OPS Shenanigans

The Ugliness of It All

Nell never believed that they would meet like this. Hell. she had hoped that she would never meet at all now they were sitting next to each other in the bullpen, talking about computers and drinking coffee. Her boyfriend and her partner.

Eric on the other hand was not acting at all friendly not that anyone knew it, not even Nell's boyfriend Mark. He had been wanting to talk to this guy for a long time. He had noticed some things he had wanted to discuss.

He had first seen it after Nell had been working at NCIS almost a year. He had gone to give Nell a high five. It was innocent. But what he saw stuck with him. As he held his hand up she flinched, only for a second but she flinched and in her eyes was a look that could only be described as pure terror. Only a second later she high-fived him and went on with what she had been doing.

The next time he saw it. It was there 5 year anniversary of working together. She had come into work early, to find Nell in OPS applying heavy make up to some large purple bruises on her neck and face luckily she hadn't seen him.

He had talked to his Mom about it and she had said that both those things pointed to domestic violence. This guy, Mark was not small he was about 6'2" and had big muscles on nearly every visible part of his body. But he had not proof other than the few things he had witnessed. Unless Nell was willing to testify against him he had nothing, unless he confessed.

Which is why Eric had a makeshift mic attached to his chest as he made polite small talk with the man who was everything he despised. All he had to do was trip up.

"So Mark, you and Nell, that's pretty serious huh." Eric said trying to stay calm in the presence of this monster.

"As serious as it can be with a broad like her." he said leaning back in his seat.

"What does that mean" Eric asked trying to stay calm his fist clenched down by his side.

"She's not the best girlfriend ever, not at least when I met her. So I knocked her into place." he said chuckling. Eric wasn't sure how much longer he could sit here with this guy.

"How's that?" Eric asked then he noticed out of the corner of his eye, Nell was watching them discretely from across the bullpen. Her face was contorted and filled with worry. He didn't want her to think that he even for one second had anything in common with this son of a bitch.

"Every time she messed up, I would give her a little donkey punch and she would stop immediately. Its quite impressive isn't it." Mark said smiling.

"Yeah, it is. I might have to try on my girlfriend." Eric said getting up from his seat. "Well it was nice to meet you man." He held out his hand and Mark shook it.

"I better be getting out of here, good luck on your case." Eric watched as Mark swaggered out of the Bullpen.

As soon as he was gone Eric texted everyone in the team including Granger, only Nell was left out to meet him in the OPS Centre so they could do something about it.

"Eric, why did you call us all up here." Callen asked after he put OPS in lock down he didn't want Nell getting in.

"Because of Nell's boyfriend." Eric said.

"Are we really here because of some petty jealously." Sam asked.

"I would hear Mr Beale out if I were you Mr Hanna. It might be enlightening."

"Thank you Hetty. Only one year after Nell started working here, I went to give her a high five and she flinched and it has happened various other times since then." Eric explained.

"That's not conclusive Eric." Kensi said.

"Let me continue. Then two months ago, I came in early on the five year anniversary of our partnership. Nell was in here applying make up to horrible looking bruises." Eric continued.

"Okay so it is more than likely Nell is being abused and I understand why you want us to help. But the evidence is all circumstancial. Sorry, Eric." Sam said a sympathetic look on his face.

"Ah, I know that. That is why when I talked to him today, I wore a mic and go the evidence we needed." Eric plugged the USB from the mic into the computer and brought up the mic feed.

Eric: So Mark, you and Nell, that's pretty serious huh.

Mark: As serious as it can be with a broad like her.

Eric: What does that mean

Mark: She's not the best girlfriend ever, not at least when I met her. So I knocked her into place.

Eric: How's that?

Mark: Every time she messed up, I would give her a little donkey punch and she would stop immediately. Its quite impressive isn't it.

Eric paused the feed and turned away from the group rubbing his eyes under his glasses. Suddenly there was a knock at the doors of OPS.

"Eric why are the doors locked!" Nell yelled through the door.

"What do we do." Eric whispered.

"Hold an intervention, Mr Beale." Hetty said. The rest of the group nodded and Eric opened the doors. Nell rushed in holding a large file in front of his face.

"There you are I need you to sign these 243-7 forms but...." Nell stopped in her tracks and looked around everyone was looking at her with sympathetic and worried expressions. "What?" She questioned slamming down the file on the light table.

"Miss Jones, don't try to run we need to talk to you." Hetty said diplomatically as Nell took a step back right into Sam.

"Nell, we're worried about you." Kensi said looking down at Nell with concerned eyes.

"How long has it been going on, Nell." Eric asked tears in his eyes. Nell wanted to lie but she didn't think she was strong enough any more.

"How longs what been going on?" Nell asked feigning confusion, her voice cracking.

"How long has Mark been beating you?" Eric stepped towards Nell. "Don't tell me its not happening, because I have proof." Eric raised his hand above Nell's head and she flinched. This time everyone saw it and Nell couldn't deny what was clear as day. "I've seen it with my own eyes."

Nell leant against the light table physically and emotionally drained. Eric had seen this before. He put his arm round her shoulders and guided her to her chair. "Spill." Kensi said passing Nell a tissue from the pocket of her jeans.

"Me and M-m-m-m-Mark have been dating for nearly 6 years, he's been um beat-t-ting me all that time." Nell mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell us, Nell." Eric said sitting down in the chair next to her and putting a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"I thought I deserved it."

"You will never ever deserve it Nell, no one does." Eric put his hand on top of Nell's in effort to make her feel at ease.

"Time to be proactive, I believe. Mr Callen, Mr Hanna, Kensi, Deeks. Go pick up Mark Jacobs. Be careful as he has shown he has violent tendencies. "Go!!!" Hetty said shooing them out of OPS, Granger floowing behind them. "Get this bastard."

"This is your doing I assume." Nell said looking up at Eric her eyes watering.

"I couldn't watch you suffer any more." he held her chin in his right hand, his left hand wiped away her tears.