Tangled
...
As Kensi paced back and forth in the surgical waiting room, she was glad she had followed Jericho's suggestion to hold onto his jacket ... the cold air was seeping right through the gossamer fabric of her Tadashi Shoji gown and she had to get up every few minutes and walk around just to create a little body heat. None of the outdated magazines on the tables garnered her attention, not even a Guns and Ammo issue that chronicled the adoption of the Kimber .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol by the U.S. Marine Corps' special operation units. It spoke volumes about her concern for her partner that she would pass up a chance to read about two of her favorite subjects ... Marines and guns.
The pretty brunette stopped in front of one of the windows that looked out over the parking lot at the rear of the base hospital and she watched the full moon dip behind the large cypress trees. Her partner had been whisked back into the surgical wing the instant they had arrived, the charge nurse compassionate but firm in her refusal to allow Kensi any further ... at least not until the wounded man could be assessed and hopefully, stabilized.
That had been over an hour ago and yet, no one had given her anything other than the standard "When we know something definite , you'll be the first to know" response and that just aggravated the hell out of the agitated federal agent. Deeks had been awake for most of the short trip to the hospital, but right as they pulled in he had slipped into unconsciousness. When Kensi had looked up at the female paramedic, Angela had smiled reassuringly, saying that is was a normal reaction to the stong pain meds they had given him and the trauma his body had suffered.
"Don't worry, we got this. " When her words didn't seem to calm the agent, Angela rested her hand gently on the other woman's arm. "Kensi, I've been deployed three times to The Stan in as many years and I've seen this type of injury more times than I can count. He's breathing good, getting great oxygen saturation to his system and his vitals are within normal parameters ... so I need you to take a deep breath and try to relax. Okay?"
Kensi closed her eyes for a moment and followed the younger woman's advice. Blowing out some of her anxiousness along with the breath of air, Kensi did feel a little better. When she looked up, she saw compassion and confidence in the younger woman's eyes.
"Thanks Angela, sorry for doubting you ... you've done a wonderful job taking care of him."
Angela leaned over to adjust the oxygen mask on Deeks' face. "Don't worry about it, we're used to overprotective girlfriends ... you get used to it after a while."
Kensi started to open her mouth to correct the medic's wrong assumption, but for some reason, the words just wouldn't come out. Instead, she looked down at the man sleeping just in front of her and spoke sincerely and a little hopefully. "What makes you think that we're together?"
Angela laughed out loud. "Hah! Are you kidding me? I saw the way you two were looking at each other and how much you've hovered over him ... a blind man could see it!"
"I'm sorry, but we're just partners ... and friends."
Another chuckle emanated from the red-head. "My ass! I thought I was going to have to hose you down for a minute back there ... the guys got a hole in his chest but I was afraid to leave you two alone in the back of the truck for even a minute."
"Really?"
Angela nodded. "Really." Then she caught the look in the brunette's eyes ... it was tinged with regret. "Wait ... you mean you two are not a couple?"
Kensi felt her ability to construct a coherent sentence slip away from her. "No ... we're just partners ... I mean ... I guess we're more than that ... we're friends too, best friends ... I guess ... crap. It's just ... well ... complicated."
"Love always is."
Whoa. Wait just a minute. Love? Really? Where the hell did that come from?
Kensi dropped her head to her chest and shook her head. "I wouldn't go that far Angela ... I mean, we work together almost every day and we ... "
" ... spend a lot of your down time together too." Angela finished the rest.
Kensi's head snapped up so fast she almost hurt herself. "How'd you know that?"
The young medic slowly shook her head, not understanding why the idea of being in love was such a foreign concept to the other woman. "Believe me, it's obvious as the nose on your face. It's almost as obvious as the fact that you are crazy about him but are too scared to do anything about it."
Kensi started to reply with a vehement denial when the ambulance began to slow and Greg called back through the opening to the driver's compartment. "We're there Angela, get him ready."
"You got it Greg." Angela hopped out of her jump seat and started re-checking all the straps holding Deeks onto the stretcher. Kensi felt the truck lean left and then sharply to the right as the driver maneuvered it toward the emergency room entrance. After it had stopped, she heard the loud beeping as they backed up to the brightly lit sliding doors where a small team of additional medical staff were awaiting their arrival.
Deeks was taken back through the emergency department and ushered directly into surgery to repair the damage to his chest wall. Kensi had tried to force her way further into the hospital, but after the charge nurse had sworn on her life to come find the distressed woman as soon as they had any updates on her partner's condition, she had taken up residence in the empty waiting room.
As she watched the bright moon slip from sight, the conversation with the young medic replayed in her mind and she wondered why Angela would think that she was actually in love with Deeks.
Because you are, you dumbass.
The words had been so clearly spoken in her mind, Kensi actually spun around expecting to see someone in the room with her. Of course, she was alone but the more she thought about it ... the more real and pleasant those words sounded to her heart.
Her heart.
The heart that she had spent years protecting from anything that could possibly hurt her again. It had started when her father had died, it was reinforced when Jack walked out on a Christmas morning, and encased in Titanium when she lost her last partner to two rounds from an AK-47.
Titanium that was softened by a pair of deep blue eyes in a smelly MMA gym, walls that were dissolved by a boyishly charming smile, and fortifications that were breached by a laugh that did funny things to her stomach. A scruffy looking ... well the term 'nerf herder' jumped into her head and, strangely enough, she could sort of picture that ... incredibly sweet and caring man who could out shoot almost anyone in the OSP (excluding herself, of course) but could also make children laugh with his silliness.
And that made her smile.
That's exactly how Jericho found her, smiling at her own reflection in the large window at the end of the room.
"Ahem."
Kensi glanced up and finally noticed the big agent standing just inside the doorway. He had changed out of what uniform he had left and was now in a pair of faded jeans and a black button down shirt that he had left untucked. She kept her back to him as she wiped away a few tears that were stinging the corners of her eyes, she didn't realize he could see her reflection in the glass but he turned his head to give her a moment to collect herself.
"Sorry Kensi, I didn't mean to startle you." He knew he hadn't, he just wanted to be polite. Seeing her standing by the windows, looking out into the night sky ... he was filled with compassion for what she was going through and he knew he'd have to tread lightly to keep her in good spirits.
Kensi turned to fully face him, her hands dropping to her sides. "No ... it's okay, been stuck in here by myself too long, I guess."
