NCIS Season 21 Teases A New Romance For Alden Parker

Contains spoilers for "NCIS" Season 21, Episode 8 — "Heartless"

The team on "NCIS" may constantly find themselves in life-or-death situations, but many romances have bloomed amid all that tension. Some relationships, like Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander), had fans scratching their heads. However, Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) will always be a pairing fans love to see. Another courtship may be on the way if the events of Season 21's "Heartless" are any indication.

The episode involves the murder of Eric Harper (Tim Russ), which is followed by the kidnapping of Eric's surgical partner, Dr. Clara Logan (Christina Kirk), and Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole). Eric was killed for botching surgery on a cartel member, and now, they have their eyes set on Logan, with Parker pretending to be a doctor (even though he has a fear of needles). Logan and Parker have a bit of an enemies-to-lovers journey, as they initially act antagonistically, but slowly grow to appreciate each other.

The episode's finale sees Parker visit Logan in a hospital where she's being treated for injuries. They both agree to call each other by their first names from here on out, and she even imparts him with a heartfelt "Thank you" before he leaves. Could this be the start of Parker and Logan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?

Fans know about some of Alden Parker's former loves. He was married before to Vivian Kolchak (Terri Polo) and previously had a fling with Joy Sullivan Aaronson (Rachel Ticotin). It'd be nice for audiences to see him get into a relationship that lasts, but could that be with Dr. Clara Logan?

As of this writing, there's no indication that Christina Kirk will return for future "NCIS" episodes. Granted, only two more episodes remain for "NCIS" Season 21. There's always a chance she could secretly appear in one of those installments, but perhaps the "NCIS" creative team wanted to see how viewers took to Kirk's performance before bringing the character back for more adventures. "NCIS" has been renewed for Season 22, and even though Sean Murray is uncertain about McGee's future, it's probably a safe bet Gary Cole's Parker will stick around. And he could need a new lady love to add some extra flair to new episodes.

It's also possible that Parker and Logan will never get together, and fans won't see the character again. The ending with the two wanting to refer to one another by their first names could've been a heartwarming way to end the story, tying a bow on what was a horrific ordeal. Even if they don't start dating, at least they both came out of the situation all right. Plus, if Parker ever needs the expertise of a good cardiac specialist, he knows who to call.