Read Between The Lines
Author's Note:
My first story! Heck, my first attempt at writing since high school (10 years- gulp!). Please be kind.
Writing was always a passion, something I could escape into. Real life has since gotten in the way and I haven't picked up a pen (or hit a keyboard) in way too long. I just discovered this site a couple months ago (and the world of fanfic) and I must say that I was intrigued. So much so that I have decided to attempt to write agian! We shall see how this goes :-)
That being said, to ease my way into a multi-fic that I have swirling around in my head, I am going to attempt some "one-shots" but with a twist. I see a lot of stories based on prompts, but I haven't seen this one before. If you like this first story, please send me the first and last sentence of a story and I will "read between the lines" and see what my crazy mind can create! Bonus points- to really be even crazier, I'm going to use Disney songs as my titles- can you guess which Disney movie Chapter 1 belongs to?
Okay, enough rambling! Thanks and enjoy! 3
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own NCIS:LA. If I did, Densi would have happened Season 3 and both Deeks and Sam would be shirtless a WHOLE lot more ;-) I promise I will put everyone back unscathed when I'm finished playing with them.
Read Between The Lines
Chapter 1: At the Beginning
Timeline: About two years into the future
Normally, the "condemned" Spanish mission was buzzing with activity. Agents, analysts and a variety of technicians ran around with laser focused attention to their tasks. Today the mood was somber, quieter, and for those acquainted to the noise and bustle of the Office of Special Projects, a little unnerving. Most blamed the weather on the somber mood. This spring had been slightly wetter than normal, and it appeared that trend was going to carry on into the summer. One group of agents, however, were enjoying the break.
"He shoots. He SCORES!" Special Agent G. Callen shouted, throwing a smirk in his partners direction. To his credit, Sam Hanna managed to avoid rolling his eyes at Callen's antics.
"Please G. At least give me a challenge." Sam rolled his shoulders up and rocked his head side to side, acting like he was standing on the free-throw line for the Lakers ready to make the game winning shot.
Cocking his eyebrow up at Callen, he mocked his earlier excitement.
"He shoots, he sco..." right as Sam prepared to release the wade of paper into the wastebasket goal, the shrill sound of an airhorn blasted through the bullpen, knocking Sam's shot just to the right of the rim and rolling out onto the ground.
"Yes!" Callen's hand shoots into the air in celebration while Sam stood seething at the tech whom he was about to kill. From downstairs they could see Eric visably gulp and slow back up as he announced "Uh...yeah...we have a case. Sorry Sam...about the horn...really, really sorry." His voice quickly faded as he slipped back into the OPS center.
Pointing his finger at Callen, "I get a rematch."
"Sorry buddy. You're a 'ho' now." Callen couldn't contain his gloating, mostly because this was the first time in the last 30 games he'd played again Sam that he could say he was in the lead.
Before Sam could continue the argument, another voice spoke up.
"Seriously you two. Remember the last time you got into an argument over this game? You forgot to come to OPS and Hetty had to come get you." Kensi reminded them, pressing her lips together in a pathetic attempt to hide the smile that was forming. Her partner, on the other hand, was laughing loudly as he walked up the stairs, recounting the "ass chewing" their boss had given the two senior field agents.
Grumbling something that sounded like "this isn't over", Sam turned to walk up the stairs behind Kensi and Callen. Entering the OPS center, he turned to see Hetty, Eric and Nell standing around, waiting on the team.
"Nice of you to finally join us boys." Hetty said dryly, looking back and forth between Callen and Sam. Too many years of working at OSP with Hetty had harden them enough not to flinch under her gaze, but it still made them nervous none the less. Kensi and Deeks, on the other hand, were standing at the table, enjoying not being the focus of Hetty's frustration for once.
