A/N: Here's the next chapter, based off of Deliverance. Thanks to everyone who has continued to read!

"Hey Deeks, this is Kensi," Kensi said, pausing to rub her lower lip. No one was in the bullpen, but she lowered her voice all the same. "Um, if you get this message, give me a call back."

She'd never had to ask him to call her back before, but she wasn't sure after last night. Despite claiming that he was fine, Deeks had remained quiet for the rest of the night.

Kensi knew she'd hurt him with her rebuff. She knew that she probably could have handled it better, but she hadn't expected him to take it so hard. A little part of her was angry that he was. From the beginning, Kensi made it clear that she wanted their relationship to be out of the office and he'd agreed.

Mostly though, she was worried. They'd parted ways in the parking lot, even though it was still fairly early and they usually spent most evenings together. It felt strange to go home without him, especially without resolving their differences.

"I totally won," Callen said, interrupting her contemplation as they came back from the gym. She grabbed a random stack of files and opened her laptop. Fortunately, they were to focused on their debate to notice her preoccupation.

"It wasn't a fair throw. Eric distracted me," Sam disagreed.

"You just don't want to admit that I'm Champion of the World."

"Damn right. I want a rematch."

Deeks walked in then, his thumbs tucked in the pockets of his jeans. Kensi straightened, her attention laser focused on his every move. She saw his eyes flick her way before he looked away, and made a beeline for his desk.

Sam and Callen were still bickering and didn't noticed the unusual tension between them. Or that Deeks was being uncharacteristically quiet.

Kensi tried to catch his eye again, but he purposely busied himself with logging into his laptop and fiddling with pens and paper until Callen turned to him, pulling him into his and Sam's conversation.

"Deeks, you're a lawyer," he said unexpectedly. Deeks raised a wary eyebrow.

"Yes…"

"When playing for Champion of the World, would you say that a distraction is grounds for a free throw?" Deeks pursed his lips at Callen's questions, his eyes narrowing consideringly.

"Is there anything in the rulebook?" he asked.

"We don't have a rulebook," Sam said, sounding annoyed.

"And therein lies your problem." Deeks grinned. "Always have a rulebook."

"The rules are verbal," Callen explained, nodding in Sam's directions. "Which you agreed upon."

"Then that settles it," Deeks decided. "Callen is officially the Champion of the World. Between the two of you."

"Wait, you're not implying that you could beat us, are you?" Sam asked incredulously.

"I played in high school and I was pretty good."

"Oh, you're on. I definitely am looking forward to whooping your ass."

"I'm afraid any ass whooping will have to wait," Eric interrupted, his expression grim. "Hetty just called. Branston Cole and his nurse were murdered."

As they rushed upstairs, it didn't escape Kensi's notice that Deeks had successfully avoided speaking to her completely.

"You didn't text me this morning," Kensi said quietly as they drove to Cole's nursing home.

"Yeah, I uh, I got busy," he said, shaking his hair into his eyes. "Sorry." He had been busy, but he'd let it consume him more than usual. He'd wanted and needed the distraction of work.

"I know you're annoyed with me-"

"I'm not annoyed."

"Ok, then hurt," Kensi amended. He couldn't deny than and chose to look out the window instead. Usually he preferred to approach issues head on rather than letting them fester, but this time he didn't know if talking would help.

"I know we agreed to keep our relationship quiet, but it feels like we're doing something wrong. And I hate that. I want to be able to go places without worrying that the wrong people will see us," he explained. "I don't like hiding."

"You knew this wouldn't be easy."

"I did. But I didn't realize it would be this hard." He saw Kensi's eyes flick his way before she focused on the road, her mouth set. "I didn't think I'd care about you this much so quickly."

Kensi made a noise at his quiet admission. It should have be a joyful moment, but all he felt was dread.

"So what are you saying?" Kensi asked in a small, tight voice that sounded nothing like her. He hesitated, unsure if he should keep his thoughts to himself. But he'd stayed up to the wee hours contemplating what he should do.

