AN: Hey friends! This happened last night, really late, because I'm literally freaking out about the premiere. I know I'll probably be disappointed, but I really want Deeks to be upset about the fight. I mean, how childish are these (supposedly) grown women? Seriously…

Okay, rant mostly over. I'd like to thank Coastalreader for the idea and looking it over for me. And of course Fern, who's just there to tell me I'm not silly and it's a good story. I hope you all like it, and don't be afraid to leave a review

Blessings,

bookdiva

"What happened to your lip?"

That was the first thing out of his mouth when Kensi and Talia met Deeks again at the dock where, despite the high pressure situation Sam and Callen were still in, he stopped walking altogether, forcing her to stop as well.

"It's nothing," she said, turning her face away from Deeks. She pushed down a slight smile at the fact that he hadn't even noticed Talia's broken nose. "We need to keep moving. Sam and Callen don't have much time."

"Yeah, nothing," Talia snorted, bringing herself—and by extension her broken nose—to Deeks's attention.

Surprise, confusion, and understanding flickered across his face, until it landed on something that resembled annoyance. It was only present for a moment before his superior undercover skills covered it up, but Kensi wasn't fooled.

"Eric said the last transmission was only about a couple hundred yards from here, but it was headed due south. A helicopter is on its way here to pick us up."

Kensi nodded, but inside she couldn't help feeling ashamed. Deeks's shoulders were tense, his jaw was set, and his eyes had darkened—not in the way they did when he was overcome with desire, the way she'd once seen them—indicating that he was much more than annoyed.

"How much time've we got?" Talia's voice dragged Kensi out of her thoughts.

"Three minutes and counting down," Deeks replied stiffly. Kensi and Talia both winced.

"Right… well I'll just… go, uh, update my handler," Talia said, slipping out her phone and walking out of hearing distance of the partners.

Kensi nodded, but Deeks didn't acknowledge her departure. He was staring out across the water, waves of tension rolling off of him. For a moment, Kensi just stood there in silence, staring up at him and hoping that her gaze would prompt him to speak. When it was clear that it wasn't going to work, Kensi spoke.

"Look, Deeks, I—"

"No," Deeks said shortly. "Just… no."

Kensi's mouth fell open in surprise, but then it closed just as quickly. She winced at both movements, and Deeks sighed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, finally looking down at her. Half of her wanted to hide from his probing gaze, but the other half of her was ready to dive in head first, the threat of drowning be damned.

"I'm fine," she managed, not breaking eye contact with him. He just scoffed.

"Right. Just… just tell me…" he trailed off.

"What?" Kensi asked, ignoring how desperate she sounded. "Whatever it is, I'll tell you."

"Who threw the first punch?" he asked. His tone was a mixture of annoyance, anger, frustration, and determination, like he couldn't decide if he should be angry with her or defending her honor.

"Technically she did," Kensi said hesitantly. Deeks's eyes narrowed.

"Technically?" he demanded, and Kensi sighed. She'd hoped he'd miss that detail, but she'd also known better.

"I may have head-butted her first…" Kensi mumbled sheepishly, breaking eye contact and looking down at her feet. The next moment was filled with tense silence, and then a sharp, humorless laugh from Deeks caused Kensi's head to snap up. It wasn't a sound she had ever wanted to hear from her partner ever again, as it reminded her of the place he'd been in after Siderov… and the torture.

"Right," he said stiffly. "I won't even ask what the hell you were thinking," he continued. "Clearly you don't trust me."

She opened her mouth—to refute his claim, or reassure him that there was no one else that she trusted over him, she didn't know—when Talia's voice interrupted.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

"Yes," Kensi said, at the same time that Deeks said, "No."

"Okaaay…" Talia said, dragging out the word and glancing back and forth between Kensi and Deeks. Kensi sent her a glare, and she wisely chose to move on. "Right. Well, I just talked with my supervisor. I'm to stay here and work leads from the ground while you two are in the air. So, good luck, and I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Okay," Kensi said. Deeks just nodded, and Talia walked away.

Kensi turned, determinedly intent on continuing their conversation—and reassuring Deeks that she still trusted him beyond measure—but the sounds of an approaching helicopter cut her off before she'd even begun.

Everything from that point had to be full speed ahead and full attention on the case—Sam and Callen's very lives depended on it. But Kensi vowed in that moment that no matter what, Deeks had to know that she trusted him.

"Well that was one hell of a day," Callen said as the team and Talia gathered back at the boat shed—the long case and following debrief finally over. Sam just snorted.

