Author's Note:

Hey everybody! Wow, it's been a long time, right? Well, I've been going at AP World History now for about eight hours straight so I REALLY need a break. Of course, I result to fan fiction. Please keep the reviews and feedback coming! It really helps us authors.

-C

Kensi woke in the middle of the night to find herself grinning and incredibly comfortable. She reached to stretch out her arms when her left hand brushed up against something. That something was Deeks's head. He murmured a phrase unintelligible in his sleep and rolled over, removing his arm that was previously draped over her waist. Immediately missing his warmth, she snuggled into his side and rested her head over his firmly beating heart. Kensi wrapped her arm around his muscular abdomen.

As hard as she tried to fall back asleep, it just wouldn't come. The moonlight seeped through the open window, shining a pattern on the disarrayed sheets. Kensi and Deeks were a tangle of limbs underneath them. She found herself rubbing his bare side gently as memories from their night replayed over and over again.

"You awake?" The whisper came so softly, Kensi wasn't sure if she had heard Deeks correctly. The nod against his chest let him know that she was.

With his left hand he began stroking her back and with his right twirling her loose hair around his finger. Kensi couldn't get enough of him touching her in every way possible. She loved the way his fingers traced delicately over her bare collar bone, sending shivers down her spine. It tickled slightly, but lulled her into a calming state.

"God, Kens. You're beautiful, you know that?" His voice came slightly raspy from misuse.

Kensi laughed lightly and lifted her head ever so slightly to get a good look at him. "I love you, you know that?"

They leaned in for a gentle kiss that left their lips lingering against each other softly. The moonlight basked their faces in a calming glow. Kensi caressed his cheek, staring into his gorgeous blue eyes. Deeks and her could spend the rest of their lives together, and seeing his eyes would never get old.

"Kens, will you move in with me? I want to wake up every morning with you like this," Deeks quietly asked.

Her mouth fell slightly agape, trying to find the appropriate response to answer him by. Unfortunately, Deeks took her silence as a different kind of answer.

"We don't have to if you're not comfortable. I didn't mean to pressure you."

Kensi could tell he was hurt slightly by her silence, also know as her impeccable lack of communication.

"No, Deeks. That's not it at all. I want to."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. It would be my pleasure. I love you."

"I love you too."

They slowly drifted off to sleep once more.

It was a sharp rapping at the door that shook Deeks from his sleep. When they had woken up in the middle of the night it was about one in the morning. Now it was closer to six. Who could that be? Leaving Kensi still snoozing in the bed, he threw on a pair of LAPD sweats and ran to answer the door.

Several things flew through his head. First, it was curiosity. What were they doing here so early and on a weekend? Then it was embarrassment. Then a overwhelming sensation of 'Oh shit!', hoping that they wouldn't invite themselves in, for the bedroom door was still wide open.

Sure enough, Sam and Callen were in the doorframe, fully dressed and the team leader in the middle of drinking a hefty cup of coffee.

"You didn't answer your phone," Sam's first comment was.

"Gee, I wonder why," Deeks remarked, leaning against his door.

"Don't you get up now to go surfing before work anyways?" Callen pressed, stepping into the apartment.

"Not today," he mumbled shutting the door behind them.

"Late night?"

Deeks nodded, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Wait, then that could only mean…" Sam trailed off with his smirk slowly fading.

"You're doing the walk of shame!" Callen accused. "That's why Kensi didn't pick up either."

"Deeks, you and I are going to have a serious talk," Sam shoved a finger in his face. The Detective took it as more of a brotherly threat than clueing in to future bodily harm…he hoped.

"Okay, great. Now that we sorted that out…um, meet you back at Ops?" Deeks practically ushered them out the door. "Wait a second, doesn't Hetty not want me back on duty?"

"We need LAPD insight on this, and under no circumstances are you to be put back into the field," Callen relayed. "Be there in thirty."

"Got it. Bye. See ya. Sianara."

"Sounds like somebody's a little jumpy," Sam teased.

"Jumpy, not at all," Deeks deflected with his most charming smile. He blocked the doorway so they couldn't reenter. He was also sure that his face was hot with color by now.

