Hey all. Next chapter for you. Hope you enjoy xxx

Disclaimer: All NCISLA belongs to someone else…certainly not me!

CHOICES

CHAPTER 3

Deeks kept staring at the photo of Holly Gardiner on his laptop screen. The haunting image of her smiling seemed to him as if she was alive and staring straight at him. Kensi was poring through the declassified files that Hetty had handed to her of Holly's father. He glanced at her reading through the pages, and quietly stood up and headed to the gun firing room.

He felt like he had to do something, shooting a paper target was as good as something as he could think of at the moment. It wasn't really going to help…it wasn't going to bring Holly back, but his mind was racing. Blurring images alternating between Holly lying on the beach to his father swearing and coming straight at him with his fists. Why this case was affecting him so much he didn't know. He just couldn't fathom why this one case was making him feel so down. He had experienced many similar cases of abuse over the years of him being a police detective. Hell, he had experienced it himself. Some cases had been much worse that Holly's and yet he had managed to handle those atrocities with relative ease. 'So why this case?' he thought as he brought his gun up to fire, 'why?'

When Sam and Callen returned, Callen went straight up to Eric to hand him the chip while Sam strode to his chair. Kensi was deep in concentration at her desk, skimming her fingers over the words as she was reading, but he saw that Deeks wasn't there...

"Hey Kensi, where's Deeks?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. He just quietly stood up without a word and walked out, heading to the gym or firing range" she said, "Something is bothering him"

"Hey so Eric's going to check the chip and let us know when he finds anything…where's Deeks?" Callen asked as he scanned the bullpen.

"Kensi said he just stood up and walked to the gym. This case is affecting him G" said Sam.

"I can talk to him" Callen shrugged, "he might tell me what's in his head"

Kensi looked up from her desk, "No I'll talk to him guys. He is my partner. I'll invite him over when we go home"

Callen nodded, "Did you find anything in the file, Kens?"

"Nothing is jumping out at me yet" she shook her head, "Hopefully Eric gets something off the chip. How's Rose by the way?"

"Uh, she's good. She sends her best to everyone" Callen smiled.

"Rose also asked Callen to catch up with her over dinner" Sam grinned.

"I thought she was Nate's girlfriend? Don't tell me Callen's been sending off signals to her" Kensi laughed.

"No I just think Rose has a little crush on our illustrious agent Callen" Sam chuckled, "Lucky him huh?"

"Don't even joke about it Sam. I mean I like Rose and all but…" Callen waggled a finger at him.

"You did say you attract the intellectual types didn't you G? Rose is perfect for you"

Callen glared at his partner who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I'll tell Nate you said that Sam"

Deeks came back and stopped at his partner's desk with a sigh, 'Hey I'm sorry I disappeared before Kensi. I'm fine now. Did you find anything?"

"Right…" Kensi stared at her partner not believing a word he just said, "No nothing yet. We're waiting on Eric and the chip"

"Okay" he nodded, "Care to take a guess at what's on the chip guys?"

"Could be anything. Gardiner had top security. He could have access to hundreds of secrets" said Callen.

"Did Rose find anything apart from the chip?" Kensi asked.

"Just that the bruises on her now are new, but she has old injuries as well" Sam replied.

"Her father? Or someone else?"

"Chad Gardiner would be the first suspect but he may not be the only suspect" Callen nodded.

Eric whistled over the top balcony, his piercing call to arms echoing loudly through the building.

"I swear, one of these days I'm gonna strangle Eric so he can't whistle ever again" Sam grumbled.

"Hetty wouldn't let you Sam" Callen smiled, "Besides she's the one who taught him the tactic"

Kensi was taking the steps up side by side with her partner when she stopped and grabbed his arm, "Hey Deeks, how about you coming over tonight to my place? I'll make you my best ever dessert I recently discovered"

"You discovered a dessert recipe? Really Kensi?" Deeks looked doubtfully at her.

"Okay I discovered it by accident…but it's really good. Oh come on, partner…I really want you to come over"

Deeks sighed, "You really want me to come over? This isn't because I disappeared before is it? If it is…I told you I'm fine, really"

"I'm worried about you Deeks. We all are. This isn't like you. You don't mope about things. You sulk when things don't go your way or we pick on you…but this…this is different"

"Okay fine", he huffed, "I'll come over about 9"

"Great" Kensi smiled, "I'll make sure I tape Top Model for you so you don't miss it"

They caught up with the others who were waiting in the tech room for them to arrive. Eric and Nell, tablets in hand, were eager to get started.

"Fire away Eric" Callen nodded.

"One little chip found on Holly Gardiner this morning", he began, "On it are the details of a new thing the navy is working on"

"The thing is a synthetic drug that when taken, causes the person to make him feel suicidal" Nell added, "The idea is that hostiles in custody or enemies of ours are given this drug to cause them to do a sort of cleansing by their own hands. It means that instead of the government being accused of human rights abuse, they can just say the prisoner killed himself. All traces of the drug would be flushed from the body before any autopsy asked for could be granted. Gardiner knew the scientists were working on it but somehow it may have been compromised".

"How so Nell?" Sam asked.

"After Hetty spoke to a friend of Gardiner's, she discovered that Gardiner thought someone he knows found out about the drug and wants to use it for terrorist means"

"What some crazy wants to hand out this drug to the kids on the street instead of who it's meant for, our enemies?" Deeks asked.

"That's the theory" Eric nodded, "Terrorists could distribute it out as if it was an ordinary party drug. Thousands of people who take the drugs…"

"Could end up killing themselves because of it. So how did Holly end up with the chip?" asked Kensi.

"We're guessing her father put it in Holly. Records show that Holly went in for surgery to a dislocated shoulder that was troubling her. Rose spoke to her doctor and he admitted that Gardiner asked him to implant the chip for $20,000 dollars a month ago". Nell nodded.

"And Holly's abuse? Is her father the one who did that?" Deeks asked.

"Yes. Gardiner's friend admitted he has a temper and that Holly was a rebellious child especially after her mother died. He found it difficult to deal with hers since then. One time Holly hit Gardiner in anger during an argument and Gardiner couldn't restrain himself and hit her back. That's when the abuse started."

"They always hit back" Deeks shook his head, knowing how his own father was like that.

"We should speak to that friend of Gardiner's. Eric?" noted Callen.

"The friend's name is Derek Pilkerton, address is on your phones"

"While Mr Callen and Mr Hanna are interviewing Mr Pilkerton, Mr Deeks and Miss Blye can check Holly's school records, talk to her friends find out a little more about her.

"On our way. Nell what was Holly's school?" Kensi asked.

"Grace town High School. I'll send you the address" Nell nodded.

Phew! I had got a little brain freeze for this chapter. Hopefully it's okay. Review if you wish. Much love xxx