A/N: here is some drama for you :D
"Ms. Blye, I believe you're needed upstairs," Hetty said as she met both Callen and Kensi at the entrance to the building. Panic flared up on her face and Hetty smiled in reassurance. "I think the youngest is just scared because she woke up and you were gone."
Kensi nodded and redirected herself to the stairs leading up while Callen updated Hetty on their lack of findings while they waited for Sam and Deeks to make it back. She took two stairs at a time and jogged into the command center to see Nell trying to console a bawling Isla while Eric looked on, clearly panicked at all the crying.
"Hey there, baby girl," Kensi sighed, sliding the toddler from Nell's arms and into her own. "Why the crying, huh? I'm right here."
"You gone!" The girl cried, though the sobs were decreasing and being replaced by sniffles.
"I'm sorry, Isla," Kensi murmured, kissing the top of the girl's head and holding her close. "I didn't want to wake you up before I left, but I'm here now."
It took several minutes of swaying and murmuring into the toddler's hair before the room grew quiet and she had fallen back asleep. With a sigh of relief, Kensi looked up to see absolute awe in the two tech's faces as they remained frozen and staring. She gave them a raised eyebrow as if to say 'yeah, so?' and they both looked away quickly and got back to work. Just as they turned away the door opened to reveal a slightly panicked looking Deeks who immediately calmed upon seeing her. He mouthed the word 'okay?' and Kensi nodded.
"I'm going to go put her down in the daycare area with the boys and see if they're okay," Kensi whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"Need any help?" Deeks asked, looking more than ready to tag along.
"I think I'll be okay," Kensi smiled. "Brief me on what I missed once I'm back?"
"You got it, partner," Deeks nodded.
Kensi breezed past him and exited the room just in time to pass Sam and Callen as they came up the stairs. She held a finger to her lips as a request for silence and continued walking on and out of sight.
"I never thought I'd see the day that our Kensi would settle down and with kids!" Sam exclaimed quietly once she was out of ear shot and before they entered the command center.
"I know, but she appears to be a natural," Callen said, letting the feeling of pride for the younger agent show on his face. "She's come a long ways and what she's doing for those kids is amazing. And how was Deeks on the new development?"
"He's in it for the long haul," Sam said, a smile growing on his face. "I give it four months before they're a thing."
"You think it'll take that long?" Callen laughed. "I'm going to say 2 months."
"I don't know, G," Sam laughed. "Kids can bring out the worst in some people and there will be some hurtles to jump for both of them."
"They're good jumpers," Callen gave his partner a smug smile.
"I guess we'll find out then," Sam shook his head in mirth.
"Eric and Nell, got anything new?" Callen asked as he entered the room to see the techs and Deeks reading something on the screen.
"It appears, Mrs. Donovan took out a new and very pricey life insurance policy about six months back," Eric said, shifting over a digital copy of a signed policy to the main screen.
"You're sure the wife wasn't lying?" Sam asked Callen who was looking rather confused.
"I'm pretty positive she wasn't," Callen said, his brow creased. "She was distraught and we could barely get a few words out of her though. Dig further into her past and any bank account information. Maybe she paid someone to take out her husband, though I wouldn't put money on it. She was truly upset."
Eric nodded and began typing away immediately.
"Anything else?" Callen asked.
"Forensics finally sent over their report and up to a certain point it does look like a professional hit, but then the killer got sloppy after and left behind a needle. Any prints on it are smudged beyond recognition, but there's no doubt that Corporal Donovan was unconscious when his throat was cut and it was from something in that needle. They're running a scan now to determine what it is," Nell explained, only briefly glancing down at her tablet for information.
"A sympathetic killer…" Deeks added. "This really isn't adding up."
"We're currently working on sifting through all the video feeds in the area, but there are a ton of them and it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack," Eric sighed.
"Just keep on it," Callen finally said. "Deeks, you and Kensi go visit Corporal Donovan's office and see if maybe they missed something that might explain why he was killed and Sam and I will visit the wife again and maybe get a closer look at their house while we're in there."
"K," Deeks nodded and headed out just in time to collide with Kensi. "Just in time to hit the road, partner. How're the kids doing?"
"Still asleep, but I told the daycare teacher to call when they woke up so I could explain what is going on," Kensi said as she backed up. "What are we doing now?"
"I'll update you on the road, but we're going back to the base to take a look at the office Donovan was killed in," Deeks explained, leading her back down the steps and out of the OPS.
After arriving at the base they made it through the office building and received an escort to Donovan's private office.
"We're good from here," Deeks told the young officer, who then left them alone. "So let's see what we got here…"
They each took a side of the room and began carefully sifting through files and drawers until Kensi let out a low whistle.
"Think I got the jackpot," Kensi held up a manila folder. "It looks as if Donovan had stage four cancer. He only had a month or two to live."
