The pebbles crunched beneath Kensi's boot. She winced. The last thing they needed was Gutierrez's men knowing that NCIS agents surrounded them. Deeks put up a finger to his lips. Kensi shot him a look that said, "I know. It was an accident."

Deeks smirked. Kensi didn't know whether she wanted to slap him or smile.

Deeks and her got the short end of the straw, they had to infiltrate first. Callen and Sam would go in after them.

They decided that the best way to do this job was to go in, just the four of them. The smaller the team, the smaller the percentage of things going wrong. That's what Hetty said. Kensi didn't know if she agreed. She didn't want to go in there gun's a-blazin', but she didn't feel comfortable without back up. Eric did say army.

She didn't really have a choice, though. She was the reason they were investigating this. Well, Claire was, but Kensi was, too, by association.

As she neared a door, she thought about a conversation she had with Claire the night before.

Once the team confirmed that the house was clean of evidence and was ready, Claire was allowed to come back. Kensi stayed behind to ask Claire a few questions.

"I told you everything I know," Claire said while pulling out some soda from the fridge.

"I know, I know, I just need a few more de—"

"Kensi, I know you're on the job, but can we NOT talk about the case, just for a few minutes?"

Kensi was taken aback, but she nodded. "Sure, um, what do you want to talk about?"

Claire laughed. "I don't know. I haven't seen you in years and all of the sudden I come calling and, as always, you come to save the day. We've got to have something to talk about."

"Yeah. How did you know where I worked?"

"Jack gave me the address and told me if I ever needed help to go to you. I guess it came in handy," Claire shrugged.

"But how did Jack even know? I started working there after he and I…" she trailed off.

"Broke up?" Claire finished.

"Yeah, that."

"I don't know. I don't know what my brother does, Kensi. He's kinda a loose cannon, you know?"

"I know. Do you know if he has a girlfriend?" Kensi asked. "For the case."

"As far as I know, you were the last steady girlfriend Jack has had. He doesn't really have much of a life, my brother."

Kensi took a sip of her soda as she thought. At least we're in the same boat in that department, she said to herself.

"Speaking of boys," Claire started with a sly smile. "You and that police officer, what's his name? Deeks. What's up with you and him?"

"There's nothing 'up' with Deeks and me. We're partners. That's all."

"Mm-hmm. I bet you have to say that a lot," Claire said.

I do say that a lot, Kensi thought to herself, not that she told that to Claire.

"There's no use lying to me," Claire continued. "I'm a teenage girl. We SMELL sexual attraction from miles away. You two have a thing—I know it.

Kensi choked on her soda. "Thing?" she echoed. Well, she couldn't really deny that. They even admitted it to each other that they had a "thing" but Kensi wasn't really sure what that meant.

Claire continued, "I mean, come on, Kensi. He is cute. In a shaggy, surfer dude kind of way."

"Deeks? No. Definitely not."

"So, you're telling me, with all the undercover work you guys have to do, and all the years you have been partners with him, you have never wanted to kiss his adorable, surfer dude lips?"

"No! Never," Kensi quickly replied. A little too quickly.

Claire arched her eyebrows. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Claire studied her formal future-sister-in-law. "Oh, my God."

"What?"

"You HAVE kissed him!"

"What? No—" Kensi stopped, once again thinking about that undercover job her and Deeks did a few years back. "Well, not…personally." Kensi watched as Claire tensed in delight.

"Oh, my God. Best. Thing. Ev-wait, what do you mean, 'personally'?"

"It was undercover. So, it doesn't count."

"It so does."

Kensi shook her head and took another swing of her soda.

That was two days ago. Kensi now had her gun in front of her, waiting to barge into a drug lord's warehouse.

She flicked her eyes to her partner quickly. She didn't think he saw her, but he did. He always saw her. He turned to her and gave her his little smirk, as if to say, "You ready for this?" She rolled her eyes.

"Green light," Callen's voice said into her ear.

Kensi and Deeks entered the building with ease, speedy enough to be safe. Quiet enough to be undetected. They crept through the dark corridor, ready for anything.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Kensi whirled around at the sound of gunfire. Deeks was right next to her, so it must have been Callen or Sam. "All clear?" she whispered.

Silence.

"Sam? Callen? Answer me," Deeks said.

"All clear," Sam's voice came through. Kensi sighed with no small relief.

"Kensi, you should come see this," Callen said.

Kensi's heart stopped as she ran over to where Sam and Callen were. She found them, standing in the middle of a circle of dead men. Callen's eyes met hers and he flicked a glance to the center of the room.

There, slumped over in the chair, was a man, unconscious and tied up. She looked at Callen and Sam quizzically and rushed to the limp person. She knelt down on her knees and she held his chin in her palm.

It was Jack.