They were at yet another loud bar. Deeks could always find the loud ones and somehow, wherever they were in Los Angeles, he knew someone or knew someone who knew someone at some bar.
She just didn't want to go home. She thought about Renko and so many dead and wondered why she agreed to come out drinking.
Kensi said, "So what's your number now?"
He looked at her hands and did his contemplative finger pulling. (Deeks had many hand fidget tells; contemplative, nervous, pissed but not admitting it, scared for his life, scared for her life, thinking of a joke, and her favorite, no reason at all.) He said, "We're admitting that happened now."
"Yes," she said. "We never weren't. We were just being casual."
He smiled. He said, "98."
She looked at him and thought in her head. "Oh my God," she said, "you slept with Ava."
He laughed. "You figured that out just now? From my number?"
"Yes," she said. She felt drunk, tired, and gross. She said, "I can't believe I'm so upset with you about this." Also she felt honest, apparently. She hadn't planned to admit that.
"Yeah, wow," he said. That was the hand fidget that said 'I have no idea what's happening now.'
"You slept with Ava? Really?"
"Really," he said. "I picked her up from the hospital after you dislocated my finger, let her stay with me for a few days."
She said, "I didn't dislocate anything on you. I'm kinda angry and kinda jealous. You're not still talking to her, are you?"
"Wow, again," he said. He was a little taken aback, she thought. But not exactly mad. They were both surprised at her bursts of honesty, she thought. He said, "We do still email, sure. She's seeing someone, not that it's your business. We're friends."
"I know," she said. "I'm being super weird." She looked down at her hands. "Sorry."
"You are being weird, but in a really fun way.. I like it," he said. "And your number?"
"You tell me," she said. "I'm sure you know. I knew yours except for stupid Ava."
"She's not stupid," he said. "And fine, assuming you were telling the truth when you told me I was 50, you're at 63."
She smiled. "And you're right. We know each other really well in some incredibly creepy ways."
He did a hand fidget finger pulling thing that seemed deeply felt but she couldn't quite figure out. The bar was loud and she hated the song that was playing.
He looked her in the eye and said, "You know, and maybe this is weird, but I would be happy if I never slept with anyone else again. I just want you."
She felt herself smiling, like something that bubbled up from her fingertips to the back of her neck. "Did you just propose? Cause that would be really weird."
He smiled. "I think I just did, yeah."
"Did you mean to?" She really hoped he meant to.
"Um," he said. "I mean it now. And it would be helpful if you would answer, by the way."
"You're stupid," she said. She pushed the table aside and sat on his lap, arms around his neck, kissing him. "Yes," she said. They were kissing again. "Also, yes. And thank you for asking first."
He said, "Cause we both know you never would have?"
She made a face of agreement. She said, "Do we really want to just jump to the wedding? I didn't mean to force your hand, there."
"Nothing forced about this hand. I mean, what are we going to do? Go out on dates and talk about our childhoods? We already know all that. I think we're kind of all or nothing, here." He smiled at her and they went back to kissing.
The waitress rapped on the table and said, "No sex in the bar. Or in our bathrooms. Or out in the back. Go home, go down the block, but don't do it here."
"Okay," she said, getting up. "Going home."
"Calling a cab," he said.
"You feel too drunk to drive?"
He kissed her and then said, "Too happy."
They were alternating between making out and staring at each other, laughing, when the cab pulled up. Deeks gave his address and she sat on his lap. It was a really nice ride until the cab stopped suddenly.
"No sex in the cab, get out now," the cab driver growled.
Deeks was still laughing but she was pissed. Happy and pissed. She stumbled out of the cab and said, "We weren't having sex. Look, my jeans are still on, same with him."
The cab driver rolled his eyes. He held his hand out.
"Really?" Deeks pulled out his wallet and she took the fare out from his cash. "Okay," Deeks said.
"We already had sex," she said. "Three times tonight. I just met this guy two hours ago. I don't think I remember his name." She smiled at Deeks. "What is it?"
"Patrick," he said. "Remember, you said your name was Patricia and it was destiny we have sex in the bathroom."
"I said I was Patricia? Huh," she said. She handed the cab driver his cash. "Here you go. Keep the change. All fifteen cents."
The cab peeled out. Deeks took her hand and tugged her up the stairs. "You are in a weird mood, Patricia," he said.
