Driving On

Callen and Sam drove back to the OPS headquarters in silence and walked quietly back to their desks. Seeing Nate and Eric still sitting where they had left them, the latter looking at the hopefully. Shaking his head Sam said "She's really gone." Still not saying anything Callen produced the two letters from his pocket and tossed them at the two men sat there. Nate and Eric caught them and began to open them and read them.

Eric remembered Kensi sadly. She was a good agent but she also brought a lighter more playful atmosphere to the bullpen and helped take the edge off of their jobs and make it less hard. He would miss her playful jabs and happy smile that was contagious. Opening his letter he read:

Eric

I know we never say it but you are brilliant and I hope I haven't made you feel bad. Keep smiling and know that I am ok but I had to leave and I will miss you. I know you are brilliant and probably find me easily but please respect my wishes and leave me to continue my life. Keep smiling and surfing and look after the team for me.

Love Kensi x

Smiling at the message, Eric promised Kensi silently that he would protect the team for her and keep smiling and surfing. Sadly he resigned himself to not seeing his friend ever again.

Nate stared at his letter and tried to process all the information to work out the situation. Hoping Kensi's words might help him work out what had caused her to run so suddenly he opened it and read:

Nate

I know you are probably going over all the time we have spent together recently to work out why I have gone but I have to ask you not to. I have my reasons for leaving and I just want you all to know that I will be fine and not to worry about me. I will miss you and I hope you all stay safe and well, well as safe as you can be in your line of work. Keep an eye on the others for me please and look after yourself.

Love Kensi x

Smiling at Kensi's prediction of his actions he vowed to try and do all she asked as much as he could.

Surprising all of them, Callen broke his silence to say "Why didn't she leave a letter for Hetty then?"

"She did Mr Callen and she left it on my desk last night. She obviously knows you well enough to predict your actions. Now I believe you have work to do, I know you don't want to believe she has gone but she has and we have to move on."

Silently agreeing to meet up later to compare notes and try and make sense of Kensi's departure, they all got down to work to get Hetty's beloved reports and paperwork done for her.

On the road ...

Kensi had said goodbye to Maria and promised to keep in contact with her. After putting her luggage back into her car she had planned her route and set off towards Alessandra's. She had been driving for hours when she realised it was time for lunch so she pulled into a layby and pulled the packed lunch Maria had slipped in for her out of the bag. Inside was a lovely handmade lunch and a note. Pulling the note out and beginning to eat the lunch Kensi read:

Kensi

If you ever need anything please call me and I hope you and your baby have a wonderful life.

Maria xxx

Smiling at her persistence and kindness, Kensi vowed to keep in contact. Setting off again after finishing her lunch, she drove for another four hours and by the time she was pulling into the parking lot beside Alessandra's bed and breakfast it was evening. Entering the house, Kensi was greeted by a woman who looked almost identical to Maria but younger. "You must be Kensi", she said. "I'm Alessandra but please call me Allie."

"Hello Allie. I am Kensi. Maria said that you could help me find somewhere to live." Even though she didn't know the woman, Kensi felt instantly safe with her and her instincts were generally very good.

"Of course but you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. There will be no charge. Don't argue, I have decided and you won't change my mind."

"Thank you. You're family has been so kind to me."

"You're welcome. Now come and sit down so you can eat a nice home cooked meal and then get a good night rest. I will help you make arrangements tomorrow." Kensi was given a large and tasty dinner by Allie and then sent up to bed.

Back in the OPS Bullpen ...

Callen, Sam, Eric and Nate had been busy with paperwork all day but it had taken much longer than normal as there was one less person to help fill it out and their minds were distracted from the task. Hetty gave them and extension on the deadline for it and it was all filled out by the evening. Meeting up in Eric's haven, the briefing area, they began to discuss Kensi not knowing Hetty was listening in.

