A/N – Haven't said it in a while, I own nothing except the clothes on my back, my OCs and one slightly aging Ford Escape in the driveway.

A/N2 – I know I owe a lot of people responses to reviews, both for this story and Loss, as well as some odd ones here and there, but things have been crazy, I promise to make an effort to get to them soon!

~,~,~,~,~

Chapter 3

It was so silent in the room that Deeks could hear a pin drop, as he thought about the papers laying in front of him. Neither of the other two dared to make a sound and break his concentration. Finally, he looked up from the papers in his lap. "I'll need to talk to Kensi. It's not like I haven't thought about it over the years. I've looked into it. If I do this, I'll have to do FLETC as well as SABTP in Georgia. That means I'll be away from L.A. for upwards of three and a half months. I don't want to leave her here alone for that long."

"You won't have to, Mr. Deeks. Owen and I have been looking into this and there is a very good hospital in Savannah, Georgia. It's a bit of a distance, about 70 miles from the facility in Glynco but it's been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. We can arrange for Miss. Blye to be transferred to the rehab section of the Memorial University Medical Center for the length of your stay. An apartment will be secured for you and Monty in the same area. It will mean a long drive back and forth to classes, but it also means Miss. Blye will have excellent medical treatment."

He looked from one to the other and said the first thing that came into his mind, without thinking. "Why? Why are you doing this for us? Why are you so adamant that I become an agent?"

Granger was serious when he responded. "We look after our own. Whether you're officially on the team or not, you're one of us and always will be. If you don't want to do this, we'll still be here to assist you in any way you need us to or allow us to."

Deeks swallowed against the lump that had formed in his throat. He realized he wanted this, all of it. The house, the job, the team, Kensi. And it was all within his grasp. He looked up and smiled. "Where do I sign?"

The looks on both faces would have been comical if Deeks had been of a mind to laugh at them. Instead, he picked up the pen and signed his name to the house agreement. Turning to the last page of the application, a sudden thought came to him. "Wait, isn't there an age limit? Aren't I too old to attend now?" It seemed like it was slipping away again.

"It's been waived, Deeks. You only miss it by a just over a year. Consider it time served." Granger responded.

"Who waived it? Do you have that kind of authority over FLETC?" He was surprised.

They looked at each other and it was Hetty who answered. "Actually, Director Vance has the authority and has used it."

"Vance?" Now Deeks was moving past surprised and headed straight for stunned.

"Yes, Vance. We're not the only ones who don't want to lose you Deeks. He's almost as invested in you becoming an agent as we are." Granger replied.

"Well…huh…I…"

"Just sign the damn paperwork already before we're all retired!"

"Yes sir!" He put pen to paper and signed his name. It was official, he was going to become an NCIS agent. He shook a little, having second thoughts.

"None of that now, Mr. Deeks. You've made the right decision." He didn't even bother to ask how she knew. "Now, here is the list of classes you will be required to take. Some of them you've already taken so credit will be given. Some of them, we may be able to get waived due to your experience here in OSP." Hetty began, handing the long list to Deeks.

He looked up sharply. "No."

Hetty actually looked confused. "No? No, what?"

"No, no classes get waived. I'll accept the credit for the ones I actually took and passed, but I take all the rest, just like any other applicant. I need to prove I can do this on my own."

Hetty smiled widely. This independence of spirit was another reason her attention had landed on the man in front of her so many years ago. "Very well." She watched as he looked at the list of classes and his face took on a bit of a panicked look. "You know, Mr. Deeks, all of us will be behind you. Any assistance you may need, you can always come to us or your team. I know Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen will be happy to help you in any way."

"I don't want them to know I'm doing this. Sam, Callen, Nell, Eric, no one at NICS is to know except you two, Director Vance, Kensi and me."

"But why Mr. Deeks? Surely you know you can count on your team?"

"I do know Hetty. But this, this is something I want to do on my own. I know you'd have my back and I know I have both of you to thank for this, but I want to be given that badge on my own merits, not because I have a team of people who steam rolled me through it. Besides, if I fail…"

"You won't fail Deeks, of that I'm sure. We'll abide by your wishes. As far as the rest of the team and OSP will be concerned, we found a specialist in Georgia for Blye and you're going with her to support her during her rehab. We expect you both to be there for three to four months." Granger said.

