Do you know what I really like when looking at the statistics of this story? All the different countries people reading it come from. I think it's just amazing and wish some of them had the courage to leave a review/message. Anyway, thanks to all those who did.

But, enough of those philosophical thoughts for now, let's go on with the story. It's taking up speed…

Chapter 11

It took both men a while to notice, but then it was suddenly obvious. Deeks positioned himself so that there was always either Sam or Callen between him and Michelle.

"What's the matter, Deeks?" Callen frowned. First his reaction after they met Michelle, now this.

"She's dangerous." Deeks blurted without thought and immediately looked like he regretted his kneejerk reaction.

"She's my wife." Sam said indignantly.

Michelle and Callen turned to stare at him, which had Sam splutter, then Michelle turned to Deeks.

"Yes, I am, but I won't harm or hurt you. As long as you don't give me a reason to do so that is." she amended her first sentence and stared at him with raised eyebrows.

Callen winced after that blunt statement, fearing the worst, but to everyone's but Michelle's amazement Deeks suddenly just laughed and nodded.

"I'll try to behave, then."

"That would be a first." Sam couldn't help the comment. He felt his cell vibrate and could tell by Callen's reaction that his did to. They checked the displays. OPS, calling them in.

"Sorry, Michelle, that wasn't the plan, but we have to leave. Would you mind?"

"No problem, I'll take Deeks home and wait until you come back." Michelle smiled at her husband and his partner, both gauging Deeks reaction to that statement. Their liaison didn't look too happy about the prospect of spending time alone with Michelle, but seemed not overly concerned either. Callen didn't trust what he was seeing though. He would talk to Sam about it on their way to OPS.

Michelle and Deeks watched the agents leave then stood in awkward silence for a moment.

"Would you like to leave right now or walk a bit more in the sun?"

"Walk a bit. Maybe down to that bench?" with a hesitant smile Deeks gestured towards a small pond with a low wall at one end, a bunch of bushes at the other and a bit worn looking benches at each side. The whole place looked a tad untended, but some birds chirped happily in the bushes and it nevertheless was kind of cozy. There weren't that many people around at that time of the day and those who were kept to the more groomed part of the park.

Michelle nodded and slowed her pace to match Deeks', keeping an eye on the surroundings while wondering how he felt about her. If his blurted reaction was anything to go by, not too good, but right now nothing of his distrust was to be seen. The tall man walked with confidence, though there was still a slight limp and his movements showed the hesitation of someone who hurt. At least it was obvious to her that he still hurt. She doubted anyone else would notice more than the limp.

'So hiding pain is an ingrained habit it seems.' Michelle thought to herself, wondering if it had started during his days as undercover cop or even earlier in his childhood. There were some parallels in Deeks' behavior to Callen's she mused, though they acted completely different with their extrovert and introvert personalities. But when you knew what to look for, it was obvious. Then she grinned, remembering some stories Sam told which involved Deeks, paper cuts and whining. That wasn't anything like Callen.

She checked their surroundings again, then took out her cell and hit speed dial for Sam, conscious of Deeks' curious look. They hadn't quite reached the pond yet and kept moving.

"What is it, Michelle? You already killed Deeks 'cause he annoyed you and now need help to hide the body?"

"You have to get back, right now." Michelle took Deeks arm, ignored his unwitting flinch at her touch, and tried to move him so she would be between him and the potential threat. Before Sam could ask she continued "We're being followed. I noticed them before you left, but didn't think anything of it. Now that it's just Deeks and I though, they're moving in." Deeks turned out to be quite an unmovable object when he wanted to. Frowning he stopped beside her, the pond at their backs, and followed Michelle's gaze. Michelle wasn't quite sure if it was intentional that he blocked the men's view so they couldn't see her calling someone, but it came handy.

"How many?"

Michelle could hear tires squeal in the background and knew it wouldn't take them long to get back given that they had just left.

"Four as far as I can see. They're packing and closing in. Keep quiet now, I'm putting the cell on speaker." Michelle put the cell back into her pocket without disconnecting, hoping the line would hold and thus allowing Sam and Callen to listen in.

The four men had reached them meanwhile and fanned out, cutting off any easy escape route. Not that escape was a real option given that Deeks couldn't run. None of them pulled a weapon and Michelle just hoped it would stay that way. She could feel Deeks tense at her side and cursed the fact that she hadn't thought to take a gun with her. Well, she had expected a short meeting with Sam, Callen and Deeks in the park, not that she would have to play protection detail for the detective.

"My, my, look who we've got here. I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you walking around in broad daylight." the man speaking was quite young and of mixed race, something African, Caucasian and Asian thrown into it. He was good looking, but anger made his face a horrible mask. "Don't act as if you don't know me, Jerome." he spat "You screwed us over and got some of our men killed. My dad's in prison because of you."

Deeks flinched at the accusation and took an involuntary step back.

"I'm sure it was a loss for the world." Michelle scoffed.

"Keep your mouth shut, bitch. What is it, Jerome, have you lost your tongue?"

"I'm sorry, but..."

"Don't you dare to say you're sorry, you piece of shit. I will make you feel sorry, believe me. Maybe you really forgot, but I sure as hell didn't. Kill her, take him. I want to take my time. I had long to wait for my revenge, I will enjoy every second of it. And there will be many seconds."

"Boss, do you really think..." the boss glared his man down, daring him to continue.

One of the guys to Deeks' left pulled his gun, but before he could aim Deeks hit his hand with the cane, making him lose his grip and the gun disappearing in the pond. He reciprocated with a vicious kick.

