A/N: Following 3x17 ("Blye, K. Part 2"), I wanted so much more from these characters at the end of this episode. Fortunately, I got around to writing it myself.

I'm always amazed when writing these two how much they tend to determine the story themselves (or what little story I bother with before the inevitable fun times). It sounds weird, but trust me. That's how it works. Yet again, the dialogue got away from me before I could steer them back in the direction I wanted them to go. But sometimes they need to convince themselves they belong together… And usually they get there eventually.

I think this happened because I always write "we'll talk about it later," and just once I wanted to have them talk about it first.

Disclaimer: It's probably actually a good thing that I don't have any ownership of this show. If I did, they'd have to move it off of cable and onto a pay per view network.

Rating: Keeping the streak alive! All M, all the time! (Except for this chapter… but we'll get there, I promise).

The sunrise found Kensi back in more or less the same place on the beach she had been to see the sunset. Although, staring out at the blue grey sky over the ocean while the sun crested over the hills and skyline behind her didn't have quite the same dramatic feel to it.

The ending to the previous day had been so bittersweet. She found the truth behind her father's murder and brought justice (or something like it) to his killer, and had also reunited with her mother after learning about what had actually happened all those years ago. And yet despite her personal victory, this dreary morning felt much like an emotional hangover.

She had stayed at her mother's house until late last night, and had been unable to find sleep when she did finally come home. About an hour ago, she had given up and come to the beach in workout clothes. It had been her intent to go for a run, but brooding in contemplative silence ended up suiting her mood more.

"Well, look who it is!" she heard a familiar voice drawl out from behind her. "Fancy seeing you here, partner!"

She smiled to herself before turning to see Deeks and Monty walk up to sit on the bench next to her. The knowledge that this was his neck of the woods had crossed her mind when she came to this beach. If she was honest with herself, she had sort of hoped he would be out. But at this hour, she hadn't truly expected to run into him.

"I like this new training exercise of yours. What's this one called?" he asked jokingly, once she had scooted over to make room for him. "Bench squats? No, that sounds like a real thing… Butt sits?"

"Not going to ask me how I am? Or how I'm coping, like everyone else?" she answered instead with a question, unwilling to put together a more lighthearted response.

"Meh. Not unless you want me to. But you'd tell me if you did," he replied, peering over at her through concerned blue eyes. Raising an eye brow, he added, "I hope."

After another moment's pause, she got up and asked him, "Walk with me?"

"Sure."

The pair strolled down the paved walkway along the beach, with Monty weaving back and forth in front of them. It was mostly deserted still, so they didn't have to dodge too many angry bicyclists. Deeks occasionally glanced over at her, and constantly looked as if he had something to say. But he seemed to sense her need for quiet companionship, and waited it out in silence.

"What are you doing?" she asked him when he handed over Monty's leash so he could use both his hands to fiddle around on his phone.

"Checking the hours of that restaurant a block over," he explained as he pointed inland. "We can head over there and I'll buy you breakfast. You love their breakfast burritos, right?"

Her stomach gurgled at that moment, so she answered genuinely, "You know I do."

"Great!" he exclaimed, taking Monty's leash back. "They opened half an hour ago. Let's go. I'm starving!"

It occurred to Kensi as they altered their course that this was what she wanted. No, not a breakfast burrito… Although, yes, that too. But rather, company. The company of her partner. Her friend. She didn't want to talk about her father or mother, she didn't want to think about how her life might be different now, she just wanted to let things be until she had time to process them on her own. There was one thing from the previous day, however, that she did feel the sudden urge to talk about.

"Before I forget," she started to tell Deeks as she put a hand on his elbow. "I wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday."

He stopped and turned to face her. He then shook his head and told her, "That's… not necessary. But, for what part, exactly?"

"For being there for me," she explained. "Not just as my partner, but as my friend. You could have stopped me. More than once. But you didn't. You let me go. You helped me."

"Ha!" he laughed dryly, causing her to look at him in surprise. Deeks went on, "I couldn't have stopped you, and you know it. But of course I helped you. Because you are more than my partner."

"Deeks…" Kensi trailed off, unable to put into words what he meant to her in that moment. Physical and emotional exhaustion had left her inhibitions lowered, and she stepped forward taking Deeks' very shocked looking face into her hands. Pulling his head to hers, she planted a soft, lingering kiss on his lips.

