Disclaimer: All characters mentioned in this story are property of CBS. I only own the story.
In his subconscious he was experiencing two things: 1) his alarm clock blaring telling him it was time to get up, 2) a continuous loop the mission and the return flight home. So instead of replaying the mission in his head any longer, he does what he would usually does every morning: turn off the alarm clock and get up for the day. Just as he was getting out of bed he got a wet surprise in his ear.
"Ah!" Deeks exclaimed. He lifted his head and turned and looked at his furry friend and scratched him behind his ear.
"How are you doing Monty?" Deeks asked "Did you miss me while I was gone buddy?"
Monty stared up at his master with a look in his eyes that can mean one thing.
"Yeah about that, umm… Mommy won't becoming home for a while, sorry." He said.
Monty cocked his head to the side and continued to stare at him.
"Kensi won't be come over for a while because I did my job, and because of that she'd pissed off at me. So we probably won't be seeing her anytime soon, or ever. Sorry." Deeks explained.
Monty licked Deeks' face in understanding and walked out of the room. He looked at the clock and saw that it was 5:15 A.M., so he got up to get some running clothes on and grabbed Monty's leash, and they went for a run. When they returned Deeks saw that they had been gone for a half hour. So Deeks grabs his wet suit and board and heads for the beach.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
10 minutes later Deeks was parking his car his usual favorite surfing spot at the beach. As Deeks was getting out of the car he stopped and stared into the horizon. He looked at his watch and saw that he still had about an hour left to surf so he grabbed his gear and head down the beach. Seeing it was still early Deeks let out a shout
"Sanctuary!" Deeks yelled.
The beach has always been his escape from life and the job. Ever since he can remember watching legends like Sonny Amador and Kelly Slater just to name a few. So Deeks thought one day that he would give a shoot and glad he did. Best choice he ever made when it came to finding an escape to forget the bad times, but as of recent times Deeks found himself being drawn to a hobby he hasn't dabble with since he was a child. And that case with the waitress and the waiter back when they were dealing with the compact bomb case brought it back.
"I wonder if I still got my touch?" Deeks asked himself
A half hour went by and Deeks decide to call it quits. The surf was mediocre at best, but not worth spending- who was he kidding; it would have been a waste if he stayed any longer. So he packed up his gear and headed home. Deeks put his gear away, got a shower and got ready for work. Deeks saw that it was 7:30 A.M. and thought out loud.
{There's that music shop over on 33rd that I've been meaning to check out. I'm going to go check it out.}
Deeks lets Monty out one last time, and leaves to get coffee and check out the music shop.
As Deeks was heading to get his morning coffee, he decided to hit the café on the same street as the music shop because something felt off. Deeks couldn't put his finger on the why, but he felt the need to go to a different store so Deeks decided to check that café out near the music shop just to be safe and to avoid any more of Sam's personal security chats. So Deeks got in his car drove over the café on 33rd street. Deeks got out of his car and went into the café, but not before he saw that the music shop was literally right next door to the coffee shop.
"That's pretty awesome. Coffee and tunes right next to each other." Deeks stated. "Hm, I better just use the café every once in a while and only come to the music shop whenever I need accessories to keep up with my hobby. Coming to both at the same time will most likely win me another private session with Sam."
But for some reason Deeks feels off. He turns around to survey his surroundings and heads in for his daily morning elixir of life and a pastry, but while he was in the coffee shop he got a phone call. Then Deeks went over to the music shop. While he was in the music shop he got a text, but he never received either: the text or the phone call because Deeks' left his phone in the car. Deeks walked into the music shop and was like a kid in a candy. Before he got two feet from the door he was approached by a sales rep.
"How are you this morning?" the rep asked.
Deeks checked his watch to see how much time he before had to be to work: 8:30 A.M., one hour until he had to be to work and went for it.
"I'm great, where are your violins? Deeks asked
"Follow me." The rep said.
The rep and Deeks walk around to the back half of the store to the instruments in question. And before long Deeks finds the perfect instrument. Nothing major or fantastic, but it's perfect for trying to pick the violin and trying to playing again. When Deeks looked at the price tag and he almost fell out in shock at the price tag: $599.99.
"Could you put this on hold for me and I will be back for it before the day ends?" Deeks asked the rep.
"Sorry story policy: unless you are buying it right now we can't hold items for over an hour." The rep says.
"No problem. I don't want to be a burden to you or your manager. Thank you though." Deeks say.
Deeks put the violin back and leaves the store. As Deeks was leaving the store the phone rang and a sale rep picked it up. On his way into work, Deeks thoughts returned that violin. Little did he know that he was going to get a violin and then some.
Deeks walks into work and saw that everybody was there before him.
{Strange.} Deeks thought, and then he decided to greet his co-workers.
"Good morn-"
"Where have you been?" Callen cut him off.
Deeks look at Callen and then realized that everybody was staring at him like he was a V.I.P. that was late to his own party. Kensi stared at him with those mismatched eyes, but they seem different. The anger that was prevalent after the missions' completion had almost dissipated, and her features had softened a bit.
{What's up with Kens?} Deeks thought
Sam fixed Deeks with his usually trademark blank expression, but the malice that would usually accompany it was not in it because of Deeks sacrifice last year and Sam was more tolerant of Deeks now. Deeks look at his watch and then responded.
"Seeing as how it's only 9:23 I think that I'm safe."
"Hetty got a call from Granger saying that everybody had to be in by 8:30." Callen said back.
Deeks looks at his cellphone and sees the missed call, and text message from Callen.
"Opps." Deeks replies. "I got side tracked this morning while I was getting my coffee that I forgot my phone in the car. My bad."
"It will be your bad if we get ripped a new one for you being late." Kensi retorted Sam snickered at her response.
