Title: Desert Nightmares, Beach Dreams
Summary: This is what I would love to see as the season premiere. You will see that I enjoy the use of flash-forward and flashback. I know that we will never get this much Densi in the actual show, but I'm just hoping for a scene similar to the back of the truck scene or one of the hospital scenes; and of course for a Densi wedding in the season premier.
** So, the more behind the scenes info that shows up on Instagram, Twitter, etc. the more I am sure my version is not very close to what will actually happen; but it's fun to imagine anyway.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA or the characters. I simply enjoy writing about them in this forum.
Rating: T
Desert Nightmares, Beach Dreams
The show opens on a beautiful beach with no sound except for the waves crashing against the shore. As the camera pans over we see Deeks in a casual suit standing with the help of a cane. He is relaxed and smiling broadly, as is Hetty who is next to him. As the camera pulls back we see a smallish collection of familiar and unfamiliar faces seated in white chairs waiting for the wedding to begin. As the wedding guests become aware of Kensi at the end of the aisle, so does the TV audience. She is radiant in her wedding dress looking like the happiest woman alive with Sam and Callen beside her. Kensi and Deeks's eyes meet and we know with that look of unbridled love and happiness just how much these two have come through to get to this glorious day.
The audience is rudely and swiftly taken from this idyllic scene to the blazing desert where the SUV is on fire with our four heroes inside, and across the bottom of the screen it reads 2 months earlier.
Kensi feels so warm. She thinks perhaps she's in Hawaii and waking up after sleeping in the sun for too long. She and Deeks have been talking about going to Hawaii forever. She wants to go back to sleep not caring if she gets sunburn, but instinct tells her she can't. She tries to open her eyes and inhales deeply. She chokes and sputters on the thick smoke. As the horrid burning smell and the inability to take a full breath alert her that something is very wrong, her eyes pop open and her surroundings begin to come back to her.
"Deeks," she croaks panicked as she realizes they are on their side in a fireball of an SUV and that she's in pain. "Deeks!" she calls more forcefully feeling around for him since she can't see much. She can feel what she thinks is his arm, but can't move enough to reach his hand, so she keeps her hand clasped on his forearm.
"Kens!" It's Callen that returns her pleas. "Kens, you okay?"
She can move both arms, but her chest and neck hurt, especially where the seat belt is the only thing keeping her from falling on Deeks. Her head hurts too, but she's starting to process faster. "I think so, but it's too hot. My legs are too hot," she explains, though she is relieved as she realizes she can feel her legs.
"I'm almost out Kens, and then I'm going to come for you."
"I can do it," she insists realizing they need to get out and fast. She braces herself so she doesn't fall on Deeks as she unbuckles the seat belt. "I'm going to crawl back by you. How's Sam?"
"Big guy's going to need our help to get out of here," Callen shares.
"Deeks too, I think," she adds. As she makes her way into the back seat she gets the notion to check Deeks's pulse. "Callen, I can't feel a pulse." The sentence comes out calmer than she feels, yet tears spring to her eyes.
"Let's get them out then we'll assess," Callen instructs. "Help me get Sam to this window, then you push and I'll pull."
They get Sam out and behind the car, so the SUV and the smoke are between them and where the General and his men were.
"I'll get him. Wait here. Help me pull him out," Callen offers referring to Deeks.
"I can't. He's my partner." Even as she's saying it, she's running and leaping back up onto the car and through the accessible window. She quickly finds the seat belt and frees him. She gets her arms under his shoulders and pulls him on top of her into the back seat. That's when she feels something wet and sticky running onto her hands. Her panic rises as she realizes there's a lot of blood.
"Hold on baby. I've got you," she pleads and promises.
They get Deeks out the same way they got Sam out. Even as she's checking Deeks's pulse, she's scanning the horizon for the general and his men. She spots their vehicles climbing a hill away from the burning SUV. This, and the fact that Deeks does in fact have a pulse calm her heart rate fractionally.
"He has a pulse and is breathing," she calls to Callen as she takes off her vest and uses it to wipe away some of the blood on Deeks's face.
"Sam's losing a lot of blood. We might need a tourniquet," Callen imparts this information as he continues to examine Sam's leg.
