Kensi was worried about Deeks. She had hated letting him walk away after they took down Scarli. Deeks had lost his partner, nearly died in an explosion, been beaten and nearly killed at the hands of Lasik, then he'd finished up his day by taking down a bad cop. The cop that should have had his and his partner's backs. She shouldn't have let him walk away. The rest of the day hadn't been much better. They'd all been interviews by IA, leaving the building as Deeks had walked in. He'd looked beat down and exhausted, not even glancing at them as he'd been ushered into the interrogation room. Kensi had wanted to wait for him, but Hetty had insisted they all return. Deeks hadn't answered his phone, and Kensi had stopped calling at midnight, finally getting the hint. But she had worried about him, finding it difficult to sleep. So come morning, as she strolled into OPS, she was tired and cranky. Seeing Deeks's, still empty, desk did not improve her mood any. So when Callen and Sam greeted her, she simply glared at them. "Did you hear from Deeks?" Sam asked, braving her wrath. "No. I tried calling but he ignored me." Kensi sat down with a thump, irritated with Deeks and herself for letting him get under her skin like this. Callen looked surprised. "I thought he was back with us, since his cover OP is over." Like a shadow, Hetty appeared before them, smirking at their startled expressions. "Mr. Deeks is, indeed, back with us. But after the events of the past few days, I told him to take a few days to rest and heal." "Lucky," Sam mouthed, chuckling. "Who's lucky?" Deeks asked, as he moved to his chair, dumping a box of donuts and a coffee carrier onto his desk.
Hetty stared at him. "Mr. Deeks. I distinctly remember telling you to take the next few days off."
Deeks looked apologetic and a bit scared as he replied, "You did, but I'm good. No worries, Hetty." He smiled at his boss, smile faltering as she stared at him unblinking. Finally he looked at the donuts and coffee. "Uh...I brought breakfast."
"Great." Kensi was all over the donuts in a heartbeat.
"Coffee smells good," Callen commented, finding one that was all black. Anything to cut the tension.
Hetty's eyes never left the Detective. "Did Dr. Benton clear you, Mr. Deeks?"
He squirmed under her gaze, fumbling for words. "Um...I kinda called him and cancelled. Like I said, I'm fine."
"I do not appreciate my orders being disobeyed, Mr. Deeks," Hetty countered. her tone almost whisper soft, yet underlaid with a frostiness that could not be mistaken for anything but intense displeasure. And it was fully directed at the Detective.
"Oh...well, see...I thought it was a...suggestion." Deeks looked scared as he tried desperately to back track and appease Hetty. "I'll know better next time."
Hetty arched an eyebrow of doom at him. "You expect there to be a next time?"
Deeks winced. "No. I'm just saying...um." He petered off, clearing knowing he wasn't going to win this debate.
"Mr. Callen." Hetty turned to the Senior agent. "You and Mr. Hanna will escort Mr. Deeks to the medical center. I will call Dr. Benton and inform him that you are on your way."
"I'll take Deeks," Kensi offered, shooting a sympathetic look her partner's way.
Hetty shook her head. "I have a job for you, Ms. Blye. Come with me please." Turning on her heel, Hetty headed off to her office.
Patting Deeks on the shoulder, Kensi followed. It was out of her hands now. Deeks was new, but he would learn never to go against Hetty.
"Let's go, Deeks," Callen stated, gesturing for the Detective to head for the exit. He realized, from the look Hetty had directed his way, that she wanted him and Sam to make sure Deeks really was okay. And not just physically. The younger man had been through hell and back on this op, and Callen could guess he hadn't talked to anyone about it. Not all that surprising really. Callen hadn't known Deeks long but he figured that, for all the Detective loved to talk, he was private when it came to dealing with his emotions. He could relate to that.
"You know what?" Deeks countered, stepping around his desk to put it between him and Callen. "I can drive myself. No problem. I just need to make a few phone calls first."
Moving around the desk, Sam grabbed Deeks by the arm, tugging him towards the door. Only to freeze when the younger man hissed in pain. "Deeks? You okay?"
Hunching over and cradling his ribs protectively, Deeks took a moment to breathe before replying, "Just...peachy."
