Kensi wakes up and opens her eyes. Yes, this time she actually manages to open her eyes and she's so happy with that fact that she has to keep herself from screaming with happiness. Her leg still hurts and she knows it won't get any better any time soon. Her neck is a bit sore, probably because of the needles they kept injecting the drugs with. Her forehead hurts and she knows the bruise is probably not getting that much better. She doesn't know how long she's been asleep for, has completely lost track of time, but when she turns her head to the side and notices the sun outside her window she realizes that it's probably morning.

Then she looks to her other side and sees him there. Deeks is holding her hand in his and has his head resting on her bed, by her arm. She doesn't know what time is it but she guesses he spent the entire night there. Kensi remembers everything. She remembers his soothing words by her ear when she was on the verge of a panic attack, remembers his soft touch and the way he kissed her forehead over and over again out of relief after her heart calmed down again. She remembers falling asleep again, comforted with his presence by her side. She remembers hearing Callen and Sam's voices but they were so low she couldn't hear what they were saying.

She doesn't know what to do. Should she wake him up or just let him sleep? Kensi thought he didn't care anymore. That's pretty much what he implied when she visited him at LAPD. So why is he here? She doesn't want him to be around just because she was kidnapped. She doesn't want him to be around out of guilt, and she is pretty sure that's the only reason why he's currently by her side holding her hand. He's never been good with this kind of things. He's always been the kind of guy who starts feeling bad when something happens to someone he's close to. The thing is that they're not close anymore, or at least she doesn't think they are. After all, he left her. Is that supposed to be a demonstration of how much he cares about her?

A tear starts making its way down her cheek before she has the chance to stop it. It's just not fair. Every single person she cares about has to end up hurting her, one way or another. She wants to be angry at him, wants to yell and punch him until he realizes just how much of an idiot he really is. That's the way she's used to deal with this type of situations. That's like her comfort zone. This time, though, she can't do that. The sadness that takes over her is so overwhelming that she can't bring herself to be angry at him. She just wants to leave this place and never come back because looking at him is enough to break her heart all over again.

Maybe Callen was right and the feelings she has for Deeks are way beyond a simple partnership. Maybe that's why this whole thing feels this bad. Maybe that's why she can't seem to stop the tears that keep running down her cheeks. Kensi doesn't make a movement, afraid that it will wake him up. It might be a little masochist of her but she wants to enjoy this while it lasts. She wants to enjoy the feeling of his warm hand in hers while she can because the minute she wakes him up, he's going to leave. That simple thought scares her more than what it should. She doesn't want him to leave, that much she's absolutely sure of. Kensi knows she won't be able to stay like this forever but she needs to engrave the memory deep on her mind so she will always have it with her.

That's how Callen finds her when he walks through the door of her hospital room. He has a cup of coffee in his hands and almost drops it when he notices she's awake. However, the shock is quickly replaced with confusion. She's awake and her partner is standing right by her side so there's no apparent reason for her to be crying and with that sad broken look on her face. Callen rushes to her side and doesn't bother keeping the volume of his voice down when he speaks, concern written all over his face.

"Kensi, what are you feeling? Where does it hurt?" Deeks lifts his head so fast she's sure he pulled a muscle but he doesn't seem to care. In less than a second he's wearing the same worried expression and she just wants to go back to sleep because the way he looks at her is something she will forever miss. He looks at her in a way that makes her feel completely exposed but safe, anyway. She wants to tell Callen that the only thing that is hurting her at the moment is her heart because all those other injuries seem completely painless when compared to that one. She doesn't, though, well aware that the reason why it hurts is still in the room. She will tell him as soon as he leaves.

"My leg…" It's her weak reply. Her voice is not louder than a whisper and her throat feels kind of weird because she was too long without talking. It seems like enough for both Callen and Deeks, though. Deeks lets go of her hand and rushes to the door, calling a nurse. Callen looks at her and she sees that look on his eyes. He can tell that she's lying and that that's not the reason why she's crying. He doesn't say a thing because Deeks walks back to her side with a nurse who does a quick check-up to make sure she's okay. After giving her some pain killers, the nurse leaves the room just as Sam walks in.

