Author's Note: Hi everyone, and thanks for the feedback!
I'm sorry that it took me so long to post the next chapter, but... it just wouldn't come out right.
In response to some comments I received - I added the OOC warning in the summary, so... if this is OOC to you, then it is because it's an OOC-ish story. If you think it's actually in-character... then it is (yay!) ;) I started with this story when I just began watching the show, so maybe that's what brought about some inaccuracies on the level of character-development. I hope that this solves the confusion.
I hope you'll like this chapter... if not, then you don't. I can't force you to read it, right?
Anyway, read, review, and hopefully enjoy ;)
"Well, well, well, Kyle," Nick snickers as Deeks glances after Kensi as she walks away. The tall man snakes his arm around him, "You got yourself a treat for real."
"Thanks, dude," Deeks rolls his eyes.
"I'm so proud of you," Nick jokes, kissing him on the head like an overly proud father. Deeks shoves him into the side. Nick laughs like a hyena, holding his stomach.
"What would you have to do with it? I knew Elena before I bumped into you bunch of dorks," Deeks huffs.
"Well, either way, I'd say we hit the clubs," Nick suggests.
"What? You told me to get Elena out of the way so that we could have a group meeting," Deeks argues.
"And we will, just...," Nick assures him "...Just not now," Will jumps in, pulling at Jen's hair, which results in him being tackled to the ground, like always. The two roll over the ground before they end up kissing each other again. These guys... Kyle, just shut the hell up, will you?!
"So you seriously want to have a meet... drunk?" Deeks blinks at him incredulously. He knows this is a lost cause... The person who made the joke about how a drinker's liver is a mini-bar didn't meet Nick and the guys yet. Deeks licks his lips, "Forget that I ever asked that."
The others snicker at the comment.
"You'll freak out once you hear about the big coup we're having in store, man," Nick smirks.
"... Yeah, I think I might freak, but not the way you think," Deeks huffs, but Nick already nudges him in the shoulder to cut him off, "Hey, are you still pissed about the last gig?"
"I think he's just having his menopause!" Luke jokes.
"I'm not pissed, okay? I'm just concerned. It was a close call last time," Deeks argues, but suddenly Nick's features tighten and he plants himself in front of the detective, "You know that I love you, man, but we had that talk. The team comes first and we give the orders. You are still new to the game, so don't get cocky here."
Deeks holds up his hands in surrender, letting out a weary sigh, "Nick, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just concerned. Bigger coup also means more dangers, more security, more... everything. I'd do anything for you guys, you know that, but can't I at least say that I don't have a good feeling about this?"
"No, you can't," Nick glares at him icily, "because that means you question my abilities to make the right call and protect the team. That means you question me. If you question me, you question the team, and if you question the team... then we got on hell of a problem."
Their foreheads are only inches apart, but Deeks stands his ground, keeping up a casual attitude. He knows better than to anger Nick further, but he also knows that he has to be careful how to relieve the situation. He can't seem like a coward either.
"Nick, c'mon, I didn't mean it like that, okay? I'm sorry. I'd never say something against the team. You guys are my family. You took me in when no one else wanted me around, okay? You gave me a place," Deeks assures him, putting as much credibility into every word as he can, "I guess I'm actually a bit... jumpy, still. Was the first time police got the better of me. Please, can't we just forget about it?"
Nick glances at him for another five seconds, before his features ease and the anger just disperses into thin air. He claps him on the shoulder, roughly but actually with a hint of affection, "Man, man, man, you had me scared for a second."
"Are we friends again or should I run now?" Deeks jokes cautiously, but Nick already pulls him into a "bro-hug", grabbing him in the nape of the neck to pull Deeks closer to him, "No, we aren't friends, we're family."
Deeks lets out the sigh he held ever since Nick stared at him. That was really too close. And even if he is a trained detective, Nick's choleric attitude makes his skin crawl.
Nick turns back to the group in a cheerful way, "Okay, so plan remains, mini gig short while from now, and the big plan still in store."
"Can't wait for it," Will smirks.
"But don't worry, this time we'll be extra-informative in the briefing so that you feel safe again, how does that sound?" Nick offers, flashing his trademark smirk.
