Haunt My Days, Haunt My Sleep

by DizzyDrea

An undercover mission, a gun runner and the potential to get enough information to take down every weapon's dealer in Western Europe. Piece of cake, right? Yeah, piece of cake. Except for the part where Callen and Kensi are maybe, sort of falling in love. That's not part of the plan.

Title: Haunt My Days, Haunt My Sleep
Author: DizzyDrea
Summary: An undercover mission, a gun runner and the potential to get enough information to take down every weapon's dealer in Western Europe. Piece of cake, right? Yeah, piece of cake. Except for the part where Callen and Kensi are maybe, sort of falling in love. That's not part of the plan.
Rating: T
Spoilers: Nothing specific
Author's Notes: Yet another story from my WIP folder. It's been way to long since I've done a Callen/Kensi story, so I decided to pull this one out and dust it off. To be fair, it's not that old. Ironically, I'd started it earlier this year as a response to the Road Trip square on my Trope Bingo card. But another idea grabbed hold and wouldn't let go, so I filed this one away. When I got my Round 7 card and saw the Road Trip square on it, I laughed. Then I decided that maybe it was fate and finished this one.

Title is from Under the Influence by Elle King.

For the Road Trip square on my Trope Bingo card.

Disclaimer: NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles and all its particulars are the property of CBS, Paramount, Donald P. Bellisario, Belisarius Productions, Shane Brennan, Shane Brennan Productions, and a lot of other people who arenít me. I am doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~

"You wanted to see us, Hetty?"

Kensi walked into Ops, Callen behind her. She'd been surprised when Hetty had summoned them, and even more surprised now that they'd arrived to find the room empty save herself, Callen, Hetty and Eric.

"Yes, please come in," Hetty said.

"What's going on?" Callen asked as they approached the giant video board.

"Mr. Beale, if you would please," Hetty said, in lieu of an answer. Eric tapped on his tablet, and a photograph appeared. Turning to Callen, she asked, "Do you recognize this man?"

"That's Costas Makris," Callen said immediately. "He was a soldier in Alexi Alexandrou's organization. Gun runners," he said, turning to Kensi. "Last I heard, he'd become Alexi's right-hand man."

"Correct, Mr. Callen," Hetty said. "Mr. Alexandrou has been grooming him to take over the business for some years. Recently, we've become aware that Mr. Alexandrou's younger brother, Karl, has been intimating that the business should stay in the family. Mr. Makris has become understandably concerned for his safety."

"He's asking for help getting out, isn't he?" Callen asked. At Hetty's nod, he nodded himself. "Doesn't surprise me. He's been looking over his shoulder for a while now."

"How do you know?" Kensi asked.

"Costas and I go way back," Callen said. "We met when I was working an undercover op in Eastern Europe. We were taking down another organization. Costas proved to be a valuable ally."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Kensi said.

"Something like that," Callen agreed. "Even back then, Alexandrou's top lieutenants were fighting it out to see who'd come out on top. It was brutal and bloody. Trust me, you don't want to get on Costas' bad side."

Kensi winced. "Sounds like a lovely gentleman."

"Costas is loyal to a fault, as long as you're loyal to him," Callen said. "He's a friend who's helped me out more than a few times. If I can help him in return, I'm all in."

"Mr. Makris is not, in point of fact, asking us to help him leave the organization," Hetty said. "He has made his own arrangements to disappear, and we are inclined to let him. Before he does, he's agreed to provide us with enough intel on the Alexandrou operation to bring it down, as well as several other organizations they do business with."

Callen whistled. "That's ballsy, even for Costas. He has to know Alexi will hunt him down. He's a vindictive bastard; he makes Al Capone look like a saint."

"So how do we fit in?" Kensi asked. She already had some idea, but she was still slightly confused as to why it was her standing here with Callen and not Sam.

"Mr. Makris has asked for Mr. Callen, specifically, to meet him to make the exchange," Hetty said.

"Because of our history," Callen said. "Makes sense. What about Sam?"

"Mr. Hanna will be sitting this one out." Kensi opened her mouth to ask the next logical question, but Hetty beat her to it. "Mr. Deeks will not be joining you either. You and Ms. Blye will be travelling alone to the meet, under the guise of a couple vacationing together."

Kensi and Callen looked at each other, Callen raising an eyebrow at her. It wasn't the first time they'd played a couple; before Deeks had joined the team, whenever they needed someone to go in and play the part of happily—or not-so-happily—marrieds, they'd been the logical choice. Sam even said they looked good together on more than one occasion. But a quick couple of hours was different to a days-long mission where there wouldn't be any breaks. She and Deeks had barely survived a week without wanting to kill each other. How were she and Callen going to manage?

Kensi just shrugged. It wasn't like they had much of a choice. But, this would be the first time in several years that they'd be posing as a couple, and in that time, Kensi had come to realize that she felt more than just friendship for Callen. She knew he didn't feel the same way, so there were probably some awkward moments in her near future. No matter. She'd been trained for this, trained to leave her personal feelings behind and do the job. This was no different.

"Alright," Kensi said, breaking their staring contest, "how's this going to play out?"

"Mr. Beale?" Hetty asked, turning to their tech analyst.

"I've been working on this for a while, ever since Hetty told me what was going on," Eric said. He tapped at his tablet, bringing up documents and pictures. "These are your cover IDs. I've backstopped them pretty deep, because our intelligence suggests that Alexi has some pretty talented hackers at his disposal. If he even suspects anything hinky—"

"He won't hesitate to send someone to take out Costas and anyone he thinks might be working with him," Callen finished for him.

"What a charming man," Kensi said, rolling her eyes.

"Shall we?" Hetty asked.

~o~

The flight to Frankfurt was long and mostly boring. They were headed for Nice, changing planes in Frankfurt, and while they'd been flying first class, long flights were still a pain. At least they had fully reclining seats. Callen couldn't even imagine doing this in coach, sitting up all night and getting a crick in his neck.

They hadn't bothered to disguise their departure; Garrison Callum—the cover he'd been using ten years ago when he'd first met Costas—was known to work out of Los Angeles, so he and Kensi had simply boarded a plane at LAX under their cover identities, and that was that.

They were only a few hours into their flight; most of the people around them had settled in to try to sleep, but Callen—as per usual—was wide awake. He wasn't worried, per se. He'd worked with Costas before, and he hadn't lied: he did trust the man, with his life. But his world was a dangerous one, and some days it was hard to tell friend from foe.

