So I posted this before but looks like it was taken down a little while after I did so? Anyways, here's a repost for ya'll who didn't get to read it.

"Looks like you're gonna have a cryogenically frozen Deeks in your bedroom sooner than you thought," the detective jibed about twenty minutes later. He could see his breath coming out in an unsteadied (due to his chattering teeth) fog. His fingers could barely move. And if he looked as pale as Kensi did, he knew that it was hard to be much colder.

"Don't joke about that," Kensi said without humor. She was visibly shaking.

"Okay, fine, I don't have to go in your bedroom but I can't believe you'd condemn me to the closet-"

"Deeks-"

"-you'd think at this point in our partnership I'd at least get the living room-"

"Deeks, shut up!" Kensi snapped. Her sudden shout quickly rendered the detective speechless. She read into the shocked expression on his face and sighed. "I'm sorry. I get what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it, but I really don't want to think about that stuff right now."

Stuff. In other words a dead partner a mere feet away. That could come in the next few minutes, or an hour, whenever they decided to crank down the thermostat again. He wasn't sure what the temperature was in here. All he knew was that he was shivering and a bit nauseated- signs that he was experiencing hypothermia.

"We're getting out of this, Kens."

"You don't know that," she echoed quietly, voice cracking.

"We never know that," Deeks countered. "We never know if we'll leave alive every time we walk into the office building." He paused. "Just in case-"

"I know," she smiled at him reassuringly. "Tell me when we get out of here."

Deeks stared at her for a while longer, realizing that she had stopped shivering. Not a good sign. His own breathing had become even shallower. The temperature was definitely dropping at a more rapid rate than before. Something was off.

"I feel it too," Kensi mumbled, barely audible.

They waited in silence for a second. Even through the thick walls, he could hear a distant wail of alarms.

"The cavalry?" Deeks implored, more of a hopeful prayer than an answer-seeking question.

"I don't hear any gunshots," she pointed out.

"Whatever the case, we gotta get ready to move here, Kens." He shifted his chair so it blocked the door. It wouldn't do to barricade it, but he was in the line of sights first, not Kensi. Every inch of movement sent a sting through his rigid muscles. "I don't suppose you have anything sharp, do you?"

"Lightbulb," Kensi nodded upwards. Her lips had turned a dead blue color.

Deeks worked his boot so it was almost off his foot, save for his toes. He flung the shoe upwards towards the light, missing it by several inches. Cursing under his breath, the detective repeated the same with his left.

"If I hit it, we're going out to dinner," Deeks promised. He flicked his boot up towards the light, succeeding in taking a large chunk out of it. Most of it shattered into microscopic particles, but there were a few good shards lying around.

The first piece he attempted to grab with his toes broke instantly. He was more successful with the second, which he managed to bring up to his hand. Cutting himself along the way, Deeks began to saw at the zip tie. Now they could hear the gunshots, and they grew closer until he finally managed to cut through the plastic. He immediately set his other hand free from the chair just as the door flung open.

Not waiting nor caring who it was, Deeks flung himself at the newcomer, bringing them both crashing to the ground. Amongst the fists flying to hit their mark, he could make out the face of the enemy below him. The blond got every hit in that he was able to. If not for the surprise attack, Deeks would have lost the fight. With a few good hits to the temple, he was able to render the assailant incapacitated. He rose victorious with his gun in hand.

Deeks then quickly freed Kensi, and with one arm around her waist to support her, they made their way out of the freezer. Immediately they were drenched by the sprinklers and surrounded by the fire alarms. There was almost no visibility. Sam, Callen, and the others were definitely behind it. Unfortunately, the warehouse was huge, and Deeks realized the improbability of getting out of there without the aid of the rescuers.

"We gotta find Sam and Callen," Kensi shouted over the commotion.

"Agreed." Left or right, fifty-fifty shot. He began steering Kensi to the left but she stopped him.

"They took us in from the other direction."

Following her direction, the two hobbled into an open storage area where no one was to be found. They continued through there before turning down a hall. There lay a few bodies, but none of their friends.

"Sam! Callen!" Kensi called out.

"Let's keep moving," Deeks said after they heard no reply.