"Amazing, thanks," Deeks smiles. He seemingly dodged that bullet, thank God.
Nick nods, seemingly satisfied, and strides over to Liz to wrap his arms around her waist, but she pushes his muscular arms away. "What?" he whines with a huff, "are you mad at me, baby?"
"I'm just not in the mood, so could you just lay off?" she grumbles.
"C'mon," he mutters, coming a little closer, but she pushes him even harder this time, before she hisses in a low voice, "I'm. Not. In. The. Mood."
"What's wrong?" he sighs, scratching the back of his head. The blonde woman just rolls her eyes, "I wanna go home."
He grabs her by the wrist, "Why? I thought we wanted to party tonight. Hit the clubs. Shake the hips, you know?"
"Nick, I wanna go home," she tells him peevishly.
"C'mon," he begs, looking like a little child.
"Nick, I tell you again: I want to go home. If you don't want to, that's fine, but leave me be," she hisses. Nick bites his lower lip angrily, clearly not liking it that she talks to him that way. Deeks chooses that moment to jump in, "Hey, how about I take Liz back to your place and you guys already go ahead? I just catch up to you later?"
"You just wanna get around the funny shots!" Will smirks.
"You call this Alien Brain Hemorrhage drink funny, I call it a threat to humankind," Deeks huffs, but then he turns back to Nick again, "But I really don't wanna get too wasted, because of the meds I still have to take, remember? So... everyone would be happy... unless the Queen is against it."
"Whatcha think, babe?" Nick asks.
"Is fine with me," she shrugs absently.
"Alright, then we do it like that," Nick smirks before he kisses her passionately.
"Just send me a text where you are. I'll catch up to you later," Deeks offers.
"Okay, you can take my car," Nick nods. He walks up to his bag and tosses the keys at him, "you do damage to either one, you die."
Deeks grimaces at the sudden harsh tone, but chooses to ignore it. He smiles at him, "I wouldn't ever dare. Okay, Empress, let's get you home, shall we?"
Liz just walks ahead wordlessly. Deeks turns to the leader, who just shrugs his shoulders at him.
"You owe me for this, man," Deeks huffs playfully before he runs after Liz. She hugs her arms as they walk along the coastline.
"Hey, everything alright with you?" Deeks asks, showing concern. She whips her head to the side dismissively. She is really not acting like she usually does, did in a while now, but today it's especially bad.
"Are you pissed at me for what I said? I already apologized," Deeks exclaims. He really did, he ate crow, alright? Darn it, Kyle, shut up, no one's asked you! The detective bites his lower lip. He has to stop thinking like Kyle. She shakes her head, but Deeks is otherwise met by another wave of silence. "Then what's the deal?" he asks, "I mean, I take you home. Play the chaperone, I mean... I feel like a real gentleman here, and still I get the cold shoulder from you. That's not nice, especially since we aren't even together because we're both in a relationship... I mean, you have one and I have one, but not the same. You know what I mean."
She snorts and shakes her head at his ridiculousness. The wind blows through her blond curls, making them bounce from right to left.
"Look, if you have trouble with Nick again, that's your problem, but don't let it out on me, okay? I'm just... the delivery boy," he goes on.
"Yeah, right," she sighs.
"What's the matter?" Deeks asks.
"Nothing, Kyle, and you'd do better at keeping out of this. This is personal, okay?" she hisses. They make it to the car. Liz gets inside, flops against the backrest, and crosses her arms over her chest, glancing out the window. Deeks gets inside also and pulls out of the parking lot.
"So, are you playing delivery boy because you try to chicken out of the next liquor spree?" she huffs with a crooked smirk.
"Why would you think that?" Deeks questions.
"Don't think I didn't see that you actually traded vodka for water last time we were in the clubs," she grins. Deeks smirks back. She is really attentive, he has to give her that much.
"Just as you didn't drink anything," he replies.
"I just didn't want to, and I didn't make a secret of it," she huffs, glancing out the window, "if have the Crimson Tide, you just don't want to throw blood thinner into the mix."
"Maybe not... but... by the campfire you didn't take the stardust either," Deeks replies. This time she actually stares at him, her features grim.
