Random Musings of an Obsessed Fangirl

***

On A Wave’s Edge, Part 2

“Do you have room for another client?”

“Why?” Deeks asked, now eyeing her warily, though she had a feeling he knew where this was headed.

“I need to get close to Branston Meyers, so you’re going to give me lessons too,” Kensi explained reasonably. Before she even finished speaking, he started shaking his head.

“Branston pays for one-on-one lessons and he’s not gonna like anyone else being there. He likes having all the attention on him.”

“Convince him.” Kensi gave him a playful look. “I’m sure you could be persuasive if you want to.”

“You have no idea,” Deeks said in a slightly hoarse voice that made Kensi’s stomach swoop pleasantly.

“Or I could always make it an official NCIS order,” Kensi suggested.

“You, uh, might have better luck with asking nicely. Historically, I don’t do well with being forced to do things.” He smirked, the expression slightly mocking and yet Kensi didn’t hate it.

“Then, Mr. Deeks, would you please help NCIS catch a serial con artist?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he agreed. His eyes flicked over her. “Is there a number I can reach you at? You know, to let you know when to come.”

“Someone from my office will be contacting you. We have access to your information,” Kensi said, trying to get things back to a professional tone.

“That would be concerning new if you weren’t a federal agent.” Crossing his arms, he nodded to the row of boards lined up. “Do you have your own equipment? Board, wetsuit, wax, brush.”

“No,” Kensi admitted. “I can probably borrow what I need.”

Deeks chuckled at that, shaking a couple curls out of his eyes. “Yeah, that’s not going to work. If you want this cover to work, you’re going to need your own equipment.” He studied Kensi for a few moments. “Come the day before the lesson and I’ll get you set up with everything.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, I don’t. But I hate to see a surfer using stuff they’re not comfortable with. Beside, it’ll give you a chance to get acquainted with the shop and make sure you’re ready for your first lesson. Because the last thing you want is to rub your wax in the wrong way.”

“I think I could figure it out,” Kensi said dryly.

“That’s what everybody thinks. It takes a, uh, a practiced touch. You put too much on and you’ll slip right off.” He winked and Kensi couldn’t stop her smile in response.

“Well, we can’t have that. I guess you’ll have to show me all your special tricks.”

“I look forward to it.” His voice dropped again and Kensi realized he was openly flirting with her now and she didn’t mind at all. He held her gaze for a few extra seconds, then cleared his throat, and looked away as if pulling himself out of the moment. “I got a group lesson with twelve year olds in about twenty minutes, so you might want to leave before this place is overrun with children.”

“Right.” Kensi nodded quickly, holding out her hand before she could stop herself. Deeks took it after a second, humor in his eyes as he shook it once more. “I appreciate your help.”

“Anytime, Kensi Blye.”

Kensi turned away before she did anything truly embarrassing and exhaled quietly.

“Kensi, what did you just do?” Sam demanded in her ear. “That was completely off script.”

“I have to pivot,” she explained quietly. “I think this actually works better than our original plan.”

“Yeah, but did you have to plan a date while you were at it?” Callen asked.

“Shut up. I’m headed back your way.”

“What does your surf instructor look like?” Sam asked. “I want to get eyes on him. Make sure he isn’t tipping Meyers off.”

“He’s about six feet tall, curly blonde hair, blue board shorts,” Kensi rattled off, omitting the exact shade of his tan skin and blue eyes from her description. She picked her way around a family’s large sand castle and moat, trying to hurry, but not catch anyone’s attention. “He was the only instructor around, so he shouldn’t be hard to find.”

“Definitely wasn’t hard for you to find.” Before Kensi could object to Callen’s comment, he moved. “I’ll meet you two back at the SUV and we can head back to the mission.”

***

On A Wave’s Edge

Kensi pushed her sunglasses higher on the bridge of her nose, pretending to enjoy the view of the ocean as she looked out onto the beach. She noted the many swimmers, surfers, and sunbathers even as she kept an eye out for their suspect. Branston Meyers.

A former Army Sergeant, Meyers was now the prime suspect for a string of confidence schemes involving young women. He’d lure them in with fancy meals and trinkets under an alias, then quickly drain their bank accounts. It wasn’t the most sophisticated operation, but turned out to be surprisingly effective.

Callen and Sam were somewhere else on the beach, trying to be discreet. Between Callen’s general loner air and Sam’s impressive frame, that was a tricky order. Especially since Sam had unequivocally refused to wear trunks. With that in mind, they’d decided Kensi should take the lead.

She’d dressed the part in a short sundress over a bikini. With any luck, it would be enough to grab Meyers’ attention. According to the profile they had, Kensi fit Meyers’ type, which was mid-twenties to early thirties.

Moving along the pier, Kensi headed towards the beach, her feet sinking into the warm sand once she was off the platform.

“Kensi, I spotted our guy. He’s headed your way,” Callen said in her ear.

“Got it,” Kensi muttered. It took a few minutes, but eventually she picked Branston out from the group of similarly dressed men. He had his shoulder length hair pulled up in a man bun, wore black trunks, and carried a bright green surfboard.

Of course he had a man bun, Kensi thought as she moved towards him. Concealing her derision, she sped up, intending to “run” into Branston and play the damsel in distress.

At the last second, a group of loud and oblivious teenagers stepped in front of her. It gave Branston just enough time to get ahead of her and

“Dammit!”

“Kensi?”

“I’m fine,” Kensi assured Sam, weaving to keep Branston in sight. “Just taking a slight detour.” She continued to follow Branston, keeping back enough that he wouldn’t realize she was trailing him. Fortunately, he didn’t look back a single time.

Meyers kept walking until he reached a small surf shop. He bypassed the shop itself, instead approaching a tall blonde man dressed in a pale blue t-shirt and board shorts. Kensi held back, pretending to examine a set of wind chimes and touristy magnets displayed on a rack near the shop’s entrance while she

The surfer guy was industriously working on a surfboard, but looked up when Branston came into his field of vision.

“Hey, Kyle.” Surfer guy brushed his hair back, setting a small tool to the side, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kensi immediately guessed he wasn’t Branston’s biggest fan.

“Hey,” Branston replied, nodding to Surfer Guy with a sharp jab of his chin. “Are we good for today?”

“I told you, man, I need to be paid upfront,” he reminded him. He said something else, but a light breeze rattled the wind chimes and Kensi missed it.

“You’ll get your money,” Branston said sharply. “I expect to see you on Wednesday.”

“I’ll be here with bells on.” Then Surfer Guy lowered his head again and resumed his work, effectively ending the conversation. Kensi quickly ducked inside the shop before Branston could see her. She’d lost her chance for to fake a run-in.

