A/N: I'm not super happy with this one, but it'll have to do.


"Karina, I can't thank you enough for coming in last minute," Deeks said. The young woman behind the bar finished setting up a tray of glasses and turned back to Deeks and replied,

"Oh, no problem, Marty. I wasn't doing anything important anyway." She tucked a strand of short blonde hair behind her ear with a smile and turned back to her work.

In the last few months, business at The Squid and the Dagger had picked up which had necessitated hiring an additional bartender. Karina was in her mid-twenties, extremely hard-working and way more energetic than Kensi could ever remember being.

She also happened to have a massive crush on Deeks.

"Well, I still appreciate it," Deeks insisted, carrying a bin full of dirty dishes to the sink. "And there will be something extra on your next paycheck."

"You know you guys don't have to do that, Marty," Karina protested. She tracked Deeks movements avidly, apparently unaware that Kensi had noticed. If she had, Kensi knew she would have been horrified. "I'm happy to help out."

"We insist," Kensi spoke up.

"Ok, but don't go crazy like last time. I don't want the bar going bankrupt over me."

"Deal." Deeks grinned and Karina's answering smile was blinding. "Now get out of here, Kensi and I can finish up."

After Karina left, Kensi watched Deeks puttering around the bar, wiping down surfaces and shelving spare glasses. She felt a wave of fondness, followed by, inexplicably, melancholy as she observed the fine muscles in his back and arms flex with each movement.

"She likes you, you know." Deeks turned his head at her comment.

"Of course she does, we're nice people," he said reasonably. Kensi rolled her eyes and walked over, taking the rag from his hand.

"You know what I'm talking about, babe. The way she looks at you…" Kensi trailed off, giving Deeks a meaningful look. He sighed deeply and tugged her towards him by her belt loops, resting his hands low on her back.

"She'll get over it." Which meant he had noticed too.

"Will she?" Kensi asked quietly. She hated herself for saying it, but it was at the back of her mind every time she saw the younger woman.

"Don't tell me you're jealous?" Deeks teased. When she didn't say anything, he frowned. "Kens?"

"Forget I said anything," she said, but of course he didn't let it go.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice softer and slightly confused. Pulling in a deep sigh she said look down at his chest, unable to look him in the eye and reluctantly said,

"I can't help but notice that Karina's a lot younger than me and in better shape, not to mention she's super sweet…sometimes I do get a little jealous when I see her looking at you. It makes me feel old and worn out." She felt stupid for saying it almost immediately, but couldn't deny that it bothered her.

"Ok, first of all, you are in fantastic shape," Deeks started, tipping her chin up. "Secondly, you are not old or worn out."

"I pulled a muscle while I was running the other day," Kensi interrupted. Deeks made a dismissive noise.

"And I regularly check the drain for gray hairs and my knees creak when I squat. Do you really think I could ever replace you? Or that I want to?"

"No," Kensi admitted quietly. "I guess I just realized that I'm not 25 anymore."

"Neither of us are," Deeks said with a shrug. Kensi leaned her head on his chest and mumbled.

"So you're not going to abandon me when all gray and wrinkly?" Smiling, Deeks kissed her forehead and said,

"Not even when all your teeth fall out."

"You're the best," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him.