OPS Shenanigans

1 Meter is Too Much

They had to remain professional. That stupid fling had probably ruined their friendship forever but work would not be affected. What they did not notice over the months that followed was that in trying to stay professional, the work dynamic had changed dramatically. Eric no longer hung off Nell's every word. Nell couldn't finish Eric's sentences, even if she tried. they were no longer joined at the hip, it was a pretext of trying to stay okay with the situation but in fact it only made the sexual tension more apparent to the rest of the team. Lastly the in sync tap tap tapping of the keyboard ha become irregular and distorted, so they found it harder to discover the pertinent information.

This was all brought to light one day when video conferencing with Agent Gibb's team in Washington.

The murder of Petty Officer Natalie Jameson in La was similar to the murder of Lance Corporal Elizabeth Michaels and Hetty and Gibbs had decided to work together.

The team were standing around the island. Nell and Eric went out of their way to stand at opposite sides of the room. Eric was looking forward to seeing Abby again. Nell on the other hand had never met nor talked to the DC team and was a little nervous. Agent Gibb's reputation proceeded him and she was worried she would screw up.

Eric stared blankly at the screen. Suddenly he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

"What is up with you" Abby signed trying to be as discrete as possible.

"Nothing, don't worry about it" he signed back.

"Really, I could cut the sexual tension in the room with a butter knife and I'm not even there" Abby signed putting a quick sign for "idiot" on the end for good measure.

"Stop it or Nell will notice" he signed he had been teaching Nell sin language for the past year and he was sure she was almost fluent by now.

"Who's Nell"

"The girl on the opposite side of the room, with sparkling hazel eyes. She's my best friend"

"Sparkling eh and how would she notice"

"I've been teaching her sign language, it's how we communicated silently when Hetty was in the room, it is one of the few things she doesn't know how to do"

"Past tense?" She signed looking from his to Nell and noticed then half had their backs to each other.

"We had an argument"

"Over what"she asked curiously.

Eric ignored her it was too painful to think about.

Towards the end of the call, Abby whispered something unrecognisable into Agent Gibb's ear.

"Sure Abby but if your wrong be prepared to take the blame" he said loud enough for the LA team to hear. They just assumed it was nothing to do with them.

"Ok Jethro, thank you for your co operation" Hetty said turning to leave.

"Wait, um Ms Lange can we speak to Eric and um" she pretend to trip over her words as she was not supposed to know her name yet. Nell looked up from her papers she was trying so hard to concentrate on.

"Nell" Hetty interjected "and call me Hetty everyone else does".

"Yeah can we speak to them please"

"Sure come on Mr Callen, you and your team have a job to do".
Hetty and the field agents left. Leaving Nell and Eric being stared down by Agent Gibbs. They looked over at each other.

"You wanted to talk to us, sir" Nell asked nervously.

"Call me Gibbs and not me" he turned to point to Abby who had receded back into the shadows.

"Nell right?" Abby asked she was going to help these two get over there argument. Even Gibbs noticed the chemistry and sexual tension between them. "Eric has told me all about you, I swear he talks about you every time I video conference him"

"Oh thats nice"

"Just stand next to each other already, you look like your fighting just to stay that far apart." Abby said frustratedly.

Nell's head snapped up along with Eric's. she motioned to him to say something.

"What do you mean Abs"

"I mean from the way you described it to me your friendship is very different than this, you were practically attached at the hip from what I heard"

"Really were we" Nell asked addressing Eric now.

" Yeah we were the wonder twins remember, Rockstar." he said inching closer.

"The wonder twins?" Abby asked

"It's a nickname the team gave us"

"Rockstar?" She inquired.

" It is Eric's nickname for me"

"Aww that is so cute"

"Abby all this touchy feely stuff has gone on long enough, we have a job to do" Agent Gibbs said signalling for the video conference to end.

"We really are cute aren't we" Nell decided.

" I'm not cute but you are" he closed the space between them and pushed Nell up against the OPS island. his hand on her waist, their lips pressed together.

Nell pulled out panting hard, her lungs begging for oxygen. "Doesn't Hetty have a rule about this" she said faltering as he kissed her shoulders and neck.

"What their isn't a rule saying no sex in OPS" Eric said lifting his head.

"Yes their is and you just broke it" said Hetty walking in on her usual calm demeanour. She chuckled, if anyone could restore the peace and destroy the sexual tension in OPS it was Abby Sciouto.