Well, a new story, and a long first chapter. Yeesh. Hope you enjoy.

...

Breakfast and Braids

"Hey, good morning, pretty girl," Deeks said as he came into Kensi's hospital room, knocking on the door jamb lightly. He had a to-go bag and a drink carrier in his hands, and a black and teal duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Kensi stared at him from her position on her bed, and couldn't help a small smile. "I brought breakfast, and coffee."

"Smells good," she murmured, shuffling as much as she could on her bed, in an attempt to sit upright. Deeks placed the food and drink on the table and dropped the duffel bag on the couch.

I brought a breakfast burrito for you, and an egg sandwich for me, unless you want to trade." Deeks opened the bag and pulled out a couple food items wrapped in white paper.

"Callen says breakfast burritos make my voice phlegmy," Kensi replied with a rueful eye roll.

"Well Callen's not here, is he?" Deeks asked with a smile, rolling over an adjustable table and settling it over Kensi's lap. Kensi laughed a little, smiling at him.

"You're in a surprisingly happy mood this morning," Deeks remarked. Kensi snorted.

"Would you rather I be ornery and whiny?" Kensi asked, eyes trained on her boyfriend as he crossed to the couch.

"No," Deeks replied. "Want some help sitting up?" Deeks asked after placing Kensi's breakfast and coffee before her. She frowned, but nodded as she tried her best to reposition herself. Deeks quickly adjusted the head of the bed, then braced his hands under Kensi's armpits, tugging her upright and back. Kensi grunted as she settled into her new position.

"Thanks," she mumbled, reaching out her good hand to begin eating. She fumbled with the wrapper on her burrito, sighing in frustration as she couldn't get the sticker that kept it wrapped off.

"Here," Deeks said around a mouthful of sandwich, "I got it." He grabbed her breakfast and quickly unwrapped her burrito, setting it back on the table before Kensi could protest. Kensi sighed and reached for her food, sliding a hand underneath the soft taco in an attempted one handed hold. Not exactly sure how she would manage to eat without all the filling sliding out the back in the first bite, Kensi set it back down and reached for her coffee instead.

Deeks quickly noticed her distress and set down his own breakfast, brandishing plastic knife and spork. "I got it, pretty girl," he said quickly, starting to cut up her breakfast in bite size portions.

"No, Deeks, I've got it," Kensi sputtered, barely swallowing her sip of coffee before objecting.

"Nonsense, ladybird, it'll be easier this way," Deeks said, sliding the half of the now cut up burrito back to her. Kensi scowled, but resigned to eating her breakfast in silence. Deeks snuck a bite of hers, popping it into his mouth before Kensi could object.

"Ugh, these things really do clog up your voice," Deeks joked, clearing his throat after swallowing. Kensi smiled around her own mouthful, unable to hold back the little giggle. Deeks almost never failed to make her laugh. Deeks grinned, washing down his bite with coffee. Kensi managed to finish half of her breakfast before pushing the rest away.

"You full, Kens?" Deeks asked, as he got up and tossed their empty coffee cups in the trash.

"Yeah," Kensi replied.

"Not a problem, I'll save it for later." Deeks wrapped up the rest of the cut up burrito back in it's paper, stashing it back in the bag he had brought it in. "No promises I won't eat it later though."

"You wouldn't," Kensi replied, eyes widening.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. I'm no leftovers thief," he quipped with a wink. Kensi laughed.

"I gotta pee, Deeks," she said after a moment, squirming in her bed.

"Um, okay," Deeks replied hesitantly. "I'll call a nurse."

Kensi sighed. "Can't you just help me?"

"Not with all the wires and tubes and stuff hooked to you! Plus, that's weird!" Deeks gestured at her IV, nasal cannula, blood pressure cuff, and oximeter. Kensi huffed as Deeks hit the call light, and a nurse appeared not long after.

"Yes?"

"Kensilina here has to pee," Deeks said loudly. Kensi blushed.

"If I could reach you, I'd sock you in the nose," she hissed. Deeks gave her a sidelong glance and grin.

