Our third case of the New Year was a little unexpected because Kensi and I were stuck pulling guard duty. Our charge was the most unexpected part: Kensi's ex-fiancé: Jack Simon.

"This is our first, formal meeting." Jack said.

"Yes. Yes it is." I said.

"I heard you were the reason for our rescue. I never got to thank you for what you did for me. For us." Jack said, holding out his hand.

"You're welcome." I said, shaking Jack's hand. I didn't bother giving Jack empty platitudes—how I was only doing my job. That he shouldn't worry about it. Or that it was the least I could. Or any other line that I could think of—I just accept his thanks, and kept moving.

It was kind of…awkward. Yeah, awkward is the word I'm looking for. I remember our conversation the day Thapa died—God rest his soul—about Taliban bullet holes and Hetty Lange, this is their day. I remember grabbing popcorn, and possibly something to drink for Jack. I know there was an offer of putting a movie on to pass the time. I know what needed to be said, but I'm not going to blurt it out while Jack is standing in the room. That's just rude. The room was silent, and the tension was mounting. I was ready to tell these two to say something, and then leave the apartment, but Granger showed up. Said that he had to debrief Jack. Kensi and I made our way to the roof. There was a moment of silence, and then I ask. "Being around Jack is getting to you isn't?"

Kensi didn't answer at first, and then she said. "I'm managing just fine. You're the one trying to be a hero."

"By technicality, I was already a hero once. Jack just thanked me for it." I said.

"Shut up, Deeks." she said, flustered by our current predicament

"I offered him popcorn and a movie, neither of which were mine." I said. Kensi give me a sideways glance, nodded her head, and then looked out over the rooftops. I continue. "You have to admit it's crazy, though. He shows up the day we move in together. I mean, I'm not saying it's his fault. I'm just saying it's, you know, crazy."

There was a moment of silence before Kensi said. "When Jack broke off the engagement, um…I felt pretty helpless. I…I…I didn't really know how to be there for him. And he had post-traumatic stress, and all I could do was cry."

"And that's what anyone would in that situation, and you got through it." I said.

"Yeah, until Afghanistan. Just…Finding him there and saving his life and almost losing mine in the process…" she trailed off.

"Yeah, but you got through that too. Listen, here's the deal, Kens. If you got stuff you need to say to him, then you need to say it. You know, otherwise it just lives inside you." I said. There was a moment of silence before Kensi starts nodding her head. "Yeah?" I asked.

"I know." Kensi said.

Two hour later, I was in the living on the computer checking up for updates while Jack was looking at the books on the shelf.

"Half of these books are in languages I don't even recognize." Jack said.

"We got a tech operator that swears he saw Hetty read via osmosis. And I could tell which language and dialect they are written in." I said, still looking at the computer.

"That's a bit improbable, isn't it?" Jack asked.

"Don't let my appearance fool you. I've seen and done a lot of things that would contradict my age." I said.

"Okay, do you have any specifics?" Jack asked.

"Afghanistan was officially recognized as a state in seventeen forty-seven. The second official language is Pashto, and it's been the home of at least twenty different empires over the course of its long storied history." I said, speaking in perfect Pashto.

"You speak Pashto?" Jack asked.

"I speak Pashto, Dari, Hazaragi, Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, and Pashayi." I said, listing off all of the major languages spoken in Afghanistan and in their dialect.

"Impressive." Jack said, nodding his head.

"Riggs got away. He left with Salib. We're tracking him now." I said, changing the subject.

Jack walked over to the desk, looked at the computer, and said. "They'd be easier to track back in Afghanistan."

"We like everything instant here, you know. Instant gratification. Instant streaming on Netflix." I said, listing off a couple of that Americans enjoy.

"What's Netflix?" Jack asked.

"Heh." I chuckled. I turned and look at Jack, who had a blank stare on his face. "Oh, you're serious? You don't know what Netflix is?" I asked.

"No, I…Come to find the greatest happiness comes from simple things. The love of a family, or a woman." Jack said.

