When they reach her apartment Dean is glad to see she still has the same kind of style she has always had. Her apartment is small only two bedrooms, but she uses guest room as an office also. The main living room is about 13' by 13. The and dining area are, well a counter between the living room and kitchen that has a step up for the eating area, and in the lower part, the sink, to the right and underneath is the dishwasher. The stove is in the center of the cabinets on the next wall, the corner is about 2' away from the dishwasher area and about 2½' from the stove, the stove also has a oven in it. The fridge is on the next wall, corner being the same distance as the other corner on the stove wall, the corner is about 3½' from the fridge, the fridge is a french door fridge. The areas in between appliances are cabinets and counters and above the areas, except for the stove, sink, and fridge, are all cabinets. The three bar stools are LexMod Procure Wood bar stools. The bar is granite like the rest of the counters. The couch in the living room is a Caramel colored sectional that faces to the right, with the small end facing out a window and the larger facing the wall that has the Manchester 3-shelf open Tv stand. All that is housed in it is a cable box, DVD player, blu-ray player, dvd's, and blu-rays. Instead of an ottoman that came with the sectional she has a Channing Coffee table made out of wood and galvanized metal.
"Nice place you have here Ells." Dean comments about the place while looking around and noticing the hallway that leads to the bathroom and bedrooms. Now the master has it's own bathroom while there is a second bathroom for guest. The flooring in the entire place is Jasper Engineered Hardwood Handscraped collection Hickory Charlotte.
"That means alot coming from you. Thanks Deanie."
"Why does that mean a lot coming from me?"
"Well considering you sent me pictures of the places you renovated why out in Cali."
"Point taken. I guess it helps that is what my dad did. I also see a lot of potential in some places." He says while exiting the guest bath.
"Like where. I did show the landlord the pictures you sent me and he said that if you were ever here you could renovate it as you like, but tell him first." And after a few seconds adds. "And you have properly healed." With a pointed look at him.
"Well okay then. And I'm talking about doing a backsplash in the kitchen and redoing the bathrooms."
"Why both bathrooms?"
"Why both bathrooms? Because if yours is anything like this one it would need it." Ellie just nods.
"Alright tomorrow you can plan what to do and then get together with the landlord and start to price supplies."
"Ma'am Yes Ma'am." Dean says while snapping to attention and saluting her.
"Stop that." She starts to walk towards her room before turning and saying.
"I hope you can still cook like you used, because I'm looking forward to that." Dean just chuckles.
"Yes Ells my cooking is still pretty good. Some would even say excellent." Now it's Ellie's turn to laugh. After that they start to move Dean's thing's into the spare bedroom. The bed is just a full sized bed with a Woodhaven Averny Panel bed with a some white bedding and such as on it. The closet is a simple one about 5 feet wide with sliding doors. There is a South Shore Holland 6-drawer dresser at the foot of the bed with an industrial single light retro rust finished pipe. Dean approves of the room he will be staying in. There is a knock at the front door and when Ellie opens it she is surprised to see who it is.
"What are you doing here Jake. Go away." Upon hearing this Dean heads towards the front door also.
"Hello there Jake, it's been awhile." Jake thinking that Dean was helping him took a step in but a hand was placed on his chest. The hand was Dean's. Ellie looks at Dean and sees the look in his eyes and decides to walk into the kitchen and make some coffee with her Keurig, while Dean and Jake step in the hall. She gets a call from McGee and she gets a strange feeling of happiness and sadness knowing that McGee was going to propose to Delhia, but decides to answer it anyways.
"Hey McGee how'd it go with the proposal.
'Delhia said no. She then broke up with me.'
"Oh my god. Did she tell you why she broke up with you?"
'She said she didn't want to get married. Said it was to much of a commitment.'
"That just means she wasn't the right one for you. How about you come over here and talk about it?"
'It wouldn't feel right talking about it with you after such a short time.' Right then Dean walks back into the apartment.
"Well how about you talk about it with Dean then?" Ellie suggest.
'I guess so. It's better than my other plan.'
"Which was what?"
'Go to Gibbs's and wallow and help build the boat.'
"Yes it is. I'll even make Dean cook us something."
'Alright I guess I'll see you guys at 6 then?' Ellie looks at her watch and sees that it is 2.
"That is perfect. See you then."
'Thanks Ellie.'
"You're welcome Tim." With that she hangs up and turns to Dean.
