A/N: I was very disappointed in the lack of Talia/Densi scenes a few weeks ago. I was so looking forward to a married Densi and a little Talia flirtatious banter in the mix. Therefore; this story popped into my head. Hope you enjoy. Reviews always appreciated. As always, I do not own any of the NCIS LA characters, etc...
"No, that's not happening!" Kensi shouted turning all heads towards the bullpen.
"Kens, your being..." Deeks paused.
"What! What am I being Deeks!"
"A little help here," Deeks looked to the other two men standing near their desks.
"Kensi, What Shaggy is trying to say is that you know this is part of the job. It would be the same if you were the one being sent undercover without him."
"It's not the same, Sam!"
"Kens," Callen started, receiving a deadly iced stare from the agent. Taking his life in his hands, he continued. "He's the only one that fits the bill."
"Why? Why is he the only one that fits the bill, Callen? Why not Sam?"
"Does Sam really look like the whipping boy husband type?" Callen pointed out, "and Me, well I'm not husband material at all."
"He's got a point, Sugarbear," Deeks threw in.
Kensi glared and pointed towards her husband, "you don't speak!"
"See, whipping boy," Sam shrugged hoping to lighten things up.
Callen spoke again risking life and limb to convince the highly wound agent, "Besides this is under LAPD jurisdiction right now, it's the perfect way to give us an in and keep him safe."
"He's right, Kens," Deeks muttered.
"No! I'm putting my foot down. I'll tell Hetty myself, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING," she emphasized her words.
As on cue, the operations manager, Henrietta Lange, walked in, slower in step, but as feisty as ever. "And what would you like to tell me Agent Blye."
"Deeks is not doing this Hetty. Things are different now and we should get a say on what we believe is safe enough or not!"
"Doesn't that mean I get a say then, Kensi," Deeks defied his wife.
"NO, because you think you're invincible and you are not."
"Agent Blye, the wheels are in motion. It should be a short easy mission."
"Which means it will be the exact opposite! But fine, then I will be going in as his wife."
"Kensi, you know that's not how this works. That's not an option." Deeks reminded his fuming princess.
"I'll keep him safe, princess," DEA Agent Talia DeCampo entered the bullpen.
"I bet you will. You've been chomping at the bits for this." Kensi rolled her eyes.
"I thought we were past this Kensi, I'm not here to poach your husband. I'm here for a job. We've been working this case for months and I finally got my in, a highly regarded Cartel Queen, with a cute little husband whose wrapped around my finger. I more than anyone, want to get in and out, closing this case with a nice little bow. To do that, I need your husband's help. I'm not gonna let anything happen to him. I know what's at stake."
Kensi felt defeated. She knew she had lost. She stormed out and headed to the gym without saying another word. She locked herself in the locker room dropping down in silent sobs.
Silence poured through the bullpen, until Talia spoke up. "I apologize if this is causing some upheaval in your team, Hetty."
"Agent Blye knows sometimes things have to move out of your comfort zone in our line of work. She'll calm down. It's just the initial shock my dear. Now, if you four will head up to Ops, Eric will brief you. Mr. Callen, please tell Miss Jones I would like a word with her."
Callen nodded as he trailed the team up the stairs. A few minutes later, Nell bounced down. "You wanted to see me, Hetty."
"Miss Jones, would you mind checking on our dear Agent Blye. She could use a friend right now, and I'm afraid that's currently not me."
"Of course, where is she?"
"I believe she headed to the gym."
The gym was eerily silent, but the soft sound of attempted muffled cries was faint in the distance.
"Kens," Nell whispered against the locker room door upon finding it locked. "Kensi," she repeated.
"I don't wanna talk, Nell."
"Well, that's too bad, and I have been working on my lock picking, but busting down this door might be more impressive."
Nell could hear Kensi let out a sound between a laugh and a cry, followed by the sound of the door unlocking.
"Hey," Nell took her friend in her arms.
Kensi wiped her tears and moved to sit on the locker room bench. Nell settled herself on the spot next to her. They simply sat until Kensi decided to cut through the thick emptiness in the air.
"I only objected because things aren't the same as they used to be. I know he's capable Nell. I need to decide if this is what I want to continue doing. More and more, I think maybe it really is time to get out."
"That's only a choice you can make Kensi. When my mom was dying, I didn't know if I would come back. Something told me it wasn't time to leave. My job wasn't done. Doing this work helped me move on."
Five years ago, it seemed the team may have solved its last case together along with Harm and Mac. Upon there return from the mission events, each core began re-examining their priorities and where they needed to be in life. Special prosecutor Rogers turned out to be an ally indeed. He wanted to give the agent's time to come to a decision and hope he wasn't about to lose a team he'd grown to love. He along with Hetty's persistence, granted Eric a six month furlough to explore his opportunity in San Francisco, while Nell tended to her mother there. Her mother sadly lost her battle during those six months, leaving Nell devastated, but forcing her to realize she belonged in LA with her team.
Something changed in Kensi during their trip to Iraq. She came back withdrawn, almost reliving the year after her accident in Syria. Seeing her life flash before her eyes, expressing her love to her husband, in what she feared were their final moments, she lost herself. Rogers granted Deeks secret request, over a waffle stack at IHOP, to force Kensi into a medical leave of absence. Nightmares had returned and her focus was off, Deeks was worried about her safety and knew she needed time to sort through her feelings.
Callen cashed in his vacation time to find out what the hell happened to Anna and Joelle, while Sam enlisted agent Dechamps in carrying about daily duties, while ready to flee at any moment to help Callen, who insisted this was a lone Wolf operation, that was by no means dangerous, except perhaps to his heart.
Deeks continued his liaison duties, but on a limited basis, in order for him to help get Kensi back to herself. After a trying year, the team finally ended up back together, doing what they do best, fighting terrorists and saving the world day in and day out.
Nell continued, "You came back? Isn't this what you want?"
"I came back because I wasn't ready to leave. I was forced to leave. I almost lost Deeks in Iraq. Seeing his eyes, the fear when we were pinned down, thinking about carrying him through the desert in Mexico, thinking he was gonna die then with our last words being a fight, not sure if we were going to get married, almost dying in Syria the year before,, losing Michelle, it all was too much. It finally came to a head and blew like a flash bang. I guess I'm not as bad ass as every one thinks I am."
"I'm sorry? Didn't you hear all the words that trickled from that mouth of yours. Everything you've been through, everything we've been through as a family, without breaking, makes you totally badass. Even the best china cracks."
"Hmm, China, Hetty told me once I wasn't bone China," the brunette recalled. "When I was in Afghanistan, she asked how I was. I told her I was fine with my deflective word, and she said, My dear, bone China is fine, you are not bone China," Kensi grinned with her tear stained face.
"Sounds like Hetty."
"I'm not mad at her Nell, I'm mad at the situation."
"Is it because of Talia?"
"That doesn't make it easier, seeing how she likes to paw at my husband every chance she gets, but I trust Deeks. I would obviously feel better if it was he and I undercover. I don't even want to give her the chance to be under the covers with him!"
Nell giggled, "I'll make sure there's an extra sweep of the house for bugs. There is a set of rooms separated only by a Jack and Jill bathroom. One of the rooms is big enough for them to occupy as the master bedroom, giving Deeks the opportunity to have his own room, but quickly be in the master if needed. I don't foresee him needing to, but this way we are prepared. Feel better?"
"Yes..." Kensi paused, "no, not really. But it helps I guess."
"I'll take it, now let's get you back to ops so you can properly say goodbye to your husband."