Chapter 11 – Deeks

'Kensi!' I screamed as I watched the car plough into her side, her head, throwing her to the ground. It was as if it was happening in slow motion, and I couldn't do a thing to stop it.

I ran forward and skidded onto my knees beside her, calling her name as I took her hand. 'Lay still, Kens. You'll be okay. It's all gonna be okay.'

She whimpered and the sound shot straight through my heart. I roughly wiped sudden tears out of my eyes with my free hand as I said, 'Kensi. Stay with me Kens.'

…

Fourteen Hours Earlier

…

I tugged on my "wife's" hand, pulling her down the garden path.

'Slow down,' she demanded, tugging in the opposite direction.

''kay.' I stopped for a moment so that she caught up, and wound an arm around her waist.

'Deeks,' she hissed. 'Personal space.'

'We're married. The concept is void.' I pulled her so that her side was pressed flush against mine. 'Come on, sugar blossom. Should we start with the Paulsons?'

''kay,' she said, and I knew that tone of voice. It was her "absent" tone of voice – the lights were on, but she was far, far away. Yes, I am aware that I'm mixing my metaphors. So sue me – I'll win. I'm a lawyer.

'Kens,' I said softly. 'Everything okay?'

Ever since her conversation with Nell, she hadn't been quite there. Physically, she'd been right where she should be – next to me. However, mentally, she was miles away.

'Fine. Absolutely fine.'

Now, we all know what "fine" means in Kensi's book. It means that she's everything but fine. But I let it go, because I knew that there was time to deal with it later. Oh, how wrong I was…

She wriggled out of my grasp and took my hand again. 'Paulsons. Remember?'

We walked over to the house opposite ours. She nodded to the silver-grey Dodge Challenger parked on the street four houses away. 'Nice car.'

'Lots of power,' I commented, rapping on the front door of David and Emily Paulson's house.

After a couple of moments, the door swung open, revealing a harried looking Emma holding a bawling Jessica.

'Oh, hi, guys,' she said, bouncing the baby.

'Here,' I immediately said, dropping Kensi's hand and holding my hands out for the child.

'Are you sure?' she asked. 'She's teething.'

'Absolutely.' And I took tiny little Jess and cradled her in my arms. It was ridiculous – she was adorable even when crying so hard that her fists were balled up and her face was all screwed up.

'Come in,' Emily said, opening the door wider and letting us in.

'Sure,' I said, stepping in. Kensi followed, and Emily closed the door after sending a nervous look out into the road.

'Is everything okay?' Kensi asked when Emily closed the door rather loudly.

'Oh, it's just that…' Emily shook her head.

'I'm in some trouble,' David said, entering the room, running a hand over a cheek that was covered in three-day stubble. 'My job as naval intelligence has generated some threats over the years. And right now… terrorists are threatening to cut off my hand so that they can use my palm and finger prints to access the base and steal… stuff.'

'So why aren't you being protected?' Kensi asked.

'By NCIS,' I added. 'Isn't it NCIS? The Navy cops?'

'Because I can protect my own family,' David said, quite sternly.

I rocked the child in my arms, who had mercifully quietened.

'You really have got a talent with children, haven't you?' Emily asked, quite enviously.

'Just this one, I think,' I replied, watching as Jess fell asleep.

'Oh!' Emily reached out and grabbed Kensi's hand. 'I've got something to show you! Come this way.' She dragged my "wife" away.

'It seems that she likes you,' David said, watching his child with an expression that was almost fiercely protective.

'She's asleep now,' I replied. 'Here, you take her.'

David took the girl and smiled wistfully at her. 'My beautiful little girl. I'd do anything for her, you know.'

I nodded. 'I kind of get it… I'd do anything for Kensi. To know that she's safe, you know.'

Emily and Kensi returned, giggling.

'Oh, David, honey, Kensi and Marty are having a housewarming party tonight,' Emily said, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. 'Shall we go?'

David gave me a look, before sighing. 'If you want to, sweet heart.'

Emily made a little hop. 'Yay!'

'Well, we'll see you there,' I said, smiling. 'But we've really got to go, or you'll be our only guests.'

'Thank you so much for getting her to sleep,' Emily said, taking the sleeping baby from David. 'I'll put her to bed.'