He took a few steps toward her and she saw he held something in his hands, and she noted with thanks that he had washed away all the red stains that had come from her partner. One of the items in his hands was her go-bag, which she was ecstatic it see ... she had long ago ditched her high-heels but she was tired of the weird looks people kept sending the woman wearing the Marine Officer's jacket over her evening gown. The other items in his right hand held almost as much attraction for her ... her badge and her SIG.
"Ah, thank you soooo much!" She nodded to the NSA agent as she took the offered items.
"You're welcome ... I figured you'd want to change out of that dress and I know how much you've missed your sidearm."
"Ugh, you have no idea." Kensi slung her bag over her shoulder and held her badge and gun in her hands. "Promise you'll stay in here while I go change?"
"You got it." He nodded gently but firmly. "Any word?"
"None." Her words sounded dejected and sad as she dropped her head.
Jericho placed a warm hand on her shoulder and squeezed tenderly until she looked up at him with sad, wet eyes. "Hey, good thoughts Agent Blye ... good thoughts."
It took a few seconds, but his smile was contagious and soon she was returning the gesture.
"Now, there's a lady's room two doors down to the left ... go change and I'll be right here when you get back."
Kensi started to walk past him but then she stopped. "If they come with any word about Deeks, you come get me." The intense look in her eyes didn't leave any room for disagreement. "I mean it."
"Kensi, I'll come get you even if I have to beat the door down ... I promise."
She gave him smirk, her lips curling mischievously as she moved past him through the door.
"What? I'd cover my eyes ... geeze."
A few minutes later, a much more comfortable Kensi Blye returned to the waiting room to find a lone Jericho flipping through the Guns and Ammo she had ignored earlier. He looked up to see her clad in a pair of dark jeans, the SIG tucked in the waistband, and a loose plaid shirt over a black top, Her hair pulled back into a hasty ponytail and she had washed away the majority of the makeup she had applied for the reception.
"Sorry Kensi ... nothing to report."
She had hoped that some little tidbit of news would be waiting for her but she covered her disappointment with a half-hearted smile. "Well, I guess no news is good news."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Jericho hoped he sounded convincing as he reached into his own bag. "Come on, have a seat, I got you something else."
Kensi didn't need to hear the words, she smelled the coffee as soon as he uncapped a small thermos and she also caught the familiar white box that held a certain cream filled yellow cake that fed her sugar addiction. "You brought me coffee and Twinkies ... thank you." She plopped down in the chair beside him and took the small cup he offered her.
"Ah, I figured you'd be headed toward sugar withdrawals by now and there's no telling how long we'll be here tonight."
Kensi swallowed her first bite of the yellow cake, then she reached over and grabbed Jericho's right forearm. "Thank you Jericho, for everything."
"It's just coffee and Twinkies, no need to call the president."
The female agent squeezed his arm until he finally looked over at her, confused as to what she meant. When he caught her eyes, he saw nothing but gratitude and appreciation.
"No Jericho ... thank you."
His cheeks flushed pink and he lowered his head in embarrassment. "No problem Kensi ... anytime."
They remained that way for a few moments until Kensi's stomach growled loud enough for people down the hallway to hear.
"Holy Bat Crap! It's awake!"
"Shut up!" Kensi chuckled softly and crammed the rest of her first Twinkie into her mouth as she quickly unwrapped another. It surprised her that having a little food ... she remembered how Deeks wouldn't classify it as 'food' though ... had lifted her spirits and made her actually feel better. Or maybe it was the fact that she now had friend with her, to support her through what she feared was going to be a long night. "Just keep the coffee coming and tell me what happened after I left with Deeks."
"Your wish is my command, fair Kensi." That earned him a short jab to his bicep. "Hey! Trying to be chivalrous over here, thank you very much."
Kensi gave him a quick but obviously exaggerated nod. "Sorry, Sir Steele."
Jericho pulled the thermos out of her reach and slid the Twinkie box under his seat with his foot. "No you're not ... and for that, no more treats."
"Hey! Give those back!" Kensi reached out to grab the coffee but he was too quick for her.
"Me thinks the lady is in need of an intervention."
Kensi glared over at the big man. "If you don't give me the coffee and Twinkies the only intervention you'll be doing is with the I-got-my-ass-kicked-by-Kensi-Blye-club ... they meet every Tuesday at 9:00."
"You think that you can kick my ass?"
That made her bristle even more. "Yes ... and twice on Thursday."
Jericho smiled but it looked to Kensi like she was facing a Great White shark instead of a federal agent. "Anytime you want to step onto the mat with me, Very Special Agent Blye ... take your best shot."
They gave each other their best and darkest glares but when Kensi stomach growled again, Jericho couldn't stop the chuckle that soon had them both laughing. As he bowed his head and handed over the thermos, Kensi realized what he had done. The little back-and-forth between them that he had started had been a way to help her release some of the tension that had haunted her ever since she had seen Deeks crumpled on the floor in that stairwell. She looked over at him and watched as he pulled the box from under his seat and offered her another victim. Kensi was thinking about the words to say to thank him once again, but he spoke first.
"Forgive me for saying this, and I hope I don't upset you ... but you have your father's laugh."
Kensi felt her heart clinch in her chest. She had wondered if Jericho would get to tell her more about her father. and she wasn't really expecting him to bring it up while they waited on word about her partner's condition.
Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Jericho quickly apologized. "I'm sorry Kensi, I…I didn't mean to upset you, I just ..well, I just wanted to…"
She didn't let him finish. "No Jericho, it's okay." The look of regret in his eyes didn't go away, so she added, "Really, I'm good. Thanks."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
Kensi was touched by the man's concern for her feelings and how sensitive he was being. She hesitated for just a moment and asked a question that had been in the back of her mind since he had revealed how his and her father's paths had crossed long ago. "So, you said you first met my dad at sniper school, was that the only time you served together?"
"No. After Sniper School, they sent me over to Bosnia with a peace keeping unit. I was in charge of a company of Fleet Marines, and guess who my new Platoon Sgt. was?"
"My dad."
"Yes. I don't know who taught who more those months we served together but I learned a lot from him. We actually got to go out as a sniper team together several times and most of the time, nothing happened." Jericho stopped talking and looked up at the darkened window.
Sensing that was holding something back, Kensi pushed for him to continue. "And?"
