AN: Finally got caught up with all the PMs and reviews this week. Again, thanks for your patience. Moving forward I will do my best not to get (that far) behind again. Also, you will notice it's only been a week since my last update! Hopefully regular updates can continue.
There were important aspects of this episode to this chapter and to Deeks, so I had to include it, but for those who know the episodes well, you will notice I've simplified the plot. This was to focus more on Kensi/Deeks and the effect this case had on them then spend a lot of time explaining the case.
Episode 2.08 - Bounty
On the closing date of their house, Deeks is surprised that Hetty covers for himself and Kensi with the rest of the team. She tells Callen and Sam they are being sent to check in with a potential witness on an old case, while they actually drive together to pick up the key to their new home from their real estate lawyer.
They each sign their names to release the key and then the receptionist holds it out.
Deeks glances at his wife, who looks back at him, neither sure who should be the one to take it. He exhales a laughing breath and then reaches to take the key.
The metal is cool between his fingers. He stares at it for a long moment and then passes it into his wife's care.
"Wow," she murmurs. "We really bought a house."
He chuckles and presses his lips to the side of her head. "Yeah. We really did."
They thank the receptionist and then make their way out of the law office and into the parking lot. He stops her before she gets into the car.
"I love you," he whispers as he hooks his arms around her waist.
She smiles freely at him, her eyes sparkling. "I love you, too."
"We really bought a house."
She laughs and holds the key up between them. "Kind of awesome, huh?"
"Very awesome," he agrees.
She closes her eyes for a long moment and when she opens them, there is a sheen of tears. "I am so happy right now, Marty. I mean...a house."
"A house," he agrees. "Something permanent."
She blinks and a single tear trails down her cheek.
He raises his hand and brushes his thumb across her cheek. He loves his wife so much. And he knows exactly how much this means to her. He's actually surprised to feel his eyes sting, simply in response to the extreme emotion she is showing. "What we always wanted," he whispers.
"The next big step."
"I feel like we should do something to commemorate this moment."
She raises an eyebrow and waves the key between them. "Like, buy a keychain?"
He laughs out loud and ducks his head to kiss her. "Sounds perfect. But also..." He trails off as he pulls his phone from his pocket. He unlocks the screen and pulls up the camera.
"Good idea." She shifts so she's tucked in beside him, smiling and holding up the key.
He holds out his arm, aligning the phone for the best angle. He smiles and takes the picture.
He checks the photo and holds out the phone for them both to look. On the screen are two delightfully happy people, tucked together, key before them. Right on the cusp of taking this next step together.
"Perfect," Kensi says.
00
Deeks got home to the sound of his wife muttering to herself.
Before he could say a word there was a loud thud, followed by a series of bangs.
"You okay?" He called out, not entirely sure where she was.
"Fine," she called back. "I just..." She trailed off and came into his view, stepping out of the small storage closet. "I can't find anything in here."
He met her at the doorway to the closet, and made a face as he peered inside. It was packed floor to ceiling with boxes, bags and things too large to fit into a box or bag. There was just enough room for his slender wife to fit herself into the room, but the opening was so small, he doubted he could fit himself.
He snaked his arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "It is a little full."
She huffed a laugh and turned into his body, her hands reaching around his waist in a snug hug. He ran a hand up and down her spine. She settled against him and then tightened her grip around him ever so slightly. She shifted so her forehead was resting against his sternum, right below his chin. He frowned when he realized she was looking for comfort. Before he could ask, she spoke up.
"I think maybe we've outgrown this place," she whispered.
"You want to move?"
She took a moment, her forehead still resting against him, and then raised her head to look him in the eye. "We're both done school. We can afford a bigger place." She paused for a moment and cocked her head. "What do you think?"
He ducked his head to kiss her. "I think you're right. Maybe even a place with walls?" He joked. He'd loved his home with her over the past three years, but trading in the studio apartment for an apartment with more space and separate rooms was appealing.
She smiled softly at his joke, but her eyes welled with tears at the same time.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
She shook her head as she successfully blinked away the tears. "It's stupid. It's just... I've always known we would need to move on eventually, but this place is...home, you know?"