"All of our supplies were in the SUV. We can tear off my shirt sleeves if we need to for the tourniquet, but how are we going to get them out of here?" Her worry is evident as she nervously caresses Deeks's face. "And what if they come back?"
Callen is feeling the pressure of being the leader and needing to be the one with the plan. He honestly has no idea how they are going to get out of this one. "Let's do the tourniquet, then we'll figure out the next step," he tells her.
She is checking Deeks's pupils while Callen is talking. She thinks they may be somewhat dilated, but it's hard to tell in the harsh sunlight. "Hang on baby. I'll be right back," she assures him as she bends down to kiss his forehead.
As they are finishing Sam's tourniquet, they hear a rumble in the distance. Callen's heart sinks and Kensi feels her eyes go wide and her whole body return to high alert. They hold their breath as the truck pulls into view.
From the intel she got from Hetty, Eric, and Nell, Harley guesses the rest of the team is going to be in pretty bad shape, so she jumps out of the passenger seat while the truck is still moving.
"Thank God!" she exclaims when she sees all four of them are out of the still blazing SUV.
Kensi runs to hug her relieved on so many levels. "You're alive!"
"So are you!" Harley returns the euphoric exclamation, but the sentiment doesn't last long as Kensi informs her, "Deeks and Sam are in bad shape."
"Let's get them loaded," Arlo Turk states gruffly appearing from the driver's side looking displeased to be involved in this whole ordeal.
They don't have backboards, but use blankets to get Deeks and Sam into the bed of the truck. Kensi and Callen hop up there with them. Kensi finds some medical tape in a bag of supplies. She knows it's probably pretty useless now, but she tapes Deeks and Sams heads in position in case they have neck or spinal injuries. She also finds water and grabs one to share with Callen. She pulls Deeks's hand into her lap as she leans against the side of the truck and they bounce through the desert.
Suddenly Deeks wakes up screaming in agony. "Arggg!" His hand jerks from Kensi's and clasps his head.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Kensi prods quickly bounding up to her knees and leaning over him.
He continues to moan and grab his head. "God, Help!" he rasps in pain pulling at the tape.
"Okay, okay," she comforts ignoring her own pain and moving around behind him to straddle his head. She removes the tape and cradles his head in her hands. "It's okay. I'm here. I've got you. I love you so, so much," she soothes as she rubs his temples with her thumbs. Tears sting her eyes as seeing him in so much pain causes both deep empathy and guilt. "Close your eyes," she whispers leaning down and placing another kiss on his forehead. She's terrified to be telling him to go back to sleep, but she also doesn't want him to be awake and in such excruciating pain. She grazes her lips over his in an upside down kiss and he brings his hand up to her forearm.
"Love you," he grunts out through the shockwaves of pain.
"We'll be there soon." She prays she's telling him the truth. On the one hand it's good that he woke up and is talking to her, on the other; she's pretty certain now that he has some sort of head trauma.
"How's Deeks?" Harley asks joining Kensi in a waiting room a few hours later.
"In surgery. The MRI revealed some brain bleeding and swelling," she explains voice trembling as she wipes away tears. Harley puts an arm around Kensi. "Sam?" Kensi inquires.
"He's getting blood. Still not stable. Have you even been checked out yet?" Harley asks.
Kensi shakes her head in the negative. "I can't leave him."
Callen enters the room where Kensi sits at Deeks's bedside stroking his arm.
"You need to go down to the ER and let the doctors see you Kens," he prods coming up behind her.
"He never left me. I'm not going to leave him," she insists.
"You know he came to work when you were in the coma," Callen teases to give her some levity and perspective.
"I don't care. He was there when it mattered most. Anytime I felt like I was going deeper, I would hear his voice and stay with him instead of slipping away into the darkness." Refocusing the subject to today's mission, she confesses, "This is my fault. There was room on the chopper and he wanted me to go. If I would have, he would have been driving. He'd be okay," she sobs as a fresh wave of tears slide down her cheeks.
"Then Sam or I would have been in the passenger seat Kens. It would have been one of us."
