Title: Season Six Snippets

Chapter: Nowhere I'd Rather Be

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA or the characters.

Summary: This snippet takes place after 6x1 Deep Trouble Part 2. This is my interpretation of how the couch sleepovers started up again after Afghanistan.

Rating: T


Nowhere I'd Rather Be

"There are two beers left. Should we finish them off?" Kensi asks after the others have departed. She and Deeks had volunteered to clean up so Sam and Callen could head home to rest and take it easy.

"Sure," he responds. Then, after a pause, he checks, "you gonna be okay to drive?" He knows she's already had two beers plus a few shots in the Depth Charges they had done.

"I figured I'd just stay here anyway. What's the difference if I sleep on my couch at home or the couch here?" It's more of a statement than a question and she's saying it more to herself than him.

"You okay?" he asks sensing from her tone that she is not.

"Not really," she replies glancing at him briefly as she hands him the beer and then heads for the couch.

"Want to talk about it?" he offers joining her on the couch.

"Not really. Can I just sit here and have a beer with my partner?"

"Yeah, Of course, it's just…I'm here if you ever need to talk about it." He's treading water here. She never wants to talk about it, but yet she seems to be struggling. He doesn't know how far he should push, but he knows he can't let her just put on the tough act and not deal with what happened.

She nods acknowledging his offer. They silently drink their beers for a few minutes until Deeks can't stand the quiet. "Talia told you that nothing happened with us right. I mean you two were kind of conspiratorial at the end there, which is definitely scary," he begins to ramble. "There's no one….I mean… I just…" he tries to change direction and gets stuck, not able to find the right words.

"You just don't know what to do about us," she finishes for him as she sets her beer on the table.

"Yeah," he agrees softly and looks away from her, disappointed in himself for disappointing her. "I really feel like we should tread lightly."

"I don't agree with taking advice from Angelo, but I get what you're saying," she sighs as she curls up on the couch. Part of her wants them to jump right back to where they left off before Afghanistan; and part of her knows that as much as she wants it, she has some healing and self introspection to do before worrying about her relationship with someone else.

He wants to give her something. He feels like she could use a little comfort and a pick-me-up. "Mind if I stay too?" he asks as he removes his shoes. Their sleepovers after he was tortured really helped him, and he's missed them. He figures some company and a little slumber party in the boatshed might be what Kensi needs.

"If you want to," she replies fluffing a pillow under her head and trying to get comfortable.

"Nowhere I'd rather be," he assures her as he scoots his butt back, but keeps his legs in front of hers as he plops a pillow on the arm of the opposite end of the couch.

His words do reassure her. She's relieved that there is no one else and that he isn't interested in Talia. In fact she is reassured enough that she's feeling a little bold and she presses her feet against his butt.

Deeks jerks at the feel of her touching somewhere so intimate. "Hey Kens?" he says lazily.

"Mmm hmmm"

"Your feet are on my ass."

"Deal with it couch hog," she taunts clenching her toes to give his butt a little squeeze. Or do something about it she adds in her head.

Only he does do something about it. He reaches back and finds the back of her leg. He inches his fingers up until he gets to the back of her knee and begins tickling. Now she's the one whose limbs are jerking in reaction to his devilish fingers. The next minute is a flurry of arms and legs until Kensi catches his hand in hers and intertwines their fingers so he can't slip away. "Truce!" she calls, "Truce!"

"Okay," he agrees as they return to opposite sides of the couch. Their hands come apart as they both try to get comfortable again.

"Night Kensalina," Deeks says as he searches for her hand.

"Night Deeks," she replies linking their fingers.

In the morning Deeks wakes first. He carefully sits up so he doesn't wake his sleeping couch mate. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looks over at her and is sure he has never seen anything as beautiful. He's missed this part of their relationship. Knowing he has some thinking to do, he decides to head out to where he thinks best…the water. Before he does, he can't stop himself from leaning over Kens and placing a kiss at her hairline. He'd love to reach out and run his fingers through her hair or caress her cheek, but he can't risk waking her and giving her mixed signals.

Kensi wakes a few minutes after Deeks heads out to the pier. As she enters consciousness she realizes she feels content for the first time in a long time. She is a tiny bit disappointed that Deeks isn't still on the couch with her, but hopes he went for breakfast. He would do that a lot when she'd stay by his place to help him sleep. She notices his keys on the table and realizes he hasn't left. She knows he could only be one of two places then; either upstairs sprawled out on the bed, or out by the water. She heads for the more likely place he'll be.

"Good Morning," she greets walking up behind him. She removes the shoes she'd slid on and sits next to him with her feet dangling off the pier as he is.

"Good Morning, did you sleep okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, you?"

"Great"

"I uhhh…I" she wants to say she missed this, missed him.

"Me too," he helps her out with a smile.

"It's a beautiful morning," she comments about the temperature and the brightening sky.

"Perfect morning for surfing, if you're up for it?" he invites.

"Nowhere I'd rather be," she replies hopping up and reaching down for his hand to help him get moving.


Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated.