Yet another proposal story. Hope y'all like it. :)

—-

This fight is not like the others.

Kensi and Deeks make their way into the bullpen. No speaking. Not even as much as a hello to Sam or Callen.

The senior agents could feel the tension in the room as soon as the couple arrived. Before either could ask, Eric interrupted saying that they had a case.

The team made their way up to ops. Kensi and Deeks, not even acknowledging each others presence. Sam and Callen give each other a look of confusion.

As they entered the room Nell senses something's not right by the energy they bring with them.

"Nell, what's up?" Callen says.

"Petty officer Nick Stevens was found dead this morning in his hotel suite."

"And?" the junior agents say in unison.

"Snippy much?" Nell turned to Eric and whispered.

Everyone knew something was going on with these two. Never had they acted like this before especially in front of the team.

Then Hetty entered the room and she began to speak. "He was in-charge of overseeing classified intel on some of the country's most wanted criminals."

Sam speaks up. "So, you want us to find out if any information has been stolen."

"Yes, Mr. Hanna."

"Okay. Sam and I will go to the crime scene. Kensi and Deeks go speak with Steven's wife." Callen says as the foursome start to make their way out of ops.

Still not looking or even talking to one another; Kensi and Deeks head to the car.

They arrive at Stevens' house, walk up to the door and ring the bell. As the door is opens the partners see a woman who's clearly been crying standing in front of them.

"Hi, Mrs. Stevens?" Kensi says with a hushed tone.

"Yes." the lady responds.

"I'm Special Agent Kensi Blye, NCIS, and this is my partner, Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD. We're here investigating your husband's death."

"Please, come in."

"Mrs. Stevens, I know this must be a really difficult time but if you're up to it we'd like to ask you a couple of questions." Kensi says with sincerity in her voice.

"Please, call me Kate. And yes of course I want to help catch the bastard that did this."

"Is there anyone you can think of that would want to do this?" Deeks asks.

"What? No. Nick was the best person I knew. He was always there for anyone who needed him."

As tears begin to fall from her eyes she says. "He was my best…..best friend, you know. He was always there for me. He really loved me. I mean I could see it in the way he looked at me, the way he made me laugh when no one else could. I could feel his love in the way he held me and wrapped me in his arms. The little things he did for me. Like when he would make me breakfast in the mornings so i could get more sleep or when he carried me to bed when I would fall asleep while we watched America's Next Top Model." starts crying harder. "Now that's all gone."

Deeks and Kensi finally look at one another for the first time since getting to work.

Kate continues. "All those fights we had seem so stupid now. Wasted time that we could of used to tell one another how much we mean to the other or to do those things that we loved to do together…just be Us."

"How long had you two been married?" Kensi asks.

"Not near as long as we could've been." Kate responds.

"What do you mean?" Deeks says with a puzzled expression.

"We'd known each other for years and we had an instant connection but kept dancing around 'our thing' as we called it." She said laughing.

Realization comes over Deeks and Kensi's faces.

"Thank you, Kate. We're gonna do everything we can to catch this guy." Deeks says as he and Kensi make their way to the door.

It doesn't go unnoticed by Kate that there's something between the partners. She has to say something.

"Wait."

The couple turns around.

"I may be over stepping my bounds here but I can see the love you have for one another, you two look at each other the way Nick and I looked at each other. Please don't waste any more time. Love each other. Be there for one another. And never give up on each other. Trust me."

The partners smile and walk out of the house.

As they get to the car, there's nothing but silence.

Before Kensi can say anything, Deeks has his lips on hers. After shock wears off, Kensi deepens the kiss. As they slowly pull away they place their foreheads on one another and just smile.

"Kens…I know I've been a real jerk lately and you have every right to be mad at me. I just wanted to tell you that I'm so very sorry for what I said earlier. I was upset and things got heated. I know what I said hurt you and I hate myself for doing that, I'm sorry. I don't want to fight anymore." Deeks says softly.

