Densi prompt - Never Have I Ever
"How much longer do we have to wait?" Callen asked. He, Kensi, Deeks, and Sam were in the boat shed, talking with Eric through the monitor.
"Guys, this laptop is in pretty bad shape. These things take time. It's not like on TV shows where data is recovered instantly or test results come back in the blink of an eye."
"Well, we need that information before we can question our suspect, or else we have no leg to stand on."
"I promise, I'm working as fast as I can. I'll call you when I have something." Then the screen went blank.
Callen sighed. "I guess we'd better get comfortable. This could take awhile."
As they waited, Deeks started snooping and found a deck of cards and some chips. He convinced them to try a couple rounds of poker, but it didn't take long before they lost interest with the cards.
Kensi spoke up. "Let's play something else. How about Never Have I Ever?"
Deeks laughed. "In case you haven't noticed, Kens, we don't have any booze here... which is part of the reason we're so bored."
Kensi rolled her eyes. "We can play without drinking. Just give everyone five chips. Instead of taking a shot, you have to give up one of your chips. When they're gone, then you're out of the game."
"Wow. You must really be a hit at parties. The amazing Kensi Blye can turn any drinking game into a non-drinking game instantly! Let's try quarters with Kool-Aid next."
"Just shut up and pass out the chips."
As the game progressed, the four of them were pretty evenly matched. Sam had never been snowboarding. None of them had ever been to Iceland. Callen never had a tattoo. Kensi wasn't the only one who knew how to hot-wire a Cessna (apparently Callen was the one who taught her in the first place). Kensi managed to get all the guys to turn in a chip by saying that she's never been 32.
"Being the youngest has it's advantages."
"Yeah, yeah, we know you're proud of yourself for coming up with that one." Callen grumbled. It was his turn and he thought for a minute before he gave Sam a mischievous look.
"I don't like that look on your face, G. That look usually means trouble for me."
"I know this will get two of you. Never have I ever... been engaged."
Sam rolled his eyes and Kensi pouted as they each discarded another chip.
Surprisingly, Deeks threw a chip in the middle. The agents all had a look of confusion on their faces. Each of them wondered if they really saw what just happened.
"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Kensi was the first to regain the use of her voice. "You were engaged?!"
"Yes. Should I be insulted that you all look so shocked?"
"No, we're just wondering how you convinced another person that it would be a good idea to spend the rest of her life with you." Callen chuckled at his own joke.
"Very funny. I obviously didn't do a very good job of convincing her since it didn't actually work out."
Deeks was met with more silent stares.
"Is this really that hard for you guys to believe?"
Kensi answered. "I can't believe you never told me... I mean, us. That you never told us before."
"Well, we're not exactly four open books here. Kensi, you wouldn't have told us about Jack if it hadn't benefited the case we were working on at the time. Callen, you're so mysterious that you don't even know your own first name. And Sam, how many kids do you have again? Is it one, two, five?"
Sam threw his hands up. "Alright, fine. We get the point. There's a lot we don't know about each other. We obviously trust each other in dangerous situations and to have each others' backs. But I guess it's a different thing with more personal stuff."
Deeks smiled. "Does that mean you want to keep playing the game?"
"Uh... maybe we should check in with Eric. See how that laptop is coming along."
The laptop was finally fixed, they had the evidence they needed, their suspect confessed, and it was time to call it a day. Kensi was driving Deeks back to his apartment and things were strangely quiet between them. Finally, Kensi couldn't take it anymore.
"So, um, what happened with her? The girl you were going to marry."
Deeks brought his hand up to his face and then brought it back down. Kensi noticed he did this when he was nervous or when he was searching for the right words.
"Her name was Andrea. She was... she was great... We met our first year of law school. I knew right away that she was special. She was important. When I asked her to marry me, I couldn't even afford to buy her a ring, but she said yes anyway. After we graduated, our goals for the future kind of changed. For me, I hated the idea of working for some big firm and representing lowlifes who thought they could buy their way out of trouble. I wanted to settle in LA and be a public defender and help those who really needed it. Needless to say, there's not much opportunity or respect or money that comes along with that job."
"What happened?"
"She got a job offer in New York. It was an amazing opportunity for her. She just couldn't pass it up. She said she wanted me to go with her... but at that point we had already started drifting apart. We had spent so much time studying and working to become lawyers and then I was putting in long hours at my job. There was no big fight, no drama. We just grew apart."
"I'm sorry, Deeks."
"Don't be. I'm not."
Kensi pulled the SRX into his building's parking lot and then turned off the engine.
"So were you really that shocked that I was going to get married?"
"Yes."
Deeks laughed. "Thanks, partner."
"No, no, no, not like that. I was surprised because... when I first met you... you were always alone. You worked alone, you went undercover alone, you weren't that close to anyone. I just assumed that's the way you preferred it. You know, not to get too close to anyone."
"Why would anyone prefer to be alone?"
"Maybe it's easier to be alone than to risk being hurt."
"You know what? When Andrea and I broke up... it hurt. A lot. But I know without a doubt that I wouldn't trade our time together for anything. She made me a better person and some of the happiest times of my life were with her. Even though it hurt... it was worth it and I'll always be grateful for her being in my life."
Kensi stared at her hands in her lap. "I guess I never thought about it that way. I... I put a lot of effort into protecting myself. My dad. Jack. Dom. It sucks having someone taken from you... or when someone leaves. I've starting thinking that if you don't get too close, then it wouldn't be so difficult when you have to say good-bye."
"But then you could miss out on something great. Like with Jack... was it all bad? Was it all difficult?"
Kensi smiled. "No. I have a lot of very happy memories with him."
"And what if you put all this effort into protecting yourself... but it ends up happening anyway? What if you get close... get attached... get used to someone despite trying to keep your distance?"
She looked up and smiled at him. She wondered how he always did that. He had an amazing ability to see right through the walls she put up around herself. And now... he was making her question the reason for having them there in the first place.
She knew he was right (though she's rather give up rocky road ice cream for the rest of her life than admit that to him). She could make every possible effort to keep people at arms length... but she never expected to be partnered with this shaggy-haired detective. She never expected to trust him with her life. She never expected to come to enjoy his company. Without her even realizing it, he was breaking down her defenses... and she was beginning to think that maybe... that could be a good thing.
"Never have I ever had a partner like you."
He laughed. "Sorry, you don't win this round, because I've never had a partner like you either."
"Admit it. You liked my non-drinking drinking game."
"Yeah, I did. Though next time I get to learn one of your secrets."
"Okay, but there may have to be drinking involved."
He reached over and gently placed his hand on her forearm. He held it there and smiled at her. She was thankful for the dark, so he couldn't see the color rising in her face. Enjoying his touch was another thing that she never expected.
"See you tomorrow, Kens."
"Good night, Deeks."