Season of Renewal

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.

Author's note: Thanks again to CoastalReader, honus47, db1205, RhondaLara, basicnsync, ilovemyjeep, MJ2709, 974lk, me, fanficforyou, and last but not least, Hoosier65 for reviewing and/or PMing me regarding the last chapter. I really appreciate it!

Chapter 10

Friday, January 16th

The flight was taking forever. Kensi couldn't sleep and her mind had been racing ever since they taxied out for takeoff. Tobias, on the other hand, was out like a light before they left DC's airspace. It wasn't long after that when EJ fell asleep. They had met up with Agent Barrett at Navy Yard yesterday, the day after her "shooting". She brought them up to date on the little operation she and Deeks had run out of Richmond and the likelihood that it would end in success. EJ acted more civil towards Kensi once they met in person. They both were strong, resourceful women and each of them recognized that about the other. Even though Kensi thought she would never tell Agent Barrett this, she appreciated that the woman had done a great job backing up her partner. She was proud of herself for keeping the little green eyed monster at bay.

Not so much in regards to Deeks' next stop, however. Kensi was upset he had arrived in Mexico sometime yesterday. Even though they would meet up with him later today or first thing tomorrow, she had remembered why Loreto sounded familiar and why Deeks seemed nervous about talking about it with Fornell when they first met him.

Eva Espinoza was from Loreto.

Something must have gone on between Eva and her partner back when they had first encountered the woman. Deeks had tried to hide it, but he sure acted guilty of something that day in his hospital room. Kensi tried to tell herself that what ever had happened, if anything, it was long before she and Deeks had entertained the idea of getting together. Okay, maybe not so much that neither had entertained the idea...but before they admitted having feelings for each other. Deeks would never cheat on her had they actually been in a relationship at that point. Kensi suspected Deeks hadn't been on a date well before either of them acknowledged their 'thing'. She hadn't been either, long ago abandoning the first dates in favor of hanging out with her partner after work and even on some weekends. That was until she had the dumbass attack when Deeks asked her to go to Mammoth with him.

Kensi sighed heavily, flopping back in her seat in a huff. Still pissed at herself for almost going home with that douchebag the night she turned Deeks down, she was anxious to meet up with her partner. Another thought just crossed her mind. Here it was the 16th of January already. The 16th? A little over one week after her partner's birthday! Holy shit, she thought, how did she forget again? Although it would seem that even Deeks had forgotten, no mention of it had been made since that day they had met Sam, the young woman he had saved. They both had been greatly distracted, not only by the tension between them, but also with the job at hand coming together quickly. She would have to make it up to him somehow when this was all over.

Suddenly feeling like someone was watching her, she glanced at Agent Barrett sitting across the aisle in the small jet. Kensi went on the defensive when she noticed EJ staring at her with a slight smirk on her face.

"What?" Kensi demanded.

"Relax. You know things will work out between the two of you. Deeks is just a little - confused right now."

"You don't know that. You don't know him like I - wait, how do you-" realization struck Kensi as she looked at the other female agent. "Did he tell you about...about what happened?" Kensi wondered out loud, feeling rather self conscious as she looked to EJ for an explanation.

EJ smiled and shook her head. "No. Actually, Abby and I talked. Let me apologize for giving you attitude when you picked up Fornell's phone. I couldn't help myself - I wanted to make you squirm a bit," EJ chuckled. "Just to set the record straight, Kensi - Deeks was a perfect gentleman. Aside from discovering he likes to spoon that night I found him," she paused when Kensi's eyebrows shot up, "he was fevered and out of it, I don't think he knew what he was doing. I never laid a hand on him."

Kensi felt the relief wash over her at EJ's admission. She knew she had to really work on her jealousy issues. She had never acted this way when she was with Jack. There were plenty of women that gave him attention back then but she couldn't ever remember reacting the way she does now when someone interacts with her partner. If Deeks was jealous of the men that hit on her he hid it well. Sam and Callen would argue that point, having witnessed it first hand, but she didn't see it. She wondered if it was because she knew under that guise of being a playboy Deeks was actually a gentleman just like EJ had pointed out. Knowing Deeks the way she did, she figured the women he had gone out with in the past meant something to him. He connected with them on a deeper level, where with Kensi, her dates meant nothing. It was just sex, and sometimes not even that. Bottom line was she didn't want to share Deeks with anyone. Even though they weren't officially a couple, she'd been acting like they were for quite some time. It was unfair of her to treat Deeks that way, to hold him to a different standard than she held herself to, but that is what it boiled down to.

"Well thank you. For taking care of him." Kensi must have looked just as surprised as Agent Barrett when the words left her mouth.

EJ smiled genuinely then, tipping her head in Kensi's direction once in acknowledgement. "You're welcome."

Friday morning rolled around and Deeks was up early. Eva had dropped him off at his hotel the night before. Excited to be in Mexico once again, he was actually looking forward to Kensi, Tobias and EJ arriving later in the day. The talk he had with Eva the night before had been good for him. He was able to get a lot off his chest. The anger he had been holding in was gone. Eva listened intently, letting him voice his concerns but giving just enough of a push to set him on his way to letting go of the hurt that still weighed on his heart. He knew that they had some work to do, but Kensi was still the woman he wanted by his side for the remainder of whatever crazy life he had left.

Deeks worked at readying himself for the day. Eva would not be involved in the operation that Deeks and the others were running, but she did give Deeks some valuable intel on Big P's contact. She also warned him of others to stay away from. There were gang wars and cartels all over the region. One didn't have to go far to find trouble. Sometimes trouble found you, whether you were looking for it or not.