The teenaged employee inside gave her a cursory glance before looking at the phone in his hand again.

“Branston just made some kind of deal with a surfer. I’m gonna see what he knows,” Kensi informed Callen and Sam under her breath. If the teenager thought it was odd she was talking to herself, he didn’t show it. Peering around a display of board wax and brushes, Kensi saw that Branston was several yards in the distance.

Walking back outside, she found the surfer in the same spot, though now he was working on a different board.

“Hi, can I help you?” he asked pleasantly. Much more pleasantly than he’d spoken to Branston. He even smiled, his upper lifting crookedly. It was a nice smile that lit up his entire face and extended to his blue eyes.

Kensi cleared her throat. “Do you work here?”

“Kind of. I’m the owner, Marty Deeks.” He gestured to the shop and held his hand out. Kensi took it automatically, her skin heating at his firm grip. “Are you looking to sign up for classes? Maybe a new board?”

“Actually, no. I’m Special Agent Kensi Blye, NCIS,” Kensi said, pulling her wallet from inside her dress. Deeks lifted an eyebrow, but didn’t make any comments as he accepted her ID and examined it thoroughly.

Kensi was impressed he took the time since most people just accepted her at her word. Maybe it was another sign he’d been engaging in criminal behavior.

“Hello, Agent Kensi Blye. I’d didn’t realize you guys had a beach division,” he commented. “Do I need to call my lawyer?”

“Hopefully not. Why were you talking with Branston Meyers?”

Deeks repeated the name, his eyebrow arching, this time in confusion.

“Kyle,” Kensi clarified, remembering the name Deeks had used. “It’s one of his aliases.”

“Well, that’s not a good sign,” Deeks drawled. He settled a hand on one hip. “Kyle—Branston—takes surfing lessons here. What is he supposed to have done?”

“You don’t seem that surprised by any of this,” Kensi observed.

With a shrug, Deeks exhaled noisily. “He’s kind of an ass.”

Kensi snorted. “That sounds about right. Meyers is wanted in connection with a fraud case. Specifically stealing money from young women after pretending to date them.”

“Wow. And he can’t even manage to pay me a hundred bucks a week for his surfing lessons,” Deeks said. “That’s awful. Are these women ok?”

“Physically, yes. Financially and otherwise, not really,” Kensi responded. A plan was starting to form as she talked. She eyed Deeks, trying to see any signs that he was lying to her. “How often does Branston taken lessons with you?”

“Usually once a week. Sometimes twice.”

“Can you think of any information he’s told you that might be helpful to our investigation?”

“Uh…” Deeks scratched his chin. “He told me he works in finance and almost always manages to slip in comments about his fancy house or luxurious vacations. Honestly, I try to talk to him as little as possible because he’s a smug creep. I just didn’t know how much of a creep,” he said, shrugging apologetically.

“Hmm. Is he any good? At surfing,” Kensi clarified.

Deeks chuckled. “No. He’s one of my worst students, but he thinks he’s amazing. He’s tried to give me tips a few times.”

“Perfect,” Kensi, smiling when Deeks gave her a confused look. “Do you have room for another client?”

***

***

It’s a week before Kensi feels ready to return to work. Oddly enough, the medical leave is an unexpected blessing in disguise. It gives her time to move past the initial reaction of fear and examine her feelings more logically.

Nothing changes. She doesn’t miss work the way she used to. For once, Kensi enjoys spending time at home without threat of Nell calling at any moment.

Bit by bit, Kensi realizes, she’s done. She doesn’t want to be an agent anymore. And somehow, it’s as easy as that.

She wakes up that morning without the dread she expected; instead, she feels relieved and at peace. There’s an end in sight.

Deeks blinks sleepily when she shifts against him, moving onto his side to face her.

“Morning. You look weirdly happy for it being 6:30 in the morning.”

“Well, I woke up with you next to me,” she responds, brushing his hair from his eyes. Once I again, she can’t believe that this is her life. And how close they came to never getting back to this place.

“That is incredibly cheesy.” He grins softly. “But also incredibly true.”

Looping her arms around his neck, Kensi shifts closer. “If I didn’t have to go to work…” she trails off as Deeks kisses her.

Several minutes later, she’s breathless and completely awake. Before she can get distracted again, Kensi threads her fingers into Deeks’ hair.

“Hey, I need to tell you something.”

“Is it that I haven’t lost my fantastic oral abilities?” he guesses and Kensi fights back a smile.

“No. I’m trying to be serious and you’re making it very difficult,” she says and Deeks shifts back enough to see her face.

“That sounds serious.

“It’s not bad,” Kensi promises. “I decided I want to move up my resignation.”

“Wow. Ok, that’s—wow.” His eyes Woden with surprise for a few seconds before he settles into a more neutral expression. “When were you thinking?”

“Three months,” Kensi tells him. “It’s enough time to get things in order and hopefully find my replacement, but won’t prolong things unnecessarily. I thought I could tell everyone when we have our rescheduled dinner this weekend. Except for Jared. He deserves to know first.”

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Deeks checks, a hint of worry in his eyes. “Cause you know that there’s no rush to make a decision.”

“Yes,” Kensi says easily.

Deeks nods, his lips pursing slightly as he clearly hesitates over whatever he wants to say. Finally, he looks down, the fingers of his left hands idly tracing the sheet over her hip. “You’re not doing this for me, right? Cause I don’t need that from you.”

“It’s not the only reason. Your feelings definitely played a factor, but it’s one of many reasons.” Kensi cups his cheeks, lifting his head so he can see that she means it. “I need to be alive and whole to do all the things I want to do with you. What happened last week made me realize there isn’t any point in putting it off. I’m doing this for us, baby.”

Deeks eyes her for several seconds and then breaks into a stunning grin. “I’m happy for you.”

“Me too.”

He pulls her back to his mouth and Kensi lets herself be distracted for a few more minutes.

“We do not have time for this,” she sighs even as she leans in for another kiss. “Ugh, ok, I need to go.”

***

“Deeks, I’ll be ok on my own,” Kensi insists as Deeks hands her as glass of water and two ibuprofen. After a painful night of sleep, she’d woken up to Deeks making her breakfast and the news that he planned to stay home with her.

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to,” he replies softly.

“I don’t want to you to miss something important,” she say half-heartedly.

“Kens, I can reschedule my meetings.” He sets a plate of eggs and pancakes in front of her. “I want to be here for you. Making up for lost time.” Deeks smiles, but Kensi can tell it’s forced and he’s still scared.

She supposes she can’t fault him for wanting to stay close.

“Thank you.” Tilting her chin up, she kisses him, ignoring the sting of her sutures being tugged by the movement.