"He irritated me," she said.
"Is this gonna ruin the mood?" They were in his living room, and Monty was already nudging the back of her knee to say hello.
"No," she said. "We're still getting married, right?"
He looked a little dazed but she was pretty sure she had the same expression. He said, "We are. And having sex now, right?"
"Yeah," she said. "But I like this, too. Just hanging, knowing we have the rest of our lives for sex," she shrugged and snuggled closer in his arms, "and everything."
"We have very dangerous jobs," he said.
"You mean, we should really really have sex now?"
"As soon as we're back in the bedroom. We can't have sex in the living room, it's Monty's domain."
She said, "Domain?"
"I had this whole talk with his therapist, Monty feels like the living room is his place so when I have sex in here, it feels like a threat to his dominance and he gets really sad -"
"Okay," Kensi said. "Stop. Bedroom it is." She turned around and kissed Monty's scruffy forehead. "No sex in the living room, Monty, I got it."
Deeks was looking at her with that dazed, adoring look. "I feel like that, too," she said.
"Really in love with you? That's pretty arrogant of you, Kensi, cause if you love yourself that much -"
She felt younger, not just because she kept actually giggling in happiness, but like years had lifted off her shoulders.
She woke up and looked over at Deeks who was not there. She sat up. He walked into the room, clearly straight from a run with Monty, smiling and happy. "No," he said, "I didn't get your engagement ring yet, but I spent a long time browsing at a 7-11."
"We're still getting married?"
"I hope so," Deeks said. Monty jumped on the bed and sat down next to her. "Monty's going to be sad if you decided to say no."
"And you'll be crushed," she said.
"And you, right?"
"Yeah," she said. "I'd much rather be engaged. So, if you're getting the engagement ring, I'll get the wedding rings."
Deeks said, "Tomorrow for the wedding? I don't think today gives you enough time to talk to your mom."
"Good point," she said. She should call her mother. "And Hetty."
"We should absolutely talk to her," Deeks said. "She and Monty and you are basically the only people I need there."
"Monty isn't technically 'people.' And my mom," Kensi said. "And Sam and Callen. And Nell. Eric. Nate if anyone can find him."
"The invite list is exploding," Deeks said. He kissed her. "We should also talk to Hetty as professionals who report to her."
She grimaced. "I hope that part doesn't end badly."
"We won't get fired. Worst case scenario, they send me back to LAPD, right? I have to tell you, as someone who's about to become the recipient of my death benefits and life insurance, I actually got shot at a lot less before NCIS."
She kissed him. They were kissing a lot and she liked it. "I like you best as my partner in all things," she said. "Let's get to work early and talk to Hetty."
XXXX
Thirty minutes later they were sitting in front of her. "So," Hetty said.
"We're getting married," she said. She grabbed Deeks's hand.
"To each other," Deeks said.
"For real," Kensi said.
Hetty looked down at her tea cup and looked like she was suppressing a smile. Then she gave in and laughed. She said, "Congratulations. I assume the romantic part of your relationship is new, yes?"
"Last night new, yeah," Kensi said. "Before we get into the scary work part, we want to get married, like, this week, and -"
"I pretty much only care that you're there, and Monty and Kensi, though Kensi had this whole list of people she wants at the wedding," Deeks said.
She squeezed his hand. "6 people is not a huge list," she said.
"I didn't say huge," he said.
Hetty silenced them with a look. She was still smiling. She said, "I wonder if you'd let me make you two a gift, from me, of the wedding. I haven't planned a wedding between two people who were really in love since 1983. And it was devilishly hard to find the materials I wanted in Madagascar."
"That would be awesome," Kensi said.
"Absolutely. Does this mean I can wear one of those sweet tuxedos -"
"Absolutely not, Mr. Deeks. No clothes from ops." She moved her tea cup aside. "I need to start planning now. I assume Kensi's 6 people are your mother, the team and Nate?"
Kensi nodded. Hetty said, "Good. Do make sure to tell her before I call her, Kensi." She shooed them both away to their desks.
Deeks sat down at his desk, looking a little shell-shocked. "Is it just me, or did we not at all get to the scary work issues?"
"We did not," Kensi said very very quietly. "Let's not remind her."
"Call your mother," he said. "Anything Hetty wants, she gets."
