Prompt: Could you write about alternate events between seasons 9 and 10 where the team made it back safely, but Deeks and Kensi still haven't reconciled. Deeks is offered to officially return to NCIS, but since Kensi refuses to talk to him and thinking he needs space, he decides to leave LA and goes to the airport. Kensi realizes how unfair she has been and goes to the airport to stop him. Includes Mosley, another proposal and the entire team watch from ops. PLEASE CAN YOU WRITE THIS!

A/N: Is this kind of involved, yes. Is it kind of a mess, also yes.

Since the prompt specified that they return to LA safely, I decided that no one got injured, beyond a few scrapes and such (including Hidoko). Is this exactly what anon imagined, probably not.

Kensi glanced over at Deeks. He was sitting across from her, just like he had on the way to Mexico, but there might as well be several countries between them. Despite their success in "rescuing" Derrick from his father, their current interactions had not improved.

Derrick was at the other end of the plane, happily chatting with his mom on Sam's cell phone. Every so often, Deeks would glance back at him, his expression dark. He'd interacted with Derrick readily enough, charming him with his usual ease into playing a guessing game while they waited for the plane to take off, but he'd also made it blatantly clear that he still thought the mission was unnecessary and ill-planned. It didn't matter that they'd managed to retrieve Derrick without any deaths or major injuries and, most importantly, without Spencer Williams noticing.

After Kensi had pointed out how well everything had gone, he'd pressed his lips together and refused to speak to anyone. It made her heart ache. And it made her angry. It made her feel a whole host of other feelings, gnawing at her. Maybe if she gave Deeks the time he apparently needed, he'd eventually calm down enough to talk to her reasonably.

She glanced at Deeks again; he was staring at his folded hands, his face unreadable. She almost spoke, but just shook her head, glancing back out the window, watching the clouds pass by.

Mosley was waiting for them when the plane landed. She didn't even wait for them to finished descending the ramp before she was racing towards them. She was dressed in leggings, a sweatshirt, and gym shoes and Kensi realized she looked much younger and remarkably small without heels and a dress

"Oh, baby," she said, pressing a hand to her mouth as Derrick appeared in the doorway. She pulled him into her arms, shaking as she held him. Derrick was a little stiff, but after a moment hesitantly returned the hug.

"I missed you, mom," he said shyly.

"Me too, Derrick. I thought about you every day." They talked for a couple minutes more and then she turned to face the, not even attempting to wipe away the tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, for returning my son to me," she said, her voice ringing with sincerity. All of you. You don't know how much this means to me."

"Oh, I think we do," Sam countered, leaning heavily on the cane Callen insisted he use as soon as they boarded the plan. Turning around, she singled out Deeks who was watching the reunion with an unreadable expression.

"Thank you for coming Detective, even though you didn't have to." Deeks seemed surprised by her words, but just shrugged.

"It's what I do. Or at least what I did," he replied and if Kensi wasn't mistaken, with a note of censure. Mosley sighed, none of her usual superiority present. She whispered something in Derrick's ear then took a few steps away.

"I do owe you an apology, Deeks," she told him. "My actions and words to you were unforgivable, but you should know that you have been reinstated as the LAPD liaison for the Office of Special Projects. Hopefully that will in some way atone for my behavior."

Deeks looked momentarily surprised by her admission, but smoothed his expression quickly.

"Thank you, Executive Assistant Director."

"It's just Mosley now." She smiled grimly. "I think we all know that I won't be returning to NCIS in any capacity." Glancing over her shoulder, her smile became more genuine. "But that doesn't matter now. I have something much more important to care about."

"I hope you find what you're looking for," Deeks said, which wasn't exactly acceptance of her apology. Mosley nodded and started to turn away. "Derrick seems like a really good kid," he added. "Take good care of him."

"I will," she promised. They watched her bundle Derrick into a black SUV and leave the lot.

"Well, looks like we're one big happy family again," Callen said with forced lightness.

"We should talk," Deeks said abruptly several hours later. Callen and Sam had left the bullpen a few minutes earlier and the awkward silence had continued to grow between them.

"If it's more of what you said in the garage," Kensi started, schooling her expression into something professional and blank. "then I don't want to hear it." She glanced down before her mask slipped and missed Deeks' look of anguish.

"Kensi…" he sounded anguished.

"I don't think we need another fight right now." She couldn't take it, not right now. There was another moment of silence and then she heard him stand up. "Where are you going?" she asked without thinking.

"I need to get out of here," he said.

"Ok, give me a few minutes and we can go ho–"

"No, I mean out of LA." His voice shook, but when Kensi looked up, he had a stubborn expression she recognized. Whatever he was planning, it was set in his mind.

"Where?" she whispered, her heart plummeting. "Deeks, you can't just leave."

"Kensi, I can't go home and pretend that everything is ok when it's not," he said, rubbing at his jaw. "I'll find a cheap ticket somewhere and stay there a couple weeks."

"I can't believe you're doing this." She shook her head, pressing her lips together to keep from screaming at him. Or crying.

"Then talk to me," he shouted. He cringed as it echoed through the room.

"Talking right now is pointless," she said, her voice shaking. "You obviously haven't changed your opinion about any of this."

He started to say something, leaning towards her, but then he shook his head again and pulled the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Bye, Kensi." She almost called him back. She almost ran after him. Instead she sat frozen, unable to move or speak.

Sometime later, she didn't really know how long, Callen and Sam returned.

"Where's Deeks?" Sam asked, clearly noticing his missing bag.

"He left," Kensi whispered.

"I realize he's tired, but Hetty was clear that we need to get this all straightened out as soon as possible if we want to keep our jobs."

