gone. She tentatively opened the box and gasped.

Inside was a silver ring, embedded with a small sapphire stone. The silver had tints of blue and purple in it, almost reminding her of the way the electricity bounced off the Tesla Coil in the lab. Mason leaned over with a smile.

"Will you marry me?"

It was a simple question, presented in a small but meaningful way. Ellie found that she could not say 'no'.

Merry Christmas! To all those who don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays & my best wishes for everyone's 2015!