A/N: Hey everyone! Well, sorry for the delay, I had very agitated holidays but now I'm back and I'm back to this story that I simply love!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 10 – Shattered Illusions

"Sure, come with me." I take his hand and lead him inside, to the stairs, where no one will bother us. I seat down but he doesn't, stands in front of me, "What is it, Jack?" I ask softly after a few moments of silence.

"I told you I wanted to give you your gift at the end of the party, right? So here it is." He takes a small white box from his pocket and hands it to me.

I open it and there's a necklace inside. It's a golden chain with my initials to match. I can't believe he bought me a golden chain… I mean, it's pretty, but he's my boyfriend, he's kind of supposed to notice that I don't use golden jewelry. There's a reason for that; I don't like it… But I guess him buying me a gift is a very sweet gesture, none of them had to but all of my friends did and I'm grateful. So, I smile at him and offer him the chain, for him to help me put it on, "Thank you Jack, you didn't have to get me anything. But thanks, it's very pretty."

"Of course I had to, you're my girlfriend!" He crouches in front of me and puts the necklace on my neck then looks me in the eyes. "Besides, I'm leaving in a few weeks and so are you, I wanted to make sure you had something to remember me when I'm gone, so you don't miss me too much…" Then he gets back up and I my eyes follow him, "But after today, I think you'll be just fine without me around." He says kind of bitterly.

I lift my eyebrows at this, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing… Just that you'll be fine, you have good company." Jack shrugs.

"Wait a second…are you jealous?!" I get up to face him. "You have got to be kidding me, Jack!" I raise my voice not even caring if someone hears me. By the way they're all laughing outside, they probably won't.

"I saw you this afternoon, Kensi, you were all laughs around that guy, that surfer! What do you even see in him that's so funny?! Must be his hair! His hair is…pretty damn funny!" He's all but yelling at me and now he's making fun of Deeks's hair?

"What's wrong with you Jack?! What, I can't have guy friends now?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me, Kensi?!" He chuckles bitterly. "You're the one who has a boyfriend and walks around with another guy! As far as I'm concerned you-"

"I can't believe you're doing this to me on my birthday Jack!"

"-could've already cheated on me these last two weeks!" That's when I stop thinking about what to say and stare at him blankly. He thinks I cheated on him with Deeks?! Who the hell does he think I am?

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" I'm shocked and downright mad right now, I can't even look at him straight.

"You heard me." He simply says but when I'm about to answer him, he speaks up again. "It's very possible, the way you flirt with each other… I gave you two weeks to think about the future of our relationship and here you were, hanging out with some low life. Thought you were smarter than that Kensi, guess not! Tell me one thing though, during these last two weeks, was he the only one you were with or were there more?" It's all he has to say for me to take out my anger on him and punch him. Hard. "What the hell Kensi? You're fucking insane!"

I won't take this anymore. I'm not going to stand in my house being treated like this. It's enough!

"Get out." I tell him firmly.

"What?" He asks grabbing his jaw. Tomorrow it's going to sting and swell.

"Get out. Get out of my house. Get out of my fucking life." I tell him pointing in the direction of the front door. "I can't tolerate this in my own house, on my own birthday party. I will not put up with your jealousy and your insults towards me or any of my friends." I yank the golden chain he just gave me and throw it at him. "And don't think for a second that I will stand here and hear you talking about me as if I'm some kind of a slut like those you're used to date, Jack! So, get out of my life because this thing between us? It's over, we're done. Now leave!" I tell him always looking into his eyes but when I'm done I can't really look at him.

"Have it your way, Kensi, you always do anyway. I can do much better than you in no time. Maybe this time around I'll find someone who's willing to have sex with me instead of a prude!" Without any further comments, he steps away to make his way to the front door. I can't believe I actually dated this jerk face! Why didn't I see he was a fuck boy?!

Jack's walking down the hallway when I hear a door closing, a sound that feels like someone being pushed and his voice, "She's all yours surfer boy!" And then nothing.

Silence.

Was that Deeks?! Oh my god! Did he hear any of this?