"I did," she insists.
"You leaned over it, but then you blew it into the wind when no one was looking. And then you acted as though you were high," Deeks argues.
"What's it to you? You don't take anything either," she huffs.
"Yeah, but openly," he retorts, "if you didn't want to take anything, you could've left the line to someone else. I bet if I told Will that you blew it into the wind, he'd..."
"You will not say a single word, you hear me?" she hisses, narrowing her almond-shaped eyes at him, "You are here because Nick took a liking to you, but if you mess with me, I will get your sorry ass kicked out in less than two minutes. That just takes me one phone call."
"Geez, calm down already," Deeks sighs with exasperation, "I was just making fun of you."
"You better don't," she threatens, though with less intensity. She bites her thumbnail nervously as she turns to the window again, glancing at the ocean as it fades into long stripes of sandy and azure blue. And that is when Deeks knows.
"... How far gone are you?" Deeks asks in a hushed voice. She whips her head back around, eyes wide, mouth gaping. He knows he is right, but he is already convinced that she will deny a while longer.
"I'm not," she hisses, "I just told you that I hit the Crimson Tide."
"Right, you told me," Deeks huffs.
"Since when are my body functions your business, huh?! God, you're just disgusting. I should tell Nick to kick your sorry ass," she growls, narrowing her eyes once more, but Deeks stays unimpressed, "You're even bitchier than usual, you don't drink, you don't do drugs, you don't surf the high waves, if you surf at all..."
"What kinda stalker are you?!" she grumbles dismissively.
"We can just go on with this game and pretend that I'm wrong, but we both know that I'm right," Deeks sighs. He looks at her with soft eyes. Suddenly a sole tear springs to her eyes. She quickly wipes it away before she stares at the dashboard. Yeah, he is right.
"How long?" Deeks asks in a gentle voice.
"A month," Liz shakes her head. Deeks lets out a weary sigh. He noticed that something was off about her, but at first he simply thought that she was having one of her moods again. Nick told him before that she can be pissed in weeks for a mistake he's made, if not longer. But it was the way she acted today that really pushed him.
"I take it that this was not planned," he licks his lips nervously.
"Of course this wasn't planned," she snorts dismissively.
"Nick is the father?" Deeks asks. Liz glares at him, "Obviously. We're together for half a year now, as in... don't-bang-other-people-or-you-get-smacked-in-the-face-together."
"Wow...," he sighs, running his hand through his blond curls, "he doesn't know, does he?"
"No," she shakes her head, tears on the verge of falling, "but you will not say a word to him either."
"Liz, he'll have to know eventually. The hell, he'll know the latest once your tummy grows," Deeks tells her. You can keep a lot of secrets, but a baby will be hard to hide after a while, if you live together.
"Is not like I will bear the child on a surfboard, okay?" she huffs, "I will tell him, just... not now."
"Then what? Before the water breaks?" he snorts.
"Shut up," she growls low in her throat.
"Why do you keep it from him?" he asks.
"Did you ever take a look at him? Nick is an idiot. He's a child himself, let's be honest," she huffs.
"That doesn't mean he can't be a good father, though," Deeks argues, "or do you think he wouldn't want a child?"
"Oh, he'll be out of his mind in joy. He'd buy romper suits with water themes and surfers on it, and a mini wetsuit and baby surfboard...," she huffs sadly. She closes her eyes and tilts her head from right to left, something she is likely doing to calm down. "God... this is so stupid," she sighs.
"You want to have the child?" Deeks asks.
"... yeah," she says, resting her palm over her eyes tiredly, "I know it's shitty, but... it's... it's our baby."
"If you want it, then it's your good right," he assures her quickly. This is the first time he sees Liz that emotional. They call her Queen and Empress because she has this icy attitude most of the time, but now... she is just a woman at her limits. Deeks can't help but feel sorry for her.
"We're both fools. I mean... Nick's a damn idiot," she grimaces, "but I'm the even bigger idiot."
"What? Why?" Deeks frowns at her.
