I don't own NCIS Los Angeles! My native language is Dutch and I'm dyslectic so sorry for any mistakes. Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They make me happy ^^
Chapter 15
'Forget I asked,' Kensi said hastily and she turned to her side, facing away from Deeks. She felt stupid for even mentioning it to Deeks. Mostly because this was not the place to discuss that. They were in bed. Right after an emotional day. But then she felt his hand touching her shoulder and she turned back to him. His eyes were calm and looking directly into hers.
'I won't just forget it,' Deeks told her with a serious face. 'Did you really mean that you want to adopt Narah? Not just because of what happened today...how devastated Narah was?' Kensi shook her head slowly.
'But you don't want to adopt her?' she asked him. Deeks took a deep breath.
'I don't know,' he told her honestly. 'Narah is already family...we don't need to adopt her for that. She already belongs with us.'
'She doesn't feel like that. You haven't read the assignment. She is sure this won't last.'
'But it will last. We won't send her back into the system and they won't take her. She is simply staying with us...but I don't know if adopting her is the right thing at this point. She might feel like you want to adopt her because you feel sorry for her...' He gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face and patiently waited for Kensi's reaction. She just looked at him. Not knowing the words to explain how she felt. That it felt like the right choice to adopt Narah.
'Maybe we should think about it a little longer,' Deeks gently suggested. 'Think it over and don't make it a rushed decision, which someone might regret later on. Gather some information first. Talk to Foster Care. See if Narah even wants to be adopted. It would mean giving up her biological parents.' Kensi nodded. Maybe Deeks was right. Maybe it would be wish to think it over. Maybe her thought was rushed. Narah might not be ready to give up her biological parents. Even though they were not there for her, they were her parents and that formed a connection. She looked Deeks in his eyes and he softly kissed her on her lips.
Deeks and Kensi had requested a day off to take care of Narah after the emotional day. Hetty had granted it them without much trouble, understanding that they needed to be there for the teenage girl. Narah had not left her room all day and when Kensi had peaked inside to see if she was alright, Narah was lying curled up in her bed, with Monty at her feet. The dog had taken a liking to the girl and she didn't seem to mind having found a friend in the animal. Deeks and Kensi were sitting on the couch when Narah decided to get out of her room. Her eyes were red and puffy and underneath them were bags. She walked into the room, slowly and hesitant, and sat down in the chair, knees drawn up to her chin. Monty, as her loyal follower, lay down beside the chair.
'Do you want some breakfast?' Deeks asked her kindly. 'Some pancakes?'
'Freshly squeezed orange juice?' Kensi asked.
'We don't have...' Deeks started but Kensi elbowed him. 'Ouch!'
'You can make some if Narah wants it,' she told him and Deeks nodded smiling.
'I am not that hungry,' Narah answered mumbling. Deeks and Kensi looked at each other and Kensi walked over to the chair, crouching down and putting her hand on Narah's knee.
'What would you like to do?' she asked the teenage girl, who refused to look her into the eyes. 'If you could do anything you want to, what would you want to do right now?'
'The beach,' Narah mumbled and Kensi nodded. She stood up and looked at Deeks
'Then we go to the beach,' she said and Deeks nodded as well.
'I will make us some drinks and food to bring along,' he said. 'If you could get the other stuff?' He walked into the kitchen. Narah kept her eyes on them, but did not move in the chair. Kensi decided to let that be and she started to collect some towels. It wasn't warm enough today to go into the sea but they still could spend a day on the beach. Just the three of them. Just some time to relax.
Because it was a colder day, the beach was relatively quiet. There were more couples instead of families, who just were walking on the beach. No one dared to go into the sea with the temperature, except for some teenage boys who were challenging each other to go in. But Deeks, Kensi and Narah did not mind the quiet. They rather enjoyed it. Monty had come along and Narah was playing with the dog near the waterline. She seemed so different from that morning when she sat in the chair, but Deeks and Kensi could still see that her laugh did not reach her eyes.
'Maybe she should talk to a professional,' Deeks suggested as they had spoken out their worries. 'A lot has happened the last couple of months...and we never made her talk about it.'