That thought is enough to break me, I let my head hang on my hands while the tears fall. They're not so much tears of sadness as they are angry tears. I'm just so incredibly mad at Jack, I can't even think straight right now!

"Kensi?"

I glance up to meet worried blue eyes looking down at my bizarre figure; girl crying her eyes out, sitting on the last step of the staircase with tousled hair and puffy red eyes. It's a scene from a chick flick, really. "Deeks... Did you-uh... Did you hear any of that?" Furiously, I try to wipe away the silent tears running down my cheeks, hiding the emotion with my hands.

"I didn-" Deeks passes a hand through his messy blonde hair before trying again. "I'm sorry, yeah I heard you guys arguing. I didn't mean to, though. I was just coming out of the bathroom when I heard him yelling at you." When he notices he's rambling, he grimaces, stopping immediately. "Are you okay? Do you need anything? You already know I'm here if you want to talk about it..." He whispers as he takes a seat on my left side and drops his right hand to my back.

His hand is so warm and it feels so comfortable there at the small of my back that I don't have the guts to push him away, not tonight. Instead, unconsciously or not is arguable, my own right hand goes to his chest; his amazingly muscular chest, might I add. "Thanks Deeks, but there's nothing you can do..." I kind of lie… My hand is throbbing with pain right now but he doesn't need to worry about it, "I broke up with him but these tears are more angry tears than sad ones..." Taking a deep breath, I give him a small smile and continue, "I'll be fine, really. In the end, I'd break up with him sooner or later, I guess... I was fed up with his jealousy over everyone else around me, especially you. You heard what he said, didn't you?" Looking back into his eyes, I hope I don't have to repeat any of the argument I had with Jack.

"Uh... Actually I just heard from the punch you gave him... I didn't hear why you punched him."

"Oh..." That's all that managed to come out of my mouth.

"And I gotta say, Kens… You pack one hell of a punch! Remind me of that if I ever think about messing with you, please." And there it is, my favorite comic relief just when I need it.

"Well… It's what happens to people who make up stories! You know, he had the nerve to accuse me of cheating on him with you. And then – as if it hadn't been enough – he asked me if in the last two weeks had been just you or if there had been more guys." There we go, I'm already pissed again, the thought alone making me feel nauseous.

"In that case, if you ask me, he was asking for a punch. How could he think something like that about you?" Deeks is actually impressed about Jack's accusations, especially because he's involved in those accusations as well, I guess…

Chuckling, I let him pull me into his side and squeeze me into the warmth of his embrace. "I don't know why, he had no reasons why. I just… I feel so stupid that I ever thought he was better than my other boyfriends, that he was, well, mature. But he's not. And I was dumb to believe in him."

Kissing the crown of my head briefly, – something that makes me raise an eyebrow while at the same time relax and practically melt, – Deeks uses his right hand to rub my shoulder, "Hey now, don't beat yourself up Kensi. You were in love, you weren't thinking clearly. It's normal, but you're not dumb to believe in him. You hear me? You are not dumb Kensi Blye." Another kiss, on my temple this time. "You are one of the bravest, toughest, smartest girls I've ever had the pleasure to meet, if not the only one! And I know you'll get through this break up and you'll feel so much better then. I'll be here for you if you need anything from me and that goes without saying."

"Thanks Deeks. Just for… everything. It's really sweet that you'd think those things about me." Am I blushing right now? I think I am!

Then he moves to get up from the stairs and I immediately miss the comfort of his arm around my shoulders; his broad body, his figure so much bigger than mine, wrapped around me. If feels nice – no, – it feels good and right! "Now, you're going to come outside and celebrate your birthday some more with everyone who loves you and starting tomorrow you'll be forgetting all about that douchebag and what he said to you tonight. Deal?" He asks, extending his hand for me to take it.

"Deal." I take his hand and let him drag me along the corridor.

After all, a boy and a girl can be friends.

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Stay awesome!

Next chapter's spoiler: It's the day after the break up, Kensi's best friends take her to the beach to relax.

R*