Problems

Problematic end

Washington DC

Mercy Point Hospital

6:38 Pm

Ellie is sitting in the waiting area when Jack sits down and puts an arm around her. Ellie puts her head on Jack's shoulder. "Gibbs and McGee are already looking for Tanya, Jake and Taylor, but so far they have not found them. Besides, you have really hit one of them. We'll be informed immediately if anyone with a gunshot wound anywhere wants to be treated", Jack says to Ellie. "Nick is still in surgery", says Ellie. "He'll make it. He's very strong", Jack says, to reassure Ellie. "I know. Did you know that we're together now?", says Ellie. "Really? I'm happy for you. And how's everything going?", Jack asks. "All right, I guess. We've only been together for four days, but he's supported me with everything and made me something to eat", replies Ellie. "That sounds really perfect" says Jack. "It is", says Ellie. "I have something to tell you too. Gibbs and I are together now. I've been with Gibbs for four days too", confesses Jack. "Really? That's really nice. And what's it like over there?", Ellie wants to know. "Pretty good. He talks more than at work, which really shocked me at first. But you get used to it quickly. And I'm about to move in with him", says Jack. "That's great. Do you know how he gets his boat out of the basement yet?", asks Ellie. "Unfortunately not yet. But when I find out, I'll let you know", promises Jack. "Thanks. But can Nick and I really be together and work on the same team? Gibbs has this rule against it, rule 12", Ellie worries. "Don't worry, Ellie. He burned that rule. The night you were arrested. But before that", Jack reassures Ellie. Before Ellie can say anything, a nurse comes to them. "Special Agent Sloane, there is a woman in the ER with a gunshot wound. Are you coming?", asks the nurse. "Ellie, can you handle this one alone for a minute?", Jack asks. "Yeah. Go ahead. It might be Tanya. Or Taylor", says Ellie. Jack gets up and presses Ellie once more before she follows the nurse to the emergency room. Ellie's cell phone vibrates. It's a message from Odette. "Eleanor, by the time you read this, you will no longer be in prison. Can you please get back to me as soon as possible? I missed your daily phone call today." "Hello, Odette. I got into a prison fight today. My arm was broken, but now I know who's behind it all. Gibbs bailed me out and I went to the doctor with Nick. They're letting me go back to work in about a week. Nick was supposed to guard me, but then my ex, the one he cheated on me with, and a former classmate came to Nick's apartment, kicked the door down and shot at us. Nick was hit below the right collarbone, I'm fine. He is still in surgery", Ellie answers. "I am really sorry for you, Eleanor. Do you know if he's going to be all right?", Odette asks. "Not yet. But I've definitely caught at least one of them. We are now being informed when someone somewhere is being treated for a gunshot wound. And that even without the detours via the police", answers Ellie. "Is there someone waiting with you? Or should I come over?", asks Odette. "Jack is actually with me. She's just gone to the emergency room because there's a woman there with a gunshot wound. But you can come by if you want", Ellie answers. "I'll probably stop by later", Odette writes and goes offline. Ellie turns off her cell phone. An assistant doctor comes to her. "Eleanor Bishop?", she asks. "Yes", says Ellie and gets up. "Your friend, Nicholas Torres, is out of surgery. I can take you to him now", says the intern. Ellie nods and the intern takes her to Nick's room.

