Eleanor Bishop sat on the floor behind her desk, knees pulled up to her chin, staring into space. Unaware she was being watched.

The past few weeks were torture, Gibbs was missing, and Ziva David was alive. Nick Torres heard how McGee reamed out Ellie after he found out that Ziva was alive. Nick wanted to bring a blanket for how frosty the office was lately. It seems this one woman could divide the office and in the middle is poor Ellie. Someone who offered to help someone she never met. Someone who kept a secret. And with that secret came all the burdens that turned the most beautiful person into a bitter unemotional person, and Nick knew first hand how that can affect a person.

A part of his heart broke that Ellie had to go through that by herself. Now watching her from his desk, his baseball in his hands. She looked lost and alone. Nick had heard stories about Ellie before NCIS, she sat on the floor and worked with earbuds. Bopping to the music and spread out all over the floor. This was not that Ellie. This Ellie was scared and tiny and small. Which seemed like completely like an oxymoron for Ellie. Yes, she was small, but she was the second-best shot on the team. Ellie, who had saved his life on many occasions. Ellie, who was an artist in every sense of the word. This Ellie, who was small and distant, scared him. It reminded Nick of Sofia in her last days.

Nick remembers sitting in a bright hospital, holding Sofia's hand, she was angry and refusing to look at him. Tears rolled down her face, and Nick knew that he would only have a few days left with her. She was giving up.

Nick blinked as the dark mood descended to the horizon of his mind, a storm brewing for later. He glanced back at Ellie, who sniffled and used her sleeve to wipe away the traces. Trying to keep up appearances.

Nick shoved off his desk and walked over to where Ellie was camped out on the floor.

"You know that I think I should get a tattoo of your face on my chest, with a heart and the words forever and always," Nick said testing the waters, however knowing Ellie was so lost into her own mind that she wouldn't hear him.

"Mmhmm that sounds good," Ellie responded despondently.

Nick sat down on the floor near Ellie, much too close for lack of personal space. He bumped his shoulder into hers, and only after she started and looked at him with hollow eyes.

"What's going on with you, You've been weird all day?" Nick asked and watched as Ellie looked at him and smiled the tiniest smile.

"Okay, first of all, I don't act weird, I act mysterious." Ellie parroted the old conversation they had what now seemed like a decade ago.

"Okay, babe, why are you acting mysterious" Nick asked, staring into her eyes. Ellie blinked under his stare, and tears fell out of her eyes. Nick gently removed the tears with his thumbs, and instead of pulling away, he slung his arm around her shoulder.

"Do you think I'm a horrible person?" Ellie asked quietly.

"You are not a horrible anything," Nick reassured.

"You are not mad at me?" Ellie mentioned sounding like a lost child, moving closer to Nick and laying her head on his shoulder. She reached over with her right hand and interweaved her fingers with his.

"I am not mad. I'm hurt that you felt the needed to keep it to your self. We are partners at work. But sometimes I think we are partners in life too?"

"We are" Ellie answers without even need to think about this question.

"So why the secrets?" Nick asked and kissing the top of her head. Smelling the lavender shampoo she loved.

"Because I was needed. Ziva needed me. Nobody has needed me since Jake and Jake didn't even need me for that long. I am good at my job, but you and McGee can figure out all the cases without me. I made a connection with Lilly and Gibbs brought in Sloan to stay with her. You go to the gym by yourself and get drugged. McGee goes home to Delilah." Ellie jumped up, trying to fly from the bullpen for saying too much. However, Nick was fast a quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him encasing her in a hug.

"You are wrong, Ellie, you are the heart of the team and the most observant one. You are the one who sees the person behind the suspect. And also you are the one who found me when I was drugged. We all need you. I need you." Nick said quietly.

Ellie buried herself deeper in his embrace. Nick kissed her crown again.

"Come on. Time to go home." Nick grabbed her purse, and her hand and lead her to the elevator.

"Are you feeding me too?" Ellie asked

"Babe, it would be a mortal sin not to" Nick laughed.

"That's not going to be a thing you know!" Ellie argued.

"Come on, Babe you love it," Nick said as they boarded the elevator.

Ellie smiled and didn't argue because she did. It made her feel needed, loved, and protected. She just glanced down at their linked hands as Nick smirked at her. A series of questions and feelings ran through her head; however, Ellie pushed them aside when Nick winked at her.

"So Forever and Always, huh?" Ellie challenged, and Nick did a double-take, meaning he had been made. Nick just laughed as the elevator doors closed.