Note: I post this chapter with a certain amount of trepidation, considering the ending could very well get my flamed. And I thought about changing it and not going this particular direction in this story. But I had some great advice from MioneAlterEgo, who urged me to go with what the characters were telling me. And they told me to do this. So I decided to go with my gut. Tilly33, you were right ;) There's lots more to come in terms of character angst, action, and of course, romance. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and alerts, they are always much appreciated even if I suck at responding to them individually. Thanks for reading, and on with the story!
Jumping on board Cody's boat, Deeks grabbed the railing outside the cabin, swinging his body towards the stairwell below. He leapt down the stairs, nearly crashing into Cody at the bottom. Deeks breathed heavily, immediately meeting Cody's eyes as the other man spoke in a hurried and clipped voice into his cell phone.
"Understood. I'll brief Kensi and Deeks."
Hanging up the phone, Cody instantly turned towards his computer, wordlessly pulling up the tracking software on the screen so Deeks could see. Deeks watched as the pulsing dot, indicating Justin's truck, moved north on Highway 1 along the coast towards San Francisco.
"How far away is he from San Francisco?" Deeks asked tersely.
"Twenty, thirty minutes tops."
"Maybe he's going to an appointment at the VA. Or a home repair job," Deeks suggested hopefully, wanting anything but the most likely scenario to be true.
Cody shook his head, his lips a firm, troubled line. "Doubtful. It's pretty late on a Saturday for a patient appointment at the VA. And the weekend makes the possibility of a contracting job unlikely. The only other times that we know of that he's left Half Moon Bay have lined up with a murder being committed."
Deeks nodded grimly, unable to fault Cody's logic.
"What's going on? Are we going after him?" Deeks asked impatiently. He didn't particularly want to think Justin guilty but there was the larger concern of a murderer on the loose.
"We're staying put at the moment. The only two ranks the killer is missing from his targets are a three star and a four star, a Lieutenant General and a General. Eric is running a check to figure out how many current and former Marines who fit those ranks are in the Bay Area. They're harder ranks to achieve so the numbers will be fewer. But San Francisco is also heavily populated, with a lot of former military installations. We're probably still looking at a dozen enlisted and retired personnel."
"Okay, but while Eric's doing that, why are we staying here?" Deeks asked, pressing forward with his need for action, with his need to solve the case.
Cody checked his watch. "Callen and Sam are landing at SFO right now. They'll get a car and be able to follow Griffin wherever he goes. At best if he's just on a weekend trip to the city they can follow at a distance and Griffin won't know who they are. At worst, if he's going after another target they'll be able to stop him."
"Or if he's going to meet his partner. Or maybe he just knows the murderer. We still don't know if he's directly linked to the other murders," Deeks pointed out. Cody's eyes flashed and the look on his face wasn't nearly as triumphant as it should have been, considering the next words from his mouth brought their case closer to conclusion.
"Actually we do. Right before I saw Griffin was leaving town I got a call from the San Francisco NCIS forensics lab. The blood we found on Griffin's shoes yesterday was a match for Lieutenant Colonel Jason Callahan. Justin Griffin was there when he was killed."
The dismayed gasp from the stairwell had both men turning to see Kensi coming down from above deck. Kensi immediately looked to Deeks, the gesture so intuitive to search him out for the comfort in his eyes. Watching as a myriad of emotions flew across Kensi's face, starting with disbelief before moving to disappointment and finally settling on uneasy acceptance, Deeks kept his gaze on her steady and strong. As much as neither of them wanted to see Justin confirmed as directly involved in the murders, it was impossible to refute this new evidence.
Deeks watched Kensi, waiting to see how she would react to the news. Her emotional reaction was one thing, but her ability to put aside those emotions and do her job was what was at stake. Deeks knew she was strong enough to do that, even if Kensi had privately voiced her concerns to him. Just as he knew she would need him to be there to remind her if she continued to doubt herself.