"I know." He kissed her again and then pressed his lips to her forehead, before tugging her close. He said nothing for a long moment as he held her tight to him. He knew how important this apartment was to her; knew how much the stability had meant to her after so many years of having none. Even before her life had fallen apart, she'd been moved from base to base, following her father's marine career. For her, three years in one place was a lot.
"You're right," he finally told her. "We do need to move on. We've outgrown this place. But wherever we go, we go together, hmm? You and me."
She nodded against him. "You and me."
"And one day, Kens, we're going to live somewhere permanently," he promised. "Maybe buy a house. Settle down. Grow roots and all that."
He got the laugh he was hoping for. "I like that idea," she said. She sighed and relaxed against him. "I like it a lot."
00
After work, Kensi and Deeks drive to the house, excited to see it for the first time as theirs.
They meet Kensi's mom, who has picked up Monty.
Deeks isn't sure who is more excited; Julia or Monty.
The dog leaps from the car the moment Julia opens the door and runs towards his parents. After a quick greeting, he runs a few excited laps around the front yard and then jumps up the steps to the porch and barks at them.
"I swear, that dog understands more than we'll ever know," Julia says as she walks towards them.
Deeks watches with a soft smile as Julia hugs her daughter.
"I'm so excited for you, Kensi. And I'm so proud."
"Thanks, mom."
Julia releases her daughter and turns to Deeks. She pulls him into a now familiar hug. "I'm so excited for you both."
"Thanks, Julia," he says.
She smiles at him as she releases him.
"Ready for a tour?" Kensi asks.
"Very much so. But first..." She pulls a camera out of her pocket. "Everyone should have that first house photo."
Deeks can already imagine the picture of him and Kensi posing on the front porch of their first house, along with Monty, framed and added to their collection, even as he stands with his wife and smiles for the camera.
00
Monday morning comes all too soon.
The weekend had felt both too long and too short at the same time. They had spent it ripping up carpets and tearing down outdated wallpaper.
"My fingers hurt," Kensi grouses as they eat their breakfast together. "Have I mentioned that?"
He chuckles. "Only a few dozen times."
She holds up her hands for emphasis and wiggles her fingers. He thinks she looks like she's attempting to display 'spirit finger' but knows better than to say that out loud to his wife. Instead he smiles to himself, taken aback as always by how adorable she can be.
"I didn't know it was actually possible to feel so much pain in my fingers..." She adds.
"We got a lot done," he reminds.
She nods. "I wasn't leaving until the last strip of stupid wallpaper was down last night."
He laughs out loud. "Stupid wallpaper?"
"Yes. And for the future, we are only ever having painted walls. I am never tearing down wallpaper again. Ever."
"Agreed." His hands hurt, too.
She finishes her orange juice and then groans when she glances at the time. "We have to leave soon."
He nods his agreement, knowing if they're both late that will only look suspicious to Callen and Sam.
And they can't have that. He feels his lighthearted mood slip at the reminder that within an hour he has to hide his marriage. Again.
"I wish we could take the week off to work on the house," she admits.
"That would be nice," he agrees.
"But it would look too suspicious if we took time off at the same time," she continues.
"Can't have that," he adds, trying to keep any bitterness out of his tone. He knows his wife is used to hiding her marital status at work, has known that since she joined this team. And, to an extent, he's used to it, too. He only ever admitted to being married once when he was undercover, and it was a unique situation. Not to mention, it was one of his first assignments and he would know better now.
But when he was at his precinct, he got to be open about being married. He got to wear his ring to work. Outside of undercover work, he never had to hide his marital status.
He hates not being able to be open now. He loves his wife and he's proud of their strong marriage.
He didn't mind the secret at first. And he understood and even agreed with Kensi's concerns. He had no issue with waiting until he settles in with the team. But he's been working with the team for just shy of four months now. He's been trying to make headway with Callen and Sam, but the older men's behaviour towards himself is inconsistent at best. Sometimes they're friendly, sometimes they're no more than cordial, and sometimes they simply dismiss him as being relevant. Sam, especially seems to take pleasure in knocking him down a few pegs when the mood strikes him.
