Hello my lovelies. I would like to thank Guest, heyjode, Lic. Lu, ssl7, anonkp and PirateGinge for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, I hope you like how I've introduced the new guy (and like him), and I hope I have answered some of the questions you have had about Kensi.
Also I'm sorry but this won't be becoming M for those that what it to be. I'm not very good at writing that stuff.
Anyway Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't NCIS: LA.
Callen arrived at the mission early the next morning, his intention being to be the first in the office. But of course he was unsuccessful, something he realised when he saw Hetty already at her desk. Placing his bag down, he knew he needed to go and talk to her. Needed to let her know he was back from his 'sick days'. Get whatever she was going to say to him about his absence out of the way while no one else was around to hear it. Therefore he approached her office area with a smile on his lips. But before he could say anything Hetty did it for him.
"Mr Callen, I glad to see you back. You are feeling better I hope?" She asked looking up at the man approaching her office, a sincere smile on her lips as she did so. Though she couldn't help but smirk internally when she saw how her friendly manner caused Callen's steps to falter slightly. Well she was only human after all.
"Yes, Hetty, much better. Thank you." Callen replied easily as he slid into the chair in front of her desk. It seemed she was okay with him taking the time off then. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful about that or worried about what favour she was going to demand in return. Or more concerning, if she had found out the truth of his reason for being away, and exactly where it was he had gone.
"Good. Your return today is most fortuitous. Here is the file on our new LAPD liaison officer, Detective Thomas. He is starting this morning." Hetty responded, ignoring all the questions she could see flashing across Callen's eyes. She had decided she wasn't going to pry, and she was true to her word. He had needed time away from them all and she had given it to him. Now he was back, and she was helping his team back to full strength. Yes, everything could go back to how it should be now.
"Then I best go read this, then hadn't I?" Callen replied smiling as he reached across and took the file from her. With it in hand he stood and moved back to his desk, settling down with a cup of coffee before opening the folder.
He scanned the contents. The first was the standard information about the man joining his team. He was in his mid-thirties and had been an undercover detective mainly working with the gang unit and narcotics. That caused his eyebrows to raise. That was hard, dangerous undercover work. But then he registered the previous work history and understood why detective Thomas had been chosen for such cases. It seemed that after college he had done four years in the marines, repaying them for the education they had given him. Okay. So this guy wasn't a total civilian. He had training that would be useful to the team, as well as being able to bring the insight of a true detective to their cases. Yeah, he could see why Hetty had chosen detective Thomas to join their team.
Sam walked into the office that morning and couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face at seeing Callen sitting at his desk. "Morning, partner." He said as he started unpacking his bag for the day to come.
"Morning, Sam." Callen replied closing the file he had been reading. Something that caught Sam's notice and as such without preamble he made his way across the bullpen to read the name on front of it.
"Detective Thomas. Good marine, from what I've heard." He responded with a smirk at the eye roll that gained from his friend. After all he was the one who had told G that they were getting a new LAPD liaison today, and he was also the one who had neglected to tell him anything else. Well teach him to keep secrets now wouldn't it?
"And just where did you hear that, Sam?" Callen asked raising his eyebrow, though in truth he wasn't surprised that Sam had done his homework on the new guy. Just as he wasn't surprised that he knew who he was. Nothing remained a secret in this office for long, no matter how hard you tried.
"A friend of mine out at Pendleton." Sam replied with a shrug, moving back towards his own desk. It wasn't like it was difficult to find out info on a guy who had served after all.
"Right." Callen nodded before turning to open his computer. He needed to check his emails and see just what he had missed the last couple of days.
Kensi woke early. Looking out at the sun shining through her window she decided to go for a run rather than the gym that morning. As such she tried very hard to have a pleasant time pounding the pavements listening to her music, and resolutely not thinking of the way her life had changed over the last few weeks. Refused to think about the pain she felt at her partner disappearing on her. Refused to think how much it hurt to consider the idea she would never see Deeks again. And most of all refused to think of the betrayal she felt at knowing Deeks didn't trust her to help him in this time. Refused to consider how she felt at knowing Callen was the one he had turned to, rather than her. Oh she knew she was over-reacting. Knew she was being stupid. After all Callen had been ordered to find Deeks by both Hetty and Bates. She couldn't really fault him for doing his job. Nor could she fault him for helping out her partner when he found him, though she confessed it was a shock to overhear him discussing Deeks moving out of his apartment with his building manager when she had gone round to do her weekly check to see if Deeks had returned. It had made it all seem so much more real when she had heard that conversation. He wasn't coming back.
