Infinite thanks for the response to the first chapter, I honestly wasn't expecting that and it made me so incredibly happy. I already have this story finished and just need to post the last two chapters. As a reminder, this fic is not meant to be entirely happy, but it will have a positive ending.
*Timeline info that I forgot to say before: this happens sometime in the near future, when (hopefully) Hetty comes back from Vietnam to make our favorite team whole again.*
Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Will
"What happened?" Hetty inquired dejectedly as she stepped into the waiting room of UCLA Ronald Reagan's Medical Center. Not receiving anything in return, she stood in front of her elite team and took in their actions and demeanors.
Kensi was pacing back and forth from the double doors that signaled the start of the treatment area to the elevators in the hallway, and back again. The same actions over and over again. Her face a mask of anguish and silent tears streaming down her face every few minutes. Her mismatched eyes staring past everyone and everything, instead lost in old memories and fears for moments that might never come.
Sam sat slumped on an uncomfortable and plain white chair, sorta doubled over and with his legs stretched out in a failed attempt to make the position less terrible. His eyes were closed, but just by staring at him for a second, the burden and distress he was feeling became obvious. There were worry lines all over his face and his eyes never stopped moving under his closed eyelids.
Callen was standing next to his partner, head resting on the wall, arms crossed over his chest and breathing coming in hard. His eyes didn't focus on the Operations Manager or anything else in particular, he just stared blankly at the television playing in the corner. He was wearing a clean shirt now, but his jeans were still stained crimson and provided a constant and painful reminder of what had happened and why they were all in the ER.
Hetty sighed and closed her eyes for a second, then moved to sit on Sam's other side, joining her team and family in this newest waiting game. One they had all experienced before, but still would never be prepared for. Time passed and no one said anything or moved from their spots… It was around 20 minutes later when Hetty's eyes became vacant and she was pushed back into the past.
-x-x-x-
The year was 2009, and recently appointed NCIS Office of Special Project's Operations Manager, Henrietta Lange, sat at her new office, holding a half-empty glass of scotch in one hand, and the phone in the other.
She blew her breath as she patiently waited for the call to be picked up, while she enjoyed the silence and solitude the Spanish-style building provided during after-hours, when all the agents, analysts, operators and extra personnel had gone home and the only sounds in the building were those inside her own head.
"Beck." Hetty smiled as soon as she heard the voice on the other end, even at the late hour, she had been certain the LAPD lieutenant and her old friend would still be awake, and she was pleased to know she had, again, been right.
"Hello, Ruben."
"Henrietta Lange, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" The words were strong, spoken by a man who clearly had a long history and had lived a lot, but they also carried affection and friendship for the woman to whom they had been directed to.
"It seems our cases crossed today, my old friend." A small pause followed, before the old woman started again. "I learned at an unfortunate late time that a couple of undercovers detectives under your command where involved in the drug deal gone wrong that my team investigated today, as it involved a group of former SEALs."
Ruben blew out a long breath and Hetty smirked as she heard it and perfectly imagined the face his friend was probably displaying at that moment. "I'm not complaining Ruben. I would just like more cooperation and a quicker line of communication next time."
"Understood, and I apologized, but… the case was more complicated than what it seemed, and I had to protect…" Ruben then trailed off, causing Hetty to frown at the vague information.
Hetty waited a couple of minutes, but after the silence from the other end only continued, she again took charge of the situation. "I'm listening."
Another sigh, and another long breath followed. And then another grin from Hetty… She really enjoyed being in control.
"I had a third undercover in that operation." Hetty raised her eyebrows at that, wondering how that could be new information to her and how had her elite team not realized it sooner. "He was not only investigating the drug deal but the dirty cop that killed his partner."
"And?" Hetty was still surprised that she hadn't learned this sooner and she wondered who that cop was and how could he had acted undetected from her team. She was also interested in the fact he had, basically, been working two cases at the same time.
"Nothing more." Ruben sighed again, knowing his old friend was not one to accept partial truths. "I had to protect him, and keep his cover viable for other operations… He's our best undercover."