"That's one way to put it," the SEAL chuckled, shaking his head.

"So who's up for a round of drinks? I'm buyin'," Talia said, shimmying in next to Sam on Deeks's other side.

"Sure," Callen said, his shrugging shoulders saying he had nothing better to do.

"I'm up for one round," Sam agreed.

Not wanting to sound like a bitch—and remembering her vow from earlier—Kensi took a deep breath.

"Yeah that sounds great," she managed. At her reply, four sets of eyes turned to Deeks, who up to that point had been uncharacteristically silent.

He avoided eye contact with all of them, and Kensi saw Sam shoot her a concerned look. She just shook her head succinctly and turned her body directly toward her partner.

"How 'bout it, partner?" she said in the most light-hearted tone she could manage. "You up for some drinks?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Kensi shivered involuntarily as she remembered the one night when she'd gotten to run her fingers through his hair endlessly. She quickly struggled to shake off the desire that washed over her.

"Sure," he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders and wincing, most likely out of soreness from her not-so-gentle punches. She stamped down a wave of guilt.

"Awesome!" Talia said. She named a bar not too far from the boatshed, and the team agreed to meet her there. Sam and Callen headed out the door, bickering back and forth almost as if nothing unusual had happened that day.

After a long, tense moment, Talia said something about meeting them at the bar and strode confidently out the door, chuckling as she went. Deeks made to follow her, but Kensi caught him gently by the arm.

"You were right," Kensi said when Talia was finally out of hearing range. Deeks tensed up, causing Kensi to release his arm. He spun around, surprise in his eyes but still no hint of a smile on his face. His eyes seemed almost sadder, if that were possible.

"I mean, you were wrong," Kensi hastened to clarify, thinking of him saying that she didn't trust him, "but you were also right. I thought this conversation might go better if I started off with 'you were right'."

"Admittedly not words I hear often," Deeks said with a shrug. "Especially from you."

"Yeah, well, that's probably because most of the time, I'm right and you're wrong." Deeks let out another laugh, but this one had at least some trace of humor in it. "You were wrong when you said that I don't trust you."

Deeks started to protest, but Kensi held up her hand and cut him off.

"Please just let me… communicate. Okay?" she said and pleaded with her eyes. He nodded, so she continued, "I told you on my dad's case, but I'll tell you again now. You're the only one I trusted then. You were the only one I trusted to take care of my mom. And you're the only one I trust now."

She ignored the tear that slipped down her cheek when she saw that Deeks's eyes were glassier than usual. She took a deep breath and plunged on.

"But you were right. I was acting like I didn't trust you. And you don't deserve that." She shook her head and continued. "You said you'd wait, and I know you never break a promise."

"I'd never—"

"I know that," she said, cutting him off. She had to finish this. "I know that. But I guess, well… I let my insecurities about what we are right now overtake me. I was terrified and jealous, and… well, I didn't have any right to be. I'm sorry."

"You… you do?" he finally asked, and the tentative, strained, almost vulnerable notes in his voice ripped at her heart. "You really trust me? Even after… after everything that I've…" he trailed off, unable to continue. He shook his head.

"You probably shouldn't trust me, Kens," he finally choked out. All of his previous anger was gone, but Kensi wished she could trade whatever this new emotion was for that anger. At least then he hadn't seemed to be in so much pain.

"If anyone has a license not to trust someone, it should be you," she whispered. But he heard her, and his head snapped up. "I put you in that situation. It wasn't your fault—it was mine."

"No," Deeks said fiercely. "I do not think it was your fault."

"And I don't think it was YOUR fault, Deeks," Kensi shouted back, equally fierce. "Don't you see? Neither one of us thinks that the other is at fault. And do you know why that is?"

Deeks just clenched his jaw and shook his head.

"Because we trust each other," she whispered, stepping so close to him that it would take nothing at all for her to just kiss him. Well, nothing but the nerve, anyway. Another tear slipped down her cheek. "I trust you with everything, Deeks. Everything. It's yours for the taking."

He shook his head, clearly fighting against his emotions, and Kensi felt a flash of fear that he would push her away again. That fear vanished, however, when he pulled her in close, wrapping his arms around her lean, slightly shaking frame and hugging her tight. It wasn't quite the kiss that she'd been hoping for, but it felt so right to be in his arms that she was nowhere near complaining.

"We're going to figure this out, Deeks," Kensi whispered in his ear.

She felt him nod against her cheek.

"We always do," he whispered back.

Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review on your way out :)