On his good days, he jokes with them, keeping it light hearted. He falls into playing the carefree cop.
But on his less than good days, he snaps back at Sam. He pokes at the older agent until he gets a reaction. He knows exactly what buttons to press and he plays the game of how many times he can press them. He knows its immature at best, but with no other way to defend himself, he falls into the pattern.
He finds himself more and more impatient to disclose their marriage to the team. But where Kensi wants him accepted by the team first, Deeks doesn't know when or if that will ever actually happen. He wants to be able to defend himself to Sam's snarks about responsibility and relationships. He wants to be able to show that he's committed to his wife, that he's a good husband.
On his bad days, he wants to see the look of shock in Callen and Sam's eyes.
Kensi meets his eyes, hers shining with concern, not having missed the bitterness in his tone. "Marty..."
He forces a smile to his face. "Sorry. I'm just..." He trails off for a moment. "I'm just feeling impatient."
She stares at him for a long moment and then stands and makes her way around the table. She leans down and hugs him as best she can from the awkward angle. Unable to hug her back, he grips to her forearm where it crosses his chest.
"I want to tell them, too," she tells the top of his head. "I just want..."
"I know," he says softly. He shifts and she moves to accommodate him. When he can meet her eyes, he reaches to brush a few strands of hair from her face. "I just don't know that the picture you have in your head will ever actually happen."
She nods. "I get that now." She sighs. "I just wanted you to feel what I feel at work."
"You're cute," he tells her, standing to be able to kiss her.
"I don't know how to fix this," she tells him. Then she sighs heavily, defeated. "If you want, we can just tell them."
He kisses her again. "I can wait."
"Marty-"
He cuts her off with another kiss, successfully making her laugh when he practically swallows the words she was going to say. "Let's focus on the house right now. This should be a happy time. Once we're settled, let's talk, okay?"
She nods. "Okay."
Thinking they're done, he moves to pick up their dishes and head to the sink, but her hands catch his arm and tug him back towards her. "This isn't just my decision," she says softly. "If you ever feel like it's the right time to tell them, you go ahead, okay? I'll be right there with you."
00
The morning starts off fairly quiet. With no case, they leave Callen and Sam in the bullpen and head for the shooting range.
Deeks notices his wife smiling softly on the short walk to the shooting range, and then again when they enter the room.
"What?"
She tries, somewhat successfully, to stifle her smile. "Nothing."
"Seriously. What?"
She glances at him as she begins to prepare her weapon, the smile back on her face. "I just...like that we do this together now. Before you started working here, it had been a long time. Do you remember the first time?"
"The first time we went to a shooting range together?"
She nods.
He smiles at the memory. "I do. It was a good day." He'd always known she wanted to be a federal agent, and had known that would mean she would be carrying a weapon. And he had been okay with that. He just hadn't wanted any part of it himself. He had hated guns and everything they had represented in his life thus far.
She'd always been open with him when she headed to the shooting range to practice. She had never kept it a secret from him, and she had never made him feel bad for not wanting anything to do with it.
She had never asked or pushed him to join her and had never taken her weapons out when he was around.
And then one day he had just decided to make a new memory. She had left for the shooting range with her gun case in hand. He had watched her go and spent the better part of an hour wondering what it would be like; to shoot a gun for practice or recreation instead of the horrible reasons he had experienced.
She had been understandably surprised when he asked if he could join her some time. A week later, she had taken him to a shooting range for the first time and he had fired a gun for the second time; the first time since he was eleven years old.
It was a powerful moment. And a powerful memory now. He had expected to be nervous, had expected flashbacks and memories of that fateful day. But Kensi was a comforting presence. She helped him replace his one bad memory with a good one. One good memory became several as he began to join her periodically.
All these years later, he still remembers that first time. And when he thinks about what moved him to stop being a lawyer and become a cop, he knows that first good memory started him on that path.
"You also kicked my ass," he adds, making her laugh.
"I still kick your ass," she retorts. "Every time."