Then of course there was the way the manager had insinuated that Deeks and Callen were together. That was completely crazy, right? There was no way anything was going on between the two of them. I mean Deeks had kissed her, right? But still she couldn't silence the little voice in her head that suggested that maybe, just maybe things had changed now. That without the constraints laid on both the men from being part of the team that certain things she had seen but dismissed, had come out into the open.
She had seen how sometimes Deeks would look a man over as he would a woman, though not as obviously. No doubt he thought he was being completely discrete, but she was a trained federal agent and his partner. She saw, she knew. She also knew that Callen didn't really care about the sex of his partner, it was an open secret at the office, and it was a thing that had been made use of once or twice in cases they had worked before Deeks joined them. So yeah, she had noticed how they both had given each other appreciative looks across the bullpen. But really, she never thought anything of it. Never thought anything would come of the slight attraction she had seen. But now, now she couldn't help but wonder.
And she couldn't help but feeling really bad for doing so.
Deeks needed help. He was going through more crap than she could even start to comprehend. He needed a friend right then, one that understood. And while she didn't know much about Callen's career history, it wouldn't surprise her to learn he had been tortured himself. Therefore it made sense Deeks would reach out to the one member of the team who knew where he was and what he was doing. It made sense. It didn't mean anything. But even these rationalisations didn't stop the feelings gnawing at her.
Then there was today. The day she met her new partner. The day she had to develop a new relationship with the guy watching back. This would be her third partner in the last five years. What did that say about her that she had gone through so many? I mean, look at Callen. He was the ultimate lone wolf, yet he and Sam had been together for longer than she had known them. What was wrong with her that she couldn't keep a partner? And would this new guy stay, once he knew that truth?
She didn't know anything about him, Detective Thomas, not really. Though Sam had let slip that he'd been a marine. That relaxed her slightly. She knew how to deal with marines. She was a marine brat, and had been engaged to one. Marines were her comfort zone. At least this new partnership had that going for it. She still remembered the start of her and Deeks' partnership. How they didn't gel, didn't understand each other enough to have the relationship they needed to trust each other with their lives. At least, hopefully she would have something in common with Thomas.
As she returned home she realised she had spent so much of her time on her run trying not to think about everything, it was all that had crowded her mind. She needed to stop. She needed stop thinking about Deeks and what might have been. He was gone, and he was not coming back. She needed to move forwards. Today was going to be a new start for her, she needed to treat it as much. She needed to take everything that she and Deeks were, and put it in a box. It was over, and it was time she accepted that.
And with that thought she went to get ready for the new day.
Detective Jason Thomas had been surprised when Bates had called him into his office to inform him he was going to be the new liaison officer to NCIS operation of special projects. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. I mean if he had wanted to become a federal agent he would have joined NCIS when he left the marines. Instead he had joined LAPD, wanting to give back to the community he had grown up in. But it seemed there was no getting out of this new assignment, and he knew full well how to follow orders. Therefore back straight and head held high he arrived at the address he was given that would become his new office. He looked round the building and couldn't help but smile at the Spanish style of it. It called to his distant Hispanic heritage. He liked the idea of working here.
Moving towards the door he was greeted with a small woman. Bates had told him about her. Told him about Hetty, and he knew he needed to give her as much respect as he would give a two star general. As such he bobbed his head in lieu of a salute as he spoke. "Ma'am."
"Please Detective Thomas, call me Hetty." The lady replied with smile on her lips. Oh yes, he was completely different to Deeks, and yet just as good in his own way. He would be exactly what her team needed.
"Of course, Hetty. It is a pleasure to meet you." Jason replied holding out his hand for her to shake.
"A pleasure that is returned. Come let me introduce you to the team." Hetty responded turning and leading the way through the doors. They walked down the corridor, and as they did so she pointed out the different rooms and corridors leading to other parts of the building, though she did not show him round. She would leave that to his new partner, it would give both him and Kensi time to get to know each other without the prying eyes of the rest of the building.
