A/N: I love musicals. I love them the most. And when I found out that Deeks loved musicals, well, if I wasn't already in love with him, that sealed the deal. Hence the inspiration for this story.

I wrote this story around Christmas thinking it was going to go a particular way and...then it just did its own thing. It has completely taken a life of its own and who am I to try and force it to be something it clearly doesn't want to be? The muse has spoken! I am thoroughly entertained by and it and I hope you are too!

Kensi woke slowly, stretching as she yawned. She blinked slowly and then frowned when she realized the left side of the bed was empty. Only the imprint of her partner's body remained in the sheets. She ran her hand over them. Cold. "Deeks?" she said softly.

Receiving no reply she slipped out of bed, her eyes searching the room for her sweatshirt. Pulling it on, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the living area of the cabin. The smell of bacon filled the air and she smiled as she walked toward the kitchen. "Good morning."

Deeks turned, apron strings flailing, an oven mitt on one hand, a spatula in the other. "Morning Sunshine! Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she replied. "Are you making me pancakes?"

"Absolutely," he told her. "With chocolate chips as per usual."

"You are my favorite," she snagged a piece of bacon off a plate on the counter and kissed him before sitting down on one of the barstools. "So what's the plan for today? Skiing? Snowboarding?"

"Well, it is Christmas."

"I told you two days ago that naked hot tub time is not happening for you."

"Oh it's happening," he told her with a grin. "But how about today we go to a movie?"

"A movie?"

"Big screen, popcorn, lots of dark seats to make out in…"

"I know what a movie is Deeks," she told him as he began sliding pancakes out of the pan and onto a plate.

"You love movies," he told her, joining her at the table.

"We have movie theaters in LA. It's a little harder to find snow."

"There's time for that later. It's Christmas. We should do something special."

Kensi took a bite of her breakfast. "And a movie is special?"

"Come on Kensalina."

"Okay, fine. Did you have one in mind?"

"Uh, yeah, I mean, there are a couple but there's this one called Into the Woods that looks good." Deeks suddenly seemed very busy pouring syrup on his pancakes.

His partner frowned. "I've never heard of it."

"Yeah, well, it just came out today," Deeks told her. "This maple syrup is the real deal, look at that."

"What's it about?"

"What's what about?"

"The movie Deeks. What's the movie about?"

"Oh it's uh, these people, they have to go into these woods, really dangerous woods, and survive, kind of a horror type thing," he said vaguely.

"It doesn't sound very Christmas-y," Kensi observed.

"I made you pancakes," Deeks pointed out.

"Touche. Horror film it is," she told him.

Deeks grinned. "Great."

They pulled up to the theater and Kensi headed for the ticket line. "Whoa, hey, yeah," Deeks snagged her arm. "I already bought tickets."

"Okay, let's go to the machine then." Kensi changed direction and Deeks caught her a second time.

"They're on my phone," he told her. "We can go right to our seats."

"Wait! I want popcorn," Kensi told him.

"You'll spoil your dinner." Deeks tried to steer her toward the ticket taker.

"When have I ever spoiled my dinner?" Kensi asked, pulling away. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "I'm good. If you want popcorn let's get popcorn."

It turned out she wanted not only popcorn, but also a blue raspberry slushie, milks duds, and a box of sourpatch kids.

"Your bladder is never going to hold that slushie," Deeks told her as they got settled in their seats. "I know you. Your bladder is tiny."

"You're just jealous because you didn't get one," she teased as she sipped the frosty blue beverage.

"Yeah, no, I like my tongue the color nature made it thank you," he told her as he shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Kensi stuck her now blue tongue out at him playfully and then looked around the theater. She wrinkled her forehead. "There are a lot of little kids in here. Didn't you say this was a horror movie?"

Deeks choked on his popcorn. "Uh, yeah, it's a sort of scary type, survival film," he cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Who brings their six year old to a movie like that?" Kensi asked.

"Yeah poor parenting," Deeks agreed, shoving another handful of popcorn into his mouth and refusing to make eye contact.

"Okay," Kensi's eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"

"Hm? Nothing," Deeks said innocently. "Milk duds?"

