THE FIRST

If one of his neighbors had happened to see her as she struggled to climb the stairs to his apartment, they might have considered calling the cops.

Levering herself out of her car had taken effort and concentration. The pain had been dull as she was driving, but the transfer to standing had caused it to rocket right back to stabbing. Walking wasn't too bad; she could go very slowly and carefully favor her right side. The bag she carried did not pose any problems either- until she reached the stairs.

She would have been horrified if anyone had been watching as she paused and looked up at a very average flight of stairs, then had to rest before she could convince herself to move. Our natural response to a challenge is to stand up straight and take a deep breath before we begin. Big mistake. The simple act of drawing in air sent a jolt of pain through her that triggered a whimper she hardly recognized as coming from her own mouth.

"Damn."

Kensi had definitely had a rough day. Getting shot was bad enough. Chasing bad guys, beating up a man twice her size, all with cracked ribs that got sorer with each of her activities – those were pretty bad too. Top that with a hand-to-hand battle with the man who had killed her father and the gash he had given her with his knife– well, bad doesn't really describe it. The frosting on her difficult day had been the time she spent with her mother but at least that part had been good.

When Kensi left her mother's lovely home, she looked like she had been part of a colossal train wreck. They had spent a couple of hours catching up. There was a great deal of talking and there had been many, many tears. Kensi could not remember a single time in her life when she had cried so much and for so long. Her eyes and nose were red, there were dark rings under her eyes, and her hair had long ago come loose from its signature ponytail.

So, as she slowly climbed the last barrier that stood between her and her partner, she might easily have been mistaken for someone on the wrong side of the law.

The first two thirds of the stairs she had managed with grit and pure grunt. Each step was amazingly painful and the turtle tempo she had set was making her crazy. Then, bad got worse when she tried for the next step with her right foot and couldn't get it to swing high enough to make the tread.

"Damn."

Pausing to rest, she counted the remaining steps. Seven.

"I can make seven steps," she huffed out between clenched teeth.

Her right side was the most seriously injured and the weakest. Shaking her head with disbelief that she, Kensi Blye, could be forced to bend this low, she took a step with her left foot and then, like a small child just learning to climb stairs, adjusted so she could make the next step with her left foot as well. In this manner she completed another five steps.

Frustration was eating at her ability to stay focused. She just wanted to be at the top of the stairs and close enough to let her partner help her make sense of this day like only he could. Setting her jaw one more time she swung her left foot and hissed in pain when it hit and bounced back.

"Oh, Damn!"

Kensi stood very still with her eyes squeezed shut until the flash of pain faded back to the dull ache she had adjusted to. She leaned against the railing for a moment before letting her shoulders droop. The decision had been made. She reached carefully into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. With a single push of a button she threw away the last layer of vanity and pride that she had tried so hard to keep.

"Hey."

"Hey back."

"Kensi?" His voice had gone from fond and curious to serious in just two words. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

While he spoke Deeks stood quickly, grabbed and stowed his gun, picked up his keys and headed for the door. Wherever she was, his partner sounded awful and he was sure that in some form or another she needed him. He was on his way, knowing the details could wait.

He continued to shoot questions at her, not really leaving her time to answer. He left his apartment and quickly covered the short distance to the stairs. He caught the edge of the doorway ready to swing himself around and begin his typical pounding descent- but jerked himself to a stop just in time to avoid slamming into her.

"Kensi."

Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye had been through a lot together. He had seen her at her best; taking down bad guys with weapons, with her hands, with her wit and with just her beauty. He had seen her in some very low moments; when she thought he had been fired, when she thought she had failed in her duties and when she thought she would always have to fight her battles alone, but nothing had prepared him for the forlorn, exhausted and thoroughly spent woman standing before him.

He couldn't help but feel an instant thrill in the pit of his stomach when he met her gaze. He knew at once that coming here had cost her a great deal. He was touched and honored and amazed that she was standing two steps down from the level of his apartment, waiting for him to …

"Kensi, what happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah Deeks, I always get stuck on the stairs and can't make it to the top."

Her words sounded like their usual banter but the way she returned his gaze was deeper and more open than he had ever seen from her. Her voice was dark with the weight of the day but as he watched, a tiny lift of her lips and a slight relaxation of her shoulders told him she was glad to be there – with him.