"You gonna get some sleep?" Kensi asked. "It's a long flight. Probably go faster if you could sleep through most of it."

Callen ghosted a smile. Mackenzie Blythe—Kensi's cover—was a beautiful woman with refined tastes and a suitcase full of designer labels. According to the dossier Eric had created, they'd been together for five years. This trip was supposed to be a combination business trip and anniversary celebration for them. Callen wished that Eric hadn't added that little detail.

"Are you going to be okay with all this?" he asked. "It's gonna get pretty intense. These people are dangerous and violent."

Kensi reached across the console and took his hand. "I know. But I'm trained for this. I've got your back. Whatever you need."

"And the rest of it? You didn't sign up to be my girlfriend," Callen said. "Plus, Eric's got this billed as an anniversary trip, which means we'll have to—"

"Hey, it'll be fine," Kensi said. "I know we haven't done this in a while, but it's like riding a bike, right? We'll fall right into it. No one's going to suspect."

Callen snorted. Costas might know that they weren't really together, but he wasn't who they had to fool. He had no doubt that Alexandrou would send someone to keep an eye on their meeting. There wouldn't be any slacking off. And it might play hell with their relationship. He and Kensi were friends, but if they were forced to go farther than she was comfortable with, there might not be any coming back.

"How far are you willing to go on this?"

"As far as it takes, G."

"Okay," Callen said sighing. Pushing farther would only make it seem like he didn't trust her, and that was the furthest thing from the truth. "There won't be time when we land, so if you have any questions, now's the time."

"Garrison Callum?"

Callen nodded. "My cover, back in the day. Garrison was—is—a broker. A matchmaker, if you will. I'd broker the deals, handle the money, vet the participants. It's the cover I used to take down a rival organization of Alexandrou's. Costas and I connected during the op."

"He knew you were a Fed?" Kensi asked.

"We got caught in a firefight, and I pulled him out," Callen said. "Anyone else would have just let him die, eliminate the top lieutenant of a rival organization. But Costas had given me some key information about the movement of the other organization's head."

"So he became like an informant," Kensi said.

Callen nodded. "Yeah. I couldn't just let him die. Which he appreciated. He helped us take down the rival organization, and I told him if he ever needed anything, to reach out to me."

"Now we know why he wanted you."

"Costas is a good man," Callen said. "He could just walk away, but he's chosen to help us. I have to respect that."

"A respectable criminal," Kensi said, chuckling. "Who'd have thought."

Callen smiled. "I think you'll like him."

Kensi squeezed the hand she was still holding. "I'm sure I will. You think you'll be able to get some sleep?"

"Yes, dear," Callen said, rolling his eyes. "I'll try."

He pulled his hand away and scooted down, pulling the comforter over him. Kensi's quiet igoodnight/i drifted over the partition as he closed his eyes.

~o~

The hotel suite was, in a word, magnificent.

The Hyatt Le Palais de la Mediterranee sat on the Pramenade des Anglais, the crown jewel of the French Riviera in Nice. They'd been delivered to the front door of the hotel in a Mercedes limo, fawned over by the staff, and then escorted to a grand suite at the top of the hotel.

Their suite consisted of a large living area with a dining table tucked into a corner near the windows and large French doors that led to a balcony with sweeping views of the beach just across the street. There was a bedroom with a king sized bed piled high with an obscene number of pillows and a crisp white and ridiculously fluffy comforter, and a bathroom with a tub that looked like you could do laps in it.

Kensi was in shock, though years of training helped her hide it from the hotel staff. She'd never stayed in such opulent accommodations in her life, but she supposed that a money man for European gun runners lived a lifestyle the likes of which she'd never even dreamed of. When the staff had finally retreated, with promises to cater to their every whim the length of their stay, Kensi felt like she could finally breathe.

"You okay, sweatheart?" Callen asked. He stepped into her space and pulled her against him, nuzzling into her neck. He spoke quietly in her ear, low enough that any listening devices wouldn't be able to pick it up. "You look a bit overwhelmed. Relax and enjoy it while I scan for bugs."

Kensi nodded, not quite trusting herself to talk. Between the jet lag and the utter absurdity of the daughter of a Marine being an honored guest at a hotel on the French Riviera, she was just about at her limit.

Callen stepped back and pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket. Eric had given them some interesting tools, disguised as apps on their phones. The bug sweeper was just one, designed to use the phone's mic to pick up on the minute feedback of a listening device. She could hear Callen's voice as he moved around the suite. He was making a show of talking to someone at his office back in LA as he swept the room for bugs and other electronic surveillance.

While Callen busied himself with checking their rooms, Kensi wandered out to the balcony, leaning against the railing as she took in the view. Despite being a Federal Agent for over ten years, she'd never actually been to the south of France. The view before her was stunning. The waters of the Mediterranean were a shade of blue she'd never have believed even existed in nature if she hadn't seen it for herself. Umbrellas dotted the sand, most of the people on the beach content to follow the shade around.

Strong arms surrounded her, pulling her out of her musings. He circled her waist, resting his hands on the railing, effectively boxing her in. She held back a shiver at his proximity by sheer force of will. She didn't need him knowing how he affected her.

"Alexi must be slipping," he said as he stepped in close. "I didn't find any bugs, but that doesn't mean we aren't being watched."

Kensi acknowledged that with a subtle nod. "What did Eric have to say?"

"That Costas arrived two days go. That he's not travelling alone, and that he's spent most of his time partying like it's 1999."

"Can't say I blame him," Kensi said, chuckling quietly. "It's beautiful here. If we weren't working, I'd be on that beach in a hot minute."

"So go to the beach," Callen said. "Costas takes his partying seriously, but Garrison Callum is a bit more uptight. He's probably getting it all out of his system before we meet."

Kensi turned in his arms. "Will you go with me?"

Call her selfish, but she wanted to see Callen in a swimsuit. All that skin exposed for her to see and touch. It was like her favorite wet dream, and she didn't even care if everyone else could see.

"You sure you don't want to take a nap instead?" he asked.

"I can nap on the beach," she said, raising her chin a little. She wasn't usually so reckless, but this was an opportunity to see Callen unguarded; she wasn't going to pass it up.

"Okay," Callen said, chuckling. "I'll dig my swim trunks out of the luggage."

Kensi smiled, pleased. She knew this mission was potentially dangerous. Alexi Alexandrou wasn't a man you trifled with, but she wasn't going to the beach unarmed, and she had one of the best agents on the federal payroll beside her. She wasn't worried.

