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Another day of tirelessly chasing leads finished with the team minus Deeks upstairs halfheartedly consuming food for the soul purpose of needing the energy to continue on with their hunt for the two boys who desperately needed them. Deeks had already inhaled a couple pieces of the pizza that Hetty had brought in, insisting that they all take a moment to eat, even if it was upstairs around all the computers where she normally forbade any food. After he had finished his two pieces he had insisted Kensi stay while he checked in on the kids who were still in the daycare for the 14th hour running.

"Why are we still here?" Will finally asked the question while Deeks joined them all at a small kiddie table while they ate.

"I'm sorry bud," Deeks sighed, knowing they sensed the strain and stress. "Two little boys went missing in the last two days and we're trying to find them so they can go home again."

Will's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded his understanding. Deeks wondered if he had been expecting the truth from him and he vowed to always be 100% honest with the boy. He was young, but losing his parents had forced him to grow up just a little faster and Deeks could tell he appreciated being treated like he was older.

"Did bad people take them?" Will asked, sounding as serious as the situation warranted.

Deeks nodded solemnly. "We're going to find them though and make sure the bad person goes to jail."

Will nodded and ate a spoon full of spaghettios before speaking up again. "You guys do what you have to do. We'll be okay here."

Deeks forced a smile and wondered how Will could sound so much older than he was and yet so sure. "Thank you for being such a trooper – all of you." He looked around the table at the three kids.

"Hey," Kensi's voice sounded from by the door and she came and brought a small chair to sit at the table with them. Deeks' eyes were drawn to her face first and then the rest of her. She looked exhausted and defeated, but she tried hard to keep a smile on her face for the kids. He could tell by the quick glance she gave him that there had been a development and not a good one. His stomach clenched and he began to feel nauseas, but swallowed it back. The kids needed them to be neutral at worse and optimistic at best. He didn't want his and Kensi's lives to give them nightmares.

Kensi talked with the kids for several minutes, soaking up the innocence of their day and activities and letting it wash over her. She would cling to this when she and Deeks had to leave them again in just a few minutes. When the kids began to wonder back toward the toys and away from Kensi and Deeks she finally got to her feet and held her hand out to Deeks. It was time to face the music. He followed her out without a word, but judging from the look on his face, he knew something had gone wrong. When the daycare door was shut behind them, he spun her around with a light tug on her hand so that she faced him.

"What happened?" He asked with low voice that she barely heard.

"LAPD got a call about a boy's body found and he matches our boys' description," Kensi breathed and the pain in her voice was evident even if the shining of her eyes didn't give her away.

Deeks felt the air leave his lungs and for a moment he just felt lost before he pulled Kensi into his arms and held her tight. They leaned against each other for a minute, soaking up all the strength each needed to continue on.

"We'll get the bastard who did this," Deeks said almost calmly. "They'll never see the light of day again."

Kensi nodded, unable to say anything in case all that came out was sobs. That boy deserved justice now, and they could get that for him.

"What's next?" Deeks asked, knowing Hetty or Callen had given them instructions.

"Forensics is on site now," Kensi started. "Callen and Sam are already on their way to the site and we're supposed to follow as soon as we can."

"Okay," Deeks nodded and gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. "Let's finish this."

Kensi nodded and pulled further back so they could make their way to the car. When they arrived at the site they were both relieved to see that the body had already been taken away and it was just the crime scene itself to evaluate. Callen appeared to be in a deep discussion with an officer and when Sam noticed them, he met them halfway.

"Is it?" Him. The all-important word she couldn't get out, but they all heard.

Sam nodded darkly. "Michael Bayard. He showed repeated signs of physical abuse, but nothing sexual."

"Small blessings," Deeks muttered under his breath.

"How was he killed?" Kensi asked, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

"Gunshot to the back of the head," Sam said, clearly thinking of his own girls tucked away at home and how he would feel if it had been them. Child cases certainly made it more difficult to remain objective, but who could blame them. "Callen and I are going to go tell the parents once he's done getting the known details from the officer."

Neither Kensi or Deeks envied their team mates next task, but they were both secretly glad it wasn't them going. Callen had finished talking with the officer and was just approaching the rest of them when he began talking.

"I need you two to stay here and process anything they may help us get a lead," Callen said before rubbing his face tiredly. "If this is a serial case, then this guy is going after another kid tonight and we need to keep this from happening again. Relay all info to the brain trust and I'll call you with further instructions. Let's hope this guy missed something that we can nail him to the wall with."

They all nodded their agreement and went their separate directions for the time being. It was an exhausting and stressful several hours and Deeks noticed Kensi was even beginning to nod off every once in a while when information wasn't being relayed to them. He couldn't blame her of course because it was nearing two in the morning and they both had been up early to get going on this case. When he was about to suggest she take a nap in the car for a bit and he could take over for the next couple hours she only glared at him before he could utter the words.

"Don't even," Kensi said a bit harshly and then her face softened. "I don't think I could anyway, not with all these images in my head."

Deeks nodded his agreement and knew they'd both be having nightmares that night if they got any sleep.

"We're all done here," a forensics tech said as he pulled back his paper cap and face guard. "Everything is being sent to the labs or has already been sent and a rush has been put on it."

"Use Henrietta Lang's name if you have to to get them to hurry," Kensi insisted, trying to look more awake than she was.

The tech nodded grimly. "I don't want to jump ahead of ourselves, but there were a few pieces of forensics that this guy either didn't think of or forgot. I hope you catch this sick bastard."

The partners nodded, the intent and gravity of the case reflecting in every motion. "We will."