Season of Change
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.
Chapter 10
Shortly after Kensi's little bout with the green-eyed monster, Tony opened his eyes and saw the LA team standing out in the hall. He reached up and tapped Gibbs.
"Hey, boss, looks like the cavalry has arrived." Tony smiled, pointing at the threesome lingering outside the door.
Gibbs, McGee, Bishop and Abby all turned to see who Tony was referring to. When they saw Callen and the other two standing there, they left Deeks' room, stepping out in the hall to welcome them.
Callen shook Gibbs' hand, "Hey, Jethro," he nodded.
Gibbs smiled back, "Callen, good to see you again. Too bad it's at Marty's expense." Gibbs nodded towards the door between them and Deeks.
The rest of them all shook hands, or hugged when it came to Abby greeting them. Sam and Callen paid special attention when Abby and Kensi greeted each other, fearing they would make a scene. It was a cool reception, but no claws came out.
Callen looked at Gibbs' team, they all were in dire need of sleep, the day having taken an emotional toll on them.
"Why don't you guys go home and get some rest. We'll stay with Deeks." Callen offered.
McGee, Bishop and DiNozzo all looked at Gibbs with hopeful eyes.
"Go on. Get some rest." Gibbs nodded at them.
"Thanks, boss!" McGee and DiNozzo answered together. This time they did manage a small laugh as they turned and walked down the hall.
Bishop stayed a moment longer. "It was nice meeting all of you." Ellie turned to Abby, "You want a ride home?"
Abby twirled a pigtail as she looked back in the window to Deeks, contemplating on whether or not to leave. She caught the glance that Kensi gave her and decided that she should give the agent some breathing room. She focused on Gibbs and Callen.
"You guys will keep me posted on how he's doing?" She asked worriedly.
Gibbs nodded, "We will, Abs. Go," he encouraged her.
Abby smiled slightly and walked over to the door, raising her hand and placing it on the glass. "Good night, Marty," she whispered gently before turning and nodding at Bishop that she was ready.
Sam and Callen watched Kensi as Abby said good night to Deeks. They could tell that in the few short days Deeks and Abby had spent together they had formed a close bond. If looks could kill, the forensic scientist, with her pigtails and tattoos, would be out cold on the floor right now.
Callen and Sam both had smirks on their faces, and when Kensi noticed them looking at her she shrugged her shoulders.
"What?" She snapped at them, just daring them to say something more.
"Nothing, Kens." Callen chuckled at her.
"Not saying a word." Sam added, trying to wipe the smile off his face.
"I'm going to go sit with Deeks," she huffed and slipped through the door before they could reply.
Callen commented on the female agent's reaction to Abby. "I detect some hostility there," he joked to the guys.
Gibbs laughed. "Ya think?"
Sam chimed in, the smile on his face fading, "Give her a break, G. She's a mess. I'm surprised she's held it together this long."
"Gee, Sam, for being so upset with her earlier you're pretty quick to jump to her defense. What's up with that?" Callen questioned his partner.
"Yes, and you made me realize I didn't have the right to be upset with her. I apologized to her, you know that. She's really being hard on herself. That's not like Kensi. She must have really screwed up to be acting like she is."
"Yeah, well..." Callen glanced through the window at her, "she's as tough as they come. She'll figure it out. Nothing has ever been easy with those two."
Sam nodded in agreement. He turned to Gibbs. "So Hetty says Director Vance stuck you with Deeks for the weekend. Did he drive you nuts with his constant joking? Aside from what happened at the restaurant, how did that go?" Sam tried to lighten the mood again, using Deeks as the butt of the joke as usual. Even though Sam had grown to respect the man, he still found it easy to pick on him lightheartedly. He was unprepared for Gibbs' reply.
