A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Let me know how your all are feeling about this story. Hope you enjoy!
Kensi was so tired but she refused to sleep. Her body was giving out on her, and she was pretty sure at any given second she was going to freeze to death down here.
"Are you awake?" He asked.
"Like anyone could sleep in a place like this?"
"Come on. Let's take a walk." The man said as he helped Kensi to her feet.
Kensi stood up with the help of him pulling her to her feet. Her hands were still tied in front of her. "I am not going drag you out of here like some kind of animal, so don't fight me and just walk." He said.
"Walk? Like you all didn't just beat the hell out of me for days straight and you want me to just walk." Kensi said.
He held onto Kensi's arms as he led her in the direction he wanted them to go. His grip was not forceful, like the others had been to her. They went back in the direction Kensi had recalled them brining her in to start with. They entered a room, inside the tunnel, that seemed to be more cave like then tunnel. There was fire in this room. "Sit." He said to Kensi pointing to the fire. Kensi was not usually one for doing what she was told to do, but today she was freezing and that fire was too tempting to say no to. He sat his gun down on the ground as he grabbed a blanket from a bag nearby. He walked over to Kensi and wrapped this blanket around her shoulders, "Here before you freeze to death." Jack said as he sat back down across from her.
"What the hell were you thinking following us? You could have just stayed behind like you were told to. Would it be so hard for you to listen to somebody for once in your life?" Jack said.
"What was I thinking? I was thinking you show up after being MIA for ten years and you just so happen to show up right in the middle of a classified mission I was pulled in to without warning, without explanation. I was thinking you are the mission." She explained.
"Always so sure of yourself aren't you."
"If I am wrong feel free to tell me. But seeing what I have been through, seeing what your people did to me, yeah I am sure. I am damn sure. So tell me Jack, tell me I am wrong."
Jack sighed, "Would it matter what I told you right now."
"Not really." Kensi admitted.
"Ok Kensi you get to ask me one thing and one thing only that is all you get so make it good, your time is running out."
"Are you the white ghost?" She asked.
" All the questions in the entire world and that is the one you chose. Here I was thinking you would ask me why I left you."
"Why would I ask a question I don't need an answer too?"
"You don't want to know. You haven't thought about it for years and years. "Jack asked.
"I use to wonder. I use to think it was me. I blamed myself for not being better, for not trying harder to help you. But then I realized something."
"What is that?"
"I am not perfect I am a flawed human being. I knew that no matter what I did it would never be right; it would never be good enough for you. You never saw me; all you saw was what you wanted me to be. What you thought you could turn me into. I am not a story, you don't get to write me in any character you see fit. Life doesn't work like that Jack." Kensi explained.
"Doesn't love mean doing anything for the one you love?" He asked trying to mess with her head.
"Doing anything yes, being anything no. We can't change who we are, we shouldn't have to. If someone loves you they accept you all of you no matter how flawed and imperfect you are. That is love." Kensi explained.
Jack looked at Kensi questionably for a moment before he spoke again. "He must be one hell of a man to make you talk like that."
"What?" Kensi asked now confused by the turn this conversation had taken.
"The man who accepts you, the one who loves you completely. He must have done a hell of a number on you. I have never heard you be so rational before."
"People change. I am not the same girl you knew all those years ago." Kensi said.
"And I am not the same broken man who walked away from you either. When I left you I was weak, I was powerless, and now I have made something for me. I have become something."
"You have become what a pyscho who ambushes people and holds them hostage to have ten year old conversations with them by the fire?" Kensi questioned.
"Something like that."
"Are you ever going to tell me if you're him? If you're the White Ghost?"
"Don't ask me questions I have already given you the answers to Kensi." Jack explained.
"So what are you going to do now? Kill me?" Kensi asked.
"If I wanted to kill you, you would not be sitting here right now. You would be dead like the other one."
"You killed Sabatino?"
"I didn't kill him personally but he is no longer with us. The questions is can you kill me? Can you look at me and pull the trigger without seeing the same man you were going to devote your life to? Can you watch me die without hating yourself? Do you have what it takes to be a killer? Because when you hesitate for three seconds your dead, and if you kill me and you feel guilty about what you did then even when I am dead I still won. It's a never ending cycle Kensi. Its power." Jack explained.