"Not a problem, Miss Blye," the nurse replied. She pulled a wheelchair from the corner of the room and rolled it over. "I also have good news. These," she reached over and switched off her oximeter line, and her oxygen line, "can go away." She reached with gentle fingers and gently removed the nasal cannula from behind Kensi's ears and under her nose, disposing of the offending tubing. "Doc says he doesn't think you'll need this anymore. You just keep breathing and you'll be fine." Kensi wiggled her nose, grateful the tubing was gone, rubbing behind her ears with her good hand. She'd had a cannula off and on during her stay. After she awoke from her coma, she kept stopping breathing during the night, leading to some pretty traumatic scares, especially for Deeks.

The nurse then un-velcroed the blood pressure cuff, tossing it aside, unclipped the oximeter from her finger, and disconnected the IV tubing, placing a piece of paper tape over the catheter still inserted into her right arm.

"Okay, let's get you in this chair," the nurse said, bringing the wheelchair closer, picking up the smooth board that rested on the seat. She popped the bar on Kensi's bed and lowered it, setting the board at an angle, resting one end on the mattress and the other on the chair.

"Here, I got it," Deeks offered, saving Kensi the embarrassment of having to slide down into the chair. He scooped Kensi up and deposited her in the wheelchair before Kensi or the nurse could say a word.

"Oh, that's one way to do it," the nurse remarked as Deeks took a step back and allowed her to get back.

"Might as well get you showered while we're in there," the kind nurse said as she pushed Kensi to the restroom. "It'll feel good to get your hair washed, I'll bet. Are you okay with that?"

Kensi gave a quick nod of acknowledgement, her face a stony wall of no emotion. With that, the pair disappeared into the restroom, leaving Deeks alone.

Twenty minutes later, Kensi's nurse came out of the bathroom, scrubs damp, holding a clean hospital gown in her hand.

"She's asking for you to help her get dressed," the nurse said, holding out the gown to Deeks, who took it and tossed it over his shoulder.

"Got it," he said, standing up from the couch. The nurse nodded, then glanced at her watch.

"I've gotta run, got a medication to give. Call me if you need anything else okay?"

"We'll be fine," Deeks said, slinging the black and teal duffel bag he had brought with him that morning over his shoulder as the nurse took her leave. Deeks used two knuckles to rap gently on the door. "Kens? I'm coming in," he said, cracking open the door and stepping inside.

Kensi was sitting in her towel-draped wheelchair, clad in boy shorts and a sport bra, clutching the ends of a damp towel wrapped around her shoulders, dark brown strands of wet hair cascading down around her face.

"Uh, hi," Deeks said hesitantly, dropping duffel bag and hospital gown on the sink counter.

"Hi," Kensi said, glancing down at her lap, her cheeks flushed bright red. "I hope this isn't too weird," she muttered. "That nurse wasn't very gentle, and her hands were cold." Deeks snorted.

"No, this is fine. So...," Deeks unzipped the duffel bag, rifling through it. "I brought your go-bag from the armory, figured you were sick of these horrible things." Deeks picked up the gown the nurse had handed him, letting it dangle between his thumb and forefinger. "Plus, these things do nothing for your figure."

Kensi smiled, and couldn't help but laugh. "You're an idiot, but thank you." Kensi shivered, and pulled her towel tighter. "Can you help me, now, or no?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah." Deeks withdrew a few pieces of clothing, including sweatpants, a plain blue t-shirt, and a grey zip up hoodie. He knelt in front of Kensi, helping guide the t-shirt over her head and tug her arms through the sleeves. Next he slid the black sweatpants up her legs, gently looping an arm around Kensi's waist, lifting her up slightly, slipping the waistband of the pants over her hips, then setting her back down.

Kensi let out the breath she had been holding and relaxed once she was seated again, now fully dressed and no longer shivering.

"Thank you," she said. "There should be a hairbrush in my bag too. Can you hand it to me? And maybe a toothbrush?" Deeks withdrew the requested items, tossing them from hand to hand.

"Think fast, ladybird!" Deeks exclaimed, tossing one item after the other across the bathroom towards Kensi.

"Deeks!" Kensi's good arm shot up and caught the toothbrush, but she wasn't fast enough to drop it to her lap and catch the hairbrush that came flying her way. It clocked her in the forehead above her left eye. "Ow!" The hairbrush went clattering to the floor as Kensi's hand went flying to her forehead.

Deeks' expression was one of horrified terror, feet frozen to the floor. Kensi glowered at him from beneath her hand that was rubbing away the pain.

"Um," Deeks started. "I forgot. I'm sorry?"