“Always,” Deeks promises. Instead of eating with her, he gets up and starts cleaning up. Kensi senses a nervous energy to his movements and she wonders if he actually slept at all last night. “I thought the eggs would be pretty soft, but if it hurts to eat, I can make something else,” he offers.

“This is perfect.” Kensi takes a bit and realizes that she’s actually starving. “Come sit and eat with me.”

***

Getting back up hurts a lot more after sitting for a while. It takes a significantly longer than Kensi would like to admit to get to Deeks’ bathroom. Fortunately, he’s too busy cleaning and calling his office to see her limp down the hall and into the small bathroom.

When she sees her face in the mirror, she flinches; the bruises look significantly worse than last night. Without warning, she flashes back to a hotel room. She sees the moment the man in front of her realizes she’s not really a maid, and blocks his attack. She doesn’t manage to stop the second man from slamming her to the ground.

Kensi shakes her head to pull out of the memory and inhales deeply, running through one of the many centering exercises she knows. When she opens her eyes again, the injuries don’t drag her back under.

They do look awful though. No wonder Deeks had freaked out last night. If Kensi had been thinking more clearly, she would have cleaned up a bit more before coming.

She hadn’t been thinking though. At least not beyond getting to Deeks and the security and comfort he could provide.

For a moment, Kensi imagines how the case might have gone differently if Deeks was still her partner. That thought makes her shudder.

She’s beyond relieved Deeks hadn’t been there. Because she knows he’d have either been going out of his mind with worry, or drawing attention to himself to keep her safe. He could have been the one beaten and fighting for his life.

Absolutely not.

That can never happen again.

***

Just Know My Heart is Breaking Too, Part 27

Deeks whistles to himself as he moves around his kitchen, dumping the contents of a pan into a serving dish. It’s relatively early on a Friday, Kensi’s on her way, and he’s cleared most of the weekend so they can spend it together uninterrupted.

A few minutes later, he hears the front door open and he calls out, “

“I hope you’re hungry, Kensalina, because dinner is going to be fabulous.”

“Hey,” Kensi says from behind him.

Something in the mumbled word has Deeks turning around; it takes his brain approximately five seconds to fully process that Kensi’s face is completely battered.

“Oh my god,” Deeks says, rushing towards her. He reaches for her cheek, but stops just shy of actually touching the swollen and purpling skin. “What happened? Here sit down.”

Wincing, Kensi lets him guide her out of the kitchen and towards the couch, most resisting when he puts a hand under her elbow to support her. She actually groans as she sits, the movement clearly painful, and his heart instantly starts pounding.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” Kensi murmurs. “I had to go undercover today and it went south. Fast.” As she speaks, a few drops of blood trickle down her chin from a split in her lip.

Deeks knows those kinds of cases. They’d both been in a situation that went bad without warning and nearly died more times than he can count. His stomach clenches and he swallows down the sudden nausea that fills him.

“Can I touch you?” he asks gently and Kensi nods. Slowly, Deeks carefully checks each bruise and cut. Her left cheek is so swollen and raised, he worries it might be fractured. Three cuts mark her right cheek, temple, eyebrow. Remarkably, her nose looks untouched. “Did you get checked out?”

Kensi nods. “Yeah. They said my cheek has deep bruising, but nothing’s broken,” she says, her lips barely moving.

“Did you cut your mouth?”

“Three stitches.”

Deeks inhales slowly to center himself again before continuing on. “Ok, what about the limp?”

“Twisted ankle and banged up knee. It’s going to hurt for a couple weeks.” She swallows and reaches for her arm. “I also dislocated my shoulder. The EMT said I won’t be able to shoot for a week or so.”

“Kens.” He closes his for a few seconds and he feels Kensi shift in front of him.

“I know I should have gone to the hospital. But I just wanted to get back to you,” she says, sounding almost guilty.

When Deeks opens his eyes again, she’s watching him with a nervous look. He opens his arms and she sinks against him immediately, letting out a sigh mixed with relief and pain.

“You could have called me,” he reminds her gently. “You know I would have been there in a second.”

“I know. I didn’t want to stay at the hospital,” she admits.

“Kensi—” He cuts himself off and shakes his head before his fear-induced anger can take hold.

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

“No, tell me what you’re thinking.” He feels her fingers curl into the hair on his neck, and he wonders who she’s trying to comfort.

“I’m trying really hard not to freak out and make this about me. Or say something I’ll regret.” He pauses to ease back and takes one of her hands on his, rubbing a pattern into her skin.

“Deeks, we promised we would be honest with each other,” Kensi says. “Even if you think I won’t like it, I want to know.”

“I’m terrified,” he tells her on a long exhale. “The second you walked through that door, it sent me right back to that place I was in two years ago. I, uh, I forgot what it feels like to see you hurt and thinks of the what ifs. You know.”

Kensi nods, pressing her face to his neck. It has to hurt, but she doesn’t move. “Yeah,” she murmurs into his skin. “I was really scared too. The guys weren’t far behind. It was long enough though.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m glad you weren’t there.” Her grip tightens on him. “The last thing I want is for you to be hurt like this.”

“Next time, promise you’ll let me know right away,” Deeks requests. He’ll never stop worrying as long as Kensi’s still with NCIS, but wondering if she’s trying to protect him like today would make it so much worse.

“I will,” Kensi says. “I love you.“

“I love you too.”

***

***

“You know, I think I’ve spent every single night this week here,” Deeks observes, trailing his fingers over Kensi’s shoulder.

It’s early in the morning, and they probably should be getting as much sleep as possible, yet Kensi can’t make herself be that responsible. Not when having Deeks in her bed again is so new.

“Is that a problem?”

Deeks lifts his head briefly to make eye contact. “Mm-mm.” He dips his head again, kissing the same spot his fingers had just traveled. “I couldn’t be happier. Though yesterday I almost fell asleep writing an email.”

“You could bring over more of your stuff. Then you wouldn’t have to leave so early,” Kensi suggests.

“That sounds suspiciously like moving in.”

“Consider it a baby step.” She shrugs, ignoring the slight increase in her heart rate. It’s not a big deal. She just wants Deeks to be comfortable when he spends the night. “I’m actually surprised you haven’t commented on the mess yet.” Resting her cheek on her fist, she gives him a suspicious look, hoping he doesn’t call her on the obvious change in topic.

“I think I learned a lesson about that my first time around,” Deeks jokes. “Actually, you’re a lot cleaner than you used to be.”

“Maybe I learned some things too. It’s definitely a lot easier to find things when I actually put them away,” Kensi admits.

“I’m not saying anything.”

Turning to face him fully, Kensi runs her fingers through his hair. “What do you have going on today?”

“I have an introductory meeting with a soon-to-be divorcee,” Deeks tells her with a small twist of his lips. “And then some follow up sessions.”