Everyone had thought that once Agent Kensi Blye and Detective Marty Deeks had gotten to know each other that the fights and insults tossed back and forth would quell. When that didn't happen, they assumed the trails and near-misses would help tone down their banter but they were wrong again. After the Siderov case and chasing the White Ghost half way around the world everyone was sure that the partner's "relationship" would change. This time, their assumptions were correct. Nearly 6 months following her return from Afghanistan, Kensi showed up one night on Deeks' doorstep, telling him that she was tired of the fighting, the arguing and them NOT dealing with this "thing" between them. For a moment, Deeks' heart stopped, just knowing she was going to tell him that she was leaving NCIS. Leaving the memories and the pain of the last year (along with him) behind. The last thing he expected was for her to close the distance between them, placing her lips firmly against hers.
For the last year and a half, they continued to defy everything everyone "assumed" would happen between the two. When their first case came, no one could tell the difference in their handling of the situation.
Three weeks after they'd begun dating, Kensi had to go under and seduce a petty officer they suspected of selling classified information to local cartels with ties to al Queida. Sam and Callen both watched Deeks' from the corner of their eyes during the mission, just waiting to see his reactions. As they had a habit of doing they surprised everyone, pulling off the mission perfectly.
And again when Deeks' was hurt, it was only later at the hospital that Agent Byle slipped away and Kensi took over, berating her boyfriend for a solid 10 minutes about breaking protocol and coming after her (even though his actions did save her). Smiling through the entire tirade, Deeks' simply asked "Are you done yet?" and pulled her in for a kiss.
While they bantered and argued constantly (when Callen thought about it, he had to admit that he would have been worried about their relationship if it did change) they slowly became less and less the ones in trouble with their boss. That job fell back to the two senior agents. Deeks claimed that they were getting feisty in their old age (Sam promptly dropped him on the floor in the middle of the bullpen and pinned him until Deeks had literally begged for mercy).
"Mr. Beale, you have the floor." Hetty gathered the groups attention the front monitor, waiting on Eric to roll through their latest case.
"John Beyers, 29, honorable medical discharge for an IED incident last year in Iraq. He's since been in LA working as a plane mechanic at the UPS hub. Last night we were altered to a group of ex-marines that are rumored to be in the business of selling a new form of heroine." Eric paused, flipping a picture up on the screen of a young man with serious green eyes and a tell-tell military hair cut.
"We've been tracking Office Beyers' movements over the last several weeks, trying to determine a location where he could be meeting his buyers or suppliers if he is involved." Nell Jones spoke up, the images on her small iPad taking over the larger screen. She showed a map of LA with several clusters of dots, indicating places where Beyers had been. "The larger cluster areas are where he's stopped at most often. From this, we've narrowed it down to two places that he could be meeting his suppliers."
Her small fingers flying quickly over the screen, she brought up side by side shots of the two locations. Reactions from the group ranged from snickering from Sam to a snort from Kensi.
"Well, I don't think it's hard to decide who's going where." Callen chuckled, shooting a look at his junior agents.
Kensi laughed, looking over at her partner who was grinning widely at her.
"Ready to hit the mat again Tracey." Deeks smirked at her, loving the small blush that he could see forming on her neck. Even after nearly five years as her partner and over a year as her boyfriend ( 9 months of that officially living with her) it amazed him just how easily he could get her to blush. This Kensi was the polar opposite of Agent Blye, the tough as nails woman he had been reluctantly partnered with. While she was still 110% Bad-Ass Blye at work, he now was able to see Kensi on a daily basis, his own personal Wonder Woman.
"Didn't they figure out the first time we busted that place that it wasn't a good idea to deal from there?" Kensi stated, looking around at the group, trying to refocus herself. "But their judgement wasn't always the best, since they were honestly considering making him a fighter." Cocking her head Deeks' way, she smirked at his.
"Touche Fern." All Deeks could do was smile back at her.
"So G and I will check out the marina," Sam pointed to the picture on the screen of a local marina, "and Fern and Shaggy can take the MMA gym."
"Call us with any information and remember to try to not spook anyone. We don't know yet if Beyers is involved, and if he is, we don't know how many others are involved as well. Proceed carefully everyone." With that, Hetty turned to leave the room with the others following closely behind.