"So if it weren't for his murder, he'd have been a goner regardless," Deeks murmured thoughtfully.
"It definitely appears that way," Kensi said, reviewing the paperwork in the file.
"This might have been set up then maybe? Or our killer had no idea and just had to wait…" Deeks posited.
Kensi shrugged and tucked the folder under her arm. "Find anything over there?"
Deeks was just about to close the last drawer when something stood out. Pulling back a metal panel he saw a folder tucked in the far back. Pulling it out he scanned through it carefully.
"It's a copy of the life insurance policy his wife took out six months ago," Deeks said and Kensi crossed the room to stand behind him and look over his shoulder.
"So he knew about it," Kensi said, her voice a little confused. "Do you think he saw his own murder coming then?"
"Couldn't have been too prepared then," Deeks said, handing her the file. "I think we're good here though. You ready?"
"Yeah," Kensi nodded, but then felt her phone vibrate from the back pocket of her jeans. "Just a second. Kensi."
Deeks watched as her face went from serious and deep in thought to relaxed with a soft smile. He realized then it must be one of the kids.
"I'll be back in about an hour and I'll make sure I bring some breakfast so we can all eat together," Kensi said and then paused. "Deeks? He'll be there too." Kensi looked up to see his reaction and her stomach did an odd flip when he nodded and was smiling brightly at her side of the conversation. "I'll see you soon, bud." Pause. "Bye."
"How are they doing?" Deeks asked as they continued to exit the office.
"Okay I think," Kensi sighed, brushing her hair back from her forehead. "I think they need stability and already, day two, I can't give them that. Am I doing the right thing here?"
"Kens, you only have to watch you with those kids to know that answer and it's 'yes'," Deeks gave her a meaningful look. "They adore you and you them. Short of having your own biological parents, that's the best thing they can have."
Kensi's face softened for a moment as she locked gazes with him. "Thanks, Deeks."
"Anytime," Deeks returned her smile. "Now how about we pick up some breakfast for everyone."
"Sounds good," Kensi perked up at the idea of her morning sugar and coffee rush. They were outside and just rounding the corner when Kensi felt the distinct cold press of a gun to her temple and she froze.
"Don't even think about it," a man growled at Deeks who had moved to pull out his own gun. "Slowly remove your gun and phone, put them on the ground and kick them across the way."
Deeks ground his teeth in frustration before following his instructions, his peripheral gaze never leaving his partner.
"Now do the same with your partner's gun and phone," the man said, nudging Kensi with the gun to emphasize his point.
"Deeks…" Kensi warned, not wanting to lose her main weapon.
"Sorry, Kens," Deeks said, his voice tight with worry as he lifted the back of her shirt to pull her gun out and slipped his hand into her back pocket for her phone and repeated his earlier actions.
"Smart man," the man grinned. "Now climb into that trunk there."
He nudged his head in the direction of a four door sedan parked behind them with the trunk open.
"How do I know you won't shoot my partner and then me the moment my back is turned to you," Deeks said, trying to keep calm.
"You don't," the man snapped, growing agitated.
"Then I'm not going anywhere," Deeks said flatly. The man grew more flustered before he grabbed both of Kensi's wrists and started hauling her toward the car with the gun still pressed to her head. Deeks slowly followed, unwilling to leave his livid partner's side.
"There, you can see her now, so get in the damn trunk!" The man snapped, jerking Kensi's arm up so that she winced in pain.
"Okay, okay," Deeks said, arms out in a 'take it easy' gesture. He backed himself into the trunk, his eyes not leaving his partner and the man that had her frozen. When the backs of his knees touched the bumper of the car he slowly climbed in, fear finally creeping up to levels where it might take over. He can't help her from inside of a trunk and that's all he could think of.
"You too," He nudged Kensi closer to the car and she dug her heels in and remained still.
"No," she growled, clearly pissed, but he could hear the barely there tremor of fear in her voice.
"I don't have time for this," the man finally snapped and with one swift motion he hit Kensi upside the head with the gun and shoved her into the trunk so that all Deeks could do was try and catch his partner as the trunk closed over them both.
"Ugh, what now?" Kensi groaned, squirming feebly for room.
"I was able to get an alert out when I got your gun out," Deeks murmured, keeping his arms around her waist as there wasn't much room to begin with. "The guys should be here soon."
"We're never living this one down, are we…" Kensi sighed, sounding more depressed at the idea than scared. "Please tell me that's your knee and can you move it?"
Deeks choked on a laugh and tried to adjust myself so that his knee wasn't stuck between her thighs before Kensi caved and rested her head on his shoulder and completed the very small distance between them.
"Just stop moving then," Kensi growled halfheartedly.
"As you wish," Deeks grinned, curbing the million and one lines he had forming in his mind that were itching to escape. Maybe after they were out he would.