He makes a show of scoffing. "I'd like to see you try."
"Challenge accepted." Her eyes flash with excitement and determination. He smiles back, overwhelmed again with how adorable she can be now that her competitive nature has been triggered.
They don eye and ear protection and proceed with the first round of their competition.
She, of course, wins.
For the second round, they shoot with their off hands.
The results are close and they call it a tie. She's not quite as good with her off hand as her dominant hand, but he's almost equal with his. He jokes that he's ambidextrous, but only Kensi knows how close to the truth that is. As a child, he had a lot of practice using his left hand over his right, so he had developed off handed skills in general at an early age. Probably the only positive result of his father having broken his right arm twice in two years.
For the third round, he changes it up.
"Alright, behind the back, standing on one leg, double tap, center mass." He turns sideways to the target, tucks his right hand behind his back and fires twice.
Kensi raises an eyebrow when he turns to her, smiling. "When would that ever be a shot I would have to take?"
"Right now," he retorts easily. "Unless you're afraid to lose..."
He knows he has her; it's how he usually talks her into ridiculous shots. When challenged, she just can't say no.
She huffs and copies his shooting posture. She fires twice.
They retrieve their targets and Deeks cheers when he sees he's won.
She scoffs. "I object to this round. That was not a valid position to take a shot from."
"And yet, wife of mine, you participated. That means you lose."
Kensi grumbles, which he finds absolutely adorable.
"Fine. What's next?"
"I picked the last one. You pick."
"How about we switch?"
"We already did that," he reminds holding up his gun with his left hand.
She shakes her head. "Not hands. Guns."
He makes a show of sighing. "Kensiii," he whines. "You know I hate your sig."
"Hand it over," she demands, holding out her hand.
She huffs, but passes his Beretta into her care. He makes a face as he takes the sig.
They both fire and then retrieve their targets.
Deeks loses round four.
Kensi laughs almost gleefully as she takes down her target. "That was fun. I actually like how your gun fires."
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," he says lightly. "It's mine."
"I thought what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours?" She jokes.
He places her sig down and then crowds into her space. She laughs and pretends to fight him off, but easily allows him to take his Beretta back from her. "I let you borrow it once in a while," he tells her. "And you know you're the only person I've ever let fire it."
She stretches up on her tiptoes and pecks him on the lips. "I know."
He smiles down at her, surprised she'd kiss him at work.
She seems to realize what she's done at the same time and blushes slightly.
"I probably shouldn't have done that."
He shrugs, but backs out of her space. "I have no problem with it." He puckers his lips. "You can kiss me any time, Kensalina."
She laughs and places her hand across his face, using it to push him back a step. "You know I hate that name."
"You love it," he counters.
"Just because I love you, doesn't mean I love every stupid thing you say."
He cocks his head. "I'm not sure whether to be delighted or offended by that."
She laughs again. "Be delighted. And stop calling me Kensalina."
He smiles at the sound of the nickname on her own lips. "Never."
00
The case of the day starts out simply enough. Thomas Booth, an Army Sergeant turned Delta Force operator, has disappeared. His car was found the previous evening in a parking garage. He had a small video camera on his dashboard, which was analyzed and caused the case to be assigned to them. The video footage showed him being abducted by two men.
To add to the importance of finding Booth, his service record shows a number of highly classified, joint task force operations. His unit had been responsible for hunting down high value targets in Afghanistan. He had also put in for retirement two months earlier and the abduction took place on the first day he was considered a civilian.
"Well, something's going on here," Callen says what they're all thinking. "Sam and I will meet with the rest of Booth's unit. You two look into leads on the kidnappers."
"On it," Deeks says. He follows his wife from OPs. Eric had ruled out all but one vehicle caught leaving the garage, so they start there. Eric sends them the location of the car. A search of the area leads them to an empty lot with a pair of old, broken down cars. Unfortunately, they find Booth's body in one of the cars.
Kensi calls in their find to Callen as Deeks takes pictures, frowning at the obvious signs of torture.