A group of laughing teenagers walked by, one of them singing a tune Kensi didn't recognize. At least two of them were wearing the same t-shirt and Kensi leaned forward to read them as they sat down two rows in front. Brookdale High School. Grease. March 2014.

Kensi turned slowly to face her partner. "Deeks," her eyes flashed dangerously, "Is this a musical?"

"What? No! Of course not! I mean, there may be a musical element to its…"

"Deeks!" Kensi's volume rose. "You promised me no more musicals after I went with you to see Hair!"

"Technically I think what I said was no more musicals with naked people," Deeks pointed out. "I can promise you that everyone will be clothed in this film."

"I cannot BELIEVE you! You know I DON'T LIKE MUSICALS. They are ridiculous, and unrealistic, and…and silly!"

"Not so loud," Deeks winced. "You're making the natives restless." He eyed the group of teens who had turned around were glaring at them.

"I don't care about the natives!" Kensi hissed. "I care about that fact that you lied to me on Christmas!"

"I didn't lie! I just…omitted some details," he said. "Meryl is playing the witch."

"I don't care if Meryl is playing God. I. DON'T. LIKE. MUSICALS."

"Hey!" one of the theatre boys was on the attack. "Musical theatre is a true American art form. It is an expression of love, and passion. Without theatre we have nothing."

"Okay look Bernardo," Deeks glared at him. "No one's looking to start a rumble here. Just sit back down and play it cool, boy. That's right, put those jazz hands away."

The teen did so but immediately leaned over and began whispering to his friends, shooting occasional glares in their direction.

"I told you not to rile the natives!" Deeks told his partner. "Now they're all going to start thinking they're Jack Kelly and Elphaba!"

"I don't know what you're saying!" Kensi cried. "I don't speak musical!"

"Look, you need to calm down or they're going to start—"

"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men."

"Singing," Deeks sighed.

"Oh my god. What's happening?" Kensi asked as the group of teens stood and turned to face them, singing with gusto.

"Oh you did it now," Deeks said, settling back in his seat and putting his hands behind his head. "You can't stop them once they get started."

As Kensi watched the teens began doing an odd marching step while other theater goers began to join the singing or start videoing the spectacle. "When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums…"

"Deeks, Deeks, I don't like it," Kensi gripped his arm as the boy who'd cried outrage at her earlier comments leapt up onto a chair, his fist going into the air.

"Oh my god!" Kensi tried to hold in her horrified laughter. "Oh no. No I can't."

"Sir!" a gangly, young theater employee ran into the room. "Sir you need to get down! Our seats are not meant for standing!"

"Pulitzer and Hearst they think we're nothin'! Are we nothin'?"

"NO!" the movie-goers cried.

"Sir you need to get down!" the employee cried desperately. "I'm going to call security!"

"AND THE WORLD WILL KNOW! And the Journal too!" the kids belted.

"I'm getting the manager!" the theater employee yelled, running back out the door.

"I told you. You just gotta let it run its course," Deeks muttered.

"I'm going to murder you," Kensi snarled.

"And the world will know that we've been here!"

"Okay, that's enough," a manager came through the doors, followed by several other theaters employees. "This needs to stop right now."

One of the girls spun to look at him, her finger pointing at his chest. "You can't stop an avalanche as it races down the hill."

"Oh yes I can," he told her. "You have two choices. Sit down and be quiet or take Footloose somewhere else."

The teens grumbled but slowly began to move back to their seats as the rest of the audience returned to their business.

"What…just happened?" Kensi asked slowly.

"You're experiencing musical theatre shock," Deeks told her. "It'll wear off in a minute."

"That was…are all theatre people like that?"

"Pretty much," Deeks admitted. "They have their own special brand of crazy."

"Yeah…wow," Kensi shook her head.

"I'm sorry," Deeks told her. "I should have told you about the movie. I just…wanted to see it with you. I figured you'd say no."

Kensi snorted. "Ha! You got that right!"

"We can leave," he offered. "See if there's something else."

She looked at him and saw the sadness in his eyes. "No…it's okay," she sighed. "Let's stay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. One musical won't kill me. But this is it."

