Jack was running fast to the emergency room of the hospital where he was working on his residency, his heart was beating faster than usual at the news he received. Kensi was involved in a car accident and was currently in there. After passing his work to a colleague, he rushed to where she was.

He stopped at the entrance as he wander his eyes around. Seeing her instantly, he let out a sigh of relief taking in her condition. His fiancée was sitting on the bed, a hand on her neck, talking to a nurse. Jack couldn't help but listen to her. It didn't surprise him to hear that she was insisting she was fine, need not to stay there a minute longer and there was no reason to call him. She even asked the distressed nurse to just give her prescription for painkiller. He was fighting the urge to laugh at how Kensi was being ridiculous. Jack found it weirdly interesting that for a woman who was engaged and would soon be married to a doctor, she never liked hospitals. She had told him about that when they were talking about what course to take after high school with Deeks.

His eyes turned to the man standing quietly beside Kensi, gazing at her worriedly. His brows furrowed seeing him with her, not that the scenario was new to him. But Deeks had been gone for years and just came back. Studying his best friend, Jack could tell that he was anxious, obviously concerned for her.

"Jack!" Kensi cried his name, seeing him standing not far from them.

He stepped close to her. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Jack asked her worriedly, immediately searching her for any physical injury or wound.

"An SUV collided on the rear end of her car." It was Deeks who answered.

Jack looked at him and they exchanged greetings.

"I'm fine. My neck hurts a little, no need to worry. I asked them not to call you and just prescribe something for the pain." She said, giving a pointed look to the nurse.

The poor woman replied. "Dr. Swanson haven't checked her out yet. And I already told her I am not allowed to prescribe anything nor give her a good to go."

Jack provided her an understanding smile. "It's okay, I'll take it from here. Thank you."

The nurse nodded before leaving them.

"I have to examine you, hon'." He said, smiling at her when she rolled her eyes hearing his use of their endearment.

"Oka-" She tried to move her head but yelped when she felt pain shoot on her neck. "Ouch!"

Jack quickly went into doctor mode and quickly examined his fiancée.

Deeks was watching the couple with envy. His mind was telling him to leave, seeing she was now being treated not just by any doctor but her very own fiancé but his heart wanted to make sure nothing was seriously wrong with her.

He can feel his heartbeat slowly returning to normal now. Deeks closed his eyes trying to get rid of the image that was stamped in his mind when he saw Kensi's car with the SUV on its back in the middle of the road.

He was driving speedily, trying to catch her. It took him several minutes before he remembered who the blonde woman Kensi was talking about. She had already left but if he can reach her soon, he can explain to her that she misunderstood what she saw.

It was Grace, his partner. Just a partner. Nothing more. Nothing less. The blonde woman was in his apartment to clean herself. They just got back from an undercover mission. It was already late in the afternoon and Grace had to meet her boyfriend at the airport in half an hour so he offered his place for her to get ready since it was nearer than hers. She was the only woman who had been in his apartment, Deeks clearly remembered.

Kensi mistook her as something more. He couldn't blame her though. She knew him. But he had changed. He was done with casual flings and one night stands.

After his last conversation with her, Deeks realized that he cannot do what she wanted him to. He can't just forget how he feels for her. So he opted to leave. Seeing her and being with her but only as her best friend had been torture enough to Deeks for years but he didn't mind. Despite that it broke his heart, he'd rather have that role in her life than nothing at all. But knowing that she feels the same way too yet chose to be with Jack pushed him to the edge.

He was a coward, always had been, always will be. If he said no to what Jack had asked from him, Deeks knew things would have been different. Kensi would be his, his girlfriend, his fiancée. They were the one getting married, not her and Jack. It's supposed to be Kensi and Deeks, Deeks and Kensi. If things have been different, he thought.

But he already made the decision. Jack didn't force him, he asked but didn't demand. It was all Deeks' doing. When he agreed to Jack he knew he would get hurt. What he didn't know was he would prefer Jack letting him die when he was drowning on a lake 12 years ago than to be saved by him only to be asked to give up the only woman he loved in return.

His reminiscing stopped when the scene before him caught his attention. In the middle of the road was Kensi's car, an SUV on its rear. Deeks, who almost forgot to park his car before rushing towards his best friend, raced to her with his maximum speed.

"Kensi!" He shouted. "Kensi!"

He saw an old man, he assumed was the SUV driver, behind the car's driver seat, checking on her.

"H-How is she?" He asked.

"D-Deeks?"

Deeks saw her and promptly studied her condition. She looked pale but lucid. He didn't see any wound or tear on her. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fi-" She winced when she tried to move.

"Where are you hurt? Tell me."

Kensi, as stubborn as she had always been, tried to talk her way out of going to the hospital but Deeks was adamant that she goes.

After giving her statement to the responding police officer and all the necessary steps have been taken, he brought her to the hospital for treatment. Her car will be towed and put in a workshop for repairs.

