Disclaimer - not mine. :(
Deeks drove like a madman to get home, eager to get started. He was exhausted, the rush of the assignment having worn off even before he had stepped foot in the mission. But after hearing about Kensi's hospital stay and reading her letter, he was a man on a mission now, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
He thought over everything he had given her, and the notes to go with them. He had a hell of a debt to pay off to Nell for helping with that, but it was more than worth it. And he was glad the op had ended when it had, or he would have had some serious scrambling to do to get more stuff to her. He had prepared 7 gifts with notes for her, 8 if you counted the code to the secret stash and the letter that went with it. He had entrusted Nell the very important task of knowing exactly when to place said items. And it seemed she had been spot on, every time. He wondered when she would want him to pay up… and what exactly the payment would be.
I would give her my soul if she asked for it, he thought to himself.
He was unprepared for this turn of events though. Sure, he had left her little things in hopes of making her smile while he was gone, but here she was, surprising the hell out of him. He thought back to the letter. She had opened up, telling him a just a little more of her childhood with her dad. And now, he was racing home to go on his own adventure, set up completely by her. The love he felt for her grew even more, and he had no idea how that was possible.
Parking the car and practically running up to his door, he paused for a just a minute. What he was about to do, the quest he was about to embark on, it was going to change his life. He could feel that. When he completed his task of figuring out her clues, which would hopefully lead to the one thing he wanted more than anything else in this world, her, it would be forever. And he was more than ready for it.
Smiling, he opened the door. He could smell pizza. Interesting. But, careful to follow her instructions to the tee, he put his stuff down and immediately went to the bathroom and turned the shower on. Allowing the steam to fill the room, he stepped in and let the hot water wash away his alias, feeling more like himself every minute that passed. Hearing his stomach growl, he quickly dried off and dressed.
He followed the smell of pizza back to the table. As he sat down, he saw a note on top of the box. FIRST, EAT. THEN READ. Well, who was he to argue? Tearing open the box, and noticing the pizza was still pretty hot, he dug in, eating with a frenzy. He was a lot hungrier than he realized. He looked over, noticing a still cold beer next to what looked like…was that…dear god, it was a piece of chocolate cake. Finishing off the pizza and taking a swig of beer, he opened the letter.
Deeks – I am 99% sure you were ravenous when you got home. Did you even TASTE the pizza? And I have it on good authority you like chocolate cake. I may not be able to actually cook, but I can bake with the best of them. While you eat it, savor it, and think of me. When you get done, look at the bottom of the plate. Smile Sunshine! - SugarBear
She actually MADE the cake? For him? He didn't care if it tasted like cement, he was going to do exactly what she said and savor every damn bite, thinking of her.
He scooted the plate towards him, taking a tentative sniff. Okay, it smelled good. Like good good. Lifting the fork to his mouth, he made a noise he is not sure he has ever heard before, something between a moan and a growl, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. This was the best damn cake he had ever eaten. Yep, that's it, he was going to lock her in the apartment and make her bake for him every single day. He almost choked on the cake he was in the middle of swallowing when he had that thought. She would have no qualms poisoning him with a smile on her face. Beautiful and deadly.
Finishing the cake off a little quicker than he had planned (he actually heard himself whimper when the fork was clean), he took the last sip of his beer and turned the plate over, just as instructed. There it was, a pale blue piece of paper.
You remembered all of my favorite doughnuts. I had gone to your favorite surfing spot that morning and sat on the beach, hoping I could see you out there, thinking of you. I realized that day that if the situations had been reversed, and I was out there, I would want you to try and be happy. Which was what you were trying to do for me. So thank you.
Clue – You jump, I jump, remember?
He reread her words before standing up, letting the words sink in. This was sounding very close to an I Missed You, and the old Kensi wouldn't do that. Was this the new Kensi? Something told him yes.
Ok princess, you made the first one kind of easy, huh? Just getting warmed up or worried my detecting skills aren't up to par?
He could see the smirk on her face as he thought that. What detecting skills Deeks? I basically GAVE you the answer to the first clue.
Walking over to his TV stand, he leaned down until he found what he was looking for. Pulling out Titanic, he opened up to find a picture looking up at him. A beautiful picture of him and Kensi. It was the same picture she had on her nightstand that she didn't know he knew about. Smiling down at it he remembered being taken aback when he had seen it.
He was heading to the bathroom one night and when he had passed her room, he noticed the door was open. Taking a quick glance, because anything else and she would have known something was up, his eyes immediately landed on the picture. He stood there for a few seconds before getting his wits about him and hurrying along. But he had never forgotten seeing the picture of them on her nightstand.
Turning the photo over, he took the pale blue paper off the back.
I know you know about this and where it's located. I saw you stop that night and look at it. I watched the smile that crossed your face and I saw how you quickly snapped out of it and went along your way. And you know that I know about the one in your drawer. I wanted to add to the collection.
Clue: THAT'S for hitting my partner!