"The body's in bad shape," he hears Kensi relay to Callen. "Clear signs of torture." She pauses, listening. "Mm-hmm, looks professional. And whatever information they wanted from him, we think he gave up." She pauses again. "Looks like he was killed with a shot to the head. Mercy kill." She pauses again, longer this time. "Alright, we'll let you know."
She ends the call and turns back to him. "We're to wait for forensics to show up. Callen and Sam got a possible lead. Apparently, Booth had a volatile relationship with his son."
"How old?"
"Eighteen."
Deeks sighs. "I really hope it wasn't the son."
While Kensi and Deeks wait for a forensics team, Callen and Sam speak with Booth's son, Brandon. They only get part way through an interview with the eighteen year old when they are attacked and Brandon takes off.
As Callen and Sam track down leads from their partial interview, Kensi and Deeks manage to track down Brandon Booth. He's scared and agitated, walking alone along a mostly empty sidewalk.
Brandon stops when Kensi and Deeks approach him. "Do you want to talk about my dad, too?" He demands. "Because the last time someone asked about him, I almost got killed."
Deeks immediately recognizes Brandon's anger for what it is; defeat and fear. He had lost his mother a few years ago and is now dealing with the loss of his father, a man who was supposed to be a parent but whom he could never count on. Deeks can relate.
"We're just here to make sure you're safe," Deeks says, speaking first. "You don't have to talk about your dad if you don't want to. God knows I'm not talking about mine." He adds the last comment, knowing it will pull Brandon to relate to him. He motions to Kensi. "You feeling like talking about your dad, Kensi?"
"Not a chance," Kensi responds, following his lead flawlessly.
"See?" Deeks says to Brandon. "We're all on the same page."
Brandon nods. "I live a few blocks from here."
"All right, we'll give you a ride," Kensi says.
Brandon agrees and follows them without incident to the car. Kensi drives them to Brandon's apartment. Once they arrive, Deeks takes Brandon inside and ensures it's safe while Kensi does a perimeter check.
"It's clear, Kensi," he calls through his comm.
"It's clear out here," she responds immediately. "I'm coming around."
"Okay."
He makes his way back to Brandon, who is sifting through items on his desk. Looking for any information possible, Deeks notices a blue card envelope sitting on top of a pile of mail.
"Someone's birthday?" He asks.
Brandon huffs. "Yeah, it's my dad's handwriting. Only a week late this time. So typical."
"You going to open it?"
"No." Brandon picks up the card and tosses it into the garbage bin.
Deeks sighs as he watches the defeated younger man. "You know, I know what it's like-"
Brandon scoffs. "What's like?" He asks, challenging Deeks.
Deeks meets his gaze evenly. "To be alone. To have had a father I couldn't ever count on. To lose my mother. To finish high school and be forced to either do something for myself or suffer forever."
Brandon glances away from him and then looks back warily, clearly thrown off that Deeks had read him so easily. "You don't know me."
He shrugs. "No, I don't. But I know enough to have an opinion here." He pauses for a moment to make sure Brandon is listening. "I was angry, too. I was angry and beaten down and felt like I didn't matter to anyone. But I forced myself to move forward anyway, to prove wrong everyone who thought I could never make anything of myself." He pauses again. "And it was the best thing I ever did."
Brandon looks away again, his attention on the desk between them.
"I'm not trying to preach to you," Deeks tells him. "I'm just saying there's another way to live. A way where you don't have to be alone." He remembers with great clarity the loneliness he had lived with for too long, and once he started school, he had been surrounded, but still shielded himself from being too close to anyone. If you didn't grow attached, no one could hurt you.
But then he had met Kensi. And she changed his world. He didn't have to be alone and he didn't have to be afraid.
"Yeah, maybe," Brandon mutters.
Deeks nods, and then turns when he hears the door open behind him.
"We good?" Kensi asks.
Deeks nods. "We're good." He turns back to Brandon. "We'll leave you here, but stay inside. If I come back looking for you and you're not here, you know I'll find you."
"Okay," Brandon says. He turns and heads into the kitchen.
Deeks watches him go and then ducks down to lift the card out of the garbage pail. Kensi shoots him a questioning look, but he waves her off, not wanting to discuss it in Brandon's earshot.