'Might be an idea,' Kensi agreed. 'We should ask her later.' Narah joined them and looked questioningly at them as they stopped talking. But she did not ask what they were talking about. Instead she grabbed something to drink. She looked from Deeks to Kensi, who were both looking at her.
'Are you having a good time?' Kensi asked carefully and Narah shrugged.
'Is it okay if I walk for a bit?' she asked. 'With Monty?'
'Where do you want to go?' Deeks asked suspiciously. Narah pointed to their right.
'Somewhere there, I think,' she answered. 'Just some walking...' She glanced at her feet waiting for their permission.
'Of course you can go,' Kensi said. 'As long as you don't go too far. We will leave when you come back.' Narah got up and stroked Monty's head before walking away. Monty happily followed her.
'That dog is made for her,' Deeks smiled as he watched them walk away. Kensi nodded with a smile.
'They sure love each other. Monty protectively laid his head down on her leg when I walked into the room.' Deeks raised his eyebrow.
'He was lying in the bed?' Kensi smiled.
'I think we should allow it for now.' Deeks wrapped his arms around Kensi and kissed her neck. Kensi leaned into his embrace.
Narah's eyes were again red when she came back an hour later. Deeks and Kensi watched her curiously as she sat down on the towels, hoping for some words of explanation. But Narah kept her gaze adverted from them.
'Are you ready to go home?' Kensi asked. 'Or would you like to stay a little longer?'
'Could we maybe go and see Emily?' Narah mumbled carefully.
'Of course,' Kensi answered, relatively relieved that she wanted to talk to her best friend again. 'You want to go see her right now?' Narah nodded and with the three of them they packed their stuff. Deeks noticed Narah's shaking hands and wondered where that came from. On their way over to Emily's house, Narah kept playing nervously with her hands.
'Did you and Emily have a fight?' Deeks asked, no longer able to contain his curiosity.
'Kind of.' Narah answered and she stared out of the window. Deeks did the same. He recognized the street. Here they had found Narah covered in blood after the shooting at the gym. The imagine of the teenager covered in blood gave him shivers and he was glad that she was safely in the car right now.
'We're here,' Kensi announced as she parked the car. 'You want us to come along or wait in the car?' Narah shrugged and they all got out of the car. Narah hesitated for a moment before walking to the door. They could hear a baby crying and people talking inside. Instructions to open the door were yelled and soon a blond teenage girl, who Deeks and Kensi assumed to be Emily, threw the door open. She yelped and pulled Narah into a tight hug. Narah returned the hug with the same intensity. Deeks and Kensi smiled at the sight of the friends hugging.
'You finally came,' Emily said relieved when she released Narah from their tight embrace. 'You wanna come inside?' The question was more for Deeks and Kensi, who nodded. Emily smiled and guided them to the living room. It was crowed in the room. A baby was lying in the playpen, two toddlers were running around and two children were sitting at the table, what seemed to be making their homework. An older woman began to smile when Emily and Narah walked into the room.
'Narah, I am so happy to see you,' she exclaimed and Narah was hugged by the woman. 'You look better...healthier. I bet you would like some pie.'
'I would love to, Maria,' Narah answered. It was only then that Maria seemed to notice the other two persons in the room.
'Ah, you must be the new foster parents,' she smiled. 'I am Maria Constalez, Emily's mother. Would you like some pie as well? And something to drink? Some tea or coffee?'
It was already late when Deeks, Kensi, Narah and Monty were on their way back to Deeks' apartment. Narah had fallen asleep in the backseat but there was a faint smile on her face and she looked so calm. Seeing the smile, Deeks and Kensi couldn't help to smile. They were glad that Narah had reconnected with her best friend. And Emily and her family were very nice. Maria had invited them for a delicious dinner. She had taken them aside and had told them with a smile that Narah deserved someone like them in her life. That they made her life a little easier.
