Okay next update for you buddies! Since you asked ever so nicely.

Disclaimer: NCISLA doesn't belong to me. As Hetty would say – BUGGER!

CHOICES

CHAPTER 10

The screeching tyres left rubber tracks at the entrance of the hospital as Deeks pushed hard on the brakes and leapt out. He ran to the passenger side and opened the door, helping Kensi from her seatbelt. Wrapping one of her arms around his neck he gently hoisted her from the SUV to the ground and helped her walk to the door.

"I need some help!" Deeks yelled to the nurse who came running when she heard the squeal of the car.

"I've got a wheelchair here. Please miss sit down and we'll take you straight in to see the doctor" Nurse Ellie said.

"Ow, Deeks it hurts" Kensi writhed in pain as she clutched her sore stomach.

"It's okay Kens, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere okay?" he tried to soothe.

"What's going on here?" Doctor Kerr asked as Nurse Ellie and Deeks wheeled Kensi into the triage area.

"Doc, I'm Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD and my partner here, Special Agent Kensi Blye, NCIS, has had some dangerous experimental drugs ingested into her system by a kidnapper. Please you gotta help her" Deeks pleaded.

The doctor prodded Kensi's stomach which produced a series of painful screams emanating from her mouth in retaliation.

"We'll have to get the drugs out of her stomach immediately. Nurse, set up for the procedure quick as you can" Doctor Kerr frowned.

"Right away Doctor" Nurse Ellie nodded and scrambled off to get things ready.

"Doc? What's happening?" Deeks asked anxiously as he held Kensi's hand.

"If Kensi is in this much pain there is a chance the drugs may have torn the lining of her stomach which could be life threatening. We'll operate and take out the drugs but if the lining is torn, the acid from her stomach could seep out into her body, causing damage to vital organs"

"Oh God no, Kensi" Deeks dragged his hand through his hair.

"Cross your fingers Detective. I'll do everything I can for your partner. Just pray she's a fighter"

"She is Doc, she fights all the way"

Deeks stood to the side while the medical staff organised a gurney and started IV lines and removing her clothing to ready for Kensi's operation.

"Okay we're ready. Let's go people!" Doctor Kerr shouted as Kensi was wheeled through the doors and into the hallway, headed for the operating room. Deeks walked side by side with the gurney never releasing his grip on her hand as she still wriggled in pain. As they got to the large hinged doors to the operating rooms, the medical staff stopped.

"I'm sorry sir, you can't come any further" Nurse Ellie shook her head.

Deeks nodded and leant over the rail, "Kens, I'm right here princess. You fight you hear me? Don't you dare give up. I need you to come back to me and be my partner. We need to break Sam and Callen's five year partnership record, so please Kens, okay?." Slowly Deeks leant over and kissed Kensi's forehead and kissed her hand as the doors opened and the medics pushed the gurney away from him.

Sighing, Deeks turned and walked to the waiting area, slumping in the nearest chair, running his shaking hands through his shaggy hair.

"Deeks! Deeks where is she? Is she okay?" Callen called as he and Sam came bursting through the doors to discover Deeks in the waiting area.

"Kensi's in surgery. She needs a stomach pump but because of the amount of pain she's in there's a chance the drugs could have torn her stomach lining which is life threatening" Deeks replied.

"Deeks, Kensi's strong. She has to be to put up with you sometimes. I'll go get some coffees. Take a breath, I'm sure she's going to be fine" Callen put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Mr Deeks can you give me a report please?" Hetty asked as she strolled into the waiting area with Eric and Nell trailing after her.

"Hetty, I'll give you the report" Sam interrupted, "Deeks is preoccupied with worry right now"

The diminutive leader nodded and listened intently to the explanation Sam began to tell her. Nell and Eric stayed close together nearby worried looks on their faces. Callen returned with the right amount of coffees for everyone. He figured that the whole team would come to the hospital and his gut instincts were correct as saw the team huddled together.

"Horrible coffee anyone?" Callen gave a small grin as he handed out the coffee cups to his friends but he stopped as he stood in front of Hetty, "I have chamomile tea for you Hetty"

"Thank you Mr Callen, although it certainly won't be as good the tea I would brew myself of course"

"Of course" Callen smiled, "Any news?"

Hetty shook her head, "No, all I'm being told is she's still in surgery at this time"

"I'm worried this could send Deeks into a bad place Hetty" Sam said as he came over to join Callen.