Washington DC

Mercy Point Hospital, Nick's room

7:25 Pm

Ellie sits on Nick's left side with her back to the door and holds his hand as Jake and Tanya come in. Jake draws his gun. "Hello, Ellie. Come over here so you don't get in the way when we kill this guy for good", Jake says, fawning. "I still don't understand how you could ever love that scarecrow", Tanya says, shaking her head. "I don't even know anymore. But from the very beginning she reinterpreted far too much into our relationship. I had an affair from the beginning", says Jake. Ellie turns around with tears streaming down her face. "Have fun killing again, you idiots! You almost killed him already in his apartment! And during the surgery, his brain had too little oxygen. Now he's brain dead", she calls desperately. Jake and Tanya look at Ellie in shock. "Ellie, I'm really sorry about this", says Jake. "Don't lie to me! I know you don't care about Nick! So stop this shit! I can well do without your fake sympathy!", cries Ellie angrily. Jake and Tanya have a quick chat, then Jake says: "If your guy here is brain dead, why is he still hooked up to all those machines? "He is an organ donor. His organs are undamaged. Why do you think he's hooked up to the machines?", Ellie replies sarcastically. "We could shoot his organs and put the gun in your hand. No one believes an unstable ex-con", says Jake. "Then you have all the time in the world. Do you want to tell me why you're doing all this? Nobody will believe me anyway", says Ellie sniffling. Jake looks at Tanya. She shrugs her shoulders. "Why not. It's your fault anyway. Everything that happens here is your fault. Now, I want you to repeat those words back to me so you know exactly what to say. Everything is your fault", Jake says, slowly walking toward Ellie. "Scarecrow, 10 repetitions. Now!", Tanya orders. "Everything is your fault. 10 repetitions", says Ellie. "Do you think this is funny?", asks Jake, who is now standing right in front of Ellie. "Sorry, I don't think I can think clearly yet. It's my fault. That Nick got shot, that I was in jail and that Amelia broke my arm", says Ellie crying. "Very good, Ellie. That was the first step. And now for the second step. Take the gun in your hand", says Jake. Jake holds his gun out to her. Ellie takes it in her hand. "Which of you killed Jennifer Campton? Tanya or Taylor", she asks. 'Who?", Jake asks spitefully. "The woman I am supposed to have murdered with an accomplice. Unfortunately, my fingerprints were found in an impossible position on the murder weapon", explains Ellie. "You idiot! You said it should be quick! If we had taken more time to prepare the crime scene, we wouldn't have this problem!", Tanya snaps at Jake. "My fault? Who took forever to manipulate the video from the security camera?", replies Jake. "I hate to interrupt you two, but which one of you killed Jennifer?", asks Ellie again. Jake and Tanya begin to laugh. "You guys are even dumber than we thought! I edited the video. We were all involved in the murder", Tanya says with a laugh. "And then you switched the knife?", asks Ellie. "Why should we? We just wiped the knife off", Tanya says. "Enough babbling! Ellie, you're going to shoot all the organs of your brain-dead guy as fast as possible!", orders Jake. Ellie raises the gun and points it at Nick's stomach. "Shoot!", orders Jake as Ellie hesitates. Ellie sniffs. Suddenly, she turns jerkily and shoots Tanya in the right thigh. Tanya cries out and stumbles back. She holds on to a chair with one hand while she presses on the bullet wound with her other hand. "Are you crazy? You're supposed to shoot Nick!", Jake shouts in outrage. Ellie slaps the barrel of the gun against his cheek. "Just shut up, Jake! I would have punched you in the face a lot sooner, but I needed a confession from you", says Ellie with a grin. "What? Scarecrow, our so-called confession won't get you jack shit! Nobody will believe you anyway! And nobody cares that we killed Jennifer!", Tanya replies with a distorted face. "Thank you very much for this information, Tanya. You are now both under arrest for murder", says Gibbs. "Ellie, are you okay?", Jack asks Ellie worriedly. "Yes, I am now. I recorded their confession", replies Ellie. McGee and Gibbs handcuff Jake and Tanya. "How's Torres?", asks McGee. "Unfortunately, he is already dead. Brain dead, to be more precise", says Jake before Ellie can answer. Jack, McGee and Gibbs turn pale while Ellie looks at Jake angrily. "Take them!", Gibbs orders the four cops waiting in the hall, and McGee and he hand them Jake and Tanya over. "Nick, you can't be dead! Fight!", orders Gibbs as he approaches Nick. "Gibbs, wait!", shouts Ellie. Gibbs ignores her and tries to shake Nick. Jack and McGee pull him away from Nick with all their power while Ellie runs into the hall. Less than a minute later she comes back with a doctor. "Could you please put everything back to normal? We have the culprits", says Ellie. The doctor nods and takes the end of a tube out of Nick's mouth. Gibbs, Jack and McGee look on in confusion, as do Tanya and Jake. "Thanks, Doc", says Nick and looks around. "Hi, Gibbs, Jack. Hey, McGee. Did you arrest everybody?", Nick asks. Jake and Tanya drop their jaws. McGee, Gibbs and Jack are too confused to answer. So Ellie replies: "You noticed that Tanya and Jake were arrested. And I put a bullet in Taylor, so she was probably arrested by Jack." Jack nods in agreement. "Nick, I'm really glad you're not dead. But next time you get this brain-death idea in the hospital, let us know", Gibbs says relieved. Nick wants to contradict him, but Ellie gets there first: "Nick, you need to rest. And it was my idea."