Gibbs surprised them both, "Abby warned me he was hurting." Gibbs chuckled. "Abby...well, Abby has a way about her. It didn't take her long to put a smile on his face. He was still hurting, though. He was out with us Friday and Saturday, I figured it would take his mind off whatever was bothering him. Poured himself into the case we were working - wouldn't have closed it as quick as we did without him. He will be one hell of an agent."
Sam and Callen glanced at each other, both with concern showing on their faces in response to Gibbs' comment.
Gibbs continued, "Leon called him up to his office Saturday night. I don't know what was said, but," Gibbs took a step closer to Sam, "when Marty came back down he asked me what it would take to be on my team." Jethro glimpsed at Callen and then back to Sam. "I'd say working with him went well, wouldn't you...Agent Hanna?" Gibbs said Sam's name with a hint of sarcasm as he started down the hallway.
Sam was stunned. He turned and watched as Gibbs sauntered down the hall. He looked at Callen, confusion written all over his face. Callen's eyes were wide with shock, as well.
"Where are you going, Jethro?" Callen called out to Gibbs.
"I need coffee," was the sharp reply that came back from him as he rounded the corner at the end of the hall.
Callen looked through the window. Kensi sat in the chair she had pulled up next to Deeks' bedside. She had intertwined her fingers with his. She sat there just staring at his face. He knew she was anxiously waiting for her partner to wake up. If what Gibbs just told them were true, Callen wondered just how much longer Deeks would be her partner.
"You think he's just messing with us, G?" Sam asked, not really knowing Gibbs like Callen did.
Callen shook his head slowly as he continued to stare at Kensi and Deeks, "I don't know, Sam." He turned to face his partner. "I don't know. But if Deeks is really thinking about quitting? I don't want to be anywhere near her when she finds out. Wouldn't you agree?"
Sam nodded. "No argument there from me."
"We need to make sure she fixes whatever she did so that doesn't happen," Callen decided.
"I don't think its just her, G," Sam said with trepidation.
"I'm not sure I follow, Sam. What do you mean?"
Sam shook his head slowly. "Think about it. Gibbs' whole team was here for him. It's the middle of the night, G. They have only been around Deeks in person since what, Christmas Eve? Four days? Would all of us have been there by his side if this had happened back home?"
Callen cocked his head slightly, "What are you saying, Sam - that they treat him better than we do?" Callen scoffed.
"I don't know, G. You tell me. You saw how they were surrounding him when we got here. Director Vance talked to him one on one? Gibbs said he will be a hell of an agent, not would or could be. They all seem to call him by his first name. That doesn't even sound right to me, Marty." Sam said their detective's name.
Callen glanced down the hall Gibbs disappeared in and then back to Sam. "Let's go find him and see what the hell is going on."
Sam nodded OK. Callen stuck his head in Deeks' room. Kensi looked up when she heard the door open.
"Hey, Kens. Sam and I are going to go catch up with Gibbs, he went for coffee. You want anything?"
She shook her head. "No, but thanks for asking."
"You okay?" Callen asked when he heard Kensi's voice break.
She looked at Deeks and sighed. "I will be."
A couple hours later Kensi woke with a start. She sat up, rubbing her neck, running her eyes quickly around the room and realizing it was just herself still there with Deeks. She had fallen asleep at some point, her hand falling off the bed and away from Deeks'. After adjusting her hair and straightening her shirt, Kensi leaned up and studied her partner's face. As far as she could tell he hadn't moved an inch from the last time she had been staring at him.
His breathing was regular, the monitors all quiet save for a normal beep here and there.
"I'm here, Deeks. Please wake up," she whispered softly. "I need you to be okay. The doctor thinks you will be, but won't know for sure until he can talk to you." Kensi smiled, chuckling, "I've never heard you be this quiet before, especially for this long."
She reached out and ran her fingers lightly over the back of his hand. "Monty misses you. Hetty let me keep him with me. Actually, I...I stayed, um...I've been staying at your apartment ever since that night you found me with...um," she closed her eyes and sighed, "ever since you left."