At first Deeks didn't respond. He stood there, still as a statue. But when she released his lips, he let out the softest of groans and looked at her longingly with his sad, blue eyes.

"What…? I… uh, I mean…" Deeks stuttered, unable to form coherent phrases. "What are you—?"

"Deeks, just listen," she asked of him. She looked down at his hands, which she had taken in her own. She continued to speak, not quite willing to meet his eyes as she confessed what had been on her mind. "I got to thinking. All these wasted years without my mother because neither of us would talk. Well, I don't want that to happen again. I want to talk… to you… about us."

Kensi lifted her gaze as she spoke those last words. She looked back and forth between his blue eyes, both desperate and terrified to hear his response. She didn't have to wait long.

"Us?" he asked, frowning slightly. "You want to talk about… Us?"

"Yes. Us. This…" she struggled to find the correct word to describe their relationship. None in the english language quite did it justice.

"This…? Our partnership?" he offered helpfully, though still playing coy.

"Yes…" she said slowly, cocking her head before trying to continue. "And our… Thing."

"Ah, yes. Our thing," he stated, smirking.

"Yes," she agreed, grinning along with him. She was surprised to find herself blushing when she told him, "You like me, Deeks."

"Like you?" he repeated, his eyebrows raised.

"You know what I mean," she sighed, rolling her eyes self consciously.

"That didn't sound like a question," he pointed out.

"I don't hear you contradicting it," she replied cooly.

Deeks paused to consider her for a few seconds. Kensi couldn't quite read his pained expression. But he held her steady gaze when very slowly, he said, "I do. And clearly you already know that. But is this really the best time to have this conversation? With everything that's happened?"

"It's the perfect time to start this up," she insisted. "That way, if in a month we think it was a mistake, we can blame our state of emotional distress right now, and not harm our partnership."

"Start this up?" he repeated, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "So… this is happening?"

Kensi shrugged and theatrically feigned indifference. But she couldn't hide the hopefulness in her voice as she said, "Only if you want it to."

"More than anything," he admitted quickly. Holding her hands a little tighter, he went on in a soft voice, "But I don't think we're going to need that easy out in a month… maybe never."

"Maybe not," she agreed, hoping he was right. "I'm sure we'll find ways to work out whatever problems come our way."

"You're really making me feel pretty good about this. I'm actually looking forward to it," Deeks confided. He had released her hands and had instead wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly to him.

Kensi smiled, and sought clarification. "You're looking forward to, what? Our first fight?"

"Actually, sort of," he admitted before adding suggestively, "And all that surviving said fight entails."

"Well, I'm looking forward to other landmark firsts," Kensi informed him caressing her hands along his shoulders.

"Like what? We've already had our first kiss," he told her just as he leaned in to capture her lips in a substantially more passionate kiss than their first.

She moaned softly as they broke apart. "And now our second—"

"Oh, you'll lose count pretty quick, I promise!" Deeks interjected, briefly kissing her again.

"—So…" Kensi resumed, locking eyes with him a little nervously. "How about our first time…together?"

"Together?" Deeks asked, theatrically taken aback by her forwardness.

She rolled her eyes at him in jest, "You know what I mean."

"Oh, you mean together-together…" he said with a grin. "Intimately together."

"Yeah."

He kissed her again, but pulled back after a few moments to cup her face and look her in the eyes. "This is all still pretty new. You sure you don't want to take it slow?"

Kensi smiled at how sweet he was to be so concerned. But for her part, she had no intention of drawing it out any longer, and she was certain he didn't actually want to wait either. "We can take it slow," she said. Thinking of a little joke, she offered, "We can go back to my place. It's farther away than yours."

Deeks chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her, but was jerked away to the side by Monty's leash when the dog took off to chase a seagull that had landed near by. Kensi laughed heartily. She had forgotten that there was life beyond the space that she and Deeks had blissfully occupied just a moment before.

Hand in hand, the pair walked joyfully back in the direction of Kensi's car. Then abruptly changed directions again when her stomach rumbled.

"Okay, maybe we should stop for that burrito first."

A/N: As per usual when a story grows out of control, I've put in a break to give myself time to finish it/keep working on it until I hate it less. That being said, what's so far written of the next chapter earns the 'M' rating I've given this story.