Deeks groaned, cracking his eyes open. His head was pounding and it felt like someone had shoved a wire brush down his throat. Based on the annoying beeping and the harsh lighting, he was in a hospital.
"Baby," Kensi said, coming into his field of vision. Belatedly, he realized she was clasping his hand. It felt nice. Soft. She leaned in and gently kissed his temple. It hurt a little bit, but he decided it was worth it.
"What happened?" he rasped out.
"Very funny, Deeks," she said, rolling her eyes.
"What's funny?"
"I'm not buying the amnesia act this time," Kensi told him, brushing some hair off his forehead.
"I'm not joking," he insisted. "I have no idea what happened." Kensi eyed him suspiciously for a moment and then seemed to realize he was being serious.
Her expression suddenly turned to one of concern.
"Oh baby, I'm sorry. What's the last thing you remember?" He sighed, considering the question.
"Arguing about who forgot to stir up more peanut butter." Deeks said it slowly, trying to remember what came next. "And that's about it.
"Of course you'd remember that," Kensi noted wryly, then more seriously added, "We were on our way to raid a warehouse. When we got inside, we realized the place was rigged with bombs. We got out just before they went off, but the explosion threw you about 20 feet."
"No wonder it feels like the Hulk stepped on me," he commented with a grimace. Kensi frowned again and started combing her fingers through his hair once more.
"The doctor said you have a concussion and a lot of bruising, but nothing too serious." Deeks nodded, wincing again. He was starting to feel the pain a little more. They were quiet for a few minutes as he focused on Kensi's gentle caresses.
"You know, when I saw laying there on the ground, it really scared me," she said quietly.
"I have a hard head," he said solemnly and Kensi let out a noise halfway between a laugh and a sob. Smiling down at him, she rubbed her thumb over his jaw and said,
"And thank god for that."
"Mm, and I totally won the argument about the peanut butter," he murmured.
"You're so ridiculous," Kensi said fondly, stilling gently running fingers along his temple.
A/N: I don't know why I feel the need to mention this, but for anyone who's never had natural peanut butter, you have to stir it to mix the oil in. And if you don't keep it refrigerated it will separate again. Stirring up peanut butter was a loathed job when I was kid because it took forever.