They made one more turn and collided with somebody. Deeks immediately raised his gun to fire, but the weapon was knocked out of his grasp and his hand stayed by the opponent.

"Good to see you too. Nice to know I get in a gun in the face when we rescue you." Nell brought them both in a tight hug. "Glad to see you guys still alive."

"Where is everyone?" Deeks asked.

"Here, we gotta move. Quickly," she said. Over the radio she made the call, "I have them. I repeat, I have them."

"Nell?"

"Sam split off to rig explosives with Hetty. Nate's not far off. Just focus on getting out of here."

Nell took point as she led them through the winding corridors. The rescue team sure took care of business, as they failed to meet any real opponent. Deeks and Nell each took down a man, but reached the exit unscathed. They pushed through the door and found not friends, but enemies.

That's the reason why they didn't find many foes along their journey through the warehouse. The members of the cartel must have realized the futile nature of defending themselves inside, and instead had surrounded the outside, waiting for precisely the moment when the NCIS agents made for the exits.

At the forefront was Marcus Paley. Behind him, a few men aiming their weapons around two SUVs.

"I suggest you put down your weapons," Paley coldly ordered.

Deeks looked to Nell, who was analyzing the situation closely. There were six other men in addition to Paley, and it would be unjust to amount their side to three given their condition. After all, Deeks and Kensi were still shivering from their time spent in the freezer. Nell tossed her gun to the ground, and the LAPD detective followed suit.

Without warning, one of the SUV's erupted into flame, instantly killing every man using it for cover and seriously injuring the others. Paley recovered from it faster than expected, raising his gun with his finger on the trigger.

"I think-"

With a sick sound of a bullet tearing through flesh and a snap of the head, Paley collapsed to the ground, his eyes dead and unmoving.

"Nice shot, Callen," Nell said. To Kensi and Deeks, she added, "Come on, we gotta get moving."

Dawn was just breaking over the ridge as the trio ran from the compound. A car pulled up when they were about a hundred yards away. Nell practically shoved Deeks and Kensi inside as Sam, who was driving it, sped away. The Navy SEAL was accompanied by Hetty in the front seat, and Nate squeezed in the back with the others. They were beginning up the hillside when the compound exploded in a fire ball that seemed to threaten burning away even the clouds. When they reached the ridge, the team got out of the car and watched the compound burn.

"It's over," Deeks sighed.

"The cartel is finished, yes, but we still have a lot of work to do, Mr. Deeks," Hetty corrected him.

Although the final battle had been won, a victory could not have been celebrated when reminded o

f everything that had been lost because of these people. Their deaths, the destruction of their headquarters was not a satisfactory win. It did not even begin to heal what had been taken from them.

The ambulances came, safely taking Callen, Kensi, and Deeks away. Agents' families were contacted and reunited, the dead were buried, and those in hiding were able to get the help they needed.

"Hetty was right, we have a lot of repairing and healing to do after this," Deeks said later that night.

Kensi poked at the lousy pasta meal that was served in the hospital cafeteria. Her stomach churned uncomfortably at the thought of everything that had happened, and it was taking every last ounce of strength to keep it together. "Too much."

Deeks, who was sitting next to her, pulled his partner in a tight embrace. "We'll get through this together, okay?" She nodded against his shoulder, offering him a weak smile when they parted. He added, "This isn't exactly the dinner I was thinking of when I made that promise to you about hitting the bulb, but it'll have to do."

Kensi managed to laugh, her eyes still glazed over with sadness. There was something else there too. Something that Deeks couldn't quite place.

"What?"

She reached over and ran a hand through his hair. "I just wanted to say thank you. When things fall apart, you're the one thing I know that'll still be there when the show's over."

"Always will be, Kens. Always will be."

Author's Note:

And...that concludes this story. To be honest, I really believe that this had hills and valleys, a lot more downs than ups, but you all still stuck with me :) Thank you for all the support and the wonderful reviews that so very much make my day. Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday, and Happy New Year to everyone!

I'll be starting a new story, probably posting the first chapter in a day or two, called 'To Whom It May Concern'

Thanks again everybody :)

-C