"Because I love this man so friggin' much, though he is an idiot, though he spends his money on candy and souvenirs and not saving it up, though we hardly manage not to kill each other in our jealousy, though we are together for half a year even though we were together since High School, though he is anything but the father I picture for a child," she bites her lower lip painfully hard to keep the tears at bay.
"But you have to see it like this... both of you want the child... that's the most important thing, isn't it? People grow into a role, given a bit of time," Deeks argues.
"Nick doesn't grow up. He's like friggin' Peter Pan, just that Tinkerbell only shows up in front of him when he's had one too many drinks. He is just the same guy I met back in High School, exactly the same guy, still a teenager whose life is no more than waves and the gang," she grits her teeth. You can see just how disappointed she is with herself and this situation.
"So what? Wasn't that your philosophy, too?" Deeks questions her.
"It was... it is. I love surfing. I love the team. They are family. They are our life, but... but I see things differently now. I have to, for that child. This lifestyle works if you're a single person. It works for you, for the others. It even works as partners, but... just not with a family, with a child. If you have a family, with a child, then... then the child has to come first, not the waves, not the gang... but that's a memo Nick still didn't get," she shakes her head.
"But you don't give him a chance to prove himself either," Deeks argues, "maybe he'd surprise you."
"That's the thing. He just keeps on surprising me. I fell in love with him because he is unconventional. You see, Nick is the guy who brings you a birthday cake for your anniversary, though it's not your anniversary either. Nick is the guy who wakes you at two in the morning to watch the stars, sitting on the surfboards. He is the guy who brings you confetti when you sent him for chicken soup because you're sick with the flu... that's adorable and great and... so many other things, but that also means... he can't stick to schedule, he can't stick to convention, he can't even organize chicken soup or get the things from the grocery list. How do you build a future with such a guy?" she asks honestly.
"Being immature doesn't necessarily make him a bad pa," Deeks argues.
"Maybe not...," she exhales, her chest heaving.
"Well, where's the problem then?" Deeks asks tentatively, "other than that?"
"He can't keep a job, he doesn't pay the loans if I don't make sure... he can't manage his own life," she argues, biting the inside of her cheek, "How would he manage ours?"
"He's a good team leader," Deeks argues. Well, he is not really, after all, he makes them take part in illegal activities, but he is surprisingly analytic on a mission.
"I don't say Nick's stupid, but Nick's, well, still a child. He can pull himself together on a job, but other than that... no," she shakes her head, biting her thumbnail again, "He keeps job and life apart. And caring for his family would be life."
"But Liz, you have to tell him. You can't go on a job like that. What if you get caught by police or hit with a baton... or just fall off the skateboard?! For the sake of the both of you, you can't do that," Deeks argues. He can accept the idea of turning those guys in, if it becomes necessary, but he couldn't take it if this child died thanks to this job. Just because the parents do some shady things doesn't mean the child has to pay the price. It mustn't.
"Don't you think I know that already?! I... I have a plan," she licks her lips nervously.
"What plan? You can't always say that you are on the Crimson Tide. That only works, well, once a month," Deeks huffs.
"We just have to make it through this shift and then we're out," she mutters.
"What do you mean?" Deeks asks.
"Ugh, such a puppy," she grumbles low in her throat, "we signed a contract, for a certain time. And that contract will expire short while from now. We just have to make it to that deadline."
"Anything can happen until then. Liz, you can't do that with a child on the way, please," Deeks glances at her.
"I know and that's why I don't," Liz argues, "We just need a bit more money. I saved up a good amount of my share, for a fresh start."
"Let me guess, something Nick's not aware of either," Deeks huffs, to which she smirks weakly, "No, he doesn't. He spends his money on drugs, beer, food, and surfing. That's just the way he is."
"But what money do you have? I know how big the share is for a regular gig. With your kind of lifestyle, you'll hardly have anything to build up, I don't know, a new and steady life," Deeks argues.
"Don't you think I know that?! I do! I do! We were stupid teenagers when we got together. Didn't know a thing about the real world and just lived our foolish kind of dream of surfing alone. We partied too hard and spent our money on anything but future management. I know that this sucks and that it was stupid, but well, shit happens. I'm trying to fix it now," she wipes over her eyes.