Deeks quirked an eyebrow. "You don't seem all that surprised by my wishes, Assistant Director."

"I'm not. You wouldn't be the man I know you to be, if you allowed us to do the work for you. You come off as lazy, laid back and looking for the easy way out, but I've seen you in action. I know that's a crock. You're just as driven as the rest of us." Granger smirked at him. Not to be outdone, Deeks smirked back.

"Well, now that that's settled, why don't you go by your new home and check it out, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty stood up and held out the keys along with a piece of paper with the address written on it. Deeks stood as well and gently took them from her.

"Hetty, I can't thank you enough. Even without the invitation to become an agent, finding a home for us is above and beyond anything we could have asked of you."

"I did it for Mr. Callen. It's only right I do it for you and Miss. Blye. That house and the three of you? I think you'll find it a good fit. Now scoot! We'll file both pieces of paperwork. Don't be surprised if Leon reaches out to you to welcome you aboard. Just be nice to him and he'll eventually go away."

Deeks laughed and headed out. Unsurprisingly, Nell and Eric were lying in wait and pounced on him as soon as he exited the hallway. "Well?" Nell asked breathlessly. "What was all that about?" She hoped she knew what it was. She knew everyone but Deeks was convinced he should become an NCIS agent.

"Hetty and Granger found a great rehab hospital for Kensi. It's in Savannah, Georgia and they've arranged for her to be transferred there, if she's agreeable. I'm to go with her for support."

Nell's face fell. This was not at all what she'd hoped for. "Oh, well, that's great. How does Kensi feel about this?"

"She doesn't know yet. They wanted to talk to me first, to make sure I'd be able to go with her. Seeing as I'm unemployed at the moment, I answered yes. Plus, it will get me out from under Callen's feet, at least for a few months."

"Months?" Eric squeaked. "How long are you two going to be gone?"

"Hetty said the specialist she talked to figures three to four months."

"Dude! That's a long time!"

"It is, but it'll be worth it to get Kens the best care possible. I'll make sure we skype or face time with you guys, so it'll be over before you know it!" He smiled and left the Mission, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time.

~,~,~,~,~,~

Deeks sat in his car and stared at the house through the windshield and then checked the address for the tenth time. There's no way this was the house he'd just signed a rent to own agreement on. He'd pictured a small three bedroom with a tiny backyard. The actuality was completely different. The house was huge and he squirmed a bit, not sure if he'd been fed a bunch of bull and Hetty had spent her own money, leaving the remainder to assuage his conscience. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a few moments and then blew it out. Opening the door, he stepped out and walked up the path.

The handicap ramp was off to the side of the wide front porch and inconspicuous, something he knew Kensi would appreciate if she had need of it. He pulled out his phone and snapped a couple pictures. Arriving at the front door, he put the key in the lock, expecting that it wouldn't work, that this was all a mistake. When it turned smoothly and the door swung in, he hesitated, still feeling like he was trespassing. The inside of the house made him feel a little better. It was dated but nothing he couldn't fix with a little help from his friends. A bit of paint here, remove some wallpaper there. He toured it, taking picture after picture for Kensi, his excitement mounting with each step.

The first floor bedroom was not the largest, but it would do as Kensi recovered her mobility, then they would move into the master suite on the second floor. He found a slider exiting out to the backyard and had to stop as he imagined Monty's excitement at his new backyard. It was big enough that the old dog would be able to run circles until he exhausted himself. He snapped a couple more pictures before he closed it. Heading to the second floor, he stood rooted to the spot when he found the master. He pictured their furniture in there and finally a sense of being home swept over him. He quickly snapped a few more pictures and headed out, carefully closing and locking the door behind him. He hurried to the car, dying to get to the hospital and show the pictures to Kensi and tell her his news. Sitting in the car once more, he took one last look at the house and then drove away, a little bit dazed but with a huge smile on his face.

He reached the hospital in record time, found a space and bounded into the lobby. He waved at a couple people he recognized and forewent the elevator in favor of the stairs to burn off some nervous energy. When he reached Kensi's floor, he forced himself to slow down to a more seemly pace. He exchanged pleasantries with a couple of the nurses and orderlies before stopping in front of her door. He had to suppress the way his body fairly vibrated and knocked. When she called out to come in, he opened the door slowly and entered. She was lying in bed and looking exhausted but she still had a smile for him. Then her head tilted. "What's going on Deeks? You look like the cat that ate the canary!"

