Thanks to everyone who asked for a sequel to Just Partners. You guys are awesome! :)


He stepped off the plane and walked on American soil for the first time in almost two years.

After a debrief and a day off, he returned to work as usual.

Sabatino was assigned a case on his first day back to work. No rest for the wicked as Hetty would say. His superior informed him that this was a joint task force with his friends at thought of his promised dinner with Kensi Blye made him very glad to work with NCIS again, even if it meant dealing with her annoying and childish partner. He was told to meet the team at the crime scene, and when he arrived Marty Deeks was the first person he saw.

"Detective Deeks." He said extending his hand.

Deeks shook his hand, he was incredibly surprised to see him.

"Officer Sabatino. How was Afghanistan?"

"Cold. How's everything here?"

Deeks smiled. "Things are great."

It was then that Sabatino noticed the ring on Deeks' left hand.

"Did you get married?" Sabatino asked rather bluntly.

"Uh. Yeah I did. A couple months ago."

"You know, I didn't receive an invitation."

"Well, kinda hard to send you one when you're on a classified mission."

"Congratulations. It seems I missed a lot."

Deeks looked across the open field they were investigating at his wife.

"A lot can happen in a year."

"So your wife is cool with you having a female partner?"

Deeks was trying his best not to laugh. "Yeah. She doesn't have a problem with it."

Sabatino shook Deeks hand again. He really just wanted to get past him to Kensi.

"I'm going to go catch up with everyone else. Great seeing you again."

Deeks watched him walk away and head straight for Kensi who was trying to map out what happened and had her back to everyone else.

"This should be good." Deeks mumbled under his breath.

Sabatino walked up to Kensi.

"Agent Blye."

This was clearly someone who hadn't spoken to her in the last few months.

She didn't even turn around from her study of the footprints she had found to see who it was before she spoke.

"There is no Agent Blye anymore."

"Kensi?" Sabatino asked surprised.

Then she turned around.

"Sabatino?"

"Hey, Kensi." He pulled her in for a hug.

"Help." Kensi mouthed at Deeks. This whole thing was awkward.

Deeks just shook his head and mouthed "have fun." Sabatino pulled away.

"So how was Afghanistan?"

"Not the same without you."

Same old, overly flirty and borderline creepy, Sabatino.

"So how have you been?"

"I've been great. Really great."

"Wait. What do you mean there is no Agent Blye anymore?"

Kensi laughed. "I meant that my last name isn't Blye anymore." She held up her left hand to flash her wedding rings.

He was stunned into silence, but still didn't put the pieces together.

Sabatino took a few moments to recover. "So your last name isn't Blye anymore. What is it?"

"It's Deeks."

"Wow. Um. Yeah. Congrats. I'm happy for you guys." He hugged her again.

Across the field, Sam and Callen had joined Deeks in watching the exchange between Kensi and Sabatino.

"Sabatino's getting a little handsy with your wife over there, Deeks." Callen said.

"My wife can take care of herself, and she's probably really enjoying the look of horror on his face right now.

"Yeah, she definitely is." Sam said.

Sam and Callen walked away and got back to their investigation.

"So you actually married him?" Sabatino said, looking over his shoulder at Deeks.

"Yeah, I did."

Deeks face turned into a cheeky grin as he waved at Kensi and Sabatino.

"A lot can happen in a year." Kensi said and unknowingly mimicking her husband's words.

And this is the story of that year.