"Deeks…"

She doesn't know what to do so she just softly kisses him and says. "I'm sorry, too. I love you so much."

He gives her a soft smile. "I love you more than you'll ever know, Fern."

And with that he pulls her in tightly to hold her in his arms. They could spend the rest of their lives like this.

—-

After the day they had Deeks realized that is was time. He realized how short life is and that he's finally gonna do what he's wanted to do ever since he first locked eyes with that beautiful brunette.

But before he can ask a certain someone a question. He has to get the blessing from their family. So he makes sure Kensi is occupied and walks into the gym where the two senior members of their team are working out.

"I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna propose."

Sam and Callen both glared at him for awhile, until a smile crept up on both of their faces.

"Well it's about time." Callen finally said. Making all three of them laugh.

"You guys know you're like family so I just wanted to get both of your guys' blessings before I did anything." Deeks said with a smile.

Soon enough Sam was hugging Deeks. When he let go of the embrace he said. "Of course you have our blessing."

"Congrats, man." Callen retorts.

"Thanks guys." He says giving them both a handshake.

Two down. Five to go. Deeks thinks to himself.

That night Julia invited Kensi and Deeks over for dinner. Kensi didn't want to go but Deeks insisted. One reason being that he needed to ask her mother a very important question.

Before dinner Kensi had to use the restroom. That's when Deeks sees his only chance.

"Julia." Deeks whispers.

"Yes, Martin?" Julia retorts.

"I have something that I need to ask y-" before he could say anything else she interrupts.

"YES!"

"What?"

"Yes. You have my blessing to marry my daughter."

He laughs. "How did you?"

"A mother knows. I've been waiting for this ever since I first met you all those years ago. You bring out the best in our girl and I see the way you two look at each other and I know you two have something very very special."

Just then Kensi returns, not giving Deeks the opportunity to respond to his future mother-in-law. So he just smiles at her and nods.

Kensi notices that she interrupted something. "Did I interrupt?"

Julia responds. "No. We were just talking about how perfect you two are together."

Kensi begins to blush and turns towards the love of her life and they exchange smiles.

"Look Julia. You made our girl blush." Deeks says while he smiles at the adorableness that is Kensi Blye.

Dinner was quite fulfilling. And after the dishes had been put away the couple decide to call it a night and head out the door. Julia sees her opportunity and slips Deeks something. Luckily Kensi was half way to the car so she didn't notice.

On their way home Kensi couldn't help but notice the huge grin that was on Deeks' face.

"What are you so happy about?" she asks.

"Oh, you know. Getting to go home with the most beautiful woman in the world tends to make me smile."

This makes her laugh. "You're so cheesy."

"Well you bring it out in me." He says as he turns to look at her and give her a smile that only he gives her. She starts to blush and smiles back at him.

—-

They finally get home and change into more comfy clothes then head to bed.

Kensi went right out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Making sure she was asleep Deeks gets up and goes to the object that's sitting in his dresser drawer and opens the tiny box that Julia handed to him earlier.

Inside was a beautiful engagement ring with a note.

To my future son-in-law, Marty,

This was the ring that Kensi's father gave to me. Although, it didn't last long I know you guys can break the spell.

Love, Julia.

P.S. I know Donald would have loved you and that he would be so happy to give you his blessing to marry our daughter.

This brought tears to his eyes. He wished so much that he could ask her father's permission. For one that would mean that he was still alive and would be able to walk his beautiful daughter down the aisle which would mean everything to her. And oh how he wished that her father was still alive, but if he can't have that at least he has this.

Deeks finally went back to bed; wrapping his arms around Kensi. Even though she was asleep she managed to scoot closer into him. Then he whispers into her ear. "I love you, Kensalicious."

"I love you, too, beach boy."

Today's the day. Deeks thinks as he wakes up and turns towards the sleeping beauty that is the love of his life. He scoots over and wakes her up with a kiss.

