Thank you all for the love and support, I hope to give you guys back the awesomeness ten fold with this chapter, as well as future ones! Please enjoy, and leave a review if you do! :)
-Hazel
He approaches the house slowly around ten that night, once again carrying Kensi towards the front door. They'd taken their time getting home, and eventually, as Deeks drove and they chatted, she fell asleep in the middle of a conversation.
It made him smile, though. The simple fact that she was calm enough to get some much needed rest made his heart swell.
By time his feet hit the walkway, Kensi's father is already holding the front door open for him. He's standing tall and stoic, but Deeks can tell that he's damaged. It's an easy thing for him to pick up on- even in the bravest of people.
The man simply nods, not saying a word even as Deeks comes closer. Kensi's head is resting against his chest, both arms lazily strewn atop her stomach.
He gives Donald a small, toothless smile as he crosses the threshold into the house, immediately heading for the stairs. Trudging up them at a relaxed pace, he glances down at the girl sound asleep in his arms.
Her features look angelic and at peace. He smiles.
Upon reaching her room Deeks lays Kensi down on the bed, grabbing a throw blanket and pulling it up to cover her shoulders.
"Love you," he murmurs in her ear, not anticipating any sort of a response.
With her eyes still closed, Kensi whispers a barely audible reply.
"Love you too."
It sounds as if she's still sleeping, but even if it's a dream he's just happy to be a part of it.
Spinning around, Deeks finds Kensi's father hovering in the doorway. He doesn't seem upset or put off whatsoever, as his expression is firm and emotionless.
Deeks nods at him and slips back into the hall, jogging down the steps two at a time. He feels like he should leave, but at the same time the idea of running away without so much as a proper introduction seems rude.
So as his feet leave the carpeted stairs and hit the hardwood flooring of the entryway, he pauses, waiting for Kensi's father to do the same.
"I've heard quite a lot about you, Martin," he says, hands folded behind his back. "It seems you live up to the hype."
Deeks chuckles in nervousness, trying not to seem put off by the use of his first name. "Thank you."
Donald nods, his expression softening. "I don't know many people that would've done what you did. Driving across the state in the middle of the night, just to go pick up a girl."
"She's not just a girl, sir. Not to me."
He smiles. "Not to me, either. Kensi's pretty special."
"Over the past couple of months... I've definitely figured that out," Deeks says, exhaling as he backs towards the front door, not wanting to overstay his welcome. "Goodnight, sir."
"Wait, hold on," Donald responds, grabbing at the door handle before he can make a run for it. "Where are you, um... living at the moment?"
Deeks swallows as he realizes that Kensi has most likely filled him in on the details of his peculiar predicament.
"I'm living with a friend right now." He scratches the back of his head, looking to the floor. "I'm doing alright."
Donald nods slowly, a small smile tugging at each corner of his mouth.
"Glad to hear it. But if you're ever in need of a place to stay... our door is always open."
Deeks is taken aback by the gesture, but still presents Kensi's father with a beaming smile. "Wow, um... thank you, sir."
He's doesn't even have to initiate a handshake, as Mr. Blye does it first.
"You can call me Donald."
Deeks nods, replicating the gesture with a grin.
"And you can call me Deeks."
He walks back in through the front door, tossing his car keys on the coffee table before collapsing down into the couch.
"Where the hell did you go?" Ray asks, suddenly appearing before him in the living room.
Deeks wipes his eyes, yawning as he speaks.
"Nevada."
"Nevada?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
He cocks his head to one side, dropping both hands back to the couch.
"Seriously."
"Oh. Kensi?"
"No, I just felt like going on a one-man jaunt across the state at two am. Yes, for Kensi!"
"Is she okay?" He asks, sitting down on one of the chairs across from him.
"Yeah, she's alright. Or she will be, at least." Deeks shakes his head, massaging his temples. "That is one messed up family."
"I don't really think you should be pointing fingers."
He squints one eye, looking up to the ceiling. "Yeah. You're probably right."