There was a moment of silence, I remembering the things that Jack just mentioned, and then I asked. "Was Kensi really messy when you guys were together?"

Jack let a breath out, and then said. "Clothes and trash everywhere."

"There was this one time where she left a trail of crumbs— like muffin crumbs—It started at her car and went all the way into the house, up the steps and into her closet. Like Hansel and Gretel could've followed these crumbs." I complained.

Jack smiled, and then said. "Yeah, I found her T-shirt in the microwave once."

We both laughed, and I grew quiet for a moment. Then I said. "We're moving in together."

Jack looked at me, and said. "Congratulations."

"It's her idea. Not that I'm not excited about it, because I am excited. It's just you know…" I said, trailing off.

"It's a big step." Jack said.

"Yeah. It's a big step for both of us. I don't know why I just said that." I said.

There was a moment of silence before Jack said something I wanted to forget. Something I told him about an hour ago. "You did torture somebody for her."

"Whoa, you don't hold back, do you?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Don't need to." Jack said.

I hesitate a moment, and then say. "You know what's crazy about that? Is that as awful as that experience was, in torturing that guy, I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant saving somebody that I love."

"Still weighs on you." Jack said.

"Last month I woke up yelling at the top of my lungs, and now that's gonna be…in front of Kensi." I said.

Jack thought of his greatest mistake, and then said. "Then don't push her away. Like I did."

There was a knock at the door, which was Kensi and Granger. And then ten minutes later Granger and I were leaving. Hetty said that Kensi was supposed to return with Granger, but I said that I would return because Kensi and Jack needed a moment to say their piece.

After the door shut Kensi and Jack stared at each other. Kensi took a breath, which she held for a beat, and then spoke. "I have something I'd like to say about the way I treated you after we split up."

Jack let out a breath, shook his head, and then said. "No need to go there."

"But I still want to apologize for never having called you after they rescued us." she said, moving away from the door.

"I didn't call you either." he said.

"Okay, so we're both jerks." she said.

Jack shook his head, walked closer to Kensi as he said. "You know, after we broke up, I was, uh…I was living in Afghanistan, trying to decide if I'd convert to Islam." he said.

"Mm-hm." she said.

"That was…Was hard. Life was hard. One day I bought a plane ticket back home to the States. I was gonna…you know, try to and get you back." he said.

Shocked. Shocked was the word that would describe how Kensi felt after learning that Jack thought about getting back together again. "Why didn't you?" she asked.

"Realized I'd be running away from who I really am." he said. There was a moment of silence, and tears started to fill Kensi eyes. Jack continued. "Doesn't mean I didn't love you, Kensi."

"I get it." she said.

"So you and Deeks are moving in together?" he asked.

Kensi let out a breath that was mixed with a half chuckle, and said. "Yeah. Today, supposedly."

"You two are gonna do great." he said.

"I hope so." she said.

"Although I hear it's gonna be messy." Jack quipped.

"That is the last time I leave you two together alone. The last time." Kensi said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Boatshed-

After the case had been cleared, Jack and I were in the boatshed playing cards until it was time for his transport to leave. And it was a ruthless.

"No, that doesn't—Oh, my God. You play exactly like Kensi." I said.

"No she plays exactly like I do." Jack admitted.

"What does that mean? You her taught this?" I asked.

"A long time ago." Jack said.

"Okay, here's the deal. You have to teach me what you taught her, so I can then beat her." I said.

"Some advice about Kensi." Jack said.

"Get a maid? Got it." I said.

"Never let her go." Jack said.

"The maid or Kensi?" I asked.

"Both." Jack said, with a smile.

"Fair enough. I got it." I said, stacking the deck. We didn't see it, but Kensi had walked in. Kensi stared at the two men—her past which was Jack, and her future which was me—and smile at the sight of us getting alone.

"Ahem. Oh, I see you're playing cards." Kensi said, walking over to where Jack and I were sitting.

"Listen, we're not gonna talk about that. Listen, so I was thinking maybe Jack should stay with us tonight." I said.

