i'm not even going to try to make an excuse for the wait being so long, i'm just going to say i'm very sorry, hahaha. Hopefully you're all still with me enough to read these last few chapters i have in mind! i hope you enjoy them guys, you're all amazing.

Chapter 37

"You're kidding me, right?" Deeks asked incredulously.

"No, Deeks I'm not." Nell shook her head.

"This is absolutely ridiculous." He told her.

"No one asked your opinion."

"I am the groom, shouldn't I get some say in this?" Deeks laughed.

"I am the wedding planner and Kensi is the bride, we get the say." Nell explained.

Deeks shook his head but couldn't help but laugh. This conversation was not going his way at all, but that was often the case when one was talking to Nell Jones. The small red head had her arms crossed and eyes narrowed, her stance the very picture of determination.

They were all in the bullpen, the analysts standing while the agents sat at their desks. Sam, Callen, and Kensi were watching amused as Deeks tried to reason with Nell. "Deeks, you've been arguing for twenty minutes and you've still made no progress. I think it's time to just give up." Sam chuckled.

"When have you ever known Deeks to just give up, Sam?" Callen chuckled.

"I've yet to see it." Kensi laughed.

"Kensi how can you stand for this? It's an outrage." The shaggy man cried out.

"It's one night, Deeks." She laughed.

"One night that I'll never get back. You would deny us the pleasure of spending our last night as non-married people together?" He asked her.

"Please spare us the details." Sam groaned.

Deeks grinned. "I'm just sayin'."

"Why is this such a big deal? I mean you two have been living together for how long?" Eric inquired.

"A while." Kensi smiled.

"An awesome while." Deeks smiled softly.

"Exactly, so is there really a difference in Kensi spending the night before the wedding with Nell instead of at home with Deeks?" Eric inquired, utterly lost.

Nell snapped her head towards Eric. "Of course there is a difference, Beale! It's tradition."

"Nelma you do realize there is nothing traditional about Kensi and I, right? I have a kid, Kensi practically became mommy to my kid, then we move in together, she is now in the process of adopting my kid, and now we're getting married.

"Anyone hear a tradition in there? Anyone? Anyone?" Deeks spun his chair in a slow circle, hands outstretched as if he'd shot Nell's argument down.

"It's the most backwards relationship I've ever heard." Sam snorted.

"Do tell us about your traditional relationship with Michelle, Sam." Callen grinned. Sam waved him off.

"Deeks that is exactly the point! You two not spending the night before the wedding together will add some tradition!" Nell exclaimed.

"Traditions are made to be broken!" The shaggy man cried, exasperated.

"Tradition is a very important thing, Mr. Deeks. You would do well to listen to Ms. Jones." Hetty commented, walking by the bullpen.

Deeks's head fell and Nell beamed. "Alright. Fine. You win. Steal my ladybird for one night. One lonely, cold night."

Kensi laughed. "You'll make it, Deeks."

Her groom to be shot her a smirk. "Ah, but the question Kensalina is will you?"

Kensi's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Of course I will." She snorted.

"We'll see." Deeks grinned.

"Hey Deeks?" Kensi asked, breaking the silence of their stakeout. They were sitting in her car, watching a building for any traffic in or out.

"Yes, milady?" Deeks smiled.

"I was looking at the guest list, and we don't really have anyone on there just for you. I mean, my mom is on there, a few of my friends outside of OSP are on there. Is there anyone you want to include?" Kensi asked carefully.

He was quiet for a moment, thinking. "We could invite Jason, but other than him and the team there's no one I specifically want there." He finally replied.

"I know we haven't really talked about it, but what about your mom?" She inquired softly.

Deeks let out a slow breath and turned his head to look at her. "She wouldn't come anyway."

"Why not?" Kensi immediately asked. How could his own mother not want to be there? She thought silently. She couldn't fathom it.

"Well, my mom never really got over my dad. And she always blamed me for his getting sent away… I don't know, I guess she really loved him. I don't see how, but maybe she did." He explained, shaking his head in disgust.