She smiles. "Morning, babe."

He pulls her closer into his embrace. That's when she opens her eyes. "Morning, beautiful."

Her smile gets even bigger and she leans in to give him a long passionate kiss. "I love you, Marty."

"Marty?"

"I thought I'd try it out." she says with a smirk.

"And?"

"It felt a little bit weird, but I kinda liked it."

He smiles. "Me too."

They stay cuddled in bed for awhile just enjoying being together. Then Deeks realize that he has to get them moving so he can finish up things before the proposal tonight. He smiles at her with the brightest smile. "Well, we better get ready. We need to finish up this case."

"But I don't wanna. I want to stay here with you and cuddle all day."

"Believe me I want that too. So much. But I tell you what, how about this, we stay in bed the entire weekend cuddling, maybe some other stuff," he says wiggling his eyebrows at her, "and maybe eating pizza and twinkies in between."

"Gosh, you talk pretty." she says leaning in to give him one more passionate kiss before they have to get up and get ready.

They pull up to the mission and Deeks gives Kensi a deep kiss before getting out.

"What was that for?"

"Can't a guy kiss the love of his life before they have to go into work?"

She gives him a questioning look. "I guess?"

When they walk into the mission Deeks has only one thing on his mind. The proposal.

They were still working on the case from the day before. Deeks knew he still needed to get Nell, Eric and Hetty's blessings. So that was his mission for the day at work.

He first went to the Wonder Twins.

"Hey guys."

"Hey, Deeks. What's up?" Eric ask the detective.

"I need to ask you guys something but it's not about the case."

"Okay…What is it?" Nell is intrigued and speaks up.

"I"m going to ask Kensi to marry me and wanted to get you guys' blessing." He says with a huge smile.

Before he knew what was happening they were both hugging him.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"Of course!" They say in unison.

"Great! Thanks."

Five Down. Two to go. Deeks thinks to himself.

—-

Deeks wondered how he was going to talk to the whole team without Kensi noticing. That's when he sees Granger.

"Hey, Granger."

"Deeks."

"So, I'm going to propose to Kensi tonight and I need to get things in order. I was wondering if I could get your blessing and if you wouldn't mind distracting her for the day?"

"That's great news, Deeks. Donald would have really liked you. And as far as the distracting goes I think I can help you out."

"Great. Thank you, sir." Deeks shakes his hand right as Kensi walks up.

"What's going on here?"

Before they can respond Nell and Eric have made their way downstairs and have a lead on the case.

Granger goes to work. "Great I'll go. Agent Blye, lets go."

"What?"

"Deeks has to go speak with his Lt.."

"Alright….." Kensi turns her partner with a questioning look.

He just smiles gives her two thumbs up, not trusting anything that would come out of his mouth right now.

As the doors to the mission close Deeks makes his way to Hetty's office.

"Hetty."

"Mr. Deeks. What can I help you with?"

"I'm going to propose to Kensi."

"And."

"And, I would like to get you blessing."

"Oh, but of course you have my blessing. You two belong together. I must say in all my years I have never met two people more right for each other." she says giving him a smile.

He returns the smile. "Something tells me you saw this coming from the beginning. Thank you for bringing us together."

She just smiles.

"There is one more thing. Could you invite the whole team out for dinner at Gorgio Baldie"s tonight?" he asks. "It's just that I said something about that being a place were someone proposes and I don't want her to suspect a thing."

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Deeks."

"Thank you so much. I've already reserved a table on the back balcony at 6."

He turns and starts to walk back to the bullpen. "Oh, and Mr. Deeks. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Hetty."

—-

He gets a text from Granger that they're on their way back.

"Sam. Callen. Could you guys come up to ops with me?" Deeks asks.

As they all make their way into the room he fills in Nell and the guys on the details of his plan. He wants their family to be involved after all.

TBC