Author's Note:

Here's to ten chapters of A Mission's Wake! Thanks so much for everything, this really couldn't be possible without you guys. As always, LOVE the feedback this is getting. Don't forget to leave what can be improved (this especially helps an author) and what you would like to see in future chapters! From what I see so far- you want longer chapters. I try to make each a thousand words or more, but with soccer and everything else, I really want to keep the daily update plan, which may mean shorter chapters. Anybody looking forward to the season four premiere of Covert Affairs tonight?

Disclaimer remains.

-C

"Go ahead, shoot me now," Sidorov dared.

Kensi decided he wouldn't give him the satisfaction, even if the bullet did end his life. If Sidorov hadn't added the last comment, she probably would have done it. The honks of cars forced her to accelerate once again, driving the last mile to the boatshed. Callen was glaring at Kensi disapprovingly through the mirror. She knew that G would talk to her later about it.

In a way, Kensi was angry at herself for letting her emotions overrule her judgment in a constant battle that put two masters at each other. She knew that it would have to stop, no matter what the cost. So she put up the hardened steel walls once again.

She pulled into the small lot that could hold no more than five cars at a time and shifted the gear into park. Callen and Kensi soon had shoved Sidorov into the boatshed entrance and into one of the interrogation rooms. Kensi caught Callen's wandering gaze to the stairs, where she knew Janvier would be in the other holding area on the second floor.

Two agents suddenly entered through the door at the other end of the boatshed.

"Agent Callen and Agent Blye, Hetty wants you back at Ops. We'll watch the suspects from here," the taller, dark skinned man said.

"Thanks Agent Fitch," Callen nodded and him and Kensi left promptly.

Outside, she threw him the keys, eager to get away from the boatshed. Once inside the car, however, Callen didn't start it.

"Kensi-"

"We already had this discussion at the hospital last night, remember? Look, everything will be fine when we finally lock Sidorov up and Sam and Deeks are back on their feet."

G turned the ignition on and corrected her, "I was just gonna ask if you wanted to change jackets before heading to Ops."

Kensi looked down, having been reminded the second time that day about the blatant blood stains on her sleeve. She shed the jacket, tossed it in the back, leaving her in a red v-neck shirt.

"I'm fine. Let's go."

They drove the short distance back to the Office of Special Projects where their attention would be demanded for several hours. Kensi hoped that the time would fly, for she was anxious to get back to the hospital. It was more than her duty to be there when Deeks woke up- it was part of her second nature.

Arriving at the Spanish mission that had been turned into an effective agency office, Callen and Kensi hurriedly approached Hetty's office, where she was deep in conversation with somebody on the phone. They waited patiently, retreating towards their desks as a sign as they weren't eavesdropping.

Kensi eyed the empty desks sadly. On any other day, their morning would begin with the usual banter in the bullpen, Eric's whistle, and then the start of a new case. Today, however, there was just silence and the unusual sluggish feel to the office's atmosphere.

Although it was their team that was assigned to handle Sidorov, all of OSP had been following the case thoroughly. After all, it was their coworkers being put at risk. Generally, the other agents kept their main interactions between their own team. However, they did cross paths from time to time within their busy schedules and case load. Everybody liked and admired Sam. Others were iffy with Deeks for the same reasons Sam would never truly get along with him. They were completely different people.

Eric and Nell were soon trotting down the steps and approached Callen and Kensi, both looking concerned. It had crossed Kensi's mind that they hadn't shown up at the hospital once, but then it occurred that although Sidorov was in custody, the case wasn't closed.

"How are Deeks and Sam?" Eric immediately asked, pushing his thick glasses further up his nose. It was a signature habit that the surfer had.

"Sam's been cleared to go home tomorrow evening. Deeks isn't out of the woods yet," Callen informed them.

"Alright. I suppose that's somewhat good news. On the other hand, Eric and I are running into a few problems," Nell continued.

"Like what?" Kensi pressed.

"We can't find the nuclear weapons that Sidorov wanted to sell. Nell and I have been checking everything and there's nothing to find, it seems," Eric explained.

Callen crossed his arms in frustration. "What about Visiri? Any leads on him?"

Nell shook her head. "He showed up for the meet, but there's been nothing since then. I'm beginning to think that there's a bigger picture that we're missing here."

"Mr. Callen, Ms. Blye, my office?" Hetty waved them over.

Kensi's heart rose in her chest when she noticed that she wasn't drinking tea. Hetty never drank tea during their most serious conversations. It was meant as something to be put aside to avoid any distractions. The two agents took a seat, facing the smaller woman, wondering what this was all about.

"I'm sorry for pulling you away from your partners, but this is urgent."

G and Kensi shared a look, wondering where this was going.

"Nell told us that they can't find the weapons," Kensi jumped ahead.

"If only it was that, Ms. Blye. The Secretary of the Navy is not a happy man of late due to the failure in this assignment. And the Russians are demanding that we hand Sidorov to them."

"Why would the Russians want Sidorov?" Callen questioned, leaning forward in his chair.

"He's a Russian citizen who is labeled as a terrorist in both countries. They want to charge him there. Which you know, of course-"

Callen finished the sentence for her, "That he'll pry his way out of the situation somehow. And the Russians can't charge him with what he did to Sam and Deeks over there either."

"Wait, back up a second," Kensi interrupted. "What do you mean by SECNAV unhappy with the 'failure in this assignment'?"

Hetty paused before answering, "He is placing this team under investigation, as he feels it is necessary for our less-than satisfactory performance."

"Bullshit!" Callen protested.

"What does this mean for us, Hetty?" Kensi pressed.

"It means that the team is suspended. Cases are going to be reevaluated, and the integrity of all of you will be called in to question," Hetty's voice began to rise in anger, as if she were recalling the same emotion she felt while being informed of this. Kensi wondered if that was what she was discussing over the phone.

"And if SECNAV feels that we've done something wrong?"

"You two, Mr. Hanna, and Mr. Deeks will be disbanded, an early retirement for myself, and quite possibly the question of needing this operations center at all."