"And that's different from the usual how?" She got her phone and walked into the locker room. Her mother was surprised but pleased. Pleased that Kensi had called her so quickly most of all.
She closed her phone and walked back to their desks. Callen and Sam had arrived and clearly, Deeks had told them.
Sam turned to her and said, "Really, Kensi? Deeks? Him?"
Deeks laughed. "Ha, funny. That's an Arrested Development joke, right?"
Sam said, "Your development is definitely arrested, yes."
"No, the show," Deeks said. "On the show, when they talked about George Michael's girlfriend, it was that exact same inflection. Or you don't know the show, and you really just have that kind of contempt for me." He looked a little crushed.
"Contempt is a strong word," Sam said.
"I hope so, because we can yank your invite," Kensi said. "Why don't we settle for friendly joshing around among, uh, friends?"
"Fine," Sam said. He smiled at Deeks. "I better be invited."
"Of course," Kensi said.
Sam hugged her and whispered "Congratulations, and you could do a lot better."
Callen was just staring at the two of them, still. He looked at Kensi and finally said, "Are you taking his name?"
Deeks said, "Yeah, Kensi, are you?"
She sat down at her desk. "I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it. Now I am and I think I will."
"Then you have to stop calling me Deeks," he said.
"That's too confusing," Callen said. "What if we're out in the field and I have orders for Kensi and -"
"And you would say 'Kensi' like you always do," Deeks said. "But seriously, if you're taking my name, you have to start calling me 'Marty.' When we have a litter of little assassins fighting for good, if you're still calling me 'Deeks' it's gonna be super confusing for them. It might slow their amazing mutant development. Think of the children, Kensi."
"Do we have to call you 'Marty?' I'm not agreeing to that," Sam said.
"Only Kensi," Deeks said.
"Okay, I'll try," she said. She smiled. "Marty." She shuddered. "It feels weird coming out of my mouth."
Deeks smirked. "I am so glad we're engaged that I will not make a joke about what you just said. And it's a name, it's my name. I would like you to use my name."
"I am! I do, Deeks is one of your names and I just promised to permanently add it to mine."
"Is it going to be like this all the time?" Callen looked disgruntled.
Sam said, "Is this any different from our normal mornings? Are you having trouble with change, G?"
"I think I am," Callen said. "I acknowledge it's more of an incremental change. Since they're just putting a ring on it, it being their partnership. But, I just didn't see this coming."
"It's okay," Deeks said. "Me neither, man."
XXXX
Hetty really did arrange everything. It was a little disconcerting, but Kensi had never been someone who dreamed of some perfect white wedding with stallions and 10 feet trains and big cakes. She had gone through those motions when she was engaged to Jack but that felt like a lifetime ago.
Hetty had promised her really good cake.
She managed to box up most of her stuff to move in to Marty's over the course of three days. He clearly had the nicer apartment and it's not like Monty was good with change. She tried to think Marty, Marty, so she would say it and make him happy. She didn't really have many things and she didn't care about most of her furniture. Everything she cared about still fit in one box.
"I'm looking around, enjoying this moment," Deeks said. He was watching her opening her boxes. "I know my apartment will never look this neat again."
"It's going to look lived in, not like some perfect sterile petri dish."
"It's really frightening that you think my apartment looks sterile. I call it more of a things put away in their place look."
"Ha ha. Isn't it our apartment now?"
"Sure," he said. "In two days when we get married. At an undisclosed location - am I the only one getting a little nervous about letting Hetty plan all this?"
"Eh," she said. "She's having so much fun, I'm sure it'll be awesome."
"You weren't really pleased with her Christmas gift picking skills," he said.
"Thank you for reminding me," she said. Then Monty came over and nudged her knee and Marty smiled at her. "As long as you two are there, I think it will be fine."
The whole team and Kensi's mom met at the Mission early Saturday morning where four SUVs were parked. Hetty had programmed the destination into all the GPSes. Monty, who had been spirited off to the groomers Friday night, was waiting patiently in a crate in the back of the SUV Hetty pointed Kensi and Deeks towards. "Do we have other luggage?" Kensi looked back at Hetty who was getting into the passenger side of an SUV that Kensi's mom would be driving.
