AN: Wow! So, been awhile, huh? Sorry about that, but the sneak peeks lately haven't been all that… enlightening. So, now here I am with a little one shot to get us through to Monday night :) I hope that you enjoy it, and as always, I'm NOT opposed to you leaving a review…

A warning… through this, I kind of wanted to show how Kensi and Deeks are different. When things get tough, Kensi's first reaction is to pull things closer, protect them by pulling them in. For Deeks, he tends to internalize, blame himself for the troubles, and pull away to protect. At least, that's my assessment. Let me know if you agree.

Blessings,

bookdiva

"Don't pretend like you didn't know the risks."

The risks.

Who was Callen to lecture him on the risks of a relationship? So what if they knew? So what if Callen knew… Sam knew… Nell knew… Hetty knew… even Eric knew. Hell, who cared if Granger knew?

What right did they have?

Deeks shook his head and unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair.

He and Kensi had been together almost three full months now, and their work had continued—through a hostage situation and diffusing a bomb, a near international incident with Tunisia, a Mexican drug tunnel, and Thappa's death—without missing a beat, and suddenly they were separated for their own good?

No, Deeks's mind rebelled.

The thing was, though, nothing good ever came about when they were separated. The first time he almost got killed by Lasik. The second time, Kensi ended up in a room full of lasers. Then there was the Claremont incident… the Siderov incident… the Afghanistan incident…

Maybe it was the lawyer in him, but the evidence was piling up in their favor. There was nothing that he could discern that would cause a need for separation.

How could the others not see that? How could they suddenly—and without warning—be so condescending? And how dare Hetty pull them apart once again.

Deeks sighed once again.

I'd rather be at the damn dentist, he thought to himself as he watched Callen work alone. Once again Deeks wasn't necessary to Callen's plan. And once again, Deeks found himself conversing with himself—though this time he was smart enough to keep his words internal.

Unfortunately, today was a day he needed banter. He needed action and distraction, because the places his mind was going on its own… even he knew they weren't the healthiest.

What's the point? he couldn't help but wonder. I mean, if Kensi and I can't work together… what's the point of staying?

Sam's a great agent, Kensi told herself as they drove—or more specifically Sam drove, as he never relinquish control of his precious Challenger—to the crime scene in complete silence. But he's not my partner.

They'd both tried small talk, but Kensi almost felt as if she couldn't remember how to speak.

It was beyond ridiculous—she was well aware of that—but she missed her partner. She'd woken up in his arms just that morning, but already she was missing his stupid jokes and his smile… everything.

"You okay Kens?" Sam asked for the third time. Kensi resisted the urge to roll her eyes and spared Sam a glance.

"Fine," she said, leaving no room for further conversation. The silence got even more tense, until Sam finally turned on the radio. The words of the song immediately caught Kensi's attention.

You're a falling star, you're the get away car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And you're the perfect thing to say.

Sam made a face and made to change the channel, but Kensi immediately grabbed his hand.

"No!" she exclaimed. "I want to listen!"

"But—"

"Shhhh…" she waved her hand at him, ignoring his protest.

And you play it coy but it's kinda cute.

Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true.

'cause you can see it when I look at you.

Sam shot her a confused look, but she avoided his gaze, focusing on the words. It really was stupid—if Deeks had been in the car, Kensi would've demanded they change the station—but something about this song made her keep listening.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, you make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

Kensi smiled, thinking back to the first time she'd heard those words from him.

"Your smile… your laugh… everything."

It seemed a pretty damn perfect way to describe what Deeks was to her. Everything.

The song continued, and Kensi couldn't help but grin.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, you make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're every song, and I sing along.

'Cause you're my everything.

Yeah, yeah

It was the kind of stupid, crazy thing a teenager in love would probably do—and she was almost grateful her partner wasn't there to tease her about it—but she'd never had a song. At least, not with someone as important as Deeks.

Yes, she hated not being partners. And when they'd first left the mission, her mind had been going so fast. For a moment she'd even considered ending their all in relationship just to get her partner back.

Luckily her better senses came out only seconds later. And now, listening to this song from the passenger's seat of Sam's Challenger, she vowed that nothing—not Hetty or Granger or Sam or Callen or Nell or Eric or regulations or rules—absolutely nothing would get in the way of their all in.

Because he really was her everything.