Still frowning, Hetty lifted the lid of her laptop and logged in the LAPD database to which she had managed to get access to. "Can I get a name?"
Ruben laughed now, and then blew out another breath, knowing he would soon be defeated. "Why? Are you looking to poach him from us, my friend?" His statement however, carried no malice, as his long history with the woman on the other line only created understanding and cooperation between the two friends.
Hetty chuckled but said nothing, she just waited.
After a few minutes of silence, Ruben knew he had no real choice, he could volunteer the information on his own, or wait for Henrietta to find it through other means. After all, nothing could be hidden from the Duchess of Deception. "Martin A. Deeks." He eventually relented.
"Thank you, Ruben." Hetty muttered, smiling to herself. "I hope to stay in contact… and be informed in a more reasonable time the next time our operations cross… UC cop or none at all…"
"You got it, good night, Henrietta." Ruben sighed one last time, and hanged the phone, already preparing himself for a possible future fight for the services of his best detective.
Hetty typed the name on her computer, and started reading everything she could find. She went over personal files, was surprised at some sealed ones, impressed at his LAPD record and awestruck at his physical appearance. After reading for over an hour, she copied the documents into one of her secret folders and made note to ask her tech operator to release… or hack… those sealed files.
Getting up from her desk, and turning off the lights, the operations manager started walking towards the door, while still thinking of the name and all the information she had just learned. Hetty then smiled, already knowing that the young, blonde man would one day be part of her elite team. "Marty Deeks." She whispered to herself one last time as the Mission's door closed behind her and his pale blue eyes kept dancing on her mind.
-x-x-x-
"This is taking too long." Hetty was brought back to the present and away from the first night she had learned of one Martin Deeks, when Sam angrily stood up from the chair and muttered the words under his breath, but still loud enough for her to hear.
Callen moved towards his partner and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, brother… you know these things take time."
Sam shook off his friend's hand and walked back to the uncomfortable chair, slumping down again, and burying his face in his hands.
"So… now that we all seem to be in the present again… Can someone tell me what happened?" Hetty had heard everything over coms as she stood in ops with her tech operator and intelligent analyst, but she wanted to hear it from the ones who had lived through it.
All three agents then looked at each other, none of them wanting to talk and silently pleading to the others to explain what had happened.
Eventually it was Callen, who as team leader, gathered his courage and provided the information. "We had just breached the courtyard… and were starting to search around. No one seemed to be there, but then I… I saw the spark of the sunlight on a gun in the adjacent rooftop… and I yelled as soon as I could, but…" He then closed his eyes as the painful and vivid memories started replaying on his mind.
"And the bullet was coming to me… but Deeks jumped and pushed me to the ground… He saved my life and is now fighting for his…" Sam continued the story, in a pained voice and with his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Then, leaving his teammates and boss staring sadly in concern at his retreating form, the ex-Navy seal got up and started walking shakily towards the hall. His mind a mess of painful reminders, and overwhelming memories…
-x-x-x-
April, 2010. The team had just completed their latest case, successfully neutralizing an Iraq War Fugitive, and the senior partners had left the Mission together, intent on sharing some beers and then taking their separate ways. They now sat in a shack near the beach, and stared silently at the waves as they took occasional swigs of their drinks.
"I can't believe this… What is Hetty thinking?" Sam eventually broke the silence, speaking angrily as he placed his glass down with a thud, prompting his partner to cringe and start preparing his argument.
Blowing a shaky breath, Callen started on trying to placate his distressed friend. "You know no one understands Hetty, man… She works in mysterious ways, but she always has a reason… I think…"
"But he's just a cop…" Callen's opening statement was quickly cut short by his partner's annoyed retort. "And worse of all, he doesn't even look like one… We're a serious team, no one's gonna take us seriously now." Again the loud bang of the glass on the counter punctuated the big man's observation.
The team leader waited for the heated rant to continue, but when it seemed that, at least for now, his partner had set his peace, he decided to continue. "I get that, brother… But he… Deeks… he did a good job today, and he did help you at the MMA gym…" He waited with bated breath for Sam's reaction but was surprised when the man deflated instead.