Snapping back to the present, Jericho shrugged and went on. "Yeah, once we were out pulling security on a U.N. convoy, nothing major but apparently someone forgot to tell the bad guys in the hills to behave themselves. We were overwatch for trucks headed for the refugee camps ... they blew the first truck and started shooting up the rest."
Kensi could hear the nervous excitement in Jericho's voice as he related the story. Her mind reeled at this bit of her father's past that she would have never known until she crossed paths with the man beside her.
"I was the primary shooter so I started dropping all the ones I could find. We were out past eight hundred meters, so we were out of range for small arms. Your dad was beside me calling out ranges and new targets and I had dropped about sixteen or so when they called in mortars on us ... the patched together building we were in didn't last long." He turned to look at her face and found Kensi intently looking right at him.
"We were making our escape across the back alley when I took a rather large piece of shrapnel in my thigh." When Kensi looked up at him, she could see that he was deeply affected by what had happened so long ago. "Your dad picked me up and carried me all the way back to the green zone, griping the entire time about how much I weighed." They both chuckled at that.
"That's when I got my second purple heart. Oh, the crap your dad gave me over that. He kept saying he should have gotten one too … for how he strained his back carrying me around." Jericho laughed deeply at the fond memory but when he looked into her mismatched eyes, he turned serious.
"When he came to visit me in the hospital, he showed me a picture of his daughter." Kensi suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe right.
"You were eleven ... maybe twelve years old, and you were sitting on a brand new dirt bike you had gotten for your birthday." Kensi remembered the bike, the birthday, and how much fun she had that day. Her dad had surprised her with the new dirt bike and taught her how to ride. She had stayed on the bike until she could no longer feel her legs. Feeling a tugging in her chest, she blinked back the tears at the edges of her eyes.
Jericho saw her reaction and tried to lighten the mood as best he could. "You were a complete mess! There was mud all over you except where your goggles had been … you looked like a muddy raccoon."
Kensi would have normally hit someone for saying that, but not now. Her mind was filling with memories and then the sadness of her loss. Reaching over to her, Jericho placed his hand on her forearm. When she looked up at him, he smiled and continued.
"He sat there and told me all about his 'little princess'."
Kensi smiled softly at hearing the nickname that her dad had used on her for as long as she could remember.
"He talked about how much he missed you, about how he couldn't wait to get back home to see you again."
"He did?" She managed to ask without choking on the lump in her throat.
"Yeah, he talked about you until I passed out from the pain meds." Feeling her mood come back to a more even plain, he tapped her arm. "I don't know how much you know about your dad and what he was really doing most of the time. I know his marriage fell apart because of it," he could see the questions and doubts hidden just behind her eyes and knew what he had to say.
Gently reaching over, he covered her small hand in his larger one and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I spent a lot of time with him and I quickly discovered two very significant things about Donald Blye. The first was that he was a good man, no matter what others may tell you, everything he did was because he knew it was the right thing to do. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the people that he loved."
Kensi felt the earth stop rotating and everything in her was desperate for the words that were coming out of her companion's mouth.
"And the other thing, the biggest part of your father was this," and he took a deep breath, hoping that his next words brought comfort and healing. Kensi looked up into Jericho's face and saw utter conviction in his green eyes when he continued.
"You can believe me when I tell you that he loved you more than anything on this earth," he squeezed her hand gently, "and he never stopped."
Kensi felt the world fall away from her feet at his words. She had spent years wondering if the fight she and her dad had before he left, never to return, had damaged their relationship. Now she had confirmation that there had never been a rift between them, that her father had stilled loved her despite her hurting him before she lost him. Gripping Jericho's hand tightly, she let all the pain and doubt seep out of her and after a few moments, she suddenly felt lighter, freer.
They stayed still, not moving, not really breathing. Jericho waited until Kensi seemed to regain her composure and then he handed her a tissue so she could wipe the moisture from her cheeks. When she had finished, she looked back up at him with a grateful expression on her face. The smile on her lips let him know that his confession had brought joy to her, despite the pain of her loss.
Jericho cleared his throat and handed her another Twinkie which she accepted gratefully. "Eat up Kensi ... you've earned it."
Kensi chuckled lightly at his attempt to, once again. lighten the mood. "Thanks ... for everything ... the coffee, the Twinkies ... for being here while I wait."
"Sometimes, waiting is the hardest part ... you know?"
Slowly unwrapping her treat, Kensi nodded, but there was no smile on her face as she spoke. "I thought I lost him tonight ... "
Jericho patted her gently on the arm. "Come on Kensi, he's strong ... Deeks will be up in no time, annoying the hell out of you ... calling you Fern ... "
Laughing softly, Kensi felt her spirit lifting slowly. "Yeah ... he will."
"It was close but we cheated death once more tonight."
Kensi looked over into his deep green eyes. "I guess you have to stay positive ... I just get tired of coming so close so much."
"Close to what?"
Kensi dropped her eyes. "Death."
Jericho smirked at her sideways. "At one point or another Kensi, Death smiles at everyone."
"Yeah, I know ... but what do you do when it's smiling at you?"
"That's easy." He gave her such a cheesy yet sincere grin, she couldn't help cracking a small one herself. "You smile right back."
It took a moment for the words to sink in, but soon ... Kensi found herself smiling too.
Jericho nodded in support of his friend, hoping that the night would hold no more surprises for them. Knowing that it was a good time to get back to the situation at hand, he decided to tell Kensi what had happened while she was riding to the hospital with Deeks.
"Back to the case ... the man who attacked Deeks escaped somewhere near the Fallbrook gate." He watched as her smile turned into a sneer, a dangerous one. "Eric and Nell are using Kaleidoscope to try and find any trace of him ... but he's good, slipped away from Callen and the Marine guards, so he's probably in the wind. They're also looking through the surveillance footage from the reception ... they might get a hit there as well."
Jericho looked over to gauge her reaction. Kensi looked like she was having an emotional war on the inside and it was playing out in her eyes. There was rage and anger at the man who had hurt her partner and then there was the concern for said partner's condition. For a moment, it appeared like she was either going to scream in frustration or break one of the innocent chairs in the waiting room. She closed her eyes for a second or two, then she let out her breath in one long sigh.
"What do you think he was doing at the reception?" Her eyes were fixed on the floor in front of her, hoping that talking about theories and facts of the case might help quell the burning desire that bubbled inside of her. Remembering what it felt like when she saw her partner struggling to breathe was causing her to want to hunt down the man who had put him there, and cause his life to end very quickly.
