Thank you so much for the positive response! I have been trying to post chapters for this story once a week but I've already failed several times hahaha anyway here's a new chapter!

I have several chapters/scenes written but the difficult part is putting them in an order I want and that works for the story.

This chapter turned out a lot longer than I thought it would, I may have gone overboard fitting in several different scenes but I felt that I needed to fit it all in before a certain chapter and they kind of went together.

Takes place at the beginning of season two.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS:LA.

"Let's practice your speech Jules." Deeks said when they put their cereal bowls on the coffee table.

"I don't want to." She said softly.

"We have to Jules. Let's go over it."

"No." She replied a little more forcefully.

"Come on."

"No!"

"Then we're going to get ready right now." He stood up and took her hand. "Let's go."

"Nooo!" She resisted his pull and tears started dropping down her face.

"Jules." He sighed. "It'll be done before you know it."

She stomped her feet in frustration. "I don't want to do it!" She was crying and hiccuping as she tried to catch her breath.

He looked at her and then crouched down in front of her, taking her hands. "Jules, you need to calm down." She shook her head as she was hyperventilating. "Jules, look at me! It's just a small speech, a couple of minutes and you're done."

"No! I don't want to go!" She flung her whole body onto the couch pulling away from his hands.

"Jules…" He came closer to her.

"Noooo!" She screamed.

"Baby." He waited for her to look at him. "Hey, you're gonna be okay." He tried to wipe her tears. "In a couple hours it'll all be over. The teacher is letting you go first so then you don't have to stress after that. If you stumble on a word just keep going. If you can't remember then it's okay to just read the card. It's all gonna be good. You can do anything."

Tears still coming down her cheeks, he wasn't sure what to do. He looked at the clock and knew there was no way he'd get her to school on time and work was not even in the question.

He took out his phone and contacted his partner. Jules was sobbing as he texted her.

'Hey, I'm gonna be late. Can you make up something to tell the team?'

'Sure no problem.' She replied quickly.

He decided to call Hetty and let her know as well. "Hello Mister Deeks, oh is that Juliana I hear?"

"Yes it is Hetty. She has a small speech today and can't seem to calm down so I will be late. I'm not sure when I'll get in."

"Alright Mister Deeks, no worries. And Kensi is going to tell the team a reason you're late." It wasn't a question but a statement. He didn't even want to know how she knew stuff without being told or hearing it herself but she just knew.

"Yes, she is. Thank you so much Hetty."

"No Deeks?" Sam said after nine o'clock had passed.

"He had car trouble." She said trying to make it sound as natural as possible.

"Couldn't you pick him up?" Callen questioned.

"I was already almost here when he texted." She said matter of factly. "Besides I'm not his babysitter, he can handle it himself."

"Yeah but you could help your partner out."

"I would have done it for Sam." Callen said, amused by her squirming.

"I've helped him before, just not today." She said defensively, little did they know she was already helping him by covering up why he wasn't there. She had already helped him many times and she didn't appreciate their attitude.

They were on a stakeout and Kensi was being very moody. Deeks had to deal with the two woman in his life taking their annoyances out on him.

"Aaaah these steakouts are torturous." He finally said.

"We've been here twenty minutes." She turned her head to face him.

"I know but I have to deal with you eating your snacks."

"Well I'm sorry, maybe if you would have let me pick a lunch spot, I wouldn't have been so hungry right now." Kensi retorted.

"Touché. I'm sorry the place looked cool, I couldn't have predicted that it would be that bad."

"You could have read the reviews." Kensi snapped and Deeks laughed. She really did get cranky if her food wasn't right. "What?" Kensi was annoyed. Why would he be laughing at her?

"Nothing." Still laughing and then they fell into a silence.

The suspect still hadn't appeared and Deeks was getting restless again. "Could you just sit still?" Kensi was irritated.

"I'm bored." He stated and she turned to him again and glared.

"You're such a baby." She stated. "Jules is more mature than you."

