A/N: Hellooo fellow readers! Thanks so much ;) I hope you enjoy this long chapter. Tomorrow will probably follow a shorter one seeing as my schedule is very full on 04th December...
Please review and tell me what you think! I benefit from your reviews =)
(Disclaimed.)
3rd of December:
The smell of bacon and pancakes woke Kensi up on third December. She rolled onto her back in Deek's bed, which he had let her and Olivia share, and opened her eyes. She turned her head to the left and say Olivia laying there in new clothes, watching Kensi.
"Good Morning" Kensi murmured and pushed a strand of hair out of the girl's face.
"Hi Kensi" For a moment the girl cuddled closer to the agent and sighed contently. Yesterday they were all sitting and relaxing on the couch. Deeks had put a Christmas movie in, which was his original idea for the day. Olivia was fast asleep after the first few minutes and they didn't want to wake her or rustle her from her sleep so they let her lay on the couch while finishing the movie together. They had not talked to each other much, rather enjoying the movie and the company. When the film was over they were silent for a few moments. Then Deeks told her to take the bed with Olivia, gently grabbing the girl and carrying her to his bed. He had laid her down and gently smoothed her hair. Kensi had watched him, thinking that he fit fatherhood very well and her chest aching.
Thinking about last night brought exactly that feeling back. She wanted that- a loving husband, kids, simple family life. And she wanted it with him.
"Breakfast is ready" Olivia's sweet voice brought her back from her daydreaming.
"I'll be out in just a minute."
Olivia nodded and skipped out of the room, humming a Christmas carol. It was as if the kidnapping did not happen, as if she couldn't remember yesterday. Kensi told herself to question the girl about what happened; maybe she could give some helpful information to the Police.
After she went to the bathroom and changed into her jeans and one of Deeks white V-neck shirts she went in search of the amazing smell that woke her. Deeks was standing in the kitchen, a pan with a pancake in his left hand, the other holding a bowl with dough. He too hummed a Christmas song, swaying his hips to the beat.
Damn, he looks sexy; Kensi thought and leaned against the doorframe. Olivia was sitting at the kitchen table, already munching on the chocolate chip pancakes.
"Are you planning on standing there the whole day? Admiring my beauty?" Deeks asked, without turning around. He'd sensed her coming into the room and staring at him.
Kensi felt her face get red and walked to him. "Morning. Is there-"
"Coffee? Yes, of course. Here you go." He grabbed a mug, already filled with coffee for her. "Sit down. Bacon and Pancakes will come right up!" When he turned around to look if Olivia liked the breakfast and ate it, Kensi saw his apron for the first time. It was pink and had little yellow cupcakes on it.
"Oh god. What is that?!" she asked and clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from doing her evil laugh. It didn't work that well and she let out a snicker.
"Hey! Don't laugh! That was a present from my 80 year old neighbor!" That made his partner laugh even more.
"I should totally take a picture and use it as leverage. It could come in handy someday."
He glared at her, put a pancake onto a plate with many others and then placed that on the table. "I dare you. If you do that, I won't ever stop talking!"
"You talk all the time. Where's the point in doing that?" she augmented, while starting to eat the pancakes in a tempo Deeks thought of as very unhealthy.
"So…" she muffled. "What have you got planned for today?" If he believed she wouldn't get suspicious at his Christmas present and his antics, then he was wrong.
He grinned and looked at Olivia. "You wanna tell her what we're doing today?"
Olivia excitedly nodded and then said, "Marty and you and me are going ice skating today!" Her face split into a grin and mixed with the smeared chocolate sauce around her mouth it looked incredibly cute. "When are we going? I want to ice skate!"
"Slow down, monkey. We have to go to Kensi and my work first. Then we can go ice skating."
Kensi had already finished her food and said in a hushed tone, "You know that Social Services might-"
"Yeah. But I'll try to get them to do it in the evening. She really wants to go. After all… I think she deserves a little Christmas joy." He looked at her while saying that. Maybe he meant not only Olivia.
Kensi finished her coffee and grabbed both her and Deeks' mug to fill them again. While doing that she thought about the consequences the night and ice skating would probably have. Olivia was quickly becoming attached to them- and she'd already wrapped them around her little finger too- and that probably wasn't the best idea.
Suddenly she felt Deeks behind her, his chest touching her back, sending little tingling down her spine. "Please, don't worry too much. I just want to make her happy… She just lost her parents-"
"Which still someone has to tell her." Kensi couldn't help herself from saying that.
"Yes. But for the moment I just need her to be a kid. You know?"
She nodded and turned around. "I know, Deeks." She carefully put a hand on his chest, atop the place where his heart was and stroked her thumb for a few seconds. "You're a good man, Deeks." She whispered and smiled. "Let's go to work, maybe Nell has good news for us."
Whatever she meant by good news he nodded, rinsed the plates in the sink and then got himself, Kensi and Olivia ready to go.
