A/N: So I had a lot of reviews that were super on point about how, given Deeks' past, he would never hit a woman like that. You guys are so right, it never occurred to me. But then again, how pissed would you be if someone you cared about let you believe they were dead and then walked back into your life joking about it? I'd be furious. In any case, I decided to address Deeks' guilt a bit in this chapter, but after that I'm putting it behind me and continuing with the story :)
Also another quick note. This story is in a total AU timeline, especially regarding Kensi and Deeks' thing, but I will bring in a few references/plotlines from my favorite episodes. Thanks for your reviews and enjoy!
The next few hours were very administrative. Hetty was placing calls, calling in old favors in an attempt to get the CIA to hand NCIS the case. Once they agreed, the team and Reina met briefly with her handler, allowing the agents to catch up on the details of the case and get familiar with the different players in the militant organization.
After wishing Reina good luck, her handler left the boatshed. Kensi, Deeks, Sam and Callen began to discuss possible next steps. Reina, suddenly overcome by exhaustion, lowered herself onto the couch. Deeks glanced to his side in time to witness her cautious fingers as they examined the extent of the injury to her face. He excused himself from the conversation and dropped down onto the couch beside her. She sent him a quick smile and resumed pressing the now watery ice pack to her face.
"I shouldn't have hit you," Deeks suddenly said, breaking the comfortable silence that had encompassed the two old friends. As usual she raised her hand, waving it off. "No you don't get to do that,"
"Do what?" she responded, a look of genuine confusion crossing her face.
"Pretend like everything's okay," he sighed sadly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, lightly burying his face in his hands.
"Everything's not okay Tintin! You thought I was dead, for almost two years. If we were on opposite sides of this situation, I would have done a lot worse than punch you,"
"I overreacted," Deeks replied stubbornly, his face gaunt.
"No, you didn't. This conversation is over," Reina responded impatiently. He smiled then, looking up at her from his position, his blue eyes twinkling. She leaned toward him abruptly throwing her arms around his neck. He sat up surprised but closed his eyes, and slid one of his own arms around her back, the other coming up to cradle her head against his shoulder lightly.
"I'm so glad you're okay. I spent the last two years trying to figure out how to move on. I realized there was no way I could. And now I don't have to," he confessed softly.
"I love you little brother," she said, tightening her arms around him.
"I love you too Rei," Deeks replied, his voice thick with emotion. It was strange to him. It had been a long time since someone had openly expressed their affection for him and he welcomed the overwhelming sensation of happiness.
Meanwhile, Kensi was watching the two closely, missing most of her discussion with Sam and Callen.
"Kensi?" Callen piercing voice broke through her stupor. "Are you still with us?"
"Yeah sorry, I was just…"
"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself,"
"I've never seen him so angry before. I've also never seen him hit an unarmed woman before. I mean I would think with his past-,"
"He wouldn't," Sam interrupted, "under usual circumstances. But there's so much we don't understand about whatever there is between him and Reina,"
Callen cocked his head to the side joining Sam and Kensi in observing the embracing friends. "I don't really think he was going to do it. But she let him hit her; she didn't move or duck even though he gave her time to do so. I think she blames herself for whatever bad blood there was between them, and I think he does too. He just snapped," Callen guessed.
"Wow, thanks Dr. Callen," Sam teased. "Thankfully, it looks like the bad blood's long passed. Hopefully we can get this case back on track without pulling their personal shit back into it."
"Yeah," Kensi replied lamely, still fighting the protective nature she felt towards her partner.
They watched as Deeks pulled Reina onto her feet. They walk over to the three agents, the guilt and sadness on their faces seemed to have faded slightly. "So what's next?" Deeks asked, referring to the case at hand.
"I go back in," Reina replied, matter-of-factly.
Callen nodded handing her the burn phone. "Eric made a copy of it, we'll try and extract whatever we can out of it. Meanwhile, spin a story about why you missed lunch with Anwar. Regain his trust and try to find out about the date of the transaction. Maybe he'll even reveal the identity of the buyer"
"I'll do my best."
"Be careful," Deeks said, his eyes meeting hers. She stared back unabashedly. They seemed to be having a nonverbal conversation for a few beats before she tore her eyes away.
"I need a ride back to the hotel," she said. Deeks nodded, but he couldn't even take a step towards the door before Callen spoke.
