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!

Okay, difficult chapter to write so it might (probably) suck.

Chapter 20

Deeks and Kensi arrived at the same time at Julia's house, both wanting to see Narah that morning. And as always Julia greeted them warmly and walked with them to the kitchen where Narah was eating the last of her breakfast.

'Good morning,' Kensi greeted the girl and she sat down next to her. 'Did you have a good night sleep?' Narah shrugged and continued eating her breakfast, keeping her mouth full at all time. Simply to avoid having to speak.

'Would you two like some coffee?' Julia asked friendly. 'It looks like you had a long night.' Deeks and Kensi gladly accepted the offer and Julia immediately started on the coffee. While the coffee machine was doing its work, Julia looked at Deeks and Kensi. 'How is the case going? Will today be another long day?'

'Umm, I don't think so,' Deeks answered. 'Depending on how it goes. But we will probably be home tonight. Maybe that would be best. Julia nodded and handed them their coffee.

'Of course,' she said, 'but she is always welcome to stay another night.'

'I want to go home!' Narah joined the conversation and she glanced apologetically at Julia. 'No offense...'

'None taken,' Julia smiled. 'I can understand that you would like to sleep in your own bed instead of a guest room bed.'

'Well, that bed is as much my own as the bed upstairs,' Narah commented bitterly. 'But can we go? Ivan asked me to come to school a little earlier...' She already had gotten up from her seat and looked hopefully at Deeks and Kensi.

'We can go,' Deeks answered and Narah placed her empty cereal bowl in the sink. As Deeks and Kensi left the kitchen, Kensi turned to her mother.

'Everything went okay last night?' she asked worried and Julia put her hand comforting on Kensi's arm.

'Everything went fine last night,' she assured her. 'But things between you and Marty don't seem as they should be...' Kensi sighed and Julia nodded. That sigh had been enough information for her to understand.

'I have to go,' Kensi mumbled, glancing at her watch. 'Narah has to go to school...and we have to go...to work...thanks for letting her stay.'

'Of course, sweetie,' Julia told her and she rubbed Kensi's arm. 'She is always welcome. Narah is a good girl.' Kensi nodded and was on her way out of the kitchen when she turned around.

'Could you take her to Deeks' place this afternoon?' Julia looked confused at her daughter, but instead of questioning it, she nodded.

Lying on the roof with his strong arms around her was the best feeling she could have these days and she snuggled a little closer to him. Her head rested on his chest and she could hear his steady heartbeat. It felt so incredibly safe and it was almost a shame to speak. Missing class was worth of this moment.

'Feeling better, Nah?' he whispered in her ear and she nodded against his chest.

'Always with you,' she told him softly.

'Good,' he smiled. 'Now tell me more about why you called me last evening asking for one of my famous stories. It had been a long time since I had to tell you one.' She shrugged.

'They are simply the best...and they were what I needed at that moment. Something old and familiar...I hope you didn't get in trouble for it...'

'You never get me in trouble.' Both started to laugh.

'I only got us arrested while looking for my mother.'

'Maybe true...but it was like old times, Nah. One to add to our big adventures of the neighborhood...like trying to skip homework hours under the watchful eye of M.'

'Oh, he always knew what we were up to.' She felt him laugh against her cheek.

'That was probably because we were always arguing very loudly about the best way to escape...maybe a little too loudly...'

'Miss Monero and Mister Oláh, as far as I know this does not qualify as chemistry class,' Principle Plumford told them strictly as he suddenly appeared on the roof of the school. 'Adding to that: the roof is a restricted area. No students allowed.' Narah and Ivan laughed as they got up and brushed off the dirt.

'Like I said: you never get us in trouble,' he smiled and he threw his arm over her shoulder. Principle Plumford was not amused and guided them to the stairs.

'Doesn't matter who got you here,' he said. 'All that matters is you two on cleaning duty for the cafeteria for two weeks.' Narah and Ivan both looked with a sour expression at their principle and the man smiled. 'Be glad I won't call your parents this time.'

Cooper was allowed to go home after the observation night in the hospital so the team was standing in Lewis' living room with the family to go over the protection detail. Being in the same room as the Commander it meant that Deeks and Kensi could not escape the blaming glares he was sending at them.

'So how many agents will be around the house?' Commander Lewis interrupted Callen.

'We will have four agents outside,' Callen continued his story and he pointed on the map the positions of the agents. 'Four agents are on the protection detail of your wife and son...'

'I hope Blye and Deeks are staying far away from my son,' the commander interrupted once again. 'I would like to keep my son alive...'

'Dad!' Cooper exclaimed. 'Stop this childish blaming game. If Deeks and Kensi weren't with me at the scene...I could have been kidnapped...or worst been killed. If you so desperately need to blame someone, blame me! I did not believe you. I went to see Melissa without telling them. I could have made it so much worse for myself. If someone will be watching me...all day long, I want it to be Deeks and Kensi.' Cooper tried to cross his arms stubbornly to emphasize his statement, but it was impossible due to his broken arm. But Commander Lewis understood and sighed, giving in.