Deeks purposely forgot his reason for following her, he focused on her welfare instead. Nothing was more important for him than making sure she was alright.

"We'll be in St. Agnes soon." He announced.

"Please bring me to Mercy Gen, Deeks."

"Why?" He asked in confusion. Mercy General Hospital was an additional 5 minute drive, why would she choose that place?

"Jack is there."

'Of course.' He almost forgot. She would prefer that Jack treat her, he was after all a doctor.

"It's a whiplash." Jack's voice brought him back to reality. "You have to wear a foam collar to keep your neck stable, hon'. I'll prescribe painkillers for you to take. The pain will be gone in a few days but tell me if you feel different. I advise that you take a leave of absence from your work for today. You need to rest, hon', so go home."

"Okay."

Deeks' eyes followed Jack as the man carefully placed a foam collar on her neck before wrapping his arms around her gently.

"You scared me." Jack whispered on her hair, kissing it lightly.

Deeks couldn't watch any longer. He bowed his head down, choosing to stare at his shoes instead.

"Deeks."

He then lifted his head up when Jack called his name.

"Thank you for insisting in bringing her here. We both know this isn't her favorite place."

"No need to thank me. I'm just glad that I was there." It was too late now, Jack was now looking at him inquiringly obviously needing some explanation as to why or how he was there so conveniently.

"I-I went to his place to talk to him before going to the museum." Kensi was the one who replied. But she too threw Deeks a questioning look. It wasn't clear to her how Deeks was able to help her when she left him on the swing in his home before the accident.

With 2 pairs of eyes on him, Deeks began explaining. "There's something I need to tell you." He said to Kensi.

Kensi suddenly became uncomfortable and it didn't go unnotice to Jack who turned to his best friend.

"Anyhow, I'm grateful that you were there, Deeks." Jack said. "And if you can, can you bring Kensi home?"

Before Deeks can answer, Kensi quickly argued. "There's no need for Deeks to do that, Jack. I can take a cab."

Jack placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed at her lovingly. "I want to go home with you right now but you know I can't leave. For my peace of mind, please hon', let Deeks take you home. I'm sure you both have a lot of things to catch up on."

Kensi reluctantly agreed.

Jack's face brightened. "That's my girl." He kissed her forehead. "I'll call you to check on you."

"I'll see you tonight. I love you." Kensi uttered as she pressed her lips on his.

"I love you." Jack whispered before turning to Deeks. "Deeks?"

"No need to worry."

The two best friends shook hands. "Thank you."

"You have a nice place." Deeks complimented the place Kensi and Jack called home as he was invited in.

It was a simple two bedroom bungalow, perfect for a couple who was starting a family. The inside was equipped with unsophisticated yet modern furniture. Deeks noticed several pictures of Kensi and Jack pasted on one wall. He walked towards it and examined them. There were some of it he remembered, others he even took himself, there were also new photographs that were perhaps taken after he left.

In all those pictures, he could see how happy she was and it brought a painful knot in his chest.

"Deeks." Kensi whispered his name.

"You went to Great Wall of China?" He asked. His eyes on the picture of his best friends, smiling with arms around each other, behind them was the Great Wall.

"Yeah, two years ago. Jack had a seminar there, I just tagged along."

Deeks wanted to begin explaining to Kensi about Grace but he was hesitating. When he looked around their home, he could see how fixed everything in her life with Jack now. Soon she'll be Mrs. Jack Simon. She was where she was meant to be and with whom she was bound to be with.

What was he hoping if she learned that all this time, it had always been her and without a doubt will always be her? What about Jack, his best friend? Deeks couldn't, wouldn't, mess their lives. Suddenly, he became unsure.

"Thank you." Kensi said, motioning for him to join her on the couch. "For being at the right place at the right time today."

"You're welcome." He smiled as he sat with her.

"Are you happy? I mean, with your job as a cop? With the life you built in LA?" With her? Kensi wanted to add that to her questions but decided not to.

"My job is hard and dangerous but I like doing it. My life... I'm getting there."

"When we found out that you're training to be a cop, Jack and I were both surprised. You're a lawyer here. They are two different things. We are happy for you though. I can tell Roberta's very pr-"

"It's Grace." Deeks all of a sudden blurted out. He saw Kensi looked at her inquiringly. "The blonde woman you saw... her name is Grace. She is my... partner. She was there to clean herself before meeting her boyfriend. I was just helping a friend."

He watched as she tried to absorb what he just disclosed.

Kensi stood up and was now wide eyed in shock.

He quickly followed her. "That's... That's why I followed you. That's what I was going to tell you."

Tears slid down Kensi's face, realization finally dawned on her.

Deeks wordlessly took steps closer her, stopping on her front. Lifting both of his hands, he reached her face and wiped her tears away.