"No. Deeks I want you to stay here. Help Kensi and the Wonder Twins. Sam and I will take Dr. Khan and keep over watch," he countered, actively assuming the role of the leader for the first time since the Molina case. Sam smiled; maybe his partner was finally climbing out from the deep hole he had dug for himself.
Reina, dressed in her ethnic attire once again, knocked cautiously on the hotel room door. She played nervously with her bangles as she waited for an answer. Suddenly the door flew open and she blinked rapidly against the bright sunlight streaming in from the windows covering the far wall.
"Where have you been?" The loud voice was coming from the tall burly man who had opened the door. He had dark eyes, that Reina often thought resembled the color of coal, a strong jaw, and a head of thick black hair. His skin was the same color as hers. If he hadn't been so frightening, and…well a criminal, he might have even been a dark kind of handsome.
"I am sorry Anwar," her Middle Eastern accent finding its way back into her low voice, "I was-" Reina saw the back of his hand fly towards her face before she felt the sharp sting.
"I do not care for your excuses," he sneered. "Where is my phone?"
She gritted her teeth, picking herself off the floor. She let herself into the room and began digging her hand through her purse to retrieve the phone. She handed it to him warily.
"I have done much to ensure your safety Aadila. Do not wander off again."
"Yes Anwar," she replied, making her voice as small as possible.
"Now come, we have much work to do,"
Nearby, Callen and Sam sat in silence in the Challenger, listening to the exchange through the in-ear com they had given Reina. Callen clenched his fist, exhaling angrily. He wondered what she had had to endure during her time with the militant group. For a moment he felt white hot fury towards the CIA for leaving her undercover when they should most definitely have pulled her out.
Sam, sensing his discomfort, turned to his partner muttering quietly, knowing Reina could hear them, "She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She's fine,"
Across town, Deeks and Kensi were pulling up to the LAPD headquarters. Eric had identified a frequently called number on Anwar Hussain's phone, and found that it was registered to a Juan Torres.
"Torres has been involved in Mexican drug cartels since he was in diapers. He was last known working with Pedro Chaves, a Colombian drug lord that came through Mexico into LA a few years ago," Nell had explained. With no further intel on the possible buyers, Kensi and Deeks had decided to take a field trip to the LAPD to retrieve anything useful.
Kensi killed the engine glancing over to the passenger side of the car to find her partner eyeing the LAPD building cagily.
"Have you ever thought about quitting?"
"And joining NCIS?" She nodded.
"Every single day."
His swift response caught her by surprise. She recovered quickly. "You should seriously consider it. I'd back you 100%."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
He smiled at her. It was one of his happy, full force grins because it lit up his tanned handsome face. His ocean blue eyes sparkled, the skin under his temples creasing with the force of the smile. She felt her breath catch and strange sensation swoop through her stomach. He turned his back, opening the car door and step outside. As he did so, his shirt lifted slightly revealing a sliver of tanned skin just above the waist of jeans. Kensi found herself wondering what his skin would feel like under her fingertips.
Wait what? Kensi physically recoiled at her last though. Then she let out a laugh. She was not attracted to Marty Deeks. She couldn't be.
"What's so funny Kensalina?" he asked as she joined him outside.
"Nothing,"
"Sure," he replied, a lopsided grin settling on his face. "You were checking out my ass when I got out of the car."
"No I wasn't!" Kensi cringed at how quickly and unnaturally the response had left her mouth.
"Mmhm," Deek chuckled.
"Deeks, can I ask you something?" Kensi asked, changing the subject as they walked towards the headquarters.
"Anything," he responded lightly.
"Why does Reina call you Tintin?"
He let out a short laugh. "It comes from Martin I guess. Reina and I were hanging out at the beach with a few friends, a year after we met. We'd had a few drinks, mind you, and my hair was in a quiff from the water. Someone commented on how I looked like Tintin. And then later when became a detective and got Monty, it just stuck," he finished, chortling.
Kensi smiled at the anecdote.
They entered the building, flashing their badges and entered the lift lobby, waiting for an elevator to take them to the floor where Bates and most of his fellow detectives held offices.
"Well, well. Look who we have here. How's it going Mr. Wannabe Fed?" Kensi turned to see a short potbellied man with a rather ferocious look mustache approaching them.
