Suggested by mashmaiden. Set in season early season 2 and in the same set of stories I've written where Deeks decides to leave. This one takes place before any of those.

*Again, if you are a major Sam fan, this series does not highlight him in the best way. I cannot emphasize this enough.*

"Deeks and Kensi, you'll be outside the building, waiting for our signal," Callen instructed, then turned to Sam. "While one of us goes in as the buyer."

"I'll flip you for it," Sam said with a smirk, actually pulling a quarter from his pocket.

"Um, aren't you forgetting someone?" Deeks asked, jerking his thumb at himself when Callen frowned in confusion.

"Very funny, Deeks." Sam has the audacity to laugh and Deeks cocked a hip, leveling a tight smirk in his direction.

"Oh, I'm completely serious. As long as we're deciding by chance, I should be included. These guys only know that "Markeson" is a man, nothing else. I fit that qualification."

"Barely," Sam muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. Callen smirked and shrugged.

"He's not wrong, Sam."

"You're seriously gonna let him in on this?"

"It's only fair," Kensi said, moving closer to Deeks. He nodded to her appreciatively. Sam made an exasperated noise.

"Fine," he said, conceding. "But just to get this over with." He tossed the coin and called out heads along with Deeks, while Callen chose tails. Sam lifted his hand, revealing heads and glared at Deeks as though he had somehow cheated and then tossed the coin in the air again.

"Looks like I'm going undercover," Deeks drawled as they all stared down at heads again.

"No. No way," Sam said, shaking his head.

"But I won fair and square."

"This isn't a game, Deeks."

"Let me remind you, that you're the one who suggested flipping for it. That hardly suggests a high level of professionalism or maturity," Deeks pointed out. He thought he heard Kensi suck in a sharp breath. He flicked a glance at Callen and saw he looked vaguely amused, a hand on the back of his neck and his lips pressed together.

"Don't go all lawyer on me, Deeks. Of the four of us here, you're the least qualified for this job," Sam said, not even attempting to be nice about it. Deeks knew he was odd one out. That he lacked certain experience that everyone else had, but he also knew he was a good detective.

"Sam, I worked in the undercover unit for LAPD for years, on my own. I worked some covers for months. Without backup. I think I can handle dressing up in a suit and pretending to be a criminal for a few hours."

"This is a different level, Deeks. You need to be believable." Deeks blinked at that, a little blindsided by Sam's dismissive tone. He'd been with them for a whole year, but they still treated him like a rookie.

"Ok, I don't think this is getting us anywhere," Callen interrupted, looking a little uncomfortable now. Deeks ignored him. If Callen wanted to, he could intercede in a more constructive way than just ending the conversation. Otherwise, Deeks wasn't in the mood for his input.

"If you're so believable undercover, then explain to me how I managed to keep my cover at that MMA gym for months without anyone getting suspicious? Yet, they clocked you in a couple days," Deeks said, leaning forward with his most obnoxious smirk. He knew it wasn't particularly smart, but he was annoyed and he didn't stupid things when he was annoyed. "I clearly have the superior skills in this case. I blended right in."

"You gotta be kidding me," Sam muttered. "You weren't even in the same league as everyone else in that gym. You stuck out like a sore thumb. When we came along, we broke that case wide open."

"And trampled all over it," Deeks added bitterly. He still remembered the anger he'd felt when the case had been unceremoniously snatched away from him. "I spent weeks staying under the radar before I made a move so no one would suspect me when I tried out for the team. You came in, just perfect for the spot. Too perfect. And it made them suspicious."

Sam crossed, her arms and reminding Deeks of his mom when she thought he was being particularly obstinate.

"I don't have time to listen to this. You wanna go undercover, fine. You just better not mess it up." He stalked out of the bullpen and Callen sighed, shooting Deeks a look that wasn't fully approving.

"Ok, you two get your wardrobe ready and then we'll go over your covers." He sighed again, glancing in the direction Sam had disappeared. "I'll see if I can talk him down."

Deeks ruffled his hair, blowing out a long breath.

"Do you think I'm an idiot too?" he asked Kensi, who had sat back down at her desk.

"No…not right now," she said slowly, eyeing him slyly. "I don't know that it was a smart idea to challenge Sam like that, though."

"I can handle this." He needed her to believe that. He could live with Sam and Callen not trusting him, but Kensi was another story.

"I know you can." The sureness of her answer surprised him and he felt a little mollified. "But Sam might not be your biggest fan for a while."

"When is he ever," Deeks muttered darkly.