"Definitely on edge," Callen chided, tossing a look towards Sam. "What you do in your spare time is none of our concern."

Sam nodded in agreement before adding with a threatening expression, "Unless of course it involves Kensi."

"Who also happens to be our little sister. Or if you start making out in the workplace."

"That'd be weird, inappropriate, and unprofessional," Sam added.

"Well, Deeks doesn't exactly need help in any of those areas," Callen teased.

"Alright guys, I get it. Now, please. See you in thirty, we promise not to be late."

Laughing, the two senior agents trotted down the stairs and climbed quickly into Sam's Charger. Deeks practically slammed the door after them, his cheeks red hot. He wondered what was so important that Hetty would be willing to take him out of leave for it. Not that he was complaining though, Deeks was excited and glad to get back into the office.

He entered the bedroom to find Kensi wide awake and sitting up in bed. The blush hadn't completely left her face either, Deeks noted with a inward smile. So at least he wasn't the only one completely embarrassed.

"Well…that was…um," he cleared his throat as if it would help to try to find the right words.

"Awkward," Kensi finished groggily, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, we better get ready then."

Without a second thought she walked over to Deeks's dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. Kensi had insured a few days ago that each of them had spare clothing changes at the other's apartment. With a grin, she remembered their conversation the night before. They would actually be moving in together.

They both rapidly dressed and grabbed a couple of granola bars for breakfast on the run. Deeks should have known not to let Kensi drive this early in the morning, for she stopped for a donut and coffee run despite his protests. It was seven thirty by the time the two pushed open the mission's doors.

Deeks felt a surge of happiness when he stepped foot into the bullpen. He genuinely missed everything about it. The open-plan workspace, fighting for leftovers in the kitchen with the team, an occasional whistle from Eric for them to go up to Ops, Hetty's watchful eye keeping tabs on them, but perhaps most importantly, the family dynamic that Callen, Sam, and (especially, for obvious reasons) Kensi had made for each other.

"Are you okay?" Kensi asked, placing a hand on his upper arm.

"Yeah," he grinned. "It's just good to be back. And I'm still relinquishing in the fact that we're gonna be moving in together."

"We'll talk about that more later. For now-"

"For now I would like to see you two in my office please," A voice interrupted them.

Kensi and Deeks both whipped around, knowing exactly who they would see. Sure enough, Hetty emerged from the shadows in the early morning light. She beckoned with a single finger before slowly turning and walking to her desk. The agents caught in headlights stole a glance at each other before obediently following.

"Take a seat," Hetty gestured with her arm towards the empty chairs as she sat in her own. "Tea?"

"No thank you," Kensi declined politely.

"Again, vacuum sealed in America preference," Deeks threw her his most charming smile.

Hetty didn't budge under the gesture that would have normally made Kensi's heart pound. She resisted the urge to kick him for being so aloof when they both were fully aware that a serious conversation was coming. Their boss's lips were pressed tightly together and eyes bored into theirs. It was a cool expression that usually was worn when she was angry at Granger. Kensi and Deeks squirmed in the uncomfortable silence for a couple minutes before Kensi dared to speak.

"What's this about?"

"You know very well what this is about, Ms. Blye," she accusingly pointed a finger at her.

"You're not mad at us, are you? I thought you were-" Deeks jumped in.

"Angry, no. Concerned? Yes. I need to know that my agents can be professional about this and obviously keep it out of the work place."

"We can and it will certainly be kept away from here, Hetty," Kensi assured.

"Mr. Deeks?"

He shrugged at first, causing Kensi's heart rate to skyrocket. What was he doing?

"I can promise that we will be professional and keep any touching out of Ops. I can't promise that I won't react differently to situations in the field, however."

"Deeks!" Kensi protested.

"You've always been honest with us, so I'm being honest with you now, Hetty. If Kensi's in danger, I can't promise that I'm going to go about it nonchalantly. I love her, and my first priority is always going to make sure that she's safe."

Kensi was unsure of how to shut him up. If he truly made Hetty believe that they couldn't function anymore as partners, then she might split them up. She was also angry at him for being so forthright with her. As much as Hetty was a mother figure to them, at this moment she was being a boss and not a member of their family.

