Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Alessia Clarice (Guest), LKK (Guest), French fan (Guest), Petunia3116 and Beststoriesever (Guest) for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, it takes place at the end of season 2, episode 9 'Absolution'. I hope you like it, and I'm sorry. I promise I will make it all better soon?
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA nor any of the lines I have taken from the show.
Callen tried really hard to put all thoughts of Marty and Kensi from his mind for the rest of the day and instead concentrate on the case. It wasn't easy, but luckily it was helped along by the strange behaviour of Hetty, that diverted his focus unintentionally by how she seemed to keep disappearing. And when the two sets of partners did meet up again to discuss the case, he could detect none of underlying emotions he had seen earlier that day in his lover. Though Callen wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Especially considering from what he could see Marty was purposefully trying not to catch his eye. That did not bode well in Callen's mind, it added to his unease and worries, added evidence to his idea that Marty didn't want him anymore.
Finally the day came to an end, and Callen was looking forward to going back to Marty's apartment and for them to spend some time together. He was hoping he would have a chance to talk to the younger man about all the things he couldn't get out of his head. Namely why Kensi drove him in today and what had happened to make the guy uncomfortable this morning, and why he wouldn't meet his eyes any more. Of course that plan went out of the window with the words Marty spoke as the agents all packed up to go home after rescuing Hetty from some crazed old cold war enemy of hers. Callen really didn't like that guy. No one threatened Hetty. Ever. At least the guy was locked up, for now. Huh, maybe Marty did have the right idea after all with his suggestion.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I could use a drink." Deeks said he shut down his laptop trying really hard not to stare at G who was sitting opposite him. He had been walking round on eggshells all day trying to make sure that he didn't give anything away to Kensi about who it was he was with. But damn it was hard. He liked sitting there staring at the man he loved while G got that little crease on his forehead from having to write reports. It was just too cute. He also liked being able to share small secret smiles across the bullpen with G. But no, not anymore. Now he needed to watch himself. Which was pretty much why he could do with a drink right now. It was seriously hard work not looking at the man he loved.
"You'd be better off getting a good nights sleep." Kensi replied with a smirk as she wondered if Deeks would be seeing his boyfriend that evening. Though she guessed not if he was thinking of going out for a drink. In that case he probably would need a good night's sleep to make up for the amount he would surely miss the next time he did see his man.
"Don't let alcohol be your chosen form of stress management." Sam interjected, though in truth he was hoping Deeks would get the hint and go home with G. His partner needed to have a talk with the younger man, work out whatever it was that had been on his mind all day. He needed G to be back and focused the next day, not distracted by trying to work out what was wrong with his other half yet refusing to talk to him.
"I'm not stressed man, but I am buying."
Well, maybe it would be good for Deeks to have a few drinks before he and G spoke. Help loosen him up a bit. "Then I'm in." Sam replied simply. He wasn't going to pass up the chance of having Deeks buy him a few beers, even if he and G did need to talk.
"Me too." Eric said from where he was standing at the entrance to the bullpen.
"Nell, that means you have to come too. I can't be the only woman in this group." Kensi responded turning to the intelligence analyst who had been standing quietly next to her.
At that Nell was surprised. She had never been invited out on team drinks before. "Really? Okay." She replied with a smile, glad to have found a place within this mesh of people, who were all so good at their jobs.
"Looks like you're the designated driver, G." Sam said over to his partner.
Callen had been sitting there watching Hetty, trying to make sure she was okay without asking her the question he knew she wouldn't want to hear. But at Sam's words he turned back to the team, his eyes automatically going to Marty first before fliting over to his partner who was sitting next to him.
"Nice. If that's the case I'm gonna check with Hetty and see if she wants to make it the magnificent seven." Callen replied standing up. It would give him a reason to go and make sure she was okay, and hopefully show her that they were there for her. Yeah, going out for team drinks would be good, and he could talk to Marty later. And hey by then, maybe he could convince Marty he really was the best person for him to be with without saying much at all. Let his body do the talking. Of course there was always the idea that there was a simple explanation for it all. I mean, Marty wouldn't cheat on him with his partner, he was sure of that. Really he was.
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Callen walked up to Hetty who was finishing up at her desk. It only took her one look at his face to know what her boy was thinking, even if he wasn't saying the words just standing there looking at her.
"I'm all right Mr Callen, thank you for not asking." She said with a small smile as she heard the rest of the team make their way out of the building.
"I just wanted to see if you wanna join us for a drink, I'm driving." Callen replied with an innocent look on his face even if they both knew it was just an excuse for him to come over and check on her.
"A more generous, inviting offer, I can't imagine. But I have plans. Go. Be with your man and have fun." Hetty responded a look of deep affection in her eyes as she stared up at the younger man.
