When she received the message from her older brother George, she could not hold back her tears. It couldn't be true. Her parents had a car accident and are in hospital. George himself sounded frightened on the phone and it wasn't hard to say that he was not far from crying. He asked her, if he should come to DC for her. But Ellie said „no" as she could make it to Oklahoma on her own. Her parents were about to visit her and spend a few days in Washington with her. She promised to show them the city and the sights.
She didn't know, how long she had been sitting on the ground with her back leaned to the balcony door, staring in front of herself, traces of tears visible on her face. She didn't know for how long she had been in this position ... she didn't even notice her phone ringing and beeping several times because of the messages she had received. Ellie didn't notice the sounds, she was so immersed in her thoughts. She didn't even notice that someone coming to her apartment.
"Ellie, babe, can you hear me? What happened? Talk to me," Nick tried to get her in a conversation.
He stroked her hair carefull. He didn't want to scare her, he tried to talk to her wanting to know, what had happened to her.
"Ellie, it's me, can you hear me? Please, say something," he tried to speak to her again. He kissed her gently on the cheek and hair and wanted to force her to communicate with him.
"Nick, what ... what are you doing here? When did you come?" she asked him, all confused.
"I've been here for a while and I've been trying to talk to you, but you haven't responded to me at all. Babe, what happened?" he asked her gently.
The fact that Ellie didn't even register that he had called her „Babe" was surprising, because she had told him several times not to call her that. This was weird, since she would reproached it to him immediately. He knew something was going on.
"What happened and why did you cry?" he asked.
"Mom and Dad ...," but she couldn't say it out loud and started crying again.
"What happened to them? Ellie, what's going on? Whatever it is, I'll help you. Do you understand? "he replied.
"They had an accident when they were on their way to the airport," she explained.
Nick knew her parents were coming to see her, she'd been talking about it for days and she was excited about it. She even got permission from the director to show them NCIS.
"Nick, I have to go home. Please, tell Gibbs, he'll understand," Ellie insisted, getting up with his help.
After that she went to pack up, leaving Nick alone in a quiet room. He wondered how to help her. He called Gibbs to let him know what was going on and that he was going with her. Gibbs just told them to be careful and asked Nick to take care of her and to be therefor her during the hard times.
When Ellie told him what had happened, Nick's immediate decision was to go to Oklahoma with her. The flow of his thoughts was interrupted by a loud bang from Ellie's bedroom. He knocked on the door and waited for an answer. But when nothing came back, he walked carefully inside, hoping Ellie wasn't naked or anything. He wanted to avoid any awkward moment. He went into her bedroom and on the floor he saw the shards of something he could consider to be a vase. Ellie was standing in the middle of all those shards. He walked over to her, ignoring the shards crunching under his shoes. He quickly checked her from head to toes to see, if she was injured. When he found out that she wasn't, he grabbed her hands, led her to her bed and sat her down. And he tried to talk to her again.
It's like a storm
That cuts a path
It's breaks your will
It feels like that
You think you're lost
But you're not lost on your own
You're not alone
I will stand by you
"It was my grandmother's vase, I received it as a wedding gift from my parents. It's the only thing I kept after the divorce. I just wanted to move it to the side, but somehow I knocked it out and it fell," Ellie explained, still staring at the broken vase on the floor.
"Ellie, it's just a vase. If you're not hurt, nothing actually happened," Nick comforted her.
"Did you already call Gibbs? Was he upset too much?" she wondered.
"Yeah, I called him and he wasn't upset at all... And now let's go or we'll miss the plane to Oklahoma," Nick said, helping her to her feet and starting to pack her bag.
"We?" she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Sure, I won't leave you alone," he replied with a smile.
After packing her bag, they still had to stop at Nick's to pack some of his things and then they finally went to the airport.
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
If you can't cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I wont let go
The journey in the car was quiet and the only thing that could be heard was the music on the radio. It was a random station and the song they were playing wasn't exactly Nick's style. However, he knew Ellie liked this music, so he let it on. He listened to the music and somehow that song struck him. He turned his head to the woman who meant to him so much more that he was ready to admit. Ellie was lost in her thoughts and was looking absently out of the window.
It hurts my heart
To see you cry
I know it's dark
This part of life
Oh it finds us all
And we're too small
To stop the rain
Oh but when it rains
The song accurately described his feelings that he felt at the moment. His heart always hurt when he saw Ellie sad, and he always wanted to pass on as much of her pain to himself.
