Prompt: Because I just finished rewatching 3x10, I was wondering if you could maybe write a post-ep story? Because somehow I think I'm more mad at the team than Kensi (except maybe Deeks since he's the only one who seems remorseful).

"Hey, Sam and Callen were talking about going out if we get done at a decent hour today. You going to come with?" Deeks asked, turning to Kensi as they walked back to the SUV.

"Mm, probably not," she answered. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your next planning session." Her tone turned flippant, and she gave Deeks a very pointed glance.

"Kens…"

"Maybe this time you can pretend you're dying cause I'm sure that would be hilarious."

"Kensi, you know that if there was any way I could have told you, I would have," he told her. They'd touched on this topic briefly, but not actually delved beyond the surface.

"Oh right, because there's no way on earth you could have possibly figured out how to relate that you were on a undercover op to me, your partner," Kensi scoffed, picking up her pace a bit. "You're a self-proclaimed master at concealing the truth. If you wanted to, you could have given me an encrypted message."

He'd expected this. He just hadn't thought it would be this uncomfortable. Ruffling his hair, Deeks drew in a long breath, settling his hands on his hips.

"This case hinged on everyone believing that I'd been fired as liaison and desperate. It's the only way to root out the mole."

Mouth dropping open slightly, Kensi rounded on him, anger growing in her eyes.

"Oh yes. Everyone except Callen, Sam, Hetty, Eric, Nell, and whoever else in the office was deemed worthy. Except for me, because apparently I can't keep a secret," she raged.

"Kensi, that's not fair," Deeks murmured.

"No, what's not fair is believing that I would ruin the operation with my lack of acting ability and playing on my emotions to further the case." Shaking her head in apparent disgust, she stalked off.

The guilt Deeks had kept at bay-or at least tried to-since Hetty first presented the case late one Friday, came back full force. It had taken so long to earn Kensi's trust, and now it felt like they were almost back to square one in some ways.

"Kensi. Kens, can you just stop for a second?" She ignored him, so he jogged a few yards until he caught up and grasped her wrist. Kensi tried to shake him off, but he gently tugged her to a stop. Underneath the anger, he saw hurt in her eyes and damn if that wasn't even worse.

"I'm sorry," he started. Kensi huffed out a sarcastic laugh. "Maybe you won't believe me, but I wanted to read you in from the beginning"

"Then why the hell didn't you?" she demanded again, throwing her hands in the air.

"Because I was ordered not to, and as much as I love to flout the rules, everyone made it clear that there would be serious repercussions if I broke the confidentiality of the case." Deeks sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "C'mon, don't act like you haven't been asked to lie for a case before. We all have."

"Deeks, do you have any idea how it felt when I thought you'd been let go?" Kensi said. She jabbed her finger at his chest. "I thought you'd just killed a guy, possibly without just cause, and suddenly you were being sent away. And you wouldn't even talk to me." Her voice trembled and she looked away. "Do you have any idea how much that hurts?"

He'd expected continued anger, to beg and plead for Kensi's forgiveness. Probably even agree to do something mildly embarrassing as punishment. It never occurred to him that Kensi would let him see anything more. His own chest ached in response.

"It killed me too," Deeks told her quietly. "There were so many times that I wanted to say something and so many times I hated that I was lying to you. And the reason I wouldn't talk to you when we had the chance was because I didn't want you to say—" He stopped before he breached the invisible line in their partnership they refused to ever discuss.

Blowing out a loaded breath, Deeks tucked his thumbs into his front pockets, and faced Kensi seriously.

"I hated lying to you and I will do whatever it takes to gain your trust back again."

"Then promise me you won't lie to me it won't happen again," she said, surprising him when she grasped his hand suddenly.

"You know I can't do that," Deeks told her. Hand falling away, Kensi nodded heavily.

"I know." She came him a grim smile. "C'mon, we have to get back."

A/N: I felt like leaving things a little bit unresolved worked well with there off and on issues through the next couple seasons.