'We'll see you tonight. About six,' Kensi replied. 'Come on, sweet heart,' she then continued, taking my hand. 'Let's go.'

I grinned at them, nodding as a way of farewell, before Kensi dragged me out of the house and onto the next house. And the next house. And the next house.

By the time we got to the last house on the street, both of us had sore feet, and Kensi was wondering whether we'd actually be awake for half of the party.

I rapped on the front door of the house.

'I have this feeling of déjà vu… have we been here before?' I asked, recognising the door.

'I don't think so,' Kensi replied uncertainly.

The door swung open, revealing a slightly grotty looking Callen. 'Did you lock yourselves out again?' he asked.

We stared at him.

'You mean we're home?' I finally asked after gaping soundlessly at him. I could've hugged him, I really could.

'You two look exhausted,' he said, opening the door wider so that we could drag our fatigued feet through it and collapse on the sofa.

'Twelve houses,' Kensi said, sprawling against me and tugging her sneakers off. 'Twelve houses, eleven of which answered, and nine of which can come tonight.'

'How many people is that?' Sam asked from his spot in one of the armchairs.

'The largest family has five people – a grandmother, a dad, a mom, a girl and a boy. The smallest has two,' I said before sniffing the enticing odours coming from the kitchen. 'That smells really good.'

'Have you eaten yet?' Nell asked, appearing in the doorway wearing an oversized apron that was covered in flour and cocoa powder and what looked like soy sauce and honey.

'Two cups of coffee. Five cups of tea,' Kensi informed her.

'Six cups of coffee and a Red Bull,' I said.

'He's going to start bouncing off of the walls soon,' Kensi said.

'Why did you let him have that much caffeine?' Callen asked.

'What am I, his keeper?' Kensi asked.

'Well, you are supposed to be his wife,' Sam said.

'Does your wife control how much you drink?' I asked him curiously.

'Not usually,' Sam replied. 'But I don't usually drink seven caffeinated drinks in a row.'

Nell shook her head worriedly. 'I'll make you some sandwiches.' She then disappeared.

'Even with all that caffeine, I'm dead,' I said, dropping my head so that it fell back onto the back of the sofa.

'Give it a couple of minutes,' Kensi advised me, before pausing. 'That's what you said when we were outside the house that had the Dodge Challenger outside it.'

'Well, the car was there, but no-one was home, which is weird,' I insisted.

'They might have gone out for a run,' she replied.

'The television was on.'

'Maybe they left it on by accident.'

We glared at each other, while Sam and Callen laughed.

'You two make such a cute couple,' Callen commented. 'How about you get married for real?'

'I'd ask her, but she'd take out her gun and shoot me dead on the spot,' I informed him.

Kensi laughed. 'He's right, you know.'

Of course, Kensi wouldn't lead me along. Not dear, blunt Kensi. No, she had to shoot that dream cold, stone dead. Right in the head. Between the eyes. Because Kensi doesn't miss, you see. Expert markswoman that Kensi is. Kensi wouldn't waste my time, making me think that she might care, just a little bit. She's just my partner. A partner that happens to know more about me than anyone ever has. A partner who has managed to crawl right under my skin and cut herself a nice tidy little corner in my heart. Yes, I know, mixing my metaphors again. But she's a partner that is anything but a partner. Sweet, dear Kensi. At least I can trust her to tell me the truth. That harsh, cold, bittersweet truth.

'Deeks? Deeks!'

I shook my head and stared at Kensi, who was staring back at me.

'You good?' she asked.

I should be asking you that, I thought. Aloud, I said, 'Yup. Good. Just a bit tired. Zoned out, you know.'

'This should give you a bit more energy,' Nell said, re-entering the room carrying two plates with sandwiches on them.

'You're going to make a good mother one day,' I commented.

Nell shrugged. 'Large family. I've had a lot of practise.' She nudged my leg with her foot. 'Now sit up properly, or you'll choke.'

'Yes Mommy.' I sat up and took the plate. 'Thanks, Nell. Really. So, what progress has been made?' I asked, starting to eat the sandwich ravenously.

'I finished cleaning out the shed,' Callen informed us. 'And now I could really do with a shower.'