"She blames you for saving her?" Kensi asked incredulously.

"Yup. Good ole' Mom. I wouldn't even know where to send an invitation." Deeks shrugged.

Kensi couldn't help but feel horrible about bringing it up; the look on his face showed he was still hurt by his mother's actions. She quickly tried to change the subject.

"Well what about Ray?" Kensi exclaimed.

A small smile formed on her fiancé's lips. "What about him?"

"How about we invite him?" She suggested.

"I don't know, Kens. I mean, it could be dangerous for him. I wouldn't want to put him or his family at risk." Deeks shook his head.

"Deeks, I know he'd want to be there! He could fly in that morning and leave late that night, or maybe the next morning. He wouldn't have to stay for long." Kensi encouraged.

The shaggy man looked at her with a tender expression. "I've got a number for him, haven't ever called it; he gave it to me when he and his family left LA. I'll try it, see what he says. He did tell me to call him and tell how it turned out with Wikipedia." Deeks smiled.

Kensi grinned. "I'm sure it would mean a lot to both of you if he was there."

"It would. I'll see." Deeks nodded, smiling happily once again.

"What color is you dress, Mommy?" Leo inquired as the family of three was sitting in the living room floor, playing with superhero action figures as the boy had requested.

"What dress?" Kensi asked, a content smile on her face.

"You wifey dress." Leo told her.
"My what?" Kensi snorted.

Deeks burst out laughing. "Leo, I told you it's a wedding dress that she'll be wearing when she becomes my wifey."

Kensi couldn't help but laugh as well. "It's a white dress; that's the traditional wedding dress color."

Leo scrunched his nose. "Why is it white?" He asked.

The woman laughed, putting her Wonder Woman action figure down. "It just is."

"How come it's not wed? Or bwoo, I like bwoo." Leo told her seriously.

"It's just not, baby. Wedding dresses are almost always white." Kensi explained.

"So dey not always white? So dey can be bwoo?" The three year old argued.

Deeks's eyebrows rose and a grin formed on his lips. "Mini me just found a loophole, Kens."

"Well they're supposed to be white!" Kensi exclaimed.

Suddenly Deeks's phone rang, and he jumped up to get it. "Hey, Kens I'll be right back." He told her.

"Alright, we'll be here." Kensi smiled.

"But why is it white?" Leo asked again, making Deeks laugh as he walked out of the room and stepped into his bedroom.

"Deeks." He answered the phone.

"Marty!" Ray's excited voice answered.

Deeks couldn't help but smile; he didn't realize how much he missed his lifelong friend. "Hey man, how's it goin'?"

"Nah, you tell me. You called me and said to call you, so what? Is this my phone call about Wikipedia?" Ray chuckled.

Deeks couldn't help but join in his friend's laughter. "Uh, yeah, no. It uh, it is actually."

Ray's laughter immediately stopped. "You serious?" He asked.

"As serious as the ring on her finger." Deeks replied.

There was a moment's pause, and then, "WHOO! MARTY'S GETTIN' MARRIED TO WIKIPEDIA!" He yelled.

Deeks laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I am. I can't believe it, either. She actually said yes."

"Well of course she did! I knew she would. Oh man, Marty, I'm so happy for you." Ray told him.

"Thanks man. Listen, I know you may not want to, but I gotta ask; is there any chance of you making it out here for the wedding? It's in a couple weeks, so you can think about it if you want." Deeks said.

"Of course I'm gonna come to the damn wedding! You think I'd ever miss it?" Ray exclaimed.

"Ray, you had to get your family out of LA and to safety. Part of me can't stand the thought of you not being there that day, but a bigger part of me doesn't want to put you and your family in danger." Deeks explained seriously.

Ray was quiet for a moment, and Deeks could tell he was really thinking. "Jenna is pregnant again, really pregnant. It wouldn't be the best thing for her to fly out here. Her sister's staying with us though, so if I just fly out there for a day or two then she'll be here with Jenna and they'll be okay."