FLASHBACK

Washington DC

Mercy Point Hospital, Nick's room

7:15 pm

Ellie is led by the assistant doctor in Nick's room. There she sits down at Nick's left side and holds his hand. "T, I don't know if you can hear me, but you can't leave me! And I don't mean for anyone else. Just that I need you. I need you with me! After Jake, I didn't think I could ever feel that way about anyone again. But then came Quasim. Before he was shot, I thought he was the one. But from the beginning, I felt more for you than I did for Jake and Quasim put together. I just never had the guts to tell you that. And now that I could lose you, I wish I'd told you a lot sooner", says Ellie and starts crying. Nick lightly squeezes her hand. "El, is that you?", he asks in a weak voice. Ellie looks up. "Hey, T. Glad you're awake again. How are you?", Ellie asks. "I'm ok, I guess. My shoulder hurts", Nick replies. "I'll let a doctor know you're awake now", says Ellie and leaves the room for a moment. In the hallway she sees a doctor. She walks towards him. Suddenly she sees Jake and Tanya who have just come around the corner. She quickly explains the situation to the doctor. The doctor understands immediately and he hurries back to Nick's room together with Ellie.

Washington DC

Mercy Point Hospital, Nick's room

7:39 pm

"After an assistant doctor brought me into Nick's room, I sat by his bed until he was awake. I called a doctor and saw Tanya and Jake. So I showed the doctor my badge and summarized the situation. I suspected that Jake and Tanya wanted to kill Nick, so we pretended he was brain dead", Ellie says. "Nick, you are having a bad influence on Ellie", Gibbs notes with amusement. "From our first case together", adds McGee. Ellie and Nick grin at each other. "We are about to interrogate Jake, Tanya and Taylor. Should one of us stay with you?", Jack asks. Ellie and Nick exchange a glance. "No need. We'll be fine", Ellie replies afterwards. "All right. We'll come back tomorrow", Gibbs says and he, McGee and Jack leave the hospital.

"El, because of what you said earlier. I would never leave you for anyone else. No matter who. I wouldn't leave you for anything in the world", says Nick. "You heard everything?", Ellie asks, somewhat shocked. "Only in fragments. But I want you to know that I won't give you up for anything in the world", Nick replies. Ellie has tears in her eyes. "I feel the same with you", she says and lies down next to Nick in the hospital bed. Nick puts his healthy arm around her and holds her tight. "El, what happens when Gibbs finds out? Will he put us on different teams or fire one of us?", Nick asks anxiously. "Because of rule 12?", asks Ellie. Nick nods. "Don't worry about that. Gibbs burned it the night I was arrested. Jack told me in the waiting area", reassures Ellie Nick. "Wait... Jack told you. But how does she know that?", Nick wants to know. "Jack and Gibbs are finally together", says Ellie. "I knew it! Do you know how they are doing?", Nick asks euphorically. "Jack is about to move in with Gibbs. Besides, he talks more than at work", says Ellie. Nick hugs Ellie. Both turn their faces to each other and Ellie leans forward a little. Until their lips touch.

-The end-