A Budding Love NCIS LA Fanfic
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NCIS LA characters, or any of Shane Brennan's ideas.
A/N: This is a continuation from my other story, "New Beginnings" I hope you enjoy it, and I recommend that you read the other story first, so that this one might make more sense.
CHAPTER 1
Yes, the team at the OSP unit in Los Angeles, California had another case. It was barely four days since their last case with their new team member, Lara Baker.
The team all put down their bags, and headed upstairs, with Hetty slowly following up the rear.
The two geeks awaited them, ready to bring up any necessary info.
"What do you have for me?" Callen asked as he came through the doors into the OPS centre.
"I've got some witty comments and info on a dead Navy SEAL for you." Eric said as he got up off of his favourite chair.
Callen glared at him and answered, "I'll take the SEAL thanks."
"Right." Eric said as he turned back to the big screen, very disappointed that Callen didn't appreciate his joke.
"Our victim is twenty-seven year old Joshua De La Garza. He lives in an apartment in LA with his wife, and three year old daughter Haley. His body was found this morning in an alley way on Hollywood Boulevard." Eric said as he brought up some crime scene photos.
"Great, looks like we're going to Hollywood." Callen announced.
"But there is something weird." Nell added, "It looks like our guy Joshua was found in a popular place for dealing drugs."
"Well, was he using drugs?" Callen asked with a confused look on his face.
"The coroner says that he didn't find any traces of drugs in his system, but we're not 100% sure whether he used drugs or not." Nell added.
"Well then, I guess we'll have to go and talk to the wife about Mr De La Garza's reasons for being there." Callen said, as he turned to his team.
"OK, I've got to get used to this, so if I forget to mention you Lara please forgive me." Callen said.
"No problem Agent Callen." Lara replied with a little smile.
"Good. OK, so Lara and Deeks, you two will go to the crime scene, Sam and Kensi, you guys will come with me to question the wife." Callen said, looking at each person in turn as he did so.
"Cool." Deeks and Lara said in unison.
"Alright, let's head out team." Callen said as he led his team out the door.
"Agent Callen," Hetty began as she came in front of the group.
"Hopefully you don't have another person for me to look after?" Callen asked with one of his signature smirks.
"I was going to say be careful." Hetty said.
"Oh, thanks Hetty, we will." Callen said with a confused look on his face.
The petite woman gave a little smile, and headed towards her office.
The team headed for the garage, agreed on a rendezvous and went to their duties.
Deeks and Lara had just arrived at the crime scene. They'd shown their badges, and went over to some guys taking notes, and gathering evidence.
"Hey, you must be the new agent at NCIS." A brunette with brown eyes came over to the two.
"Yeah I'm Agent Lara Baker, and this is…" but Lara was interrupted.
"Oh, I know who he is. I work for LAPD. My name is Max." Max said as he kissed Lara's hand, which got a disapproving glair from Deeks.
"Uh, nice to meet you." Lara said, giving Max a sort of uncomfortable smile.
"What info do you have?" Deeks asked, he just wanted to get to the point.
"Well, we know that he was killed some time around ten o'clock last night." Max said looking at Lara the entire time, as if Deeks didn't even exist.
"Was anything missing?" Lara asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Not that we can tell. His wallet, car keys, and personal info such as ID were all still there." Max said as he glanced at the body next to him.
"Alright, well…" Lara began, but was interrupted by Deeks, who was now very eager to move on.
"We'll see you around." Deeks said, as he put a hand behind Lara's back, and led her towards the victim's car.
"See ya Marty, goodbye Lara." Max said smirking.
"Bye." Deeks and Lara said in unison.
"Thanks, kinda. He was starting to creep me out." Lara said to Deeks, with a disgusted look, as she remembered Max kissing her hand.
"No problem. I knew I never liked that guy." Deeks said.
The two were so engrossed in their conversation, that they didn't even realise that Deeks still had his hand on the small of Lara's back.
As they approached the car, a friend of Deeks' (one of the only ones at LAPD) said, "Hey Deeks, I see you already have a new girlfriend."