Deeks took the hit to his leg with a grunt and went down to his knees, letting go of the cane. Muscle memory served him well as he blocked the next attack with a raised arm, but he wouldn't be able to defend himself much longer. He cursed the panic he could feel creeping in on him after hearing what he man had planned. It wouldn't do to have a panic attack right now. He needed to help Michelle, no matter how he felt about her. He just couldn't betray her. He couldn't let her be hurt, be killed, because he was sure it would hurt Sam and the children to no end. The panic got even worse.

Michelle was livid. She took it as personal insult that someone had managed to hurt Deeks on her watch. Fueled by that rage she disposed of the boss with firm prejudice, the look of surprise on the idiot's face quite satisfying. Served him well to think she would be an easy target. Even without a gun she was a force to be reckoned with.

The one who had kicked Deeks realized their error and turned to the greater threat. A mistake that gave Deeks the chance to punch him into the knee bend. The leg buckled and with an encouraging push by Michelle the man hit his head on the low wall partly circling the pond hard enough to knock him out.

A shot rang out and judging by the grunt and sound of a falling body the man in her back had taken a bullet. Michelle didn't turn. She could see Callen out of the corner of her eye lowering his weapon, keeping a keen eye on the goon. She prepared to jump the last man when with a flying tackle Sam joined the fight. Together with the man who had been too close to Michelle and Deeks to risk a shot he crashed into the small pond, the water splashing in a wide arc.

Deeks turned at the noise, the fast movement making him dizzy so he went down from his knees to all fours. Mesmerized he stared at the water sparkling in the sun. The water was too muddy to see what was going on below the churning surface, but it had Deeks transfixed nevertheless.

Callen had just decided to jump in after his partner when Sam emerged with his opponent in a headlock. He may have smacked the guy's head into the wall when they more crawled than walked out of the pond, but who cared?

Ignoring the rivulets of water that run down his body Sam exchanged a short look with Michelle, gave her his back-up weapon and joined Callen, sure in his knowledge that his wife would have everything else under control until LAPD would arrive. His partner knelt in front of Deeks and tried to calm him down. Deeks panted and the vacant eyes were a clear sign that the younger man wasn't with them at the moment.

"What's he saying?" Sam asked concerned. "Need to get him out. Have to hurry." Callen said after listening intensely at Deeks' hectic mumbling.

"Damnit, of all things to remember." Sam cursed. He knew exactly what Deeks meant. Something had triggered Deeks memory again it seemed and neither man was surprised after what had just occurred that Deeks had a flashback to that particular moment in time.

"Deeks, Deeks! Come on man, calm down. It's all right, no one's hurt."

Well, no one but Deeks, Callen amended internally after seeing blood on his thigh. The kick just had to be aimed at his wounded leg, hadn't it?

They could hear sirens in the distance coming closer fast.

Deeks could see them gathered just outside the room. They weren't aware that he was still awake. The door wasn't closed all the way so he could hear them talking.

"Mr. Hanna, this episode clearly showed that Mr. Deeks isn't safe in Los Angeles. He can't stay as long as he doesn't remember who the bad guys are."

"But that guy..."

"Mr. Callen, stop it. I admit that man was an exception. Mr. Deeks couldn't have recognized him as he was barely out of his teens when his father was arrested and he changed somewhat when growing up. But that unfortunately doesn't change the fact. I know that both of you are willing to protect him, but for how long? Days, weeks, months? We can't afford that, I'm afraid. We have work to do, cases to solve."

Hetty didn't sound happy, but still unwavering in her opinion.

"So unless he gains back his memory we will cart him off?"

"We don't cart him off, we..."

Callen hissed. He had looked back into the room to check on Deeks and his wide eyed stare proved that he had heard every word.

"Deeks." Callen entered the room, closely followed by Sam who had meanwhile changed into dry clothes. Hetty decided to wait outside for now, guessing that her words hadn't made her popular with the detective right now.

"I'm a liability."

"Deeks, don't be stupid, you are..."

"Don't lie to me, Callen. Right now I'm a liability. Unless I remember everything you're stuck with looking after me and that can't go on forever. She's right."

Dejected Deeks turned his back to them, closed his eyes and ignored them.

"Marty." Sam sighed. He then pulled a chair to the bed's side and settled down. As long as Deeks was staying he would be staying. Callen gave him a short nod and went to join Hetty again. Sam could hear them arguing while they walked down the hallway.

Sam tried to talk to Deeks again, but the younger man still ignored him. The agent took out his phone and checked a message from Michelle. It took him by surprise when he suddenly heard Deeks' question and noticed the man's piercing look at him.

"Sam, what happened between you, me and Michelle?"

Sam didn't say anything, but something fluttered over the face of the usually so stoical man that Deeks never wanted to see there again. Never!

"Sorry! I'm sorry, Sam! Forget I asked, it's OK, forget it!"

"Deeks." Sam sounded pained.

"No, no, don't. I changed my mind, I don't wanna hear. I'm tired, I'm gonna sleep now."

With those words Deeks turned and pulled the blanket over his head. Only a bit later Sam heard the change in his breath and saw the way Deeks' body relaxed when at last sleep claimed him.

'Must be the meds that finally caught up with him.' Sam thought with some kind of envy. He himself felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks. Nate had been right; Sidorov really had taken a toll on him and his endurance. Sam would never have thought that it would make itself known even after all those months. He hadn't been prepared for that question and it took him a while to get his emotions back in control. This would be a long night, but he owned it to Deeks to stay here. After all what happened it was the least he could do, so he settled in to wait and keep guard.