"How do you want to fix it, Liz?" he demands.
"Nick's told you, we are planning a big job soon," she sighs, "like really big."
"Okay...," Deeks grimaces. This is not good, definitely not good.
"I pushed Nick into it," Liz admits.
"Why is that?" he asks, licking his lips nervously.
"It's as you say... we can die on each gig, something that... Nick likes to ignore. I can't continue to do it, so we have to tie this up before it makes the round that I'm pregnant. We talked to the Boss and he's given us a choice. We could do seven middle-rank jobs, or this mini job and the big coup. After that we're free," she explains.
"And... you believe that this guy will just let you?" Deeks asks, "I mean, I haven't met the Boss, but he doesn't seem the type who runs a... flawless business. He is shady, to say the least."
If she actually believes that their boss will just let them walk and sticks to some wannabe-contract, she is really starry-eyed. Goodness sake, just what did they maneuver themselves into?
"We have a contract," she insists, gritting her white teeth.
"And you think he'll stick to it?" Deeks argues.
"I have to, okay?! I have to! What other choice do I have left?! This wasn't planned! When we started this... we were just being stupid! We were like teenagers, still. I mean, Nick still is, mind-wise. You deliver a package here, you make a tiny robbery there, and you get good payment for it. That's how we got into this. And now we are too deep," she explains, tears standing in her eyes, "So we have to work this out, till the bitter end."
"What if the Boss doesn't stick to his part of the contract, Liz?" Deeks insists.
"I have it figured out. Once we have the money, we go some other place and we... I don't know, do something, maybe a surf school, just... something. I just want a future for our child. We were too stupid to build a future for our own, but that doesn't mean I will let the same happen to this child," she grits her teeth, sheer will welling up in her chest as she goes.
"And I think it's good that you want to secure a future for your baby, but Liz... c'mon. The Boss is seemingly an influential man. You really think he won't find you?" he argues.
"What else am I supposed to do?!" she cries out, desperation tugging at her.
"You have to get away now, not later," Deeks argues.
"If we go now, we have nothing. No security, no money, no apartment, just nothing! How do I build up a future for a child if I have nothing at all, huh?! We need this gig," she grits her teeth another time, "and if you actually have the crackpot idea that I should go to police or whatever, then you can forget 'bout it right away, too. The Boss has a few gangs under him... some of them wanted to spill... they didn't make it through the week."
"What about this protective custody thing?" he asks. He knows that the boss "got rid" of some of them. He read the files, but Deeks is shocked that Liz is seemingly aware of this... and still joined.
"They had all that... still got to them. Bang, bang, and they were decaying in a body-bag," she mutters, "and I can't have that for my child. We pulled this off before. We can do this again. If all work together, it'll be fine. It has to be. I just has to."
She rubs her stomach absently.
"But please tell me that you won't be on the jobs," Deeks pleads her.
"I already talked to Nick. I will coordinate you guys... and once this is over... I tell Nick and we run away, easy as that. Ain't that a great plan?" she smirks, though a tear is rolling down her flushed cheek.
"Goodness sake," he sighs, gripping the steering wheel even tighter.
"And I swear to God, if you make just one implication, a warning, just a word about babies... I will rip your balls off and feed them to the fish, we get each other? You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone of the team about this," she bares her teeth at him, tears now freely falling down her cheeks. Deeks stares at her, blinking furiously.
"Kyle! Do you understand me!?" she demands atop of her voice, "Say something, dammit!"
"Okay," he whispers.
"Okay?" she growls another time, seeking confirmation.
"Okay. No word to the team. No word to Nick," he assures her. He parks the car in front of the apartment.
"Ain't I the worst parent ever already?" she huffs, slouching further into the leather of the seats.
"You're not. You want to protect your baby. That makes you already a better parent than some others," Deeks smirks softly... like his own.
"Thanks for the lift," Liz sighs as she gets out of the car, "and the talk."
With that she takes off to the apartment. Deeks leans back in his seat. He closes his eyes against the dull ache building up behind his eyeballs. He knew this was out of control already, but... now it's even more out of control.
Because suddenly it's no longer seven members, but eight.