"Let's go." Sam wrapped an arm around Deeks's shoulders this time, guiding him out and into the car. That the Detective didn't give him a hard time, worried him a bit. But Sam didn't question it. He just slid behind the wheel while Callen took the back seat.
"You doing okay, Deeks?" Callen queried, exchanging glances with Sam in the rear view mirror. Deeks silent was eerie.
A nod of the shaggy head was their only response.
Twenty minutes later they pulled into the parking garage of the medical center and Deeks was still quiet as they made their way to the fifth floor. Dr. Benton was waiting for them. He introduced himself then whisked Deeks away, leaving Callen and Sam to settle in the waiting room.
It was Sam who broke the silence first. "You think he's okay?"
Callen tossed aside the magazine he'd been pretending to read. He really hated hospitals and waiting rooms. Shrugging, he replied, "Hard to say. It's not like we know Deeks all that well so I haven't got a read on him yet. But it sucks to lose a partner and it sucks more to be betrayed by someone you thought you could trust."
"Word to that," Sam allowed. "Lasik beat him down in more ways than one."
"At least we took him out." Callen got up and started pacing. A glance at his watch showed him that almost half an hour had passed. It should take that long to examine Deeks. He was about to find a nurse when Dr. Benton came striding towards them.
Callen met him half way. "How's Deeks?"
The Doctor made a face. "He's doing as well as can be expected given the state he's in."
"Meaning?" Sam prompted, having joined them.
"He has a concussion, some deep scraping burns on his arms and heavy bruising on his ribs and torso. He's also suffering from exhaustion, dehydration and a mild case of malnutrition. " Dr. Benton look pissed. "What the hell happened to him?" Before either Sam or Callen could respond, Benton waved a hand. "Never mind. Hetty already reminded me I'm better off not knowing. That said, I'm going to keep Detective Deeks overnight at minimum. If the IV's do their thing and he gets some sleep, I'll see about releasing him in the morning."
Callen was in agreement, but he was also wary. "Did you tell Deeks he was staying?"
Dr. Benton winced and fidgeted a bit. "I, uh...I sedated him. Hetty gave me permission. Or, rather, she advised me to do so. She said I should tell him it was her decision when he wakes up."
"Good idea," Callen allowed, chuckling. "Thanks, Doc." He turned away, pulling out his phone. He punched in Hetty's number and she answered promptly.
"Mr. Callen, how is our Mr. Deeks?" she queried.
Callen snorted. "He's bruised and concussed and he's totally going to be pissed when he wakes up."
Hetty seemed unconcerned. "He'll get over it. What he needs now is rest."
"Any cases pending?" Callen asked. If not he figured he could hang around and wait for Deeks to wake up.
"Nothing at the moment. I'll contact you if I need you." With that, Hetty severed the connection.
Sam was watching him. "You staying?"
Callen nodded. "For now. Go ahead and take off. I'll grab a cab. Put it on Hetty's tab."
"You're a brave man, G." Sam clapped him on the shoulder. "If you're still here at the end of shift I'll swing by and drop you home."
"Sounds good." Callen watched Sam go then he went to the nurses station to find out what room Deeks was in. Ten minutes later, Callen made himself comfortable in the corner chair, armed with a newspaper and a large cup of crappy hospital coffee.
Surprisingly, he only had fours of peace and quiet before Deeks stirred. Callen stood up, stretching as he slid his phone back in his pocket, before moving to the Detective's bedside. "Deeks? Can you hear me?"
With a jolt Deeks's eyes flew open, looking panicked as he took in his surroundings. "What the..."
"Easy." Callen gripped his shoulder, trying to ground him. "You're in the hospital. Remember? Sam and I brought you here."
"For a damn check up!" Deeks almost growled as he took in the IV and the hospital gown he was wearing. "How long was I out?"
Callen shrugged. "Not that long, actually. About four hours. The doctor is keeping you overnight."
Deeks didn't respond to that, surprisingly. Instead he focused on the tape holding down the IV port on the back of his hand. One fingernail picking at it until Callen tapped his hand away. "Where's the doctor?"