Jericho shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. He could have been there after Hetty ... but kind of crazy to come after her in a building full of military and all that security."
"So ... he wasn't after Hetty." Kensi paused and then she finally looked up at him. "Could he have been there after the colonel?"
"Hmmm ... possibly. Let's look at the facts: He was already in the buidling and then apparently followed Deeks up to the third floor, he stayed out of sight and took off when discovered, and had at least one or two escape routes planned out beforehand."
Kensi was tense but she nodded in agreement. "Sounds like he was just there to watch ... maybe see what we were doing."
"Or what we were doing with the colonel?"
The brunette took a small sip from her coffee cup before responding. "So, this guy is there to watch the colonel ... why?"
Jericho reclined in the chair until his head rested against the wall and he was looking up at the ceiling. He pursed his lips and then closed his eyes. After several moments, in which he barely moved, Kensi thought he might have dozed off. She waited a few more seconds before she nudged him with her elbow.
"Jericho?"
He didn't open his eyes when he spoke. "Thinking."
"Well, think a little louder ... I can't read your mind."
A soft chuckle and then he started speaking. "We found the tracker in Hetty's gun and I'd bet you a year's supply of Twinkies that whoever put out the contract knew that."
"Following so far."
"The colonel was their 'inside man' ... feeding them intel and keeping tabs on Hetty." He spoke like he was thinking this all out in his head at the same time he was relaying it to Kensi. "The tracker goes dead and all the other assassin teams have met with failure ... they send in someone new, not after Hetty but to see if we've traced the tracker back to the colonel and what we intend to do about him."
Kensi thought it over for a moment before she nodded her head. "Sounds plausible."
"It's what I would do." He took a deep breath and slowly sat up until he could look over at her. "He was recon ... then he saw Deeks heading up to the colonel's office ... "
Kensi followed Jericho's train of thought. " ... he was spotted, made a break for his escape route and ambushed Deeks so he could escape. He knew if Deeks was part of a team, it would slow the team down when they stopped to help."
"That sounds about right. He'll report that we have the colonel in custody and that's not good news."
Kensi nodded in agreement. "It'll make the contractor harder to find ... he'll go under."
"Maybe."
The female agent caught the strange look on Jericho's face.
"What?"
"What if this is all one big chess game?" He watched the confusion wash over the woman's face. "What if this is all a ploy to draw us closer to finding out who is behind all of this?"
Understanding dawned on Kensi's face. "The colonel could lead us to who is behind all of this and that might have been the intent all along."
"Precisely. You don't go in the cave after the bear, you get the bear to come out to you."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Jericho glanced down at the floor. "Sorry. It's an old Russian proverb about how to hunt and kill a bear ... you leave out some live bait to entice the bear to come out of his cave, draw him out into the open were you have the advantage."
"So who wins ... the bear or the hunter?"
Jericho made a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Depends ... sometimes the bear, sometimes the hunter."
Kensi punched him in his right bicep. "Could you be anymore cryptic? Geez!"
"Sorry ... if I knew how it was all going to end, I promise I'd tell you."
They laughed softly for a moment but the tension wouldn't stay away for long. Kensi's eyes turned to the door that led out into the hallway that was too quiet. "So, you don't think the man who stabbed Deeks will try to finish the job?"
"No Kensi, I don't." Jericho put all of his conviction into his words. "Deeks wasn't targeted ... he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Yeah ... I guess you're right."
"Of course I am."
She dropped her head and chuckled at his teasing arrogance. "Really? A tad full of yourself, aren't you?"
"Kensi, Deeks is safe and, before you know it, he'll be up and sneaking you sweets when he thinks no one is watching." Jericho bumped her arm with his. "But, in the mean time, I cleared it with Hetty for you and I to be on protective detail until we get Deeks back to LA."
Kensi's head turned slowly until her eyes locked with his. "I thought you weren't worried."
"Not worried ... cautious. Besides, a division of Marines couldn't drag you away from here so we might as well go with it."
Her face turned a slight shade of pink before she smiled back at him. "Thanks. By the way, where is Hetty and the rest of the team?"
"Granger and his boys are taking the colonel up to LA ... they'll find him cell to keep warm until tomorrow. Hetty, Callen, Sam and Michelle are finishing up at the headquarter's building and the wreck at the gate. As soon as they're finished, they'll be head over here to check on Granger's quote-unquote 'favorite detective'." He emphasized the last part with his hands.
That made her chuckle.
Jericho nodded and then he continued. "I also placed a call to the base's commanding general and requested a detachment of Marine security personnel be assigned to the hospital until Deeks is transferred."
Kensi shot him a questioning look. "The commanding general?"
"Yeah, spent some time working with him a few years ago ... he owed me favor."
Thinking better of it, Kensi decided not to ask. "I don't want to know the details about that."
Jericho shook his head vigorously. "No ... no you don't."
Movement at the door caught Jericho's attention and when Kensi saw his eyes shift, she whirled around, coming out of her seat in an instant. A doctor still in his scrubs walked into the room, followed by a young nurse who pointed directly at the female agent.
"That's her, doctor. She rode in with the patient and is cleared as the patient's emergency contact." The nurse stopped at the end of the line of chairs but the doctor, a Naval Lieutenant Commander, continued until he was standing just a few feet away. He caught the distraught look in Kensi's eyes and he raised his hand quickly to cut off any misconceptions.
"The surgery went fine and he's doing well." His smile was warm and friendly. "I'm Doctor Neal Page, good to meet you."
Kensi let out the lung full of air that she had been holding and Jericho placed his hands on her arms to hold her up as a ton of weight lifted off her shoulders. He shook the doctor's hand and nodded when Kensi didn't respond.
"Thanks doc ... what's the damage?" He felt Kensi tense in front of him and he held her firmly, knowing that the information would help her in the long run.
"Not too bad. His right lung was only partially compressed from the chest trauma and luckily, the blade didn't penetrate the lung itself. We repaired the damage to his chest cavity and drained out the remaining air and fluids, that allowed his lung to fully expand and he's breathing great on his own. He is responding well and his vitals are stable so we will be down grading his condition as soon as he wakes up in recovery. Barring any complications, which I don't foresee happening, the patient should make full recovery."