"I know she didn't want us to look for her but I just had to check so I looked for activity in all of her aliases that I knew of but I couldn't find anything at all. I also tried to track her car but it was already under new ownership and they couldn't tell me anything about Kensi as they got the car from someone else so I can't track her car to find out where she is. She has also disconnected all her credit cards and the banks can't tell me anything about where she is. She really didn't want to be found guys. I say we respect her wishes and if she wants to get in contact with us then she will." Eric told the others.

"I know she had a reason for leaving and she wants to keep it hidden so she feels it is embarrassing or she can't tell us. I just can't work out the reason and I agree with Eric. She wanted us to leave her alone and if she needs us she knows where to find us." Nate agreed with Eric.

"Yeah G, you have to admit she has covered her tracks pretty well and she obviously doesn't want to be found. She knows how to contact us and she must have something she needs to do and she has to do it alone. We have to respect that." Sam added.

"Fine, she has gone to lengths to stop us from finding her and she knows she can always call if she needs something but Eric please can you keep checking her aliases regularly just in case." Callen gave in.

"Sure but she's good .I doubt there will be anything. I just hope she is well." Eric said.

"Yeah", the other three agreed.

Saying goodnight and leaving for home the boys left hoping their Kensi would contact them so they could find her again and bring her back. Hetty sat back down at her desk thinking about the boys comments and felt sad that couldn't tell them why Kensi had left and how to find her but she couldn't betray Kensi's trust. She was brought from her thoughts as her phone rang. Making sure no one was around to hear the conversation, she picked up the phone.

"Hello" she said.

"Hi Hetty, how are you?" Kensi asked.

"Miss Blye, I'm fine. How are you? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm in a small town near San Francisco called St. Martins. I met a lovely lady yesterday called Maria and she told me that she had a cousin called Alessandra, but she prefers to be called Allie, and she is going to help me find a house. They are lovely and St. Martins is right on the beach. I know you will tell that I shouldn't trust them but I feel I can."

"I will have to trust you then won't I Miss Blye. As long as you check in with me so I know you are ok. The others were frantic when they found out that you had gone especially Callen. They checked all your known aliases, your credit cards and your old car before they decided to respect your wishes. They have agreed to stop looking and that you will contact them if you need them but they are going to check all your known aliases on a regular basis. I really must go now, I will speak to you soon Miss Blye."

"Bye Hetty. I'll ring you when I can."

Hetty put the phone down and got ready to go home. "So Hetty, I guess you are in contact with Kensi still", came a voice from behind her. Jumping she turned around to see Nate stood behind her.

"Ah Mr Getz, how much of that conversation did you hear exactly?" said Hetty.

"Enough Hetty, to know that you know where Kensi is and why she left. Do you want to explain that one to me."

"I promised her I wouldn't let anyone know where she is and why she left but I guess you heard enough already. You can't tell the others though."

"Of course Hetty."

"Well Mr Getz, before we went out for drinks the other night I came here to pick something up only to see Miss Blye here leaving something on my desk and trying to leave. I stopped her before she could leave but she was adamant that she had to leave and I knew I couldn't keep her here so I made her promise to keep in contact with me and call me if she needed anything. And as for why she left, well let's just say she was embarrassed and thought everyone would treat her differently and think less of her. You want to know why. Well she is pregnant from a one night stand and she doesn't know who the father is."

"Poor Kensi. She must know we would want to help her not turn her away."

"Yes, but she doesn't see it that way and she doesn't want to be seen as weak by us or have to rely on us. Miss Blye is very independent. By moving to somewhere where she doesn't know anyone she can accept help without feeling bad."

"I guess I can see that. All I ask is that you let me know whether Kensi is ok or not every time you hear from her and I will help you to distract the others when she calls and help her if she needs it."

"Thank you Mr Getz. I will let you know."

With that Nate and Hetty left the bullpen Nate happy that Kensi was safe and had someone to rely on and Hetty worried that she had betrayed Kensi's trust but glad she had someone to help her if she needed.