The lights dimmed. "Once upon a time…"

Kensi settled back into her seat and shook half a dozen milk duds into her hand, determined to enjoy the chocolate even if the movie was crap. Characters appeared on screen, vocalizing their tales of woe.

To her amazement, the longer Kensi watched, the more she began to find herself wrapped up in the story. The music was actually pretty catchy and the characters were interesting, flawed, more realistic than she would have expected from a Disney movie.

"No one is alone."

Kensi felt Deeks move like he was going to take her hand and then think better of it. Something warm welled up inside of her as the four characters sang together and she felt unbidden tears begin to prick her eyes.

She snuck a glance at Deeks whose eyes were also suspiciously moist. She understood now. Understood why he loved musicals so much, why he wanted her to watch with him. Because underneath the ridiculousness of it all; the costumes, the dancing, the spectacle; was something deep. Something real.

She felt Deeks turn and look at her and she quickly wiped her eyes.

"Are you crying?" Deeks whispered incredulously.

"No!" Kensi replied quickly, "no, I have something in my eye."

"You are, you're crying," he said triumphantly.

"I'm not crying, you're the one crying!"

"I'm not crying!"

She hit him, hard, and he grunted. "Well now I am!"

"Shh!" Two of the teenagers had turned around and were glaring at them.

"Now you've got the natives riled up again," Deeks hissed.

"Shut up!"

"I wish."

The lights came up and people began moving out of the theater. Three of the teens were crying, while two more began an in depth discussion of the similarities and differences between the movie and the original Broadway production.

"So…" Deeks said slowly, not looking at his partner as he tried to subtly wipe at his eyes.

"So…" Kensi replied, also avoiding eye contact.

"We should uh, we should go."

"Yeah."

Kensi helped him collect their garbage and they exited the theater. "What did you think?" Deeks finally asked when they got into the car.

"It was uh…it was fine," Kensi told him.

"Fine?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah, I mean…Meryl Streep…obviously. She's always good."

"Obviously."

"And the other people. I mean they sang. And did all that other stuff. And it was fine. For a musical."

Deeks looked over at her and grinned. "You liked it."

"What? No! I mean the quality, especially for Disney, and…" Kensi tried not to smile as she fumbled over her words. "Okay! I liked it!"

"Ha! Yes!"

"But don't you dare rub it in my face or we will never see another one again," she warned.

"Fine. Done." Deeks was smiling from ear to ear.

"Deeks…"

"I'm not saying anything!"

"But you're thinking it."

"What I can't think anymore?"

Kensi glared at him but he could see a smile behind her eyes. He started the car. "Fine! I won't think."

"Good," she sat back with a smug smile.

"So, if you could have one wish, what would it be?" Deeks asked as he drove.

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"Pizza."

"Seriously? You get one wish and you're going to waste it on pizza? You just ate enough to feed a small country."

"I like pizza. It has all my favorite things in it."

"Pizza. Really?"

"Hey, it's my wish. I get whatever I want."

"Okay. Fine. Pizza it is then. Just don't come crying to me when you're hunger is taken care of and you realize what you really wanted was a million dollars and your own private island." Deeks pulled into the driveway of their vacation cabin and put the car into park.

"I won't say a word," she promised. "So. What about you? If you had one wish, what would it be?"

"Me?"

"Yeah you Mr. Theatre Enthusiast. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

Deeks looked over at her and then away. "I uh, I don't need a wish."

Kensi raised her eyebrows. "Really? No private jet? No mansion in Malibu?"

"Ha," Deeks laughed. "No." He looked directly into her eyes. "My wish is you."

Kensi's breath caught. "Oh."

"Yeah," Deeks blew out a breath and scratched his head. "Sorry, that was…"

"No," Kensi grabbed his hand. "No it's…it's good."

He quirked a smile. "Good."

"Deeks…" Kensi leaned over and kissed him, and he responded enthusiastically.

When they broke apart, Deeks sat back slightly winded. "You're just…you're really good at that," he told her.

She kissed him again, slowly. "Are you wishing you'd used your wish for naked hot tub time now?" she asked coyly.

Deeks grinned. "Absolutely."

A/N: I know. It's a little over the top. But also, theatre people do these things. I know. I am one of them. I hope you enjoyed! Please review if you have a moment!