Talia DeCampo had been working uncover with the Cartel for many years. She had become a successful Queen pin. Her intel brought down many of the infamous cartel organizations, including the remainder of the Molina Cartel. Yet, As one Cartel falls, another is always waiting in the wings. A powerful new player, the Cortez Cartel, became the new drug pusher heavily focused on Los Angeles and San Diego. Talia had just infiltrated them and was working on deals in order to get enough intel to begin their demise. As luck, or unluck would have it, the Cortez Cartel also had a female lead named Consuela Maria Cortez. She highly admired Talia's reputation and was subsequently extremely interested to meet her lackey husband, who got his hands dirty when needed, but followed Talia's every command without batting an eye. As such, enter Detective Deeks. LAPD had multiple busts of lower cartel members on the streets of LA, but could never get anything out of them. Hence, using Deeks as the Queen-pins faithful husband was icing on the cake for LAPD, DEA and a little nudge to get NCIS in.

Kensi entered OPS after gathering herself. "What time do you guys leave," she pushed out after clearing her throat.

"3am, we need to get settled while there aren't many eyes around," Talia informed a still partially distraught Kensi. It was after midnight by now and the briefing was finished. "I'll see you in a few hours, partner," The DEA Agent patted Deeks' shoulder, earning a glower from the other brunette, for Both the shoulder touch and the use of the word partner. Talia noticed instantaneously and corrected herself, "Marty." Which didn't earn her a better look. "What the hell, Kensi, Marty is his name."

"We all call him Deeks, you can too." Kensi seethed.

Talia rolled her eyes, but deep down felt concerned at how stressed Kensi was. "See you in a while, Deeks. I've got his back Kensi, I promise."

"Thank you." She responded coldly.

"Come here," Deeks said pulling his wife close. "Come with me," he grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the parking garage.

"I don't want to be up here Deeks, it's not good memories before a dangerous mission."

"We need a minute alone."

Kensi sighed. "Yes, but I don't really want to rehash one of the worst moments of my life. Thinking you were leaving me. The words that left your mouth. I'm sorry. I'm scared to death. Maybe we should be done for real this time, maybe it's time."

"Kens, baby, this isn't the time to discuss this. We can't do this again right now, just on opposite terms. Let's talk when I home. We can decide together. I'm gonna try to make this short and sweet. I may not be able to contact you, but know I love you, and I will always be thinking about you."

"I know."

"And I will NEVER do anything to disgrace our marriage." He said cupping her face with his hands.

"I know baby." Her soft lips landed on his as tears flowed down her eyes. "Just come home unscathed."

"Remember though, if something does happen to me, cryogenically frozen Deeks," he smiled the smile he reserves only for her.

"Don't be an idiot...be safe."

"Promise," he kissed her more passionately this time, pulling her into a warm embrace when the need for air outweighed the need for them to be close. He held her for a few quiet moments, until he needed to finish gathering the items he needed.

After Talia and Deeks left for their new living quarters, Kensi took a seat on the couch. She let out a deep sigh and tried to gasp air back in. Her chest felt heavy and her eyes grew tired. Soon, she had drifted into a dreamless sleep. Callen watched his friend rest. He gathered one of the blankets he kept stored for his own lonely nights sleeping at the mission, well, for the short amount of time he actually would sleep, and placed it gently on the woman he felt was a sister. He sat back at his desk and thought. When he returned four years ago, he had convinced Anna to come back to the states with him. She had been helping the CIA in Cuba with help from Joelle, after she insisted she couldn't return to the states. The women formed an unlikely friendship, but their legitimate concern for Callen, bonded them deeper than anyone thought possible. Joelle knew she had ruined any chance with Callen after deceiving him and leaving her family behind, but the care she felt for him was real. She wanted him to be happy and could see Anna made him happy. When Callen took his vacation time, four years ago, he set out to Cuba. Joelle and Callen were able to clear Anna's name and lifted any ban from her reentering the United States. Of course, strings were attached and Anna had been called away several times to assist the CIA. Callen wasn't thrilled, knowing she was working with spooks, but nonetheless, he was happy to have her back in his life. Every time Anna was called away, Callen worried she wouldn't return, he knew Kensi was feeling the same. Callen was falling harder and harder for Anna. He found himself more and more watching how Kensi and Deeks made things work. He admired them and something told him he could have the same thing. But in this moment, he knew he'd feel the same stresses Kensi was.