"If I weren't paralyzed right now, I would throw you out that window," Kensi threatened, gripping her wheelchair's wheel and rolling herself forward, reaching down to retrieve the fallen hairbrush.

"I'm sorry, baby," Deeks squeaked, backing up and bumping into the counter with a yelp. Kensi smirked at him.

"Move over. I'm kidding." Kensi nudged herself closer.

"No, you're not," Deeks replied, moving away from the counter and mirror.

"No, I'm not," Kensi laughed as she brought her right hand up to pull half of her wet hair over her shoulder to brush it out.

"You, ah, want some help with that?" Deeks asked. "You're just getting your clothes all wet." Deeks moved to take the brush from her hand but she snatched it away.

"Nope. I'm fine." Kensi proceeded to struggle brushing out the snarls of her hair, managing to plaster her hair flatly over her shoulder and down the front of her shirt. She sighed, and held the brush up reluctantly for Deeks to take. He smiled discreetly and plucked the brush from her hand, gathering Kensi's dark brown locks behind her back and brushing out the tangles. "Thank you," she said shortly, still a little peeved she'd needed help with something so simple. Deeks quickly and surprisingly gently brushed out her wet locks, taking it easy against her forehead and around her ears. Kensi closed her eyes, actually enjoying the feeling.

"You want me to do something with this mop?" Deeks said once finished, gently dropping the hairbrush down on her lap. He scooped up her hair and let it fall down to her back with a wet slap.

"Hey, it is not a mop! If anything, yours is a mop!" Kensi exclaimed, twisting around in her wheelchair to give Deeks an indignant glare.

"Touche," Deeks replied with a grin, running a hand through his wild mane. Kensi sighed before reluctantly asking,

"Can you braid it?"

"Um."

"You don't know how to braid, do you?" Kensi asked with a laugh and a grin.

"Uh, no. Not necessarily a life-essential skill there, Kens," Deeks replied as if it were obvious.

"For a girl it is," Kensi shot back. "I'll teach you, alright?"

"Okay, fire away."

"Okay, split my hair into 3 even sections," Kensi directed, sitting still as she felt Deeks' big but gentle hands card through her hair.

"Uhh, okay, done," Deeks said, holding two strands in one hand, keeping them divided with his fingers, holding the other piece with the other hand.

"Okay, now pull one of the outside pieces tight, and pull it over the center piece," Kensi explained. "Ow! Not that tight!"

"Sorry," Deeks muttered as he crossed the left piece over the middle with clumsy fingers.

"Okay, now take the piece on the right and cross it over the new middle piece, then keep doing that till you get to the end."

"Okay, I think I've figured it out," Deeks said as he finished the braid. Kensi tucked her hairbrush upside down between her knees and unwrapped an elastic band from the handle with her good hand. She passed it up over her shoulder to Deeks so he could tie off the uneven braid. "Ta-da!" He exclaimed, dropping the end of the braid back down to Kensi's back and surveying his handiwork.

"That had better look half decent," Kensi warned teasingly as she set her hairbrush on the counter and pulled her toothbrush from her lap.

"What's that supposed to mean? It looks great!"

"Uh huh," Kensi replied sarcastically as she fumbled with the cap on her toothpaste.

"Want me to-"

"No, you are not brushing my teeth for me," Kensi cut him off before the absurd question could leave his mouth. "But you can help me with the toothpaste." Kensi tossed the tube behind her for Deeks to catch. He quickly helped get toothpaste squeezed out onto Kensi's toothbrush before passing it back to her. He came around in front of her, placing a gentle finger on the forming bruise on her temple.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little," she replied. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry," Deeks murmured guiltily.

"Stop worrying about it," Kensi said, brushing him off and quickly brushing her teeth, nearly coating the mirror in a layer of spit and toothpaste when Deeks made funny faces in the mirror behind her.

"Reawwy?" She asked around her mouthful, choking back her laughter before she spit in the sink. Deeks grinned as he passed her a cup of water and Kensi tossed her toothbrush up on the counter.

"Back to bed?" Deeks asked once she had finished. Kensi sighed and nodded. Deeks took hold of the wheelchair and rolled her back from the counter. "I've got a better idea," Deeks said, scooping Kensi up in a bridal carry in one swift movement.

"Hey!" she yipped as Deeks adjusted his grip and carried her back to the bed. "Put me down!"