Kensi felt herself start to relax again. "Can I see him?"
The Navy doctor smiled with compassion in his eyes. "It'll take a few hours for the anesthesia to wear off and he'll be groggy for a while after that ... " He caught the frown of disappointment that started to form on her face. " ... but it'll do wonders for his recovery if he sees a friendly face when he wakes up."
Jericho felt her body almost leap into the air with excitement. He gave her another reassuring squeeze before he dropped his hands and glanced quickly between the doctor and the nurse. "Your patient works for NCIS ... I assume that we can count on you and your department maintaining the correct protocols to protect his, and our, identities."
"Absolutely," Nodding gently, the doctor reached up and patted Kensi softly on her arm. "I've known Henrietta for several years ... and it's always a pleasure to take care of her agents when they need it. If he stays stable through the night, we'll probably be able to transfer him up to Cedars-Sinai sometime tomorrow afternoon. Now, if you'll just give us a few minutes to get him moved into the recovery room ... you can wait at the station with nurse Cortez here and she'll escort you in as soon as we get him settled. Okay?"
Kensi nodded gratefully but her words stuck in her throat.
Jericho spoke from just over her shoulder. "Thank you so much Doctor Page." He reached around and gave the doctor a firm handshake. The man nodded, turned quickly and followed nurse Cortez back into the hallway.
When they were alone, Jericho started to turn to gather Kensi's things but he suddenly found himself enveloped in a strong embrace as her arms flew around his waist. She buried her face in his chest and he felt something wet penetrate his shirt ... and he realized she was crying. He wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her in tight against his chest.
When she spoke, her words were slightly muffled by his shirt. "Thank you Jericho ... you have no idea what this means to me."
"Shhhh Kensi ... it's all good." He held her until she pulled back a little, her arms relaxing against his back. Kensi quickly wiped at her eyes as she stepped out of the big man's arms, thankful that she had someone to lean on at that moment. She looked up at him with wetness still in her eyes and he smiled warmly down at her. "You good?"
She ducked her head and sniffled a little. "Yeah ... I am, thanks."
Jericho turned, grabbed her bag which she took and slung over one shoulder. They turned and walked together out into the hallway toward the nurses station where nurse Cortez was patiently waiting for them. Kensi felt a tug at her back and when she glanced to her right, she saw Jericho quickly tucking his thermos and what was left of the box of Twinkies into her bag. She started to say something but he caught her eyes and nodded toward the young nurse who stepped up to join them.
At the entrance to the surgical ward, two large Marine MPs were already guarding the double doors. They snapped to attention when the small group approached and inspected everyone's identification before allowing them to pass. Just as the doors opened and the guards stepped aside, Kensi noticed that Jericho wasn't coming with them. She turned to see him stopped between the Marines.
"Jericho?"
The tall agent smiled warmly."I'll stay out here and wait for the others." When he saw her start to open her mouth to argue, he made flippant wave of his hand. "Besides, you don't need me cramping up your mushy reunion ... that's something I can live without seeing."
For a moment, Kensi bristled at the implications of what he was saying, but then she realized that he was probably right ... she had no idea how she would react when she saw her injured partner and she had already been emotional enough tonight. Thankful to have a friend who understood her enough to know when she needed privacy, she gave Jericho a warm and sincere smile.
"Try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone, Steele."
Jericho stepped back and he called out to her just the automatic doors started to swing closed.
"I make no promises, Blye."
He waited until the two women had disappeared into the recovery ward before he turned to face the young Marine guards, his friendly demeanor shifting to something much darker. "Now gentlemen, I'm sure that your commander explained the importance of this particular security detail and I'm confident in your skills and dedication ... "
The two men smiled slightly at the compliment but when they caught the menacing look in the man's eyes, their faces fell back into expressionless attention. The fact that the man had started playing with a rather wicked looking knife as he spoke to them ... well, that caught their attention as well.
" ... but let me explain exactly what will be the consequences to you if any thing happens to that female agent or her partner."
Over the next few minutes, two young Marines discovered that volunteering to stand guard over at the base hospital wasn't turning into the 'check-out-the-hot-nurses' experience they were hoping for. In fact, this would definitely be the last time either of them volunteered for anything for a very long time.
...
It had only been about fifteen minutes after Kensi was escorted back to wait for Deeks to wake up, when a small group of concerned people mobbed the nurse's station just outside the surgical wing. Nurse Cortez was trying to decipher which questions to answer first when a tiny woman wearing a beautiful dress and dark rimmed glasses softly cleared her throat and all the others grew silent.
"My dear, we are here to inquire about the status of Martin Deeks ... could you please update us on his status?"
Gabriella Cortez was immediately charmed by the woman's calm and pleasant demeanor, but she was also aware that the woman's small size in no reflected a small personality or character. Just one glance told her that the woman before was not someone to trifle with nor would she be easily misled. The nurse cleared her throat to answer but a man's strong voice rumbled from the door the waiting room across the hall.
"Hetty, they're waiting for him to wake up from surgery ... Kensi's with him." The two men and two women turned to see Jericho stepping out into the hallway, a soft smile on his face. "Doc says the damage wasn't too severe and he should be up and around in no time."
Hetty walked over and was quickly engulfed in the man's thick arms, her own reaching as far around his waist as they could. "That's good news, my boy ... tonight could have been much worse."
Jericho simply nodded before he turned and escorted the others into the waiting room where he had been anticipating their arrival and keeping a watch over the entrance to the recovery ward. Callen had ditched his waiter's uniform and was now in jeans and a collared shirt, his bag slung over one shoulder. Michelle, Hetty and Sam were still in their dress clothes and they looked a little out-of-place in the informal setting. Michelle took a chair and quickly removed her heels and Sam sat on the edge of the small table in front of her and began to gently massage her feet.
"You said the damage wasn't too bad, care to elaborate?" Callen leaned against one of the tiled columns that went up into the ceiling, his hands tucked into his pockets.
Jericho took a few minutes to explain the extent of Deek's injuries and the doctor's prediction of a complete recovery. When he finished repeating the information he had, relief was clear on the other's faces and he saw them visibly relax. He thought it was funny that this little family could be so hard on each other with the put-downs and teasing ... but when the chips were down or one of them was hurt ... they bonded together just like a real family would.
Michelle nodded toward the door. "How long has Kensi been back there?"
