"Nice shot, Agent Blye!"

"Thanks." She answered the police officer's compliment with a smile and continued her walk towards her waiting teammates and Deeks.

Exiting the building where she took her position as a sniper, Kensi couldn't contain the happiness she was feeling seeing how everything turned out smoothly. Sydney was safe. Deeks was safe. Dringo, although not in their original plan, was killed. But they still have the bald man and hopefully he knew just much about their client and would confess given the right amount of persuasion from Callen and Sam. She was even willing to join them if they will ask. She can be very persuasive too.

Her mind drifted back the second Deeks entered the warehouse. She had been a trained sniper since she began her career at NCIS. Just like her father, who she idolized since she was young, Kensi underwent training to enhance if not perfect her skill. It wasn't easy pulling the trigger on a human being because no matter what, they were still humans. But she knew that if she didn't, innocent people will die. And she couldn't let that happen. The suspect already made a choice the moment he decided to hurt their victims. So Kensi shooting him was one of the consequences of his action.

But looking back at the second that Kensi shot Dringo with her rifle, she was well aware that Deeks wasn't just one of the victims. He was Deeks, the man she loved. And seeing his life get threatened through the scope of her gun, Kensi didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Her bullet killed their suspect. But it saved Deeks. And she would do it over and over again, willingly and without hesitation. Because she couldn't let him get hurt. Because he was Deeks, the man she loved.

She took her steps a little faster, wanting to see and check him herself. When she heard his voice again after shooting Dringo, Kensi released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. It was a close call. A second too late, it would have been Deeks who was dead on the floor and not the suspect. A shudder ran through her body imagining if she had been late saving him. Kensi shook her head, dismissing the sordid thought and trying to get her attention back to their upcoming dinner tonight.

She had been in a countless of dates in her 32 years of existence. With her mother's consistent meddling in her non-existent lovelife, a month didn't pass by that she didn't go in a dinner at least with a man Julia deemed to be the right one for her daughter. But this time, it will be different. Deeks was not just any other man.

'Fish tacos for dinner?' Kensi stifled a giggle thinking that if they were going to have fish tacos later, what dress would she wear with that.

Her thoughts were on Deeks and their dinner plan that it had been too late for her to hear the commotion behind her.

"Agent Blye! Behind you!"

A police officer's warning shout of her name made her turned around only to see a police car running down her way. She recognized the man behind the wheels. It was Dringo's accomplice. It was too late for her to avoid him. Kensi felt her body bounced on the hood to the windshield and finally to the ground at the impact of the hit. Her eyes slowly drifted close with Deeks on her last thought.


"Hetty called us." Donald said.

Her parents had already settled themselves inside the room right after the surprised exchange greeting with Deeks, who decided it was best to leave and give them privacy.

Kensi was saddened to see him go but he promised her that he was just going to get some coffee at the cafeteria and would be back again.

"The doctor wanted me here overnight for observation but I'm fine. It was just a concussion. Nothing new. I'll be out tomorrow." She briefly explained to her parents.

She could sense that they wanted to question her about the blonde young man they had not seen for a decade and a half but were hesitating. She didn't know how they would feel with Deeks coming back in her life again. The way her and Deeks' relationship ended 15 years ago was a moment Kensi wished they could forget. Her parents were witnesses to who she became after Deeks broke up with her and it was not a pleasant memory for them.

Kensi could tell that Donald wasn't mad at him. He had always been nice to Deeks and treated him as a son before. But after the tragedy, she wasn't sure if her father would be welcoming. Looking back to their greeting, she could see that Donald's face held no anger at him. He was shocked, to say the least, but welcomed the younger man kindly.

It was a different story when it came to Julia. Kensi discerned that her mother had her reservations to Deeks before, even when they were just friends. For some reason that she didn't get the chance to know, the older woman never liked him. It got worst after the tragedy. Julie was mad that her daughter was almost killed by Deeks' father. Kensi knew that Donald pacified his wife's rage at the younger man because he just lost his mother when Roberta saved Kensi's life.

Her parents were grateful that if it weren't for Roberta, Kensi could have been dead. But she assumed that in Julia's mind, if it weren't for Deeks, her daughter's life wouldn't get threatened in the first place.

And it seemed that after all this time, Julia was still holding a grudge at Deeks. It was evident in the way she reacted at his greeting. She took Deeks' hand and smiled but Kensi could see in her mother's eyes the underlying hatred for him. And it worried Kensi.

She closed her eyes. A headache was sure to come if she continues to think Julia's obvious loathing at Deeks.

"Is something wrong? Do you want me to call a nurse, Kensi?" Julia's concern voice made her open her eyes.

"I-I'm just tired mom."