"He went to the airport." Callen and Sam shared another one of their looks and before they could ask another question, she added, "We fought the other night and he decided that the best thing for us would be for him to leave."

"When's he coming back?" Callen asked.

"I don't know. I don't know if he's ever coming back." Finally voicing the thought that had been running through her mind since Deeks had left seemed to be the tipping point. She buried her face in her hands as tears started streaming down her cheeks.

She vaguely heard Sam and Callen having a hasty whispered discussion and then Sam's hand squeezed her shoulder.

"It'll be ok, Kensi. You guys will work this out," he assured her.

"How can you know that? You don't even know what we fought about," she said, hastily scrubbing at her cheeks as Sam awkwardly leaned against her desk. "It's not the usual stuff. Dirty laundry and stupid comments. It was really bad this time."

"I can guess what it was about. And whatever it is, I know that you'll work things out because I know you two. I know how much you love and care about each other."

"This is different, Sam. I really hurt him this time."

"Somehow I have a feeling you both hurt each other. You'll figure out a way to fix it, just like all the other times. It's part of being in a relationship," he said.

"I don't know how to even begin," she said helplessly. It seemed insurmountable, especially since every time they spoke to each other, they ended up arguing again.

"Start by going after him," Callen suggested, you'll figure it out from there.

"But–"

"Kensi, do you love him?"

"Yes, of course I do!"

"Then go now. Go before things get worse," Sam said. She hesitated and then started shoving things at random into her bag.

"Tell Hetty–"

"We'll handle it," Callen assured her. Kensi rubbed her hand over her face.

"God, I don't even know where to start looking for him. What if he's already left?"

"We'll get Nell and Eric to hack security and find him," Sam said and Callen made a face.

"We will?"

"It's for love, G. Go Kensi."

Kensi blew out an unsteady breath as she parked the SUV in the airport parking lot. On the ride over, she'd taken time to really examine her reaction to Deeks suggestion that they quit. She still didn't know what she planned to say. Hopefully she didn't end up making things worse.

"Ok, Deeks just purchased a last minute ticket for a one-way trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa," Nell informed her over speaker phone.

"What the hell is he going to Iowa for?" she muttered. "Never mind, where is he waiting?"

"Um, a lobby just outside terminal 6. They start boarding in about 20 minutes." 20 minutes wasn't much time. She grabbed her badge, wallet, keys and phone and stuffed them into her pocket. Then, as a last second thought she opened the glove compartment and carefully removed the thin necklace she stored her engagement ring on when she wasn't wearing it.

She latched it around her neck, the ring a familiar, comforting weight against her chest.

It took 10 minutes to get through security, even with her badge and multiple mentions of her federal status. Then came the task of finding Deeks among everyone else waiting to board.

She got several odd looks from people as she jogged up and down the rows, searching for him. Finally, she spotted him leaning against a wall next to a coffee shop, his head bowed as he typed something on his phone.

"Deeks," she whispered, standing in front of him. His head popped up, a myriad of expressions crossing his face before he settled on confusion.

"Kensi, what are you-how did you…?" he trailed off.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I'm so sorry for the things I accused you of. I know you might not be ready to forgive me yet, but please say you'll stay." Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like there was a hammer in her chest and she felt slightly dizzy. Deeks blinked at her for a moment, stepping away from the wall.

"The only reason I decided to go was because I thought you didn't want to talk to me. I wanted to tell you that I was sorry and that I never should have brought leaving or kids up when I did."

"So you'll stay?" She waited for his response breathlessly.

"Do you think we can work through our issues?" he asked. It was a terrifying question, but she nodded, taking his hand and gripping it fiercely.

"Yes, I know it won't be easy, but if we really try, we can figure this out," she said, remembering Sam's advice. He closed his eyes, drawing in a trembling breath and then pulled her into his arms.

"The past few days have been some of the worst days of my life," he told her, his voice raw with emotion. "I don't want to ever feel like this again." He let out a sigh of relief.

"Me neither. And we won't," Kensi promised. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again." She leaned extricated her arms as Deeks watched and unclasped the chain around her neck, dropping the ring into her palm.

"Ask me again," she requested and he rolled his eyes, which were a little wet.

"A sixth proposal? Really?"

"The last," she assured him. He took the ring slowly, rolling it around in his fingers. For a second, Kensi thought he would say no, but then he dropped to his knee.

"Kensi Marie Blye, will you please marry me?" he asked, his eyes holding the same warmth and love as the first time she remembered him proposing.

"Yes," Kensi whispered, the conviction of her promise behind her words. "I want to marry you more than anything." Deeks slipped the ring onto her finger once more and several people cheered around them, the faint sound of camera shutters clicking as she joined him on the floor.

"Well, thank god we have that mess sorted out," Hetty said with a sigh as they all watched Kensi and Deeks kissing on screen.

"Do you think we should maybe turn the feed off? Give them some privacy?" Eric suggested.

"They're in the middle of a crowded airport," Callen pointed out. "Privacy is kind of a moot point right now.

"What would you have done if they hadn't worked things out?" Nell asked. Sam and Callen had given them a very abridged version of events, not knowing the full story themselves.

"Consoled Kensi," Callen answered.

"Knocked some sense into Deeks," Sam added.

"Or give them both a firm kick in the behind," Hetty suggested.

"Aw, I didn't realize you were that invested in their relationship," Sam teased.

"I'm not. But I already ordered their wedding present and I don't feel like paying shipping charges again." She couldn't quite contain her satisfied smile though as she watched Kensi and Deeks stand and leave the airport, hand in hand.

A/N: I have never been inside an airport, let alone LAX, so I'm kind of making half this up.