"Oh, about fifteen minutes or so ... the doc let her go back so Deeks would have a friendly face to wake up too."
Hetty tapped her nephew on his arm, and beamed up at him when he looked over at her. "They tell me that you saved Deeks' life with a pen inserted into his chest ... quick thinking that little move."
Jericho's face turned down and Callen thought he saw a twinge of pink cross his cheeks. "No big deal Hetty, we were just lucky that the blade didn't penetrate the lung ... the results might not have been as good."
Callen shot the other agent a grateful look. "But it didn't and I think I speak for the entire team when I say I'm glad you were there."
Jericho looked up and for a moment wished that he was part of a team like this one, each one unique and with special skills but each individual part of a unit that wouldn't function as well without them. Finally acknowledging their gratitude, he nodded shyly before turning back to Hetty.
"So, did you guys find out anything about our mystery guest?"
Hetty inclined her head to Callen who was pulling a data pad out of his pack then she answered Jericho. "The forensics team collected everything they could from the wrecked vehicle before shipping it all up to LA were our teams are waiting. The colonel has chosen to refuse to speak to anyone but myself, so I will interview him tomorrow at the boat shed. Nell and Eric are working on all the information that Deeks recovered before he was interrupted."
"What about the man who attacked Deeks? Any idea who he is?" Jericho moved to stand behind Callen whose pad now showed the tired face of one Eric Beale. Before anyone else could speak, the computer tech cleared his throat and a man's face appeared in one half of the small screen.
"We pulled this from one of the security cameras at the Headquarter's building and Callen confirms this is the man who attacked Deeks."
Callen held the pad up so everyone could see. "Eric, does the mystery man have a name?"
Half of Nell's face appeared beside Eric's. "It took us a few minutes, this guy has several aliases and fake identities, but we have identified him as one Vladimir Karenin, former Russian soldier, ties to the Russian mob ... "
"Vlad the Defiler ... " Jericho voice was cold and hallow.
Sam glanced up from where he had paused rubbing his wife's feet. "What? You know him?"
Jericho took a deep breath and let it slowly. "No, not personally, but I've heard of him."
Michelle poked Sam with her foot when he inadvertently tickled her big toe. "I'm guessing it wasn't on The House Wives of Beverly Hills?"
"Not quite." Her comment made the others chuckle as well, adding a little break from all the tension ... but Jericho quickly grew serious once more. "INTERPOL has long suspected him in the brutal deaths of several women across Europe and Russia but they haven't been able to nail him with any real evidence."
"What types of deaths?" Callen cocked his head to the side to look over at the NSA agent.
"I was afraid that you'd ask me that." Jericho eased down onto the arm of the chair Hetty was sitting in. "Vlad has an apparent insatiable hatred for women ... he likes to cut them up and sometimes ... well ... he skins them."
"Jesus." Sam's hands had stilled on his wife's leg and his eyes cut right to her's. "So he works for the Russian mob and sidelines as a serial killer?"
"Yeah ... that's where he got the nickname The Defiler." Jericho ran his hands through his short-cropped hair. "And now he's here in the States."
Callen nodded as he turned back to the pad in his hands. "Guys ... start looking for any murders during the past few days. If he's been here for any length of time, maybe he's been up to his off-the-books activities."
"You think he might have killed someone here?" Sam's hands were moving over his wife's sore feet once more.
"Jericho? How often between killings?" Callen was looking for anything that would help track this monster down.
The tall agent shook his head. "He doesn't have a set pattern, it's what's made him so hard to track down. There's not much of a pattern that can be profiled ... the only things consistent are that his victims are women, usually in their twenties or early thirties, and the manner in which he kills them. He leaves very little forensic evidence and the bodies are usually dumped in very remote areas. That's about all I know."
Nell piped up over the pad's small speakers. "But if he's operating here and he's killed ... he's had to buy certain supplies to keep everything ... um ... neat. Maybe we can backtrack him by that."
Callen nodded along with the others. "Sounds like a long-shot but it may be all we have if the colonel can't give us anything more on this Vlad. You two get to work on what the forensics team brings back and we'll ... "
Hetty reached up and lightly tapped her senior field agent on his forearm. "Mr. Callen?"
When he turned to look down at her, his face confused by her interruption. "Yes?"
Hetty smiled warmly. "My dear, it's late and we have all been running for most of the day. Let's call it an evening and then regroup at operations tomorrow, shall we?"
Callen paused for a moment, but a quick glance at his watch showed that it was getting close to midnight and he suddenly felt very tired himself. He chuckled softly before looking back at Nell and Eric's small, tired faces. "Sorry guys ... still running on adrenaline and caffeine. Go home, get some rest. We'll wait here until Deeks wakes up and then we'll find a place to crash for the night."
Hetty reached up and tipped the pad so the analysts could see her face. "Alert LAPD and the FBI of Karenin's presence and give them all the intel we have. I expect you to arrive back at operations no earlier than noon tomorrow, is that clear?"
Two voices echoed together, a bit more chipper than they were before. "Yes ma'am."
"Good night guys." Callen flipped the pad closed, ending the connection with operations and then he turned to his partner and his wife. "Are the kids going to be okay without you two for tonight?"
Michelle was enjoying the wonderful foot massage her husband was giving her and it had almost lulled her to sleep. Her husband smiled warmly at her as he spoke to Callen. "Yeah, there with the in-laws ... so they'll getting filled with too much sugar and staying up late watching scary movies."
His wife's head popped up off the back of the chair where she was reclining. "Hey ... your mom isn't much better with how she spoils them rotten."
Sam just kept rubbing her foot. "Rotten ... you want to talk about rotten, how about all that pizza they ate the last time they spent the weekend with your folks."
She started to kick him, but he suddenly found a real sensitive spot in the arch of her right foot and all that came out of her mouth was a soft moan.
Callen shook his head as he pushed himself off the column he was resting on. "Good grief guys ... get a room."
Sam's smile was so huge it almost covered his entire face. "Gladly."
"Sam!" Michelle smacked him on his arm, but she was thinking the same thing herself.
...
Just a few doors down from where the two Marines were standing guard ...
A strand of his long blonde hair was causing her partner's nose to twitch, and after watching for a few moments, Kensi leaned up slightly and brushed it out of his peaceful face. She noted that his breathing was deep and relaxed underneath the oxygen mask that covered his mouth and nose. There were EKG leads attached to his chest and the readouts on the monitors showed that his vitals were remaining steady and strong.