"He's not going to release you," Callen warned. "Hetty already told him to keep you here." When Deeks's only response was to glare at him, Callen changed tactics. "How did it go with IA? I didn't get a chance to ask before now."
"How do you think?" Deeks snapped, before heaving a shuddery sigh, obviously trying to calm himself. A moment later he scrubbed his IV free hand over his face and said, "Not one of my better days."
Callen nodded. "At least Lasik is shut down."
Deeks let his head fall back against the pillow, eyes drifting closed. He looked beyond exhausted. "There is that," he allowed. "I'm just not sure it balances out all the bad things. You know. Like...losing a good cop, my mentor turning traitor and...oh...let's not forget all the new enemies I made."
"Comes with the job." Callen let that simple fact settle between them, knowing it was enough. It didn't fix the bad days, but it reminded them that you couldn't waste time on the things you couldn't change. You had to let it go and move forward. All the good stuff came with a price.
"Yeah." Deeks shifted restlessly then closed his eyes.
Settling back in his chair, Callen let himself catnap as Deeks slept. Until the sound of his name being called, jolted him awake. Rising to his feet, Callen greeted his partner. "Hey. Quitting time already?"
Sam shrugged. "Close enough. No case so Hetty told me to come get you."
"No Kensi?" Callen glanced around the room. "I figured she'd be here for the night shift."
"Hetty told her to go home and relax before taking the night shift." Sam chuckled and pointed to a sleeping Deeks. "Looks like you had it easy."
Callen nodded. "Yeah. He's pretty beat down and beating himself down." They had all been there, done that.
Sam clapped him on the shoulder. "He seems tough enough. He'll get through it. You wanna leave now, or wait for Kensi?"
"I'd like to wait." Callen felt reluctant to leave Deeks alone. He wanted the Detective to know that they were there for him. "But I'm ready for another cup of coffee. We can hit the cafeteria for a few minutes."
"Sounds like a plan." With a last glance at the sleeping Deeks, Sam lead the way out of the room.
It was twenty minutes later when Callen and Sam headed back to the room. Only to find it empty. Cursing, Callen checked the bathroom. No Deeks. "What the hell!" Opening the small closet door, he wasn't surprised to find it empty. No clothes and no Deeks.
Sam pulled Callen out of the room. "He can't have gone far. Someone must have seen him."
"He's an undercover detective," Callen countered, as they headed for the nurses station. "I'd guess sneaking around is second nature to Deeks."
"Maybe," Sam allowed, looking grim. "But he's exhausted and hurting. He only had a twenty minute lead to get up, dressed and sneak out. We'll find him."
The nurses were shocked to learn of Deeks' disappearance, and were more than willing to help Callen and Sam look for him.
Sam gestured to the elevator. They entered and he hit the first floor button. "Let's check the lobby. Deeks is trying to leave so he's going to need a ride. I'm guessing he'll call a cab."
"Good thinking," Callen approved, willing the elevator to move faster. They stepped out and headed for the front doors, barreling through them and skidding to a halt as Callen spotted Deeks on the front step, phone in hand. He strode over to the Detective and snatched the phone away.
"Hey!" Deeks snarled, spinning around only stumble and nearly topple over. Only Callen's hand on his arm steadied him.
Sam moved to his other side, guiding Deeks over to a bench. "Sit before you fall down," he ordered.
Surpisingly, Deeks sat. Hunched over. One arm curled around his ribs and the other hand pressed to his forehead. He studiously avoided looking at Callen, who moved to kneel before him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Deeks?" Callen demanded.
"It's called leaving," Deeks mumbled.
Sam sat down beside him, shaking his head. "You're in no condition to leave. You know that."
At that, Deeks did look up, glaring at Sam. "What I know is that what I do is none of your damn business. So leave me alone!" He made to stand but Sam gripped his shoulder and forced him to remain seated. Twisting, Deeks tried to pull away, but only succeeded in hurting himself. He turned white and panted as he tried to catch his breath.
"I'll grab a nurse and a wheel chair," Callen offered. He figured it was best to let Sam stay with Deeks, because right now he was so pissed at the detective he was likely to do more harm than good.