He sat there, thinking about when he said that. Stanley King had hit Kensi, he had hit Stanley King. His hand had throbbed for days, and the bruise on her jaw was there just as long. He had brought over burgers, beers and a shake.
Something clicked. Burgers…beers…a shake. There had been a beer on the table at dinner, and he knew he hadn't left any in the fridge when he went undercover. Walking over and throwing the door open, he gazed lovingly into the fridge, the six pack minus one eyeing him. Pulling it out and taking the lid off a new beer (he had a feeling he was going to need it), he noticed the blue paper in the empty slot.
I was going to get you a little gift for this one, but I felt like the beer was gift enough. Because sometimes, the only thing that keeps me sane is the knowledge that at the end of the night, YOU will show up at my house with nothing more than beer. And that's more than enough for me.
Clue – Eyes are a way into something.
So, all she needed was him. And beer of course. And food. But mainly him and beer. He was definitely going to keep that in mind. Because there was nothing else he loved more than sitting next to her on the couch, watching either Titanic, America's Next Top Model, or whatever she felt like that night. Popping open beers together. Feet on the coffee table and waiting on the take out to arrive. It was as close to Heaven as he has ever been. Because it was real. It was them. And on the evenings he showed up after a particularly rough day, he could always see the hope, the gratitude, and the relief in her beautiful mismatched eyes and he wondered as he often did if she could see into his soul.
That's it! The eyes are in the window to the soul. What the hell. How is that a clue? Where the hell was it pointing him? He read over it again and looked up. Standing in the middle of his kitchen, he slowly started turning in a circle, taking in everything he was looking at. He eyes finally fell on the curtains covering his windows.
There's a reason I used to be a Detective, he thought. He felt a twinge for a minute, remembering that that part of his life was over.
Being a cop, as much as he thought it was what defined him, couldn't compare to Kensi.
The book of his life had finished another chapter, and the open expanse of blank pages ahead of him would have been daunting if he didn't have the knowledge that the chapters beforehand—outlining a story of how two strangers had met, partnerships had developed, evolving into friendship—had created a bond so strong that nothing could sever it. Those words had set up this new chapter of his – their – life.
He wasn't stupid though. He knew that the future chapters would be filled with laughter and jokes, dates and all the firsts that would come, but also sorrow and heartache, trials and tribulations. Yet he knew as sure as he was breathing, that no matter what, as long as she was by his side, they could make it through anything life threw their way.
Walking to the window, he opened the curtains, but there wasn't anything there. He did the same with the other set of windows in the living room/kitchen area, but it more of the same. Nothing. Did he misread the clue? Surely not.
The window in his bedroom. That's where it had to be. Quickly turning and making his way into the darkened room, he opened the curtains and couldn't help the full belly laugh that came. Sitting there, on the edge of the window, was the fern he had given her. Impressed that she had actually been able to keep it alive, he picked up the paper that was peeking out from underneath it.
You are owed a good ole fashioned ass-whooping for this Deeks. I killed a damn cactus. You knew this! What possessed you to get me another plant!? You must not have told them who it was for. Did you laugh at my mug shot behind the counter? Asshole.
Also, did you know that there are about 1400 books on how to care for plants at the nursery? Yes, I bought several how-to books on plant upkeep (by the way, you owe me $32.50 for the cost of said books). Apparently, ferns do NOT like direct sunlight, and they like humid places. I ended up taking this to work with me, and Sam was instrumental in helping keep it alive. Thank him later. Now, I am bestowing this Fern to you. It will be your job to take of it, make sure it gets the love and attention it needs. Fern can be the best plant you'll ever have as long as you have the patience to let it grow.
Clue – Justin, Melissa and a slight disagreement on how things are done.
His mouth hung open. She was giving herself to him. That was the only thought he could get his brain to form right now. He reread the note about 7 times. He would gladly take the ass-whooping she was going to dish out because the end reward for it was worth it. He thought of the words she had written. As long as it gets the love and attention it needs. Oh, it absolutely would. And he definitely knew he had the patience to let her/them grow. Together. Who knew, when he had decided on this gift, that it would turn his whole world around. He took her words to heart and grabbed his fern, putting it on the dresser, out of direct sunlight.
Thinking of the clue, he looked around. They had several disagreements on how things were done. She dragged a chair across the carpet to make it look like she had vacuumed. Seriously, who does that? He didn't have a vacuum, though, so he knew it wasn't that. He disagreed with the way snicker doodles were made, too. You were supposed to actually make them, not open a box. Remembering the cake, he was going to make her show him those baking skills she had bragged about and see if she could make the cookies from scratch. If it was a tenth of how the cake came out, it would be totally worth it.
Come on Deeks, back on track! Disagreements…disagreements. His mind wandered back to the time he was able to call her his wife. Laundry. The hell? That was way more than a slight disagreement. She had turned his whites purple. PURPLE. Like Barney the freaking dinosaur. Ok, so that had to be the answer. He walked to his washing machine, nothing. Opened the dryer, but it was empty. Laundry, laundry. He snapped his fingers. Got it!