"Wait 'til you see the swimsuit Nell picked out," she said, winking saucily as she swept past him.

His groan was just icing on the cake.

~o~

Callen's hand rode low in Kensi's back as they stepped through the door of the hotel, from near-oppressive heat to blessed air conditioning. He steeled himself against the pleasure of touching her smooth, sun-warmed skin. He'd known she'd look good in a bikini; Kensi was long and lean, her lithe body honed through many years of fieldwork, but seeing evidence of it on display had been something close to torture.

The scraps of fabric that she'd called a bikini left very little to the imagination, but the color—a rich blue nearly the same shade as the water—and cut did suit her well, and his appreciative stare hadn't been a total put-on. He'd had to berate himself more than once for ogling, even if he was supposed to if he was going to sell his cover.

He wanted her to know she could trust him not to take advantage of their cover. It wasn't the first time he'd looked at her and seen a beautiful woman instead of a fellow agent, but the last time he'd done that, it had ended badly for him, so he wasn't eager for a repeat. Not even when he trusted Kensi more than he trusted anyone besides Sam.

He'd just have to be vigilant and not let his libido get the better of him. Easier said than done when he had a beautiful woman pretending to be his lover.

The concierge approached them as they made their way across the lobby, a polite smile on his face that Callen had to think had been tattooed there the day he'd taken the job.

"Monsieur Callum," the man said as he fell into step with them as they headed for the elevators. "I trust your afternoon at the plage was enjoyable?"

Callen tilted his head in Kensi's direction, looping an arm around her waist as she smiled and rested her hand on his shoulder. "It was lovely," she said, turning on that thousand watt smile she could use to great effect. "Just what I needed after being cooped up in a plane for twelve hours."

"Bon," the concierge said. "I have a message from Monsieur Makris. He asks me to say that he will be at Le Dauphine this evening, if you would care to join him."

"Thank you, André," Callen said. He swiped his keycard through the reader for their exclusive elevator. The light turned green and the doors slid silently open. Callen turned and smiled at the concierge. "Please have a car ready for us at nine. I think dinner out sounds just right."

"Bon," André said. "It will be as you say."

The concierge turned smartly on one heel and returned to the front desk, no doubt to make sure that one of the hotel's limos was reserved for their use that evening. Callen smiled a bit as he ushered Kensi into the elevator. "God, I love full concierge service."

Kensi laughed. "It is something, isn't it?" They both watched the elevator lights as they counted off the floors. "Were you planning to meet him tonight? I thought we were making an early evening of it?"

"Costas probably had someone at the airport watching for us," Callen said. He was aware that there could be listening devices in the elevator, but it wasn't like his meeting with Costas was a real secret anyway. Nothing Costas did was a secret. "Why, did you not want to go out tonight? I can cancel the car. Costas will just have to deal."

"No," Kensi said as she sidled up beside him, her eyes flicking up to the corner of the elevator car, to where the camera was mounted. Callen settled an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. "Dinner out sounds lovely. I was just hoping to have you to myself tonight."

"Oh, you'll have me to yourself, alright. Costas doesn't get to keep me all night," Callen said. He leaned in close and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss that turned somewhat heated when he licked his way into her mouth. Kissing her was an indulgence he didn't often allow on missions, mostly because she was an excellent kisser and he could get lost in her kisses if he wasn't careful. But he figured this was one time he was allowed, what with the fact that part of their cover made this an anniversary trip. He pulled back from the kiss before he got too carried away, but the caveman in him was absurdly satisfied that Kensi appeared a bit glassy-eyed and unsteady on her feet.

"A preview of later?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

Callen pressed a quick kiss to her lips as the elevator doors opened. "You bet."

~o~

Kensi had thought that Callen in swim trunks had been a distraction. Mostly because said swim trunks were actually a Speedo, and he was fitter than just about every man on the beach. She knew he surfed whenever he could in LA, but seeing the evidence of that on his sun-kissed skin was beautiful torture. The only thing worse was all the skin-on-skin contact they'd engaged in so that anyone watching wouldn't be surprised that they were a couple.

Callen in a suit and tie was another matter altogether.

Kensi stood before him in strappy heels and a little black dress that skimmed her knees but left her back bare in a fall of material that puddled at the swell of her bottom. She'd been smug to the point of ridiculousness that he'd actually swallowed hard and flushed when she'd appeared in the dress.

But Callen, she could concede, looked every inch the European businessman. His suit was Italian, custom tailored and made from a light-weight charcoal silk that was whisper soft. She thought maybe she'd have a tough time not touching him, but since that was the whole point of their cover, she wasn't going to deny herself.

"You, my darling, look good enough to eat," she said as she stepped in close and adjusted the tie at his neck. It was a soft grey with light blue flecks throughout, a near perfect match for the grey silk shirt he wore under his jacket.

"And I'm going to have to fight them off with a stick at the restaurant," Callen said.

He pulled her close, allowing his hand to drift up to the bare skin at the small of her back. She hummed her approval.

"You are going to make Costas so jealous," she said, stealing a quick kiss.

"Yes, I am," Callen murmured. "And I'm not the least bit bothered by that."

Kensi chuckled as she pulled away. "You ready? The car should be downstairs by now."

Callen didn't reply, simply moved to the door and opened it for her, ushering her through. The elevator was waiting for them—since their suite was the only one on this side of the hotel, they had a private elevator all to themselves—so they simply stepped in and Callen hit the button for the lobby. Kensi stepped close to him, taking advantage of the camera and the potential for surveillance to invade his space. Callen just went with it, wrapping an arm around her as she nuzzled into his neck.

She felt a flash of guilt for how shameless she'd been with her affection in the last few hours. Their room had been clear of listening devices when they'd gotten back to the hotel after the beach, but in the more public areas of the hotel, there were cameras and witnesses that had to be fooled. It was her only excuse, really, but she figured no Method actor would blame her for using her real affection for Callen to help sell their relationship.

The elevator ride was quick, and before long they were in the limo and headed to the restaurant. Their driver navigated the narrow streets of the vieux village with ease, dropping them a block from the restaurant in an area that Kensi was pretty sure was a piéton.

The cobblestones were hell on Kensi's heels, so they ended up walking very slowly while she leaned into Callen to keep from turning an ankle. She was fairly certain that—this being France—there'd be wine with dinner; she was going to take her shoes off for the return trip.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the maître-d' didn't even ask, just ushered them to a quiet table near the back that held two very handsome men. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which one was Costas Makris. He was tall and lean, his dark hair and piercing eyes giving lie to his heritage.

