Disclaimer: Check Ch1

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this guys but It'sMyFavoriteSong was busy with the holidays and I don't like pressuring people. So I patiently waited just like you. On that note, Happy New Year! Thank you so much for the reviews and story alerts. They make my day... think about that ;) Here's some Deeks whump from me to you. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

"You are brave for coming here."

Or stupid for coming by myself… "Listen, I understand that Emilio screwed up, but I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Emilio lied to me." His voice was calm and collected, but it held a strong undertone of anger… pure unadulterated rage.

"Okay…" Shit, this guy's going to eat me alive… No. I can do this. Slow, calm, don't let him get the better of you. Deeks coached himself.

"He has contacts with the police but did not tell me, so now he has to pay the price for poor judgment. Now because of that, four months' work and more money than you've seen in your entire career have been wasted. That's why I'm here."

Make eye contact and stay with it. "That's why I'm here. It's not wasted if you let me take over."

"You hear that? Business proposition," Lazik laughed, turning to the men standing behind him.

"Listen, I helped set up the safe houses. I know people. People to pay off at the border."

Lazik paused, seemingly contemplating his proposition. Finally, "Go on."

Show some confidence so he knows you have the balls to run the business but also a little fear so he recognizes he owns you and you know it. "All I'm asking for here is one shipment, all right? One shipment. I screw it up, you close it down, nothing lost. But if I make this happen, you and I, we're in business and all that money hasn't gone to waste."

Another pause. Lazik rubbed his chin in thought. "You're very persuasive," he said.

"Thank you," Deeks said confidently. You almost have him Deeks.

"But I'm afraid it's not going to work." Or not…

"It can work, come on, just give me a chance."

Lazik chuckled, "It's a shame too, I think working with you could have been quite interesting."

"It still can be," Deeks said in a last ditch effort to save the operation… and possibly his life.

"No, it cannot, Mr. Deeks. Perdonnez moi, I meant- Detective Deeks, of the LAPD," he replied, enunciating each letter as he spelled out the four letters that Deeks had hoped to never hear from this man. Los Angeles, we have a huge problem.

He recognized the sounds that followed Lazik's revelation- the unmistakable and overly dramatic click of guns being cocked. The op was done, but he wasn't about give Lazik the satisfaction of seeing him run. Besides, he was really more pissed off than anything. He had screwed up, yet again, only this time… this time it would be his last mistake. One of the big scary men was now next to him, pointing a gun at his chest. He sighed. If only this was a movie and he could have that over-confidence that help was coming.

But it wasn't.

This is it.

Or not, Deeks thought as the gun was suddenly gone and a fist had taken its place. The first blow had barely registered in his mind before the next one came. And the next. Lazik was relentless. Deeks managed to keep quiet until Lazik through him to the ground, causing pain in his side that had almost been forgotten over the past few days.

There was that disgusting feeling of stitches being pulled and ripped out… he had barely just been sown back up for God's sake.

Lazik was suddently in his face. "You don't have to go through this."

"Okay, well I'm just gonna be on my way then," he tried to joke through the pain. The faux humor earned him another punch to the gut, making him groan.

Deeks had kept up the tough act, he had endured the punishment… but when Lasik showed him just how much he knew about Jess and him, seeing that picture of him coming out of her apartment, a piece of the mask fell off. He tried to look away, but Lasik kept pushing and peeling piece by piece, wanting to enjoy the storm of emotions he was causing in the young man. Deeks knew what Lazik was doing and was angry. So, so angry. He wanted to lash out, he wanted to kill the man, but he knew he was in no position to do so.

Deeks was only mildly surprised that Callen chose that moment to stride in like he owned the place. Of course, wait until after the beating.

Once the first shot had been fired all hell broke loose. Deeks felt the adrenaline course through him, suddenly he was prepared to take on a full army by himself. He managed to stop Lazik from shooting Sam, then ran like hell for cover. He was unarmed and it was raining bullets all around him.

It was over almost faster than it had begun.

He heard Callen calling his name, not even attempting to mask the worry.

"I'm good!" Deeks called to the ceiling, which he was currently staring at. He was bleeding and he was hurting, but he was alive, which was more than he had been able to say for himself ten minutes ago.

"A couple of more minutes and I would've taken them all out."

"Hey Deeks, nice to see you, you know, alive," said Sam, rewarding him with smile.

Callen was approaching now and Deeks could hear what had to be Kensi's steps coming down the stairs, but things felt weird. Everything was moving in slow motion. No more adrenaline running through his system. He wanted to make a smartass remark for Kensi, but he was too tired to think of one. He still felt the need to say something to her, even in the process of passing out.

"Told you I'd be back," he smirked, but for how long? He sighed, his breath hitching in pain he had forgotten. Deeks wasn't dying, he knew that much. It just really, really felt like it.

Kensi, being Kensi, was completely prepared to say something smart-alecky right back, but stopped. Deeks was falling. He was fading. Callen and Sam, having also witnessed Deeks collapse, ran towards him, but weren't close enough. Kensi grabbed him just as his legs gave out, but wasn't strong enough to support his weight.

"Hey, Deeks. Talk to me. What's wrong?" Panic tore into her as Deeks collapsed heavily against her chest. She gently eased him to the floor and that's when they all saw the blood stains on her shirt and jeans.

"Lazik found out… that Emilio was paying a..." he paused "a dirty cop," he said, voice now ragged with pain.

"We know…"

"I'm fine." He was anything but.

"Shut up," she growled. She was mad at him for going in without back up.

"And for the record... I don't faint" She looked up alarmed at the guys. Leave it to Deeks to try and banter at a moment like this.

Watching them bickering wasn't exactly entertaining at the moment, so Callen interrupted. "Deeks, were you hit?"

"No, it was… from before. " He breathlessly replied.

"What'd you mean from before?" Sam wondered.

"Explosion." A sad smile pulled onto his ashen face. He was shaking too. Sam rolled him on his side, just enough so that they could find the source of the blood. The unexpected movement brought tears to Deeks' eyes but he refused to let them fall.

What Callen finally found underneath the clothing looked like a stab wound; it was bleeding heavily and seemed to have been for quite a while. His skin felt hot to the touch. He probably had an infection and was already running a fever.

"Sam we need to get him out of here and fast."

TBC