Deeks would stay at the hotel under his assumed name until such time they had caught the person or persons behind the threat on Gibbs. When Fornell, EJ and Kensi arrived they would be staying at a safe house Eva had graciously offered for their use the night before. The only reason they would leave was if their leads took them elsewhere.

With the climate change Deeks had dumped the heavy stocking cap with the artificial dark hair sewn into it. Looking at his handiwork in the mirror, he smirked at his now very brown, slicked back hair. His scruff was inherently darker than his light colored hair, so he didn't feel the need to color it. His eyebrows, though, were a little too blond so he darkened them up to match the once shaggy mop on his head. Needing to stay in character, even if just for the look, was important. He had checked in under his alias Stew Gilmer. Not wanting to take any chance of someone looking into his travels, he had to keep up the charade. Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD liaison, was still recovering from his injuries in an unknown location as far as anyone else knew. Sliding his shades on, he grabbed his phone and wallet. Leaving his room, he headed out to meet Eva for breakfast at a little diner not too far away.

Marty stepped inside the quiet diner Eva had told him about and walked towards the back. He smiled when he saw her already sitting at a tiny booth. She looked up when she heard him approaching.

"Good morning, Stew," she smirked as she softly called him by his fictitious name.

"Good morning, Eva." He slid into the bench across the table from her.

Her eyes kept moving from his to the freshly dyed head of hair and back. When she noticed he had caught her staring, she smiled shyly.

"You look so different. I'm sorry for staring," she offered.

"It's a good look, I know! I'm rockin' this color, aren't I?" He pointed at his head animatedly.

She burst out laughing at his feigned confidence, knowing he was joking. Those that didn't know Deeks would not think anything of his hair, but those that did would agree on how ridiculous he looked. It wasn't that brown hair was bad or anything, it just wasn't him.

"Maybe a ball cap would help?" Eva suggested and shrugged her shoulders.

"You wound me, Eva. Really, you do," he faked a frown as he clasped a hand over his heart.

She responded by tapping him with her foot in the shin under the table. Not hard at all, but naturally Deeks played it up.

"Hey! Take it easy there. That really hurt!" He reached down to rub his shin with a smirk on his face.

Eva rolled her eyes and shook her head gently at him.

They ordered their breakfast and continued to make small talk while they waited. Eva brought Kensi up again and was relieved to see that Deeks wasn't as uptight as he had been the day before talking about his partner.

"When do they get in?" She asked curiously.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure. Fornell said he'd call when they landed but that he thought it would be sometime this afternoon. Why?"

"No reason." She looked away for a moment, then met his gaze. She could tell Deeks knew she had something on her mind. She decided to be honest with him and continued, "I'll stay away from you once they are here, Martin," she said softly.

He cocked his head to the side in wonder. "Why, uh...why? You don't have to do that, Eva," Deeks insisted, shaking his head.

"I don't want your partner to feel threatened." She was trying to be gracious knowing that Kensi had a jealous streak a mile wide. She was willing to give them space, but Deeks wouldn't let it go, of course.

Deeks smiled. "You think...you think Kensi feels threatened by you?"

"You don't think she is? She should be, Martin." Eva stated confidently, but with a hint of mischief in her eye as she leaned towards him over the table top.

He chuckled then, dropping his eyes to the table and then bringing them up again. He knew she meant threatened by their friendship. But knowing that Eva probably could go toe to toe with Kensi Blye in a physical altercation, too, he didn't argue. "Okay, I'll maybe give you that one. Touché."

Before they could continue, their food was brought to the table. They sat quietly, enjoying their breakfast. Silent glances back and forth across the table were all the communication that they needed. Again Deeks was struck by how similarly he and Kensi's relationship had evolved from one much like he and Eva had for a short time to something so much more than either could imagine. He really was looking forward to seeing his partner. The sooner the better.

The peaceful morning was broken by loud voices outside. Just then a woman ran through the door screaming. Not too far off, the sound of gunfire could be heard and it was growing closer. Deeks and Eva glanced at each other, both sliding from their seats simultaneously and running for the door. Stopping at the entrance, Eva stuck her head out and looked down the street. Not seeing anyone but still hearing shots, she looked back over her shoulder to Deeks. She had drawn her service weapon.

"You are not armed, Martin. Stay here!" She ordered him as she ducked behind a truck sitting in front of the diner.

"Eva!" Deeks shouted to the woman, knowing it would do no good. He looked down the street just as a young man ran from a doorway about halfway down the block from them. Several shots rang out and the figure running at them dropped and rolled, screaming in agony before falling silent. Deeks scanned the area for shooters and then considered moving to Eva's location behind the truck.

"I said to stay put! Why can't you listen?" Eva questioned him when she saw what he was thinking.

Deeks looked at her but before he could reply another burst of shots rang out. The metallic thud as the bullets tore into the sheet metal of the truck she was taking cover behind was enough to get them both moving. She pushed herself towards the door Deeks had been standing in while he met her halfway, yanking her back as fast as he could. Bullets were flying all around them as they dove back through the entrance to the diner. Several ricocheted off the brick that faced the front of the building. Windows shattered and more screams could be heard as people ran for safety. Deeks rolled and got to his knees then reached up to the side of his face and felt it. Pulling his hand away, he was surprised to see blood. It was so warm on his fingers and a vibrant red in the sunlight streaming in the open door.

Shocked, he felt like he was seeing things in slow motion. All around them was chaos, but to him everything had grown quiet.

He looked up slowly to check on Eva. Her eyes met his and grew wide when she saw the blood and the startled look on his face.

"Martin?"

TBC