Walking out to their new CRV, Kensi was grateful for the break in the rain. Looking over at Deeks, she held out her hands for the keys. Rolling his eyes, he walked over to her outstretched hand and went to place the keys. Instead of feeling the cool metal in her palm, she felt his hand grab hers and pull her close for a quick peck on the lips.
"Nope. Sorry Princess. Not today." Turning quickly, Deeks jumped in the driver's side before Kensi could beat him there. Kensi made her way to the passenger side, attempting to glare at him, but there was no fire behind it. Deeks had to chuckle at her lame attempt to intimidate him. Her attempts to scare him the the patented Blye death stare had ceased to work a long time ago. Long before they became more than just partners honestly.
He was the first man that was unaffected by her, and for the longest time that scared Kensi shitless. Even with Jack, she enjoyed the slight trepidation she would see on his face when he noticed *that* gleam in her eye. The gleam that relayed to anyone looking that something was rattling around in her brain, and it usually meant she was up to no good.
Deeks, however, would just smile back. Sometimes he would wink at her. Once they began dating, that glare would result in a kiss somewhere. Usually on the tip of her nose, just enough for her to lose that spark. He was always rewarded with a roll of her eyes or a huff under her breath.
Now, watching her climb into the passenger side of her...correction...*their* car, he chucked as she gave one more attempt at glaring at him. Grinning widely, he started the car and started towards their destination, both sitting in silence, the same memory on their minds.
A memory from over 5 years ago was swirling around in both of their minds. A random case and a fateful meeting that lead them to a place where neither thought they would ever be. For him, life had robbed him of a family early in life and he assumed he would never experience it. For her, she thought her one chance as the American dream was long behind her. Never again would she open herself up to that kind of pain. Neither would allow themselves to be hurt by someone who claimed to love them.
Looking over at her partner, Kensi couldn't stop the smile that adorned her face. After the night she showed up on his door, she wondered what had taken her so long to realize that the one thing she wanted most out of life was staring her right in the face. She knew that her heart wasn't quite ready to sort through the new emotions that seeing Jack had brought up, but she also knew that experience in Afghanistan had forced to her accept that she didn't want to spend her life alone. She didn't want to die with the harden shell encasing her heart. Even if she (or he) was to die the next day, she didn't want to have any more regrets. After watching a suspect get a bullet off that sailed dangerously close to his head (so close, he told her later, his ear was ringing for three days after) she couldn't shake the dread that filled her and found herself that evening on his front step.
From that moment on, nothing changed while everything changed. They'd managed to keep it a secret from the team for 5 months. She was sure they'd figure it out right away. He was certain they'd be caught when they decided to officially move into his apartment together after only 3 months of dating. It wasn't until they were looking for a house that the guys walked in a Kensi on her cell phone, going over moving plans with her mom that they heard one word come out of her mouth that confirmed everything for them.
His name.
From the night she showed up on his doorstep, in private he was Marty. She continued to call him Deeks at work and around the team and had been diligent in not messing up.
"Yes mom, I know," Kensi grinned, listening to the excitement in her mother's voice, "Marty said that he'd love to."
At the sound of snickering, she turned around quickly to see sam and Callen standing behind her, knowing smiles on their faces.
"Hey Mom? I think we have a case. I gotta run. I'll call you later." Sighing, she clicked off her cell and turned to full face her teammates.
"So, we're on a first name basis now?" Callen stayed stone faced, but the glint in his eyes gave him away.
"They must have finally admitted they had a 'thing' G." Sam laughed, watching Kensi's face for a reaction. She continued to stare at them both when they realized that Deeks had walked into the room behind them.
"What's going on?" Deeks looked back between his partner and the rest of the team, instantly not liking the looks on the guys faces.
"Oh, nothing much Marty." Sam drew out, grinning at the detective.
Kensi sighed and shrugged, "Might as well tell them now."