Well, that and the way he greeted Callen.

"Garrison Callum, palió mou filio," he said as he rose from the table.

Kensi watched as the two men embraced like long-lost friends. When Costas pulled back, he pressed a kiss to each of Callen's cheeks. When they finally turned to her, she raised one eyebrow. Callen just chuckled and drew her forward with a hand.

"Mackenzie Blythe, this is my old friend Costas Makris."

Costas stepped forward and took her hand, pressing a light kiss to the back. When his eyes met hers, they sparkled green like sea-glass, bright with good humor despite his circumstances.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he said in a melodically accented voice. Kensi refused to acknowledge how that voice and the soft accent tugged at her, however briefly.

"Yeah, yeah," Callen said, stepping in and taking Kensi's hand from his friend. "Get your own. This one's mine."

Kensi smirked when Costas merely threw his head back and laughed. Callen settled her in her seat, then took his own as Costas poured them some wine from the bottle already on the table.

"Callen, may I present my sýntrofos, Jason Kairos," Costas said, turning shining eyes on the other man at the table. Jason was a few inches shorter than Costas, closer to Callen's height, but still had the dark hair and skin that marked him as Greek.

Callen reached across the table and shook hands with the man, who then turned to Kensi with a raised eyebrow as he shook her hand. "You won't think me savage if I don't fawn over your hand as my companion has done, will you?"

Kensi barked out a surprised laugh, both at his words and at the fact that he spoke them in a proper English accent.

"I think you can be forgiven for not possessing all the flair of this charmer," she said slyly.

Costas burst into more raucous laughter, both Jason and Callen joining him. Kensi merely sipped her wine primly, only raising an eyebrow when it appeared that they weren't going to stop anytime soon.

"So, how did you two meet?" Callen asked. He'd downed half of his glass of water trying to recover, so Kensi figured asking the question was just an excuse to keep from choking on something else.

"I have family on Santorini," Jason said. "We met at a small outdoor café one afternoon. He asked me to dinner no less than five times in twenty minutes."

"And you said yes to shut him up," Callen said. "Costas can be relentless when he wants something."

"Exactly so, I'm afraid," Jason said. He turned and smiled at Costas. "But entirely worth it in the end, I must say."

Kensi nearly melted at the sweet words and the way they were looking at each other. Even without touching, the two men were practically telegraphing their affection for one another. Callen exchanged a glance with her, his raised eyebrow suggesting he found the situation puzzling yet highly amusing.

One thing was certain: dinner was sure to be interesting.

~o~

The next day they headed to Grasse. Hetty had given Kensi a credit card and a warning not to buy up half the Riviera, so Callen had known that shopping was in his near future. He'd even gotten good at figuring out when she was buying something for herself as opposed to something that would find its way into wardrobe when they got home.

Much to his surprise, Costas and Jason joined them for the day, citing Jason's need to buy a few gifts for his family. Callen wasn't buying it, but he wasn't going to push. Costas would tell him what was on his mind sooner or later.

"They're thick as thieves," he noted absently as they walked down the cobblestone street.

They'd bought what felt like an absurd amount of perfume at Fragonard, and were now wandering through some of the other shops, in search of what Callen didn't know. Kensi and Jason were up ahead, chattering like long-lost buddies. Callen had no idea what they could possibly be talking about, having just met the night before, but he was glad to see the two of them were comfortable around each other. If Kensi could behave so naturally around him, it lessened his suspicion of the other man.

"Do I need to worry that your dear Kensi will try to take Jason home with her?" Costas asked slyly.

Callen just laughed. "I don't share easily, so I think Jason is safe."

They'd stopped in front of a clothing store, and Kensi had indicated they were headed inside. Instead of joining them, Callen and Costas stood in front of the store, leaning against the front window, watching the other two go through racks of beautiful clothing.

Callen just watched for a few moments. Kensi was wearing a white sundress with large red flowers scattered over the material. Her black wedge sandals made walking on the cobblestone streets far easier than those little strappy things she was wearing the night before. She had her hair in a ponytail, tied back with a red scarf. She was, in a word, captivating, and Callen simply couldn't look away.

"She is beautiful, your Kensi," Costas said quietly. "It must be blessed torture for you."

"She's a colleague, Costas," Callen said. "Nothing more."

"She certainly desires there to be," Costas said. Callen looked at him, one eyebrow raised. The other man simply shrugged. "I am adept at reading people. Your Kensi reads as someone who would gladly live the fantasy, were she given the chance."

Callen watched as Kensi laughed at something Jason said. She was beautiful, strong, good with a gun and able to kick his ass at will. Just the sort of woman he'd always gravitated to. He'd never seen Kensi as a romantic partner, mostly because, after Tracy, he'd promised himself never to get involved with a woman he worked with again.

Not that Kensi and Tracy were anywhere near alike. He knew he could count on Kensi; if push came to shove, she'd back him up, no questions asked. And if he were being honest with himself, he owned part of the blame for the thing with Tracy. He'd known he couldn't trust her, but he'd gone out on a limb and had it break underneath him. He'd promised himself never to do that again, but in this moment, Kensi was making him want to.

"You have the look of a man considering things you've never thought about before," Costas said.

Callen shrugged. "I made a promise to myself, a long time ago. Kensi makes me think I was wrong."

"Let me give you some free advice, my friend," Costas said, patting Callen on the shoulder. "Life rarely gives us second chances. Take the one being offered to you. You will regret it if you don't, if only because you will always wonder what might have been."

Callen watched Kensi and Jason chat with the store clerk as she wrapped their purchases. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I thought, when I lost my dear Helena, that I would never love again," Costas said in a low, almost heartbreaking tone. "But then I met Jason, and it was as though the sun had emerged from behind the storm clouds. I never thought to find myself considering life with another man, but here we are."

"And are you happy?"

"Incredibly," Costas said, his smile so bright Callen was glad he was wearing sunglasses. "Jason is quite different than Helena, and for that I am grateful. He is a kindred spirit, and just what I need in these difficult times."

"And after the difficult times pass?"

"Jason is steady, unmoved by turbulent times," Costas said. "I find myself thinking back on times when that sort of constancy would have been welcome in my life. And we both know that more difficult times await. I look forward to having Jason by my side as we move into the future."

Callen looked back into the shop, watching as Kensi and Jason chatted with the clerk. He thought about what Costas had said. The man wasn't given to flights of fancy; that wasn't really something you could indulge in when you worked in the shadows. So the fact that he was all in with Jason, that he believed he'd found someone kindred that he could walk beside during the worst of what might be ahead made him stop and consider.