"I think I, we, should take some time to re-evaluate what we really want," he said, glancing over at Kensi. She was looking forward, her jaw set.

"Fine," she said tightly.

"Kens-"

"I think we should focus on the case now." He sighed again, wondering how he had screwed everything up so completely in just a few hours.

"Go! Go!" Kensi shouted as she ran to the SUV and climbed in. He had no idea where he was supposed to go exactly, but Callen's instructions had been to escape and evade.

He floored the gas pedal as one of the vehicles made a hasty turn and sped after them.

"You ok?" he asked Kensi, glancing at her briefly while he made a rushed and poorly executed turn from the wrong lane, nearly missing a taxi.

"I'm fine." He made another hairpin turn and Kensi hastily put on her seatbelt. "Just don't get us killed."

"You're lack of faith in me hurts," he joked, smirking. For the first time that day, the tension between them was noticeably absent. It was just too bad that it took a car chase and possible death to do it.

The car chasing them swerved around, trying to cut him off, but Deeks managed force them into a parked garbage truck.

"Oh! That looked painful!" he said as Kensi stared at him in shock.

"Deeks! Look out!" she shouted as a second vehicle appeared in front of them out of nowhere. He just barely stopped in time to avoid crashing. Kensi yanked the glove compartment open and tossed her spare gun at him, climbing out of the SUV. Deeks got out on the other side, the gun weighing heavily in his hand. They used the doors as cover as three armed Russian men exited the other vehicle.

"Give us the book," one of the men said unceremoniously. Deeks glanced at Kensi over the top of the SUV, wondering what her plan was. If it came down to a shoot-out, he wouldn't be able to hold his own. And they both knew it.

"We don't have it." Kensi told him.

"Purse." She threw it across to the blonde Russian and he quickly dumped it out.

"Told you," she said when only her personal items fell out.

"Then get in the car," the first man said.

"Uh-uh," Deeks said without even thinking. He saw Kensi's head turn his way out of the corner of his eye before she caught herself. "She's not going anywhere."

"Deeks." Her voice was quiet enough that he didn't think they could hear her, but Deeks definitely caught the note of warning.

He didn't really care. He wasn't about to let her go off with some guys who would kill her in the blink of an eye. Especially once they found out there wasn't a stupid black book.

"Then four of us die, and one of us lives," the first man said, not sounding overly concerned. That probably had something to do with them being outnumbered.

"He's got a point. All right. Take me." Kensi did turn to him then, apparently astonished by his suggestion.

"Deeks." There was a wealth of meaning in her voice and Deeks noticed the first gunman follow the exchange eagerly.

"She's just a cop. You know? She's not even an agent," he said flippantly. "Tell you the truth, no one really even likes her that much. You know, too pretty for her own good. Kind of a snob."

"Get in the car." His heart hammered in his chest at the Russian's instructions, his fingers sweaty as they clamped uselessly around Kensi's gun.

"Kensi, don't move," he ordered her, knowing deep down that she wouldn't listen to him.

"Nice try, Deeks." She lowered her weapon, disarmed, and tossed it in the passenger seat of the car.

"Kensi." He was pleading with her not to go, even though he knew there was little choice. If she didn't, they'd both be shot. He glanced at her and she managed a tiny smile.

"It's okay. You'll get me back," she said, locking eyes with him. It was just for a moment, but the faith he saw there nearly made him gasp. What if he couldn't?

She didn't give him time to protest anymore, joining the Russians.

"Tell your superior, her life for the book," the Russian said.

"I'll figure out a way to get you back, Kensi," he promised as they roughly shoved her into the vehicle. "Kensi!" One of the Russians shout out the tires in the SUV and he swore as they took off.

He felt nauseous and had to swallow harshly to stop himself from throwing up. Leaning against the now useless vehicle, he pulled out his phone with shaky fingers and dialed Eric's direct line.

He didn't even let Eric finished his greeting before he started speaking.

"Eric, I got a license plate for you. It's Nine-Queen-John-Item, Nine-Zero-Five." His voice shook at the end and his knees felt ready to collapse. "They got her. I let them take Kensi."