"Are you sure? Marty's buying." Callen replied, not really caring how much trouble, nor how much money, that offer could set his lover back. He would repay him, somehow, hopefully.
"Yes Mr Callen. I am sure." Hetty chuckled at his words. Before they shared one more look, a silent conversation passing between them before Callen turned with a nod and walked away. Leaving Hetty to her nightly plans while he went and joined his team and his lover, wondering if he would be able to get away with any subtle flirting during the evening while surrounded by investigators. He needed to make sure that Marty knew he still cared, that he thought of him as still his boyfriend.
The evening did not go as Callen hoped it would. In fact it went very much in the way he never wanted to see again. It started fine, with Deeks getting them all drinks as they found a table to sit at, Callen manoeuvring it so he was sitting beside Marty. Though considering both Sam and Eric were trying to make that happen too, it was much easier than he had thought it would be. The only stumbling block was the women with them, what with Kensi sitting on Marty's other side, with Nell next to her. Callen didn't particularly like where Kensi was sitting, or how close to his man she was, but it wasn't like he could order her away from him now was it?
And so they all sat there and they talked and joked, and generally had a good time, with Deeks holding pretty much every conversation with ease. He and Callen sat a respectable distance from each other above the table, but below it was another story. They had their legs pressed firmly against each other's, and they even managed to make it so they could link fingers under the table without anyone being aware of what they were doing. Well Sam was, but they both knew that that didn't really count.
It wasn't until the third round drinks had been consumed and they were working their way down the fourth that things started to change. Kensi, now being aware that Deeks flirtation with her was just a ruse to keep his boyfriend hidden, no longer had any issues with not returning the gestures. Therefore in the hopes of keeping the rest of the team off the trail of who it was Deeks really cared for, and because she might have been a little tipsy, Kensi decided to do just that.
So when Deeks made one of his typical remarks she didn't hit him or tell him to shut up as she usually did. No, instead she laughed as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close, giving him a lopsided hug before draping her body over his. She had played the part of the drunken girlfriend enough times in the past with Callen to be able to do it easily with Deeks, even going so far as to plant kisses on his cheek.
Callen couldn't believe what he was seeing. Hell he couldn't even understand what was going on. For one, there was no way Kensi was that drunk, and two, why was Marty allowing it? Why wasn't he finding a way out of her arms? Okay so he couldn't tell her about them, but surely he could think of something to say to get her off him… unless he didn't want her off.
With that thought all the mess of emotions he had been trying to push away all day descended upon him. Making him wonder, making him ask himself if it was possible that Kensi was exactly where Marty wanted her to be. Sure when he caught Marty's eyes the guy looked uncomfortable, but then anyone would be right? When they are sitting next to the man they were supposedly in a relationship and the woman they wanted was all over them. The pain that thought caused made Callen want to do nothing more than leave the bar and never come back, but he couldn't. He was the one driving everyone home.
Oh god, what if Marty wanted to go Kensi's house that night? He didn't think he could cope with that. To be honest he wasn't sure he could cope with what was going on right next to him either. But he had to. He had to sit there and watch, sit there and feel Marty's body pressed up against his while Kensi was draped across the chest he had only this morning run his hands across. And however much he tried to look away, he found himself unable to do so. Unable to not watch as she touched his man and Marty did little to stop her. And every touch felt like another stab in his chest, another nail in the coffin of his and Marty's relationship.
Deeks on the other hand was trying to find a way, anyway, to get out of the situation he found himself in. He tried moving away from Kensi, leaning towards G, but she seemed to follow him. Oh this was so not good.
He could feel the emotions rolling of the man next to him, anger and jealously, and that hurt. Didn't G know that Kensi had no chance? Didn't he realise that he was the only one he cared about? The only one he wanted touching him in anyway? How could he think that he wanted anything to do with Kensi in a romantic way? She was his partner, and that was it. Oh, he knew what she was doing and why, she was trying to help his cover by flirting back. But it wasn't like he could tell her why that was a really bad idea. The only thing he could think of was to gently prize her hands off his chest hopefully without everyone noticing and whispering in her ear to cool it. Telling her that his boyfriend would not be happy to hear someone else had touched him. That seemed to work some, she did stop running her hands over his body, but her arms stayed round his neck and from what he could tell from the look in G's eyes the damage had already been done. He just hoped he had a chance to explain, to tell G what was going on. A chance to win him back and to convince him to give them another go. A chance to prove to G that he was the only one he wanted now and forever. A chance to give him a reason so he would never doubt him again.
The sooner they left this bar and talked the better. Deeks just hoped that G would listen.