"Callen, wait!" Deeks sounded desperate as he gripped his arm. "Please don't make me go back. Just...I'll go home and rest. Okay? I just want to go home."
Callen's first instinct was to refuse, because Deeks really did look like hell. But something in the Detective's tone gave him pause. From his own experience, Callen knew hospitals weren't exactly restful, and maybe what Deeks needed right now was his own space and the privacy to deal with all the chaos in his head. Yet, at the same time, he knew the Detective wasn't in the right head space to be alone. Still, he found himself agreeing. "Okay."
Deeks looked surprised, but his expression soon shifted to relief. "Great. Good. Thanks." He pushed himself to his feet, swallowing a groan.
"Bad idea, G," Sam stated, carefully gripping Deeks by the arm and guiding him towards the parking garage. The Detective was seriously unsteady on his feet and Sam was worried about hurting him if he tried to offer more support.
"He'll sleep better at home," Callen replied, given Sam a warning look. They would work out the details of how to handle Deeks later. Once they got him safely into bed.
Deeks made the effort to pull away from Sam, stubbornly forcing himself to make it under his own power. He slipped into the back seat and stretched out.
The drive to Deeks' place was made in silence, broken only by Callen calling Kensi to update her on their new location. Once they reached the house, Callen whistled. "Nice place."
"House sitting," Deeks mumbled, slowly making his way out of the car. "Thanks for the ride."
"We're not coming in," Sam countered, reaching Deeks' side and offering assistance when the detective stumbled.
Deeks didn't say a word. He unlocked the door, shrugged Sam off and headed straight for the closest bedroom down the hallway.
Callen took a quick tour of the place, checking doors and windows at the front while Sam did the same at the back. "Secure here," Callen announced.
"Same here," Sam replied, meeting up with him in the kitchen.
"Now that you checked the place, you can leave." Deeks was now dressed in sweats and a t-shirt as he leaned against the door frame. He looked ready to topple over.
Callen shook his head. "We're not leaving you alone."
Deeks scowled at him. "Contrary to popular belief, misery does not love company. So, really, you can go. Lock the door behind you on the way out." When neither Callen nor Sam moved a muscle, Deeks huffed in frustration. "What is with you two? I don't need a damn keeper?"
"So Lasik wouldn't have killed you if we hadn't shown up?" Callen countered, knowing he was poking at a nerve.
"Actually, I was charming him into keeping me alive." Deeks attempted a roguish grin, but it fell short.
Sam opened the fridge and pulled out two beers and a bottle of water. "We've got no place else to be tonight," he stated, handing Callen a beer and Deeks the water. From his jeans pocket he dug out a small pill bottle. "Nurse gave me these when we were looking for you. Guess she knew you weren't coming back. I'd take them."
Deeks accepted the water and the pills, only to set them aside on the counter. "You know, I've been trying to be nice, but you guys are dense. So I'll be blunt. Get out!" He pointed towards the front door.
"Go to bed, Deeks." Callen gripped his shoulder and slowly turned him, steering Deeks towards the bedroom. "Sleep. Or, if you want to talk, we'll talk. Those are your options." Callen was more than willing to listen, even if he wasn't one to talk about his own feelings and emotions.
"I'm gonna watch TV," Deeks announced, side stepping Callen and heading for the livingroom. He curled up in one corner of the overstuffed couch, grabbing one of the cushions and hugging it to his chest.
Callen could guess that his ribs were aching, but he said nothing as he sat down on the other end. He realized Deeks was being ornery, choosing his own option just to make a point. Callen would let it slide, for now. But when Deeks reached for the remote on the coffee table, Callen snatched it away.
Deeks glared at him. "Seriously?"
"You take your pills you get the remote," Callen countered, smirking. He was taking control back.
"We'll watch what you want to watch." Deeks knew how to play the game.
Sam had retrieved the pills and the water and he set them in front of Deeks before making himself comfortable in a cornr arm chair. He was grinning as he watched his partner and the detective go at it. His money was on Callen to score the win.