Walking back to his room, he started opening his drawers. On the fourth drawer, he found it. A plastic bag sat on top. Pulling it out, he glanced in and almost dropped the bag. Did she really? He completely underestimated her. He couldn't stop the laughter as he pulled out a pair of boxers sporting lions on them with the words RAWR written on the back. She never ceased to amaze him. Taking the note that was pinned on his new favorite pair of boxers, he sat down on the bed and read.
If this isn't perfect, I don't know what is. My jungle cat needs to be properly attired. And not in something that I can turn purple. From here on out, I am delegating the laundry job to you.
Clue – dark wood
He realized quickly that these little notes she was leaving had other meaning to them. She was very carefully telling him that she had feelings for him. Some of the notes were more serious, telling him she had missed him and letting him get a glimpse into her thoughts, others were just her choice of words and phrases. MY jungle cat. Delegating laundry, like he would be doing hers too. Which he was totally fine with. Telling him how to take care of the fern. She was letting him know that she was ready to go down the same path together. The communication problem they had seemed to be working itself out.
Putting his thinking cap back on, he got back to business. He mentally inventoried his house, realizing he had nothing in his place with dark wood. What the hell was she talking about? He walked through his apartment, looking at everything. Trying to put the pieces together. He had lighter wood furniture. She knew that. His eyes scanned the bookcase, looking for something that would give him another clue but found nothing. He opened cabinets in the kitchen, checked the bathroom (for what, he had no idea), looked under the couch and his bed.
Well well sunshine. You did good with this one. Really making me put those detective skills to use.
The clue obviously wasn't something in his house, at least not that he could see. He thought back through the gifts he had given her. There were the flowers on her desk, the box of twinkies. The fern and box of doughnuts. None of this equaled dark wood. And at that moment, the light bulb suddenly went off. The gun cleaning kit. He had replaced her dad's dark wood kit for a lighter wood version, complete with her initials and Always Smile.
Walking back into his bedroom, he went into his closet and found his own cleaning kit. However, the sunshine of his life had decided to put a freakin' chain around it with a lock attached. Shaking his head, he took it down off the shelf. At least I gave her the damn combination to get into it.
It amazed him sometimes, the way her mind worked. He tried the one combo he knew and wasn't surprised when it worked. Does she know the significance of the 143 combination? It was an easy number for him to remember, considering it was locking up her stuff. He would have to ask her about that.
Opening the lid and removing the top shelf, he looked down. She is the most amazing woman alive. Picking up the surfboard keychain, he noted the craftsmanship of it and his favorite blue paper rolled up into the key ring. The picture reflected the beach, showing the sun setting, a palm tree, sand and of course the waves. It wasn't cheesily done, like something you find at one of the shell shops that littered the streets near the beach. This one was smooth, glazed over and you could tell hand-crafted and hand painted. He turned it over and wasn't surprised to see the initials of the artist who made it.
Taking the keychain to the living room, the first thing he did was put it on his key ring. He gazed at it for a minute before opening the letter.
I'm impressed Deeks. I was hoping you would figure out that last one without having to call me for another clue. You looked under the bathroom cabinet, didn't you? Why would you do that? At least you figured it out.
I know I am generally closed off and hide my feelings, but I realized something while you were gone. I am not really happy unless you are here with me. I never fully appreciated the little things you do for me. But I promise I will never take them for granted again. I hope you enjoyed the notes I left and the gifts accompanying them. And I pray that the notes I left were able to say what we both know I have trouble with.
In saying that, the gift you just got was also your last clue. I'll be waiting. Smile Sunshine! -Kiki
Yeah Kens, those notes told me a lot, he thought to himself.
He couldn't wait to see her, watch as her eyes light up as she laughs. He could see them holding hands walking down the beach, kissing as the waves lapped at their feet, the sun setting behind them. He could easily picture many nights on the couch, doing their normal routine of beers and bad TV, but instead of sitting there, careful not to touch each other, he would be holding her in his arms, and there was nothing that sounded better. Except for that to happen, he needed to figure out this last clue.
Looking at the surfboard on his keys, he smiled and grabbed his new badge and gun, noticing on the way out that his normal surfboard wasn't in its usual spot. As he jogged to his car, he was almost giddy with excitement.
As he turned the car on, he wondered which beach she had gone to before remembering her letter. She had gone to his favorite surfing spot in hopes of seeing him, so he would make sure that happened.
10 minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot, somehow being able to park next to Kensi's new SRX. He sat there a minute, looking out at the waves. His eyes scanned the shoreline until they landed on the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Sitting on a blanket, he watched as the wind swirled her hair around her shoulders. She would look around every once in a while, checking to see if he was here yet. He could see the tension in her shoulders, and he wondered what part she was nervous about. He couldn't take it any longer. Getting out of the car, he slowly walked over to where she was sitting.
"Hey princess, did you miss me?"
AN - I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I am working on the next one, and I hope everyone is patient with me as it may take an extra day to get out. Let me know your thoughts and if there's anything you would like to see when they finally have their talk! :)