But just as she'd been doing for years, she both lived up to every expectation he'd ever had of her and managed to surprise him. Lifting her chin, the muscles of Kensi's jaw clenched and she allowed a beat of silence as she closed her eyes for a long, thoughtful second. To anyone else it wouldn't have looked like much, that extra breath. But to Deeks it was Kensi pulling herself together, as the agent he knew her to be and the woman he was continually impressed by.
"So now we know Griffin is connected. What do we do now?" Kensi asked, her voice firm and unyielding as steel. Deeks felt a twinge at her tone, and at her intentional use of Justin's last name. She'd used Justin's first name for days now, even when she and Deeks were alone, and it didn't escape him that switching to his last name was probably an attempt at emotional distance. Deeks knew it was a method of coping, the separation and professional walls, just as he knew that it didn't address the underlying reality of what Kensi was now facing.
It was a form of betrayal to have her instincts turned on their head. Deeks was long familiar with the betrayal he'd faced as a cop and an agent. Lies and subterfuge were currency. And they were easier to face coming from other people over the betrayal of finding your thoughts, certainties, and absolute truths about yourself were wrong. Or at the very least, in question. And Deeks worried that Kensi would question herself, would see Justin's involvement in the murders as confirmation that her judgment was not what it should have been.
As if sensing his worry emanating from him and in her direction, Kensi offered Deeks a small but resigned smile. "I'm okay, Marty. I'm not going to hide in a corner and cry a puddle of tears over being wrong. I still think there's more to the story about how Griffin is involved. But we won't know until we take the next step."
Turning pointedly to Cody, Kensi raised her eyebrows in question. Cody's eyes shifted from Kensi to Deeks, trying to gauge the conversation. He cleared his throat to respond, but Eric's voice coming from the laptop stopped him.
"Guys, it looks like Griffin is parking in Daly City. Callen and Sam are on their way. They'll catch up to him within ten minutes."
"Eric, are there any traffic cameras or anything to follow him in case he ditches his car?" Cody asked. On screen, Eric shook his head.
"He's in the suburbs now. Half a mile back I caught him on a camera and confirmed it was only him in the car. But that's the best I have on his location now. If he crosses through another major intersection on foot I might catch him."
"What about known Lieutenant Generals and Generals within a few miles of where Griffin's car is?" Deeks asked.
Nodding to himself, Eric tapped his tablet and a list appeared on the laptop screen. "I'm still trying to tabulate a list. The VA records are outdated. But there are several."
"Too many to send the police out to canvas the area," Kensi murmured, seeing the long list of names scroll past on the screen.
"This is ridiculous. We need to lock down that neighborhood," Cody said with frustration. "A Marine's life is in danger with Griffin on the loose."
"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Keppinger," Hetty's dry voice might have made lesser men squirm. But Cody merely held his ground, lifting his chin.
"With respect, Hetty, this is an unacceptable risk to take. We can be there in forty-five minutes and we can back Sam and Callen up," Cody said firmly.
"You're objection is noted. But there are operational concerns at stake. Although Justin Griffin has been tied to one murder and is likely associated with others, without a doubt he has a partner. Eight men are dead and we cannot allow whoever else may be responsible to go free. As of this moment we only have confirmation on half of this alleged serial killing team. Maintaining your covers is of import until Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen can learn more."
Cody paused for a moment, then allowed a single jerking nod of his head. Deeks knew it wasn't easy for Cody, waiting when everything in him told him to take action. But he'd voiced his concern and Hetty, as his commanding officer, had given him an order. And Cody would always follow orders.
"Sam and Callen have Griffin's vehicle in Daly City," Eric interrupted.
"The hood's still warm. He couldn't have gone far."
Sam's voice was measured and Deeks could imagine him looking around, trying to determine which direction Justin might have gone. He didn't have to imagine long; at Hetty's behest Callen turned on the button camera he was wearing, dividing the laptop screen into equal parts OSP and Callen's view of his partner on the streets of Daly City.
