Thank you for the reviews. Just want to say welcome to any new readers. It was this part of the story and on that I had to decide just how far I wanted to go with the Densi. I love me some Densi, so there might be a lot coming in future chapters. You can see a hint here at the end of the chapter.

I don't think I need the violence and torture warning anymore...lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: Los Angeles

CHAPTER 10

The sun slowly rose in the Eastern sky and rays filtered into the hospital waiting room from a large row of windows. A ray blinded Kensi and she adjusted in her chair to avoid it. The chairs weren't very comfortable and her back ached from sitting for hours. Her legs were stiff, but that didn't matter to her. She hadn't left her chair once since she had been at the hospital, not even to get a cup of crappy hospital coffee or to use the bathroom. She was oblivious to the fact that her shirt was covered in Deeks' blood and didn't realize that ever so often people stopped to stare at her in shock and disgust.

Kensi felt like she had been sitting for days, waiting anxiously for the doctor to emerge and give her news on Deeks. When she last saw him, they were rushing him into the ER. He was pale and soaked in sweet and blood. He never looked directly at her or any of the paramedics or doctors. He seemed to be oblivious of his surroundings and only managed to mumble the word salvation. She didn't understand what salvation had meant. He had mumbled it at Bayleaf before he was taken to the ambulance. She didn't realize that it was the drugs he had been given via needle.

She glanced down at her phone, which she held tightly in her hand. She was hoping to hear from Sam or Callen, who had been questioning Vasily and some of the others arrested at Bayleaf. She would have even settled for a call from Hetty, but there was nothing. She switched her focus from her phone to the tv in the waiting room. The news was on and a short Asian woman stood in front of the yellow police tape that blocked off Bayleaf Organics. Cop cars filled the parking lot behind her. The TV was muted so Kensi couldn't hear what she was saying. "It's on TV, of course it's on TV." She thought. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face, and sighed.

The double doors on the other side of the waiting room opened and a doctor came out. Kensi took in a deep breath and felt her heart stop for a moment in anticipation. She stood, expecting him to come to her, but he simply walked passed. He was headed to another family in the waiting room. She sighed again and slumped back into her chair.

Slowly, Hetty walked up to Kensi. Just looking at her agent, made her heart sink. Kensi's stare seemed lost and blank. Her shirt was covered in blood. Hetty was glad that she thought to pack a change of clothes for her in the car. She couldn't even imagine what condition Deeks was in.

"Ms. Blye?" Hetty made her presence known, while trying not to startle the agent.

"Hey, Hetty." Kensi replied, her tone void of emotion and her stare still blank and lost. "I, I figured you or maybe Callen would call or something."

"I thought it would be best to come in person." Hetty explained. "I have news for you and I also wanted to check on our Mr. Deeks."

Kensi fiddled with her hands clumbsily and avoided eye contact with Hetty. "The doctor hasn't come out yet. I, they haven't told me anything. They took him and..."

Hetty sat next to Kensi. "You need to calm yourself, Ms. Blye. I'm sure the doctor will come out in due time."

"What news did you have for me?" Kensi asked, finally looking Hetty in the eyes.

"Peta Vasily and most of his men have been questioned. We have gathered enough information to put them behind bars for a very long time. Most of his men turned on him and told us all about his operation here in the states." Hetty explained, pausing part way through to make sure Kensi was understanding what she was saying. "We discovered Lillian Dmitri's records from Russia and she is wanted for kidnapping, among other charges, and according to some of the men we questioned, she was in charge of the operation whenever Peta was out of the country."

"What about Zhizn?" Kensi asked curiously.

" Zhizn will probably carry on." Hetty replied.

"But we got Vasily and Lillian." Kensi assumed that putting them behind bars would put an end to the cartel.

"That we did, but we were only able to hinder their operations in the states. The cartel originated in Russia and I have no doubt that someone there will pick up the pieces and continue. It's clear that Bayleaf was not the base of operations for their drug trafficking. That is still a concern for us." Hetty explained. "We were unable to find all of the missing women. We believe they may have been taken to Russia and exchanged for Russian women. The LAPD found over a dozen women at Bayleaf Organics and one man, who were held captive and used for sexual pleasures, and some of those women were Russian. There were some drugs on the scene, but we believe they were being used to keep the captives drugged and compliant."

"So, you found some of the missing women?" Kensi asked.

Hetty nodded. "That is correct."

Kensi's eyes wandered from Hetty over to the set of double doors as they opened and a doctor came out. Her back stiffened and her eyes grew wide in anticipation, hoping and praying that it was Deeks' doctor. She was afraid he would just walk passed as the last doctor had. He didn't.

"I'm looking for Marty Deeks' next of kin." He said in a soft voice as he approached the two of them. He was dressed in scrubs from head to toe and had his hair covered. His green eyes were filled with worry and had a pair of slim eye glasses over them.

Hetty faced the doctor. "That would be I, Henrietta Lange." She motioned to Kensi. "This is his partner, Kensi Blye."

He introduced himself. "I'm Dr. Roberts."

"What can you tell us about him?" Kensi asked.

"Well, I'm not going to sugar coat things. Mr. Deeks is in very rough shape." He began to explain. "He suffered severe lacerations to his back. I would guess they're probably from a whip. Infection has set in, but we're giving him some antibiotics to help ease the infection. He also suffered lacerations and cuts to his wrists and ankles, his wrists being worse off. His feet were swollen, I assume from being beaten. He did sustain a couple of broken toes. We're taking all the precautions we can to minimize the swelling, but it will be a while before he's on his feet again. Internally, he suffered some fractured ribs. One of them was pushing against his left lung, causing some breathing troubles. We're lucky none of them punctured the lungs."