'Thank you,' Deeks smiled weakly at Cooper and the boy smiled at him and Kensi.

'Hey, better to have the ones who saved my life than two newbies,' he joked. 'I just hope you are ready for a boring couple of days of being stuck in this house...as I will be chained to the bed by my parents.'

'It wouldn't be that bad, boy,' Xandra told her son. 'Maybe you should get some sleep...these protection details aren't so interesting for a boy like you.' Cooper gave in to his mother's pressing request and with Deeks and Kensi by his side he headed upstairs. As he was getting comfortable in his bed, he pointed back and forth between Deeks and Kensi.

'Did something happen between you two?' he asked with a raised eyebrow. 'Even me and my ex - on whom I kind of cheated - glanced with more love at each other. Someone could freeze if they would stand between you two...are you blaming each other for the accident?'

'It's nothing,' Deeks answered with a fake smile. 'You should get some sleep like your mother said.' Cooper shrugged, clearly not believing Deeks' answer but Deeks wasn't planning on sharing it all with a twenty-year-old boy. He glanced over to Kensi to see her reaction, only to see her back. But even though he couldn't see her face, her posture looked saddened.

Narah laid her book down sighing. These mandatory readings should be banished at schools. They should leave the choice up to the students. This book was simply unreadable. She skipped a few pages to see if it would get any better and even, with some very little lasting hope, she tried the ending but it just didn't make any sense at all. So she put the book away, giving up on the stupid thing. She would google for a summary and if possible watch the movie. Just as she left the table, the doorbell rang. She glanced out of the window to catch a glimpse of the person, but he or she was not visible from the window. As the doorbell rang again, more impatient this time, Narah opened the door and gasped. Same hair, same eyes, same nose and same mouth as she remembered. The features she had dreamed about so many times. She felt herself losing control over her body as it began to shake violently. Alice gave her an uncomfortable and careful smile with tears welling in her eyes.

'Hello Narah,' she managed to speak and Narah just stared at the woman in front of her. She managed to raise her hand to wave. She could have done so much and she had chosen to wave. But this was not a normal situation. She was standing in front of the woman who was supposed to love her unconditionally but who had chosen to abandon her...leave her all alone...sitting on those stairs...waiting. Slowly Narah started to realize she was shaking her head and as she looked up, she saw the confused and questioning look of Alice.

'I want you to leave,' Narah told her once mother mumbling. Alice seemed shocked and she tried to speak, but Narah didn't want to hear the excuses, the heartbreaking stories. 'I want you to GO!' Alice literally jumped from Narah's outburst and stumbled back. Narah slammed the door close and ran to her room, falling crying onto her bed.

'Important text?' Cooper asked curiously and he got a slap from Melissa. 'Hey, girl, I am wounded...you should wait a little longer with the spanking.' Deeks smiled at the boy's remark and he turned to Kensi, who was indeed staring at her phone.

'I'm sorry,' Melissa apologized for her boyfriend. 'Cooper is simply a childish prick when he's on painkillers...' Kensi looked up and smiled. Her phone went back in her pocket.

'It's okay,' she said. 'I'm used to childish.' She glanced at Deeks. 'Be glad it's only when he's on painkillers.' Melissa smiled and turned her attention back to Cooper. Deeks followed Kensi when she walked out of the room.

'What was that?' he asked. 'Who texted you? Or who are you expecting to text?'

'Why would you want to know that?' Kensi asked him irritated. 'Are you checking up on me?'

'Well, you have acted a little...a little strange lately. You left for a long walk and now these texts...Is there something I should know?' Kensi took a step towards him. If he would lift his hand just a little he would be touching her. Her breath tickled in his neck. He was actually a little frightened having her standing so close. But in her eyes he saw doubt. Doubt if she should tell him. Whether to lie or to tell the truth.

'Everything okay, Deeks, Kensi?' Callen asked as he walked passed them and they both took a step back.

'We're fine,' Kensi told him and she turned around, back to the room. We're fine...so we're not, Deeks thought and he let out a sigh.

A soft and caring hand touched her head and the touch made Narah feel even more alone in that moment. She had just slammed the door into her mother's face. The woman she had been looking for. The woman who could give her some of the answers she needed. The one who could give her some hope. But seeing her was nothing like Narah had expected or dreamed about.

'I want to be alone,' she growled into her pillow.

'Even when I have come to bring you some ice cream?' Narah was surprised to hear Julia's voice. She glanced up from her tear-stained pillow and saw Julia sitting calmly and gracefully on the bed with two bowls in her hands. 'It's chocolate, your favorite.' She handed Narah one of the bowls and Narah just stared at the woman like she was a stranger who just walked into her bedroom offering ice cream. She had totally forgotten Julia had brought her to Deeks' place or that she had stayed. That she had seen Narah's outburst to her mother. Suddenly Narah felt ashamed and she adverted her eyes. Glued them onto her bowl of slowly melting chocolate ice cream.

'Quite a day, wasn't it?' Julia asked casually like it was a day like all the other days and she ate some of her ice cream.

'Did you know she was coming?' Narah wanted - needed - to know and Julia shook her head slowly.

