Problems

Shot

About 20 minutes later, Ellie and Nick had a shower. Ellie sits by the window and looks out to the street while Nick makes her something to eat. He sits with her. "It's just a sandwich, but I thought you might be hungry," says Nick and gives Ellie the bread. "Thanks. And this is much better than anything I got in jail", says Ellie and gratefully accepts the bread. While she is eating, they look outside, with Nick pressing her against him. A car parks. The driver's door opens and Ellie and Nick see Tanya Owens getting out. Ellie shrugs. "How does she know I'm here?", she whispers in a startled voice. "I don't know. I'll let Gibbs know. You take this and stay with me", says Nick and gives Ellie a gun. They walk away from the window while Nick calls Gibbs. "Gibbs, you don't need to look for Tanya Owens anymore. She just parked here", says Nick. "Okay. Give Bishop a gun and make sure you are not leaving the apartment! We'll be there as soon as we can", Gibbs says and hangs up. Ellie and Nick go into the hallway, ready to shoot at Tanya in case she breaks into the apartment. Both flinch at the slightest noise, that's how tense they are. Suddenly, footsteps approach Nick's apartment.
Both flinch. "Torres, Ellie, open up!", they hear a man's voice calling out. The voice sounds familiar to Ellie, but she doesn't know where from. Nick notices that the voice sounds familiar to Ellie, but Nick does not know it. So they keep standing. But the man at the door doesn't let up and knocks on the door again. Ellie and Nick still do not move. That is much for the man and he kicks the door down. Ellie and Nick make a move to the back. Tanya Owens, Jake Malloy and Taylor Matthews come in with their guns drawn. Ellie pales and stands there frozen. Unlike Nick, who yells at Jake, Tanya and Taylor: "Get out of my apartment! What are you doing here anyway?" Jake, Tanya and Taylor start shooting. As Nick stands protecting Ellie, who is frozen to a pillar of salt, a bullet hits him below his right collarbone. He staggers and finally falls down. " You son of a bitch!", Ellie yells at Jake. "Take it easy, Ellie. Just come to me. Everything will be fine", Jake replies sugar sweetly. Tears are already running down Ellie's face. "Never!", she shouts desperately. Jake, Tanya and Taylor walk towards her. Ellie shoots, although she can hardly see anything through her tears. Jake, Tanya and Taylor immediately run out of the apartment. Ellie wipes the tears from her face and kneels down next to Nick. "Nick, hold on. Everything is going to be okay. But you have to stay with me! I can't do this without you", says Ellie desperately and takes Nick's hand in hers. Nick squeezes it slightly. "Nick, I'll be right back", says Ellie and gets up. She dials the emergency call and looks for something to stop Nick's bleeding. Two minutes later she is back with him and presses several towels on his bullet wound. "Nick, the ambulance will be here in a few minutes. Please hold on", Ellie says and starts crying because she is so scared about Nick. 

Shortly thereafter, Gibbs, McGee and Jack storm into Nick's apartment with their guns drawn. They see Ellie trying to stop Nick's bleeding with towels. Their weapons are lying next to them, but Ellie does not reach for them when she hears someone entering the apartment. McGee and Gibbs secure the apartment while Jack goes to Ellie. She gets her arms around her. "Ellie, it's going to be okay. We'll get Tanya. Have you called an ambulance yet?", says Jack. Ellie nods. "Clear!", call Gibbs and McGee. "The ambulance is on its way", adds Jack.  "Ellie, let me take Nick. You need to calm down and tell Gibbs exactly what happened", says McGee, pushing Ellie's hand away from the towels. McGee continues to press on Nick's wound as Jack slowly guides Ellie to Nick's dining table. "Ellie, what exactly happened?", asks Gibbs, who is standing by Ellie and Jack. "We were eating something and suddenly Tanya Owens got out of a car. Nick gave me a gun and called you. Then we took up position on the opposite of Nick's door. Jake knocked on the door and later he kicked it in. Jake, Tanya and Taylor started shooting and one of them hit Nick. I fired back and they ran away. I probably hit one of them as well", Ellie says crying. Jack and Gibbs press her against them. "Who are Jake and Taylor?", Jack asks. "Jake is Ellie's ex-husband. He cheated on her with Taylor", Gibbs explains. Now paramedics enter the apartment and stabilize Nick for transport. "Can I get a ride?", asks Ellie. One of the paramedics nods. "Ellie, I'm going to follow. I'll meet you at the hospital", Jack says. Ellie nods and leaves the apartment together with the paramedics, who push Nick on a stretcher.