Kensi stirred, rubbing her eyes. Callen's shadow appeared clearer after a few moments. "Callen?" Kensi muttered out in confusion. "why are you still here?"

"Why are you? Shouldn't you be at home?"

"I'm not ready to do that yet," she huffed out. "I can't."

"You're going to need to at some point."

"I need to see them settled and know he's safe."

"Talia's a good Agent, Kens."

"I know she is. You know it's different now, It's harder than I thought. I thought I could do anything or handle anything the job threw at us, but I'm not so sure anymore. This made me realize that."

"You're a great Agent, I don't want you off this team. But, I understand that this job makes life hard. You and Deeks have surpassed anyone's expectations, you've worked professionally and handled things most couples, Hell that most people couldn't. I'm learning from you, Kens."

She forced out a smile, "It's kind of ironic, Deeks was the one wanting out. He stayed in because I wasn't ready to walk away, and now..." she paused.

"The tables have turned?" Callen interjected.

"I guess so."

"Callen, oh hey Kensi," Eric said coming down from OPS. "I didn't know you were still here."

"I wanted to wait until Deeks was all set in the cover house."

"That's what I was coming to tell Callen. Plan ago and our people are in place."

"Thanks Eric," Callen said looking back at Kensi. "Good?"

"Ya, great."

"Go home Kens, get some sleep. Come back around noon, after you've eaten."

Kensi nodded and walked out of the mission feeling more alone than she ever had.

"A clean sweep was done by one team and second brought in to double and triple check the cover house Deeks and Kensi would be living in.

"We're clear of bugs for now." Talia informed her partner.

"That's good, um that's great," Deeks said barely looking up from the sofa he was sitting on. "This is um quite a comfortable couch." He said rubbing his hands awkwardly across the fabric.

"I'm not going to bite you, Marty, Deeks," she corrected herself.

"You can call me either it's fine."

"Not according to your wife."

"She's just protective."

"I suppose I can't blame her. I used to have a tendency to touch you every chance I got, but that was before you were married. I thought after her and I teamed up against Alex Molina, she'd lighten up a bit. I mean you guys did invite me to the wedding."

Deeks chuckled.

"What was that her way of telling me you were hers?" Talia questioned.

"Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to my wife's brain. She respects you and the work you do. Truth be told, I think it was your presence that pushed her to admit her feelings for me. We'd probably still be dancing around our thing if it wasn't for you."

"Awe, well glad I could be of assistance. We hook up quite well."

"Partner, we partner up quite well, although I don't think Kensi would like to hear that either."

"She's very protective of you."

"I'm protective of her too," Deeks replied.

"I know, it's nice isn't it? To have someone close to you?"

"It is." He took a brief moment to think. "She's thinks she's finally ready to get out."

"Really?" Talia responded with a shock in her voice.

"Took me back too. I bargained with our boss a few years back to make her take a leave. As soon as she could, she was back out there, even though everything was different after Iraq. The nightmares came back, she was having panic attacks that I hadn't seen in her since she was afraid she'd never walk again. She let me help her this time, more than before. And then that little ray of sunshine poked through the clouds and she finally let good all the terrible things we've faced. She let go of almost losing me, of almost getting killed by Isis in Iraq. Talia, The look in her eyes, when she thought it was our last moments, that haunts me, but her sincere I love you, keeps me going. Sadly, I can't even say If was the worst moment of my life because there were so many others up there. Again, I wanted to be done, but I stayed in because I knew she wasn't ready, I knew I had forced her hand then. But Now, now she's ready."

"And you?" Talia questioned. "Are you ready?"

"Ha," Deeks let out an uncertain laugh. "I don't want her to regret it. Regret me. We've made everything work so far, and if she wants to, we can still make it work. I don't want her to want out because she thinks she's gonna lose me. I want her to be ready to start something new, to live our lives, not saving the world, but doing good another way."

"Well, after this is over, looks like you two have a lot to discuss."

Deeks nodded. "We should probably get some sleep. Stay at the top of our game."

"Right, Night Deeks."

"Night Talia." Deeks watched as she went up the stairs. He soon followed and headed to his own room. Nell made sure this charade would only need to be real on the outside of the house. Once in his own space, he looked up at the ceiling. "Good night, Kensi and I will always love you til the end of time and back, Princess."