Hello all!

So, not really sure where this idea came from. It sort of just jumped my brain and then this happened =) This story has nothing to do with my other NCIS LA stories.

The story is set about 8 months after the Sidorov case/season 4 finale.

I don't own NCIS LA.

Enjoy!

Chapter One

"There," Kensi turned her eyes down the sidewalk.

Deeks followed her gaze, eyes locking onto their current suspect—a middle-aged former Marine named Victor Reeze, who was caught leaving the crime scene of a fellow Marine, who had been tortured and killed the day before. Kensi and Deeks started walking towards Reeze, who was about thirty yards down the sidewalk from them.

"Someone's a little jumpy," Kensi commented, observing the way Reeze kept checking his watch, glancing at the street, and suspiciously eyeing every pedestrian that came within ten feet of him.

"And I doubt it's from having more than his fair share of morning coffee," Deeks smiled, looking at her.

Kensi tried to smile back, but she knew it probably looked forced, because it sure as hell felt forced. Deeks' smile faded slowly, and he turned to look back at Reeze. Kensi felt a pang in her heart. Ever since that night two months ago, things had been different between them. And now with what Kensi had been keeping from him the past few weeks…No. Don't go there, Blye. Focus! she told herself.

They were getting closer and closer to Reeze, the distance dwindling with each step. They were walking casually as they could while still being on guard. They were twenty feet away when Reeze spotted them. Kensi didn't know what it was about her and Deeks that made people tag them as cops, but it happened all the time. Reeze froze for a second, before he bolted.

Kensi immediately took off after him.

"I'll go around, cut him off!" Deeks shouted, taking off in the opposite direction.

Kensi dodged around pedestrians, giving the ones that Reeze toppled over a quick reassuring touch before continuing to charge after him. Reeze pulled a sharp right into a wide alley. Kensi slowed as she neared the corner, pulling her gun out from the back of her jeans. She raised her SIG, only to have it knocked out of her hands as she rounded the corner to the alley. The gun clattered to the asphalt and she raised her hands instinctively as Reeze threw a punch, which she deflected with her forearm. She blocked another hit, then raised her own fist, connected with his jaw. Reeze grunted, but it wasn't nearly enough to put him down. He came at her with his whole body, and she sidestepped, landing a kick into his side. He faltered a little and Kensi landed another punch across his face.

He stooped, and for a moment Kensi thought she had him. She bent down to retrieve her gun when, almost faster than she could process, Reeze had his hands locked around her neck. He brought his knee up to her abdomen.

One, Kensi gasped as the air escaped from her lungs.

Two, her knees almost buckled from the impact, white-hot pain firing through her abdomen.

Three blows, she went down, gasping for air, clutching at her stomach.

"Kensi!" Deeks worried voice bounce around the alley, echoing in her ears.

Through her blurry vision, she saw Deeks' raised gun, aimed directly at Reeze's heart.

"Get down! Hands on your head. I said get down!" Deeks shouted, forcing Reeze to the ground, more roughly than he usually did with suspects.

Kensi's vision cleared, and she grabbed her gun off the ground. She forced herself to stand, taking in one deep breath after another, trying to ignore the pain in her stomach. She watched as Deeks tightened the cuffs around Reeze's wrists, pinching the skin. Deeks hauled Reeze to his feet, shoving him forward as they headed back to Kensi's car.

"You okay?" Deeks asked her after shutting Reeze in the car.

"Yeah, I'm good." she replied, though it came out as a bit of a croak.

Deeks raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Deeks, really, I'll be okay. It's not like I haven't been beat up before."

"At least let me drive then," Deeks said after a minute, still eyeing her with concern.

Kensi nodded and climbed in on the passenger side, knowing that even if she couldn't grant him the truth right now, the least she could do was let him drive her car.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Two Days Later…

Deeks looked up at Kensi from his desk yet again. Ever since her fight with Victor Reeze—who did murder the Marine—he could tell something was up with her. Granted, ever since that night two months ago, she'd been a little more distant. Their partnership, friendship, their thing was more strained. But this was different. He could tell she was hurting, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. As she opened up her bottle of Tylenol and popped two pills in her mouth, wincing from whatever pain she was feeling, he wanted to go over and take her in his arms. He wanted any pain she felt to vanish just through his touch. But she would never allow that.

