A/N: This is a slightly AU version of what could have happened after the end scene in Hand-to-Hand.

Deeks woke up to an incessant pounding on his front door and tumbled off the couch with a disgruntled groan. He'd fallen asleep while watching an old cop show and a quick glance at his watch showed it was now after 10. Whoever was on the other side of the door started pounding again and he called,

"I'm coming!" He yanked the door open and his eyes widened in surprise at finding Agent Kensi Blye standing on his front step. "What are you doing here?" he asked, which maybe wasn't the most polite greeting ever.

"Can I come in?" she asked, circumventing his question.

"Oh, yeah sure." He stepped aside, feeling a little off-balance. He had never imagined a version of events where Kensi Blye would ever willingly set foot in his home. Not that Deeks had actually thought about it, since he'd figured their association was over. "Hey, how did you get my address? It's supposed to be confidential."

Kensi shrugged, unabashedly looking around the room with obvious curiosity, and said,

"I bribed Eric." When she didn't offer anymore, he raised an eyebrow.

"Because you just couldn't live without seeing me one more time?" he guessed. As expected, she rolled her eyes and snorted.

"In your dreams, Deeks." She crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed with him. "Hetty said she offered you a position on the team and that you declined." Deeks chuckled despite himself and wondered how she managed to make him feel like a misbehaving kid so easily.

"I thought job offers were confidential as well," he pointed out, slightly annoyed with Hetty for being so open with his personal details.

"Quit trying to change the subject," she said, sounding irritated and he felt a small amount of pride at how easily he got under her skin. "Why didn't you accept the job?"

"Honestly, I thought you'd be relieved," Deeks said, crossing her arms and cocking a hip. "It's obvious none of you like or respect me. I'm just the idiot cop who screwed up your case, right?" Kensi had the good grace to look embarrassed and flushed a little bit.

"That's not true," she insisted. "Well, not completely. I mean, we treat everybody we don't know that way. Don't take it so personally."

"Well, that certainly makes me feel so much better. I'm just another person who doesn't measure up to the Office of Special Project's completely ridiculous standards." Kensi sighed and looked ready to argue the point, but surprisingly, she reached out and brushed her fingers along his arm instead. Deeks followed the movement with a frown, ignoring the odd shiver that ran down the middle of his back. That was unexpected and not altogether wanted. He didn't need to feel any kind of attraction to a woman who mildly loathed him. He'd been fine with flirting during the case because he figured he'd never see her again.

"Listen, I know we haven't given you much reason, but you should reconsider your decision. I don't promise we won't give you a hard time. And Sam is probably going to take the longest to come along, but Hetty wouldn't have offered you a spot if she didn't see potential," she said, shrugging again. Suddenly she looked a lot younger and Deeks was reminded that she was relatively new to this. Despite being an elite special agent, she couldn't have been on the job for more than a couple years.

"And what's in it for me? Why should I consider joining a team who openly disdains me and is going to treat me like a rookie on his first case?" he asked, finding himself reconsidering despite himself. He always had been a glutton for punishment after all.

"If you join us, you'll be a part of a team. You'll have a partner." Kensi flashed a quick smile. "Someone to watch your back." When Deeks didn't respond, she added, "At least say you'll think about it."

"You realize that this," he gestured to his hair and self as a whole, "isn't going to change. I don't cut my hair for anyone and I have my own way of doing things." Kensi's eyes flicked up to his hair for a second and she grinned.

"Understood. And don't tell Sam I ever said this, but you'd look awful with a crew cut," she said. And there was that blush again.

"Deal," he greed easily. Kensi reached out to touch his arm again, but caught herself before she made contact and awkwardly dropped her hand. She tucked it into her pocket instead. "Well, I should get going. See you on Monday." Damn, he was actually considering it.

"We'll see." Kensi smiled knowingly and let herself out. "Man, you are in so much trouble," he muttered to himself.