AN: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this collection. I especially appreciate those of you who take the time to leave a review; it always makes me happy to hear what people think of my writing. I had planned on posting so many stories this summer, and I promise I've been writing. Problem is, I haven't been finishing. I have a multi-chapter story in the works (three chapters done, and a lot of notes on where it will go next), plus three other one-shots either started or outlined enough that they ought to be able to write themselves at this point.
As for this little scene, we take another break from the light fluff of most of the previous chapters. Deeks and Kensi are engaged in this story, though, so that's good, right? I still don't own NCIS: LA, though, and that's bad.
"'At Last,' Etta James."
"Too cliché."
"'Fly Me to the Moon,' Sinatra."
"What are we, ninety, Deeks?"
He continued scrolling on his phone as Kensi drove them home after work. "This is it! 'I Got You, Babe,' Sonny and Cher."
"No. Just, no."
"What? Why not? It's a classic, fun, love song by a married couple." Deeks started crooning, changing some of the pronouns, "'And when you're sad, I'm a clown. And if I get scared, you're always around. Don't let them say my hair's too long 'cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong. Then put your little hand in mine, there ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb.' With lyrics like those, this song was practically written for us, Kensalina."
"Deeks, our first dance at our wedding will not be to Sonny and Cher."
"Fine. But it's a great song. Hey, how about we sing it together at karaoke one night instead?"
Kensi shook her head, "You know I don't sing with anyone, no matter how tipsy I need to be to even get up there by myself."
Deeks thought about that. He'd never realized it before, but Kensi was right, she never sang with him. Not at karaoke, which, granted, they didn't do that often. But not in the car, either, and Deeks did that all the time. "Why not? We, almost literally, do everything else together."
When she didn't immediately respond, Deeks continued, "I mean, I get it. My honeyed voice is so mellifluous, I can't really blame you for not wanting to share that particular spotlight with me. Your voice is perfectly…passable, though. But don't worry about it, I can carry us."
Kensi remained silent and let her partner in almost everything ramble on.
"I know!" Deeks said excitedly as he began to tap on his phone. "Let's do this, right here, right now, just us."
"What are you talking about?"
"Sing with me, Kens. We'll put Carpool Karaoke and Caraoke Showdown to shame."
"I told you, I have to be drunk. And even then, only under duress and never with someone else."
"Found it!" Deeks tapped one last time on the screen and Kensi heard the opening strains of "I Got You, Babe" coming from its speaker. He looked at her expectantly, "C'mon, Sugar Cher, start us off."
When the only voice he heard was that of the future pop star and not his fiancée, Deeks frowned, but let the song play. Putting the phone next to his mouth like a microphone, Deeks sang when it was his turn, "'Well I don't know if all that's true, 'cause you got me, and baby I got you. Babe,' Together now, Kens, 'I got you babe. I got you babe.'"
Deeks couldn't help the ache that wormed its way into his chest. For as much as he thought he understood Kensi, he just didn't get what was going on with her right now. He stopped the music. "Kens? What's up? Why won't you sing with me?"
She hated knowing that she'd hurt him, but Kensi just couldn't do this right now. "Look Deeks, there's nothing to get upset about. I don't even sing in the car when I'm alone. Why do you think I listen to techno?"
"Okay, now I know you're lying. Who doesn't occasionally belt one out alone in the car? That's just un-American. Unless of course you're stuck in traffic. Then people look at you funny."
Kensi shook her head adamantly, "I don't. I don't sing in the car, and I don't sing with anyone else."
"Why not?"
She shrugged, trying to play it off, "No reason, really. Like you said, at best my voice is barely passable, so why would I?" She pulled into their driveway and made to get out of the car.
Deeks wasn't buying it. He took her wrist in hand as she was unfastening her seatbelt. "Uh-uh, no way. What's this about, Kensi?"
"It's nothing," she said, gently trying to tug away. Deeks' tender tone would be her undoing soon. She laid her hand over his, and when he loosened his grasp on her wrist, Kensi deftly moved to detach the seatbelt and escape the car.
Deeks didn't budge as he watched her walk along the side of the SRX and lean against the rear hatch. When he approached her less than a minute later, Kensi was sitting on the bumper, her eyes on the sunset. He caught her hand again, threaded his fingers between hers, and calmly spoke, "Please don't walk away from me, Kensi. It kills me when you do that."
She whispered, "I'm not walking away. I just needed some air."
"What's going on, baby?"
Kensi closed her eyes and slowly shook her head, a discomfited look on her face. "It's stupid, please forget it."
"Not if it's got you this upset."
"It makes me sad," she blurted, and then saw his confusion. "Singing. In the car, or with someone."
Now he just seemed baffled.
On a sigh, Kensi elaborated, "We used to sing all the time when I was driving somewhere with my dad, to whatever songs we both knew. We made a game out of it, to see who knew the most words." A tear fell and Kensi quickly wiped it away.
"I don't get it, though. You usually love doing things you used to share with your dad. Hiking, fixing stuff, messing around under my truck," this last he said with a grin and a shoulder bump.
Kensi tried to smile, but failed. "I know. Those things make me happy. I can't explain it, but singing in the car, or even the thought of doing it with you, it just makes me sad. It makes me miss him so much more." With that, the tears started falling in earnest.
Deeks stood up and pulled Kensi into his arms, the only comfort he could offer. He whispered soothingly in her ear, "Let it out, baby. It's okay. I got you."