When he walked into the hospital room that night he could immediately tell she was hiding something. To the outsider she probably looked fairly nonchalant. She could have probably even fooled Callen and Sam with that poker face of hers but not him.

He let it be for the moment, greeted her with a kiss and sat by her hip on the bed. He told her about his day, how Callen and Sam had wound up playing another game of one-on-one basketball and that without her there to team up with and challenge the partners, things had gotten ugly.

"When it became clear after almost 2 hours that neither of them was going to be able to get enough of a lead to win, it got ugly. The knives came out."

"The electric shock ones?"

"Torture devices more like. We only got them to stop when Hetty stepped in and offered to be the tiebreaker. Both of them backed down from that challenge."

Kensi laughed and leaned forward into Deeks.

"Smart boys."

"Speaking of smart, I know you think you're being real coy over there. Want to tell me what's up?"

"What makes you think something's up? Why would anything be up?" Kensi tried to deflect, already knowing that it was probably futile.

"Well, it must be something good. You've been trying to pull this poker face since I arrived Kens. You can hide from everyone else, but you can't hide from me." Deeks leaned forward and gently poked her in the side as he parroted her own words from years ago back at her.

Kensi shift back in the bed to avoid his prods but she could no longer contain the smile that had been threatening to break out since she'd finished therapy this afternoon.

"Go stand over in the far corner." Kensi motioned with her head to the one furtherest from her bed.

"What? Why? Am I being punished for something? Because I have to be honest with you, I don't know that I've done anything worthy of a time out. A spanking maybe…"

Kensi scrunched up her nose but laughed. "Just do it, okay?"

"Okay, but I still think I at least deserve to know what I'm being punished for."

"Shut up Deeks. I need to focus."

By the time Deeks reached the corner and had turned back around, Kensi was sitting with her feet dangling off the bed and was using her good hand to push herself forward.

"Woah, Kens. Let me help." Deeks made a move to step towards her but Kensi stilled him with a look.

"Just, stay there and be ready to catch me when I get to you, okay?"

"Okay."

Deeks watched with amazement and pride as she pushed herself fully off the bed and onto her feet. She still gripped at the bed tightly, finding her balance, and then she turned to face him. Deeks was torn between pride and concern, knowing she needed to do this for herself but also wanting to help. The strain on her face made it clear the amount of energy and effort this cost her but step by small step she inched closer towards him.

It took almost thirty seconds for Kensi to cross the 8 feet between herself and her boyfriend but his arms were outstretched as she took the last step and she gratefully fell into them, leaning against him for support.

"You can walk." Deeks marvelled, pulling her tighter against him and wrapping his arms all the way around her. He pressed his face into her hair and kissed her head.

"I can walk." Kensi grinned proudly into Deeks's neck. Using his firm grasp on her to keep her upright, she leaned back until she could look at him. Her good hand came up to his hair and she pulled him down to her lips.

When they pulled apart, Deeks leant his forehead against hers.

"I love you and I'm so proud of you," he whispered into the space between them.

"I love you too." Kensi grinned up at him, proud of her own achievements and excited to finally share them with her partner. "Help me back to the bed?"

Deeks moved to lift her but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"No, just, hold my hand?"

He gripped her right hand an relished in how normal it felt to walk hand and hand with his girlfriend, even if she was leaning against him a little more than normal.

They sat her back down and she hoisted her legs up onto the bed as Deeks moved to sit on his couch.

"No, wait. Lay with me? Today's a good day, I want you here."

"I'm always here Kens, good day or bad."

Kensi huffed out a breath.

"I know, just, come up here and cuddle with me. Celebrate until we can really celebrate." She raised her eyebrows suggestively and Deeks laughed but climbed onto the bed, facing her. He slung an arm over her waist and brought the other up to play with the fingers of her hand between them.

"I know that you have faith in me, that you think I'm going to be fine and that everything will be okay. And your blind optimism has been kind of annoying sometimes."

"Really? I hadn't realised." Deeks grinned back at her.

"Shut up." She squeezed his hand, "You've been saying all these wonderful things that have just sounded impossible to me and today… Today has been the first day I've been able to believe you. And I know I get mad and snap at you sometimes but thank you because I don't think I could've done this without you."

Deeks dropped Kensi's hand and reached a finger up to swipe at the tear trailing down her cheek.

"You're never going to have to do this without me Kens. I'll be here every step of the way."