"Yes," Hetty said. "It's in the other cars. Along with everyone's clothes for the ceremony and reception. Also, you two will be spending the night while the rest of us are coming back tonight. And I mean you, Mr. Beale." She glared at Eric. "You will not be staying to surf, understood?"
"Oh, I do love Hetty," Deeks said as he got in on the passenger side. Kensi liked a man who let her drive, even with the constant remarks about how Kensi's driving sucked. "We're going somewhere with surfing," he said.
"Pismo Beach," Kensi said, checking on the GPS. "I've never been to Pismo."
"It's pretty nice," Deeks said. "I'm glad she's not sending us somewhere really pricey. I think I'd feel guilty."
"I wouldn't," Kensi said. "Let Monty out, I know he likes to ride next to you."
When they got to their destination in Pismo, she wondered if Hetty had commandeered a private residence. She saw a few people bustling around, maybe a cook and some waiters, a woman she didn't recognize wearing a hairdresser's apron, but no sign of actual staff.
"Maybe it's usually a safe house," Marty said, putting the leash on Monty.
"Oh my God, maybe Hetty owns this place."
"I promise not to spill anything," Marty said.
"You better not," she said.
"You're the one who leaves a place a mess and tracks blood everywhere," he said.
"Really," Hetty said. She had walked up like a ninja out of nowhere. "Even on your wedding day, the same loving talk."
"It's very loving," Deeks said. He kissed Kensi on the cheek and she was turned on just by that.
"Yes, I see," Hetty said, smiling. "Now, Kensi, you come with me, Mr. Deeks, you head inside that door with Monty and Mrs. Edwards will take care of you. Mrs. Edwards is also the officiant, so if you had any requests you can tell her. I decided on traditional vows, a little cleaned up - you can save the personal ones for private."
"You thought I'd go on too long and Kensi's would be, like, three words?" Marty smiled. "Or worse, she'd try to make a joke."
Kensi stuck her tongue out at him as Hetty lead her around the back.
The women had their hair and make-up done by three women Hetty's age who obviously all knew Hetty from her Hollywood days. The oldest one did Kensi's hair, sighing about how thick and strong it was. "You've never dyed it, have you? Oh, child, promise me you won't ever," the woman said.
The dress was gorgeous, according to Hetty, straight from the runway in Milan. "Alberta Ferretti," Hetty said, reverently. "Karlie Kloss wore this on the runway, so of course, I've had to make alterations in the bust and length."
"I don't recognize either of those names," Kensi said.
"That's okay," Hetty said. "I can see you love the dress, that's all I care about."
She felt a little displaced from the world, she wasn't used to being this happy and pampered. Her mother hugged her and then walked ahead of her into the dining room, sniffling a little. Deeks was standing by a table with two tiered red cake. Red, she thought, is a weird color for a wedding cake.
Then she was focused on him and his very sharp suit and the look on his face.
Later, she would only remember what Mrs. Edwards looked like from the pictures Eric and Callen took. The woman had a very pleasant voice and she read the generic wedding service, pared down to the bare essentials. Kensi said her vows, staring up at Deeks.
His were identical except he promised to love, honor and obey as everyone, including Mrs. Edwards, laughed.
Monty had their rings on a ribbon tied to his collar. They put them on each other, they kissed, people clapped. The best part of her life started right there.
The cake was some kind of rich strawberry deliciousness. Hetty told them it was time to dance and hit a button on the remote she carried. "I don't know this song," Kensi said.
"Me either," Deeks said. She fit perfectly in his arms, once things were settled, she thought.
"I think it's Beyonce," Kensi said. "It's pretty." Beyonce was singing "You are my heaven on earth." The sound system was incredible, it sounded like Beyonce was singing two feet from them.
"Glad it's not Lady GaGa," Marty said.
And everything was just right. She lost her words because glad or content or happy seemed inadequate.
The eight of them sat talking after all the food had been cleared and the cake decimated. Then Hetty stood up and clapped her hands. "It's time for us to go, you two have the bedroom upstairs. There is staff here to clean, and they will serve a breakfast when you rise and lunch if you want. Make sure you leave tomorrow in enough time to be at work on time on Monday."
"There are no words," Kensi said, hugging Hetty. "Thank you doesn't even cover it."
"It's more than enough for me," Hetty said. Deeks hugged her and they exchanged very very quiet words Kensi never asked him about.