'You want to wake her?' Kensi whispered as she parked the car in their spot at the apartment. Deeks shook his head and he walked over to the back. Carefully he lifted Narah from the seat. Kensi let Monty out and they walked upstairs to the apartment. Deeks put Narah in her bed and walked out of the room as Monty lay down at the girl's feet.
'She is sound asleep,' Deeks said. 'I think even you sleep lighter.' Kensi looked up with an evil but playful look.
'Don't dare to comment on how I sleep,' she warned him and she pointed her finger at him. Deeks stepped closer to her.
'And what if I do?'
'Then I will punch you where it hurts!' She laughed as he let himself fall on her. She pushed him next to her and turned so she was facing him. Gently he touched her cheek.
'I love the way you sleep,' he whispered at her and pulled her closer so he could kiss her.
'Narah, it's time to get up,' Kensi whispered to the sleeping teenager and she touched her shoulder. 'You have to go to school soon.' Narah growled and turned to her other side. Kensi sat down on the bed. 'You can't miss another day. You have missed enough. And today you will go to school and see Emily again...come on, Narah, breakfast in fifteen.' She patted Narah on her leg and she walked out of the room. She smiled when she saw Deeks standing in the kitchen, making pancakes. She loved seeing him so domestically.
'Stop staring at me and start waking up the teenager who needs to go to school,' Deeks joked and he flipped the pancake perfectly.
'How can I do that when you do such nice tricks?' Kensi replied and Deeks laughed. But Kensi turned around to knock on Narah's door once again and this time she got some mumbling as a reply. Meanwhile Deeks put plates with pancakes on the table.
'You think she is ready for school?' he asked Kensi, who sat down, worried.
'If she manages to come out of bed, dressed, she will be able to go,' she answered him and Narah's door opened. She came walking out, wearing jeans and a pink top. She was ready to go to school. Quietly she sat down and started to eat her pancakes.
'Do we need to write you a note for your homework?' Deeks asked. 'So that you don't get in trouble for not having finished it.'
'I finished it,' Narah answered. 'At Julia's.'
'Very well,' Deeks replied and they continued eating their breakfast in silence. Deeks and Kensi had already given up trying to make a conversation since there was no use. Narah only wanted to talk if it was absolutely necessary.
'Ah, Miss Blye and Mister Deeks, can we speak for a moment?' Principle Pumform asked when Deeks and Kensi dropped Narah off at school. They glanced worriedly at each other and then looked at Narah, who simply shrugged.
'Umm, I think so,' Kensi answered. Principle Pumform nodded satisfied.
'You can go to class, Narah,' he told her and he guided Deeks and Kensi to his office. He offered them a seat and some coffee before sitting down himself. He folded his hands and cleared his throat.
'How is it going with Narah?' he asked them. 'Experiencing any troubles with being her foster parents?' Deeks glanced at Kensi.
'No...we don't experience any trouble,' he then answered. 'We really enjoy being her foster parents. Maybe sometimes some little problems, but she is a teenager and it hasn't been an easy time for her. But...sorry for rushing you...but why are we here?' Principle Pumform cleared his throat again.
'Narah's English teacher has expressed some worries about the wellbeing of Narah,' he explained. 'She told me Narah is very quiet and delivering excellent work...which if not bad of course but it is when the student uses her schoolwork to hide from problems. And we all know Narah has problems. I was wondering if something had changed in the last few weeks...'
'Not specifically,' Deeks answered and he looked at Kensi.
'She goes to my mother after school since a few days,' she added. 'That might be the biggest chance.' Principle Pumford nodded.
'If I'm correct, you put the shooting of the youth center aside,' he said and Deeks and Kensi nodded. 'Does this mean Narah no longer needs protection?'
'Not specific protection but she is a teenager,' Deeks answered. 'They will always need some kind of protection.'
'If she does not need any "specific" protection, does that mean your duty is finished?' Principle Pumford asked. 'In other words, is Narah being returned to the system now that NCIS no longer needs to protect her?'
TBC.
Crazy times are over. I moved into my permanent room for the the next couple of years. I hope I can update more frequently now, next to the studying ^^
Hope you're all well and are still enjoying reading this story. Because I am kind of procrastinating right now:
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