“Hopefully not another Melanie,” Kensi comments, then smirks. “Though I guess we do kind of owe her for getting back together.”

“Oh god.” Deeks groans and rolls his eyes. “The last thing I need is to be beholden to Melanie Richard. No, this one should be fairly straightforward. She’s not giving off criminal vibes and fortunately isn’t in obvious distress.”

“Good. You need a break every now and then from the hard ones.” She pauses a moment, then asks, “I know we decided to wait a while before telling anyone about us, but I feel like I, we, should let the team know. They’ll figure out soon enough and I’d rather announce it ourselves.” She hopes she isn’t pushing too hard; they keep talking about going slowly. They want to avoid making the same mistakes as last time.

Deeks’ eyes light up, and the tightness in Kensi’s chest eases. “I think that’s a fantastic idea. Are you going to do it today?”

“Actually, I thought we could have everyone over for dinner this weekend,” Kensi says, cupping his cheek. “Then we can do it together.” Deeks doesn’t say anything, but leans in for a kiss, which she takes as approval. “I probably will tell Jared before then. Is there anyone you want to tell?”

“Vicky clocked it the first day. And as much as we love my mom, I don’t think either of us are ready for the level of excitement she’ll rain down on us,” Deeks muses.

“I’ll follow your lead, but I’m also happy to include her, craziness and all. I’ve missed her.”

“She’s missed you too.” Deeks purses his lips. “I’ll test the waters.”

Sam looked up from his book.  He was wearing a black sweatshirt and sweatpants with black sides.  “Yes.”

“Not dead.”

“Not yet,” Sam smiled.  “How are you feeling?”

“Not sure.  I think I’m on a lot of drugs.”

“I think ‘fair share’ is more accurate.”

“Kensi and Deeks?”

“Probably not on drugs.”

“But alive?”

“Yes.  She’s fine.  He had a concussion from the Jeep attack.  Then as only Deeks can do, managed to get a second one going to the hospital.”

“That’s not good.”

“No.  Threw up twice on the helicopter ride up from Mexico.  He’s still hurting.”

“We’re not in Mexico?”

“We are not.”

“Los Angeles?”

“Halfway.  Balboa.”

“I slept through a helicopter ride?”

“You were sedated for the helicopter ride.  After Deeks’s second round of revisiting his lunch, I was wondering why we didn’t do the same for him.”

“Why was I sedated?”

“The doctors were worried about your back.  You have some fractured vertebrae besides the punctured lung.  There was a Navy doctor on the ride making sure you were fine.”

“Kensi find us?”

“No.  Remember the kid?”

“There was a kid?“  Callen though for a second.  “There was a kid.”

“He got us help.”

“I figured he’d get us killed.”

“Good kid, better name.”

“The kid is named Sam, isn’t it.”

“Might be.”

“Are you out of the hospital?”

Sam nodded.  “Released this morning.  Beale drove down with the gym bag from my locker.  He was driving Kensi and Deeks back to LA in her SUV.”

“Anything else I need to know?”

“Well, Spencer Williams and three of his men were found dead in a vehicle about two blocks from the hospital.  The son of Williams’s paid for officials decided to take us out.”

“Us being you and me?”

“Us being you and me.  Arlo Turk, the guy with the ATVs…”

“Yeah.”

“NCIS.  FoH – Friend of Hetty.  Got a gun to me.  The son of the paid off official died in the hospital elevator going down to the ER.”

“I missed all the fun stuff.”

“Well, it’s not going to be fun for the next few weeks.  You’ve got a lot of PT ahead of you.  We’re all under investigation.  Hetty’s gone dark.  Mosley is spending time with her kid and off the grid.”

“Hidoko?” Callen thought he knew but needed to really know.

“It was her in the desert.”

“Dammit.”

“Kilbride is running the office right now.  According to the Admiral, he’s up to his ass in alligators and wearing meat pants.”

“That’s an image.”

“Yes it is.  I was supposed to get the doctors the minute you woke up but I figured the debrief came first,” Sam said as he slowly stood up.  His leg was still very sore.  “We need to stop doing things like this.”

“Think you’re getting too old for it?”

“Think I’m getting too smart for it.  We really need to look into working smarter, not harder.”

***

Just Know My Heart is Breaking Too, Part 24

They end up at Deeks’ apartment, only because it’s closer and neither one of them has the patience to wait any longer than absolutely necessary. Kensi spent the entire drive kissing Deeks’ neck between lights while his hand crept higher up her thigh so by the time they arrive, Kensi’s half ready to climb over the console and straddle Deeks.

As soon as the door is closed behind them, Deeks catches Kensi around the waist and spins her so she’s pressed against a wall. He braces his arm above her, his eyes the deepest blue as he stares down at her, the intensity sending a shiver of anticipation through Kensi.

“Kensi, are you—?”

“Yes,” she interrupts, anticipating his question. They’ve gone through so much to get to this moment, she’s not going to let anything else get in the way. “I want you. That’s not going to stop. Now will you please kiss me?”

Deeks doesn’t say another word, pressing his mouth to hers and Kensi grips his shoulder, tugging him closer. It’s everything she’s been missing. That’s she’s needed the last two years.

Dropping her head back hard enough to make a dull thud, Kensi focuses on Deeks’ fingers moving along her waist and up to her neck. Every touch leaves a trail of heat in its wake, stoking the fire within her even higher.

Deeks sucks her bottom lip between his, one hand cupping the back of her head to protect it from the wall, the other holding her thigh up around his hip. Kensi groans in response and rolls her hips, her stomach clenching arousal as she rubs against his bulge.

He makes a sound that’s a mixture of surprised laughter and slightly pained delight. Pulling back with a gasp, he rests his forehead against Kensi’s for a second.

“Oh my god. Kensi,” he mutters, still breathing unevenly.

“Are you gonna be ok?” she teases.

“It has been a while.” Unexpectedly, Deeks lifts her up at the same time he thrusts against her.

It pulls a stuttered breath out of her and she closes her eyes for a few seconds, meeting the movement of his hips with hers in an uneven rhythm.

“Then we’re, ah, we’ll just have to practice.”

Kensi loops her arms around his neck, grinning into the next kiss as he carries her to the bedroom. She barely notices anything about the room, too focused on Deeks. He sets her on the bed, following her as she lies down, drawing him back into her arms.

Brushing his lips under her jaw, Deeks slowly undresses her, kissing every inch of skin along the way with absolute reverence.

In the quiet of the room, some of Kensi’s urgency dissipates. They don’t need to rush. They have time. They have each other for more than tonight.