"What about the drugs, I mean he was drugged right?" Kensi asked frantically. She remembered seeing the needle marks on his arms.

The doctor took in a deep breath, slowly exhaling before continuing. "After extensive blood work, we found a form of Heroin in his system. He's in the early stages of withdrawal. That combined with the infection has caused a fever. We're currently giving him Buprenorphine to help minimize his symptons of withdrawal, but unfortunately, it won't completely erase the symptoms."

"What does this mean for our Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked. "Will he recover?"

"In time, he'll recover physically, he'll probably have some nasty scars left over. He'll be in some pain for a while. We can't give him much pain medication right now, while we're still getting the heroin out of his system. Mentally, I really can't say. The lasting effects on him mentally could cause dire consequences. Only time will tell."

Kensi's heart broke as she listened to Dr. Roberts speaking about Deeks. Her eyes swelled with tears. She used to take pride in the fact that she wasn't one of those mushy girls who cried at the drop of a hat, but she couldn't stop herself. "I need to see him." She said, looking up at the doctor. "When can we see him?"

"I have nurses getting him comfortable in the ICU as we speak. I can send them out for you in a few minutes." He replied.

"Thank you Doctor." Hetty said. She looked at her agent, still covered in blood. "Kensi, you need to take care of yourself before you see Mr. Deeks." She held her car keys out to her. "Take my keys. I have your bag in my car with a change of clothes. Get cleaned up and get yourself some food and coffee."

Kensi took the keys hesitantly. "I have to be here for him, I can't just..."

Hetty cut her off. "It was not a suggestion Ms. Blye. Our liaison officer is not going anywhere. He wouldn't want to see you like this."

After taking a few deep breaths, Kensi agreed with her. "You're right. I'll be back in a few minutes." She said.

Kensi went off in search of Hetty's car in the parking lot. She was walking at a marathon pace, trying to be as quick as she could so she could get back and see her partner. She had a horrible feeling deep down in the pit of her stomach and she just needed to see him and look into his ocean blue eyes. She needed to see for herself that he was alive. With a change of clothes, she headed to one of the hospital bathrooms to clean herself up. She had some blood on her hands and arms, even a little smear on her face. Her shirt terrified her and she just stood at the sink starring at it for several moments. She shook her head in disbelief and tears came again. She changed shirts and went in search of some coffee and perhaps a doughnut. She settled on a bagel with her coffee and headed right back to the waiting room hoping she hadn't already missed the nurses.

Kensi was just in time. A nurse was already addressing Hetty. She lead them both down a hallway and to a door. "Marty's inside. He's still a little out of it from the drugs, so don't be surprised if he doesn't respond to you or talk at all. Hopefully he'll become more coherent as the drugs ware off."

The nurse held the door open for them and Kensi stopped in the doorway, shock keeping her from moving forward. The machines beeped softly in the background and there Deeks laid, looking as if all life had drained from his body. Hetty moved around her to catch a glimpse of him and to was shocked at his lifeless form.

Deeks had bandages covering his back and compresses on his feet to reduce the swelling, though neither were visible to Hetty or Kensi. His chest and ribs were wrapped in gauze, preventing them from seeing any of the dark bruises that riddled it. His wrists were both wrapped in gauze as well. He had a nasal canula in his nose to help with his breathing and had an IV in his arm. His eyes were closed and his body was pale. He looked like he was at deaths' doorstep. He was far from the happy go lucky, surfer that they were used to seeing.

Slowly, Kensi approached him. She pulled up a chair to his bed and sat. She stared at his hand for several moments, almost afraid to reach for it. She thought that if she touched him, she might break him and he was clearly broken already. She wiped a few tears away and finally grazed his hand with her own. She almost expected him to move or react, but he did nothing. His chest moved up and down with even breaths, but he didn't react at all. Thanks to the fever, the drugs, and the pain, he was unconscious. He wavered in and out of that state for a while, but was rarely coherent.

Hetty looked the detective over. She wanted to see for herself that he was still alive. She remembered back to when she first assigned him as their liaison officer. The rest of the team thought he was merely a temp. They didn't seem to welcome him at first. Callen had questioned the need for a liaison officer, but Hetty had other reasons for bringing Deeks on board. She had hoped he would someday be an agent. She had gone over his previous undercover work and thought he would be a great asset and make a great agent one day. Hell, she had even offered him a full position as an agent. Of course, he'd have to take the basic training courses. That was merely just a little road bump though. He wouldn't sign the papers. She hadn't any real idea why at the time, but she hoped that in time he would change his mind.

She placed a hand on Kensi's shoulder and squeezed it gently, trying to reassure her. "Mr. Deeks is strong. He'll pull through this and be back to his cheeky self in no time." She said. "I'll leave you two be for now. Please keep me updated on his condition."

Kensi glanced up at her. "I willl. Thanks." She tried to force a small smile. She focused on Deeks again, her smile quickly fading. "You're gonna pull through this right? God, I miss your stupid wise cracks." Her voice got quieter as she spoke. "I miss your smile. That cheesy smile. Just come back to me Deeks, please."

Kensi thought that Hetty had already left when she said that last bit, but Hetty heard it on her way out and smiled. She had always sensed something between the two of them, something more than just their partnership. Perhaps Kensi was finally starting to realize herself that there was something as well.

This chapters main focus was Deeks. I'm sure you were all wondering how he was. More to come soon. Please review, thanks!