Once they're in the car, Kensi glances at him. "You want to explain that?"
"Birthday card from his dad. A week late. He didn't want to open it."
"And tossed it," she says, following along.
"Yup." He runs his finger under the flap, trying to open the card with as little damage to the envelope as possible.
"And you swiped it because...?"
He pulls the card out and then glances at his wife. "I just...have a feeling it could be important." He opens the card. Other than the printed 'Happy Birthday' inside, it's blank and unsigned. But tucked inside the card is a picture of a young boy and his father, smiling at the camera.
"Brandon and Thomas Booth?" Kensi questions.
He nods. "I think so."
"Odd that he would send that now. And without any notes."
He nods as he lifts the photo to examine it. "It's also a newly printed photo. No creases or anything. And considering how old Brandon looks in that photo, it wasn't taken on a digital camera, so there must be a reason it was just printed now." He glances at his wife. "Maybe Eric will find something?"
She nods. "Let's get back to OPs."
Deeks's hunch turns out to be right. Eric finds a hidden message in the photo, leading to the location of a terrorist high ranking in the Taliban. Thomas Booth, knowing he may be killed, had sent the information to his son, knowing if he was killed, NCIS would investigate and find the information.
Within a few hours, Callen and Sam are on a plane to Afghanistan with Booth's former team to hunt down the Taliban official and people responsible for Booth's death.
Left behind again, Kensi and Deeks finish their reports before heading out.
"Apartment or the house?" Kensi asks.
He smiles softly at his wife, enjoying the fact that they can talk freely while the rest of the team is away. "It's still early. Let's see what we can get done at the house tonight." Although they don't have to get everything done before they move in, he knows it'll be easier to do as much as they can first.
"Sounds good."
"Yeah. It does." He takes a moment to stare at the woman he loves more than anything in the world, reminding himself of how much he has in his life now that he didn't when he was Brandon's age.
"You good?" Kensi asks.
He nods. "I'm good. I just have a stop I need to make on the way home. Do you want to pick up Monty and I'll meet you at the house?"
"Sure. Where are you stopping?"
He picks up the card and photo from his desk. "Someone needs a little hope in his life."
She smiles softly at him, her eyes filled with empathy. Although they had both spent several formative years without fathers, she had had a great relationship with a great father before losing him. He had had neither. She knows the struggle he went through to want to make something of his life after high school. And he knows she knows he may just be able to reach Brandon Booth.
"I'm glad you care so much, Marty," she tells him. She pads over to him and reaches to grip his forearm. "Take your time. Monty and I will meet you at the house."
"I'll pick up dinner on my way," he offers.
"Sounds great."
Once Kensi is gone, Deeks picks up a pen. He hesitates a few times, stuck on what to write, before finally settling on something that would leave a mark on Brandon Booth. I wish I tried harder, Love Dad, he writes on the back of the photo.
He waves the photo back and forth to make sure the ink is dry, and then he tucks it back into the card and slides the card into the envelope.
Brandon is home when Deeks walks up to his door.
"Hey, what's up?"
Deeks hesitates slightly, hoping he's made the right decision. "Hey, um, I just came to give you this." He passes the card to Brandon.
Brandon takes the card and shoots a glare at Deeks. "I threw this out for a reason."
"I know. And I'm not saying you have to open it, all right? All I'm doing is giving you another chance if you feel like it."
Brandon stares at him for a long moment, saying nothing. Then he slowly opens the envelope and pulls out the card. His expression falls at the unsigned card, but he pauses when he flips over the photo. His eyes well ever so slightly and his jaw tightens.
Deeks stays quiet, knowing from Brandon's expression that he had made the right decision.
"He actually..." Brandon starts, but trails off.
Deeks nods along, knowing there are several possible endings for Brandon's words. He passes Brandon a card with his number on it. "If you ever need anything, even just to talk, don't hesitate to call."
Brandon takes the card, his attention still mostly on the photo. "Thank you."