"You underestimate him Mr Hanna. Mr Deeks is very much stronger than you believe. He is not just a cop as I know you are thinking"

Sam looked away uncomfortably, knowing what Hetty was saying was in fact true. He had doubts about Deeks' abilities from the get go and Hetty had picked up on it instantly.

"What is it going to take for you to trust him and respect him Mr Hanna? I trust and respect him without hesitation" Hetty frowned.

"Hetty I know he's a good partner for Kensi but…." Sam hedged.

"No Sam, Mr Deeks is an excellent partner for Kensi and she has no hesitation in his abilities to back her up in any situation. It's time for you to go away and think about the way you treat Mr Deeks, because quite frankly I'm sick of it"

"Hetty…"

"Hetty's right Sam. Deeks doesn't deserve some of the crap we give him. He's shown how good he is for Kensi and he's shown how good he is for the team. This team wouldn't be as good as it is without him" Callen nodded.

Sam turned and walked away to the waiting area. He sat down in an empty chair and glanced over to Deeks who was burying his face in his hands. The words of Hetty and Callen kept going over and over in his mind, playing on his conscience. He vowed that if, no when Kensi recovered he would make things right with Deeks. Hetty was right…Deeks had earned it.

The slight squeak from the hinged doors swung open and Doctor Kerr came striding out, removing his gloves as he walked to the waiting area. The team immediately stood and rushed to the medico awaiting news…

"Kensi has made it through the operation. There was a small tear to the lining which we managed to repair but the next twenty four hours will be the test. If her body responds well to the medication we gave her she should slowly make it through. She lost quite a bit of blood so if any of you are a blood type AB we would appreciate a donation"

"Trust Kensi not to have a common blood type" Callen grinned.

"Can I see her?" Deeks asked softly.

"Let us just settle her in her room and you can see her one or two at a time and only for a short period of time" Doctor Kerr nodded, "I'll get Nurse Ellie to come and get you in about ten minutes".

After downing another bad coffee, Deeks and the team stood when Ellie came over to them, "Okay you can see her, bear in mind she is quite ill and has tubes and wires in her"

"You guys go in first…I can wait" Deeks padded Callen's shoulder.

"You sure? She's your partner Deeks"

"I'm sure…I just need to steady myself before I see her"

"Okay, we won't be long" Callen nodded.

Callen, Sam and Hetty ventured in first and stood silently gazing at their colleague. Kensi was intubated and had various machines beeping noisily in the background. Callen reacted first, slowly reaching for her hand and giving it a gently squeeze.

"We're all here Kensi. It's gonna be okay" Callen told her.

"Yeah Kens, everything will be fine" Sam added.

"Kensi, don't worry about a thing, the main thing is for you to get better" Hetty said squeezing her other hand.

"Let's go" Callen cocked his head for them to leave.

Eric and Nell went in next and Eric heard a gasp escape from Nell as she saw her friend on the bed. Nell looked intently at all the machines and started babbling to Eric about which machine worked for what reason.

"Nell, stop. Kensi will be fine. She's tough. Look how many times she's taken the guys down in training in the gym"

"I know you're right Eric, but she's my friend. I hate seeing her like this" Nell cried.

"We all hate seeing her like this but Deeks is going to see her next. Imagine how he's going to feel seeing her" Eric placed his arms around her, "We should let Deeks spend time with her now, come on"

Nell nodded and let Eric gently guide her out of the room and out to the parking area to drive her home.

Deeks stopped and stood at the entrance to Kensi's room in the hallway. Taking a deep breath in breathing out with a sigh, he steadied himself for what he was about to face. Turning around his blue eyes blinked at his partner's body. Walking slowly over to the bed, his eyes wandered over her injuries and the slow rhythmic beat of the machine helping her to breathe. He brushed a stray hair from her eyes with one hand while holding her hand with his other.

"Oh Kensi", he stammered as he felt a tear flow down his cheek, "princess please I can't be without you. You're the only one who cares about me. I love you Kensi"

Deeks buried his face in Kensi's neck and wept openly for the first time in years. He never noticed there was someone watching him from just outside the room.

There you are. Apologies for the delays in updating. Work is busy at the moment. I will try to update the story on the weekend. Reviews would be awesome! Much love to all – Tanya xxx