A/N: After watching 3x12 this afternoon, I felt inspired. I loved "The Watchers", did you? Anyway, just finished this. I realize I couldn't make room for the Deeks, Callen and Sam questioning him, and Kensi home alone, so it'll be next part. I hope you like!

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: Los Angeles or any of its characters and content.

Part 9: Monday

Quiet is usually the indication that something is wrong. The atmosphere is awfully stiff to move around in, and one's breath is so loud it is nauseatingly deafening. The silence that surrounds the Operations Center at six-thirty in the morning is exactly as lonely and welcome as sleep. His ocean-blue eyes skate across the empty desks of the bullpen, and he feels as uncrowded as he has ever been. It is absurd to be here so early, but what is more bizarre is that he is all alone. It was odd to find himself going to work even though it has been less than three days since he was here last.

Many hours have passed since, and much has happened. Awakening yards from his partner for two days have seemed so normal, so accustomed. Awakening Monday morning felt like being hit by a bucket of ice water. But he didn't complain, not even when he got dressed and left. Stopped by his place before coming here.

There's a salty taste in his mouth that he can't define. It's not because what he has been doing is wrong or shameful. He does not feel guilty about helping Kens adjust, being her care-giver – when she lets him. She is getting more independent, even managed to shower on her own (after he helped put plastic around both her casts). The cut on her forehead is slowly healing and her stubbornness is growing back. He, on the other hand, has a light bruise on his bicep from where she hit him yesterday – or was it the day before? Spending time at Kensi's has become somewhat normal for him, even though she has only been injured and in his care since Friday. So, he has left her to herself, though not entirely. She has Monty by her side, but Deeks doubts the mutt will be able to actually do anything but keep her company. Maybe that's enough. The unvoiced request of letting Monty stay was there in Kensi's eyes. He saw it, and chose not to comment, simply leaving Monty to curl up beside her as well as a sixty pound dog can do.

The Operations Center is as heavily disguised as its agents. The facade of an old, condemned Spanish-style building is brilliant, and when he first arrived, he didn't expect it to hold top technology equipment and some of the smartest intelligence analysts of Los Angeles. Like when Kensi dresses up as some easy club girl, you underestimate OPS. Kensi has once said that it used to be an old water plant administration building but it got condemned after an earthquake.

Slowly, after parking his car, he has entered the highly classified location of the most valuable assets of NCIS. Before his employment as a liaison officer, he hadn't thought about the Navy much. Sure, he'd once briefly considered it before he went into law school and police academy, but since then, NCIS had meant coast guard to him. And he surely hadn't expected to find a girl like Kensi there, nor Callen. Sam has that ex-SEAL thing going for him, but there is not a tinge of tough Navy over Callen and Kensi; it's something else. Now where he knows the team, he often contemplates why Kensi didn't join the marines like her father in lieu of becoming an NCIS agent. But he knows the answer. And it's exactly why he became a cop.

He moves silently to his desk and shrugs his messenger bag off his shoulder. He thinks of the sleeping Kensi, the sponge-throwing Kensi, the Kensi who snaps at him, and the Kensi who bursts out laughing. Images spill over him, exploding in a colorful collage, and all he can do is smile.

"Mister Deeks." A throat clears behind him, and even before the rapid spin of his body, he knows it's Hetty. Only she has the ability to sneak up on him like that. Er, at least so he likes to think. The operations manager with endless contacts is wearing a burgundy leisure women's suit, her glasses matching. The piercing yet kind eyes meet his and something ebbs between them. Despite her size, she possesses the ability to startle most of the trained agents of the Office of Special Operations. He hates thinking it, but one underestimate her partially for being female, partially for being small. And it's the first mistakes one makes, and the last.

"Hetty!" he yelps, then sends her a casual smile. Hetty isn't deceitful, just deceiving. Whether it comes from being an operative so long, he has no idea.

"Even I appreciate the efficiency of scheduling one's time of arrival, Mr Deeks, but don't you think it's awfully early to clock in?" the manager asks ambiguously. Her eyes of wisdom are clear like her mind.

At first, Deeks doesn't know what to say. The open-spaced main area is deserted, no agents, no interns, no analysts, no personnel at all aside from him and Hetty. The more he thinks about the fact that he's normally here at eight PM, his brain seems to reboot. "I guess I wanted to be sure that.." he trails off.

Like always, Hetty seems to understand. "You wanted to be certain of your placement as Miss Blye's caregiver. Mr Deeks, I assure you that I won't be that cruel. Dr Cho called me after you discharged your partner two days ago. He said you were the only one able to calm Miss Blye down. And let us not forget the fact that you surely must know her the best," Hetty points out solemnly, daring him to correct her.

"Kensi is stubborn, but she needs help for some basic things," Deeks agrees. He blinks and smiles. "And she makes me feel like I'm unfit for the job."

Hetty sends him a gaze filled by curiosity and understanding. "I can imagine. But you must remember, she has a hard time letting people into her life. Voluntary or not, Miss Blye is not used to asking for help. I understand the awkward challenges you might face, but I truly do not believe anybody can do the job better than you, Mr Deeks."

He sends her an uncertain look. To reassure him, him being the unsure agent that needs affirmation, she voices her thoughts. "Are you sure you are up to the task, Mr Deeks?"

The sudden question leaves Deeks stunned but not speechless. "I'm not her partner to point out her weaknesses, Hetty." His tone turns angry, offended, serious. Determinative. "Just remind her of them."

Hetty smiles that vague smile of hers over him stepping up. Like she never doubted it. Shit, sometimes Deeks suspects he's only there for her to mess around. Or maybe she is just that ambiguous. "Miss Blye has a tendency to be independent, Mr Deeks. It takes her great effort, too."

Deeks nods, understanding. "As long as she wants me there, I'll be there. When she doesn't... I'll think of something. But, Hetty.."

His blue orbs meet hers, seeking guidance, seeking words that can define what he feels. She is so good at reading his minds so today shouldn't be a challenge.

"But you find yourself inadequate and to Miss Blye to discuss what you believe she needs to voice to recover?"

"Yeah."

Hetty nods, understanding. "Well, I'll let you know when I have an answer for you, Mr Deeks. But for now, keep the living arrangements as they are. Miss Blye may underestimate how much she needs your help in the next couple of weeks."

To this, Deeks pales. The fact that Hetty knows about him staying at Kensi's house shouldn't surprise him, but it does.

"I keep watch on my agents, Mr Deeks," Hetty reminds him as she spins around and walks to her office just as Sam arrives, Callen by his side.

"Deeks!" Sam's voice is surprised but brotherly, mostly due to his immediate closeness to Kensi. Out of everyone, Sam has been the most cautious of Deeks since he arrived. Sure, now they have become friends, but only when Deeks proved himself to be a worthy partner of Kensi. She might be the junior agent, and capable of taking care of herself, but Sam and Callen made sure that Deeks had her back before trusting him. And Deeks understands that.

"Hey guys," Deeks responds, still a bit jaded by Hetty's wise advice. He sits dutifully down at his desk, watching as Mission fills with employees. Sam and Callen engage in conversation – banter – after exchanging gazes about Deeks. He has not verbally promised Kensi to keep quiet, but he knows that she will not like them knowing of her disability.

I promise there'll be some big brothers (Sam and Callen) vs Deeks in next part. And possibly some Kensi/Monty home alone time.

Did you like my Hetty?