"Thank you for being honest, Mr. Deeks. I expected nothing less," she finished with a smile. "Ms. Blye, I believe they are waiting for you up in Ops. Mr. Deeks, please stay for a moment or two?"

Kensi scooted out of her chair, throwing a nervous look down at them. She retreated back up in Ops and barely paid attention to the briefing for her mind was still downstairs.

"How are you recovering, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty questioned once Kensi was out of earshot.

"I'm fine, and I mean that in the full definition of the word. I actually wanted to talk to you about when I could come back to work."

"And therein lies the problem, I'm afraid."

"This has something to do with the case, doesn't it?"

Hetty steadily brought her beautifully designed teacup up to her mouth while Deeks impatiently waited for an answer. He had never seen the Mission this quiet before. Pale light flooded through the windows in the early dawn, the desks were undisturbed, and the placid air was not riddled with voices and telephones ringing.

"Does the name Daniel Rendeck sound familiar?"

Deeks nodded in earnest. "How could I forget? One of my first collars in the department. He was a backwashed navy officer who turned into a drug trafficker that had mastered the art of evading arrest. It took me three months to get close to him and bring him down."

"Unfortunately, Lieutenant Bates called me very early this morning regarding Mr. Rendeck. What your colleagues are being told upstairs I will brief you on now. Our drug trafficker is currently in the process of being released from prison in exchange for information on moles inside the LAPD and other agencies such as the FBI that have been working for him. The Lieutenant wanted to send you back undercover in attempt to weasel the information out of him before the hearing takes place."

"Then we would have our moles and he would no longer have anything to offer them…" Deeks trailed off quietly. "I was close to Rendeck but there's a huge chance that this wouldn't work."

"That's what I told him, Mr. Deeks. I don't like how the Lieutenant claims ownership over you. Therefore, I have a solution to this problem."

Deeks knew what was coming before Hetty slid a folder over to him. The forms for becoming an official NCIS agent. All they needed was his signature.

Confliction raged inside of him. Being a cop was always a part of who he was more than just a profession. It was a piece of his personality. But the threat of Bates being able to whisk him away at any moment. Away from the Office of Special Projects, from the team, and most importantly Kensi.

"If you were to sign these right now, this would be the last LAPD operation you would have to run."

Deeks nodded absentmindedly as he scanned the forms over a few more times. Without another moment's hesitation, he scribbled his signature and proudly handed it back over to her.

"Will I have to receive official training?"

"Because of your activity here in the last few years, no, that will not be necessary. You have always been one of our own, Mr. Deeks, and always will be."

"Thank you, Hetty. Now, tell me more about this operation."

"No! Absolutely not!" Kensi's voice was harshly raising.

Deeks understood her anger thoroughly. She was right. It was outrageous that Bates would even consider pulling him back into the operation. Although they had been careful during the initial arrest, something could have slipped. And they wouldn't know for sure. It wasn't as if they could ask him.

"Kens-"

"Don't tell me I'm being irrational about this either!"

He was now gripping the sides of the SRX tightly. The initial conversation had started as small talk, for all Kensi knew was that Deeks participated in a previous under cover assignment as one of Rendeck's close lieutenants by the name of James Neill. But as Deeks went into the conversation about his impending mission, the trip to a food truck and turned into a life-threatening solo car race.

"You're not-"

"Your cover could have been blown! Another criminal you took down could be there! Deeks, you can't do this!"

"Kensi!" he finally interrupted her string of anger. "This is my last LAPD Op, I swear."

She scoffed, "You can't be sure of that."

"Yeah, I can," Deeks looked her dead in the eye. He knew that Kensi would catch on in only a nanosecond of what he was referring to.

She pulled the car over a few spaces behind the food truck, and finally understanding passed through her eyes.

"Deeks, you mean you signed the forms to become an agent!?"

He nodded slowly as a grin of joy exploded over her face. She pulled him into a hungry kiss. As they broke, Kensi laughed, her soft breath tickling Deeks's face. They leaned in once more for a quicker one and both were grinning.

