NCIS: Origins’ Lala and Gibbs are arguably the show’s most prominent couple, despite never getting together, but it seems their time may finally come soon. Lala and Gibbs have had several romantic moments in the NCIS spinoff, but none have ever surpassed the line of friendship and professionalism within the NIS office. However, episode 14 just hinted at what might come in the next few episodes for the NCIS: Origins couple.

The NCIS franchise as a whole has featured several romances, so Gibbs’ blossoming relationship with Lala in NCIS: Origins is not surprising. His interactions with Lala have largely acted as a subplot in the show as Gibbs learns to move on following the loss of his family. The NCIS: Origins characters have been supportive of Gibbs’ journey, but Lala has especially been understanding as Gibbs’ new partner, which has pushed the two of them closer as prospective love interests.

Lala Confirms That She And Eddie Have Officially Broken Up In NCIS: Origins Episode 14
Lala Took Gibbs Advice To Call Eddie

In NCIS: Origins episode 14, Gibbs overhears the end of a phone call where Lala tells the other person on the line, “I love you.” He takes this to mean that Lala took his advice to call Eddie after Lala said she missed him. However, Lala quickly corrects Gibbs and tells him that she was just talking to her sister, but that she did call Eddie, which gave them both closure. Lala and Gibbs’ conversation is brief but signifies something major: Lala is single.

Previously, Lala and Eddie were having some relationship problems, with Lala even going as far as to cheat on Eddie when she was feeling overwhelmed with the direction her life was headed. Since then, the pair have been on unstable ground, but nothing about the status of their relationship was revealed until episode 14. Despite the awkwardness, the couple still missed each other. Their conversation means that the two can split ways on at least somewhat good terms as they both have closure and can move on with other people, like their colleagues.

Lala And Gibbs’ Relationship Can Finally Happen, But They Still Need To Get The Timing Right
Rushing In Might Ruin Their Partnership

Now that both Gibbs and Lala are officially single, the only thing stopping them from getting into a relationship is finding the right moment to do so. They both still have trust issues with themselves and each other. Lala and Gibbs also struggle to tell each other everything. Pedro Hernandez’s murder particularly hangs between them. They are not yet entirely vulnerable with each other, which is a large factor behind their trust issues.

Note: Pedro Hernandez was killed before Gibbs joined NIS, but his murder was only discovered by the NIS team in NCIS: Origins episode 9.

Lala’s relationship with Eddie also means that she might not be ready to be in another relationship yet. Lala’s NCIS: Origins episode focused on her personal struggles and her feelings of being forced to do what others want her to do. She needs time to focus on herself before moving on. She also needs to experience some personal growth before jumping in with Gibbs, and trusting herself to follow her own desires is just one step in the process.

Gibbs is also still grieving his family and, as seen in NCIS, will continue to do so for the rest of his life, making his grief a part of him. That is something Lala will need to understand. Their friendship and partnership show that they both have a soft spot for each other and are learning to adapt to one another’s needs, which offers a good foundation for their relationship. However, making a move too soon might shatter what they have spent so much time building.

NCIS History Suggests That It Will Still Take A While Before Lala And Gibbs Get Into A Relationship
Slow Burn Relationships Can Lead To Great Tension

An NCIS: Origins Lala and Gibbs romance would be amazing for the prequel, but it would come with some problems too. For one thing, slow-burn relationships are so much more exciting on television. The build-up can lead to dramatic climaxes and palpable tension, which make each episode an exciting experience. Having Lala and Gibbs get together in a short time frame kills that same interest. It would also resolve the subplot about their relationship, which is another reason for NCIS: Origins to delay their coupling.

Their friendship and partnership show that they both have a soft spot for each other and are learning to adapt to one another’s needs, which offers a good foundation for their relationship.

Slow-burn relationships are also the most common type of relationship in the NCIS franchise. In fact, out of all the major romances in NCIS, only Knight and Palmer were not a slow-burn, although NCIS season 22 is changing that. As a result, it is very likely that there is still a lot of waiting time until Lala and Gibbs get together. NCIS: Origins has been notably different from the flagship, but it still has several similarities too.