"Ray, are you sure?"

"Marty, I'm positive. I've got this new identity and everything, no one will know it's Ray comin' back to LA to see his best friend get chained down to the brunette he's been crazy about for years." Ray laughed, and Deeks could just feel the grin on his friend's face.

"Well, if you're sure."

"I am! Just give me the date and I'll be there."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for the call. Tell Wikipedia I said hey." Ray chuckled.

"Will do." Deeks said softly, then hung up the phone. He stood there for a moment, smiling happily. Without turning around, he chuckled. "Ray said hey, Wikipedia." Deeks turned to see her standing in the doorway, just as he knew she was.

"Well it sounds like I'm gonna get to say hey back in person." Kensi said happily, making her way towards him.

"Thank you for insisting on this." He smiled, wrapped his arms around her.

"You're welcome." She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck.

They stood in peaceful silence for a beat, until Deeks spoke again. "But why do we have to spend the night before the wedding apart?" He whined.

Kensi snorted and broke from the embrace. "Because Deeks, that's why. Gosh, like father like son."

"You know, your words hint at aggravation, but your tone conveys your fondness." Deeks grinned.

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes, a smile on her face though.

The night before the wedding, Deeks was restless. He tossed and turned, thinking about a dozen things; were his vows okay? Was Ray going to be safe while he was in LA? What if Leo throws a tantrum in the middle of the wedding? What if Kensi decides she doesn't want to marry him? What if he never falls asleep tonight?

The last one remained unanswered. He'd been lying in bed for almost two hours, and he'd still yet to even begin to feel sleepy. His bed was just too cold, too big, too empty without her in it.

It was after midnight and he was lying on his side when he heard it; the front door opened. A slow grin formed on Deeks's face as he listened to the familiar footsteps walk back to their bedroom. He heard Leo's door crack open, before it gently shut again; she always checked on Leo, he thought fondly.

Finally, she was there. Her scent hit him before anything else; sunshine and gunpowder. Kensi wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his back.

"You left the light on." She said accusingly.

Deeks smirked, carefully turning over to face her. "I knew you'd need it." He told her.

Her eyes narrowed, but he could see the relief in them; she was having just as rough of a night as he was. "Nell is going to be so mad."

"Hey, I'm not the one that snuck out." Deeks laughed quietly.

"I couldn't sleep." Kensi huffed, obviously frustrated.

"Well if it makes you feel any better neither could I." He admitted.

She smiled softly at him. "We're getting married tomorrow."

Deeks grinned and tugged her closer. "You sure you wanna be stuck with me forever?" He teased.

"Eh, I guess you'll do." Kensi shrugged.

He snorted. "Yeah, no I'm sorry, who was it that snuck out? That couldn't bear to spend one night away from their fiancé?"

"You were obviously about to leave but heard me at the door so you ran back into the bedroom and forgot to turn the light off." Kensi objected.

"Here's the flaw in your argument, Princess. Leo is still sound asleep in his room; do you honestly think I'd leave him here?" Deeks arched an eyebrow, even though it was too dark to see.

She huffed. "Well you were thinking about coming to rescue me."

"Maybe." Deeks smirked.

"Ha!"

"Can you blame me? This bed is too empty and cold without you." He whined.

"Yeah, so was Nell's guest bed." Kensi nodded.

"So you came running back to my bed." Deeks smirked, closing his eyes and burying his face into her hair.

"Something like that, Shaggy."

"Hmm, she finally admits it!"

"Go to sleep, you're getting married tomorrow." Kensi pinched his side.

Deeks returned the pinch to her ass. "So are you, Blye. So are you."

reviews make me happy, if you would be so kind. this chapter may not be the best since it's been so long, hopefully you still liked it!

PS i'm super excited it's finally fall and all the shows are coming back :D NCISLA, Once Upon a Time, Arrow, all of it! makes me happy hahaha

xox