'So could I,' Sam added. 'Cleaned the pool and the barbeque and helped Nell in the kitchen.' He looked at his previously clean shirt and wrinkled his nose. 'Definitely need to change.'

'Well, why don't you guys go back to Ops, shower and change and then pick up Hetty and Eric?' Nell suggested.

'That's a very good idea,' Sam said, pointing at her. 'C'mon, G.'

Callen groaned and got up. 'I'm getting too old for this.'

I laughed. It was all that was needed.

'You laugh now, youngster, but wait until you hit this age. All those broken bones and gunshot wounds will come back to haunt you,' Sam warned me.

'I've got a solid decade until I hit your age, Sam,' I said to him. 'So I'll enjoy it while it lasts.'

'By the time I get to your age,' said young Nell, 'I'd be thinking about settling down, starting a family.'

I put my empty plate down on top of Kensi's, which had been empty for a while. 'Oh, but I've already done that, Nell. See?' I wrapped an arm around my "wife".

Callen laughed. 'If only you end up with a woman half as decent as Kensi. And if only Kensi ends up with a man that's twice what you are, Deeks.'

Kensi laughed. 'I think I'm happy with Deeks, for the moment, that is.'

'Thank God I insisted on a pre-nup,' I said, shaking my head.

She stared at me. 'What have you got that I'd want?'

I shrugged. 'Well, to start with, I've noticed that you're fond of sleeping in my shirts. I could literally lose the shirt on my back for that, you know.'

She glared at me.

'We better go, or else Kensi will rope us into being accessories to a murder,' Callen joked.

'I'm insulted, Callen,' she said softly. 'You think I couldn't cover up my own mess?'

'I'm sure that you could, Kens,' he replied. 'But it's so much easier for two men to carry Deeks' body than just you.'

'Why are we discussing my hypothetical murder?' I asked, curious.

'So that when she actually does murder you, we have a plan,' Sam informed me. 'Bye, guys. C'mon, G.'

The two men trooped out of the house.

A bell dinged somewhere in the kitchen.

'Ooh! My apple pie's done,' Nell said, jumping up. 'Excuse me, guys.' She paused. 'Kensi, can you give me a hand?'

Confusion clouded Kensi's face, but she nodded, and followed Kensi, leaving me alone in the living room.

Now, I know that Kensi sucks at cooking – and Nell knows it. Which means that Nell wants to gossip.

You'd think they'd gossiped enough this morning. I know I heard my share of it, going up the stairs to call them for breakfast.

I paused at the doorway of the study, standing just out of view. I watched as Kensi clapped a hand over her own mouth, shocked at her own admission.

'Kensi Blye, are you in love with Deeks?' Nell yelled.

Kensi put a hand over Nell's mouth, and accompanied it with a 'Sh! Not so loud.'

A smile grew over my face just remembering it. Now what I'd just suspected was completely and utterly confirmed – not Kensi's feelings for me, no, I'd never suspected those. But Nell was trying to set us up. That suspicion was confirmed.

I shook my head. I wasn't complaining that Nell was trying to set us up. No, I was thinking in the same direction as she was, just a whole lot slower. She was already getting confessions of love out of Kensi – hell, I'd been conned into relearning the violin by her.

Good God, she worked fast.

I sighed before getting up. I really needed to shower.

…

Ha ha! Deeks is onto Nell. And now we're certain that Nell is trying to set up Deeks and Kensi and turn them into Densi… Go Nell!

Lots of chaotic party scenes to come very soon and soon to be revealed – the reason for those little future glimpses that I've been putting at the beginning of the last two chapters… Kensi's been hit by a car – but why, and by who?

Sorry for taking so long in updating… the last three weeks have been kind of hectic, first with Preliminary Exams (and yes, those are as bad as they sound) and then my parents insisted on taking me on a holiday where I didn't have access to a computer or the internet.

Oh, by the way, on a lot of reviews to my one-shot story "Fix You" (another Densi, if you haven't read it – yes, I know, shameless advertising) mentioned that the story made them cry. If you were one of those people, could you please PM me or review and tell me where you cried, or where it affected you emotionally? Because I can't tell, and I'd really like feedback.g

Review, review, review. (Please).

XD PurpleHipposRock