The next installment, this one with a lighter note at the end :)

Let me know what you think! I really like to know what you think about it.

Four

Days slowly crawl by and turn into weeks and then months Although it could very well be years, that's how long it feels and the longer it goes on, the more the silence gets to her. It's like the cold war is being fought again, only this time she's the enemy. Her team has closed its ranks, unfortunately it's against her. It makes for awkward cases and briefings in the OPS room. Sam is the only one who actually gives her some of his attention. She had invented the game but being ignored by two of the three remaining agents, it hurt like hell. Deeks, well the man is proving day in and day out what a good undercover agent he is, because she could have never believed him to be able to hold a grudge for this long. And it stings, that he managed to hide so much from her and she's angry with herself when she catches herself thinking 'If Kensi were here, she would know what to do.'

But while being ignored by the youngest of the trio hurt, it's nothing against being on the 'no go' list of Callen. Callen, just like Deeks is fiercely loyal and would do everything to help his friends, his little family. She just never believed she wouldn't belong on that list anymore. Callen had taken Deeks' side from the go and was brutally honest about it. He became the constant reminder of how wrong she had been, how she didn't know everything and was now paying a prize for it. And after so long she is ready to declare defeat. If backing down, admitting she was wrong got her team back on the right track and back to talking to her, well it was a small price to pay.

'Hetty?' she looks up from her cup of tea and watches her intelligence analyst approach her desk. With the absence of Kensi, Nell has been more out in the field, together with Deeks. And it's has been showing. Not that Nell was a big chat, but even the red haired woman had shut down on her and only communicated the essentials. Even Eric had become quiet as a mouse and avoiding her, well more than usual.

'How do you feel Miss Jones?' she asks. The other woman looks at her like she has grown an extra head.

'About this all? How do you feel about this all?' she clarifies.

'I, mmm, they are my friends.' Is the somewhat mystic answer.

'I see' she replies.

'I don't think you do.' Nell goes on. 'Cause I like to see my friends happy. '

The unspoken accusation hurts a whole lot more then she's ready to admit, and it's the nail in the coffin. She'll have to fix this somehow and the sooner the better. It's just, at this moment she has no idea. But it seems that after being ignored for so long the Gods have decided to take pity on her.

'I came to inform you that Granger is on the line for you' Nell says and turns away again.

She waits until the analyst is out of hearing range and then picks up the phone.

'This better be good Owen'

'Mr. Deeks, it seems that I'm in need of a ride and I was wondering if you could help me out?' As he looks up, he looks straight into the eyes of his boss.

'Don't you think that Sam or Callen's cars are better equipped for this?' He asks, he's not sure why she approached him for this job and he's not sure he wants to find out. Being confined in a car, with just Hetty as his company after the recent events? No, he's not really looking forward to that.

'Compared to your old car, most definitely but I figured you wanted to test drive your new set of wheels'

He's not sure what to do next. Knowing Hetty and the cars down at the garage, it's bound to be some fancy new car, one he most certainly wouldn't be able to afford. But there is also the catch, if he accepts that car, if he takes the keys and takes her wherever she needs to be, he's losing his reason to be angry. He can't just keep on ignoring her, keeping on fuming about recent events, but just as easily accept the car from her.

'This is not something to buy your forgiveness, Mr. Deeks. You were due one anyway, but I do hope it could be a start'

It's not until he sees the nod Sam gives him, that he allows himself to raise from his seat. Not that he actually needs the other man's approval but it's good to know that at least Sam is on his side. But as he turns around his desk and catches a glimpse of Callen, he can see he's okay with it too. So maybe they understand what this is about. Yeah he's still angry at her and it will take a bit more than a new car to make that go away, but at least she's willing to end the feud between them and has taken the first step.

And so he follows her into the garage to end up in a silver Aston Martin, not that different to the one he had seen Callen with a few times. He doesn't question her destination or offers to make small talk. It's a step, an important step but in the end it's just one and not everything is forgiven and forgotten.

She has been awake for a few hours now. She could do with some sleep but it's not coming, her mind is racing, full with questions. Questions she hopes to get an answer to very soon. The second she can feel the plane's wheels touching the ground, she's looking outside. Trying to see something she recognizes or better trying to see if there are people standing there, waiting for her. The airport is one of the private ones outside the bigger city, but it has more buildings around it than she's used to but she can't help the warm feeling running through her as she catches the sun through the window and the more familiar surroundings.

'He's not going to be there. I know this type. They make promises but in the end, the minute you leave them out of your sight and something beautiful walks by they have forgotten about you or the promises they made '

A voice inside the small plane speaks the words and she doesn't hold back on rolling her eyes. The trick with the knife worked, he had left her alone for the rest of the mission but this is still Agent Sabatino they were talking about. She doesn't respond back because his statement has been one of the questions in her mind. She likes to believe she knows her partner, knows what he's made off and what he would do but this is something totally different. She asked him to be patient, to wait for her, but she could have never imagined it to be months and months and frankly who could blame him for not waiting?

'Talking about yourself?' Granger cuts in. She silently thanks him. But it doesn't change the scenery outside the window. The tarmac is empty and while she can't look inside the buildings she's pretty sure they are empty too. Or at least not occupied by those she really wants to see. She tries to tell herself that it's normal, that they, or truthfully he has no idea she's returning today. So how could he even be there?

The plane comes to a standstill and she gets up from her seat. Grabbing her backpack she moves towards the door, looking straight ahead. She doesn't want the rest to see her face, the disappointment on it.

But by the time the door has opened and she's allowed towards the stairs something has changed on the outside. Down a short distance away from the stair is a car parked, a rather fancy one. It's the passenger's side that's facing her and when she starts to descent the stairs, the door opens to reveal her one and only boss, the infamous Hetty. She can't hide a little smile, at least some one is there to welcome her home.

She has only taken two more steps downwards when she notices the driver's side door opening. At first whoever has been driving the car is hidden from view, but when he's upright and facing the plane she only needs one second to realize who exactly is standing just a short distance away from her.

She never believed herself to be this girly, to actually let her emotions and her heart take over. She is Bad Ass Kensi Blye for crying out loud, but the second she knows, she drops her stuff and actually jumps down the last few steps and runs towards him. He only has a second or two to realize what's happening, but he manages to catch her when she literally jumps into his arms.

You really need to lose something, or at least believe you'll for you to realize what you had and come to the realization that maybe you had it all and want it all. And she can only hope she can convey everything she has ever felt about him and still feels about him into that one kiss.

And by his reaction, his catching on rather quickly he's seems to know what she's been telling him. It's only when air becomes a real necessity that she breaks away from him. But she remains where she is, in his arms, arms and legs wrapped firmly around him. When he finally speaks she can only sight with contentment of being home again.

'Welcome home'

TBC