"I panicked. I didn't get us out of there fast enough," she apologizes needing to take the blame for this one.
"I made the call to come down here," he reminds her always taking some of the responsibility as team leader. "They are going to keep Deeks in a coma for a few days. You need to go get checked out Kens. That cut on your neck is still bleeding."
"I'm not leaving," she reiterates even more firmly. She let him down in letting this happen to him; she's sure as hell not going to let him down again by not being here for him every second he's in peril.
"Alright, I'll just bring them to you," Callen sighs.
After Kensi gets checked out, Callen and Harley try to convince her to get some sleep She refuses again remaining staunchly at Deeks's side. Callen and Harley exchange a look and simultaneously move toward the second bed in the room and push it next to the one Deeks is in.
"I'm sorry baby," Kensi tells him two days later once again holding his hand sitting on the bed by his side. "I'm sorry I was so stubborn and that we fought. I realize now that I should have been listening to you harder and taking what you were saying more seriously. I'm sorry I haven't been giving you what you need," she sniffles.
"Hey Kens," Callen greets entering. He places a hand on her shoulder and suggests,"Let's go get some lunch."
"We argued. It was bad," she shares softly. Callen had known of course, but this is the first time she's said anything about it.
"People disagree, especially during tense and emotional times. I'm sure this wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last either. He loves you," he assures her as he helps her off the bed.
"Baby, the doctors lowered your sedative this morning. It's time to wake up now," Kens coaxes caressing his chest the next day as she lies down next to him to take a nap. "I don't know how you made it through almost three weeks when I can't even take three days. Please be okay," she pleads to him and prays to whatever God is out there.
Deeks awakens a while later in the sterile hospital room, which doesn't surprise him. He is relieved to find Kensi sleeping beside him, but somehow subconsciously he already knew she was okay just as he'd known he was in the hospital. His brain feels a bit sluggish and he has a killer headache, but he lies awake happy to be alive with Kensi lying next to him.
"Hey buddy," Callen greets when he enters and finds Deeks awake. "Good to see you."
Deeks can't quite form words yet, but his gaze goes to Kensi.
"She's okay. Some cracked ribs, a gash on her neck, bruised organs, and second degree burns on her legs, but she's strong and much more worried about you. You had bleeding and swelling on your brain and some abdominal bleeding along with second and third degree burns. Sam's awake now too, and Harley's alive. Mosley and her son made it back to LA safely," Callen gives him the rundown on everyone.
Deeks nods his gratitude as he takes the hand Kensi has resting on his leg into his own.
"I'll let the doctor know you're awake, then I'm going back to check on Sam. Get some rest buddy. You're going to need it to keep up with your fiery, persistent partner. In fact, we never had this conversation. I don't want that fire turned on me if she finds out she wasn't the first one to see you when you woke up," Callen whispers conspiratorially.
Kensi awakens when she feels her hand being squeezed. Before she even opens her eyes, her heart leaps with joy because she instantly knows he's awake and at least somewhat okay. She squints up at him and her eyes meet his baby blues. They're a little glassy, but he's alert and has a smile for her.
"Hi," she croaks out voice filled with sleep and emotion.
"Hi," he returns equally raspy.
"How do you feel?" she asks slowly and gingerly pushing herself to a sitting position.
"Run over by a truck, but I'm here." It takes all of his concentration to form the words and still they're coming out a bit slurred. "You?" He reaches out and strokes her hair.
"I'm good," she assures him reaching over and caressing his cheek and beard. "You kept your promise," she lovingly references the years-old promise that he never let himself get killed. Her words encompass the depth of her relief and gratefulness as she scoots herself closer to him and leans in to kiss his cheek and he continues to run his fingers through her hair and down her back.
"I'd never let you down Fern," he assures bringing her lips to his.
When their lips part, he notes the tears in her eyes as she softly replies, "I know. I let you down though. I'm sorry Deeks. I'm stubborn and bull-headed when I want my way, and I almost got you killed when all you want is for us is to have this beautiful life together."
"Shh," he insists moving his hand to her cheek. "Not now...I love you...want to marry you...figure the rest out." He's exhausted from his time awake, so he guides her head to a place on his chest where he doesn't think it will hurt. Moving completely over to his hospital bed, she lays down next to him wrapping an arm lightly around his middle.