Eric's excited voice broke into the line. "Sam, Callen, he's less than a mile from your location. A traffic camera caught him walking through an intersection."
Kensi stood, beginning to anxiously circle the rear of the boat cabin, nervously chewing her thumbnail as they listened to Sam and Callen take off in pursuit of Justin.
"There aren't any known officers with the correct ranks living within a one mile radius of where Griffin presently is," Nell butted in, her voice frustrated and confused. "How is that possible?"
"Where are you going?" Deeks pondered quietly, watching the twin dots on the screen that represented Callen and Sam move purposefully through suburban San Francisco and Callen's camera gave a jarring view as he ran. So much about their case made no sense and didn't add up. Deeks knew in the end, as Nate had suggested back before their undercover operation began, that it would all become clear at the end as motives were understood and the true story was revealed. But right then, with nothing but unanswered questions and a life potentially on the line, it felt like a maddening mystery.
The gunshots over the comm caused Kensi, Deeks, and Cody to freeze as if the shots had been where they were, rather than twenty miles north. Two gunshots, echoing through a quiet neighborhood.
"Shots fired! They came from a few streets over. Sam and I are in pursuit."
Kensi positively itched with wanting to be with Callen and Sam in that moment. Callen's voice was commanding as she imagined him and Sam purposefully chasing Justin down. She met Deeks' eyes across the cabin and saw that wish echoed in the worried set of his face.
Over the comm line they listened to the labored breathing as Callen and Sam followed the sound of the gunshots. Kensi flinched at the sound of one more gunshot and felt her stomach threaten to heave. Deeks' hand cupping the back of her neck, threading into her hair, gave her something to focus on. She closed her eyes, unable to stop the images that appeared like a movie in front of her. She could so easily imagine Callen and Sam, having watched them, flanked them, and covered them for years. But so far away it felt almost impossible to bear. Her imagination conjured up images of her friends in worst case scenarios.
"Kensi, open your eyes," Deeks whispered in her ear. Kensi did as he urged and she focused on the laptop screen, seeing what Callen and Sam saw. Deeks knew her so well, knew that as much as she might not want to be far away and watching what was happening to their friends, she needed to see it. Her imagination would always conjure up nightmare images. And Kensi knew it had to be driving Deeks crazy to be so far away. They were all a family. Being separated from family when they needed you was torture.
Kensi swallowed thickly, watching the world through Callen's view. The suburban neighborhood flew by as Callen ran, then tilted wildly as he turned sharply up the walkway of a small, tidy bungalow. Callen flattened himself against the right wall of the front door and Kensi watched as Sam took position on the other side, nodding once.
"Federal agents! Open the door!"
A beat of silence followed, then Callen reached out to try the door handle. When it didn't give, Callen stepped back and covered Sam as the larger man kicked the door open, the thin wood giving easily under his weight. Callen's view turned and jerked sharply as he followed Sam into the house, his gun raised and aimed in front of him as the agents swept the house.
The sound of movement above had Callen and Sam looking up, then taking the narrow stairs to the second floor.
"NCIS! Identify yourself!"
Sam yelled the warning, which was answered by a weak voice calling for help.
The view on the camera was blinded for a second as Callen followed Sam into a bedroom and the sun shined in through a window. As the camera focused again, Kensi's eyes widened at the sight on the screen.
Face up on the floor was a middle-aged man, casually dressed, with two bullet holes in his chest. Blood covered his upper body and was pooled in the carpet around him. But almost equally horrifying was the sight of Justin Griffin leaning over the man, trying to staunch the flood of blood with a towel, his hands and clothes coated in red splashes. Dimly, Kensi had the odd thought that it looked like paint, spilled in some sort of accidentally botched house remodel.
Justin looked up as Callen and Sam entered, his eyes tired and his face deathly pale. He almost didn't look surprised to see them. Kensi felt her stomach drop at the haunted look in Justin's eyes, as if he'd seen the shadow of his own death face to face. Although Sam ordered Justin to raise his hands, he shook his head resolutely.