He laughed again and then sobered up. "The guy isn't going to show up."

"You don't know that." She snipped. "And why were you late this morning?" The thought came to her mind.

He sighed. "Jules had a complete breakdown about her little speech today. She was yelling and crying, just a complete panic attack. She was finally able to calm down and I ended up bringing her to school an hour late."

"She was so nervous."

"Yeah, I just hope it went well. I'm sure it did but I need to know."

"You can call Alice soon and talk to her."

"That's what I'm planning."

Her phone started ringing so she picked up. "Hi Kens, I found his truck parked near the beach so Callen and Sam are heading there now, you guys can come back to OSP."

"Okay, thank you Eric."

"Welcome back guys." Eric said when a shorter female stepped up next to him.

Hetty appeared out of nowhere. "This is intelligence analyst Nell Jones, she will be assisting us on this case."

"Nice to meet you." Kensi said.

"Nice to meet you too." Nell replied.

"Well, I'll go back to reviewing surveillance tapes I guess." Deeks stated and walked the short way to his desk.

Before he got to work though he checked the time and saw that it was just past three in the afternoon meaning Jules should have been picked up by now so he dialed the nanny's number.

"Hi Alice."

"Hi Marty."

"How's it going?"

"We're good, having a snack right now."

"I just wanted to talk to Jules for a moment."

"Here she is."

"Hi Daddy." She said with a cheerful voice.

"Hi sweetheart. How was your speech?"

"It was okay. I messed up on one part but I kept going."

"That's okay. You did it and you finished. I'm so proud of you and I'm glad it went well. Did you get to go right away?"

"Yeah."

"Oh good, I'm so happy you're done. We'll celebrate when I get home tonight okay?"

"Okay."

"Daddy's gotta go back to work now."

"Okay." She said again. "Wait! Can we have tacos tonight?"

"Sure baby."

"Wait! Are you gonna come home early?" She halted his goodbye once again.

"I don't know yet, but I'll try okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

"Oh and is Kensi coming over?" She asked at the last moment.

"I can ask her if you want, why?"

"She's nice."

He laughed. "She is. I'll see you later."

"Bye bye."

Callen and Sam arrived at the bullpen and sat down.

"Where's your partner?" Sam asked.

"On a phone call."

"With who?"

"I don't know." She answered with her eyes focused on her paperwork hoping they wouldn't see through the lie.

Callen and Sam looked at each other, there was definitely something the younger agents were keeping from them, they would just have to figure out what.

He arrived home, not early but also not late, and Alice left for the day. Once they were alone he sat down with her on the couch.

"Where's Kensi?"

"She had plans with her friends tonight."

"Oh." She looked disappointed.

"You like having her around, huh?"

"Yeah." She admitted.

"Me too."

"Oh Daddy I'm going to be in an art show. Can you come?" She was bubbling with excitement as she remembered and picked up the paper from the coffee table.

"Well let me see." He took the paper she held with all the information on it from her hands. It said that the opening was on Friday in two weeks at 5pm and that the prizes would be handed out for several different categories. With his unpredictable work schedule he knew he couldn't promise anything and he would have to ask Hetty if he could leave early. "I will try my absolute best to be there but otherwise Alice can take you, okay?" She nodded. She knew her dad's job could get in the way sometimes. "What did you enter in the art show?"

She immediately perked up and started telling her story. "Well I made a butterfly at school with paint, pencils and ink and the teacher said she wanted to enter it in an art show so she did."

"That's great baby." He kissed the top of her head. "Can't wait to see it."

"Are you going to invite Kensi to my art show?"

"If you want me too."

"Yeah, I want you too."

"Alright who's hungry?"

"Meeee!" She yelled as they headed to the kitchen. "Come on Monty, it's dinner time!" The dog immediately followed sitting by his bowl, waiting for his dinner to be served.

Kensi went to get some drinks from the bar and when she came back she saw all the girls huddled around a phone.

"Who's Deeks?" Tiffany asked with Kensi's phone in her hand.