Deeks ignored the pills, opting to glare at Callen instead. They had a stare off for a few minutes until Deeks caved. "Come on, man! Turn the tv on!"
"Pills first." Callen didn't break eye contact, he simply waited the detective out.
"I'm pretty sure I hate you both," Deeks grumbled, reaching for the pills and the water. He made a show of taking one then held out his hand. "Remote, please."
Callen handed it over and was content to settle back and watch Deeks' movie of choice. Die Hard. No one said a word, not even after Deeks fell asleep. Callen and Sam continued watching the movie until Kensi showed up to relieve them.
It was the ache in his head that roused Deeks. Shifting, he swallowed a groan as the moment trigged pain throughout his entire body, but centered in the base of his skull. Going still, Deeks rode out the pain before pushing out of bed and heading for the bathroom. He took care of business then stared at his watch in disbelief. It was after ten am. He'd slept for well over 12 hours.
Deciding a shower would help ease the ache in his body, Deeks stood under the hot spray for a good ten minutes. It did help. Once he was dressed he felt mostly human and he figured he could show up to the Mission and convince Hetty he was good to go. However, once he reached the livingroom he froze. "Kensi?"
"Morning." She was sitting on the couch, watching tv. "How do you feel?"
"Confused." And it that moment it hit Deeks. He didn't remember falling asleep. In fact, the last thing he did remember was sitting on the couch watching Die Hard with Sam and Callen. "Um...how long have you been here, Kensi?"
She grinned at him, looking highly amused. "Since last night. Sam put you to bed then he and Callen left."
Deeks frowned. "What do you mean, Sam put me to bed?" By the look on Kensi's face, she was gearing up for a punch line at his expense.
"He carried you into the bedroom, bridal style, and tucked you in." Kensi was smiling from ear to ear as she spoke.
"No way." Deeks shook his head. He so would have remembered something like that happening.
Kensi retrieved her phone and was tapping at the screen. "Yes way. I have pix and video. So does Callen." She turned the phone so Deeks could see the screen. Yep. There Sam was, carrying him into the bedroom.
Deeks buried his face in his hands, groaning. "Oh my god! My life is over!" He was being overly dramatic for effect, but the sentiment remained. The others had blackmail on him for life. Maybe he should reconsider being the LAPD liason for NCIS.
"Pretty much over," Kensi agreed, laughing. But then she grew serious, giving him the once over. "You feeling okay?"
"I'm good." Deeks felt like crap and he felt the weight of Jess Traynor's death heavy on his shoulders, along with Frank Scarli's betrayal. But he would pack it all away in a box and bury it. Just like he always did. Life went on...and on and on.
Kensi nodded, looking like she might argue for a minute, but instead she asked, "You hungry?"
Deeks nodded. "I could eat."
"I know a great donut shop." Kensi waggled her eyebrows at him.
"Why does that not surprise me?" Deeks chuckled, then headed back into the bedroom for his gun and keys, only to remember his car was still at the mission. As he returned to the livingroom he asked, "Hetty isn't going to yell at me for showing up to work today, is she?" Deeks, under duress, would totally admit that the tiny woman scared the hell out of him.
Kensi shook her head. "Nope. She said to bring you because she knew you wouldn't stay home and at least that way she could keep an eye on you."
Deeks winced. "Should that worry me?"
"Probably." Kensi clapped him on the shoulder as they headed for the front door. "Just be forewarned that you will be chained to your desk today doing piles of paper work."
"How could I have paperwork?" Deeks protested. "I haven't been there for months."
Kensi shrugged. "Hetty loves paperwork. Just saying." She led the way to her SUV and as they buckled up she announced. "You're buying."
Scowling, Deeks reminded her, "I bought yesterday."
"Your point being?" Kensi was laughing as she pulled out of the driveway.
"Touche," he countered, as he reached for the radio. Only to have his hand slapped.
Kensi glared at him. "My car, my tunes."
Deeks thought about arguing the point, if only for the amusement factor, but decided it really didn't matter. Today was the start of a new day and a new job and he was happy to be alive. "Whatever you say, partner," he drawled. And Kensi's answering smile made him feel like it was going to be a good day.
THE END