"I—I can't. He'll bleed out if I let go."
Sam kept his gun trained on Justin and Callen crouched down to check the vitals of the man on the floor. Close up on the camera the wounds looked even more deadly and final, a bullet to the chest and one to the throat. And with the pale, waxy color of the man's face, Kensi knew the answer before Callen spoke.
"He's already long gone."
When Callen's camera swung back around to take in Justin, Kensi watched as the young man's face crumpled in defeat and he fell back on the floor. Warning bells went off in Kensi's head as she realized there was more going on than surprise or disappointment. Callen leaned over and Kensi could see Justin was unconscious. Callen found the injury quickly, a gunshot wound in Justin's stomach.
Kensi raised a hand to cover her mouth, unable to stifle the cry of surprised horror. She couldn't tear her eyes away or stop listening as Callen tried to staunch the flow of blood and Sam called the paramedics and police. She didn't want to feel it, the surge of hurt and pain. She didn't want loss associated with Justin, didn't want to think of him dying and feel regret and worry. She didn't want the feelings but they were there despite her desperate wish that they didn't exist.
Before she knew what was happening, Kensi was climbing and running, putting space between the grotesque images on the screen and the very final conclusions surging through her mind. She burst out onto the boat deck, clutching the rigging around the mast and taking deep, gulping breaths of fresh air.
The cool sea air blew around her, turning the dampness on her cheeks to ice and Kensi tried to breathe through the waves of guilt, anger, and worry. And when Deeks' hands settled on her shoulders, turning her gently towards him, she easily let go of the rough threads of rope that had been biting into her hands and she gripped his shoulders tightly as if he'd become her anchor. And through it all she registered that Deeks held her just as tightly, as if he needed her to keep his balance.
The tears dried quickly, helped in part by burrowing her face into Deeks' shoulder and the soft fabric of his shirt. Deeks seemed to intuitively know they were worried tears and she felt no shame at him seeing them, even turned her face towards his as he leaned down to kiss her forehead and swiped his thumbs across her cheekbones.
The gesture was gentle and comforting and Kensi breathed deeply, relaxing her fingers where they'd been bunched into Deeks' shirt, flattening her palms on his chest.
"You okay?" Deeks whispered, his voice devoid of judgment, almost merely curious in his query. She smiled in relief, turning her head slightly away so he couldn't see. Deeks would probably never fully understand what his easy acceptance communicated. That he might be worried about her, but that he didn't let that overwhelm him. He let her call the shots and he never underestimated her. And most important, he let her feel. Whatever it was that she was feeling.
Most of all, the dominant feeling she couldn't wish away, Kensi felt guilt and worry for their team. And no matter what Justin had done, as irrational as it might have been, she felt responsible for Justin. She knew there were operational reasons to keep her, Deeks, and Cody away when Sam and Callen had been following Griffin, but she didn't like it. Kensi knew Sam could look after Callen and vice versa. But they were all a team, and Kensi realized as she'd watched her friends, her family, going into a dangerous situation, that she couldn't quite bear the thought of permanently not being a part of that. It was the first solid inkling she'd felt about her future with NCIS, that perhaps a desk job wouldn't be satisfying for her. The sidelines weren't really her style. And Kensi knew her realization couldn't have come at a worse time, considering she and Deeks couldn't possibly discuss it right then.
"I'm okay," Kensi replied, taking a determined deep breath and meeting his eyes so he could see she was telling the truth. "We'd better get back down there."
Deeks followed her back down below deck and Kensi stepped next to Cody, determined not to allow another moment of hesitancy and emotion to derail her.
"Paramedics are on the scene. They have Griffin stabilized but he's unconscious and on the way to the hospital. It looks like he's going to need surgery. Callen's staying with him and Sam was doing a sweep of the neighborhood with the police. A neighbor reported a man running from the house shortly before Callen and Sam arrived and after the gunshots were fired. It was probably Griffin's partner," Cody reported.