00
Deeks picks up dinner - burgers, which he figures is the easiest thing for them to eat at the house where there are no plates and no cutlery yet - and heads to the house. Kensi's car is in the driveway, and he smiles when he pulls his car up next to hers.
Their driveway. And their house.
He can't wait to actually move in. He wants to build this new home with her. He wants to settle in and give her more stability than she's ever known. He wants that stability for himself. Not a temporary rental, but a permanent home that they own.
He makes his way inside. Kensi is playing music from the small stereo that had made its way to the new house over the weekend.
He rolls his eyes at the techno music she loves for some reason unfathomable to him.
"Honey, I'm home," he calls over the music.
There is a pause before she appears from the living room. She practically beams at him. "How very traditional of us, with the husband coming home at the end of the work day..."
He chuckles and leans down to kiss her. Then he raises the bag of burgers for emphasis. "If we were really traditional, you would have a home cooked meal prepared. I wouldn't be bringing home burgers."
"I could make a home cooked meal, you know," she challenges. "I just know you wouldn't eat it."
He narrows his eyes at her. "Wouldn't eat it or couldn't eat it...?"
She swipes at his shoulder, laughing openly. "I am not that bad!"
He hooks his arm around her waist as he leads her to the kitchen. They don't have a table here yet, but there is a breakfast bar and stools.
"Where's Monty?"
"Backyard," she tells him. "He loves it here."
He presses his lips to the side of her head before releasing her. "I love it here, too."
"Me, too," she says, reaching up to tug him down for a proper kiss. "It's going to be amazing when we're done with these changes." They've already picked out new flooring - new carpets upstairs, hardwood floors for the main floor, and tile in the kitchen and bathrooms - which will all be installed over the next week, prior to their move. Although they couldn't admit to Julia that they can't both take time off because they work together and their coworkers don't know they're married, Julia knows them both to be busy at work and had offered to be available and at the house for installation and deliveries. At the end of the week, they are set to receive their new appliances, and early the following week, some furniture they had ordered.
They hope to get most if not all of the painting done in the next week, too.
And then it's finally moving day.
"Our perfect home," he agrees.
She releases him and helps him to divvy up the burgers and fries.
"How did it go with Brandon?"
"Good, I think."
"You were really good with him today," she tells him. "You reached him when Callen and Sam couldn't. And I don't think I could have either."
Deeks shrugs. "We have some things in common."
She surprises him when she leans into him and rests her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad you were able to figure things out for yourself, Marty. I can't imagine my life now if I hadn't met you."
He turns his neck and ducks his head to kiss the top of her head. "I can't imagine not having you in my life either." He sighs. "I can still remember what it was like to feel so alone in the world."
She lifts her head from his shoulder and turns to look him in the eye. "Well, you're not alone anymore. And you helped Brandon feel less alone today."
"I hope so."
"I know so," she says, her faith in him making him feel stronger like it always does. "I know how hard you try to help people, Marty. I know you were able to reach him."
"I... I think I did," he says quietly.
"You are a good man, Marty Deeks," she tells him. "And a good husband." She pauses for a moment. "And...I think you'll be a good father one day."
He feels his brow furrow. "You think I'll be a good father?"
She huffs a laugh and covers for face with her hands for a few seconds. When she pulls them away, she's laughing openly. "That is not what I meant to say. Well, it's what I meant to say, just not how it was supposed to sound." She shakes her head. "I mean, I know you'd be a good father. And I think..." She trails off for a moment to take a breath. "I think you'll be a father."
He feels his heart speed up at her words. He's spent all of their marriage knowing he wants to have kids with her, but also knowing there's a good chance she'll never want kids. He's never pushed and he's never asked her to put his needs or wants above her own. And he's known he'll be okay without kids as long as he has her, but having her and having kids with her is his absolute number one dream.
"Really?" He asks softly. He hears his voice crack, but he can't begin to care.
She nods, tears welling in her eyes, knowing what this means to him. "I've been thinking about it more and more," she admits. "I'm not ready right now, but I... I think... I think we can do this. Together."
He exhales shakily and wraps both arms around her. "Together we can do anything," he whispers fiercely.