Kensi gasps, arching her back as Deeks nips at the top of her breasts and then wraps his lips around her nipple. “Oh my god,” she murmurs, working at the buttons of Deeks’ shirt until she’s able to push it off his shoulders. She makes a sound of relief when Deeks bare skin finally presses against hers and takes advantage of the opportunity to run her fingers along his back and upper hips before finally anchoring in the curls at the base of his head.

While he whispers soft words of praise, Deeks continues his descent until he’s settled between her thighs. She shudders against Deeks’ mouth, her back arching and fingers tightening in his hair after just a few minutes.

“I guess I don’t need thar much practice after all,” he teases, caressing her inner thighs with his thumbs. Kensi shudders at the sensation, her need for Deeks stronger than ever.

“Come here.” She tugs at Deeks’ shoulders and he helpfully settles next to her, pressing his lips to the crook of her neck. It’s unbearably affectionate. Caring. Everything she loves about him.

“I love you,” Kensi sighs.

Lifting his head, Deeks stares at her with mild shock in his eyes. Then all at once, his face lights up with a brilliant, exultant smile.

“I love you too,” he says, guiding her mouth back to his.

***

***

Fortunately, and somewhat miraculously, no great catastrophes interrupt Kensi and Deeks’ date.

Deeks made reservations for a fancy restaurant Kensi remembers wanting to try when it opened a few years ago. At any other time, she’d be ecstatic, but tonight, she barely pays attention to what she’s ordering. She’s too distracted by Deeks. From the moment he showed up at her apartment in a suit that clings to every muscle, she hasn’t been able to keep her eyes off him.

Deeks seems similarly distracted, and she’s caught his eyes drifting to the very deep V of her dress and her legs more than once while they wait for their food to arrive. It makes her infinitely glad she hadn’t gone with something less daring. Though at this rate, they’re never going to make it through the whole dinner.

Deeks grins across the table at her, as if he can read her mind. His eyes dance over her again and Kensi’s cheeks flush as she imagines his hands traveling the same path.

“So, how was your week?” he asks, the ridiculously neutral question drawing a snort from Kensi.

She follows his lead, mostly so she doesn’t act on her increasing need to have him out of that suit. Or drag him across the table—

“It was fine,” she manages, taking a hasty sip of water.

By the time their entrees are served, Kensi’s calmed down a little. It helps that they have a lot to catch up on still.

“Tell me about your self-defense class,” Deeks prompts as he sets his plate to the side. A waiter rushes by take to it away, and Deeks nods a quick thanks before turning his attention back to Kensi.

“It’s actually morphed into two classes over the last year,” Kensi tell him. “Beginner and intermediate. Though now I feel like I might need to add advanced too. Most of the students are younger women, but the classes are open to anyone, so I get a nice mix.”

Deeks smiles at that, seeming genuinely happy to hear for her, and warmth and affection fills her. It’s softer than the desire that’s been plaguing her all night, but no less intense.

“That’s amazing, Kensi. They’re lucky to have you teaching them all your ninja ways.”

Kensi makes a doubtful sound at Deeks’ assumption. “It’s a work in progress. My first few classes were so rough while I figured out how to teach people who had absolutely no training. I was so used to working with agents or cops who have some experience. Now it’s mostly figuring out how to increase strength and progress to a higher level if that’s their goal.” She shrugs. “Some are just there for the activity or to learn some self-defense and don’t worry about moving up.” She trails her fork through some sauce on her plate, tilting her head as she looks across the table at Deeks.

“What about you? Are you still taking pro-bono cases?”

“I do when I can,” Deeks says. He makes a face that has a critical tinge to it. “It makes me feel better when my paid clients turn out to be terrible people.”

“Like the one who brought us back together?” Kensi teases.

“Oh, she’s tame in comparison to some. And I believe that information falls under attorney client-privilege.”

She should not find his integrity this sexy, even if he is half-joking, but she does. God, she’s even worse than she was before they dated the first time.

“Mm, it’s be a while since I’ve heard you speak lawyer.” She drops her voice a little lower. Deeks’ eyes widen slightly with surprised delight before morphing into something smugger.

“Oh, that’s interesting. How exactly can I be of help, Miss Blye?”

Pushing her mostly empty plate to the side so she won’t ruin her dress, Kensi leans closer and brushes her thumb over his lower lip.

“I was thinking you could give me a full presentation in my apartment,” she says, letting her hand stray to his neck, her fingers stroking the soft skin there. Deeks’ lips part slightly and his eyes darken.

***

Surprisingly, Kensi makes it work on time. The very large latte in her hand and the residual elation from last night—and this morning—go some way to easing the effects of no sleep.

It’s early enough that neither Sam or Callen are there, which works perfectly for Kensi. She heads upstairs, happy to see only Nell set up in her usual spot.

“Good morning,” Kensi practically sings, setting a second coffee in front of Nell with a flourish.

“Morning. You’re oddly chipper for 6:52 in the morning,” Nell comments, looking over her shoulder at Kensi. “Care to share the good feelings?”

“We did it,” Kensi tells her, pressing her lips together to hide the giant grin she’s been fighting all morning.

Immediately spinning around in her chair, Nell fixes Kensi with a suspicious glare. “You did what exactly?” Her tone indicates her mind has gone somewhere decidedly more salacious.

“Deeks and I got back together.”

“What? For real?”

Nodding, Kensi covers her mouth with both hands, suddenly near tears as Nell spins around and jumps out of her chair with a little shriek of excitement.

On my god!” Nell almost screams, hugging Kensi tightly. “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you, Kensi. And Deeks too.”

“As if you aren’t ninety percent of the reason why it happened,” Kensi says, rubbing underneath her eyes.

“Hey, what’s a best friend for if not to push her friends to make the right choice?” Nell giggles, sounding close to tears herself. “This is probably the best news I’ve heard in a long time.” She squeezes Kensi one more time, pulling back enough to examine Kensi’s face. “How are you feeling? I mean, obviously you’re happy. Wait, when you said you got together…”

“I’m definitely happy,” Kensi assures her. “Beyond happy. And we’re taking it annoyingly slow, which is probably smart. Even if it is annoying.”

“Being responsible sucks,” Nell agrees.

“Yeah, but we’re going out on Saturday. Assuming we don’t get called in for a case.”

“I will literally move heaven and earth to make sure you make it to that date.” With a wave of her hand, Nell amends, “Or at least use every bit of my power as acting operations manager to make sure someone else takes your place. I’m sure Callen and Sam would understand and Anna would happily step in if she’s not busy.”

“I appreciate that Nell, but I kind of want to keep it quiet for a little while,” Kensi says. As supportive as Sam has been, she’s not ready for everyone to know when her relationship with Deeks is so fragile and new again.

“Of course. But if you change your mind, you have all my knowledge and power at your disposal,” Nell reaffirms, spreading her arms wide to encompass all of OPS. She smiles then. “I’m proud of you, lady.”