Kensi nodded, even as something inside her wanted to object to the word "partner." The meaning seemed impossibly different than how she associated the word with Deeks. And it had to stay as vastly separated as she could keep it in her mind.
"And the victim?" Deeks asked.
Cody shook his head regretfully. "He didn't make it. His name was Lieutenant General Keith Hendricks. The car in the driveway is registered in his name, though he's from Sacramento. That's why we couldn't find him in the VA database. He lives more than 100 miles away."
Puzzled, Kensi thought through the list of all the places the murders had occurred. "What does that mean?"
"According to the homeowner, a friend of Hendricks' who arrived after the police, Hendricks spontaneously took this impromptu trip to visit for the weekend. What it probably means is that the other killer, Griffin's partner, followed Hendricks from Sacramento to San Francisco with the express purpose of killing him," Cody replied evenly.
"So that makes this guy—"
"A total psycho, yes," Cody confirmed Deeks' question.
"The guy Kensi saw on the beach this morning? Anything on identifying him?" Deeks pressed. On the laptop screen, Eric shook his head.
"He avoided cameras leaving town, and there are too many routes he could have taken to get a vehicle ID. But technically there would have been enough time between when Kensi saw the guy with Griffin this morning on the beach for him to drive to Sacramento, then follow Hendricks to Daly City," Eric confirmed.
With that dead end, Deeks and Cody practically sighed in unison. Kensi thought about what she'd seen from Callen's camera, thought about the setup up the room, of where Hendricks had been laying on the floor and of how Griffin had been leaning over him.
"So what was Justin doing there? And who shot him?" Kensi asked.
"Serial killers can work in pairs, right? We've thought from the previous murders that they tag teamed, each taking a turn with the murders, but maybe in some cases they've both been there. And maybe Justin was there to help and had a change of heart?" Deeks wondered.
"A change of heart could explain how Justin Griffin was injured."
In Half Moon Bay, the three agents turned from their discussion towards the laptop screen allowing quick and welcoming smiles for Nate, who had entered OSP in Los Angeles while they'd been talking.
Accepting their greetings with a smile, but quickly turning to business, Nate elaborated, his tone instantly soothingly logical. "It's likely that if Griffin is working with someone that one of them is the more dominant personality in the relationship. From his profile, it doesn't seem like Griffin is the alpha partner. And if Griffin was feeling remorse over his role in these killings and tried to go against his partner it wouldn't likely be accepted by someone who fits the violence and premeditation of many of the murders."
"Meaning his partner might have been the one to shoot him," Deeks concluded grimly. Nate nodded once.
"Did Callen and Sam check to see if the Lieutenant General served in the GWOT and had a coin?"
"He did serve in that campaign. He lives alone in Sacramento and the police are searching his house for any evidence. The first thing I had them look for was his coin. And it was still on his mantel," Cody confirmed.
Nate exhaled slowly, worry knitting his eyebrows together. "The killer didn't manage to procure his usual trophy. That could be a problem."
"How so?"
Turning in a circle and pacing slowly, Nate rubbed a hand over his jaw, another telltale sign that he was concerned. "From what we do know about this killer, Griffin's partner, he utilizes almost any method for carrying out these murders. Some murders seem to have taken great planning, others appear spontaneous. But there's definitely a routine at work here. Otherwise he wouldn't have chosen such specifically ranked Marines. The planning implies extreme premeditation and that implies a certain amount of psychosis. Aside from the ranks of the men the only other link that we know of is the coins. Collecting them is probably an important way for him to feel as though he has completed the job."
"'The job' being that he kills people," Deeks said wryly. Nate nodded.
"As strange as it seems, he probably does see this like a job. Since the victims appear random and because there doesn't appear to be a personal connection, the killer likely does see this as something he must do. If he's military like Griffin then he may even see it as an assignment or his duty. Or some kind of personal mission."
"We need Griffin to wake up so Sam and Callen can question him," Cody replied, clearly agitated at having to wait.