"What?" Lara and Deeks both asked at the same time, with a confused expression on their faces.
"Yeah, I just figured the way you two are walking together that you were dating." Dylan replied, he too now had a confused expression.
Lara and Deeks suddenly realised what he was talking about, and quickly jumped apart.
"No, we're just partners man." Deeks said, wishing that the smile on his face would disappear.
"Yeah, just partners." Lara said, feeling all the heat rush to her face. Ugh, why do you have to blush so easily? Lara thought.
"So what do you have for us Dylan?" Deeks asked as he came to stand next to his buddy.
"Well, I only just started searching the car, so not much yet." Dylan said, looking at Deeks, "But if you and your partner grab a pair of gloves you can help me look." Dylan added, making quotation marks with his fingers to emphasise the word partner.
Deeks looked at his buddy with a grin and went over to where Lara was standing to grab a pair of gloves from the kit.
"How do you know him, if you don't mind my asking?" Lara asked, as she took a pair of gloves from Deeks.
"Oh, Dylan? He's one of my only friends at LAPD." Deeks said as he put on his gloves.
"Oh." Lara said as she followed Deeks to the victim's car.
They opened the trunk, the bonnet, the cubby hole, and any other compartments in the car, and found… nothing.
"Well, I guess there's nothing here." Lara said as she leaned against the now closed bonnet of the car.
"Yup." Deeks said as he sat down next to her.
At that moment Lara's phone started ringing. She looked at the caller ID, it read, Agent Callen.
She picked up the phone and put it on loud speaker.
"Hey." She said.
"Hey." Came Callen's reply through the speakers of the phone.
"Did you guys get any new info?" Lara asked as she leaned in closer to the phone.
"No, apparently the husband didn't do drugs, but was assigned on an undercover case to try and stop some drug dealers." Callen said, a little out of breath at the end.
"And they found out who he was and took him out." Deeks said, making himself a part of this conversation.
"Maybe, but we don't know for sure." Callen replied.
"So basically we don't have any leads." Lara stated with a sigh.
"Yup." Deeks agreed, more to himself than with the group.
"So, did you guys find anything?" Callen asked, wondering how things had been going on Lara and Deeks' side.
"Well, not really. It looks like nothing was missing from the body." Lara said, as she repositioned her arm, so that holding the phone would be a little bit more comfortable.
"And we searched the entire car, and there was nothing there either." Deeks added, as he shifted a little closer to Lara's side.
"Well I guess we'll see you guys back at NCIS." Callen said.
"Yeah we'll see you at NCIS." Lara said as she hung up the phone, and gracefully hopped off of the bonnet of the victim's car.
Deeks, wasn't so graceful, he landed next to Lara with a thud.
They took off their rubber gloves, and headed over to Dylan.
"See ya man." Deeks said as he gave his friend a hi-five.
"Later dude and dude are you sure…" Dylan said gesturing towards Lara.
"Yes, we're just partners." Deeks said, now a little fed up with the topic.
"I'm just saying man, she's hot." Dylan said, trying to defend his cause.
"Yeah, well, she and I have shared a kiss, but…" Deeks began, but was interrupted by his buddy.
"What, dude, seriously?" Dylan asked with a surprised look on his face.
"Shh man!" Deeks began, trying to keep his friends voice down. "Yeah, but it was only to thank me for saving her life." Deeks added with a disappointed look on his face.
"Well, man if I know you, and I do, you have to ask her out." Dylan said, patting his buddy's shoulder.
"Yeah, well I'll tell you if I get that far, but she's kinda off limits." Deeks said, glancing at Lara for a brief moment.
"Whatever man," Dylan began, patting his buddy on the back. "See ya dude." He added formally shaking his friend's hand.
"See ya." Deeks said.
Deeks went over to Lara who was now leaning against the passenger side door.
"So, what were you guys talking about?" Lara asked now a little curious.
"Oh, nothing, just guy stuff." Deeks said, but he couldn't help the grin that spread across his features.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me." Lara said as she got into the car.
"Whatever." Deeks said with a smirk as he got into the driver's side of the car.