Chapter 2

I DID! Stupid machine ate my stupid card. Now I have no money and no way to get any, other than standing in the line from hell!

Kensi grinned, thinking about how hard it was for Deeks to stay still for any length of time if it wasn't for an op. Even at home watching television, some part of his body was always in motion. Of course, that worked out great for her as she got foot rubs and neck massages every night. He even liked to brush her hair. It had seemed like a weird request the first time he had asked, but she'd said yes when he said he found it soothing. She had had no idea how relaxing having someone brush her hair could be, nor how sensual. She would sit on the floor between his legs while he sat on the couch and ran the brush through her hair, tracing the path of the brush with his hand, lightly scraping his nails over her scalp. Her eyes went out of focus as she remembered how often it had turned into so much more.

"Earth to Kensi! What's going on in there?" Sam teased her.

She started, realizing she had no idea what, if anything, he had just said to her. "Sorry, Sam, I was miles away. Did you say something?" Kensi said, trying not to blush. She didn't want her teammates to know where her mind had just been.

"I asked if you know where Deeks is. He's late." Sam replied. She laughed.

"Yeah, he just texted. He had to stop at the bank and he's stuck in a long line that is, apparently, not moving quickly enough for him."

Callen joined in, laughing, "I hope no one in line with him has a gun. They might just shoot him!" They all grinned, knowing how enforced stillness drove Deeks insane. They all turned to look at the upper floor when Eric's whistle came.

"We have a case! It's an agent in distress call. Guys, it's Deeks!" Eric told them just before disappearing back into Ops.

The three agents looked at each other in confusion. "But he JUST texted me! How could he get into trouble so quickly?" asked Kensi.

"It's Deeks." Sam said. "That boy could find trouble in a convent." The three of them raced up the stairs. Inside Ops they found Nell, Eric and Hetty.

Eric turned as they came through the door. "The distress call automatically gives us the agent's location. He's at the Pacific National Bank on Wilshire."

Kensi nodded, "He literally just texted me he was at the bank and was running late. What the hell happened?"

"Just got something over the LAPD wire." Nell interrupted. "Robbery in progress at Pacific National Bank on Wilshire." Kensi felt the blood drain from her face. Leave it to Deeks to get caught up in a bank robbery.

"Mr. Beale, can we get eyes on the inside of the bank?" asked Hetty.

"On it!" he replied and turned back to his computer, working furiously. "Here we go, I'm tapped into their security system." he said as he put it up on the big screen. They could make out three armed men and about twenty civilians sitting on the floor, along with their Liaison Officer.

"LAPD is on the scene already, apparently someone called it in." said Nell. They could see the moment the people in the bank realized that the police were there.

"Bugger." said Hetty. This had just turned into a hostage situation with their detective smack dab in the middle of it.

"Nell, find out who from LAPD is running this operation and let them know three NCIS agents are on their way and that our Mr. Deeks is one of the hostages. The three of you, go to the scene, make sure you are on comms. Assist the LAPD in any way but do not let them botch this. Go! Make him safe!" To Sam and Callen, her last words were too reminiscent of the time Deeks had ended up in the hospital after being shot during a faked convenience store robbery. How did he always manage to be the one in trouble? It was like he was a magnet for it.

The three headed out the door, deciding to take Kensi's SRX. Sam's car only had two doors and no one wanted to be crammed into the back. However, neither senior agent would let Kensi drive. Sam took the keys using the excuse that she was too close to this to drive safely. In reality, it was because she was a horrible driver. Deeks was the only one who would ever get in the car with her behind the wheel. Sam made it to the scene in record time. He wondered for a moment if Eric had had anything to do with the fact that every light he approached turned green just as he got there. Something he would have to remember to ask about later. He parked just outside the perimeter LAPD had set up. The three of them jumped out and ran to the barricade only to be stopped by a young officer who wouldn't let them by, even when they pulled out their badges. "We need to speak to whoever is in charge!" snarled Callen. "One of my team is inside that bank."

The young officer radioed the information to the officer in charge. Shortly, an overweight balding man approached them. "I'm Lieutenant Saunders. I'm in charge here. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I'm Special Agent Callen; these are Special Agents Hanna and Blye of NCIS. We're here to help. One of our guys is inside there. He's also one of yours. Detective Marty Deeks."

The other man laughed "Figures Deeks would be in the middle of something like this. Thanks for the information, you can leave now. LAPD has this under control and we don't need your help." he turned to walk away.

"We can make this an NCIS case and take over completely if you won't let us assist! We are NOT leaving." retorted Callen.

Saunders turned back "You can try! In the meantime, run along."

Back in Ops, having heard everything over the comms, Hetty turned to Eric. "Mr. Beale, get me the Chief of Police at LAPD headquarters. Ms. Jones, get me Director Vance on the phone. We'll just see about this!" She stalked out of Ops. Eric and Nell exchanged a look; they would not want to be Lt. Saunders after Hetty talked to the two men in question. Turning back to their desks, they worked to comply with her requests.