Title: Season 10 Scenarios Chapter 3

Summary: This is a series of short scenarios to explore what might happen at the beginning of season 10. This chapter was going to be my acknowledgement that we probably won't get to see all of the conversations Kensi and Deeks have to resolve their issues from the season 9 finale, but I couldn't do it and wrote all of the conversations anyway. It also incorporates some of the spoilers we've gotten here in the U.S. so far. WARNING Major Spoilers for Season 10. This chapter was started way before the sneak peeks aired though, so it appears my order of events in this chapter is probably off.

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA or any of the characters. I simply enjoy writing about them in this forum.

Rating: T

Season 10 Scenarios

Chapter 3

I Needed to Hear That

"Something's not right," Deeks informs her. He's calm, but she can hear the fear in his voice and she knows her charade isn't working. She's not sure exactly what's wrong; but his pupils are way too dilated for her comfort and he keeps losing consciousness, so she knows it's some type of traumatic brain injury. The fact that he's talking to her when he does wake up only eases her worry a little.

"I've got you. I'm going to get you home," she returns the promises he'd made her when she was in peril or when she'd been afraid. The guilt and fear threaten to overtake her and she continues, "I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry that we're here and that I didn't listen to you about coming, that I didn't have your back." On the last part her voice cracks and she turns away from him to get control of the tears that are threatening to fall. She's determined to be strong for him.

"Hey," he reaches out and trails his fingers down her lower back just wanting to be close and connect with her if this really is the end. There are so many things to say, but he goes with the purest, truest statement he feels with every fiber of his being. "I love you."

She turns back toward him cradling his head in her arms and she wraps her body around him as gingerly as she can. "I love you so, so much," she proclaims from the depths of her aching heart. He slips back into unconsciousness as she holds him.

"Please don't let this be it," she repeats over and over in her mind as she runs her fingers through his hair and a few tears fall. For the next few hours she alternates between sneaking peeks out the window and trying to keep her partner comfortable. She wonders how Sam and Callen are doing in their hiding spot in an another abandoned building nearby. If one pair is found, the plan is to lie and say the other two died in the fire in hopes that Williams and his men will be satisfied with the capture of two of them. She wonders and worries about if the good guys will find them first or if it will be Williams. The thought of Williams and the General finding them first ranks pretty close to the terror she felt when she was captured by the Taliban, but the trepidation that has her stomach churning is the fact that she knows Deeks has a head injury and needs a hospital. She wants to move him again to try to find help, but she knows she can't. She has no idea where they are; so she waits, prays for help, and reflects on their last conversation begging and bargaining for more time to make it right.

When Williams and his men come her instinct is to hide Deeks and not let Williams and his men near him in this vulnerable state. If by some miracle Williams didn't find him, it would still do Deeks no good because he wouldn't get the help he needs. Instead, she wraps herself around him again planning to protect him for as long as she can.

Her heart sinks as she is thrown down next to Callen and Sam. They have been found too. She struggles to sit up and lay eyes on Deeks, but a large boot slams her shoulder back into the ground. As she exchanges a few choice words in Spanish with the offender she is glad for the anger rising in her as it is replacing the fear.

When Williams asks them where his son is, Kensi nods sternly to Deeks demanding, "Get him some help and I'll tell you where your son is."

Laughing Williams sneers, "You think any of you are going to live?"

She really didn't, but it was worth a shot.

Callen half coughing half chuckling beside her catches her attention. She looks over about to give him a confused, "What the hell?" look when she hears it too and a smile smile comes to her own lips. U. S. Army vehicles, the cavalry has arrived!

A few days later a quickly recovering, but frustrated Deeks informs Kensi that he thinks he might stay in Mexico for a while.

"You can't stay here!" she exclaims, but then reigns it in because, while Deeks is already up and about after only 4 days, he still needs to take it easy. Calmly, she reminds him, "There's still a price on our heads."

"Where am I going to stay at home?" he challenges.

"In our home," she replies matter-of-factly.

"Kens, since I turned the corner, things have been strained between us. I think we need some time to think and really figure out what we want." It pains him to do this. In fact, it is breaking his heart, especially as she starts to get the upset and panicky look she had in the parking garage.

"No!" she insists wringing her hands. "No, no, no!"

"Kens," he says her name softly to calm her.

"I need a minute," she tells him turning and leaving the room. She doesn't want to escalate things the way she did in the parking garage.

He takes a deep breath and lays back to relieve the tension building in his head. He really hopes he knows what he's doing because in this moment it feels like he's really messing it up.