If Kensi truly did have feelings for him, she'd done an admirable job of hiding them. She was a fully trained federal agent, but so was he, so he felt like he should have seen it coming. But did that mean he had to do anything about it? He'd had lovers in the past, but for the most part he'd chosen to walk alone. Which didn't mean he never felt lonely, he just chose not to do anything about it.

The question was, did he want to?

Costas patted him on the shoulder, drawing him out of his thoughts. "Come, think as we walk."

Callen frowned at his friend, but Costas merely winked at him as they followed Kensi and Jason down the street to the next shop.

~o~

Kensi kept an eye on Callen all through dinner, wondering what was up with him. He'd been distracted all afternoon, but she had no idea what could be bothering him. She'd kept her eyes open, watching for anyone who didn't seem to belong, but all she'd seen was people going about their business, dining and shopping and—particularly the Italians—talking way too loudly.

When she wasn't distracted by Callen's seeming moodiness, she was captivated by Costas and Jason. They'd had her in stitches all evening with tales of their childhoods. She had no idea if any of it was true, but she was enjoying the camaraderie between the two men far too much to care.

They'd driven back to Nice for dinner, to a quiet little restaurant in the newer part of town called Le Bouchon Tire. The food had been good and the wine without compare. She hadn't enjoyed an evening like this in quite some time.

"You simply must visit Santorini one day," Costas said as they poured more wine to go with the after-dinner cheese course. "The food is without compare, and the views are stunning from every window."

Kensi smiled, though she could feel her heart break a little. Costas would be giving up his beloved Greece once this whole thing was over. She could imagine that, for a man like him who took so much of his identity from the place he grew up, this was going to be the most difficult thing he'd ever done. She couldn't imagine being forced to let go of everything and everyone she'd ever known.

"Somehow, business never seems to take him to Greece," Kensi said, giving Callen a sly grin. When he barely reacted, she reached over and took his hand, squeezing gently. "It took a lot of convincing to get him to take me on this trip."

"I'm supposed to be conducting some business," Callen said, smiling at her. "This is not business."

"This is a far more pleasant way to pass the time," Costas pointed out. "There is time for business later. When we have exhausted all the pleasure to be had in this fine place."

Callen rolled his eyes. "Then maybe I should talk to the concierge about extending our stay. If I remember correctly, you have a voracious appetite for pleasure."

"As do all Greeks," Costas said. "As you well know."

"And on that note," Jason said, tossing his napkin on the table as he rose from his chair. "I think we should let the lovebirds alone. They did come here to celebrate their anniversary, after all."

"Of course," Costas said.

He stood and shook Callen's hand, then folded Kensi into a warm hug. She felt his hand in her dress pocket, but before she could express even a hint of outrage, he was whispering in her ear.

"What you seek, you will find."

Kensi pulled back and searched his eyes, finding them full of warm sincerity. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she stepped back and smiled, plucking her bag from the back of the chair.

"Tomorrow night, we will meet at the Casino and complete our business," Costas said. "And perhaps I can interest you in some games of chance while we're there."

Callen snorted. "Not likely. Not with your luck. I'll let you take someone else's money this trip."

Jason laughed as if he knew only too well what Callen was talking about, then bid them farewell, and the two men left. Kensi turned to Callen, whose eyebrow rose as he looked at her. She had no idea what to tell him, so she just shrugged.

He offered her his arm as they left the restaurant. She leaned into him, enjoying the closeness. Their hotel was close, so the walk was easy. And it would help them walk off some of the wine and way too much food. Kensi was beginning to fear that she wouldn't fit into any of her clothes after this trip was over.

As she tucked her hand into her pocket, her fingers brushed something small and plastic. A thumb drive, if she had to guess. She doubted anyone besides Callen saw the exchange, but just to be sure, she'd have to hide it somewhere secure for the duration of the trip.

"Costas is quite the charmer," she said. "I thought he was getting fresh there for a second."

Callen chuckled. "He wouldn't dare, not in front of me. It'd blow his image all to hell. He's a ladies' man, but just one at a time."

"Technically, he doesn't have a lady right now," Kensi said.

"True," Callen said. "But Costas is a smart man. He knows better than to make a move on my girl."

Kensi smiled, but it was wistful, not that Callen noticed. They were on the street, and unlikely to be overheard, but she knew his words were just for show. She might wish that things were different, but the reality was that Callen saw her as a teammate and nothing more.

She could live with that, she just wished she didn't have to.

~o~

When they reached the room, Callen took out his phone and launched the app Eric had built to scan for bugs. He wandered around the room, tugging off his jacket and flipping on lights as he went. He stopped short when the app lit up bright as day.

"Fuck," he muttered.

He checked the lamp and found a listening device where there hadn't been one the day before. They must have attracted someone's attention in the last two days. He tried to remember if he'd noticed anyone following them, but drew a blank. Either they were good or they weren't following them, content to let the bugs do their dirty work.

Callen finished sweeping the room and found another bug near the bar and one by the bed. They were high-quality bugs with a long range, which was why there were only a few. His lips thinned into a grim line as he looked at the bathroom door, behind which Kensi was getting ready for bed. He sincerely hoped their listeners had skipped the bathroom; it would be their only safe haven, plus it was a little creepy having someone listen in while you did your business.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Kensi turned, smiling at him as she took off her jewelry and let her hair down.

"Hey, I was just coming to get you," she said. "Need a little help with my zipper."

When he didn't move, she looked at him, tilting her head in a subtle question. He shook his head and crossed to her, showing her the screen on his phone. Her eyes widened for a bare second before meeting his once again. Only three bugs, and none in the bathroom, thankfully, but that meant they'd have to keep up the charade twenty-four hours a day until the mission was over.

Like they hadn't already been doing that, Callen snorted internally.

He set the phone down on the counter and moved behind her. "The unzipping is always my favorite part," he said quietly, dropping a kiss on her shoulder where the strap of her dress had been.

Kensi smiled at him, but it wasn't her normal, confident smile. This one was more tentative, more uncertain. Callen reached around and flipped on the tap, filling the room with white noise. He leaned in close, whispering in her ear so his voice wouldn't carry, even over the sound of running water.

"Nothing has to happen tonight," he said, watching her eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "But they know we're on an anniversary trip; we made no secret of that. So it's up to you."