Honestly, Kensi wanted her parents to leave. She was afraid that if they started asking questions about her and Deeks, she couldn't answer them because she didn't know how to answer them. Yes, they have a pending dinner plan. Yes, Deeks already made it clear to her that she was the only future for him. Yes, she told him that her heart had always belonged to him. But it wasn't clear what they are to each other now. They sure have a thing, it was that obvious. But what is it?

"Okay. You need to rest. We'll be leaving now." Julia seemed to take pity on her and volunteered to go home.

"Is Marty going to stay here with you tonight?" Donald, the ever brave Marine, didn't think twice to ask.

"Y-Yes. He'll be back." Kensi saw her mother's eyes widened at her answer. "It's okay, Mom."

"We'd like to catch up with him some time, Kensi. It's been a while since we last saw him." Donald suggested, his hand casually draped around his wife in his subtle way to restrain her.

She nodded and forced a smile. "Of course. I'll tell him that, Dad."


15 years ago. Roberta's funeral. Before the mass.

Deeks was standing beside her mother's coffin. His eyes were fixated on the brown casket that was holding Roberta. The mass was about to start and there were already few people sitting on the chairs.

"Marty."

He turned and saw Julia. When he looked around, he didn't see Kensi or her father.

"They are on their way." She blurted, as if sensing his silent question.

Deeks could only nod. He had not seen his girlfriend since he visited her at the hospital two days ago. She was heavily sedated when he came that he didn't get to talk to her. She wasn't injured physically but the trauma brought by Roberta's death forced the doctor to confine her.

He was busy preparing for his mother's funeral that he wasn't able to visit Kensi again. Ray was kind enough to inform him that she was released from the hospital last night and would be present today with her family.

If he was going to be honest with himself, he was glad that Kensi was in deep sleep when he came at the hospital. He didn't know what he was going to say to her. He didn't even know how he was feeling about her right now. He was such a mess that a part of him actually hated Kensi. It was a wrong thing to blame her, Deeks was aware of that but his mother was gone because of her. Roberta died saving her. He lost his only family because of her. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help himself. He loved Kensi but Deeks was finding it difficult to approach her.

"I came here first to talk to you." Julia started.

He noticed how fidgety the older woman was, a clear sign of hesitation.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I've never met Roberta but Kensi used to talk about her a lot. She was nice to her and for that I'm thankful. She saved my daughter's life. We are forever in debt to her."

Deeks watched as her eyes watered.

"I have so many things that I feel sorry for. So many wrong decisions that I regret. And I think this will be the worst of all." Before he can ask what she was talking about, Julia continued. "I'm jealous of you. Because you came and picked up the pieces that were broken when I left. I abandoned my family without thinking twice. I left for selfish reasons. I didn't think of my husband who was away fighting as a hero. I left my precious daughter alone without realizing how much she'll need me, her mother." A tear escaped her eyes and she quickly wiped it with her handkerchief.

"For two years that I was away, I was miserable. I regret everyday that I'm not with my family, that I left them. I always wondered how Kensi was. Does she go to school on time? How was her grades? Was she eating well? I longed to return to them but couldn't. When I finally had the courage to come back, I was surprised to see her living happily. And it's all because of you. You were there for her, Marty. I could tell that even my husband is living fine and it's because he is content that Kensi is happy."

"You came and mend what I selfishly destroyed. You were there for them when I abandoned them. And I'm not blaming that you were. It's just that I felt unwanted when I came back. Like I'm no longer needed, especially by my own daughter. Like I don't have a place in her life anymore."

She took a deep breath and somehow gained confidence. "But I love her. I love her so much that I am willing to beg you. Please, Marty. Please let her go."

"W-What?" Deeks was surprised.

"I know you love her. I know you'll do what's best for her. And dragging her with you isn't what's best for Kensi right now. She's broken. She's traumatized. And we still don't know how to fix her. But she's young. There's still a bright future ahead of her. If you let her go now, you'll be giving her the chance to live her life the most. It will be hard for you too, I understand. But you're still young too. You're going to college and will be leaving her here alone anyway. Will it not be best to set her free? Free to do what she wants and not feel obligated and tied to you. Let her start anew."

"I love her." He whispered. Despite how torn his feelings were for her right now, Deeks loved her. At the end of it all, he knew he would fight tooth and nail for Kensi. But hearing her very own mother's plea, would giving Kensi up was the best for her? For him? For them?

Julia held his hands. "I know Marty. I can see how much you love her. And I can tell that unlike me, you're not a selfish person. You'll think of Kensi and what's best for her. Let her go, let her have the best. After everything that happened, doesn't she deserve it?"