Jason followed, listened and memorised the words she said with only half his brain. The other was thinking over the people he was going to meet. As soon as he had found out he was going to be joining this team he had put in a few calls. He'd found out that agent Hanna was a former SEAL, and a damn good one at that. From all he heard he respected the guy already. Was ready to follow him without question. His soon-to-be partner Agent Blye he had also heard a lot about. She had a long history with Pendleton and the marines, and everyone he spoke to gave him a good impression of her. It was agent Callen he hadn't been able to get a beat on. When he mentioned the name to some people they clamped up, refusing to say a word, whereas others just shrugged and shook their head as if to say they couldn't think of any way to describe the man. He had found out enough to know the guy had worked for every alphabet agency going, and from what wasn't said he deduced the guy was a ghost. A spy. As such he couldn't help but find himself intrigued by the man who so few actually knew.
Finally they came out into an open area and as they did so Jason found three sets of eyes trained firmly on him. He couldn't help but tense with the intensity of the stares, of knowing that these people who were to be his new team mates were watching and categorising, that they were already making judgements about him due to the way he stood and the look on his face. This was worse than any undercover he had ever done, and that was saying something. But then that was probably because he knew that these people carried within their hands his life. They were the ones who would have his back and vice versa.
"Gentlemen, and lady, let me introduce our new LAPD liaison Detective Jason Thomas. Detective Thomas, agents Hanna, Callen and Blye." Hetty said gesturing as she said each name so he could put the right face to each one. Not that he needed her to do so, it was obvious who was who. Even while he sat Agent Hanna's military baring was obvious while Callen slouched, and Blye, well she was the only female there.
"Pleasure to meet you all." Jason replied moving into the bullpen and shaking each of their hands as he continued. "Please call me Jase, Jason or Thomas. I'll answer to any of them." With what he hoped was a friendly smile on his face.
Callen watched the new guy. Watched how he tensed when he arrived and straightened into a parade stance unconsciously. Watched how he turned first to Sam and then Kensi, before approaching him. He knew it was because they were nearest to the entrance to the bullpen, but he did find it interesting that he greeted the former SEAL before his new partner. He imagined it was because Sam was the one who he would feel the most comfortable with, what with his previous career and all that. Therefore when he got to him, Callen stood with military precision as he smiled in return and took the hand offered. "Welcome to the team, Thomas. Your desk is behind you. Once settled I'm sure Kensi will be happy to show you around." He said with a clipped tone and smirking to himself at the confusion his behaviour was having on the new guy. Oh yes, this could be fun. After all if Leroy Jethro Gibbs had taught him nothing it was once a marine, always a marine.
"Thank you." Jason replied, managing to cut himself off before he added a sir to the end of that sentence. Callen radiated command and it shocked him how the guy had gone from slouching disinterest to commanding in a split second. He really was everything none said about him. That was for sure.
"Of course." Kensi agreed readily. She liked the idea of showing this guy around. Getting to know her new partner. And if her eyes found themselves travelling up and down his attractive 6ft1 body, well she was only female. Who couldn't look at that? At the way his dark hair was longer than regulation, but still nicely styled, nor the way his smile made his eyes light up with a friendly sparkle. And as she sat there looking at her new partner she suddenly found it a lot easier to make sure the box containing Deeks was kept shut. This guy was nothing like him, and she couldn't even being to compare the two. But watching him she realised she already felt comfortable with him. She recognised the military tells, and they eased her as nothing else ever could. Yes she could see herself getting on very well with her new partner.
And Callen watching as these thoughts crossed Kensi's eyes signed with relief. At least she would be able to move on with this guy. Would be able to find an easing the tension that had held its grip on her ever since Deeks left. At least now he didn't need to worry about her, or at least, not more than he usually did. And if he did find himself tensing slightly as Thomas sat at Deeks' desk. Settled into a place that was now his, Callen refused to look into the feelings behind it. After all he was the one who had let Deeks leave, he had no one but himself to blame now there was another man sitting in his chair. He was just going to have to deal with it, and if the idea of still being able to see Deeks outside of work helped him cope, well there was nothing wrong with that now was there?