Fracture Pattern

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS:LA or its characters.
A/N: This is the follow-up to Brothers in Arms. It does follow after the previous story, so unfortunately if you haven't read the other one there will be some confusion. I'll give a quick but vague summary of it at the end of this chapter, so if you want to read it without ruining it, don't read past the end!

Prologue

Deeks and Callen's eyes followed the ball, which was tough considering the multitude of feet that was surrounding it. Their sunglasses hid the crinkling at the edges of their eyes but could do nothing for the upturned corners of their mouths.

Deeks took a swig out of the travel mug Callen had handed him after they settled into their chairs. The slight smile turned into a slight frown and he spun the top off and took a sniff. He looked over and, with some concern, said "There's something in my Coke."

Callen smirked but kept his eyes on the mass of humanity following the ball. "Yep, mine too."

Curious, Deeks took another drink and swished it around in his mouth. "Is that...Rye?" His voice dropped on the last word, not wanting the people around him to hear.

"Yep." Eyebrows made an appearance above the frames of the glasses as Callen kept his giggles in.

With completely faux seriousness, Deeks shook his head. "Really, an officer of the law concealing alcohol in a public space. I could throw you in jail. Still have my credentials."

This earned him a turn of Callen's head and a toothy smirk. "I find a bit of Crown makes these games more interesting. Now shut up and drink. I haven't had a break yet."

Deeks nodded his agreement and settled back into his chair. He spun the top back on his mug and sipped away. Neither was sure how they had ended up here, but if they had to be roped in, they might as well enjoy it.

Who were they trying to kid? The roping was good and tight and not letting up anytime soon. This was the newest in a series of attempts to fight back, no matter how little or unnoticed, against the bonds their team had imposed on them after they were released from Hetty's medical lock-up.

Deeks sighed as he stretched his neck, this game was entirely too one-sided and he was getting a crick. "I haven't had a night to myself for two weeks. I finally went surfing last weekend but Eric tagged along and I'm pretty sure he was texting quarter-hour updates. And now this, we've spent Saturday and Sunday watching Sam's daughter play in her soccer tournament because 'Sam needs the support as he's coaching'." Deeks hooked his fingers and rolled his eyes.

"Don't have to tell me. I spent last weekend and most of the evenings sanding and staining Sam's deck." Callen dragged a hand down his face. "Then Nell suddenly needed help moving her furniture."

Tensing up, Deeks asked, "When was that?"

"Uh...Monday? No, it was Tuesday. On Monday Eric nagged me into helping him pull wires for his new computer system."

"Seriously? I helped Nell move furniture on Monday. She probably got me to move it and then you to move it back." He pouted, "We've been duped."

"That night out to celebrate the case we solved in a matter of hours? Set up because they were running out of ideas." Callen rolled his shoulders and eyed Sam from behind his glasses. "At least Sam's team is winning."

"Have you noticed he keeps looking over here like he expects us to disappear into the mist?" Deeks glared at Sam from behind his sunglasses; it was the only time it was safe for him to send that kind of look at the former SEAL. "Want to mess with him?"

"What do have in mind?"

"After he looks, let's switch chairs."

Callen smiled, "Wait, he's looking now, look bored." They paused and Sam looked back to the game. "Now!" Deeks hopped up and spun past Callen as he lifted himself from one chair to the other. Deeks plopped down just in time for Sam's head to spin again. Sam's eyes narrowed and he made a move to head in their direction, but realized what had happened before he committed and scowled instead.

Callen and Deeks high-fived.

Sooner (hopefully) or later the other team members would ease back on their constant surveillance and things would go back to normal, or the new normal where Deeks and Callen had strange in-jokes and occasionally burst into Spanish songs. Just to keep their partners on their toes.

But the danger of normality is those who thrive on destroying it.

3 weeks later

"Put the gun down." The half-bitten off words slipped out of Callen's tight jaw. His eyes skipped over the situation, trying to halt the disaster before it became even worse.

A cackle came from in front of his gun. "I'd being doing us a favour. Heck, the attorney's office would probably give me a medal."

"Deeks, this isn't the way to deal with this."

The detective shifted his head slightly, catching Callen in his peripheral vision but leaving his focus on the man with his hands up. "Why not? It would solve a lot of problems."

The man holding his hands up shifted to his left but stopped moving when Deeks' glare hardened and he cocked his gun.

"Don't make me shoot you." Callen hated that he was pointing his gun at his friend, but it was the way it had to be.

A/N: In protest that NCIS:LA has gone off the air for the summer, I'll (try really hard to) post on Tuesdays.

Summary for Brothers in Arms:
Callen and Deeks are put undercover as arms-dealing brothers (Mikhail Savic and Jasha Savic/Jake Smit respectively) that were created by Eric and Nell for a cyber-sting that has moved into the real world. Naturally it doesn't go smoothly and what should have been a simple bait-and-trap operation turns into something more dangerous. The chase to capture a group of Colombian guerrilla fighters, an assassin, and Deeks' sanity takes them through LA, Colombia, and finally Mexico where a long walk in a big desert finally delivers justice.