Kensi turned and settled her arms on his shoulders, her fingers teasing the hair at the nape of his neck. She leaned in close, placing her lips right next to his ear. It sent a shiver down his spine that he tried and mostly failed in suppressing. This way, he couldn't see her face, but he could feel the tension in her body.

"I say we give them a show they'll never forget."

Callen pulled back, searching her eyes for and uncertainty. All he found looking back at him was the steady surety he'd come to expect from her. If she didn't want this, she was doing an excellent job of hiding it. He knew this would change things between them, especially considering his thoughts earlier in the evening. But those were thoughts for another time.

He leaned in close again and whispered in her ear. "We're going to talk about this when we get back home."

She nodded against his cheek, and Callen wasted no more time. He pressed kisses to the line of her jaw until he reached her mouth. He took her lips, softly at first mapping the shape of them as he pressed his lips to hers. She sighed under him, her mouth opening ever so slightly, but Callen took it as an invitation and invaded, sweeping through, tasting every corner of the warm, velvety depths of Kensi's mouth.

He reached around and shut off the water. The silence was deafening, the only sounds their own breathing and the moans that seemed to escape without their permission. Callen pressed his hands to her bare back, slowly peeling off the dress to expose the woman beneath. He pulled away, just enough, and let the material fall from her body.

He stepped back, disengaging from the kiss even though it was the last thing he really wanted, and caught her hands, looking his fill. Kensi's eyes were shining, pleasure making them sparkle in the low light of the bathroom. He admired her slim figure and the dusky skin on display for him. She'd taken off her shoes first thing on entering the suite, so the only fabric obstructing his view of her were a lacy bra and matching panties.

He totally didn't want to know if Hetty had provided those. Some things were best left a mystery.

"What's that look for?" Kensi asked.

"Just admiring the view," Callen said. He took her hand, grabbing his phone off the counter as he did so. "Come to bed."

Kensi stepped closer, leaning up to kiss him, her tongue an invading army that swept through him and melted all resistance. When she pulled back, she was smiling. She didn't say anything, just headed for the bedroom, tugging him along by the hand she hadn't let go of yet.

She pulled the covers back on the bed and climbed in, stretching out and giving him a come hither look that just about melted Callen's knees. He tossed the phone on the nightstand and quickly stripped out of his clothes, not even caring where they landed. He joined her on the bed, sliding in close, his cock already more than half hard just at the thought of having her like this.

He reached out and cupped the back of her head, pulling her in close. "You are still so, so beautiful, you know?"

Kensi blushed. "I love how you make me feel when you say things like that."

"Guess I'd better say it more often, then, huh?" Callen said.

He knew they were playing a role, and this was what their covers were supposed to say, but it felt like they were also being totally honest with each other. Because up until this moment, he hadn't realized that he'd always believed her to be the most beautiful woman he knew. How had he not noticed that?

"Make love to me," Kensi said softly.

Callen inhaled sharply. "Yeah."

~o~

Kensi woke by degrees, the early morning light streaming in through the drapes left wide open in their haste to get to bed.

That thought brought a hot blush to her face. Of all the things she'd expected to happen on this trip, spending the night wrapped in Callen, making love until they'd both fallen into an exhausted sleep was not one of them. Hadn't even been on the list.

She knew how she felt about him, but she also knew that he didn't feel the same. Still, she wouldn't trade those hours for anything. Those memories would live in her long after the mission was over. It would be their secret, and something she'd treasure for the rest of her life.

She stretched under the covers, reveling in the fact that, even asleep, Callen was curled around her, a warm presence along her back, with one arm draped over her torso, cradling her gently.

"It's too early," Callen muttered into the back of her head.

Kensi chuckled. "This from the guy who rarely sleeps."

"Somebody did their best to wear me out last night," Callen said, sounding a bit more awake. "Since you kept me up so late, aren't you supposed to let me sleep in?"

"I suppose I could," Kensi said. She rolled over, taking in the sleepy smile on Callen's face. He looked good like this, and she found herself wishing this wasn't just make-believe. "But you're in bed with—by your own admission—the most beautiful woman in the world. And she's naked. Are you really sure you want to be sleeping right now?"

It was shameless and dirty pool to push those buttons when her companion was still mostly asleep, but it got the desired result. Callen rolled her onto her back and began attacking her neck, her collar bones, her chest and pretty much every piece of skin available—which was a lot considering she was naked—with lips and teeth and tongue.

When she couldn't take any more, she threw her hands up. "Okay, I give. You've proved your point."

"Uh uh," he said, shaking his head. "You don't just get to give up, not now."

He pressed his lower body into hers, letting her feel just how aroused he really was. She was somewhat gratified that he wasn't at all unaffected by her, but she felt a little guilty for even having that thought. She wasn't trying to seduce him; it just came with the job.

This week anyway.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" he asked as he went back to kissing and tasting every inch of skin he could reach.

"The beach," she said on a gasp when he found a particularly sensitive bit of skin at the inside of her knee. "We should go to the beach. Haven't been since the first day."

Callen hummed, which did interesting things to her as his lips vibrated on her skin. "You in that teeny tiny bikini? I know this is France, but I don't think they're going to thank me for doing all the wicked things I want to do to you when you're showing off that much skin."

Kensi tugged at his hair, dragging him up until he settled on top of her. "Then you'll just have to behave. And if you do, you'll get something very special when we get back to the hotel."

"I like special," Callen said, all low and sultry.

It made her stomach flip just to hear that voice coming from him, focused entirely on her. Nevermind that it wasn't real. It was close enough for right now.

~o~

The music was loud, the air filled with smoke and sweat and pheromones, and the sounds of a hundred or more people really enjoying themselves. It definitely wasn't Callen's sort of place, but Costas had insisted, and who was he to argue?

They'd eaten dinner at a little place called Le Cocodille on the Marina side of Monte Carlo, followed by an hour watching Costas and Kensi win copious amounts of money at the Casino. He'd never imagined Kensi was talented at games of chance, but there she'd been, staring down a table full of old, wealthy men—and a few young ones, too, eager to try their hand at the pretty young thing—killing it. They'd all groaned when she'd stood up, a stack of chips in her hand, since that meant they'd never win their money back.

Kensi had winked saucily and taken Callen's arm, headed for the cashier and the exit.

Callen chuckled as he fingered the glass of uzo Costas had pressed into his hand. The men at the table had all glared at him with jealousy in their eyes when it'd been him she'd left with. No matter that it wasn't real, in that moment, he'd been proud to be hers.

It could be, a little voice in the back of his head whispered.

"You, my friend, are one lucky sonofabitch," Costas said, slapping him on the back and nearly spilling his drink.