He never could keep anything from her. "How would you feel about me becoming an NCIS agent?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I just signed the paperwork to become an agent. And that's not all! We have a place to live. Three blocks from the ocean with plenty of space for all of us, including Monty."

"How did you find it? That close to the beach, the rent is going to be astronomical." Her worry came through loud and clear.

"Hetty and we're renting to own." He told her the amount they'd be paying each month and her jaw dropped open.

"We could afford that, even if you didn't get another job! How is that possible?" A sudden thought crossed her mind and she blinked a couple times, then said quietly. "Wait, to become an agent, you need to attend FLETC and SABTP in Georgia."

He watched her closely, waiting to see if she'd tell him how she felt about that. When she didn't say anything for a few moments, he asked. "Are you okay with that?" He knew he should tell her she was going with him but he was curious to see if she'd tell him how she really felt about it.

She pasted a smile on her face and nodded. "Of course! This is something I've been wanting you to do for years."

"It's going to take me several months to complete the training course."

"I know, I'll be fi…" She stopped and looked at him, noticing that he was watching her carefully, looking like he was waiting for something. She'd promised him to be truthful about everything from now on and, no, she wasn't okay with this. She took a deep breath. "No, to be candid, I am not okay with you leaving me here alone for the next three to four months. I'm sorry, Deeks, I really am, but as much as I want you to become an agent, I really don't think I could stand to be here without you."

He grinned widely, happy that she'd told him the truth, even if the lie that had been on her lips was to make him feel better about leaving her behind. "Well then, I guess it's a good thing you're going with me then! Hetty and Granger have made arrangements for you to be transferred to a good hospital close by and we can take Monty!"

"What?" She stared at him. "You knew and yet you let me think…"

He realized that wasn't one of his better decisions and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry, I was just…"

She interrupted. "Testing me? Waiting to see if I'd tell you how I really felt?"

"Maybe, a little. And maybe just a little teasing. I'm sorry, I really am. That wasn't fair to you. It's still hard for me sometimes." He turned his head a little and stared out the window.

She knew it was going to take some time to earn back his complete trust and, while she wasn't happy he'd kept her in the dark, she thought she'd taken a step forward towards that goal, by being open and honest about how she felt. She squeezed his hand. "It's okay, just, please? Don't do anything like that again?" He nodded and raised her hand to his lips. "So, tell me everything that happened!"

He told her the whole story, from the moment he stepped into the Mission until he locked the door on the house Hetty had found for them. He pulled out his phone, shifted his position on her bed and the two poured over the pictures he'd taken of the house. "That wallpaper will need to go. We'll need to repaint that room, I hate the pink walls! Oh Deeks, what an awesome backyard, we can have a party back there for everyone! Monty will be in seventh heaven." Her excitement reflected his own and he leaned down to kiss her hard. Her response left him reeling when they finally pulled apart.

"So, I take it you're okay with the fact that I signed the rent to own agreement without talking to you?"

"I'd be pissed if you hadn't! I can't believe you left here with no place for us to live, no job and now look!"

"Hetty and Granger work in mysterious ways!"

She laughed and then sobered. "You know you're going to be an amazing agent, don't you? We'll all help you."

"Yeah, about that. I told Hetty and Granger that I didn't want anyone other than those that already know, to be told I'm going."

Leave it to his kick ass Kensi to understand. "You want to do it on your own, don't you? No help from anyone so that you can say, I did this."

"You know me so well. Yeah, I'd feel different if Sam, Callen and the Wonder Twins had a part in my getting through training and then I'd wonder if I'd passed because I'm good or because of them."

"You'll pass with flying colors. I have absolute faith in you."

He looked at her carefully, once again gauging her words and the incidents of the past few months came back, sobering both of them. It was always there, just in the background. She reached out and took his hands. "I promised you, if you'd give me a second chance, I would always be truthful with you, no matter how painful. I meant what I said, you're going to pass with flying colors and make everyone proud!"

He leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers, whispering. "Thank you baby."

~,~,~,~,~

A/N3 - Next up, FLETC, which, if we know our Deeks, will not be smooth sailing.