"That's good because we're in a Catholic hospital and Harely had the foresight to suggest I check in as Mrs. Kensi Deeks so I could get information on your condition and remain close to you."
He sighs with a little chuckle, "I like the sound of that." Closing his eyes, he rests a hand on her hip and kisses the top of her head.
"You can't do that. You can't just agree with everything that I want," Kensi chides as they discuss their wedding on the flight home. "I understand now why you kept calling it my wedding."
"I want you to have the day of your dreams," he insists earnestly turning gingerly toward her.
"It will be. As long as you and i are there promising to love each other for the rest of our lives, I'm good," she assures him.
"Ok, well then I'll give you the chocolate fountain and the live band, but no more than seventy-five people."
"Done," she agrees meeting him halfway as she glides her fingers up and down his forearm. "I also want to take some time away from the job even after we heal," she offers.
"Kens, are you sure?" he questions thinking this is too much, too fast. "You can't just give me everything I want either, not if you aren't going to be fulfilled and happy."
"I'm sure. I want to try."
2 months later The audience is taken back to the beach wedding where we get to see the guys walk Kensi down the aisle, the vows, and the kiss.
Beginning of the second episode especially if the season premier is a 2 hour special. Timeline is maybe another month later.
"Hey Baby," Deeks greets joining Kensi in the backyard with coffee in hand. "Want me to make some breakfast?"
"It's almost lunchtime old man," she teases.
"So beautiful, yet so full of sass," he comments as he leans down to kiss her where she is kneeling in the garden they started after deciding to take some time away from the job.
"You got home late," she observes.
"The cabinets and new bar are all in, polished, and so shiny! Sam started tinkering with the lights and we got those in as well," he excitedly updates her since she left after having dinner with them last night.
"That's great!" she encourages genuinely excited. "I think that bar has been good for both of you. Sam seems a little bit less heavyhearted when you guys are working there."
"What are we going to do with all these tomatoes?" Deeks wonders as she continues to fill her basket and he watches from a lawnchair.
"I was thinking salsa," she replies.
"My insides are still healing," he jokingly feigns worry placing a hand on his abdomen.
"Touche, But now who's the sass?" she questions standing and setting the basket on the table before sitting in his lap and bringing her lips to his in a loving kiss.
"I love you Mrs. Deeks," he proclaims and she returns the sentiment before their lips meet again in a series of newlywed kisses. Deeks catches movement out of the corner of his eye and gently tugs on the back of her tank-top to halt their make-out session.
Before Kensi can ask what's wrong, Deeks calls out to their teammates, "Seriously!? Two days before my honeymoon!"
Kens turns toward the direction the guys are coming from, but remains on Deeks's lap. Scared to hear the answer, she asks, "How bad is it?" Both Kensi and Deeks know Sam and Callen wouldn't be at their home on a late Wednesday morning unless they were coming to ask for help with something big.
After hearing the guys out, Kensi requests some time to talk it over with her husband alone.
"We don't have to," she opens.
"This is bad, and we can help. I kind of think we do," Deeks responds.
"What if one case leads to another? I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on our new dreams, safer life, and having a baby, but if we go back..." She doesn't have to finish the sentence. Deeks knows she's afraid that if she goes back, she won't want to get out again.
"Man our timing sucks," he comments, "but we can take it one day at a time, talk about it, make all of our decisions together."
"And someday we'll get to take our baby to the beach without worrying about national security?" she hopes.
"Yup, we'll get our beach dreams someday," he promises. "I think right now though we're meant to fight the good fight another day. Don't you?"
"I do," she sighs resigned to the life they lead. The last few months have been amazing, minus the injuries from Mexico; but her blood is already pumping at the thought of getting back in the game with her partner.
Hi, I hope you enjoyed this piece. I couldn't quite figure out how to bring Kensi and Deeks back into Office of Special Projects. I thought about bringing back the creepy crew from The Monster, or having the airport be a target so they couldn't leave on their honeymoon, but it felt better to leave it ambiguous.