Her eyes were filling with tears. She wiped at them quickly. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I'm going to go see if I can find the guys. Sam and Callen are here for you, too. I promise I'll be right back, Deeks." She stood up, stretching her legs and back before heading for the door. She glanced back one more time, then slipped out quietly.
She wandered the halls. There was no sign of the guys anywhere. She found a vending machine, seeing it had Twinkies in it made her realize she was hungry. She quickly inserted a dollar bill and made her selection. As she started back for Deeks' room she tore the wrapper off and scarfed down the sweet treat. Deciding she needed to use the restroom, she stepped in the first women's room she found. She did her business and then washed her hands. She went ahead and splashed some water on her face quickly and grabbed some paper towels to dry off with. She fixed her ponytail and sighed as she looked at her reflection. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she checked for any missed messages or calls.
Nothing.
She slowly walked back to Room 302. When she got there she was hoping Sam and Callen would be in the room, but they were not. She opened the door gently and stepped inside. As she walked back to take her place next to Deeks she was surprised to hear her partner's voice.
"Are...are you my nurse?" He asked drowsily.
Kensi jumped, she hadn't noticed his eyes being open when she walked in. "Deeks! Oh my gosh, Deeks...how do you feel?"
Deeks' eyes frantically scanned the room and then settled on Kensi. "Are you my nurse?" He asked again. "Why am I in the hospital? Where am I?" his voice sounded panicky.
"Deeks," she said with a warning tone to her voice. Kensi smiled, remembering the time he was shot before, and he faked not knowing who she was, or even himself.
"What happened to me?" He sounded very distressed now and Kensi noticed his blood pressure and heart rate were climbing on the monitors.
"It's me, Deeks. Your partner, Kensi. Remember?" She was beginning to think maybe he wasn't faking this time. "Come on, Deeks. Please tell me you know who I am," she coaxed him anxiously.
"Ke...Kensi? You're n...n...not my nurse?" He asked again. The monitors were really making noise now and Kensi wondered why a doctor or nurse hadn't come to check on him yet.
Deeks' eyes grew wide. Suddenly his eyes rolled back in his head and he started shaking. His mouth flew open, a guttural sound coming out. His arms began lifting off the bed then. Still nobody had come to help.
"Deeks!" Kensi screamed, trying to grab an arm to calm him down.
He jerked violently, slamming his arms down on the bed. The IV in his left hand ripped out, blood immediately began running from the spot where the needle had been. His back arched, lifting his whole body up so just the heels of his feet and his shoulders touched the bed. The sound coming from him so unnatural Kensi was scared to death.
"Deeks, oh my God Deeks!" Kensi cried. She ran for the door and threw it open. "Help! Please help him!" She yelled as the team of doctors and nurses finally came running.
"Stay outside, ma'am." A nurse held Kensi back.
"No! I need to be with him, please!" Kensi protested, trying to push by.
"Ma'am, do not fight me. You cannot be in the room while they are with him. You have to stay outside!" The nurse warned.
Just then Sam and Callen came running. "Kensi! Is Deeks okay? What happened?" Callen asked as they reached her.
"I...I don't know! I went to look for you two and use the restroom. When I came back, he...he was awake. But he...uh, he didn't know who I was. He thought...he thought I was his nurse. I thought he was joking at first, but then he...uh, he started shaking and I...nobody came...and I was trying to calm him down..." she trailed off, the sobs overtaking her.
Sam grabbed her and hugged her to him. "It's okay, Kensi. Calm down. It'll be okay," Sam kept telling her.
Callen looked on worriedly as the team huddled around Deeks, making sure he didn't hurt himself. What seemed like an eternity passed before Deeks' body relaxed again, although it was probably no more than a minute at most.
Callen turned and met Sam's gaze, the big man's eyes full of worry. Kensi was crying in to Sam's chest as he rubbed her back, still trying to calm her. Callen shook his head slowly as he turned back to the room, wondering if their teammate was really going to be okay or not.
TBC