She feels the drug starting to take effect and her leg goes numb but at least it stopped hurting. Her head doesn't hurt anymore, either and there's no pain in her neck. Sam and Callen stay for a little while, filling her in with some details of her kidnaping but Hetty walks in and tells them to go home and get some rest, something they haven't done in over two days. Sam and Callen seem a little reluctant but after a quick nod from Deeks that she doesn't notice, they both leave.

Deeks sits back on the chair next to her bed and she stares at the ceiling because it's a lot easier than face him. Deeks sighs and grabs her hand once again. She fights against the urge to pull her hand away from his because his touch feels like fire, burning her skin and hurting her. She fights to keep her tears at bay but his next words, the first ones she has heard from him in over two weeks, leave his mouth she's not sure of how much more she is capable of handling.

"I'm so sorry, Kensi. And I know that you have no reason to forgive me but I need you to know that I am sorry and that I never meant to hurt you." Kensi doesn't answer him because she's not sure of what she's supposed to say. She remembers the things he told her when he thought she couldn't listen but that doesn't mean everything's okay between them. He still left. He still hurt her. She keeps trying to convince herself that the only reason why he is still here is because she went through a traumatic experience and he's not capable of just turning his back on her while she needs him. The thing is that she doesn't need him, or at least that's what she tries to tell herself. He notices that she has no intention of answering him so he continues, stroking her hand while he does.

"You know why I left, Kensi. I need to know that you trust me. The truth is that all you had to do to make me stay was say that you trusted me, that you wanted me as your partner. When you brought me those papers I wanted to sign them and if you told me that you wanted me to do so, I would have. You think I wanted to go back to LAPD? You think I didn't want to work with you guys anymore?" She stays in silence once again but hears him sighing. When he talks again, his voice is nothing but a whisper and she can feel him staring at her, daring her to meet his eyes.

"You think I didn't want to be around you anymore? I love you, Kensi. And yes, maybe I'm a coward and maybe I don't deserve your forgiveness. I was ready to walk away, to let your live your life without me in it. I can't do it. So I'm here and I promise you that, if you let me, I'll spend the rest of my days showing just how much you mean to me…" Kensi looks at him this time and the tears he sees in her eyes and cheeks are enough to break his own heart. He doesn't wipe them away because he's not sure of how she would react to that type of contact coming from him. Instead, he waits patiently for her next words, the ones he hopes that are the green light for him to get close enough to her.

"If you ever do as much as think about leaving me again, I swear that I'm going after you with my gun and you'll never be able to breathe again, Deeks!" He smiles because that's so Kensi and so familiar that makes him want to hit himself for ever turning his back onto this. She gives him a small smile too and he wipes away her remaining tears. He can tell that she's trying hard to stay awake because her pain meds are already working and make her want to sleep. He strokes her forehead and speaks again, his tone much lighter now that he knows things are okay between them.

"If you ever do as much as think that I don't care about you anymore, I'm going to tie you to my bed and keep you hostage until you realize just how much I care." She laughs a bit this time and closes her eyes, still with a smile on her face. Deeks scoots as close to the bed as he can and she opens her eyes again. He can tell she's fighting a lost battle to stay awake so he leans in and gives her a soft peck on the lips. "I meant it, Princess."

The sweet term of endearing sounds good coming from him and she grabs his head to pull him in for another kiss. He ends it too quickly for her liking but she knows he's just trying to make her rest so she allows him to do so. She makes room for him on the bed and pats the space next to her. Deeks smiles and lays down next to her, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. They stay in silence and he's sure that she is already asleep but the she speaks again and his face breaks into a smile big enough for the nurses outside to think that he's probably crazy. He doesn't care about that because the woman resting on his chest, the one who means the world to him, tells him the words he desperately wanted to hear. That's how he knows everything's going to be okay.

"I love you too, by the way!"

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I'm sorry that it took me this long to post this chapter but I wasn't sure about how to finish it.

Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favorites. This is the final chapter of this story and reviews are highly appreciated.

Sarah