"I usually am. Have you met her dad yet?"
"Uh-huh. About twenty minutes ago."
"Was it awkward?"
"Surprisingly enough... not at all."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He seemed to like me."
"Really?"
"Yup. He told me I could call him Donald."
"Really?"
"Why do you keep saying really?"
Ray shrugs. "You don't have the best track record when it comes to fathers."
"Neither do you."
"Sure. But I didn't just meet my girlfriend's dad for the first time, super late at night after driving her home from Nevada. I've also never skipped school with my girlfriend or run away from home with her for the night."
Deeks snorts. "You don't have a girlfriend."
"Hence the never-doing-any-of-that-stuff thing."
"Whatever. But I was bringing her home, Ray- not taking her away. There's a difference."
"There is. That's probably why he likes you."
"I assume so. I'm also devilishly handsome, and I since he only wants the best for his daughter..." Deeks motions one hand up and down his frame. "Here I am. In the flesh."
"Nobody likes an ego maniac. Just keep that in mind."
"I can handle myself. I mean, I really try my best to be respectful around him," he adds, regaining a hint of seriousness in his tone. "He's in the military. It's kinda intimidating."
"I can imagine. Is that why Kensi's so..." Ray waves his arms around in the air, looking for the correct term.
"Blunt?" Deeks offers.
"I was gonna say intense, but blunt works too."
"How is she intense?"
"Do you really not see it?"
"See what?"
Ray snickers, shaking his head. "Apparently, love is blind."
"Hey!" Deeks exclaims, sitting up straight. The word comes across with an unparalleled sharpness, one that he was trying to stifle but decides to just go with instead.
"Kensi isn't intense. She's just honest, so don't try to spin it."
Ray widens his eyes, stifling a laugh as he lifts both hands in the air.
"Dude. Do you hear yourself?"
Deeks softens after a moment of silence, settling back into the couch. "Sorry. I'm a little protective of her. Sometimes to a fault."
He snorts. "Yeah, I'll say."
Deeks sighs, flipping his head back against the cushions to peer at the ceiling. Ray watches him with a steady gaze, rubbing his chin.
"You really love this girl, don't you?"
He tries not to appear shocked, but Deeks is clearly taken aback by the raw and honest remark.
"Yeah, I mean... yeah."
It sounds short and vague, but that's all he can do, really. Agree.
"I don't think you'd do that, even for me."
"Do what?"
"Drive down to Nevada and pick me up in the middle of the night."
"I don't see why I'd ever need to."
"A couple of days ago you would've said the exact same thing about Kensi."
"Maybe."
Ray chuckles. "Whatever. She's a girl, I'm a guy- I should be able to fend for myself. I get it."
"I think Kensi trumps you in the 'badass' department, actually."
"Seriously?"
"Yup. She..." He smiles at the ground, shaking his head. "She's the bravest. And the toughest."
"Yet you still went to go save her."
"She didn't want me too. I pressed for it."
"Why?"
He shrugs, believing that his answer should be obvious.
"Kensi's my girl. I like to be her knight in shining armor,if I can."
"How gallant of you."
"That's what she tells me."
Ray laughs, recalling his conversation with Kensi a couple of days prior, humoring himself as he realizes how glaringly similar their responses to his questions are.
"You two are nauseating."
Deeks' grin just widens. "In the very best way possible, I presume?"
"That's not what I was going for."
"That's how I'm going to interpret it."
"Go for it."
"I will."
Rolling his eyes, Ray lifts himself from the chair and walks towards his bedroom, patting Deeks on the shoulder as he passes.
"One day, when you two are married, we're gonna laugh about this. All of this."
Deeks jumps up to follow him, a look of complete and utter disbelief gracing his features.
"Really? Married? I'm seventeen."
"You won't be seventeen forever."
"This is ridiculous. Why are we even having this conversation?"
Ray just keeps walking in the opposite direction, but as he speaks Deeks can practically hear him smiling.
"Night, dude."