I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
And you can't cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
This was true… every fight that would come he would fight for her. Although she always claimed that she could fight her battles alone. He would do anything for her. He already did protect her once, and it almost cost him his life, but he was willing to do it again and thousand more times. Even if she didn't want to, he would fight for her each and every time.
He looked at her again, grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on it. Ellie turned her head towards him and gave him a week smile, freeing her hand from his and stroking gently his cheek.
And I won't let you fall
Don't be afraid to fall
I'm right here to catch you
I wont let you down
It wont get you down
Your gonna make it
Yea I know you can make it
After a few minutes, Nick parked his car in the parking lot at the airport and with Ellie by his side went into the hall. Soon they were in the air heading to Oklahoma. Even though the flight wasn't long, Ellie fell asleep on his shoulder. It was caused by the stress of bad news. Nick looked at her, just smiled and tried to sit comfortably in his seat. When it looked like he fell asleep as well, the pilot announced that they were about to land. He looked at Ellie, who was still asleep on his shoulder, and nothing upset her at all. Nick gently tried to wake her up to tell her they were there. But it didn't help.
"Ellie, it's time to get up, we're almost there," he said, shaking her slightly.
"I slept the whole time, I'm so sorry you couldn't be comfortable when I was leaning against you. I'm so sorry," she blushed as she realized in what position she woke up.
"There's no reason to apologize, you were very cute and I didn't have a heart to wake you," he smiled at her.
Her blush didn't end and she just smiled awkwardly at him. She wanted to say something, but was interrupted again and this time with the fact that they had landed safely and would be able to get out.
Before she boarded the plane in DC, Ellie had let her brother know she would like him to pick her up, but she forgot to mention that someone else would be with her.
After picking up their luggage, they headed to the exit. Ellie sent George a message that she had landed and was waiting for him. She immediately got a message asking were she was. Ellie and Nick walked slowly to the meeting place with George.
"Ellie, finally," they heard a male voice behind them.
"George," Ellie snapped, running into her brother's arms.
"How are they doing?" she asked, still hugging him.
"Not very well yet," he replied. "And what is he doing here?" he added, noticing Nick.
"Nick helped me to get here and he's here as my support, so please be nice."
"I'm always nice. Nick, nice to see you again," he shook his hand.
Nick smiled and followed the Bishop siblings into George's car. Immediately they drove to the hospital to see their parents. None of them spoke all the way. Ellie, who was in the back seat with Nick, held Nick's hand with force and didn't care what her brother thought. Nick was a support to her and she needed his strength that day. She leaned back comfortably and closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She didn't know what to expect when she would arrive to the hospital.
When they arrived to the hospital, Ellie was greeted by her other two brothers and was pulled into their arms. And like George, they asked what Torres was doing there. Ellie told them exactly the same thing, but somehow she forgot to mention how happy she was that he was there with her. The brothers inhaled for asking more questions about Nick, but Ellie silenced them with one pointed finger and a murderous look. She avoided further questions for that moment, but she knew the interrogation would come later.
Now she wanted to see her parents more than anything. Ellie followed her brothers with Nick, who was dragging behind them and was trying to give Ellie some space. But at the same time he wasn't too far to stay there as her support.
They reached the room, where Ellie's mother was lying. The boys let her into the room and gave her some privacy with her mother. All four men waited outside.
"How are your parents?" Nick asked after an awkward silence.
"Dad's doing better than Mom, we're all scared," Robbie told him.
"Look, guys, I'm here for Ellie. Don't look for anything behind it," he told them.
"We'll talk about it later," George told him.
Ellie soon returned and her eyes were red from crying. She immediately went to Nick and hugged him, ignoring the curious glances from her brothers. She just needed Nick's strong hug, she needed comforting.
"How's your Mom?" Nick asked softly.
"She looks awful… Nick, what if I lose her?" she began to cry again.
"It won't happen, all of you Bishops are strong. She'll be here for a long time, don't worry," he encouraged her. "Ellie, everything's going to be fine, you'll see, I'll be here with you for as long as you need me to," he added, putting a gentle kiss on her hair.
Ellie felt comfortable and completely safe in his arms. Everything that was happening seemed much easier. She knew they could make it together.
A few days later, their parents' condition began to improve. Nick followed Ellie's each step. He brought her food and sometimes he had to force her to eat. She told him she would start eating properly when her parents were fine.
"Nick, you really don't have to stay here, I know how much you don't like hospitals."
