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NCIS has not confirmed a romance between Jessica Knight and Nick Torres, but it has made their bond difficult to read as purely uncomplicated. That uncertainty puts Jimmy Palmer in a painful position: he may want to try again with Jess, yet he sees her growing closeness with Nick just as he is considering what to say.
Why Jimmy’s timing has become a problem
Jimmy and Jess have history. They dated, but their relationship ended because their career plans and hopes for the future diverged, even though they still loved each other. Season 22 coverage describes the split as a recognition that they wanted different things, not a lack of feeling (TVLine).
In Season 23’s “Stolen Moments,” Jimmy considers asking Jess to talk privately about trying again. He stops when he sees her with Torres. The scene turns an unspoken possibility into a problem for Jimmy: he has to decide whether to risk being honest, while the sight of Jess with Nick makes him wonder whether the opportunity has passed.
Brian Dietzen, who co-wrote the episode with Jesse Stern, said the moment was deliberately open to interpretation: “Well, I think that’s for the eye of the beholder.” Jimmy might believe he missed his chance, misread what he saw, or understand that Jess has her own life and is not waiting for him (CinemaBlend).
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- SEASON 23: Includes all episodes from the twenty-third season of NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
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What the show has actually established about Jess and Nick
Season 23 episode 3, “The Sound and the Fury,” gives viewers reasons to wonder about Knight and Torres. Jess tells Agent Sawyer that Nick means “more than he knows,” and Nick’s reaction to Jess working with Sawyer looks jealous. The scene is complicated, however: an episode weapon distorts Nick’s perceptions, and he later tells Jess that his concern is about their friendship and having each other’s backs (TV Insider; TVLine).
The emotional closeness is real on screen, but it does not settle what that closeness means. Jess’s words can carry romantic possibility; Nick’s explanation also supports a strong friendship between partners who depend on one another. Jimmy, who knows Jess as an ex, sees those moments through a different lens than the audience—or even Jess and Nick—might.
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Are Jess and Nick getting together?
Not as a confirmed couple. Showrunner Steven D. Binder said, “The things people say are real. The feelings they have are real.” He described the possibility of Jess and Nick having a crush while recognizing the complications, including Jimmy and Jess’s sister, Robin. But he also said the series was not writing toward a relationship and was not writing away from one (TVLine).
That distinction matters: the show is allowing the tension to exist without promising a romantic outcome. Jess and Nick are close colleagues; Jess previously dated Jimmy, and Nick previously dated Jess’s sister. Those connections make a potential romance emotionally messy, but they do not prove it is coming.
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In a separate interview published March 3, 2026, Wilmer Valderrama said viewers could interpret the characters’ “energies” in different ways. At that interview point, a romance was not under discussion in the writers’ room; he emphasized their working shorthand and mutual understanding (TVLine).
How the episode timeline frames the tension
The two episodes build different sides of the uncertainty. “The Sound and the Fury” makes Nick and Jess’s bond—and the possibility of jealousy—visible. “Stolen Moments” shifts the focus to Jimmy, who appears ready to approach Jess but hesitates after seeing her with Nick. The latter episode’s case involves Jimmy testing an AI program called D.A.W.N.; his personal hesitation remains unresolved when the moment ends.
CBS lists “The Sound and the Fury” as Season 23, episode 3, and “Stolen Moments” as episode 8, dated December 9, 2025. Its official Season 23 episode guide provides the season sequence and episode summaries.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unresolved
The central tension is not a confirmed love triangle with a known winner. It is a set of competing readings: Jimmy may still want a life with Jess; Jess and Nick may have feelings they have not named; or their closeness may remain the intimacy of trusted partners. Dietzen’s description of Jimmy’s pause leaves those possibilities open, while Binder’s comments confirm emotional reality without confirming a destination.
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- Shown: Jess and Nick share a close partnership, and Jimmy considers approaching Jess before stopping.
- Said: Jess calls Nick important; Nick frames his concern as friendship and partnership; Jimmy’s reaction is left to the viewer.
- Not confirmed: a Jess–Nick romance or a Jimmy–Jess reunion.
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