The replacement
Chapter 4:
The men watched Kensi head up the stairs towards Hetty's office the same curious expression on each of their faces,
"Why do you think Hetty wants to see Kensi?" Fields asked turning to Callen, Sam and Nate,
"Eh Kens probably killed someone again" Sam said nonchalantly, shrugging and Callen felt a smile growing on his lips at his friends response. Nate tried to conceal his smile attempting to be the warm, welcoming psychologist to the newest member, who he had a feeling if the man lasted he would probably be talking to him at some point.
"Sam" Nate warned shaking his head but it was more for show; it wasn't likely that the agents would seriously listen to him,
"I was being serious!" Sam said turning to Nate placing a hand over his heart with a smirk on his lips,
"She can't be that dangerous!" And at that Sam and Callen guffawed chuckling as they both turned on their heels moving to sit at their desks,
"You did see her driving before, right...and the knife thing yeah" Callen offered,
"Right" He said timidly before moving to the desk across from Callens and next to Sams not really knowing what to do with himself. That was until of course Sam placed a large pile of files on his desk that hit the wood with a thump making him jump slightly.
"We're looking for the name Charles Pendelton" And with that Callen and Sam began to flip through their own piles of files though he didn't fail to notice that their piles were considerably smaller. He sighed his eyes flickering up to the man still standing near Callen's desk who gave him a slight nod of encouragement before he sighed inaudibly and flicked the first torn, manila folder open. It wasn't for another ten minutes that they were torn from their searching and all looked up again as they heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Kensi skipping down them.
Callen frowned at her creased brow and the confused look that was swimming in her eyes. And along with confused she looked upset and angry. But it was Hetty who followed her several seconds later with her own concerned expression that really confused Callen,
Why would Hetty be worried about Kensi?
He looked across to Sam exchanging a confused look with Sam who shrugged looking equally confused.
Once she reached them Kensi dropped back down into her chair her frown deepening.
"Yes guys" She asked looking up at all of them. She fixed her stare on Sam across from her, who answered her,
"What?" He asked feigning confusion,
"You Agent Hanna were staring" She stated with an exaggerated sigh but the effect was ruined my the small smirk on her lips,
"I most definitely was not Kens, I was just wondering what it was that Hetty so mysteriously called you into her office for" he explained and Kensi nodded,
"Right I see" She said in mock understanding,
"So" he said after a second,
"It's not any of your business" She said in a teasing voice, which told both Callen and Sam that she didn't want to talk about it, raising her eyebrows challengingly,
"Are you okay Kens?" Callen asked concern seeping into his voice and Kensi sighed quietly,
"I'm sorry guys, I'm fine"
"Alright well you're still coming to the bar tonight right?" Nate asked and Kensi looked to him. But before she could answer it was Hetty who spoke,
"Perhaps you could all invite Mr Fields out tonight. It would be a good way to all get to know each other yes?"
Kensi forced a smile on her lips,
"Sure what do you think Scott?" The agent looked up towards her surprised at her welcoming smile. He also noticed a disgruntled Callen and a curious Sam watching their junior agent carefully. Attempting to take some of the spotlight off her and win some points he smiled,
"Sure sounds great to me. I've got nothing better to do" She forced a wide smile on her lips to his answer. At least it would be a good time to start.
"I've just got to make a call alright" Without another word Scott strode past them towards one of the corners of the building facing away from them. Sam frowned catching the smirk on his face as his eyes ran over Kensi on his way past the agent.
He did not like this. Not at all.
Not long afterwards Kensi and Fields seemed to be getting on famously well which left them all even more confused. Even Nate frowned in confusion as he turned questioningly to Callen and Sam who shrugged back to the man as they watched Fields walking after Kensi who was laughing at something he'd said.
"Is she flirting with him?" Nate asked almost in disbelief at the Kensi they were watching...at work.
"Um no she has much more class than that" Sam said gruffly,
"That and she would never initiate anything at work...ever. We all know that" But as they watched Kensi tug on the guys sleeve and the pair climb the stairs for the tour she was giving him of the office they were completely and thoroughly confused and a little uneasy.
"Lunch?" Callen asked turning away and looking at Sam questioningly who stood only a second later grabbing his keys.
As they stood in the line at the burrito place down the road waiting to collect everyone's lunch Sam turned to him,
"You should tell her G" The senior agent looked at Sam quickly raising an eyebrow in question,
"What?" He said knowing exactly where it was that Sam was leading the conversation,
"Kens...you should tell her that you like her" G scoffed at his friend and forced an amused smile on his face.
"What I don't like Kensi" Sam's eyebrows rose in disbelief. But he knew Callen knew that he knew. As he began to pick up the packages that were being placed on the counter he added his last pearl of wisdom,
"I'm just saying G...if you wait much longer it might be too late. Tell her...and before tonight would be a good idea" With that Sam walked back towards the car leaving Callen to ponder the man's advice.