“Me too.” Kensi waves her hands hands in front of her face in a futile attempt to stop a new wave of tears. “Ok, I need to go do some work before I spend the whole day crying.”

“I don’t know how you expect me to get anything done after this.”

“Oh, I’m lucky if I make it to noon,” Kensi says, squeezing Nell’s hands before she finally moves towards the sliding door.

***

A Good Job

Deeks fell to the ground, his body shaking as he choked, ash and smoke burning his throat. He was vaguely aware of rough concrete underneath his hands and knees and the sounds of wood and more crashing behind him. The harsh sound of his own breathing drowned out everything else.

Suddenly warm arms wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground, and Deeks fell back against a solid form.

“I got you,” a comforting voice said in his ear.

“Sam?” Deeks croaked out. He opened his eyes, wincing against the sharp sting of wind hitting them.

“Yeah, it’s Sam. I’ve got you.”

Did I get them out? There was a baby—” a cough ripped through Deeks’ chest, cutting off all sound for several unbearable seconds. When he could breathe again, Sam was still there bracing him. “What happened to the baby?” Deeks asked.

He could still hear the little boys cries, his mother’s screams, and the panic in his father’s eyes.

“Everybody got out. You did good,” Sam assured him. “C’mon, let’s get you taken care of. Can’t keep Kensi waiting.” Looping an arm around Deeks’ back, Sam lifted him up and all but dragged him down the sidewalk.

“Kensi’s here?” Deeks whispered, his thoughts slow and unfocused.

“On her way.” Sam squeezed Deeks’ shoulder. “You did good,” he repeated.

***

***

Just Know My Heart is Breaking Too, Part 20

Kensi’s question hangs between them, carrying both the promise of potential happiness and terrible heartbreak.

“What if we still can’t make it work? I don’t know if I could handle that again,” Deeks says.

“Are you handling it now?” Kensi asks bluntly. “Cause I know I’m not. What could be worse than denying ourselves another chance when neither of us have been able to move on?”

“No, I’m not.” He sighs, closing his eyes. The admission doesn’t magically erase his fears, but it’s the final push he needs to push past that fear. “Yes, Kensi. I want to be with you more than anything. Even though it’s insane and I’m terrified and I might have turned into a hermit in the last two years.

“Then we can be terrified together.” Kensi leans towards him and this time, he meets her halfway, grasping the back of her head almost desperately as they kiss.

A compere and utter elation Deeks hasn’t felt in more than two years fills him. He leans into the kiss, savoring every brush of Kensi’s lips on his. Kensi just holds him tighter, her hands grasping in his shirt, in his hair, as if he might disappear if she lets go.

When they break apart, Deeks feels giddy and lightheaded. Kensi looks similarly delighted, her eyes bright and happy and a little relieved. It reminds him so much of the first time they’d taken this leap, that he can’t help but feel hopeful.

Kensi curls up against his chest, one of her hands still tangled in his shirt. “Is this ok?” she inquires softly.

“It’s perfect.” And definitely surreal.

“I meant what I said about leaving. I’m hoping I can slowly ease away from fieldwork into an administration or maybe a liaison position,” Kensi says a few minutes later , then shrugs. “Maybe something completely different. Do you need any paralegals in your office?” She turns her chin up, a hint of melancholy underneath her smile.

Maybe for the first time, it strikes Deeks that Kensi is truly at a crossroads that goes beyond their relationship. Oddly enough, he finds it reassuring. It takes some of the pressure off of both of them if her happiness isn’t solely reliant on whether or not they make it.

“Yeah, but you’d hate being a paralegal,” he predicts. He can’t imagine her in any job that primarily relies on sitting in an office typing up documents or researching the intricacies of law.

“You’re probably right. Maybe I’ll just end up taking time off to figure out what I’m good at besides shooting things and making threats,” she jokes. “What about you? Are you happy where you’re at?”

“Some days.” Deeks hedges. “It’s not exactly what I dreamed about when I thought I was going to change the world single-handedly, but it’s…it’s enough for now.”

“Maybe we both need to figure out what else we need to be happy,” Kensi says. She’s quiet for a few seconds, then her expression turns less melancholy and definitely playful. “I do have one request.”

“Anything,” he promises.

***

Just Know My Heart is Breaking Too, Part 19

Deeks makes a sound of utter surprise, hands instinctively pulling Kensi closer before his brain catches up with what’s happening. He reluctantly pulls away, but Kensi isn’t deterred, and starts kissing his jaw.

“Kensi, hang on, just stop for a second,” he says breathlessly. Kensi lifts her head, her eyes bright with arousal.

“I don’t want to,” she tells him, gently tugging her fingers through his hair. “Do you?”

It sends a shiver through his body and Kensi gazes back at him with a steady sureness he hadn’t expected. She doesn’t say anything else, waiting for him to answer.

Honestly, at the moment, he’s struggling to remember why they can’t do this.

“No,” he admits. “But I’m not willing for this to be something casual. I can’t, Kensi. I’ll always want more.”

“Me too.” She takes his hand, letting out a long breath and smiles a little ironically. “I think we need another talk. Can I come inside?”

***

It feels a little odd to have Kensi in this apartment. He hasn’t had any woman over since he moved here, and he never imagined that Kensi would be sitting on his second-hand couch and glancing around at the admittedly limited decor. To be on the safe side, Deeks chooses the chair opposite the couch. His self-control is at an all-time low and he’s pretty sure if Kensi kisses him again, he won’t have the conviction to turn her down.

“This is nice,” she comments as he hands her a glass of water.

Deeks snorts. “I know it’s kind of crappy. You don’t have to pretend it’s not.”

“It just has character,” Kensi insists. Then she leans forward, linking her fingers together in the first sign of any nervousness tonight. “I guess there’s not any good way to start this.” She glances down at her fingers very deliberately says, “I want to start over. Us.”

“Kensi—”

“No, just let me talk for a minute.”

Deeks forces himself to listen and suppress the protective objections. The least he can is hear Kensi out, eve if the outcome is the same.

A lengthy pause follows, but it seems more as though Kensi’s gathering her thoughts than hesitating. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this, Deeks. Even before the last few weeks. Seeing you again really made me ask myself what I’m looking for in life and if I’m happy with my current circumstances.” She inclines her head. “Granted, Nell was pretty pivotal in a lot of those discussions.”

Deeks laughs softly. “Yeah, uh, I don’t doubt that. I had a few of those conversations with Nellosaurus too.”

“She means well,” Kensi says. “Anyway. I’m not happy where I am now and I haven’t been for a while.” She scoots to the very edge of the couch and covers his hand with hers. “I want more. I want a life that doesn’t revolve around work. I want that life with you.”