Callen tossed it back to avoid any more near-spillage and turned to look at his friend. He saw Costas leaning on the bar, looking out over the dance floor. When Callen turned, he saw exactly what had captured the other man's attention: Kensi and Jason in the middle of the dance floor, moving sinuously around each other, attracting admiring gazes from those dancing around them. Interestingly, no one was trying to approach them; they were so into the music and each other that no one around them seemed to register.

Callen knew that wasn't the case. Kensi, at least, would be hyper-alert, aware of everyone surrounding them and keeping herself between Jason and anyone she deemed suspicious. Like any good operative would.

"Not so lucky," Callen leaned over and muttered, just loud enough for Costas to hear. "Found bugs when we got back."

"As did I," Costas said. His grin turned wide and conspiratorial. "But, we gave them a show for their troubles. Didn't you?"

Callen threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, they got an earful. Probably not what they were hoping to get, but that's not my problem."

"Too true," Costas said. He flagged down the bartender and ordered a couple of more glasses of uzo.

Callen knew he'd regret it in the morning, but he clinked his glass against Costas' and tossed the thick liquid back, nearly choking on the stinging alcohol. "Jesus, how do you drink this stuff?"

"More slowly than you do, my friend," Costas said. And then, just to put the lie to his words, he tipped his head back and swallowed the drink in one go.

He could feel the liquid fire burning down his throat and vowed to switch to water. He couldn't afford to allow himself to be compromised; they weren't out of danger yet. Someone was watching them, and they had yet to show themselves.

As if summoned by his thoughts, a group of over-large men walked into the club. Callen nudged Costas, who frowned. "Milos."

"Who?" Callen asked, senses on high alert now.

"Milos Petroyan. Has ties to Chechnya, and he's also Alexi's brother-in-law," Costas said. "It can be no coincidence that he is here."

"Not really, no," Callen agreed.

He turned to the dance floor and got Kensi's attention, nodding his head in the direction of the five men now making their way through the crowd. He got a nod in return, and unclenched just a bit. He watched her bend over, then come back up with the metal of a gun flashing in her hand as she leaned over to Jason. He admired her preparedness even as he wondered where she'd stashed the gun in that tight, red dress she was wearing.

"You armed?" Costas asked, leaning closer as they watched the men fan out around the room.

Callen pulled aside his jacket, revealing the shoulder holster and his gun. Costas did the same, and Callen had to wonder how he'd slipped into the country with that. Hetty had called Interpol and the Gendarmerie and Sûreté to warn them ahead of time that two agents traveling under cover would be bringing guns into the country. It had taken two days to talk the French down.

One of the men started to move toward the bar where Callen and Costas had stationed themselves. Callen saw the man reach under his jacket for a gun, and pulled his out, flicking off the safety in one smooth, practiced move. The man appeared a few yards from them, his H&K MP9 nearly invisible in the dark, strobing light of the club.

"Gun!" Callen yelled, shoving Costas away as the man opened fire.

Callen dove in the opposite direction and fired two shots at their assailant at the same moment Costas did. The man's body shook with the impact of four rounds, center mass, and dropped like a sack of potatoes.

More gunshots and screaming surrounded them as chaos broke out and the revelers ran for the exits. That would make it both easier and harder for the gunmen to find their targets, but it also made it impossible for Callen to get a visual on Kensi or Jason. He had to assume that Kensi was watching out for Jason in all of this. The man was an art dealer; he'd probably never even held a gun in his life.

Another shot whizzed past Callen's ear as he surveyed the room. He took aim and fired, dropping the goon where he stood near the stage. Two down—no, make that three; he saw another one drop as Kensi popped up from behind a table and fired.

And then it was Jason, firing a gun at the gunman trying to get around for a clean shot on Costas. Either he'd picked one up off one of the gunmen and suddenly become a crack shot or Jason Kairos wasn't at all what they'd thought he was. Callen was betting on the latter.

The music suddenly screeched to a halt, the needle scratching over the record—and who still played records these days, anyway—making a loud noise in the relative quiet of the club. The lights were still dim, but now they could hear the distant screams of the patrons as they ran from the building, as well as the sirens of the local police.

"Last one," Callen muttered from his crouch near the bar. "Where the hell are you?"

As if on cue, he appeared at the edge of the dance floor, a few steps up on the spiral staircase that led to the balcony.

"Costas!" he yelled. "You have been a very bad boy. Alexi is not pleased. He sends me to bring you back, but I am not opposed to killing you where you stand. He is weak. Perhaps I will kill him after I kill you."

Costas stood up from behind the bar, gun aimed at Milos. "I don't give a fuck if you kill Alexi. He's greedy and entirely without fashion sense. I do object, however, to you killing me."

Milos laughed. "As if what you wish matters at all to me. I will kill you now and take what is his."

Before Milos could even think about pressing the trigger on his gun, his head quite literally exploded. He tumbled off the steps and landed in a heap, blood oozing all over the wooden dance floor.

Callen searched the room and found Kensi still near the stage, her gun lowered so she didn't accidentally hit Costas instead of Milos. When Callen couldn't see Jason beside her, he frowned. She nudged her chin and Callen followed her eyes to the balcony, where Jason stood, still pointing his gun at the dead gunman. He tucked the gun into the small of his back and descended the stairs, nudging the body with the toe of his shoe on the way over to the bar.

Costas rounded the bar at the same time Callen and Kensi joined them.

"Nice shootin', Tex," Callen said sarcastically. He raised an eyebrow, but Jason just shrugged.

"MI6," he said succinctly.

Suddenly it all fit. "You're his ride outta town."

"And so I am," Jason said. "I apologize that the deception was necessary. Costas was concerned that Alexi had learned of his plan before he left Greece, so we decided that I would accompany him on this trip."

"So, you're not really together?" Kensi asked.

"We met exactly as I told you," Costas said. He laid a gentle hand on Jason's shoulder. "Before I knew what he actually was. It was Jason who first offered me the opportunity to… retire from my current vocation. When he realized who I was—and when I learned of his true identity—we realized that we had an opportunity."

"To stay together, and get you out of the life," Callen said.

Jason and Costas looked at each other, and in that moment, Callen could believe that the two of them would make it work. They loved each other, it was plainly written on their faces. And even though there'd be challenges ahead, Callen really believed they'd find a way.

"Now, I believe I should go outside and calm down the Police before they become agitated that we've made such a mess." Jason squeezed Costas' elbow before he turned and made his way outside.