"It's not just that," Nate hedged, hesitating a moment before he continued. "If Griffin did go against his partner the other man is likely to see that as a betrayal. And if he's unsettled by not being able to collect his normal trophy he may be even more unpredictable. And he may see Griffin as a threat that needs to be eliminated."
Alarmed, Kensi's eyes widened. "Then we need to protect Justin. We need to make sure he's okay."
Eric interrupted, holding his finger to his ear and he reported. "Sam's going to join Callen at the hospital. The police are broadening their search, but in such an urban area and with how much time has passed the other man could be outside the city by now."
In the background of OSP, Hetty had been talking on the phone. She hung up, turning back to the group.
"I've asked the NCIS field office in San Francisco to back Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna up at the hospital. A full contingent of agents will join them within the hour."
"What about the rest of us? Where does that leave us?" Kensi asked briskly, restless to do something rather than sit and wait.
All eyes turned to the image of Hetty on the screen, waiting for the command from their leader that would put them into action. Hetty didn't disappoint, turning to her agents in turn.
"Mr. Keppinger, you will join Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen at the hospital. Stay out of sight, Mr. Keppinger. Griffin knows who you are and we don't want to needlessly throw away a perfectly good alias. Mr. Deeks, Ms. Blye, I want you to be ready to follow whatever leads Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones are able to uncover in the search for Griffin's mystery party."
"Come on, Hetty. We're on standby?" Deeks protested. Kensi had opened her mouth to agree with Deeks' objection, but Hetty cut her off.
"We cannot anticipate whether or not your aliases will still be required for this assignment—"
"Griffin is shot. He knows NCIS has him. I think the cat's out of the bag."
"Mr. Deeks—" Hetty's voice held a touch of irritated warning. Deeks sighed and nodded.
"I know, I know," Deeks conceded, knowing he wouldn't get any further arguing with Hetty. She had her reasons for her decisions. Even if none of them fully understood them right then.
Their orders in place, the team signed off and went their separate ways. Eric promised to check in with Kensi and Deeks in an hour to let them know if he had any leads for them to follow. Deeks decided to keep working on sorting through Griffin's computer data and Kensi walked with Cody to his car parked in the marina parking lot. Cody stowed his gear and weapon safely in the car and leaned in to give Kensi a quick hug before getting in the vehicle.
He rolled down the window as he started the engine, giving her a knowing look. "I'll look out for the guys, Kensi. Don't worry."
"Let them look out for you, too," Kensi urged, a part of her not liking the idea of Cody going off on his own, even while she knew it was illogical. He would be joining Callen and Sam soon. And Cody was a Special Forces career Marine. He could more than look after himself. But logic didn't factor in when it was her brother.
Watching Cody pull out of the parking lot, Kensi was about to turn back to the boat when she caught sight of a restaurant sign lighting up. The restaurant was along the bay, the lights of the sign and outdoor area a bright beacon as the sun was setting and the sky dimming. Squinting, Kensi made out the logo of the Half Moon Bay Brewery, remembering back to earlier in the week and the crab cakes Deeks had brought her. Texting Deeks a message that she was going to go pick up dinner for them, Kensi made her way along the shoreline to the restaurant, passing through the outdoor dining area and approaching the hostess podium. Finding she could order takeout from the bar, Kensi placed an order, and then wandered towards the front of the restaurant to wait.
Glancing over the many photos of surfers and other memorabilia adorning the walls of the restaurant, Kensi almost didn't notice the girl sitting behind the glass counter of pint glasses, t-shirts, and hats with the brewery logo. It only took a second for Kensi to remember that this was probably the girl Deeks had mentioned meeting before. Hailey.
The girl looked up from where she'd been building a small, rickety tower out of key chains in the shape of surfboards and caught Kensi staring at her. Grimacing guilty, she shoved the key chains aside and turned to Kensi.
"Can I help you with something?"