"I just don't get it… We're NCIS' elite team. We're supposed to be the best, so what's he doing with us?" The way in which Sam practically spat the word "he" made Callen wince again, and to start worrying for the future of his team.
"I think we just need to give him a chance… Hetty admitted she's been following him for some time, I'm sure she has her reasons… We just need to wait and see." The team leader then drank the last of his beer and stood up, motioned for his partner to follow towards the Challenger.
20 minutes later the senior partners reached the new hotel in which Callen was staying, and as the team leader opened his door and stood outside, he took an extra second to stare at his partner, noticing his still angry glare and the tight grip he had on the wheel. "Calm down, brother… Everything's gonna be fine, we just need to trust Hetty on this one." He smiled sincerely then, thinking that the somewhat uncharacteristic action might work best to reassure his best friend.
Sam heard Callen clearly but he wasn't feeling as optimistic so he just stayed silent and waited for his partner to close the door and walk towards the building. "Marty Deeks… a cop… in our elite team… and with that shaggy hair… I'm sure he won't last a month." The ex-Navy seal ranted under his breath and then started driving home…
-x-x-x-
The feel of the cold water on his face drew Sam away from the old memory and he found himself standing in the hospital's restroom, tightly gripping the smooth porcelain of the sink and with his hands slightly shaking. He exhaled slowly and felt the unusual tears spring to his eyes again… and deciding that he had been strong for too long, he let them fall, at the same time as his body lost its strength and he dropped to the ground.
The ex-Navy seal wasn't sure for how long he remained in that same position, back against the wall, knees drawn up towards his chest and feeling guiltier than ever before, until the door opened, and his worried-looking partner walked in. Callen didn't say anything at first, just moved towards his partner and quietly sat down next to him.
"We need to be strong together, brother. Kensi needs us, Hetty needs us… I need you." The heartfelt admission sounded strange even for Callen himself, but he knew both partners needed honesty right now. And he knew he needed his best friend. They all needed each other if they were to move past this, regardless of the outcome.
Sam turned with a surprised expression to stare at his partner, not having expected so much sincerity to come pouring out of him. "This shouldn't be happening, man. This is not fair, not to Kensi, not to us, not to… Deeks." He looked everywhere but at his partner as he spoke, the weight of the world pushing down on his shoulders and resolve.
"The world is not always fair, Sam… You, us… more than anyone should know that." Callen sighed as many painful reminders came to the forefront of his mind, and he remembered his own birth family, Dom, Michelle, Granger… and many other heartbreaks. "But we have to get up and keep moving forward man… we need to. And that's what Deeks would want."
Not getting an answer, Callen moved to rest his head on the bathroom cold wall, and closed his eyes as he thought back to the younger teammate who was currently fighting for his life.
-x-x-x-
It was December 2012, and G Callen sat alone and unhappily on the deck of the USS Van Buren, his partner had left about two hours ago and he found himself wishing they weren't stuck in here for Christmas. As a loner by nature, the team leader didn't tend to have a lot of plans for the holidays, but he still enjoyed being in his own home and appreciated the regular invitations to the Hanna household for various celebrations.
It was a dark and cloudy night, and only a few stars were present on the sky. Still he liked the view, so he preferred to stay here on his own, than wherever the rest of his team was. Time continued to pass, and the senior agent, remained in the same position, thinking about life and with a serious expression on his face.
Out of nowhere, he heard a cheerful and familiar laugh, and turned around to see a grinning Deeks and frowning Kensi walking towards him, and instantly wondered what crazy thing the detective had said to cause such reactions from the junior partners.
"What are you doing here alone, Callen?" Kensi asked as the newcomers reached the rail in which their leader was now standing. "How could you leave me alone with Deeks? I thought we were friends." She pouted, prompting her disheveled partner to start chuckling again.
Eyes twinkling and a smile still present on his face, Deeks shook his head and continued smirking at his teammates. "You say that, Fern. But I know how bland your life would be without me in it…"
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that Shaggy…" The female agent tried to sound serious, but they all knew she didn't mean those words. "Now you boys enjoy some bonding time, a much needed shower is calling my name." As quick as the brunette had come, she turned around and started walking in the direction of the stairs that would take her back below deck.
