Sam looks in his side mirrors as see Deeks staring out the window in the back seat, "Deeks you okay man?"
He nods but doesn't look at him, "Yeah Sam I am fine just exhausted and in pain."
"What happened to you?" Callen asked worried etched in his voice.
He shakes his head, "Was undercover trying to bust a drug kingpin and trying to save his 4-year-old daughter I was shot worth it as he was ready to use her as a human shield going up against the LAPD shooting at him same time. Ended up having to dive for cover and wrestle someone."
"Deeks need someone to talk to also know where to find us," Sam told him.
Deeks nods wiping away some tears, "Yeah I know and thanks. Not sure what going to do."
"She wouldn't want for you to leave just because of this."
He takes a deep breath, "I can't have a partner so soon-"
Both men can tell something else is bothering him but let it drop, "We will talk about it later."
Gibbs is driving as he follows Sam's Challenger with Nate, Abby and McGee, "Gibbs you think that they will be okay?" Abby asked.
He shakes his head, "I don't know Abs. Only time will tell."
"How long are we able to stay?" She asked wanting to be there for her friends.
He shrugs, "Until this case is solved for sure and not sure after that."
Nate looks around, "Gibbs it has been fun working with your team the last few weeks-"
Gibbs interrupts him, "But when this is over your staying?" He nods. "Don't blame you for it after all their going to need you more."
"When Kensi's partner Dom was killed they all took it hard he wasn't as experienced as the rest of them and they blamed themselves but never felt he really made the team whole. He was from a perfect family growing up and still had a caring family. Sam is the only one that has a family and he never talks about them to much except to Callen who enjoys seeing his kids. Deeks came along and at first they didn't want him there but he fit fine with them and had Kensi looking at things different."
Deeks looks up at the bar when they stop and see one of Kensi favorite places and he follows them inside and see Renko and his team there and he shakes their hands before they all sit around the table they had fpund after putting a few of them together, "Hey Deeks."
"Mike, Darter, Cooper and Holden been a few hours but thanks for saving my ass," he said sliding between Sam and Abby.
"Wait you saved him?" Tony asked looking between the few.
Luke Cooper looks around, "Yeah he was trying to save a girl and he had no idea LAPD was there when went undercover."
"Didn't meet and see him until the last day and saved wach other," Travis Darter said drinking a beer.
A waitress comes over and takes the drink orders and Abby smiles and pulls on Deeks good arm, "Come on Marty dance with me."
Callen smirks seeing him give in to her pleading and decides to pull Nell to dance floor and Gibbs looks to see Eric watching them, "So a bit of a competition?"
Eric shakes his head but doesn't look away from his partner and team leader as they dance, "Didn't know he could dance?"
Gibbs chuckles as he sips on his bourbon, "Looks like he can and you have feelings for her and Callen is getting in the way?"
He without thinking nods, "Since the day she started working with us but she doesn't like him does she?"
"Callen has had bad luck with women and see the way they look at each other and seems they do have feelings there but not sure they know," Nate said walking over sipping a beer.
"Thought he had a rule about not dating women that are smarter than him?" Cooper asked.
Gibbs slaps him in back of the head, "Callen is allowed to break his own rules."
Hetty walks over, "Looks like Deeks wins the bet Mr. Hanna."
McGee and Palmer jump a little at hearing her voice suddenly next to them and Sam drinks a soda, "Guess he does and was wondering when he would make his move."
"Are you sure they haven't already made a move before today?" McGee asked as see the way both groups are dancing.
"Wow didn't know Abs could dance," Tony said drinking more of his beer.
Sam looks to see Deeks and Abby dancing and sighs as remember dance lessons, "Going to be tough road for him Hetty?"
She nods, "Yes Mr. Hanna it will be but with support of us there for him he might just stick around for a bit longer."
"Wait you think he might leave?" Sam and McGee asked surprised.
She shrugs, "Mr. Deeks loves working our team and it gives him the sense of security he doesn't get with LAPD but seems he might not be sure about it without her here. Mr. Callen and you haven't been always welcoming as Mr. Beale, Ms. Jones and myself-"
"Doesn't he realize how much means to be with this team and especially now?"
"In his mind he doesn't know. After either of you tried to sit down and talk to him since he got back and found out. Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye had been together so sometime."
He shakes his head in confusion, "Had no idea they had been together."
She grins knowing the senior agents had no idea what the other partners had done for some time, "They were good and hiding it but looks like should finish this with him another day he needs his rest and so does everyone else. Our honorary canine agent is at his place as we speak."
Deeks and Abby walk back to the table, "Were leaving?" Abby asked.
Gibbs nods as they all stand up, "Yeah none of us are up much for drinking and all need sleep."
Deeks grabs his jacket off back of a chair, "Come on Casanova can give you a ride," Sam said pulling Deeks to his Challenger and Callen hops in passenger side and the ride is silent and once to his place they head inside and he collapses on the couch. "Deeks?"
He runs a hand through his hair, "Spare bedroom is first room one the left and bathroom across from that."
Monty rushes in the room after hearing the door open and jumps on the couch as Sam sets the alarm system, "When you get that?"
Deeks leans over and pets him, "After I was shot and Kensi insisted needed an upgrade," he heads to his room and see that his bed is made and can tell Kensi had spent more than a few nights since he was away at his place since there were smiley notes and grabs some shorts and a t-shirt and head for a shower.
Sam looks around the place and see the post-its, "What you think they mean?" Callen asked.
"They all have a Day something and a smiley face so maybe how many days she would stay here and looks like someone stocked the place."