"You are cooking get a recipe and we are going grocery shopping." Dean thinks a minute before nodding that he is ready to go.
"Oh and what did you and Jake talk about?" She asks as they leave the apartment.
"How about we talk about it in the Truck?"
"Alrighty then."
In the Pickup
"So what did you two talk abou?" Ellie asks again.
"We talked about guy stuff." She gives him a glare.
"We talked about him never going to the apartment ever again."
"Gibbs already threatened him and apparently that didn't work."
"I told him I would beat the shit out of him and make sure he was still alive to a point." Ellie just nods as they drive and make it to the grocery store.
"Oh yeah what are you making for supper?"
"General Tsao chicken, honey walnut shrimp, and chow mein. Oh and do you know anywhere I can get a couple of woks."
"Um okay how about we get the woks now and then ingredients."
"Okay."
Hour and half later
"I never want to go shopping like that ever again." Ellie says.
"Well the woks are what made it the worst."
"I know." Ellie looks at her watch.
"Wow it is almost four need help with this?"
"Yes. Can you get all the stuff out and just follow the recipe." Ellie nods her head and gets to work as Dean does the same.
5:45
McGee had arrived a little early and was walking towards Ellie's door with a six pack of Shiner Bock, which was really hard to find in DC, bottle of Jack Daniels, and Jim Bean (I would like to point out that Shiner Bock is a major brand of beer in Texas where I'm from and as such do not know how hard it is to find elsewhere. Also the Jack Daniels is a Whiskey and Jim Bean is Bourbon both are cheap and I don't know if those of you out of country that don't know what it is.) He had gotten a text from Dean asking him to get them saying all Ellie had was wine and how he doesn't really do the wine thing. He had reached the door and heard the song "Slippin into Darkness" then.
"DEAN THAT IS GOING TO CATCH MY APARTMENT ON FIRE." McGee knowing what he was making just knocked on the door and then heard someone hurrying to the door and it being thrown open by Ellie. Ellie was wearing what she had worn to work, a pair of ZCO frayed ankle womens skinny jeans, a Krochet kids maya womens shirt, with a pair of REPORT Clementyne womens booties that has fringe, she also had an apron on it also appears like there was flour involved in the cooking process considering that there is some on the apron and her. She had decided to put her blonde hair up into a messy bun. For some reason this made McGee's heart race.
"Oh hey McGee you're early, but that's okay. What do you have there." Ellie then looks at the bottles a little closer before looking at Dean.
"Dean did you tell McGee to get alcohol?"
"Yes I did. I'm guessing he got it to."
"That he did. I told you I have wine."
"And I told you I don't like wine. Are you not going to let him in?"
"Oh Sorry McGee please do come in and have a seat I'll put those things in the fridge to keep them chilled." When McGee walks into the apartment he sees Dean in the kitchen with an apron on also and cooking with two different woks on the gas burners.
"What's for supper Dean?"
"I'm making General Tsao's chicken, Honey Walnut shrimp, and Chow Mein."
"Sounds good. Need help with anything?"
"Yeah can you get me a Shiner." McGee walks towards the fridge but Ellie had beat him to it and had two more.
"Ellie you drink beer?" McGee questions her.
"Weeellll I won't say when my first drink was, but it was a Shiner. It has to do with the fact I was with Dean's family in Texas."
"And McGee I grew up in Texas." Dean tells him.
"What part of Texas?"
"I grew up in Weatherford it's about an hour out of Fort Worth."
45 minutes later
The dishes had been put up and Dean was drinking the Jack, Tim the Jim, and Ellie is having some Pinot Noir, these are what they were drinking during supper.
"So how did you guys like the food?" Dean asks Ellie and Tim.
"It was amazing. Where did you learn to cook like that?" Tim asks.
"I just always liked to cook that kind of style. Fast paced and easy." They making small talk until the question came up.
"So Tim do you want to talk about what happened today?" Dean asks testing the water basically. McGee looks a little sad at this but agrees.
"I proposed and she said that she doesn't want to get married. Simple as that."
"That's all nothing like 'I'm not the marrying type' or along that line?"
"Your hit the nail head with that line." McGee comments.
"That is such a bad line." Ellie comments. Both guys look at her to continue with the explanation.
