"You snuck a severely injured young woman, who still has an IV in her arm and is a fall risk mind you, out of this hospital, without anyone's knowledge? Neither of you are next of kin! How dare you pull something like this! Do you have any idea…."

Kensi and Deeks heard the charge nurse scold Callen and Sam as she got settled back into her room.

"Damn. She's really letting them have it." Deeks said holding back a laugh.

"Yeah. Well, we'll still probably be next."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of her hospital room door being opened.

"You…" One of Kensi's favorite nurses said walking in the room and pointing at Kensi.

"Me?" Kensi said, throwing a hand over her heart and feigning ignorance sardonically. "What ever did I do?"

The nurse rolled her eyes at Kensi. "Oh please, I know you well enough by now to know that if you didn't want to go with those guys, nothing would have moved you. Paralyzed or not."

Kensi smiled at the woman. "Charge nurse coming to yell at me too?" Kensi asked as she noticed the yelling had stopped in the hallway.

The nurse sighed. "No, I think your boys out there handled it. But don't think for a second that I don't have my eye on you."

"Copy that." Kensi said.

The nurse eyed her a moment more before moving on to Deeks.

"I've got her covered." Deeks said.

"Alright." The nurse said as she exited the room passing Callen and Sam along the way and giving them a long passing glance.

"Well… that was pleasant." Callen said sarcastically.

"Yea, welcome to my world." Kensi laughed. After a moment, Kensi added, "Thank you guys for bringing me out tonight. I really needed that." She said smiling.

"Well, that smile there was certainly worth the dressing down we just got, and then some."

"We're glad you had a good time." Sam said.

"I really did. Thank you again."

"Night guys." Callen and Sam both said after giving Kensi a kiss and Deeks a pat on the back.

"Night." the two called back.

"Well, now that it's just the two of us back in your room, can I show you what I initially had planned for tonight before our friends broke you out?"

"You planned something for tonight?" Kensi asked surprised, especially considering how until just a few hours ago, the two were still very much struggling as to where they stood in their relationship.

"Of course." Deeks said, almost hurt. "No matter what. We're still Deeks and Kensi. Partners." Deeks said.

Kensi smiled. "What do you got for me?"

Deeks reached into one of the dresser drawers in Kensi's room and pulled out a small Christmas tree covered in lights. Kensi's smile grew larger. "Can't have Christmas without a tree." Deeks said. "Although this one is fake unfortunately, the nurses confiscated the live one I tried to bring in the other day, something about keeping any kind of organic material like flowers and stuff out of here."

"Ahhh. so that's why none of you have brought me flower yet." Kensi said joking.

"Well that, and I believe one Ms. Kensi Blye hates flowers."

"Touché." Kensi replied.

Deeks looked over at Kensi, his mouth agape.

Kensi looked from the fake Christmas tree to Deeks, worried by his expression. "What?"

"You just used touché in an appropriate context."

Kensi snorted.

"Best. Christmas gift. Ever." Deeks said, smiling back at her.

"No. This is." Kensi said, referring to her mug, the tree, and Deeks himself.

Deeks smiled at Kensi and set the tree on her dresser top, turning on the tree lights and dimming her room's lights. He then pulled out his phone and quietly played a Christmas playlist while taking a spot next to Kensi on the side of her bed.

Kensi shook her head at Deeks. "No." She said. "Get over here." She added indicating he should lay beside her.

Deeks happily complied and cuddled up behind Kensi. She could feel his smile as he tucked up close to her.

"You know, I never really understood or agreed with Mariah before now. You are all I need." Deeks said, kissing the back of Kensi's head.

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I have no idea what you're talking about." Kensi said, kissing Deeks hand.

"Mariah Carey. All I Want For Christmas. It's a classic."

Kensi rolled her eyes and simultaneously rolled over to be facing Deeks.

"That was incredibly lame." Kensi said putting her hands on either side of Deeks face. "But I feel the same way. All I want for Christmas is you." She said, pulling him in for a kiss.

The two held each other until they fell asleep to the soft sounds of the Christmas music playing from Deeks' phone.

Author's Note: I am going to be starting to work on a new story surrounding the events of Kensi and Deeks during Season 8, but this story will focus on what would happen if during her recovery, Kensi became addicted to pain pills. Opioid addiction as a result of various injuries and hospitalizations is a huge epidemic in America, and one that certainly affects service members and those who risk their lives on a daily basis. I think it would be an important and interesting story to address. I'm very much in the beginning stages of planning this story, so if you have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to PM me and I'll be sure to credit you in any content I publish. I've got a bunch of other stories in the works too, and am open to suggestions. Just shoot me a message. Thanks for reading!