When she had first entered the room, Kensi was struck by an almost overwhelming sense of déjà vu that had made her pause just inside the door. Seeing him lying there like that took her back to another hospital and another time when he was injured. Two small-caliber bullet wounds had scared her more than she had ever shared with anyone ... the thought of losing him then had been almost unbearable.
But now ... what if the blade had punctured though into his lung and heart ... what if he had bled out on the floor of that stairwell ... what if he had suffocated on his own blood ... what if she'd really lost him this time. This time she wasn't so sure that it wouldn't have broken her completely. Sure, she would have hunted his killer down and carved 'Marty' into him before she finished him off ... but that wouldn't bring her partner back to her, and now, that was something she knew deep in her soul she couldn't survive.
Kensi looked down at where her hands were wrapped around one of his, his fingers were limp between hers but they were warm and comforting nonetheless. The nurse had said that it should only be a short time before he woke up but the brunette would pay good money if he would finally open his eyes and look at her in that way that made her chest warm and her face flush. His eyes had been what caught her attention at their first meeting in that MMA gym ... eyes that he would hide behind from time to time and she knew it was to protect the scared little boy that still lived inside of him ... but eyes that would look at her with such honesty and devotion, it would literally steal her breath from her lungs. He could make her feel cherished with a look from those pacific blues ... and right now, she needed him to do just that.
Deeks' hand twitched suddenly between hers, and she felt her breath catch in her chest as his eyelids fluttered slightly. Moving closer to him, Kensi brought one hand up to brush lightly against his cheek as his fingers curled slowly around hers.
"Come on Deeks, nap time's over." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she whispered close to his ear.
Deeks moaned something unintelligible as his turned his head slighty in the direction of her voice, his hair tickling her cheek. He stopped his movements but Kensi wasn't about to let him slide back into sleep, not yet anyway. This time her voice was a little more forceful but it had a teasing lilt to it.
"Deeeekkkkkssss ... it's time for your sponge bath."
She grinned when his eyebrows went up and she caught a glimpse of blue between his eyelids. Another moan but this time his legs moved under the sheets and his fingers tugged against hers.
"Mmmm phh ... Fern?" It was so soft and quiet that if her face hadn't been inches from his, she wouldn't have heard it.
Before Kensi answered, she had to swallow the lump in her throat. "Yeah ... it's me."
When the fog of induced sleep began to clear for Deeks' mind and he forced his eyes open ... the most beautiful woman in the world was hovering over him. He blinked at the bright lights but even then he could make out the smile that covered her lovely face.
Though he felt tired and weak, he managed to fall back to his default setting. "Am I dead? Cause I don't feel dead."
Kensi chuckled softly. "No, you're not dead ... why would you think that?"
Behind the plastic mask, Kensi watched his lips curl up into his trademark smirk. "I could have sworn you were an angel ... "
"Ah geez ... really? You use that line a lot?"
Deeks shook his head gently. "Only when I mean it ... Fern."
When his eyes drifted closed, for a moment Kensi thought that he had slipped back into unconsciousness but his words roared though her mind like a tornado. His hand squeezed her and his eyes opened up completely, his smirk morphing into a smile.
Kensi couldn't help but smile back. "Hi."
"Hi."
They stayed like that for a few moments, their fingers interlocked and her body hanging just above his, their eyes locked. Kensi felt chills running up her spine when he blinked and his pupils immediately focused back on her own. A page for a doctor came over the public address system and snapped them out of their little moment. Kensi sighed in frustration and relief ... she knew that if he hadn't had that stupid plastic mask over his lovely lips ... she would have given him a kiss that would have set off the monitors.
Leaning back slightly to give herself a little space to recuperate, Kensi patted his cheek again. "How are you feeling?"
Deeks took a moment to consider his physical status. Knowing that even in his current state, an "I'm fine" would probably earn him a punch, he decided to answer honestly. "Like there's a polka band in my head and a vise wrapped around my chest." Thinking that she might be hurting him, Kensi started to lean back away from him, but his hand clamped tightly around hers. "No, it's not you ... don't go anywhere."
Kensi wasn't sure if he was being honest or if it was the after effects of the medication that was making him be like this. After a brief argument in her head, she decided that she didn't really care.
"I'm not going anywhere, partner."
Deeks let his eyes drift closed for a moment before he looked back up into hers. "That's good to know ... partner."
Just as she was about to lose herself in his eyes once more, footsteps from the hallway indicated that they were about to be interrupted. Kensi felt Deeks' hand relax in hers and without letting go of him completely, she leaned back and took up a more reserved position by the bed.
Nurse Gabriella Cortez cleared her throat just before she pushed the door open, her polite way of letting the room's occupants that someone was about to enter the room. It was a little trick she had learned when she had started as a nurse after she had barged in on a wife and her husband locked in a rather steamy make out session. And if she had read the female agent's concern for her partner correctly, her discretion would prove valuable. It actually surprised Gabriella when she entered that the brunette was standing politely beside the bed ... but the blush that was fading from the woman's face told the nurse all she needed to know.
"Well, glad to see someone's finally awake. How are you feeling Mr. Deeks?" Gabriella moved over to check the monitors but she was also listening for any signs of confusion or distress in the patient.
"Like a million bucks."
Kensi felt him squeeze her hand and the familiar tingling ran up her spine and across her neck.
Gabriella chuckled at the man's response. "Well, that's good to know, but are you experiencing any dizziness or nausea?"
Kensi's eyes turned serious and Deeks realized it wasn't time to kid around too much. "No, got a bit of a headache though ... and my chest feels tight."
"The headache should fade shortly, it's just the anesthetic. Your chest will feel that way for the next few days as it heals ... the doctor will come by to check on you in a few minutes and will explain what to expect for your recovery."
Deeks shifted slightly in the bed, surprised at how tired he still felt. "I feel like I've just run the Boston Marathon."
"Is that normal?" Kensi tried not to sound overly concerned ... she failed.
"After the trauma you went through ... yes, it's perfectly normal." Gabriella saw that the brunette's expression didn't relax much, so she tried to reassure the woman. "Look, his body just went through a lot, okay? His vitals are great and he's not showing any signs of respiratory problems ... but it'll take a little time for him to heal fully so you'll have to make him take it easy."