The speed at which the smiles fell from their faces almost caused Kensi and Deeks to laugh...almost.
"What did your mom want?" Deeks turned his attention back to Kensi and back to the reason she'd suddenly found an excuse to leave the bullpen to take the phone call.
"Mom was calling to congradulate us and wanted to take us out to dinner to celebrate."
"Wait...huh? Celebrate what?" Sam and Callen were now looking between the partners, unsure of what was now going on.
"Yeah, did you get married and not tell us?" Callen's weak attempt at a joke only merited an eye roll from Kensi.
"No. We found out this morning they accepted our offer on this amazing house only two blocks from the beach." The looks on the guys faces was priceless. It took them another hour to finally formulate the questions on how they'd missed the signs that two of their closest friends had been dating.
Feeling the car slow to a stop, Kensi was pulled from her memories. Looking around, she realized that they were not at the MMA gym.
"Marty, what are you doing?"
"It's noon and I'm starving. Someone was running late and I wasn't able to eat breakfast this morning." He pointedly accused her as he put the car in park and started unbuckling himself.
"No way. We're in the middle of an investigation. Lunch can wait." Despite how amazing of an agent Deeks was, his lack of protocol drove Kensi crazy.
"Calm down Fern." he chuckled, "There's no line at the food stand and I'll only be a couple minutes. I'll even bring you a treat." He winked as he hopped out of the car.
"Find but hurry!" She yelled after him. She continued to sit there and slowly become irritated at the time it was taking him to place a simple order. Normally he ordered and had their food within five minutes. He'd already been out for nearly 15, having stepped back away twice, scrutinizing the menu.
"Jesus Deeks! Could you have moved a little slower?" Kensi was seething when he slipped back into the car, handing her the bag with their food in it. He cringed slightly, knowing that calling him Deeks in private was the equivalent to a parent yelling a child's middle name. It meant he was in trouble with his gorgeous girlfriend.
"Sorry babe. Couldn't decide." He offered cagily, handing her the bags and starting down the road. The rest of the drive to the MMA gym was quiet, the two digging into their lunch in silence.
Before they knew it, they were parking in front of a large building with the words "Blood and Guts Warriors" sprayed across the front. Nell had discovered that after they busted the gym it spent 6 months abandoned until another group of marines purchased the place and rebuilt it.
Watching him turn off the car, Kensi couldn't help but notice that something was off with him. Nothing that anyone else would have noticed, but then again, no one knew her partner as well as she did.
"What's going on?" She turned in her seat, placing her hand on his arm. He turned his face towards her, he shot her that small half smile that always sent butterflies cruising through her stomach.
"Nothing babe." He drawled, winking and quickly exiting the car.
Walking to the front door, they checked to find it locked. Finding that odd considering the gym was usually open all day long, they quickly moved towards the back of the building. Using their own hand signals and silent communication, Kensi bent down and made quick work of the lock. Slipping her lock-picking kit into her back pocket, she slid her Sig from her waistband and nodded at Deeks. Mouthing to three, he quickly pulled the door opening and followed Kensi into the building.
Hit with the smell of sweat, chalk dust and concrete, Kensi quickly moved through the back hall, making her way towards the main gym.
It took all of five seconds for Kensi to realize something was very, very wrong. Expecting to see some marines there, or at the very least, no one there, she was shocked to see about a hundred of those flameless candles flickering around the darkened gym. The lights were off and she knew no one was there. She turned quickly to ask Deeks what could be going when she noticed him standing a few feet behind her. His gun was no longer in his hand, in fact his hands were shoved in his pockets, nervousness radiating from his face.
Kensi opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Walking right up to her, Deeks reached out and pulled her gun from her hands and sat it on the bench next to them. He turned back face her and cleared his throat, but didn't move to speak. He simply looked at her, taking in the shock that was slowly morphing into recognition, surprise and love.