Callen didn't envy him that job. If the French had been upset, he could only imagine what the Monegasque were going to be. They hadn't been looped in, after all.

~o~

The flight home was altogether anti-climactic, considering what they'd been through in the last 24 hours.

Jason had been closeted with Costas, Interpol and the Monegasque Police for several hours, no doubt trying to smooth the very ruffled feathers they'd caused by crossing over into Monaco on the very night Alexi made his move. Kensi was only glad she and Callen were exempted from those meetings, for the most part. They'd only had to endure a couple of hours of interrogation—couched as an inter-agency de-brief, but it still felt like an interrogation—on their role in the whole affair.

It had very nearly ruined the Riviera for her, a fact she was still fuming over.

They were now tucked into first class once more, Hetty's reward for not getting shot and completing the mission. They hadn't looked at the thumb drive yet—that would be for Nell and Eric, plus a whole host of analysts and whichever alphabet agencies took an interest—but if Costas were to be believed, his information could take down Alexi's organization, plus cut a rather large swathe through the gun-running underground in Europe.

It was a helluva sendoff, that was for sure.

"Thinking good thoughts?" Callen asked.

"Depends," she said, looking at him over the center console between their seats. "If thinking about the demise of just about every weapons dealer in Europe is a good thought, then yes, I'm having a few."

"Costas risked his life to get us that info," Callen said. "I never pegged him for a hero, but he's making me reconsider."

"He's helped you before," Kensi said. "I don't think this is out of character for him, honestly. He seemed like a good guy."

"It always struck me as kind of… incongruous, that he was a weapons dealer, considering what kind of guy he is." Callen shook his head. "Maybe he just needed a reason to get out of the life."

"Jason says MI6 is going to offer him a job consulting," Kensi said. "Given his connections, it's probably what he should have been doing all along."

"Probably," Callen said with a shrug. "We gonna talk about what happened?"

Kensi started a bit at the abrupt change in topic, but maybe she shouldn't have been so surprised. Callen wasn't known for talking about things, preferring to just ignore them until they went away, but this time was different. They still had to work together, and while it wasn't unheard of for teammates to have to go to extremes to sell a cover, it could be awkward if it wasn't dealt with.

"I'm honestly okay with what happened, G," she said, offering a small smile. "I was prepared for things to take that turn, so it wasn't exactly a shock. And you're not exactly hard on the eyes, you know."

Callen chuckled. "Thanks."

He looked at her intently for a few moments. Kensi wasn't sure what he was looking for, but she squirmed a little under the intensity of that stare.

"You know, Costas said you had feelings for me." It was said so casually that it caught her completely off guard. She nearly choked on the drink she'd just taken.

"He—what?"

"Was he wrong?"

"He—god, I can't believe he said that," Kensi muttered.

She'd done so well hiding her feelings, or at least she thought she had. Either that or Costas was psychic. Callen just stared at her, one eyebrow raised. She knew she couldn't lie to him. Beyond the fact that it just wasn't in her nature, he had to be able to trust her, and part of that was knowing that your partner wouldn't lie to you.

"No, he wasn't wrong," she said at last. "But this isn't me asking you for something you can't give. It's me being honest because you need to be able to trust that I'm not lying to you. I don't expect you to do anything with this."

"And if I can give you what you want?" Callen asked quietly. "Would you still want it?"

Kensi sucked in a surprised breath. "You can't be serious."

"I'm not saying I'm as in love with you as you are with me," he said. Kensi raised her own eyebrow at that. "But what I am saying is that I'd like to try. With you. If you want to."

Kensi stared at him for the space of a few heartbeats. Here he was, offering her everything she'd ever wanted, and she wasn't saying anything. It was like she was stuck. Because it couldn't be real. He couldn't be saying what she thought he was saying.

"I think I broke you," Callen said softly.

Kensi shook her head. "No, you didn't break me. I'm just—where is this coming from? Last week we were friends and occasional partners. Now this? And please tell me it's not because we had sex. That would be a lousy reason."

"It's not because we had sex," Callen said, and the tone of his voice made her sure he wasn't lying. "I think it's just all the time we've spent together in the last few days. I know we've been playing parts, but a lot of our covers are based on the real person; they have to be or you'll forget yourself and start doing things that'll blow your cover. I started seeing that person. I like that person. I like you. And even you have to admit that the sex was phenomenal."

"It was pretty good," Kensi said, smiling as she remembered that night.

"It was better than 'pretty good', Kensi," Callen said. "And because it was with you, it meant a lot more than sex with anyone else ever has."

That brought Kensi up short. Those weren't the words of a man trying to get a woman to have sex with him. Those were the words of a man figuring out just how much that woman means to him.

"So what happens when we get back to California?" she asked, because someone had to. "How would this work?"

"We tell Hetty, because no good can come of keeping it a secret," Callen said. That surprised her, because it meant he'd been thinking seriously about this. "And then we see how it goes. I'm not good at relationships, but for you I'm willing to try."

"Callen, I—"

"Kensi," he said patiently. He leaned forward and took her hand, tugging until she'd scooted across the center console between the seats and dropped into his lap. Once he had her settled, he dropped a kiss into her hair.

"I'm not saying this is going to be easy," he said quietly. "And I have a feeling Deeks is going to flip when he finds out. But for the first time in a long time I want someone to share my life with. And I want that someone to be you. I can't say it any plainer than that."

Kensi leaned back, searching his eyes, looking for the uncertainty, the lie in his words. And while she found plenty of worry around the edges, all she saw when she looked at him was his strength and conviction. He wanted this. Wanted her. The rest truly were just details.

"Okay," she said, letting out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "I do love you, but I get that you're not there yet, so we take this one step at a time. And the second you feel like it's not working for you, you tell me. I'd rather we split as friends than be ghosted like someone who doesn't matter anymore."

"Not gonna happen, but I can agree to those terms," Callen said. He settled back in his seat, tucking her head under his chin. "Think we can get some champagne? Celebrate a little?"

"I like how you think," Kensi said, smiling.

She pulled back once more, then leaned in to press a kiss to his lips. The same thrill raced through her, now laced with the knowledge that she could have this any time she wanted to. When she pulled back, she found Callen smiling gently at her. The flight attendant walked by as she was curling up in his lap; she smiled indulgently at Kensi. All Kensi could do was smile back.

She knew the road ahead would be difficult, but nothing worth having was ever easy. Her father had told her that once. But far from being worried, she was excited to see where this latest twist in her life would take her.

~Finis