Callen chuckles softly, "Must have been Hetty so had something to eat. She didn't eat this much good food."
"Hetty is afraid he might leave," he tells his partner as make coffee anticipating a long sleepless night.
Sam nods after all he had gotten the same feeling about him, "She thinks he might think about it. After all G we haven't always made him feel like part of the team at times."
Callen nods and there's a knock and see Nell there and let's her in, "Thought could use some company."
Sam smiles and hands her a cup of tea, "Wanted to make sure he was okay?"
She rolls her eyes, "Yes and Eric would be here but Abby pulled him away to stay with her showing him how to do something and proving she's smarter than he is."
Callen sits down on the couch and she sits next to him, "Just admit you wanted to be close to G too?"
Nate and Eric knock and Sam answers this time, "Thought Abby was keeping you away?"
He walks in with Sam behind him, "I gave her a rain check. Seems more of a time for the team to be together."
Deeks finishes his shower and can smell coffee and heads to the living room and see them, "Hey guys."
Nell pulls his good arm until he sits on her other side and wraps her arms around his shoulders, "How you doing?" Nate asked.
He shakes his head and Sam walks in and hands him some coffee and his painkillers, "Just don't really know what to think about it. I talked to her yesterday."
"How was that?" Eric asked.
He takes a deep breath and tells them
Deeks walks down the street with one of the other LAPD undercover cops as they are with another thug has head into a bar and he scans the place on instinct and smiles as he recognizes his partner across the room and feels more comfortable as walk over, "Hi I am Randy. Anyone tell you how hot you look tonight?"
Kensi smiles as hear the voice of her partner and can tell he's undercover but happy to see him, "Hi name is Fern."
Deeks smiles at his first name he gave her, "Can I buy you a drink?"
She nods to the bartender and leans closer and whispers, "Good to see you partner."
He sighs and runs a hand down her side and whispers, "Same here just be careful these guys pick a fight every night in some bars."
She nods her head looking out the corner of her eyes to see the other two walk over, "Hmm Randy you found again the hottest chick in the place," the tall one said. "Whiskey shots."
The bartender hands him 3 shots and both guys down them, "He always gets to hot ones but tonight I do," the shorter one says and grabs her wrist pulling her towards him.
The other one smirks as can tell his friend was going to get some, "Nice piece of ass and we can take turns on this b***h."
Kensi looks at her partner and he can see in her eyes that say 'save-me-Deeks' and he pulls her from the guy, "Adam you had the last chick and you nearly killed her and my turn." He smiles and pulls her out of there and heads to his aliases place and can see his buddies following him and head upstairs and she sits on the couch, "Deeks?"
He runs a hand through his hair, "Kens I am sorry about that."
She pulls him down to sit on the couch and rest her head on his chest, "Good thing you were there but miss you like crazy."
He kisses the top of her head and wraps his arms around her and pulling her flush against his body, "Need to stay the night so they wont get suspicious and you can take cab home. I will be done by end of the week and then we can do something and thanks for taking Monty."
She pulls him to the bedroom and lies on the bed, "Well couldn't let your old neighbor take care of him all the time."
Deeks wakes up in the morning to see Kensi asleep in his arms and remembers their night of love-making and he slips out of bed and takes a shower and starts breakfast as Kensi comes out and she kisses back of his neck, "When you get back owe you a birthday dinner."
He turns and kisses her, "I plan on making you keep that promise but should go soon or be late for work. Tell the guys I said hey."
They eat and she kisses him one last time, "Careful Marty."
"Remember I am always be there even if you can't see me Fern. I will always come back just for you. Remember..."
Deeks ends the story there, "That was about 7 when she left."
Nell frowns figuring what he didn't want to finish, "Least you got to see her."
He nods, "I was the most happy in the few months that been undercover and had chances to see you guys a few times around which made it feel like was going to make it back. During that meet that morning my partner and me had a feeling something was wrong and we were ready for anything and then the gang bosses started to argue about something while they waited for the drugs to get there and when say Renko and his team seems to calm nerves."
"What happen that got you shot?" Nell asked leaning against Callen's side stifling a yawn.
"They were drug runners for another guy who LAPD had arrested and we had no idea NCIS was involved. He grabbed his daughter that not sure why she was there and she got free from him and i lunged for her before the firefighting started and somehow was hit. She made it without a scratch on her."
Renko was with me in hospital room in San Diego when he got a phone call and knew something was up but he didn't tell me anything and left. I was had the chance to get out of that OP when a month ago I was injured but my handler kept me there..."
Nate sets a hand on his shoulder, "Deeks even if you had come back doesn-"
He brushes off his hand and heads to the balcony and Callen follows him, "Deeks you can't blame yourself about this."
He shakes his head, "Callen if had been not on this she would still be here and-" He can't finish.
"Deeks it will take time to get over this but don't forget were here for you."
He nods already knowing he was right, "Yeah I wont forget and as much as want to be alone tonight it's good to know still care."
He pats him on the shoulder, "Never doubt that Deeks."
He runs a hand through his shaggy wet hair, "You know we were suppose to celebrate my birthday and never did."
"Once this is over we can do something as a team. Get some rest."
Nell smiles as Deeks walks over and heads to his room and Eric pulls out a photo album, "Wow Callen isn't that the same picture you have?"
Callen looks at one and pulls out the one in his wallet and their the same one, "Yea it is."
Sam looks at the back, best friends Greg, Amy, Chris and Marty
A/N: next chapter figure more about their partner