"Do you need assistance taking that shower, my dear Kensalina?" The blonde man yelled after her, as he wiggled his eyebrows playfully and only laughed even more as Kensi turned around with a blush, then groaned at her own lack of comeback and hurried towards the stairs.
The senior agent stared at his younger teammate in surprise, wondering how the man could always be so cheerful and cheeky, even in the worst of circumstances.
"What?" Deeks eventually asked, the smile never leaving his face.
Callen thought for a moment, until he was able to put his thoughts into a coherent question. "Why are you always so happy? You got knocked unconscious today and almost thrown into the ocean in a trash bin… And we're stuck here for Christmas?" He then waited and was even more confused when Deeks' smirk only increased and he breathlessly laughed again.
Eventually sobering once more, Deeks shrugged nonchalantly before responding. "What's there not to be happy, man? I'm alive, we're all fine, Sam will be home for Christmas with his family, and the rest of us, at least, can be together." His pale blue eyes were still shinning as they perfectly reflected the blue of the ocean and became darker as they also mirrored the foggy night.
Thinking for a second, Callen eventually nodded and blew out a short breath, trying to understand and, maybe even adopt, his teammate's perspective a little more.
Sensing that Callen was still not totally convinced, Deeks decided to continue… "If we stop and dwell on all the misfortunes of injustices of life… on all the things that could have gone wrong… or that could still go wrong… we would be miserable, brother… Smiling, and joking are the only ways I know to move forward and just… kept feeling alive." The blonde detective smiled once more, his eyes never losing their spark, as he turned around and started making his way towards the stairs. "I will be in the lounge area, come join me if you want some company." He then smirked and winked at his team leader who kept staring at him dumbstruck.
That night, Callen remained alone for only five more minutes, quickly accepting that his younger teammate was right, and deciding, with a smile on his face, to go join his friend and spend the night laughing together and relishing being alive…
-x-x-x-
Callen smirked to himself as his thoughts returned to the present and he looked up to a concerned Eric staring down at the senior partners, as apparently the tech operator had entered the restroom a few minutes ago and neither of them had reacted to his presence.
Recalling his recent memory, Callen knew with certainty that regardless of what happened Deeks would want them all to keep moving forward, but over anything, the blonde happy-go-lucky detective would never want them to stop smiling. So now, he smiled again, as he got up and stretched a hand to his best friend.
Five minutes later Eric, Sam and Callen, left the restroom together and walked back towards the waiting area and the rest of their team and family. They reached the familiar space a few minutes later, to find Kensi still pacing back and forth between the double doors of the treatment area and the elevators at the end of the hallway, and Hetty and Nell sitting next to each other on the uncomfortable hospital chairs.
The three men proceeded to sit with their two female teammates as Nell got up and walked towards her grief-stricken friend. "Kens, I think you should sit down. You have been pacing since Eric and I arrived… and that was at least half an hour ago…" She looked worriedly at her friend and wished she had the power to take her pain away… or more so, to save their injured shaggy teammate, and take all their pain away.
The female agent just shrugged and continued her walk, until Nell determinedly blocked her path, and stopped her with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Please, Kensi… Deeks wouldn't want you to get sick with worry… No news is good news, he's still fighting and we need to give him strength but not by losing our minds in the process." She then took a pastry bag out of her purse and passed it to her friend. "I'm sure Deeks would want you to enjoy this… He always did say sweets made you happier and that sugar was the way to…" The analyst stopped suddenly as the female agent just took the bag and started walking to a lonely corner of the waiting room.
After seizing the offered bag with a sad smile and taking a deep breath, Kensi grabbed the donut and took a doubtful bite from what was usually her favorite comfort food. "Thanks, Nell… I appreciate it." She called behind her shoulder as she was already moving towards the chairs, where she sat down dejectedly on the farthest she could find from the rest of the team. Right now she didn't wanted anyone's company… Just that of the only man she couldn't have, but whom she hoped, with all her heart, to have back soon.