"Well most people who say that want a stable relationship, but don't want the commitment it takes to be with one person for the rest of their lives. That is what Jake said before I convinced him." Ellie looks into her wine glass saddly. Now ellie is sitting in the middle while McGee is on the left side of the couch Dean is on the right. Ellie looks at Dean's Old Fashioned glass with Jack and ice in it before grabbing it and finishing it.
"Do you want me to pour you a glass?"
"No Deanie as we both know me and Jack here do not mix well."
"I'm still remember the Jose Cuervo night." When Dean says that he shivers.
"Wait so you have seen Ellie drunk?" McGee asks him.
"Yeah I'm kinda the reason she got drunk."
"But you also made sure I didn't leave the house or get taken advantage of."
"True Ells very true. I'm just glad your mom didn't find out because we would have been dead in a heartbeat. I would have died twice actually."
"What do you mean by died twice?" McGee asks.
"My mom would have killed me also." Dean tells him. McGee just nods in understanding.
"Well guys I had a lot of fun but I need to head home."
"Well considering how little you had to drink I would say you are good to go." McGee then shakes hands with Dean before hugging Ellie goodbye. When McGee had left Dean turns towards Ellie and asks.
"How long have you liked McGee Ellie Skellie?"
"What! I am not in love or like my partner Dean." She then turns away with a huff.
"Ellie the only other person I have seen you act like that with was your ex." Ellie blushes hard as Dean says that. She hated that there was even a nanoscopic possibility that she likes Tim. She figured he doesn't want to be in a relationship right now or one for a long time either plus there is rule twelve. She would have to tell Dean about those besides she still doesn't know what he is going to do after his enlistment is up.
"I probably noticed I liked him about two weeks after me and Jake broke up." Dean jumps immediately after hearing this.
"Ooooo Ells moves on quick." Ellie can't help but chuckle as Dean has always been like this and when she needed both someone to listen and give relationship advice she would turn to either her mom or Dean. She always preferred Dean because he would not lie to her and give straightforward advice.
"What should I do Dean. Now that he isn't in a relationship with anyone I feel like I should just tell him, but our boss has a set of unofficial NCIS rules and rule twelve is never date a co worker."
"I'm going to guess that that rule is based off of personal experience he had." Ellie nods her head. "Well then if McGee likes you and is willing to break it I say you guys break the rule." Ellie is shocked and is about to say something, but Dean stops her in her tracks.
"Ellie that was based on his experience not anybody else's so why should he dictate who you date. Besides if it were not, key phrase here were not, to work he could say I told you so and if it does work out he can add a some cases may vary to it." Ellie then opens her mouth to say something against it but immediately closes it because he is right.
"Okay you have a point and now it's your turn. Tell me this what are your plans to do after your enlistment is up."
"Well I'm going to become an NCIS agent. In fact I'm going to be going through the academy."
"Why? You can get a paramedic's license and do that. Why go into a complete different field?"
"Why, that is because I'm sick of watching people die after I do all the stuff I do. I would rather deal with someone who has died." Ellie seems shocked but she can understand. That would be like them catching the bad guy and them, no matter what, always walking.
"I guess that makes a lot of senses Deanie. Well at least tomorrow is Saturday and we have the day off."
"Yeah I see what you mean. I'm not supposed to head in until Monday. I'm lucky."
"Yeah and the only way I work is if we get a case."
"Didn't you just jinx yourself and team to get a case tomorrow?" Dean asks her.
"We both know nothing will happen. Anyways I'm going to bed see you in the morning Deanie."
"Goodnight Ellie Skellie." Dean then takes the drink glass to the kitchen and begins doing the dishes before heading to bed.
Saturday 9:30am
Dean is woken up by the smell of coffee and bacon. Deciding to go see what Ellie is making for breakfast. He has to put on his sleep shirt. His sleep clothes are a gray colored light sweats and a baseball t-shirt with black sleeves and a gray body.
"Good morning Ells what is on the menu." Ellie is wearing a pair of pink nike women's running shorts and an Oklahoma State University hoodie.
"Eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee. Do you still take coffee the same way."
"Black, nothing in it." Ellie looks shocked.
"Remember I have only been with Marines really." She thinks about Gibbs and just nods her head in understanding and hands him a mug of coffee. The plates and stuff like that are just plain white stuff. They are in the middle of eating and watching the news and Ellie's phone goes off.
"Special Agent Bishop. Okay I'll be there in a few." She hangs up and looks at Dean.
"We got a body in Annapolis so I will be seeing you later."
"See I told you last night you were jinxing yourself."