"The more and more I thought about this, nothing ever seemed right. It didn't seem enough. It always feels like it's never enough when it comes to you." Deeks smiled, taking her hands and closing the distance between them. Reaching up, he gently pushed some of her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering against her cheek before trailing back down and grasping her other hand. "I have spent so much time trying to figure the perfect words to say, the perfect thing to do, the perfect place to do it. But I realized that nothing had to be perfect, because you were already perfect. I had spent my entire live believing I was destined to be alone. The word family had ceased to exist. But you changed everything I thought I knew. And then, when I felt myself falling apart, you were right there to pull me back and remind me what home felt like. But what I cannot believe is how I ended up being lucky enough to know Kensi. The entire world knows Bad Ass Byle, the amazing federal agent who is Wonder Woman. But every day I get to come home to Fern, and as great as Agent Byle is, I've never known a woman as spectacular as Kensi Marie."
Taking a deep breath as he looked into his girlfriends teary eyes, he reached into is back pocket and pulled out a small blue box. He had to wait an extra week for the jewelers to find him a blue box versus their standard white ones, but all he could picture was his partner once stating how you could never underestimate what that little blue box meant to a girl.
Dropping to one knee, he felt his own tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He didn't care if she was going to tease him later for being a girl, there had never been another moment where he felt the love he had for this woman so strongly.
"Kensi Marie Byle, will you please marry me?" Deeks had barely had the time to finish his sentence when Kensi quickly dropped down to her knees, grabbed his face between her hands and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.
"Yes." She managed to choke out in between the knot in her throat. She could feel two tears slipping falling and she felt like her cheeks were going to break from smiling so wide. But none of that mattered. Nothing mattered except for this amazing man in front of her. She had long ago given up questioning how she had been so lucky to have someone like him in her life; instead she just promised herself that she would spend every day they had together showing him how much she loved him.
Taking her left hand in his, she watched as he slipped the diamond on her finger. She never considered herself a diamond girl, and certainly not a large diamond girl, but she couldn't help but fall immediately in love with the rock that he'd just slipped on her finger. It probably had more to do with the fact that he'd chose this specific ring for her than the actual ring, but either way, she didn't care. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips to his again.
"I love you Marty"
"I love you too princess." His arms didn't realize from her waist, they just held her tight as they stood up off the ground. Before she could say anything else, a sudden squeal and a hoard of footsteps were heard behind her. Turning quickly, Kensi was shocked to see her family walking around from the other side of the boxing ring, clapping and hollering their congratulations. She felt Deeks arm tighten around her waist and she looked up to see the happiest grin on his face. Looking back down at her, his smile widened and he bent to kiss her again.
"Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb and assume there was never a case?" Kensi addressed the group, laughing as her mother broke away from the group and pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
"I am so happy for you sweetie." Kissing the side of her head, she smiled at her before moving to Deeks and tightly hugging him as well.
After that, the rest of the group made their way to the group sharing hugs and well wishes. Without seeing where she pulled it from, Hetty suddenly came up with a bottle of champaign and announced that this was a cause for a toast.
"Where did all the case data come from?" Kensi asked as Sam and Callen passed around small glasses of champaign to the group.
"We went through some old case files that none of you were involved in so that you wouldn't recognize any of the names or pictures." Eric explained.
Knowing what questions were coming next, Nell quickly added "It didn't take us long to piece together the case file. Sam had a couple seal buddies who knew the new owners of the gym and arranged to have it closed down for the afternoon."
Kensi was speechless at the planning and thought that had gone into today. This was not the cliched proposal on Valentine's Day with the ring dropped in the champaign flute at the fancy restaurant. She had been there and done that, and looked how that turned out. Just when she thought she knew everything there was to know about Marty Deeks, he did something that turned her world upside down again and put everything back in order.
Despite everything that had happened in their pasts, all the bad they had seen, they knew that as long as they had each other they would be able to face anything thrown their way.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Finished!
So...thoughts? Hate it? Like it? Please let me know what you thought of it and, if for some crazy reason you did like it, please send me those first and last sentence prompts :-)