Anonymous: "It's me or him Kens. I've given you enough chances. If you would rather be with him then I'm done. Just say the word."


Her throat tightens and suddenly the room is so quiet, so completely and utterly silent that she can hear waves crashing against the shore at the beach down the street.

Kensi opens her mouth to say something, anything that might save herself, or better yet save them. But her head feels like it's underwater and she's paralyzed by the same fear that's held her back so many times before- the fear of saying the wrong thing. The fear of making the wrong choice.

He swallows, nodding slowly as he looks to the floor. "I don't know what silence means, Kens."

His short sentence provides her with a fleeting chance to get her thoughts in order. How is any of this even a question? Kensi knows that it shouldn't be.

She takes a breath, swipes at a tear as it runs down her cheek and says- "It means I want you to stay."

Deeks' head shoots up and he stares at her, not saying a word. Clearly he wasn't expecting her decision to be quite so cut and dry.

"I love you," she whispers. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry about all of this." She looks from him to the floor and then back again. His eyes are damp. "I always wanted him to show up again, you know? I always wanted him to find me. But then he did and I… I just wish he'd never bothered coming back."

Deeks blinks slowly- thinking. Then before Kensi can do or say anything he's across the room, his arms wrapped tightly around her neck. Her chest heaves and he just holds on tighter.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, because she is. She's sorry that Jack came back, she's sorry that she doubted him, and she's sorry that he's stuck in the middle of this mess. Her mess.

"Shhh," he murmurs, closing his eyes. In his mind, Kensi doesn't need to apologize, as she has no reason to be sorry. "It's okay."

"Are you sure?" she asks, her words muffled by the cotton fabric of his tee shirt.

He nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm sure."