His heart is absolutely racing now, even as he tries to temper his hope. They’ve been here before.

“Kensi, I wouldn’t ask that of you. Not again.”

“You’re not, I’m offering,” she says firmly. “Because I need this.”

“What made you change your mind?” He can’t wrap his mind around such a massive shift when Kensi could barely think of talking about leaving before.

“Turns out, work loses some of its charm when your partner leaves.” She shrugs her shoulders self-deprecatingly. “And you were right; the chances of some catastrophe that ends with me injured or worse is more a question of when than if. I don’t want to miss out on living because I was too busy working.”

It sounds too easy. It sounds so tempting.

“If we did this, what would it look like?” he asks, and Kensi shrugs.

“I don’t know. But I want to try.” She squeezes his hand. “We can figure that out along the way.”

“This is crazy.”

We’ll Always Have the Bathhouse

An hour into the wedding reception, Kensi’s energy was starting to fade. She’d greeted every guest, chatted with several dozen, and talked Mandy down from another crying episode. She finally managed to duck out of the conversation after one of her other college friends walked away. While she didn’t want to be rude, she was incredibly thirsty and desperate for a few minutes of peace. Also, she hoped to catch Deeks for a little time to themselves. For this being their wedding day, she hadn’t spent much time alone with him at all.

On her way to the bar, she spotted a familiar figure lurking in a small alcove. Kensi immediately changed course and made a beeline for him, hands on her hips.

“Kirkin, what are you doing?” she demanded. Based on the way he jumped, something had him completely distracted.

He spun around, lifting his still-cuffed hands diffidently.

“Oh, Kensi, my congratulations to you,” he said. “In the melee I didn’t get to express my heartfelt wishes for you.”

Kensi ignored him, looking around the area for the agent Nell and Eric had called in to watch him until the end of the night. “Where’s your guard?”

“He’s fetching me a refreshment. I reminded him it is cruel treatment to withhold food and drink from a prisoner.” He gave Kensi a pitiful look, and she rolled her eyes.

“You had water and a sandwich half an hour ago and had access to a restroom after that. What’s your real reason for ditching him?” she persisted. When Kirkin didn’t respond, Kensi leaned towards him, turning her intimidation up to its full power. After fighting off a bunch of criminals, almost ruining her wedding dress in the process, and finding out Deeks had been briefly held hostage, she had little patience for Kirkin’s antics.

His eyes flicked to the side as he moved away from Kensi and she followed his gaze. To their left, Deeks stood with Kip and Tiffani. As she watched, Deeks tossed his head back in laughter. He looked absolutely gorgeous.

Narrowing her eyes, Kensi turned back to Kirkin, who was also watching Deeks with a slightly wistful and definitely interested expression.

“Kirkin, quit looking at my husband,” she snapped.

He held his hands up again, pleading now. “I just wanted to give him my well-wishes. Kensi, you must understand what this means to me.”

“I understand that you tried to kidnap Deeks for his “own good” before leading a bunch of armed men to our wedding.” Kensi crossed her arms, waiting for a response.

“Hey, everything ok over here?”

Neither of them had noticed Deeks approaching, but Kirkin immediately turned, beaming up at him with a radiant smile.

“Martin, I was just giving dear Kensi my congratulations,” he said, shifting so he stood slightly in front of her. “I must say, you are looking very sharp today, my friend. I wasn’t able to fully appreciate it before when we were so rudely abducted.”

Deeks gave Kirkin an incredulous look. “Are you flirting with me? I just got married, man.”

“No, of course not. I would never.” Kirkin reached towards Deeks, then cast Kensi a worried glance, apparently thinking better of it. “I accept that you are happy. It is all I ever want for you, Marty.”

“As always, that’s weirdly touching and just plain weird at the same time,” Deeks commented.

“I think the word you’re looking for is creepy,” Kensi added. She moved around so she stood closer to Deeks, and placed her hand very prominently on his arm. She didn’t have any serious concerns about Kirkin at this point, but he did seem to respond best to visual reminders that Deeks wasn’t up for grabs.

“What we have has always been misunderstood,” Kirkin said.

“What we have?” Kirkin started to respond, and Deeks raised his hand, cutting him off. “Yeah, I don’t need, or ever want, to hear about the baths again.”

“A shame.” With a deep sigh, Kirkin shrugged, seemingly more bothered by Deeks’ continued rejection than his current predicament. “In that case, I will leave you to celebrate. I just have one small thing. Would you reach into my right suit pocket?”

“Oh my god,” Deeks muttered, but did as Kirkin asked, touching him as little as possible. He gingerly pulled out a thin box.

“Open it,” Kirkin encouraged.

“If this has a bomb in it…”

“I would never hurt you.”

Kensi rolled her eyes at Kirkin’s offended tone. Still, she didn’t think Kirkin would actually try to poison or otherwise kill Deeks. Deeks tentatively lifted the lid from the box, frowning in confusion as he removed a piece of heavy looking paper.

“What is—wait, did you write down what happened in the bathhouse?” Deeks asked, and Kirkin nodded happily.

“Yes. Exactly as I remember it.”

“Half of this didn’t even happen.”

“Oh, don’t be coy, Maaarty. It was a very exciting day,” Kirkin said, nodding knowingly. Leaning over Deeks’ shoulder, Kensi read the first few lines.

“‘Beads of water trailed down his tanned, muscular—’”

“Ok, we do not need to read any of this ever again,” Deeks interrupted, loudly clearing his throat, and deliberately placed the “story” back in its box. “I suppose I should thank you, but that feels wrong.”

“It’s nothing.” Kirkin smiled magnanimously. “I also have a small portrait to commemorate the moment on commission, but I’m told it will take some time to complete.”

“A portrait,” Deeks repeated faintly.

“Yes. An oil painting. It will be beautiful,“ Kirkin said. He glanced behind them, tensing suddenly. “Ah, I see my keeper has returned. I must go.” He reached out and risked squeezing Deeks’ hand between his cuffed ones. “We shall meet again.”

Deeks shook his head as Kirkin scurried off to meet his handler.

“Are you ok?” Kensi checked.

“I mean, it feels a little bit like I’m in some kind of drug-induced hallucination, but otherwise I’m great.” Deeks shook his head again, his hand finding the small of her back.

“What can I do to make the Kirkin scaries go away?”

“Kiss me?” he suggested.

Gently grasping the sides of his face, she pulled him down for a long kiss. When they parted, she murmured,

“You know, I wouldn’t be against a painting of you.”

“Kiss me like that again, and you’ve got yourself a deal,” Deeks joked, smiling against her lips.

