Chapter 4
Kensi POV
After that night when Deeks and Kota came to me in the hospital I slowly yet surely started to get more fragments and moments of my life before all of this happened. Before I was in the accident. Before I went undercover. Before all of that I was happy even though I might not have the safest job, I was still content with living my life with Deeks, Dakota and Monty even if the mutt wasn't always well behaved.
After another two weeks in hospital I was allowed to be discharged and to be honest it was the most liberating thing. I must say that I won't miss the hospital food or the lingering smell of freshly sterilised sheets. But I'm also extremely nervous to go 'home'. The last memory of home that I have was my one bedroom apartment, and yet now my home is a small child an old scruffy dog and an even scruffier surfer. Today is the day that I get to entire my life before all this happened, a new chapter for me. Now all I have to do is wait for the discharge papers and my family I guess. Using that word felt so strange but right at the same time, because yes Dakota and Deeks are my family, but I'm still getting used to that fact.
After getting changed into some proper clothes and packing up everything that Deeks had brought me I was finally ready to leave and for Deeks and Kota to come and take me home. Not long after having everything packed Deeks walked into my hospital room, surprisingly Kota was not with him. The thought that Dakota hadn't come made feel a little sad but as much as I tried to hide the disappointment from Deeks he saw right through it.
Deeks saw that Kens was upset because a certain blonde baby wasn't with him, but what she didn't know was that Kota was currently on her way to the waiting area of Kensi' ward with Callen, Sam, Eric, Nell, Hetty and Granger. What Kensi also didn't know was that when he told Dakota that he was going to get mommy and bring her out to everyone she was almost in tears.
10 minutes ago
Ok baby girl you are gonna wait here with everyone and I'm going to go and get mommy and when we come out you can run and give her a big hug. "But Dada, I wants to covme wif you, why can't I covme wif yous dada? I wants to see momma!" I know Kota but we want to surprise Momma so that when she sees everyone she'll be really, really, really, really happy. And anyway, I need you to show everyone where to go. Kota's tears went away when her daddy told her that she got to surprise her mother, with little reluctance she went over to her aunt Nelly who was at the front of the group and started telling her about the surprise and how her mommy is going to be so happy.
Nell's POV
She and the rest of the team were sitting in the waiting room anxiously waiting to surprise Kensi when she walked out with Deeks. Both Callen and Sam were still half watching every patient, nurse and doctor walk past, just in case there was the slightest chance of danger. Hetty and Granger seemed to be discussing something seemed to be a troubling subject by the scowl on Hetty's face. And then there was Eric sitting down almost bursting with excitement, he could almost contend to be as happy as Kota right now. The sweet little girl was watching for any a site of her parents, everytime a someone walked by her little head would turn and immediately the word "Momma?" would come out of her mouth as if everyone the walked past was either Kensi or someone that knows her.
In the corner of her eye Nell saw Kensi and Deeks walking toward the desk in the middle of the waiting room, she realised that Kensi hadn't seen the team so she tapped Kota on the shoulder and pointed to Kensi.
Kota POV
Her aunt Nelly had tapped her shoulder to get her attention. When she saw who her aunt was pointing to she immediately froze, her Momma and dada were standing there talking to one of the nice ladies that was helped made her Momma feel better. She saw her Dada look up and beckon her over. When she saw that she looked up to her aunt Nelly in silent permission to go over to her parents.
Nell POV
Nell saw Deeks beckon Kota over to where he and Kens were standing, in that moment Kota looked up and her silently asking for permission, so with a big smile she gave Dakota a nod and sent her on her way.
KENSI POV
As I looked up from signing the discharge form I saw my whole team sitting there all with smiles on their faces. But I saw the one person who I thought wasn't even here, my sweet little baby girl jumped off Nell's lap and started weaving her way through the people in the waiting room.
I started moving away from the desk and towards Kota. I stopped for second to see where she went and out of the corner of my eye I saw her standing there with the biggest toothy smile I've ever seen. Our little reunion was like a scene form a movie or one of those videos of soldiers coming home and surprising their kids. Kota ran as fast as her little legs could carry her shouting a loud "Momma" into the room, we met in the middle. Where I crouched down and waited for her to run into my arms. My baby girl was in tears, I held her little frame close just living in the beautiful moment. After a while I stood up taking Kota with me. This was the first time I've properly carried her since my before I can remember. I slowly made my way back over to the team where Deeks was now standing. Not wanting to let go of Kota yet I stopped and asked her a question.
Are you ready to go back to everyone else?
"No Momma" the reply was soft and muffled but it told me everything I needed to know. Without having to say a word I looked back towards the people that I considered family and in all their faces was understanding, even Granger had a genuine look of understanding that Kota needed some more time before she was ready to share her mommy.
Instead heading towards everyone I headed for the vending machines that I passed every day when I went to rehab sessions taking our time to walk over to the machines Dakota quietly asked me questions or just said 'Momma' to make sure that I was still there. The questions she asked weren't all proper questions. Most of them were statements like "wove yous Momma, yous coming home Momma? Missed you momma" and other things. When we arrived at the vending machines Kota's tears had stopped and she was a lot calmer than she was before, she was still speaking in a quiet voice which I've only heard her use when she's been scared. Looking at what snacks and treats the Machines and deciding what to get was another challenge in itself. That when I realised that I couldn't remember what food Kota liked and what she didn't. luckily it didn't take too long for Kota to perk up at all the options that were available after a long deliberation of what to get they decided on some skittles and Cheetos, walking back to the group Kota seemed less possessive and content to just snack on her Cheetos, but unfortunately that was not the case as soon as they were back with the team Kota's relaxed grip around me tightened before moving any further I told her that I wanted to say to everyone and that I had to put her down with that Kota's bottom lip started to tremble and tears started building up in her eyes before she could start crying I added that she could still hold on to me when I put her down and that we had plenty of time for hugs at home, with that reassurance Kota seemed to calm down and realise her grasp on me so I could put her down.
Nell was the first person to come and lock me in a bear hug, she said her peace and every other team member did a similar thing except for Granger who offered a handshake instead of hug. After everyone had given me hugs (or handshake in grangers case) we all started moving out of the hospital. The whole time Kota was hanging onto my leg like her life depended on it.
We ended up in the parking lot where everyone said their goodbyes and left me to be with Kota and Deeks. Looking down at Kota I noticed her eyes were drooping and her grip on my leg was ever so slightly loosening. I picked her up careful not to spill the unfished packet of skittles, Kota's little arms wrapped around my neck and her legs around my waist. She asked one last question before placing her head on my shoulder. "Momma coming home?" my only answer was, 'yes baby I'm coming home and I'm all yours' with that she snuggled closer to me as I went to catch to Deeks.
Deeks POV
Finally, we were on our way home. Kensi was sitting next to me and Dakota was in her car seat completely knocked out, I don't blame her though I would have clung to kens and not let go if I had the chance, but I'm glad that my little girl won't have any more sleepless nights, because her mommy isn't home and no more meltdowns because she knew where Kensi was but couldn't be with her. Finally, there would be peace in their house, even Monty will be happy to have his mom home instead of moping about the house. He pulled up into their driveway around 1 in the afternoon, this morning had been emotionally taxing on everyone in the car but now he could relax knowing that his family is once again whole. Watching Kensi react to seeing the house was absolutely priceless. Before she could say anything, I leant over and simply said Hetty. Our wedding gift from Hetty was a two-story Malibu house with everything you could possibly need on the property.