"Nice to see you haven't lost your touch Princess." Deeks shot back.
Kensi rolled her eyes as usual and Callen picked up the phone and made a call.
{Well I think we might be regaining some semblance of our partnership after the fiasco that we just experienced last week. I'll approach Fern about it when we have some free time} Deeks thought. Callen hung up the phone and got up out of his chair.
"Now that we are all here, we are need up in Ops." Callen said
Sam and Kensi got up out of their chairs and started walking for the stairs. Deeks put his bag down at his desk and ran after them. After everybody and filed in and took their spots next to the respective partners, Hetty started to speak.
"I got bad news: because the op we just ran practically went pear shaped, SecNav called the director and gave him an order to put us on leave until we had a psych eval."
The field agents stared at Hetty in shock. And it was Deeks, as usual, to break the silence.
"So it's going to be that kind of party?" Deeks asked
Everybody stared at him and was at a loss for words; whereas, Callen and Sam were shaking their heads.
"What? I'm not the only one who wants to be sitting in front a shrink after a tough mission, so don't look at me like I'm crazy." Deeks shot back, and everybody conceded his point.
"So Hetty, what are we going to be doing after we have been cleared for duty?" Sam asked.
"Let's get through our "shrink sessions" as Mr. Deeks so adamantly put it and then we will go from there." Hetty responded.
"Are we at least talking to Nate for this debrief because I'm not up for talking to another person?" Kensi asked
"Somebody ask for a Nate Getz?" The Operational Psychologist asked walking into the room.
The three agents and the detective and turned and simultaneous let out a sigh of relief.
"So, who's first?" Nate asked
Callen raised his before anybody could respond.
"Batter up. I'll see Sam next, followed by Kensi, and finally Deeks." Nate said. "Callen meet me in the boast shed in an hour. Get bite to eat and whatever else you need to do before we talk."
As everybody filed out, Hetty called after Deeks.
"Mr. Deeks, a word in my office."
Kensi looked at Deeks, and he gave her a nod. Kensi followed Callen and Sam out and Deeks went to Hettys' office.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
As Deeks was leaving the armory he saw that Callen, Sam, and Kensi had already left.
"Callen and Sam left together to get a bite to eat and Kensi left on foot." Hetty said as Deeks approached her office taking a seat.
"You wanted to speak with me Hetty?" Deeks asked
"How long have you been driving by that music shop on 33rd street?"
Deeks stopped and stared at Hetty wondering how in the world she knew he had his eye on that shop. Then he remembered that this is Hetty that was asking the question. Then he remembered that conversation he had with Sam, Callen and after that case with Astrid.
-Flashback-
"Anybody seen Hetty?" Deeks asked
"Nope haven't seen her." Callen said
"You writin' off your losses in Vegas as business expenses?" Sam asked.
"What? No. What, what do you take me for?" Deeks asked.
"A guy who sneaks off to Vegas for Phantom of the Opera. And has a secret love for musical theater." Sam responds. "We always know where our team mates are Deeks. Always"
"Phantom of the what?" Deeks asks.
"Opera." Sam responds
"I wouldn't know because I'm not into musical theater." Deeks shots back at Sam.
"Nothing wrong with a good musical, Deeks." Callen chimes in.
"Fair enough, you got me." Deeks say. "Do me a favor-"
"No, no. We won't tell Kensi." Sam spoke up cutting Deeks off in mid-sentence.
-End Flashback-
"Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked
"I've been checking the shop out for about two weeks now." Deeks finally spoke finally after Hetty snapped his mind out of the flashback and backed into reality.
"Kensi told me that you used to play the violin when you were growing up. I'm guessing you are looking for a new outlet for letting of stress." Hetty said
That could be as much as a statement as well as a valid question. Then Deeks remembers that conversation he had with Kensi with perfect clarity.
-Flashback-
"Goth chick on the outside, sexy nerd on the inside." Deeks says. "Make that a sexy nerd with skills. That's some serious string work keeping our waitress up at night."
"You can tell that from a sheet of music?" Kensi asked
"I grew up playing the violin." Deeks responded
"What?" Kensi exclaimed not quite sure if she heard Deeks correctly.
"Yeah, I'm only part Neanderthal." Deeks retorted
-End Flashback-
"You could say that." Deeks spoke up quickly not wanting to test Hetty patience any more than he usually does.
"Since you have some time to kill why don't you head back to the music shop. Talk to one of the reps and tell them that you are there to pick a package for Hetty." She says.
Deeks takes it all in, and realizes the implications of the conversation and thinks a little bit longer, and then he responds.
"Thank you Hetty. You don't know how much this gift really means. In return you will have something that you have been wanting." Deeks said gratefully.
Deeks rises and shakes Hettys' hand and walks away to go pick up his present. After he leaves Hetty started to pour water for tea. Hetty stops and then replays the tail end of the conversation over in her head. When Hetty realizes the implications of the detective's words, she cracks a devilish grin and continues to drink her tea in silence. All her patience, hard work, and effort have paid off.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
As Deeks pulls up to the music shop parks the car and starts to walk into the shop. Just before he walks into the shop Deeks stops in his tracks, he is gets that same feeling that he had earlier when he came here this morning. Deeks feels like his being watched. He turns around and surveys the surroundings again and sees nothing. Still Deeks for some reason can't shake the feeling that he is being watched. He shakes it off and walks into the store.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Two blocks south of the music story on a high rise building is a guy watching the music store. He puts his binoculars down grabs a picture off the table. He verifies the picture and then replaces it for the phone on the table and makes a call. The picture is that of Detective Marty Deeks. Plus there are pictures of Sam, Callen, and Kensi. 5 feet from the table is a rifle leaning against the lip at the edge of the building.
T.B.C.