'All I was asked was to bring you here after school. I didn't ask for a reason. I simply assumed Kensi had her reasons...which she indeed had.' Narah slowly nodded and stirred her ice cream around for awhile, looking for words.

'Why would she do that?' she mumbled just before she took her first spoon of ice cream.

'Kensi just want the best fo...' Julia started to explain her daughter's actions but Narah shook her head slowly.

'Why would she come back after seven years?' she asked with a small voice and the tears were again fighting for their way out. Julia took a deep breath.

'Sometimes something happened which a person cannot deal with...so she left to find her way. But now...now that she found her way...she probably wants to know what had become of her daughter...how her little girl turned out...'

'Was it like that for you? When you saw Kensi again?' The woman looked down, at her hands.

'Seeing her again...it broke my heart. We reconnected after a difficult and emotional case for her...her father's case...and it broke my heart to see my little girl so broken and defeated. She was always such a strong girl - and she still is - but that moment she was broken...and I felt it was partly my fault. I left her...I didn't come for her when her father died...I should have...Now we're trying to get back to how it once was. It's hard and it will probably never be the same...but we still try. I felt sorry for leaving her every day, which is probably how your mother feels as well...it might be the reason she showed up here...' Narah swallowed her tears away. She did not want to cry anymore. She had cried enough for her mother. But maybe...maybe she should have given her mother at least a chance. A chance to explain. Only it was too late for that now.

'It's never too late,' Julia said softly and Narah realized she had spoken those last words out loud. Her lip began to tremble and as she could no longer fight the tears, Julia took her in her arms.

'Why are you so anxious to get home?' Deeks asked irritated when Kensi told him to go faster for the twentieth time. 'What is waiting for us at home that is so important, beside food and our bed?'

'Well Narah and my mom are there...' Kensi started and Deeks nodded.

'Yeah, like they normally are when we go home...why did you even tell Julia to bring Narah to my place? What was wrong with Narah going to your mother's house?' Kensi threw a worried glance at Deeks, who was paying attention to the road. He sounded so agitated, like a volcano ready to burst. She took a deep breath, wanting to prolong having to tell him the truth.

'I might have gone to Alice house and told her to come to your place,' she blurred out worried and she watched him carefully and worried for a reaction. He remained silent and calm while he drove of the street to park the car. Once the car stood still, he turned to her.

'You did what?' he asked her shocked and Kensi glanced guilty at him.

'I might...'

'I heard you!' he shouted, stopping her abruptly from speaking. 'I was simply expressing my shock! Why would you do that? And why wouldn't you include me into this?! This concerns me as well! Narah is also my responsibility! We take care of her together! Not just you!'

'You say that now but all the other things you said are different from this,' Kensi told him bitterly.

'That has nothing to do with this right now!'

'It has everything to do with this!' Kensi replied angrily and she turned her face away from her. 'Can we please just go home and fight about it there instead of in the car at the side of the road?' Deeks said nothing but he did start the motor. In deadly silence and avoiding glances he drove them home.

Deeks didn't even wait for Kensi to get out of the car before he headed upstairs. She hurried after him, where she was met by her mother, who didn't look content at all.

'Do you have any idea in what kind of difficult position you have put me?' she told her daughter immediately. 'You could at least have warned me...warn Narah...'

'Mom...please...'

'No, Kensi,' Julia interrupted bluntly. 'You didn't see the look on the poor girl when she opened the door and saw her mother standing in front of her. You didn't see how badly she was shaking! This was wrong of you...' Kensi looked away from her mother, not wanting to hear it. But as she looked away, she looked directly at Deeks and his look was everything she never wanted to see. He had never looked at her like that, so angry...

'I'm going to see Narah,' he told her and he walked passed her. Kensi wanted to follow him but he stopped her. 'Maybe it's better you...you just stay here...' Tears welled up in her eyes. Was he telling her not to go and see Narah? Julia put her hands on her shoulders.

'Come sit down,' she urged Kensi. 'It has been a long day.' She let Kensi to the couch and together they waited till Deeks came walking out of Narah's room, closing the door gently behind him.

'She is sleeping,' he said curtly. Kensi got up from the couch and walked over to Deeks, but he stepped away from her, putting his hands up.

'Not now, Kensi...not after this!' His voice was shaking with anger. 'You made a big mistake today and the one you hurt is supposed to be the one you care about the most. Narah is a wreck and this time it's your fault. I think you should go!' Kensi opened her mouth to object but closed it again as she couldn't find the words to speak. He wanted her to leave? She was supposed to leave after this?

'Wh...what?' Kensi stumbled.

Deeks looked her right into her eyes and his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. 'I think it's best for Narah if she didn't have to see you right now...leave the choice with her...'

Julia stepped behind Kensi, grabbing her arm.

'Come, Kensi, I will bring you home,' she said. 'Let's give Narah some space...and Marty as well...before one of you makes an irreversible mistake.' Kensi looked one more time at Deeks, who looked so angry and hurt, and she thought about her teenage girl sleeping in the bedroom. So she nodded.

TBC

Whoops...that's isn't going so good.