xOk here is the last chapter maybe. Remember what I said. This story is about the agents and Deeks "soul-searching". I have been told, and agree, I have written several-Deeks gets mad and comes back stories but this time no matter how it turns out I felt we should see what is going on in the agent's minds that drive them to the decisions. A little unexpected ending I hope.

All 3 agents plus Hetti and Granger arrived at the same time. They parked around the side of the building. As they walked beside the building towards the front they were confronted by a familiar face. "Jack!" exclaimed Kensi, "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk meaning all of us. I want to join NCIS and be your partner and the two of us can pick up where we left off. After your team rescued me I got to thinking about what I wanted. My wife's parents took our daughter and the girl you asked me to watch ran away so I contacted Owen and asked about a job. He said you just happened to have an opening here. Kensi, now that I am healthy we need to go forward with our life together."

"What, whoa, wait, NO!" Kensi stammered looking daggers at Granger.

Hetti glared at Owen as she said "What in the hell did you do Owen? This is not right."

"Let's take this inside" Owen muttered. "This is not a parking lot discussion."

"No" said all 3 agents at the same time. "Remember who we are meeting" said Sam glaring at Owen with definite malice in mind.

Kensi went on "Look Jack, I feel for you losing your daughter, but you could have stayed and fought for her just like you could have stayed and fought for us. But you did neither. As far as a partner, I already have one. He is a big shaggy surfer but he has had my back for 5 years and my heart as well. It has just taken some pretty drastic things to make me see that. We have issues to deal with but we will. One date, one day, one case at a time. But we will get there. We always do and he will never leave me unless I force him to."

"But what about us, the cave, the torture" Jack almost whined?

"I told you about Marty then. He is where I went to blot out that pain and he is where I went when I got back and got healthy. Your leaving was the best thing that happened to me. I grew up and became my own woman-strong and independent. I also built up walls because of you. I tucked my heart away so it could never be hurt again. Then I met someone who took his time-almost 5 years-to knock those walls down. Someone who has proved he won't leave but will go anywhere and endure anything to protect me. I now understand what it means to love someone so much you would take a bullet for them. He has done that, not just for me but for this entire team. Have a good life Jack, but go away. I don't want to see you again."

"What about the rest of you? Do you want a highly trained former marine or a shaggy cop surfer wanta be covering your 6? What about you Owen, Hetti? You're the bosses here. Tell em" Jack spit out a little embarrassed after Kensi's tirade.

"Owen," Hetti said, "you are the Assistant Director. Do you want to handle this or dump it on me?"

"Jack, I told you of the opening. I never said I wanted you to get it. I trust these agents. They have made their opinion known and I respect it. If we can make it work with that shaggy surfer we will. But if we can't, the agents have also made it clear their opinion of you. We will give you a recommendation to the CIA or FBI now that you are clear of the CIA charges."

Jack then turned to face Sam and G "what about you two?"

They looked at each other as G said "I always let my partner have his say first so Sam, what say you?"

"No damn way in hell. Anyone but Deeks is 2nd best for her. The only time I saw Kensi happy in the 7 years I have know her is when she has been teamed with Shaggy. I know what he did for us and what he is made of. I would walk into hell with him just as I would a SEAL teammate. You" looking daggers at Jack, "I wouldn't walk across the street with. Anyone who would walk out on her because of PTSD is not someone to be trusted."
"But I was sick; you above all should understand that!" Jack was almost crying now.

"So did Marty, but unlike you he stuck it out and got thru it. He still has bad days but even on his worst, he is better than you AND HE NEVER LEFT HER SIDE, EVER!" Sam was shouting now as he stressed the word ever.

G said simply "It's unanimous then. And trust me Jack, if anyone would be on your side it would be me. Deeks was not someone I would have ever picked. But Hetti did and I trust her. It's a good thing I did. He is tough as nails even after going thru hell so many times he has a free bus pass. But unlike you, he came back to us each time. He came back to her. She is our little sister and NO ONE gets to her without getting passed us. Deeks has done that. You never will. I underestimated him, his strength and his willingness to fit in. He makes us better. The 4 of us are broken toys Jack, but each one has the ability to fix the others. That makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Because of his teamwork our team works better. End of discussion. We need to go and get him to sign the papers to become an agent. That will mean he has Kensi's back forever-at work and at home. It may take a while as they are both verbally challenged but they read each other's minds and move as 1 when the chips are down. And they both react to Sam and I the same way when we work as a 4 person unit. If we don't get him back, Hetti may lose 3 more agents. I'm not sure we want to be a team without him."