"What?" Deeks asked innocently as he laid her back in bed and pulled the blankets over her lap. Kensi sighed and scowled at him.

"Sooo," he started. "Sam and Callen said they'd come visit you today if you felt up to it?"

"Yeah, yeah, that would be fine," Kensi replied, the thought of seeing the rest of her team raising her spirits a little.

"Okay, great, they'll be here in a bit. But! For nooww," Deeks slipped back to the bathroom and grabbed Kensi's duffel bag, rifling through it. "I grabbed this, this, and this," Deeks said, tossing a portable DVD player, a DVD case, and a dual headphone adapter on Kensi's lap. It pained him that Kensi probably couldn't feel that. He pulled out two pairs on headphones too. "You wanna watch Titanic?" Kensi smiled.

"Sure," she replied.

"Good. You set it up, and I'll be right back. Gonna get you an ice pack." Deeks trotted out of the room as Kensi reached for the DVD case, tucking it between her knees and prying it open with her good hand. She flipped open the player and inserted the disc, absently watching the previews while she waited for Deeks to return. He came back a few moments later, ice pack wrapped in a towel in hand. He passed it to her, and she pressed it against her eye with her good hand as Deeks set up the headphones and placed a set over her ears. He scooted the plastic visitor's chair close to the bed and sat down in it, leaning back and settling in to the movie.

Halfway into the movie, a gentle knock sounded on the door, and Sam peeked his head in. Deeks waved for the two to come in, and pressed pause. Kensi glanced up and smiled, tugging her headphones down around her neck.

"Hey, malen'kiy sestra," Callen said, coming over and leaning on the edge of her bed. Little sister, he had said in Russian.

"Hi," Kensi replied with a smile at the pet name.

"What happened to your head?" Sam asked. "I know for a fact there wasn't a bruise there before."

Kensi pressed the half-melted ice pack to her forehead again.

"Deeks threw a hairbrush at me," she replied, casting a sidelong glance at her boyfriend. Sam gave him a look.

"It was an accident!" Deeks protested, holding up his hands.

"Fine. I guess I won't throw you out the window today," Sam teased. Deeks grinned.

"Speaking of Deeks, he do your hair?" Callen piped up from his spot on her bed.

"Yeah. How could you tell?" Kensi tilted her head, glancing up at Callen.

"Even when in the hospital, you never look that unkempt," Callen teased, reaching a hand out to tousle Kensi's hair.

"Hey!" Deeks objected. "I didn't do that bad!"

"Coulda done better," Sam teased, gently punching Deeks in the shoulder. Deeks huffed. "How you doing, Kensi?" Sam asked.

"I've been better," she admitted. "Today hasn't been too bad, I guess."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah," Kensi replied. She smiled, and fidgeted with the pair of headphones around her neck.

"What's wrong?" Callen asked, noticing her change in facial expression. Kensi murmured something inaudible, her cheeks flushing red.

"Hmm?" Sam asked for clarification.

"Gotta pee again," Kensi repeated. Deeks reached for the nurse call button.

"Oh. We'll go get coffee or something. Be right back," Callen said, standing up and slipping out the door, Sam following. Deeks moved aside the portable DVD player and tugged off her headphones, then scooped Kensi up and into her chair just as the nurse arrived. She hung up the IV fluid bag in her hands before disappearing into the bathroom with Kensi.

When they came out again, Deeks put Kensi back in her bed, and the nurse inserted a tube into Kensi's IV catheter in her hand.

"Doctor prescribed some fluids and meds to help keep up your strength. Might make you a bit drowsy, but it won't last forever," she explained. Kensi nodded silently. By the time Callen and Sam returned with coffees for all of them, Kensi had fallen asleep, put under by the meds.

"Well, I guess we'll get going then," Sam said quietly, passing two of the coffees to Deeks. "Don't stay here all night again, Deeks. Go home and sleep in your own bed at some point. Call us if you want someone here with her, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks man," Deeks said, taking the coffees and setting them on Kensi's little side table.

"Deeks?" Callen called as he followed Sam out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of our girl. That's an order."

"You got it, Callen," Deeks replied. With that, the two older agents disappeared into the hallway. Deeks sat down in his chair again and picked up Kensi's hand, careful of the IV tubing in it. He rested his cheek on her hand, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest as she slept.

"I'll always take care of her," he whispered.