Staring at the powdered pastry in her hand, and Nell's incomplete statement still echoing in her head, Kensi's mismatched eyes glazed with more unshed tears as her memories went back to said man. Her partner, best friend, boyfriend, fiancé, and… hopefully someday husband.
-x-x-x-
The oceanic breeze ruffled Deeks' blonde messy curls as he and Kensi stood together on the Santa Monica Pier overlooking their familiar Pacific on a certain warm April day. It was 2014, and the female agent had been alone at home wallowing in her own misery, when a knock had sounded from her door, forcing her to stand up from the coach with a groan, and open the door to her partner's smiling face.
After a lot of convincing, jokes, a box of her favorite donuts, and promises of good times, Kensi had agreed to go with him to the beach, making this the first time she left her house since returning from her nightmare in Afghanistan.
"See, Fern… I've always known you only keep me around for the sweet treats." Deeks teased jokingly as he passed his partner a recently made funnel cake, covered in powdered sugar and hot fudge.
Kensi swatted at his arm playfully, but quickly moved to grab the offered dessert and then moaned in pleasure as she took the first bite of the delicious, sugary little piece of heaven.
Deeks smiled shyly as he focused on his partner, looking better every day, but still with a few light bruises standing out on her pale face. His smile turned into a full grin as Kensi finished the dessert in less than two minutes and asked if there was any place that sold ice cream close by.
The female agent emulated his smile, as the blonde detective just shrugged and walked back to the food stands, returning a few minutes later with a big chocolate ice cream with marshmallow pieces and nuts sprinkled on the top. With a content sigh, Kensi took the new treat and took a first bite, feeling grateful for her awesome partner who knew her better than anyone and had instinctively bought her the closest thing available to her favorite Rocky Road.
After an hour, a walk on the beach and another sugary delight, the junior partners made their way into the parking lot and Deeks got behind the wheel. They reached Kensi's house 20 minutes later and the female agent moved to get out of the car, but not before turning towards her partner with eyes glassy from unshed tears and taking both of his hands on hers.
"Thank you, Deeks… Today was… good. Better than any day since we got back… And I appreciate it." Her mismatched eyes mirrored the love present in his pale blue ones, as she moved forward to peck his lips quickly. She then got out of the car and shut the door, never turning around as she walked hastily towards her door.
"I always did know sugar was the way to her heart…" Deeks' whisper was the last thing the agent heard as his partner's truck drove away and towards his own house. As Kensi got inside her home feeling refreshed and a lot better than when she had left, she thought that her partner would one day make somebody the perfect… boyfriend and husband (not personal assistant), and she only hoped it would be hers…
-x-x-x-
Kensi brushed the tears off her eyes as the sound of the ER's double doors swinging open drew her mind back to the hospital waiting room. An exhausted and gloomy-looking doctor stepped outside, with two nurses following him, all three of them still wearing scrubs and gloves, and with evident crimson spots adorning their otherwise white and light blue attire.
Blowing out a breath, closing her eyes for a second, and praying to anyone willing to listen, the female agent got up from the chair and gingerly walked towards the three medical professionals who were looking pointedly at the law enforcement team. In seconds, Callen, Sam, Hetty, Nell and Eric, her team and family, were surrounding her as they all waited anxiously for the doctor to speak the words that could change the course of their lives forever.
The silence seemed to stretch indefinitely and Kensi started trying to prepare for the worse, even though she was certain that if the news were bad, and Deeks was gone, her life would never be okay again. She closed her eyes as soon as the doctor began to open his mouth as she found it difficult to focus on anything other than the ringing in her ears, the beating of her own heart and the paralyzing fear rushing down her body. At this point, as her hands shook slightly and oxygen felt scarce in her veins, Kensi Blye was completely certain that the only thing keeping her upright was her inner strength and infinite will…
Thanks a lot "Phnxgirl" for pushing me to actually post this ;) And helping me figure out the Hetty flashback, which fits in the storyline for s01e02. And is based on the assumption that Hetty knew of Deeks before "Hand-to-hand, as Called implied in "Fame".
To everyone that had given me (and this idea) support and encouragement, thank you so much. I look forward to seeing what you all think of this and the final two chapters.
All the best, Jess.