"It's insane. You're insane."
"Maybe so, but what does that say about you? Was I always insane or did you drive me to this? Think about that one now why don't you."
"You don't make people Jack, they make their selves. The Jack I knew is long gone. I think my question to you is can you kill me? All this time you have been questioning me and wondering what I can do or will do. You claim to have so much power and yet here we sit by a fire like we are old friends. If you're him why am I here? You can't kill me can you Jack? All this time, all this power and you can't kill one girl? You're pathetic then again you always were. " Kensi said turning his mind games around on him.
"Maybe I don't want you dead?"
"Maybe if I have to sit here and listen to you whine anymore I will die of boredom." Kensi shot back.
"You think you're so clever don't you. You think anyone cares if you live or die. Do you think anyone will even miss you when you're gone?"
"I know they will. If I die today I know that somebody out there loves me witch is more than I can say for you."
"He will never find you here. No one will." Jack said.
"I wouldn't bet on that." Deeks said as he walked into the room with his gun pointing to Jack.
"Hi sugar bear." Deeks said winking to Kensi.
"Took you long enough Shaggy." Kensi replied.
"Well you know me I had to stop and visit all the local attractions." Deeks reached into his back pocket and tossed Kensi's knife to her. "Bondage looks good on you, but cut yourself free so we can get out of here please."
"Are you really going to shot me?" Jack asked to Deeks. Deeks turned his attention from Kensi back to Jack.
Deeks threw his gun to the ground and rushed towards Jack. Before Jack realized what was happening he grabbed him by the throat and pushed him backwards till he hit the ground. Kensi anxiously cut at the ropes that bound her until she was finally free.
"No I won't shot you because I want to kill you myself." Deeks said as he strangled Jack.
Kensi jumped up and rushed towards the two of them. "Stop it Deeks don't do it." Kensi pleaded with him as she laid her hand on his arm. Deeks turned his attention to Kensi. This was all the distraction Jack needed to flip Deeks to the ground.
"People do stupid things for love. I learned that year ago." Jack said as he pointed the gun he grabbed off the ground to Deeks chest.
"They do whatever it takes." Without hesitation, without regret she plunged the knife into Jack. Deeks took this chance and kicked him off of him. Kensi pulled the knife back and dropped to ground instantly when his blood soaked her hands.
She turned to Deeks, "I..He.."
Deeks walked over to Kensi and put his arm around her, "If you didn't I would have. Mission complete." Deeks said.
Kensi nodded her head in agreement as she leaned into Deeks for support.
"So did you do anything interesting while I was gone?" Kensi questioned.
"I punched Granger."
"What? No you didn't."
"Yep sure did, Sam thought it was hilarious." Deeks explained.
"I hate you." Kensi said laughing.
"Jealous?"
"Absolutely." Kensi admitted.
They made it outside and Kensi squinted as the light of the sun nearly blinded her after not seeing it for days. Sam and Callen came riding up to Deeks and Kensi on the horses before they got even three feet away from the cave.
"Kensi." Callen shouted as he jumped down from the horse and rushed towards the female agent. Callen lifted her chin and turned her head to the side looking at the horrible bruises that covered her beautiful face. "I swear to God I am going to kill him." Callen said.
"No need." Deeks said.
"You took him out?" Callen asked.
"I did." Kensi responded.
"It's over." Sam said.
"It's over." Kensi echoed.
"Then lets get the hell out of here." Sam suggested.
"Sounds great." Kensi agreed, "If I never see the desert again it will be too soon."
Deeks grabbed the reins of the horse he had and climbed on it. "I beat up the bad guy, and saved the damsel in distress, even though she didn't need saving. How about we ride off into the sunset Princess?" Deeks asked offering his hand down to Kensi.
Kensi smiled, "As long as you promise not to say we lived happily ever after."
Kensi took his hand as he pulled her onto the back of his horse. "I wouldn't dream of it, our story is just getting to the good part." Deeks explained.
A/N: Next chapter they will return home and you will start seeing what affect this whole mission had on Kensi.