Kensi stood, pushing away from her desk a little clumsily, grimacing as she absently rubbed her side.

"Kens—?" he started, moving to get out of his own chair.

Kensi cut his protest off with a wave of her hand. "I'm fine, Deeks. I'll be right back,"

She headed off in the direction of the bathrooms. Sam and Callen looked up, concern wrinkling their brows as their eyes flicked back and forth between him and Kensi's disappearing form.

"Deeks, do you know what's up with Kensi?" Callen asked.

Deeks shook his head. "No. She's been like this ever since we caught Reeze. I'll…I'll be right back," he mumbled, walking away from the bullpen.

He started following Kensi down the hall towards the bathrooms. He didn't really know what he was planning on doing, it's not like he could go in the Ladies' Room. But he didn't have to worry for long, because Nell came out of the incinerator room across the hall.

"Nell, hey!" he called, stopping her.

"Deeks, hey," she greeted with a little smile. "What can I do for you?"

"Could you check on Kensi for me," he asked, deciding to skip any unnecessary words.

Nell gave him a slightly puzzled look.

"I, um, I would, but uh," he nodded his chin in the direction of the women's room. "I can't. Please, Nell."

Nell's look of puzzlement turned into one of concern, but she nodded. Deeks waited right outside as Nell pushed her way into the bathroom. Deeks paced outside, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans to keep them from shaking. He knew it had only been a minute or two, but it felt like an eternity since Nell had entered the bathroom. He was about to give in a just go see what was happening for himself, not caring how much Sam and Callen would tease him for it, when Nell cried out.

"Deeks, get in here!"

Deeks had never moved so fast in his life. He bolted into the bathroom, taking in the scene before him. Nell was hovering over Kensi, who was doubled over in pain, hands clutching at her abdomen like they had two days ago when Reeze had kneed her three times—hard—in the stomach. From the look on her face—mouth open in a silent gasp, forehead wrinkled—it was excruciating. Kensi audibly gasped, and sank even lower. She would've collapsed had he not been there to catch her.

"Nell, go call 911 and tell the guys, now!" he said loudly.

Nell, eyes wide in fear for her friend, obliged, darting out of the bathroom.

"Kensi? Kensi?" Deeks called her name as he lowered her to the cool tile of the bathroom floor.

She gasped again, her face screwing up in pain. Deeks scanned her body for any visible injuries. He didn't see any, but his eyes zeroed in on a dark stain on her light jeans, spreading slowly between her legs. It was definitely blood. His first thought was that she was on her period, but she would not be reacting like this if she was. Because he knew her well enough to know that even though she got crankier and more Twinkie-hungry on her period than usual, she never had it this bad. His second thought was internal bleeding. He wasn't entirely sure if you bled from down there if there was internal damage, but it was the only thing he could think of.

"Kensi, it's okay. You're gonna be okay. Nell's calling an ambulance. We're gonna get you checked out okay?" Deeks murmured to her, holding her hand.

Sweat beaded on her face, and Deeks thought he saw tears form in her eyes. She squeezed his hand so tight his fingers turned purple as her back arched and she let out a whimper. She might as well have been squeezing his heart. He hated seeing her like this. He didn't know if this was from her fight with Reeze, but if so, it made him wish he had shot the guy.

"Deeks," Callen said as he and Sam came into the bathroom. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Deeks replied, not taking his eyes off of Kensi's face.

Callen hovered anxiously over them as Sam knelt down and wiped Kensi's hair back from her sweaty forehead, taking in her condition much like Deeks had done a minute ago.

"The ambulance is here," Nell said, poking her head in, and Deeks saw the EMTs behind her from the corner of his eye.

Sam and Callen cleared out, but Deeks didn't leave his partner's side as the EMTs shuffled in. he helped them hoist her onto a gurney. Her hand didn't leave his the entire time. Only when the EMTs pushed him back, refusing to let him ride in the ambulance, did their fingers unlatch.

So there's chapter one! Hope you guys liked it =) Chapter 2 is in progress now, and I'll post it within a week, so stay tuned!

Please review and tell me what you guys think! I very much appreciate them. Feel free to leave constructive criticism and any questions you guys have.

Thanks for reading!

-DaughterOfPoseidon333