They entered the mission a little before ten and went to their desks.
"Olivia, can you sit down on the couch while we talk to our boss?" Deeks asked the girl, crouched in front of her. At first she looked a little unsure and nervous but then she hesitantly nodded and sat down, swinging her little legs happily.
"How did it go last night?" Sam asked.
"It went great. She's so well-behaved and it's almost like nothing happened yesterday. I'm surprised." Kensi answered his question.
"No wonder that she's well behaved if her father was a politician." They all nodded.
With a sideways glance to Olivia Deeks asked, "We've got to talk to Hetty. Can you keep an eye on her?"
Callen and Sam both agreed to do that so their colleagues could go to Hetty. Their boss smiled as soon as they stood in front of her desk.
"Morning Hetty."
"Good morning indeed. I see everything went well last night?" They both nodded. "Unfortunately I've got bad news."
Kensi's heart sank in her chest. "No family? Social Services?" Hetty didn't even have to nod. They knew that look- and it was a bad one.
"When will they be here?" Deeks asked, his voice sounding sad, tired, unhappy.
"In approximately one hour. I'm sorry."
Kensi bit her cheek, the thoughts running a mile a minute in her brain. Before she could say something to Deeks or touch his hand briefly, he went back to the desks without saying something. Kensi watched as he sat down besides Olivia, plastering on a smile as Olivia excitedly told him something.
"will he be alright?" Kensi heard her boss ask. She turned to the small woman and answered, "No, we won't. She's such a sweet good girl and we just... got attached to her. Isn't there any other way to do this?"
Hetty nodded. "There is another way, yes. You could file for adoption and I could get in touch with my contact at Social Services. They probably would give you temporary guardianship until the adoption gets through. It would go faster than normal."
Kensi swallowed. That would be a huge thing to do. She knew she couldn't do this hastily; this had to be well thought about. She had to be sure.
She turned around again. Her glance fell on the sparkling Christmas tree first. What was a Christmas lie at Social Services? Would the kids get presents?
Then she looked back at Olivia, sitting on Deeks' knees, looking at something on his laptop. She listened to him, her small mouth a little agape in awe at what Deeks told her. Then her partner raised his gaze, their eyes meeting. She knew it then.
"Do it. Get me the papers and I'll file for adopting." Kensi said before changing her mind and overthinking it. She might just changer her- and everybody else's- life.
"Are you sure?" Hetty asked and Kensi nodded.
"She deserves a happy ending. I know what it is like to grow up without parents. She's five, Hetty. Yes, she will remember her real parents forever, but there is a chance that she could at least have a second mommy and… be happy."
"Very well. Then go tell them. I think they'll be thrilled."
Kensi smiled a little at her boss words. She could imagine the look on her partner's face when she would tell him.
Maybe this Christmas will be good. With my partner there besides me and someone else. Olivia. Her soon to be daughter. A daughter. That sounds great.
Yes, maybe it was a bit too fast or selfish to take a five year old in, to whom she had no connection at all. And atop of that having the job that they did. Nonetheless Olivia had wormed her way into the tough Agent Blye and she could see something there in her future.
"Ms. Blye?" Hetty got her back from her thoughts. With a small thank you Kensi turned around and went to her team and Olivia.
Deeks was smiling, his eyes crinkling with amusement and Olivia giggled on his knees. As soon as she saw Kensi, she wriggled in his lap, hopping down and running to her new friend's knees and hugging them.
"Do I have to leave you, Kensi?" she asked, her voice latched with sadness. Kensi leaned down and scooped the girl up in her arms. She pressed Olivia against her and murmured in her ear "No, you can stay with me for a lot longer. But it's a surprise for the others, so don't tell Marty." With big eyes she nodded seriously at Kensi.
"What is it?" Deeks asked nervously.
Kensi shrugged. "I just promised her something."
He nodded, not quite believing her but staying silent for a moment. He just wanted to enjoy the last few minutes with Olivia before social services came.
"Mr. Deeks, Ms. Blye." Hetty suddenly appeared behind them, making Olivia hiss in surprise. She wasn't used to Hetty's... well sudden emergences. "I'm sorry, Olivia. You both have much vacation days left, from last year two. I'll grand you them this December, if you'd like."
Deeks' face lit up and Kensi grinned too. That sounded great! She had so much to do, from rearranging and first tidying up her apartment to buying things for Olivia.
"Under once condition." Hetty said and held up a finger at Deeks' excited face.
"Anything" he said.
Hetty smiled at his antics. "You take some of that paperwork with you and work on it at home."
Deeks nodded and stuffed his Laptop in his bag. Then he turned to Kensi's desk, grabbed her unopened bag too and looked at his partner and Olivia. "You ready?"
Kensi grinned and nodded. More than ready!