"That's a good idea." Kensi said.

"I mean because our couch doesn't have bullet holes in it." I said.

"It does not." Kensi said.

"Thank you, but I have a plane to catch." Jack said.

"Okay, well, we'll drive you to the airport." Kensi said.

"Uh, actually, Kensi can drive you to the airport, because I have very important things to attend to." I said.

I didn't see it, but Kensi rolled her eyes at me, but Jack said. "Well, thanks, but I've already got a ride." Jack pointed to the hallway leading out. Kensi and I looked and saw that his ride was Granger.

"Oh. Granger Danger. All right, good luck with that." I said. I took a breath, and held my hand out to Jack as I said. "Be safe."

"You too." Jack said, shaking my hand.

"I'm gonna go talk to Granger about my feelings." I said, excusing myself.

"Bye. Thank you again." Kensi said, as she reached out and hugged Jack.

"Deeks is a good one." Jack said, returning the hug.

"He is. Be safe and take care." Kensi said, after they broke the hug.

"Yeah." Jack said.

Okay?" Kensi asked.

"You too." Jack said.

Kensi and Jack shared one last look, and then jack turned to grab his bag and leave. Jack didn't see it, but Kensi was not happy that Jack was leaving again, but she got the closure that she needed.

"All set." Jack said, as he walked over to Granger.

Granger and I shared a look. I nodded to Granger, and then Granger left; escorted Jack to the airport.

"Wow, I'm not gonna lie, that was a hell of a day." I said, walked over to Kensi.

"Yes, it was." Kensi said, as I stopped next to her.

We both watch as Jack walked through the door. Even though Jack left without a backwards glance, we both knew that there was nothing more that needed to be said or done. When that door shut, that was the last time we would ever hear from, or saw Jack.

"Started off okay, though." she said.

"Did it? I don't remember." I said.

Kensi turned to me, reached with both hands, grabbed my head and pulled me in for a kiss.

"We moved in together." she said, after we finished kissing.

"Oh, that's right. Now I remember, we moved in together. Speaking of which, we should probably take the Audi, go to your house, grab you first load, go back to my house, unpack it. Or we could just go get takeout noodles." I said.

"Let's move out my stuff." she said.

"What about the noodles?" I asked.

"I think we'll always make time for noodles." Kensi said. Kensi stood up on her tippy-toes, and kissed me. After we broke the kiss Kensi said. "Always.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

OPS: bullpen-

I'm in the bullpen working on reports and other nonsense when my mind returns to the dream that I've been having for past month. I don' know how to describe it. I know that death has no meaning in the dream, and that there is a cyborg as well. The dream doesn't make much sense, and I made the mistake of mentioning it to Kensi. Amazingly enough, the nightmares of torturing the old man has all but ceased. I mean, I still see his face, but I don't wake up screaming.

"You all right, Deeks?" Kensi asked, as she entered the bull pen.

Sam and Callen, unaware of my dream, walk in engrossed in their own conversation as Kensi asked her question.

"My usual answer stands. I'm not discussing it at work." I said.

"When will you discuss it?" Kensi asked.

"What's wrong? Deeks screw something up again?" Sam asked.

"Not really. I'm refusing to answer a question that Kensi keeps asking me about." I said.

"Why?" Sam asked, looking at Kensi.

"You know Kensi is going to keep asking until you answer her." Callen said, looking at me.

"Seriously, Callen? You didn't even know you're real name was Grisha until a month ago. And you're going to tell me that Kensi is going to continue pestering me until I tell her what she wants to know? Get out of here." I said.

"He's got a point." Sam said, taking my side.

Our argument didn't get anywhere because Granger walked into the bull pen and gave us his signature stare. This stare down didn't get anywhere because Eric had whistled, and we filed out of the bull pen in single file line. For some strange reason, I can't help but think that Granger's stunt was for my benefit. But I'm not going to ask him! This was a conversation that was never had; and this moment, except for my dream that keeps dogging me, was never revisited.