"Two weeks tops, and it's all over. No more LAPD, no more Bates."

"It's about time, dumbass," she chuckled.

He couldn't help but laugh as well.

Word had gotten around at Keelson State Prison that James Neill was being transferred there rapidly. At first, it was innocent rumors and hushed gossiping. Neill was almost as legendary as the man he was partnered with: Daniel Rendeck.

The story reached Rendeck almost instantaneously. He scoffed at that. It had been years since him and Neill were taken down during a meet where they were shipping in drugs from a cartel that worked south of the border. But then he overheard two new guards, a beefy African American talking to a shorter Caucasian male with piercing blue eyes about it.

"James Niell's getting transferred here," one had said.

"Thought they would keep him and Rendeck apart," the other had whispered.

"Guess not…"

So now, Rendeck spent every moment outside searching for any prisoner transport vehicle coming in with his dark emerald eyes. And finally, one day, he spotted his old friend and partner.

Sure enough, being led out of a back of a prisoner transport up the drive by a smoking hot brunette was James Neill. His hair had grown outrageously wild. Rendeck remembered it being much shorter and clean cropped back then. Now it was an unruly mess. Yet it was still Neill all the same. Too bad he was on his way out of jail. But then Daniel Rendeck thought, if he were to get Neill released as well, they could rebuild the massive drug empire they once had.

Deeks had went through all of the 'proper channels' as a new prisoner. Only Sam and Callen, who were undercover as security guards, and Kensi, who was now escorting him through the prison knew that he was a cop. The operation had been too high profile to allot any slip-ups that other guards or faculty might had. Although it was an LAPD op, Hetty would not allow Bates to use Deeks without their back-up. They came head to head arguing about whether Deeks would be able to go back into the field or not. As it was such high priority, Bates ultimately came on top for the last time.

It was dinner before he got to see any other incarcerated prisoners there. He put up the tough and rugged façade and dressed his face in a merciless scowl, warding off people from approaching him. James Neill didn't take to people kindly. Neill was a stuck-up, world class son of a bitch who only cared about business.

He took to full awareness of the whispers that surrounded him as he brought a tray back to a solitary table. But he wasn't thinking on the mission at the moment. He was thinking about how good it was to be back in the field again despite Hetty's many protests. She was right: Bates owned him.

Not for much longer... Deeks thought with a grin.

"James Neill. It has been a long time."

Deeks recognized the cold voice before even looking up. When he did, the man before him looked identical to when they last saw each other. Chiseled features, calculating eyes, and close-cropped raven hair.

"Too long," he commented. They shook each other's hands roughly as Rendeck took a seat across from him.

"How have you been enjoying the prison life?" Rendeck asked sarcastically, folding his hands in front of him.

Deeks shrugged and answered with his mouth still full, "Come on, Daniel. Let's skip the pleasantries. I need a way out. I heard you were getting out on some bullshit deal."

He grinned coldly, "Word gets around."

"What else is there to do?"

"I'll tell you what, James. I like you. Always have. We made great partners. I'll give you half of the names that I have which will give us enough time to get off the radar once we're out."

Deeks shrugged again as if he didn't care. It was part of James Neill's personality. "Alright, spill."

"Hold it there. This is too open. You have kitchen duty tomorrow?"

He nodded.

"Good. Welcome back to the game, James."

As James Neill and Daniel Rendeck were conversing, another onlooker was paying close attention to them. Oh yeah, he knew that the shaggy blond was a cop. He could never forget the day when he was arrested by him and other federal agents. That meant that whoever his alias was now, was playing Rendeck. The man smiled coldly with the dark eyes of his.

He might finally have his revenge. Rendeck would kill him no doubt once he found out. His blood would spill all over the white tile, and he would laugh as his lovely brunette partner despaired over the loss. He remembered the brunette well. Kensi. And he also remembered how in the few moments of the standoff how protective the blond was of her.

The man was quick to hide his face with his medium length hair as the blond looked his way, almost as if he sensed the impending danger.

Deeks is back and kicking! Guesses on who the mystery man is?