"Wait! What? Why do they get free vacation, Hetty?" Sam asked and furrowed his brow. "I have a family at home too and I don't get free vacations!"
"Mr. Hanna, that's because you already used all your vacation days because you have a family. Those two did not need them like that until now. And gentlemen, before you object some more. You also get a few free days before Christmas. If you want to take them now, feel free to do so. Otherwise they'll be at the end of the year or right before Christmas." Hetty explained.
"We'll see you soon, guys. Don't forget the Christmas dinner at Hetty's house on the 22nd!" Kensi said before letting Olivia down and grabbing the girl's hand. "Let's go, Deeks."
"Oh, Ms. Blye! Before I forget it." Hetty said and took out a credit card from her pocket. "Use it. Don't spend too much money, but I think this will help you in getting basic things for the little girl like clothes and furniture."
The young woman shook her hand and objected, "I can't take that, Hetty. That's too much!"
"Nonsense. Take it and go. You've got much to do!"
"Thank you so much" Kensi said and then the three turned around and went out of the mission.
At two in the evening Kensi, Deeks and Olivia all fell into Deek's couch, needing a break. They'd been shopping for more than three hours, getting clothes and furniture for Olivia. Her small, violet princess bed and the matching closets would be delivered in the next two days. Besides that they'd already brought clothes and various things she could play with.
"I need coffee" Kensi murmured after a few seconds of silence. Olivia slipped onto the ground and played with Monty.
"You know we promised her to go ice skating." Deeks reminded her. He too was tried but the excitement of ice skating was more present than tiredness. He could sleep at night after all.
"Yeah, I know we promised her. And I really want to go ice skating. Let's get ready and then go there before it gets too dark."
"Nope" Deeks shook his head. "Let's relax for a few more minutes. It's nicer in the evening when all the lights are on, Kens."
Kensi agreed, needing the few extra minutes anyways. Then they all got themselves ready, bringing sweaters along in case it got cold.
When they arrived at the rink, it was relatively empty, just a few adults with their kids. Olivia's eyes lit up as soon as she saw all the lights.
"Olivia, do you know how to ice skate?" Deeks asked the small child, receiving a nod. "Great! Then let's get some skates and get this on the road!"
When they stood in line to wait for their ice skates, Kensi briefly touched Deeks' arm and murmured, "uhm… Deeks? I've not been ice skating since I was seven."
He stopped dead in his tracks. "What? Really?"
Kensi just nodded. She didn't know if it was such a good idea to step onto the ice after so many years. And after all she didn't want Deeks to make fun of her so she warned him beforehand.
"Kens. You'll be great, you just have to get used to it again." Deeks places his hand on der arm. "I'll help you."
She wanted to retort something like I don't need your help. In fact it's you who needs my help! But the sincere look on his face stopped her from doing so.
"Let's go!" he grinned, helped both Olivia and Kensi fastening their shoes properly before going to the rink. There was a small one on the side for the kids and Deeks sent Olivia there, keeping a watchful eye on her while teaching Kensi how to ice skate.
"You ready?" he asked her and stepped on the slippy ice, waiting for his partner to do it too.
"I…" she whispered before nodding, more to herself then to him. She grabbed onto the side holding of the rink and cautiously placed her feet on the ice, trying to hold her balance.
"Be careful" Deeks murmured, standing before her. "do you trust me?" he asked.
"Of course" Kensi answered, looking up to meet his eyes.
"Then take my hands." He ordered. She obliged, trusting him and needing his comfort, help and stance. He held her hands tight, never letting go of them as he skated backwards, pulling her with him. For them it was like no one else was there besides them; that was what mattered.
A few minutes later Kensi let go, telling him through her eyes that she was ready to try on her own. He let go of her hands, staying close though in case she faltered. Then a smile broke out on her face, she skated besides him in a relatively fast tempo, not once making something wrong or losing her balance.
"You're doing great!" Deeks grinned at her.
"Well, thanks to you." She stopped for a moment, looking up at him. "Really Deeks. Whatever you've got planned for this December, thank you. I've not had a much pleasurable time in… well forever."
He smiled at her, feeling his heart flutter. Then, testing the waters, he took her hand and laced their fingers together, squeezing. "You're welcome."
She leaned up on her ice skates as much as it was possible, her eyes never leaving his and placed a small, hesitant kiss on his cheek, lasting longer than she probably should have. The moment was perfect.
Then suddenly, little hands wrapped around both their knees. The looked down to see little Olivia there, grinning up at them as if this was exactly what she had planned for them.
"Hello monkey!" Deeks grinned at her, taking one of her hands.
"Can we skate together?" she asked and received a nod from Deeks. With a last squeeze Deeks let go of Kensi's hand, his eyes looking promising. Kensi too took one of Olivia's small hands in hers and like that, with Olivia in their middle, they continued skating, enjoying the evening and all thinking about a happy Christmas.