Deeks entered her room quietly. She was alone now, her parents must have left while he was outside reminiscing the day he walked out on her. He took Julia's advice that moment and set Kensi free. That had been the biggest mistake of his life. Thinking that he was giving her the best by letting her go, Deeks abandoned her like what her mother did to her. Deeks was in too much pain of losing his mother and hating his father that he didn't realize that he was giving up the only person left who loved him, his future and his life. All this time, he thought he was being selfless when he decided to end his relationship with Kensi. But after hearing what she had been through after he left, Deeks was beyond remorseful. If he could go back in time, he wouldn't take Julia's advice. He would stay with Kensi. He would be there for her and they would face everything together. They were stronger when they were together anyway.

Walking near her, he saw her sleeping. Deeks brushed her hair away from her face and his fingers accidentally grazed the gauze of her wound. His heart ached seeing the bump on Kensi's forehead. And it was because of him. Just like 15 years ago, she was hurt because of him.

A sigh escaped his lips.

"Don't." Deeks heard her soft whisper.

Kensi fluttered her eyes opened and stared at him. "Don't blame yourself because I was hurt."

"H-How did you know?"

She lifted herself to sit up straight and propped herself with her back resting on the headboard. She patted the space beside her with a hand and Deeks took it as an invitation and sat with her on the bed, mimicking her position. Kensi leaned her head on the nook of his neck and wrapped her arm around his stomach. "Because I know you, Deeks. Maybe we haven't seen each other for years but I know you. You have this habit of taking the blame from every misfortune that has happened when none of it was your fault. It's my job to protect you like it's my job to protect the others. There is always the risk of me getting hurt and this is not the first time that I was. It's just unfortunate that it happened again today."

"I don't want to see you hurt."

"Neither am I." She lifted her head to look at him, a proud smile forming on her lips. "Do you know that between me, Callen and Sam, I am the only one who have not been shot yet? And I am holding onto that title for as long as I can."

Deeks could only shake his head in surrender. Give it to Kensi to turn an unfortunate event to a celebratory one. "You really are something, Agent Kensi Marie Blye."

"Just doing my job Mr. Martin Andrew Deeks, President and CEO - slash - World renowned brooder."

"Hush." He swatted. Careful with her body, he gently cupped her cheeks with his hands. "I'm going to kiss you now." He whispered huskily.

Kensi closed her eyes. "I'm wait-"

She didn't get to continue her words because Deeks' lips were already on hers.


Sitting on the bed, Kensi was trying to suppress her laughter but was failing miserably. Her face was red and her eyes were teary. Deeks just came back with a take out bag of fish tacos from his favorite place, after leaving her the second time that night.

"Hey, what's with the laughter? Do you need a doctor?" He asked in confusion.

"I'm sorry." She apologized as she wiped the tears that escaped from her eyes. "It's just that I've been thinking this dinner a while ago. I was too busy wondering what dress should I wear if you really brought me to a taco place as planned. Never have I thought that this is how it's going to be." She explained while darting her finger at the food on the tray and herself.

"I didn't get you."

"Look at me, Deeks. I'm wearing a hospital dress while having fish tacos for our 'dinner'! This dress do not belong in my list!"

"But you look good in it. You can even have a garbage bag for a gown, you'll still look great for me, Kensi." Deeks added a wink at his statement.

Kensi rolled her eyes but blushed at his words. "I hate you."

"We both know that it's not true. You love me, Kensi."

"Deeks!" Kensi punched him on the arm.

"What did I do now?"

"I'm the one who's supposed to say that I love you. Don't say it for me!"

"What are we? Teenagers?"

Kensi threw another punch at him.

"Hey! That hurt! I didn't know you could punch like that. Do you train for that? I feel bad for every bad guy you hit, Kensi. I couldn't imagine you hitting them while you're on your 'no-sugar diet'. Remember when we were in high school, you punched Marco when he commented that it seemed you're gaining weight. He said that when it has been two weeks since you began your latest New Year's resolution; the no-sugar di-"

"I love you."

There was silence in the room while Deeks' mind processed what she had just told her.

"I love you, Deeks." Kensi repeated.

"Wow!" He exclaimed.

"Deeks!"

He rushed to where she was and kneeled before her. "I mean, you know that I love you right?" He asked as he looked into her beautiful hazel eyes.

"I do now." She grinned.

Kensi stared as he raked his fingers through his hair and she couldn't help but laugh at his obvious nervousness.

He cupped her face and locked his baby blues with her hazels. "I love you, Kensi. I loved you then, I love you now and I'll love you always."

His honest declaration made Kensi's heart skipped a beat. She was about to respond when,

"Wow!"

Surprised on whose voice it was from, Kensi and Deeks turned their head at the same time and saw a blushing nurse on the doorway.

"I-I'm sorry." The nurse, finally realizing that she was interrupting a very priceless moment, was quick to apologize and left the room in a haste.

The new couple shared a hearty laugh.

"Now where are we?" Deeks asked, cupping her cheeks again.

"I think you're about to kiss me."


Author's Note: It is always a pleasure to read your beautiful words. Thank you!