Then the group started to go into the bar but Jack grabbed Kensi, spun her around and with a gun pointed at her said "No, you come with me or die here. Your choice."

Unknown to the rest Mary and Marty were listening around the corner. They had heard the ruckus as they walked into the bar. Deeks had started to go when Kensi finished what she said but Mary held him back and whispered "there are 5 of them and 1 of him. Let's see what happens. Besides, you might get your answers here better than inside."

Marty had told Mary everything. After listening to the rest of them speak, he said, "No Jack you have a choice. First you can try to take her and die at her hands or theirs"-nodding at the agents, Owen and Hetti who all had their 9 mi.'s aimed at Jack. "Or behind door # 2, you can try me. I'm the problem. Get rid of me and who knows, maybe in, say, a couple eons Kensi might speak to you again or 3rd, you can walk away never to be heard from again."

Jack spun on Marty, the intent to finish him obvious as we walked towards him. "Mary, get over with Kensi. I got this" Marty advised, not letting on that she was his sister.

"Marty, no" but he interrupted her saying "I got this. My mess to clean up. I found the key to saving him when we were in Afghanistan so it's up to me to solve it now." And then, quick as a cat, Marty had closed the 4 foot space between them, grabbed Jack's gun and pushed his arm up so no one was in the line of fire. He then stepped inside Jacks arm, twisted, and brought it down across his knee. Everyone heard the bone snap. He then punched Jack in the face, then the ribs and the abdomen. And then one final shot to the jaw and he was out. As Marty stood over him, he said "you have the right to remain silent forever. Know that if you ever get near her again I will kill you."

As Jack walked away holding his arm, Marty turned to the group and with a smile and said "so I hear Granger is buying. What's the deal here?"

They all filed in to a large booth, ordered and then Hetti said, "So Marty, our hope is to convince you to join NCIS and come back to the team. It is appar"

"Hetti, Kensi had me at pastry baby a year ago and Sam got me at his offer to walk thru hell with me. The rest was really nice also by the way." He pulled the papers out of his pocket, took then pen Hetti had magically produced and said "last chance folks." He looked around the table and signed.

Kensi, flashed a huge smile, grabbed his hand and said, "That's it. You don't want to hear what we were going to tell you?"

"Partner, I heard everything you said out there as did Mary. What you all said out there was the truth, what you will or would say in here is what you think I want to hear to come back. All I ever wanted was the truth and to be part of the team. Not the 4th wheel or someone to be pitied. Now let's have some fun cause I feel like Dancin' with my partner.

Some hours later the team had been laughing and carrying on like nothing ever happened. Kensi suddenly cupped Deeks face in her hands and planted one on him. "Welcome back partner and best friend, I missed you."

Deeks actually blushed but then said, "That's probably gonna get me the little sister lecture. So how about another dance but I this time I lead" a cheesy grin on his face that brought a punch to the arm.

G looked at Mary who he had been talking to most of the evening and said "How about it, should we dance also?"

Marty looked at G with a rather sinister scowl and said "G, she is my real little sister. What exactly are your intentions? Cause if you hurt her" and then he lost it laughing so hard his ribs hurt.

"Well played Shaggy, touché." said G and the 2 couples walked to the dance floor.

"Damn Kensi even G got it right!" howled Marty as he laughed and got another punch.

Owen looked at Hetti and said "the band is back together Hetti, finally!"

"I can hear the music already Owen" and Hetti got up and left with a smile. Before she did, she went over to where Deeks and Kensi were hanging on each other, handed Marty something, and whispered something to the two of them.

As she walked away the agents stared at each other and then broke out laughing as they resumed dancing.

And there you have it. Let me hear from ya.