"Ellie, I'm here for you and I'll be here until they get better. At the moment there is no other place where I would rather be. I'm here for you," he smiled at her and squeezed her hand.
"Thank you, you don't even know, how much it means to me," she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Gibbs told us to stay here as long as you need. He and McGee can handle it."
They stayed in Oklahoma for 14 days and during this time Ellie's parents weren't doing that bad. The two of them woke up, and Ellie could finally introduce Nick, whom she reffered as her co-worker, to her mother.
"I'm finally seeing a face of the man that my daughter is still talking about," Barbara smiled at them both.
"Mom, that's not true," Ellie said, blushing.
"Don't believe everything she said, sometimes I can be nice," Nick replied.
"Don't worry, Nick, she never said anything bad about you ... Eleanor has always talked about you only the best," Barbara smile done more time.
Ellie blushed again over the words and looked embarrassed at Nick, who just smiled at her.
"I guess I should leave you ladies alone. Ellie, do you want me to get you something to eat?" Nick asked as she was about to leave the room.
"You don't have to go away," Ellie told him, when they both left the mother's room.
"She's your Mom and you need your time with her. And besides, I heard your stomach… you haven't eaten properly in the last few days," he explained and left to get her something to eat.
Ellie returned to her Mom's room, waiting for her Mom to ask her about Nick. Ellie clearly noticed the questions her Mom's eyes as she and Nick had left to the hallway.
"Mom, if you have any questions, just ask," Ellie said as her Mom inhaled.
"You and Nick… what's going on there?"
"Nothing ... nothing is happening at all."
"Ellie, he's here with you and the way he is looking at you... I doubt there's nothing there," her Mom smiled.
"He's a colleague of mine ... and a great friend. There's really nothing there. He helped me to get here because he wanted to make sure I would make it here just fine," she replied.
"And who else would do that? Ellie... honey, if there's only a small chance that there's something there, do something about it," she smiled at her.
Before Ellie could say anything in response, there was a knock on the door and Nick walked slowly in.
"I hope I'm not interrupting, ladies… Ellie, I've brought you something to eat... and no excuses," he said, shoving a bag with food under her nose. Her stomach sounded loud, as she noticed that the food would smell really nice.
"Go eat it. I need to rest for a while," Barbara said.
Ellie was about to protest, but Nick practically pushed her out of sthe door and led her to a small hospital bistro.
"Eat and no excuses or I'll go see your Mom and tell her you're not listening," Nick smiled, unpacking a bag, which was promising something good according to the aroma.
Ellie started eating. The burritos that Nick had miraculously obtained were excellent. She didn't even realize that she had eaten even the second one, how hungry she was.
"Oops, the second one was yours. I'm so sorry, Nick," Ellie smiled awkwardly.
"Hey, I'm glad you finally ate something real."
"Yes ... all the stress and fear for my parents… Nick, thank you for being here for me," she squeezed his hand and smiled brightly at him.
"Always, Ellie ... always ... I would do anything for you," he squeezed her hand back.
They talked for a while, when Ellie decided to go and visit her mother again, as well as her father, with whom her brothers had been before. Ellie was glad her parents were okay. Nick stared at her for a moment, glad that everything was fine. He didn't want to admit it, but he was afraid. And he didn't like to see her cry.
A few days later, her parents were finally released home. Ellie was glad everything was behind her. She eventually managed it all, and for the most part, Nick was there with her the whole time. He was with her every step of the way, and she was slowly realizing that her mother was probably right. Who else would do that for her?
She began to realize that those feelings for him were more than just a sign of friendship. She was determined to do something with it. Plus, Nick and her family seemed to get along well, which would be a big plus to her relationship. But first Ellie had to tell Nick what was on her mind, however, she just wanted to wait until she got home to DC. And maybe one day they'll come back together – as a couple.
"Ready to go home?" Nick snapped from their thoughts.
"What ... Yeah ... I'm sorry, I was just thinking," she smiled awkwardly.
"All right ... George will take us to the airport, he's already waiting in the car," he smiled at her and went to say goodbye to the rest of her family.
"Nick, take care of her," Ellie's father said to Nick, hugging him friendly.
"Yes, sir," Nick replied.
Ellie, meanwhile, went to say goodbye to her mother and brothers. She was glad that it all turned out well. She was glad that Nick was there with her the whole time ... he was her support. One day, maybe everything will change.
Cause I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
And you can't cope
And I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let go
Oh I'm gonna hold you
And I won't let go
Wont let you go
No I won't