"Nobody." She rushed to say as she grabbed the phone from her hands.

"Are you seeing him?" Mandy asked.

"The name is kind of interesting, it is a guy right?" Mindy wondered.

"Yes, it's a guy and no, I'm not seeing him."

"Is he cute? I bet he's cute."

"How do you know him? Where did you meet?"

She was flustered by the amount of questions being asked. She wasn't prepared for the gossip the cupcake girls could whip up.

"He's just a coworker."

"Just a coworker?" Tiffany said skeptically.

"Yes." She insisted.

"Just a coworker who texts you at midnight?" Tiffany said looking at her watch.

Kensi looked down at the messages they must have seen when she left her phone on the table.

'Hey, you up?'

'I'm watching a horror movie. Your spot on the couch misses you. If you know what I mean.' The winking emoji finishing off that message.

'Oh wait you're probably still out with your friends.'

'Tell them your handsome partner says hi.'

'Are any of them single?

'Just kidding!'

'Don't worry Fern. I only have time for one lady in my life.' He meant Jules, Kensi thought but her friends wouldn't read it as that.

'I'm bored, in case you couldn't tell.' He added a laughing emoji.

'Let me know when you get home safely.'

Leave it to Deeks to text her semi-inappropriate messages when she was with her friends. He often pushed her buttons and this would just give her friends more to gossip about.

He was watching tv, waiting to hear back from Kensi. Jules had gone to sleep hours ago and he was bored. He longed for a night out with his friends but between his line of work and a kid, he didn't get that opportunity very much. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Jules came out of her room with her blanket.

"Daddy? I don't feel so good."

"What's wrong?"

"My tummy hurts."

"Come here, sweetheart." She approached him with her red little cheeks and felt her forehead. "You have fever, baby girl." She was burning up. "Have a seat, I'm going to get you medicine and then you can sleep next to me and wake me when you need me okay?" She nodded and he walked to the kitchen to get children's medicine and a glass of water.

"My tummy really hurts daddy."

"Okay, take the medicine and then you'll feel a little better."

"I don't like that medicine."

"I know but it'll help."

He poured the liquid into the tiny cup and she drank it quickly. "Tastes yucky." She made a face of disgust.

"Drink some water, little sips." She did so and Deeks stood up. "Okay, let wrap the blanket around you and I'll carry you to the room." He picked her up, walked to his bed and put her down again. "Daddy's going to get the medicine and cup of water and be right back okay?"

She didn't respond as he quickly left the room to retrieve the things he'd need during the night. When he came back, Jules looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Daddy?!" She said panicked "I'm gonna be…" Sick. She threw up all over herself.

He reached for the nearest bowl-like item and grabbed the little trash can. "Take this." She was throwing up more. He hated seeing his little baby like this, she wasn't her cheery self.

"You think you're done?" She nodded weakly and he took the trash can away. "You feel any better?"

"Yeah."

"We need to get you cleaned up and some more medicine cause you threw it all up."

"Again?"

"Yep, gotta take it. Let's get you some new jammies and I'm going to change the bedding."

He stripped the sheets from the bed and put it in the wash, then helped her change and clean up with a washcloth so that he could get her to sleep quickly.

"Did you feel sick at all today?"

"No."

"It came quickly huh?"

"Yeah." He layed towels down on her side of the bed and laid her down.

"You can wake me at any time okay?"

"Okay." She nodded. "Can you stay home with me tomorrow?" She asked softly.

"Of course baby, I'll take the day off."

She was listening to Mindy talk about the guy she was dating when her phone buzzed on the table. She turned her phone over and looked at the screen. It was another text message from Deeks.

'Hey, how's it going? My evening hasn't been very good.'

Her friends silently communicated with each other as she was distracted by texting with Deeks.

"How's Deeks?" Tiffany asked but she didn't seem to hear them.

"Kensi?" Kat tried.

"Mhm?" She looked up at all her friends staring at her. "What?"

"Deeks seems to have your full attention."