Five minutes later when Callen got in the car and Sam pulled away from the curb the ex seal raised one of the lunches,
"You really think he's going to be able to eat this?" And Callen looked at his partner and felt a rush of gratitude towards him for dropping the topic,
"Oh it's only the extra hot and spicy chilli con carne" Callen explained seriously before letting out a laugh,
"Yeah and my eyes are watering just being in the same car with it"
NCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLA
Callen's eyes found Kensi for what was probably the millionth time that night and his lips turned down in annoyance.
Since they had arrived at the bar and all slid into the booth he had watched Kensi flirt with Fields. She chatted with him, laughed with him and at his stupid jokes. And the man was flirting back tenfold. She let him buy her drinks something that she never ever let them do (which meant of course that they just did it without telling her and then guilted her into drinking it) and she didn't drop him to the ground when he placed a hand on her shoulder or moved his arm so it was touching hers.
It wasn't really the team night they had been hoping for. It was more of a Kensi and Fields night with some casual chatter. In the end Callen hadn't spoken to Kensi but he had tried to several times only to find, with displeasure, that for the entire day there never seemed to be a Kensi without Fields or a Fields without Kensi. And it was certainly aggravating.
He had caught both Hetty and Sam hell even Nate had been watching him closely throughout the day and he wondered exactly how many people did actually know that he had feelings for his junior agent that weren't simply colleagues covering each others backs.
He wondered if she knew. Had he really been that obvious?
Over the night the numbers dwindled, Hetty being the first to leave after coming back from the bathroom with Kensi. Callen caught the small smile that Hetty sent Kensi as the younger woman slid back into the booth next to Fields before bidding the others goodnight. Eric and Nate left not long afterwards sharing a cab after stating that they would see the others the next day. That and they knew that Nate definitely did not want a replay of the morning after the karaoke night the team had had a few months before.
And so the quartet of field agents were left sitting around the table the atmosphere a little thicker than normal but not too uncomfortably so,
"Drinks guys?" Scott offered looking around the table and Sam and Kensi nodded why not? Especially when they weren't paying.
"I'll have another" Callen said loudly looking straight at Kensi, with a slight slur to his words alerting both Kensi and Sam that their senior agent had consumed one too many drinks to avoid a nasty headache the next day.
"G you sure? I think you've had enou-" she raised her eyebrows when he shot her a look before laughing bitterly,
"I'm fine Kensi, I just want another drink" She couldn't help but notice the light chuckle that escaped Sam's lips as he looked at his friend and partner. Kensi just shrugged and turned back to Scott with a smile.
NCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLANCISLA
Kensi was regretting going to the bar. Perhaps it was dinner but she had an awful feeling swirling in the pit of her stomach not to mention the dizziness she was overcome with every time she stood. A large yawn pushed its way out of her lips as she braced herself on the side of the sink. She scowled slightly thinking of Callen,
She knew he didn't want a new agent hell she didn't want a new agent. Not this close after Dom. It was way too soon.
Her heart seared at the name, at all the memories that came flooding back as she let herself think of her lost partner.
She blinked fiercely refusing to succumb to the tears that were swimming in her eyes, threatening to fall. She almost felt guilty, as though by welcoming this new agent she was helping to replace Dom. Like she was betraying him. She shook her head,
No. This was work. This was what Hetty asked her to do. And it didn't matter what Callen or Sam thought of her or her actions. She wondered why she hadn't been able to tell either of them what was going on, why Hetty had demanded that her task stay between the two of them. She sighed. It didn't matter, she had to get some sort of information from Fields before the end of the night...otherwise all of it and a possible fight with Callen would have been a waste of time.
And besides getting him drunk was probably the best way to do it.
As she pushed the door open stepping back into the bar she was surprised to see Callen leaning against the wall next to the toilets. He straightened up when he saw her but the scowl on his face didn't disappear. She stifled a groan knowing what it was that was coming,
"Kens what are you doing?" He asked before she even had the chance to speak. She could hear the anger in his voice but she could also hear the concern and the worry that you would only hear if you knew the man well enough,
"Did I do something to upset you?" She asked playing dumb for a moment. Callen rolled his eyes at her knowing what it was that she was doing,
"What are you doing with Fields?" Kensi looked away forcing herself to not tell Callen what Hetty had asked her to do,
"I'm not doing anything G" She said softly praying he would let it go and yet knowing full well that he wouldn't,
"What about the no dating co-workers rule Kens?" He asked and she sighed in response trying to dig herself a way out in the mess that was slowly building,
'That's your rule G" She said but he was quick to correct her,
"No that's Gibbs' rule"
"Well lucky we don't work for Gibbs then G" she said with finality trying to get him to let it go. But G Callen after all was definitely known for his stubborn nature...but then again so was she.
"It's a rule at OSP too Kensi" He said seriously as if he was instructing a child who had broken one of the school yard rules. She sighed for the umpteenth time cringing at the disappointment that she could hear laced in his voiced,
"Look G it's not what you think" She tried shaking her head tiredly but stopped when the room span slightly and cringed,
"Well what is it then Kensi" She looked at him having no more explanations to call upon. She didn't know why he was so concerned with it. If there was one way to get the guy off the team it would be to prove he was involved with one of them. Hetty couldn't have better grounds to fire someone upon. And she knew G was certainly smart enough to know that,
"Why does it matter so much G" And for a second he just looked at her and she could see him struggle.