When he could finally untangle his gaze from hers, Marty's eyes swept over her and it took firm control on his part to not let her see his concern over her appearance. Wanting only to pull her into his arms and hold her tightly, he forced himself to lean causally against the wall instead.

"So, how was your day?"

She recognized the question for what it was, a small bit of humor to lighten the circumstances. It was his way of giving her just a little time and space, and she knew it was taking all his will power to do it.

"Hmm. Just okay, I guess." She was trying to play along but speaking caused her to bend forward slightly with a grimace.

Without hesitation, Deeks was at her side. He started to take the bag from her hands but she gave him a nearly undetectable headshake. He helped her move a short distance away from the wall and slipped into the space on her left side.

"Put your arm around my neck Princess, I know you want to." His voice was teasing but the expression on his face was anything but.

"Okay, you ready?" At her nod he bent his knees until his hip was even with hers, wrapped his arm around her hips, pulled her into his body and simply walked up the two remaining steps.

"Easy for you to say," she said ruefully after she was able to speak through the pain.

The remaining distance to his apartment was accomplished without further fanfare. Once she had passed slowly through the door, Marty closed and locked it. He tried once again to take the bag from her but she wouldn't let go until she was standing next to the couch.

"Sit down, Kens. I'll get some ice."

Kensi slowly set the bag on the coffee table and it made the familiar sound of bottles clanking softly together. She pulled her jacket off one shoulder and was trying to get it to slide down her other arm when he returned from the kitchen. Without any of his usual teasing he helped her slide off her coat and then held out both hands so she would have something to hang onto as she lowered herself onto the couch with a groan.

Standing in front of her, Marty hesitated. Thinking logistically, and for once without ulterior motives (almost), he considered the best way to move forward. Kensi needed ice on her ribs and trying to hold it herself would be difficult and probably painful. He tried to be completely businesslike when he spoke next.

"Do you want me to sit next to you and hold the ice, or get a towel and wrap it so it stays on?"

Kensi closed her eyes for a moment and Deeks was very still as he waited her out. He knew she hated any sign of weakness and was trying his best to give her space and a semblance of dignity.

Finally, Kensi opened her eyes and gave him a tiny and weak, but earth shattering smile. "You can hold it."

Deeks couldn't help the ear-to-ear grin that split his face. He paused, still smiling, trying to make sure there was nothing else she would need before he sat down, knowing that the settling in would probably cause her some discomfort. He disappeared briefly into the bedroom and returned with pillows and blankets. Setting them near the couch, he looked at her carefully. "Are you hungry? Do need to take anything for the pain?" Do you need anything at all?"

Kensi wouldn't admit it yet, but her partner's need to take care of her both frightened her and gave her a happy ache in her chest. As she watched him move around trying to do anything and everything he could for her, she felt surrounded by his concern and affection. And it felt really good.

She patted the couch next to her and gave him a tired but very genuine smile. "No, all I need is you sitting next to me." It should have spooked her to say the words out loud, but she didn't have the energy to care. "Oh, and the beer," she added pointing to the mysterious brown bag on the coffee table. "I guess this is the first installment in repaying you for what you did today."

He could have argued and said he'd been kidding about the beer a day for the rest of his life. But he kind of liked all the possibilities that went with that promise. Especially since it implied that they would have to see each other daily. Forever.

So, he just smiled and opened the two bottles before carefully lowering himself down beside her on her left side. He handed her a beer, picked up the second one and the ice pack.

"Lean forward."

When she complied, he put his arm around her and gently slid the ice pack into place against her side. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips but after a moment was able to relax slightly. She repositioned herself and leaned into his shoulder with a sigh.

Marty Deeks looked down at the disheveled, bruised and beautiful woman leaning against him like it was the most natural thing in the world, and smiled. Holding out the base of his bottle toward her at an angle, he copied their toasting motion from ages ago when she had also been injured and he had also come to her aid.

Kensi met his eyes without hesitation as they clinked their bottles together, took a deep pull of the beer and closed her eyes.

Deeks tried not to jostle her by laughing, so he only grinned when he heard her sleepy voice in his ear. "The perfect ending to a perfect day."

Just a tiny story that wouldn't leave me alone. I do love happy Kensi and Deeks moments. A review would make me smile! Thanks for reading.