A/N: I've been holding onto this one for awhile trying to get it just right. I'm still not convinced but decided it was time to set it free into the universe anyway. Enjoy this little bit of Densi fluff!

Deeks got out of the car, adrenaline still pumping through his veins as he walked to the driver's side door. He winced as he surveyed the damage the shooter had done. Kensi was going to be pissed when she saw.

She was already attempting to get out, but the door had jammed shut upon impact. "How bad is it?" she asked as she jiggled the handle.

"You can't even tell," Deeks lied, his eyes searching her for any sign of blood or trauma. "Are sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Deeks, I'm fine," she huffed. "Just get me out of here."

"Okay, give me a second." He turned on his earwig as he sized up the door. "Eric."

The tech answered immediately. "Hey we were-"

"Eric we just got T-boned," Deeks interrupted him. "Put out an APB on a dark colored, Ford sedan. It'll be the one without a rear windshield."

"On it. Are you guys okay?" Eric asked. "Do you need an ambulance?"

"I think we're all right. Probably just a tow," Deeks told him, walking around the front of the car, searching for further damage.

"Already on their way," Eric confirmed.

"Thanks. Tell Callen and Sam all right?"

"Will do. Call if you need anything."

Deeks signed off as a woman came out of the house across the street and hurried toward them.

"Are you all right?" she called. "Do you want me to call the police? I can't believe that psycho just drove off."

"We're fine ma'am. Detective Deeks, LAPD," Deeks said, flashing his badge. "Any idea how long that car was here?"

"Not a clue. I've been juicing in the kitchen all day. Came out when I heard the noise."

Kensi had made no progress on the door and she was not happy about it. "Hey so, sorry to interrupt but is there any chance you could finish this conversation after you get me out?" she asked in frustration.

Deeks looked again at the mangled door of the car. "You might want to just stay in there. I'm afraid of what you're going to do when you see this."

She glared at him. "Deeks!"

"Okay, you push, I'll pull." Deeks grabbed the outside handle and used his full body weight to pull on it. The door shrieked and groaned but he managed to force it open enough for Kensi to squeeze through.

"Ow," she moaned angrily, her hand rubbing her side.

"Easy," he said. "Here sit down. What hurts?"

"Everything." Kensi winced as he helped her ease down onto the curb. "When I find this guy I'm going to shoot him," she growled.

"Is she all right?" the neighborly woman still hovered nearby, a dishtowel clutched in her hands.

"Let me see your side," Deeks told his partner.

"Deeks, I'm all right."

"Just let me see," he insisted.

She reluctantly lifted her shirt and he wasn't surprised to see the beginnings of a large bruise spreading over her ribs. Deeks turned to the woman still standing nearby. "Could I get some ice for my partner here?" he asked.

"Yes of course." The woman hurried back inside her own dwelling.

"Deeks, I'm fine," Kensi told him.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, poking at her side.

"Ow! Yes!" she swatted his hand away in annoyance.

"Then you're not fine," he concluded. "So be quiet and let me take care of you."

The woman returned and Deeks took the bag of ice from her. He pressed it against his partner's side and she flinched against the cold.

"Just hold it right there," he directed.

The tow truck arrived and the operator hopped out. Within an hour Kensi and Deeks were at the NCIS motor pool picking up a temporary car to replace the damaged Cadillac.

The head of vehicles handed Kensi the keys, which Deeks gently pried from her fingers. "Let me drive," he told her. "You can close your eyes and relax for a few minutes."

"Deeks, I'm okay," she insisted.

"Does this—"

She backed away. "Touch me again and Monty will be your only company tonight."

"Okay, fine." Deeks relented and got in the passenger's side but his eyes stayed on his partner for the drive to back to the mission. She was putting on a good front but he could see pain lining her face and knew she was hurting more than she let on.

He found her at her desk an hour later, eyes closed, one hand rubbing her temple.

"Headache?" he asked.

She nodded without opening her eyes. Deeks got a glass and filled it with water. "Here," he handed it to her along with two Advil that he pulled out of a drawer in her desk. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I really wish that jerk hadn't hit my car," she groused as she took the pills. She started as Deeks moved behind her and began to knead her shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Just relax," he told her. "You're going to be stiff tomorrow if you don't work some of this tension out."

"Deeks someone will see," she protested, but her eyes were already closing again as he massaged the soreness out of her muscles.

"I don't care what they think right now. I care about my partner," he told her. "Take a deep breath."

"Why—" she gasped as he hit a particularly painful spot, "yep, ow, that, right there."

"You should let me take you home. Get some rest," he told her quietly.

She snorted. "Ha yeah. Okay. We'll just leave Callen and Sam to finish up here. They can totally handle it. Ah!" she winced as he dug into another knotted muscle. "I'm fine."

"You're a terrible liar," he replied as his hands slid to the back of her neck.

"God, why are you so good at this?" she mumbled.

"I went undercover as a masseuse," he told her.

She opened her eyes and turned around, forcing his hands to drop. "You did not," she smirked.

"True. But I would have been very convincing," he told her.

"Guys!"

They both looked up to see Eric standing on the stairs. "You better hurry. Callen and Sam found the ship."

Deeks stood by the ship's railing, staring out at the water, trying to sort through the day in his mind. Kensi had come just shy of serious bodily harm too many times today and it was taking a lot of effort for him to get a grip on his feelings about it. She'd asked him repeatedly not to put himself in harm's way for her, but days like this reminded him just how badly he wished she was completely safe all the time.

Kensi joined him, holstering her gun as she did so. "Hey, you okay?" she asked.

He sighed. "Yeah. Come here." He pulled her into his arms, letting his chin rest on top of her head.

"Deeks, I'm good," she said with a laugh. "You don't have to coddle me."

"You know what? Maybe this isn't about you. Maybe I need to be coddled," he teased.

She looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "You? Why do you need to be coddled? Your car is fine."

He pulled her a little closer, sinking into the feeling of relief it brought. She was safe here in his arms. "True, but I did watch you almost get shot today. Twice. And I'm going to have nightmares about that car coming at us. And now we're probably going to fly off to middle-of-nowhere Russia where I'm probably going to have to watch you get shot at some more. So just let me hold you for a minute and feel like I can protect you from the world okay?"

His tone was light, but the look into his eyes revealed concern and a sincerity that melted Kensi's heart. "Okay," she said softly. "Okay."

She let him hold her for several long moments before pulling back. She put her hands on his face and kissed him. "Thanks for having my back."

"Well somebody needs to. It's the nicest back we've got around here."

She rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say something snarky in return, but Callen and Sam came around the corner, causing the couple to step quickly apart. "Just got the word from Hetty," Callen told them. "Pack your bags. We're going to Russia."

A/N: Leave your love in the reviews!