You should tell her G
Callen could hear Sam's words echoing in his head and he knew that if there was a time. It had to be now before he lost her to their new 'agent'. Finally he met her eyes,
"Because Kens ...I"
"Kensi...Callen! There you are!" And Callen looked up to see Fields standing feet away from them with an annoyed Sam behind him. He threw his partner a look who nodded in apology for not being able to keep the man away.
"So Sam here is leaving" Sam rolled his eyes at the man and the others knew that it wasn't the reason that Fields had decided to go looking for them. With a quick goodnight to Kensi and Callen he turned and left the bar shaking his head and really too tired to get into all the drama.
For a long moment an awkward silence settled over the trio left standing in the bar. Kensi wanted to let out the groan of frustration that was on her lips. She wanted to get rid of Fields and finish her conversation with Callen. She wanted to know what it was that he had been about to say...but she shook her head...it wasn't likely to have been what she had wanted to hear. What she had been waiting and wishing to hear for almost the past six months.
"yeah I'm gonna go too" Callen said before he pushed himself away from the wall patting his pockets with exaggeration and they could hear his keys jingle. She looked back to him taking in his muscular form and striking blue eyes. He stood up and without another word to either of them unsteadily made his way towards the door of the bar.
Kensi caught his hand on the way stopping his progress,
"You shouldn't be driving G" When he turned to her he could her concern but his annoyance towards her blanketed everything else and his eyes flickered to Fields eyes on her, running over her. His eyes narrowed before he answered Kensi his anger bubbling,
"Like you care" He said roughly,
She frowned up at Callen almost hurt by his words. But she knew she deserved them, knew that she had earned his anger. This wasn't a side of her that either Sam or Callen knew. Sure she'd gone undercover before and flirted her way in and out of bad situations but this was different. This time they didn't know that she was undercover. They had no idea, instead they thought she really did like the man she could feel not so far away standing behind her,
"Of course I care G" she watched him roll his eyes and pull his hand from her hold,
"Whatever" He said before he began walking again. Kensi sighed before pulling her phone from her pocket and turning to Fields,
"I'm just going to call him a cab alright and make sure that he actually gets in it there's no way that he can drive" Scott grinned down at her nodding before he leant down and kissed millimetres away from her lips,
"Sure how about I go pay for our night and then I'll meet you out front perhaps we can go for a walk or something, have a chat" Kensi was shocked for a second but hid it flawlessly smiling back at him,
"Sure" She said before she squeezed hi hand and stood up following Callen's trail only to see the man standing at the bars entrance turn away his disgusted expression unable to be missed.
She caught up with him as he pulled his keys out of his pocket,
"G you're not driving and I would drive you home but I don't think I should be driving either. We should have got Sam to drive you home" He could hear the frustration in her voice but it was her next words that made him stop and turn around taking in the woman,
"G will you stop, please!" her shoulders drooped and her words were exhausted, pleading with him as were her glossy eyes,
"Kens you okay?" She looked up and for a moment his eyes had cleared and he was looking at her with concern his brow creased in worry. She nodded,
"Yeah I just can't wait to get to bed" She smiled softly and he nodded,
"You want to share the cab?" He questioned and she cringed knowing her response would make things even worse,
"Oh G I'm sorry I said I'd go wi..." But he turned rolling his eyes before she could finish the words. He crossed the road back straight and shoulders stiff and climbed into one of the cabs lined on the other side. She sighed feeling the tiredness wash over her body and she cringed as her thumping head got even heavier. She felt her eyes closing and knew it was time to go home. She would get the information tomorrow.
"Hey you ready" She turned looking at him
"Scott I think I'm just going to just head home, I'm exhausted" As she looked down checking she had all of her stuff she missed the smirk that played on his lips. Instead she saw the concerned smile that he stretched on his face and his hand on the small of her back.
"That's alright I noticed you were tired earlier. Let's get out of here" She nodded throwing him a thankful look but something felt...off. She didn't get time to dwell on it, however, as her head thumped again and little dots formed behind her eyes for a second. She walked towards the yellow cab that pulled up directly in front of them and didn't even notice the other drivers, that had been lined up across the road for who knows how long, shouting their displeasure and his line jumping.
She climbed inside with Fields following and again she missed the signs that she should have been seeing. As she leant over her head in her hands she missed Agent Scott Fields meeting the eyes of the cab driver in the rear view mirror and an identical, satisfied smirk growing on both mens lips.
Hi everyone sorry it's been so long. I really, really hope you like this chapter...hopefully its slowly moving where I'm trying to get it to go ;)
Let me know what you think of it by throwing me a review! Go onnnnn : )
Hehehe
Thank you all for reading!
Nina xx