It took a moment for Kensi to realize that the nurse had addressed her and not just Deeks. Taking a deep breath to regain her control, she smiled warmly at the young nurse. "Thank you, nurse Cortez ... thank you for taking care of my partner."
Partner ... yeah right. Gabriella nodded politely back at the brunette, thinking that these two weren't fooling anyone with the 'partner' bit. "You're more than welcome Agent Blye, and please .. call me Gabi."
"Thanks Gabi ... and it's Kensi."
"No problem Kensi. Now, if you don't need anything at the moment, I'll tell the doctor that you're awake, then we'll get you settled into a regular room. How does that sound?"
Deeks decided he'd behaved for long enough. "Not as good as a sponge bath."
Kensi groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers.
Gabriella chuckled as she shook her head. "Sorry, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that .. Lars will take good care of you."
"Lars?" Deeks eyebrows went up so far they almost touched his hairline.
"Yeah, we do the sponge baths right after the morning shift change. Lars will be with you tomorrow but I think you'll like him ... he's a big guy but he's really sweet ... and he's got incredibly soft hands." Making sure that the patient wouldn't see, Gabriella winked over at Kensi who had to stifle a laugh.
'Wait ... er ... I don't think that'll be necessary ... I'll be fine on my own." Deeks blood pressure crept up a number or two.
Kensi couldn't stop from helping Gabi out. "Is he blonde?"
Gabriella nodded enthusiastically. "Why yes, yes he is. Tall, muscles ... loves the beach."
"Well that's just perfect." Kensi turned to smirk down at her partner. "Deeks has a thing for blond nurses."
"I think Lars likes blondes and he just broke up with his boyfriend ... wow, walk about fate." Gabriella was barely containing her own laughter. "I'll put your room number at the top of the rotation."
Deeks had forgotten all about the polka band in his head. "Wait ... ummm ... that really isn't ... no need to go to any trouble ... I'm good."
"No trouble ... and it's my pleasure." She moved to the door and gave them both a warm smile before she stepped out into the hall. "Don't worry Mr. Deeks ... I'm sure Lars will be very gentle with you. Now, don't hesitate to push the little button if you need anything ... see you in a bit."
The door closed with a soft whisper and silence descended on the room. After a few moments, Kensi finally built up enough courage to look down at her partner, who was as still as a stone.
"Just think Deeks ... you get the sponge bath, the nurse and the blonde ... all rolled up into one!" This was just too good to waste.
"I hate you."
Kensi squeezed his hand that had never left hers. "No you don't."
"Yes ... I do. I hate you."
"How can you say that after I just helped hook you up with a hot, blonde nurse?"
Deeks looked up as his partner and caught the smile at the edge of her mouth, an instant later realizing that he'd been had. "Really Kens? That wasn't funny!"
Kensi clamped her hand over her mouth and laughed so hard she snorted through most of it. "You should have seen your face as Gabi described Lars! That ... was ... priceless!"
"I still hate you."
'No. You. Don't."
For a few moments, they just looked at each other ... and everything in the room seemed to stop. The beeping of the monitor in the corner, the soft hum of the air conditioning blowing through the vents, even the pounding of her heartbeat in her own ears ... the world around them seemed to fade away. As she lost herself in the depths of the blue in his eyes, Kensi realized it was one of those moments when they peered directly into each other's souls. It was a place she was finding she liked to be.
Just as the air began to take on an awkward feeling, Deeks gave her hand another soft squeeze. "Hey Kens?"
"Yeah?" Her stomach did a flip-flip at the softness of the way he said her nickname.
"Thanks for ... you know ... "
Kensi held back the twinge of aggrevation as he stumbled over his words. "For 'what', Deeks?"
She watched him take a breath that caused him to grimace as his tender chest protested. Curling her fingers tighter around his, she waited for him to answer.
"Thank you for being here when I woke up ... "
Another warm blush worked its way across her cheeks. "You're welcome, I wouldn't be anywhere else."
"I know ... and, by the way ... I don't hate you."
Kensi took one from the Deeks archives. "Who could hate all of this?" She used her free hand to gesture to herself, she even swung her hips a little. The way his eyes clouded as he followed to where her hand had motioned ... her stomach did a series of cart-wheels.
"No man in his right mind could ever hate you Kens." There it was again ... the tender, almost reverent way he used her name. There were plenty of men in her life that had called her that ... teammates, dates, even her former fiancé ... but no one came close to making her feel the way she did when he said it the way only he could.
"Deeks ... " Her eyes dropped to the floor, but before she could continue, the door swung slowly open.
Doctor Neal Page walked cautiously into the room ... an earlier warning from Gabriella in the back of his mind and he was thankful that he didn't catch the two 'partners' in any amorous activities. "Mr. Deeks, glad to see you're doing well."
Deeks slowly turned his eyes from his partner to look up at the man who was now shining a pen light into his eyes. "Good to see you too doc ... I think."
Doctor Page chuckled lightly. "Sorry about that ... but gotta check what going on inside that head of your's."
Kensi choked out a laugh. "I can tell you from experience, it's a pretty scary place to look."
"Thanks ... Fern."
The doctor glanced between the two of them before deciding it was probably better to just let it go without commenting. "Your pupils are good ... nurse Cortez says you've got a headache but that should pass within a few minutes."
Deeks nodded as the doctor checked his vitals once more, but the detective's eyes never left his partner ... hers doing the same.
"Now ... let's check your chest. You'll have a drainage tube for the next twenty-four hours ... that'll take care of any remaining fluid." As he spoke, he gently pulled down the sheet and when his hand went to lift Deeks' gown, Kensi finally looked away.
"I ... uh ... I'll go let the team know you're awake, okay?" She kept her eyes away from the area of his bandaged chest, that wasn't something she was prepared to see just yet.
Kensi pulled away but Deeks held tight to her hand for a moment longer. When she looked down at him, he nodded in understanding before releasing her hand. She smiled warmly before turning toward the door and just as she began to push it open, he called out to her.
"Kens?"
"Yeah?" Looking back over her shoulder, she was grateful that the doctor's body blocked the view of her partner's chest.
"Don't be gone too long."
A smile that warmed him from the tips of his toes to the top of his head formed on her lips. "Be right back ... Shaggy."
"Be right here ... Fern."
She nodded and slipped through the door, a reassuring thought echoing in her head.
You always are ... Marty.
You always are.
...