It doesn't take her long to return. When she does, she states plainly, yet aggressively, "You're crazy if you think I'm going to let you stay here. You need to be seen by specialists at home to make sure there is no lasting damage."

"Says the woman who wants to have our children at home. That is if you even want to have our children." He knows it's a low blow, but he's hurt and confused and doesn't know how to get past what happened in the parking garage.

"I didn't say I didn't want to," she tells him quietly. "I said what if we can't? It's just so uncertain."

"What about adoption?" he suggests.

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know," she struggles. "Can I tell you what I do know?"

He nods.

"I know that I love you more than anything in this world. And, while I love having you as my work partner and don't want that to end; having you as my best friend and life partner is way more important. Also, if you think for a minute that I'm not going to be with you for every step of your recovery, you have more brain damage than we originally thought."

The last little part of her speech gets him to smile and he gives her a soft, "Ok"

"Really?" she checks.

"Really," he assures her "I think I just needed to hear that."

"If you want to stay, I'll stay, but will you please consider coming home?" she requests.

Three weeks later she joins him on the porch of a cabin in Lake Tahoe and delicately plucks a book from his hands replacing it with a plate holding a sandwich, sliced apple, and some carrots.

"Don't overdo it," she advises gently after kissing his cheek.

"It's really interesting, but I'll try, as long as you get your back checked out when we get home," he bargains noticing she's still having trouble straightening after bending over.

She opens her mouth to object, but he cuts her off. "It's not getting better, and we're not taking a chance with your back."

She nods in agreement as she mirrors his sideways sitting position on the porch swing.

"So, a business book, huh?" she questions nervously. They've been enjoying some time off together at home and with some mini vacations. While there are moments of ease and fun, there are other times when things between them still feel tense and heavy.

"Yeah, I'm getting a lot of great insights. It's going to take a bit longer than I planned, but I still think it's an achievable dream," he shares, then takes a large bite of sandwich. When he finishes chewing he asks, "So when did Hetty contact you?"

Kensi's jaw drops and she sputters, "Wha...? How did you know?"

"I know you Kensalina," he states simply with a half smile.

"This morning, she wants to know if we're coming back."

He already knows what she wants by how anxious and distracted she's been all morning.

"I know at the hospital I said I could give up work us for us us, it's just now that's it's here I...I...," she starts to get emotional as her leg bounces against the swing.

Deeks reaches over and places his hand on her thigh. "Baby, I know you hate the bar."

"I don't!" she objects.

"You look sick to your stomach every time we're there," he matter-of-factly lets her know that he knows and it's okay.

"Ok, there's parts of the idea I hate, but there are parts that excite me," she admits.

"Like I said, this bar thing is going to take a bit longer than I thought. I need three more years to have 15 in at LAPD which will give us an adequate pension. So, that's my timeline; three more and I'm out. I hope you'll be ready by then too. And even though I'm staying in, I can't keep doing it the way we've been doing it. There are rules for a reason. Our first loyalty has to be to each other, not Hetty, or Callen, or the case. I'm not sure how much more trauma I can take, but I do know that I'll be able to live with whatever happens if I know I did my job responsibly, ethically, and to the best of my ability."

She hears reason and truth in everything he's saying. She needs to make sure that he's sure. "You don't have to stay in for me Deeks. I couldn't live with myself if..."

"As much as I love you, I'm not staying in for you. Rescuing Derrick rekindled the fire to make a difference for awhile longer."

"Well, we can make some changes, like no more overseas ops, no solo ops..." she pauses as she considers what else she can give up to make their job safer in order to meet him halfway.

"Those sound good baby, but don't go changing too much. I don't want you to stop being your courageous, dedicated, giving self. And, if in three years, you're not ready, we'll figure it out."

Silent tears slip down her cheeks as a tremendous weight is lifted from her shoulders.

Deeks sets aside his lunch and reaches for her pulling her into his arms.

"I needed to hear that. I love you baby," she shares melting into him.

"I love you too. How about we go inside and I'll show you how much." He takes a deep breath as he kisses her hair and a tear or two of relief slide from his own eyes.

"I just told you not to overdo it," she teases.

"Oh, I don't plan on it. I think a slow, sensuous afternoon is just what the doctor ordered," he suggests as his hands slowly travel up her back and he kisses her forehead.

This is the last chapter in this series. There's one little argument that I couldn't quite fit into this chapter, but maybe there will be an opportunity for me to write it as an extra scene for one of the first episodes of season 10. I apologize for any mistakes. I really wanted to get this posted before Sunday, which I'm so excited for! Thanks for reading and reviews are always welcome!