Kensi smiled gently, trying to put her at ease. "No thanks, I'm just waiting for my food."
Something about the awkward smile the girl gave her, full of apprehensive awareness, had Kensi wanting to draw her out. Kensi allowed a casual glance towards the girl's arm, noticing the bruise marring her upper arm.
"My name is Angela. I'm new in town, but I hear the food here is amazing."
Nodding eagerly, the girl smiled a little, some of the wariness leaving her eyes. "I'm Hailey. And the crab cakes are so good. Our chef, Alice, she's the best in town."
Kensi had to smile at Hailey's proud voice, so assured for someone so young. Although Kensi had disarmed her a little, Hailey continued to nervously fumble with the key chains and Kensi nodded toward them. "Do you surf? I hear the waves here are pretty amazing."
Hailey shook her head sadly. "No, my mom won't let me learn. Definitely not here. Mavericks can be really dangerous."
"But not always, right?" Kensi pressed.
"Yeah, usually just in the winter. But she won't let me learn on the safer beaches here either," Hailey glanced wistfully out the window towards the horizon of ocean and sky. "I'd love to learn how to surf."
"I never thought it was something I would do. But my husband taught me a few years ago."
It had been another undercover assignment, now more than three years earlier. It seemed almost like a lifetime ago. So much about her life, and Deeks' life, had changed. So much that brought them to where they were now.
Hailey smiled shyly, and Kensi felt a stirring of something familiar in the young girl's face. Unable to place it, Kensi tilted her head as Hailey spoke to her. "That's really sweet. He sounds really nice. And he must be really patient."
Kensi laughed then, the adjective of "patient" not one often associated with Deeks. "Hardly. He has to eat from the bottom of the Cracker Jacks box so he can get to the prize before eating all the popcorn and peanuts."
"Doesn't everybody do that?" Hailey grinned and her smile widened, her brown eyes lighting up with shared humor.
Kensi's smile froze and her laughter immediately faded as she stared at Hailey's face, the smile there so achingly familiar that Kensi felt her heart nearly stall and her breath hitch with shock but absolute certainty. Kensi couldn't understand or explain how a teenage girl wore the smile of the man she loved. But looking at Hailey, her lips turned up in Deeks' carefree smile, Kensi couldn't ignore the obvious.
Deeks had family he didn't know about.
Unable to ignore the growl of his stomach any longer and realizing Kensi was taking longer than he'd expected, Deeks wandered over to the brewery, pausing at the vacant hostess podium to look around and try to spot Kensi through the crowd. He thought he saw her over by the souvenir stand, which he remembered was Hailey's domain, and considered walking over there. But he thought back to that afternoon, and how he'd managed to make Hailey nervous and withdrawn, and thought better of it.
Pulling out his phone, he began a text to Kensi to let her know he was there, when a female voice from behind him had him turning without looking up.
"Can I get you a table, hon?"
About to lift his head from looking at his phone to decline, the words were forming on his lips when the quiet gasp from the woman set off a curious warning bell in his head.
Later he would wonder how he hadn't recognized her voice, or how he hadn't connected the pieces sooner. Later he would kick himself for the wasted time and the questions that had haunted him his whole adult life. Later he would wonder how he'd ever thought it possible that he might have forgotten how she looked.
Later there would be time for reflection. But instead, for the seconds that stretched on and passed what felt like infinity, time seemed to freeze. It might even have gone backward. The woman in front of him was as familiar to him as if almost twenty years hadn't gone by. And by the look on her face, stunned blue eyes exactly like his staring at him in disbelief, she was as surprised to see him as he was her.
"Marty."
Deeks swallowed thickly, the word that sprang forward in response lodged in his throat. One part of him longed to say it, forget the past, and wish for shattered memories to be whole. And one part of him ruthlessly objected to the thought of the word, the connotations it held, the way the emotions associated with it were bitter and angry.
In the end, he couldn't deny who she was. Even as he warred internally, the truth won out.
"Mom."
To be continued