Author's Note: English is not my first language; I'm Portuguese so please be patient with my bad writing. Please, let me know what you think.
She was still wearing the nurse clothes. She could smell hospital all over her. She hated hospitals, the smell of blood.
The three of them were making their way back to the station. The ride was silent. They were lost in their own thoughts and scaring theories of what could happen to their friend, Dom.
Kensi found herself trying to hold back the tears but it was impossible. She kept it silent wishing that neither Sam nor Callen would notice her. She looked outside watching the world pass by.
Callen looked through the rier view mirror and was able to see a tear fall down her cheek. He just wanted to tell Sam to stop the car and go to her side and hold her. He knew she would be the one taking this the hardest. Not because she was the girl of the team, but because she had related to Dom instantly. They were both rookies… he usually tended to forget that about her. She was so strong and fearless, a born operator. It was like she had always been there.
Sam saw his friend looking at Kensi and instantly knew that he was witnessing a side of G that was most of the time in hiding.
Callen was caught off guard when he realised he was being watched by his partner. Sam nodded showing that he knew what his friend was feeling. They were all very good friends but Callen and Kensi they were a whole another story. There were some strong feelings buried very deep that not even them had realised they existed yet. For Sam it was easier to see because he had the outside perspective.
Callen smiled, not knowing exactly what to do.
When they arrived Kensi started picking the stuff that had been thrown into the back seat next to her.
Sam took advantage of her not paying attention to them and run up to Callen that was already outside the SUV.
"Hey, G! You should talk to her…"
Callen looked at his friend smiling a bit, "I was just gonna do that."
"Yeah, right…I'm inside."
Callen opened the car's door and stood there watching Kensi moved frantically while collecting all the stuff that was left in the car including some of her clothes. She turned to get out and and instead of finding the cars door she bumped into Callen's body.
"Sorry" she mumbled while trying to get out of the car but being trapped by her partner, "Can I?"
"No" he whispered.
"Callen, please…Just let me go" she pleaded trying to disguise her shaky voice.
"I will" he held her in her place with his hands placed on her cold shoulders, "As long as you show me that you will be ok and that I can let you go home alone…"
She inhaled desperately, "I'm ok" she answered looking at him straight on the eyes but rapidly avoiding his face again.
Callen placed his hands on her knees that were now all so close to his thighs, "You know you can open up"
"Look who's talking…" she shot back ironically.
"What do you want me to say?! That I'm worried to death about all of this?!" he raised his voice, "He was my responsibility. You all are!"
She looked down not wanting to go down this road. She was too emotionally tired for this.
"We can all take care of ourselves. This is not your fault…" she told him.
"God! Your good! You just turned this conversation around!"
She couldn't help but smile and he smiled back at her. The look between them lasted a lot longer then it was supposed to.
"You're just too easy to trick…" she teased him and realising that his hands were still on her knees making her feel warmer and actually safer.
He nodded in agreement.
"You know… despite everything, you did a pretty good job today" she told him.
"Not good enough…"
"We can't win every single time. It's the fatal truth…"
"Yeah…" he eventually agreed.
"Don't go all wounded hero on me, Callen…" she pushed his buttons again, "It's enough I'm beating myself up…"
He looked at her showing how much he disagreed through his eyes and she understood but did not say anything else.
"Let's go" Callen finally said.
As he was turning to leave she held on to the last hand that left her knee. He instantly looked at her.
Without giving it much thought, Kensi moved forward and holding his face between her hands she crushed her lips to his. He responded to her kiss immediately not letting the shock take over him. His hands returned to her knees but this time made their way up to her thighs eventually resting on the small of her back. The kiss wasn't hasty; instead it was slow as they enjoyed each others lips. She needed this as much as he did. They were pulling strength from each other to face the days to come. This was probably a one time thing or maybe not, but one thing they were sure, it felt right.
When their lips separated, they were left breathless looking at each other. She was the first one to talk.
"Thank you…"
"No problem…"
The end