***

A/N: It wouldn’t be densimber if I didn’t continue my ongoing grudge about the FLETC storyline.

***

Making it Through

Deeks is no stranger to pain. He’s been shot, stabbed, tortured, beaten more times than he can count, and worked with a concussion on more than one occasion. Putting all that aside, there’s a special hell to running several miles with broken ribs.

At least he assumes they’re broken; he hadn’t actually gone to the infirmary since that would almost certainly mean dismissal from the program. Which Deeks couldn’t afford. So far, he’s made it through two days without tapping out or anyone seeming to realize he’s one bad punch away from collapsing.

Last night Deeks had been tempted to just give in. At three in the morning, he’d found himself unable to sleep in any position and slightly sweaty from pain, the quiet and isolation of his small room bearing down on him. Once again, he’d relied on thoughts of Kensi to get him through until sunrise hit.

The toe of his shoe hitting a root brings him back to reality. He’s run over it a hundred times before at this point. Only this time, his reaction time is a little slower than usual and he doesn’t catch himself in time and stumbles to his knees. The fall rocks through Deeks, jarring his already inflamed ribs. He just barely bites back a scream of pain.

Through the pain, he’s vaguely aware of the other cadets dodging around him. A hand roughly grabs his arm and tugs him out of the path before he gets trampled. Deeks appreciates it, but not the effect on his ribs. He clamps his eyes shut and inhaled quickly through his nose. He swears the bones actually shifted against each other, though that’s probably just his imagination.

“Woah, you alright, Deeks?” Deeks hears Charlie Teale say.

Drawing in another steadying breath, Deeks opens his eyes and finds Charlie kneeling in front of him in the middle of the brush that lines the running path. His eyes are wide with concern as he looks Deeks over.

“Are you having trouble breathing?” He asks, settling a hand on Deeks’ back. It’s a weird reversal of their usual roles so far.

“Yeah, no, I’m good,” Deeks grits out. “I uh, I just tripped.”

Charlie gives him a skeptical look. “I’ve never seen you trip before.”

“First time for everything, right? I fall down all the time in the ocean.”

“Yeah, that’s not the same. You look rough, dude. Like, I might pass out, throw up, or have a seizure kind of rough,” Charlie says.

Deeks would laugh at Charlie’s dramatics if it he didn’t think the action might actually make him lose consciousness.

“Wow, you really know how to compliment a guy.”

“Deeks, c’mon, man.” Charlie sighs. “I’m not going to let you die on my watch.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I’m ok. Seriously, I just tripped and hurt my knee a little cause I’m, as everyone always say, I’m the old guy,” Deeks insists, pulling out his best evasive skills. He throws in a smile that most people buy. He’s not sure if it’ll work on Charlie who’s oddly perceptive for his age.

“You’d tell me if something was really wrong,” Charlie checks.

“Absolutely.” Deeks pushes down the slight guilt of lying in the face of Charlie’s complete earnestness.

“You are so damn stubborn.” Sighing again, Charlie stands and hold out a hand, helping Deeks to his feet. Deeks carefully suppresses any reaction to his body protesting the movement.

“Thanks.” He pats Charlie on the shoulder, stepping back onto the path and starting up a very slow jog. After a second, he realizes Charlie’s keeping pace with him. When he shoots him a look, Charlie shrugs.

“My time’s already screwed,” he explains. “I might as well enjoy the rest of the run before getting yelled at.”

A/N: @anonkp had mentioned wishing to see densimber through to the twins’ adulthood. Just in case we don’t make it that far, here’s a little taste of the future.

***

Pomp and Circumstance

“Everything ok in there?” Deeks called out.

“Yes! I just have to make a few adjustments,” Sophia responded. A second later, he heard Caleb telling her something was backward.

Shaking his head, he offered Kensi and then Rosa a refill from the bottle of wine they’d been working on for the last hour while waiting for the twins to debut their graduation robes. Rosa shook her head, but Kensi handed him her glass and grabbed another piece of cheese from the coffee table before curling back up next to Deeks.

“Remember when you graduated from high school?” Deeks asked Rosa.

“Yeah, I was so nervous I’d trip on my gown, I forgot to listen to most of the speeches,” she said, smiling softly. “Then I saw you guys in the audience. You were both cheering. After that, I just remember being glad I got to share that day with you.”

“It was a good day.”

“Aside from Caleb and Sophia deciding to serenade the audience right in the middle of the ceremony,” Kensi said.

“Oh, I thought it was cute,” Rosa disagreed. “Besides, it was a nice break from the vice president’s very long message to the student body.”

“Ok, we’re coming out,” Caleb warned. About thirty seconds later, he and Sophia walked out together, dressed identically in blue robes, caps, and silver tassels. Sophia stood a head shorter than Caleb these days, but that was one of the few changes over the years. They still spent a majority of their time together, could almost read the other’s mind, and were a force to be reckoned with when given a good reason. They were also pretty amazing kids.

“What do you think?” Sophia asked, spinning in a circle and then affecting an exaggerated model pose.

“Almost perfect,” Kensi said, slipping off the couch. “Except your sash is crooked.” She adjusted Sophia’s sash. “And your tassel is on the wrong side.” Once she’d switched Caleb’s tassel, she stood back and examined them again. “Now you’re perfect.”

“Thanks, mom.”

“Wow.” Deeks sighed, suddenly overwhelmed with the knowledge that all his kids were nearly grown. He’d known it in theory, but seeing the twins in full graduation regalia really drove it home.

“You look great,” Rosa offered. “Also, thanks for making me feel old.”

“How do you think I feel?” Kensi asked, stocking her tongue out at Rosa.

“Well, dad?” Caleb held out his arms, and Deeks saw a flash of the little boy looking for approval again. “What do you think? You’ve been weirdly quiet.”

“Yeah, I just—” He shook his head again, blinking back the rush of emotions filling him. Gratitude for this moment, wistfulness for a time long gone and the end of another stage of life, and most of all, overwhelming happiness. “I’m so proud of you two. You’ve accomplished so much in eighteen years. More importantly, you’re amazing kids. And I’m glad I get to watch you celebrate that in a few days.”

“Dad,” Sophia murmured, sounding close to tears. Caleb looked similarly emotional and suddenly they descended, enveloping him in a hug from either side. “That was really beautiful.”

“Yeah. You still always know the right things to say,” Caleb said, pressing his face into Deeks’ neck for a few seconds before moving back.

Next to him, Kensi sniffed and gave Deeks a mock glare. “I thought we were saving the speeches and accolades for the actual graduation day.

Rosa inhaled deeply, rubbing under her eyes. “Yeah, thanks for making everyone cry at 10 in the morning. Steven’s going to think something horrible happened when I get back.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Deeks joked. “I meant every word though.”