"Officer Morgan," Deeks said stiffly, "Always a pleasure."
The three entered the elevator that had just opened. Deeks leaned over and pressed the button for appropriate floor.
"And who's this darling?" Kensi could feel her nose shriveling up in disgust at the suggestive expression on Office Morgan's face.
"I'm Special Agent Kensi Blye, NCIS," she responded, just as stiffly as Deeks had done.
"Oof, sounds like toughie. She like this in bed Deeks?"
Deeks inhaled sharply, his eyes flashed angrily but he didn't move. He glanced at his partner. Kensi's nostrils flared as she took a menacing step towards the man. "What the hell are you suggesting?"
Officer Morgan stepped back, suddenly nervous.
Deeks relaxed and chuckled awkwardly, placing a warning hand on his partner's shoulder. "Trust me, you don't want to get on her nerves. She's a badass," Kensi smirked then, her demeanor changing.
The elevator dinged then and the partner made a quick exit.
"Thanks for that," Kensi responded.
"For what? You didn't need me to defend you,"
"Precisely," she responded, and he understood.
Deeks led them to a cubicle at the far end of the floor. He rapped softly on the panel, leaning casually against the frame. A tall, African American man jumped up from his seat, grinning widely.
"Marty Deeks! How ya doing man?" he asked good-naturedly, shaking Deeks hand.
"Good and you?"
"Can't complain. This must be Agent Blye," he commented turning to shake her hand.
"Kensi this is Detective Derek Holden. He's one of the decent guys on the force."
"Nice to meet you ma'am," Kensi took a liking to the handsome, cheery man almost instantly.
"How can I help you folks?"
"Derek, what do you know about Juan Torres, and Pedro Chaves?"
Holden took a seat, clicking a few keys on his keyboard and then turned the monitor towards them.
"They've got rap sheets like my wife's weekly grocery lists, long and expensive," Deeks chuckled at his friend's metaphor, "They've been involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, arms smuggling, numerous B&Es, and they're even suspected to be involved in human trafficking and homicide."
"Can we get copies of those?"
"Sure thing. Their cartel recently had a shipment of guns intercepted at the border by border patrol and LAPD. We caught the driver and few of the cartel members but Chaves and Torres are still at large."
Kensi and Deeks exchanged glances. "How pissed were they?"
Holden laughed, "Furious, a lot of the officers involved with the case were sent death threats, lots of attempted bombings at different stations around town, but never the headquarters. It only lasted for like a week, nothing serious. Is there something I should know about?" suddenly eyeing the two suspiciously.
"We've got nothing concrete man, but as soon as we do, you'll be the first to know," Deeks assured him.
"Appreciated man," Holden nodded and then excused himself to get them a copy of the files.
"Damn it, you don't think they attempt to bomb the headquarters do you?" Deeks asked Kensi once Holden was gone.
"They'd never be able to get anything in here, security's too tight." Deeks nodded, realizing she was right. "But I have a weird feeling that purchasing the bomb definitely has something to do with LAPD." When Holden return and they thanked him before turning back towards the elevator from where they came.
"Deeks!" The shaggy haired detective turned around to see his friend jogging to catch up with them.
"Did we forget something?"
"Nah, just wanted to ask if you're coming to the Award Ceremony on Friday?"
Deeks scoffed, "As if Bates would want me there,"
"If Bates had it his way, there wouldn't be a ceremony at all. Just think about it, getting dressed up and having a few drinks might not be so bad. Besides, we're all going out after and you're always welcome. You should bring Agent Blye!"
Deeks chuckled, "Thanks man, I'll let you know." Holden grinned and bade Kensi farewell again before heading back to his station. When they were in the elevator again, heading down this time, Deeks shuffled his feet awkwardly.
"Would you want to go with me?"
"To the LAPD ceremony?"
"Uh, yeah," Deeks replied, his eyes training to the floor. He prepared himself for the rejection and possibly a punch to the arm. The punch came but not the rejection.
"The LAPD ceremony!"
"Yes Kensi, the LAPD ceremony, do you want to go?" Deeks said annoyed, rubbing his arm.
"No-I mean yes-Deeks that's the target!" Kensi spluttered.
His jaw dropped, "Holy shit."
A/N: What do ya'll think?