Do Lala and Gibbs get together? ‘NCIS: Origins’ star dishes on fan-favorites' future after Season 2 twist
The sophomore season of 'NCIS: Origins' concluded on May 5, with a surprising and much-awaited kiss between Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and his colleague, Special Agent 'Lala' Dominguez (Mariel Molino). The series created by Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North premiered its second season on October 14, 2025, on CBS and comprised 18 episodes. Set in the early 1990s, the prequel series centers around the young Gibbs after he joins the Pendleton branch of the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) as a Probationary Agent. The character is portrayed by Mark Harmon in 'NCIS,' with the actor returning to the prequel series, predominantly in a voiceover role, to narrate events from his early career.
In the Season 2 finale, news that the Pendleton branch could be shut down forces the officers to face an uncertain future. Lala considers leaving NIS and moving to a small town to be with Manny (Miguel Gomez), who is currently in witness protection. Gibbs seems visibly upset at the thought of her leaving and shows up at her house to convince her to stay. He panics when he can't find her and turns around to see her standing behind him. "I tried to leave, but I couldn't. I wanted you to ask me to stay," she says as Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' plays in the background. After confessing their feelings for each other, they end up sharing a kiss. "We got our happy ending, I only wish it could’ve lasted forever," Harmon tells viewers in a voiceover. The crew finds a way to keep the team together by turning NIS (Naval Investigative Service) into NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service), since their work already involves dealing with more criminal cases.
Molino told Us Weekly that the kiss was a "long time coming" as the series was building towards their romance. She echoed fans' excitement over the budding romance, saying, "I think we all want to see what happens romantically with Lala and Gibbs. We’ve deserved it. We’ve come this far. So even if it’s a secret romance, let’s flesh it out." However, the 33-year-old actress warned fans not to get their hopes up. "In the foreseeable future, we can enjoy the ride a little bit and see what happens. Romantically, I would say, however, that I know the writers love a curveball."
In 'NCIS,' Harmon's Gibbs was married four times, and his wives were named Shannon, Diane, Rebecca, and Stephanie. There's no mention of Lala, so it seems like their relationship ended before it reached the altar. Furthermore, Molino also speculated about her character's fate on the series, "We know that there has to be some tragedy in the sense that we know Gibbs never talks about it. Obviously there’s something that happens. There’s also a rule he has to never get involved with a coworker. However — in the near future — I hope they get to explore this at least for a little bit." She hinted that the two may keep their relationship under wraps and date secretly, fearing disapproval from their boss, Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).
Molino also teased what's in store for the duo next season. "We don’t really know much about Lala’s history and so we will know more of that in season 3. How will that affect Gibbs and Lala’s relationship? I think that will be interesting to see." Speaking of her character's growth on the series, Molino added that she is proud that fans have readily welcomed her three-dimensional character. "I feel so flattered that people have taken to Lala — especially because at the beginning that was a fear that people thought that maybe she was too tough on Gibbs. I was really scared that they wouldn’t like Lala because of that since Gibbs is America’s dad. To see that actually fans are so supportive of Lala and also want Gibbs and Lala to be endgame is a gift." 'NCIS: Origins' has already been renewed for Season 3.