"Uhm…" She said as she read his next text.

'Jules just threw up all over herself.'

"I'm sorry I have to uhm…"

"What's wrong Kensi?" Kat asked when she saw her friend was frazzled.

"Deeks' daughter is sick."

"He has a kid!" Tiffany shouted.

"Ugh he probably has a wife." The other Tiffany stated.

"Why would he be texting Kensi about it though?" Mandy pondered. They started a side conversation and the alcohol wasn't helping tamper down the conspiracies they were coming up with about Deeks' life.

"He's a single dad." She sighed, she wanted them to stop talking about him.

"Single being the operative word." Tiffany said cheekily.

"I need to make a call." She stood and left the table reading more of his texts.

'I'm staying with her tomorrow. Can you tell them I'm sick or something? Anything?"

'Of course.' She texted back and then dialed his number.

"Hey, how is she?" She said when he picked up.

"She's sleeping right now." He whispered as he walked out of the bedroom. "Little stomach bug came quickly, she seemed perfectly fine before."

"She's had quite a day today."

"Hopefully she'll be a little better tomorrow."

"Do you want me to bring you dinner or something from the grocery store?"

"If you don't mind, I could use some fresh bread and milk but it can wait till tomorrow. I don't need anything tonight, thank you though."

"Okay."

"Are you still out with your friends?"

"Yes, I'm outside right now though, it's so loud in this place."

"Well, you should go back inside and stay with your friends, you don't want to stand alone."

"I'm a big girl Deeks, I can take care of myself."

"I know, just be safe." She was surprised by his worry for her but she understood why, it was a dangerous world especially for a woman alone at night. As a cop he had seen many bad things and with his daughter, these were things he thought about.

"Okay, I'll go back inside. Tell Jules, to get well soon."

"I will."

"Goodnight Deeks."

"Night Kens."

She walked back to her friends and they all looked at her expectantly, to hear about her phone call. "Sooo?" Tiffany started.

"So, what?" Kensi replied knowing exactly what they were talking about.

"How is everything?" Tiffany asked sincerely.

"She's okay, sleeping right now."

"How old is she?" Kat had always had a love for children.

"Six."

"You guys seem pretty close, do you spend a lot of time with them?"

"I do."

"I'm glad you've found people to hang out with when we're not here."

She laughed, her bestfriends didn't live in Los Angeles and she didn't get to see them very often so of course Mandy would joke about needing other friends beside them.

"Yeah, I'm doing good."

"That's great Kens." Kat smiled.

"You're gonna end up married to the guy one day, aren't you?"

Kensi blushed, it wasn't like she hadn't thought about dating Deeks, but they couldn't, they were partners and it was against regulations. "No, I'm not."

"You just watch." Tiffany bet.

The next morning, she was working on some paperwork when Callen and Sam entered the bullpen.

"No Deeks again?" Sam looked at the empty desk next to him.

"He's sick." She replied quickly.

"First car trouble and now he's sick."

"What's really going on Kensi?" Callen added.

"Nothing, he's having a bad week." She wasn't lying about that, he was having a bad week with Jules.

"It's been going on longer than a week, there's something off about him." Sam wondered out loud. "You've been quiet lately too. What's up?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." Sam and Callen gave each other a look and she rolled her eyes. "Really, I'm good."

"You just seem different. You and Deeks seem to be getting along much better than before."

"I guess we're just getting used to each other and gaining more trust every day."

"That's good." Callen was glad their partnership was working out a little better.

"You seeing someone?" Sam asked her.

"No." She was getting flustered by all the personal questions. They didn't really talk about their personal lives much. They knew about her 'no-second-date-rule' so why would they think she was seeing anyone. "What's with all the questions?" She laughed nervously.

"Can't I just show interest in my fellow teammates?"

"Now you sound like Deeks."

She and Sam held a staring contest until he finally gave in. "Alright, I'll stop." He'd keep an eye on the two younger teammates and figure out what was going on eventually.

Thanks for reading!