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!

as promised: no long wait this time! Enjoy

Chapter 45

Deeks studied Narah's face as she walked into the house. He and Kensi were sitting on the couch, pretending to watch TV to give Chris and Narah some privacy. They could hear what they were saying nor could they see him, so Deeks had to trust his detective skills to figure it out.

'How was the date?' Kensi asked. Narah walked into the living room and sat down on the other couch. She smoothed her dress out. Was that hiding? Good hiding or bad hiding?

'It went well' Narah answered and she smiled.

'Well?' Deeks repeated, needing more than just that. Good could mean a lot of things and a lot of those things called for him to talk with the teenage boy.

'The movie was good and funny,' Narah started to tell. 'And we had a nice talk during drinks after the movie. He was really nice and polite.' She turned to Deeks in particular. 'You have nothing to worry about.'

'Why would I worry?' Deeks asked. 'We trust you completely to be wise when it comes to...this...dating...' Kensi burst out in laughter and Deeks glanced over at her. 'We are!'

'Nothing really happened!' Narah said. 'We decided to be just friends.'

'Aha, just friends,' Deeks nodded. 'That's good. Okay, now we figured that out, I say it's time for bed.' Deeks headed towards the stairs. As he was about to head upstairs, he saw Kensi stopping Narah. He decided to wait a little longer. To see what his girls would discuss.

'So just friends?' she asked and Narah nodded. 'And nothing really happened?' A tiny smile appeared on her face. Kensi laughed again.

'He might have kissed me,' Narah admitted. 'One quick kiss, after which we decided to be just friends.' Deeks took a deep breath. He had to have a talk with some teenage boy. But he saw the little smile on Narah's face and he relaxed. She was happy. That was all he needed. Maybe the boy could stay alive.

'Last night ended with a big shootout,' the anchor on the TV announced and Narah let her spoon fall in her bowl of cereal. The weekend had been confusing after her date on Friday. She had felt like sending a text to Chris, but that might be weird and she didn't know what to send to a boy who kissed you but you wanted to be friends with. And she would see him today again at school, which hopefully wasn't going to be that awkward. She really wanted to be able to stay friends with him.

Then this news was announced. The TV showed footage of her old neighborhood. The shock she felt was unfamiliar to her. She had gotten used to shootings in her neighborhood over the years. It wasn't the safest place to live, they all knew it. But now that she was outside of the neighborhood, she realized it wasn't normal to be used to it. That you should be shocked by that kind of news. She tried to find out where the shooting was from the footage. Just to see if it was close to her friends. Her phone started to ring and she answered it quickly.

'Narah! It's crazy here!' Ivan sounded excited, for some strange reason.

'I'm just seeing the news...about the shooting. What's going on?'

'Fratres Armis killed a cop and the entire LAPD showed up. I shit you not. There have never been so many cops here. They took on the entire gang. Most of them are arrested or dead...Narah, Fratres Armis is done!' Narah's mouth fell open. Her brain couldn't comprehend this on the early morning. She also knew that the gang could never have been rounded up completely. But when she heard hurried footsteps upstairs, she knew it was something big. Both Deeks and Kensi came hurrying down the stairs. She pointed at the news.

'Ivan...are you guys okay? Emily and Ming?'

'Yeah, we're great...' Narah smiled when she heard Emily and Ming shout in the background. 'We hardly noticed it last night. Just a little towards the end. The entire neighborhood is going crazy!' She looked at Deeks and Kensi, who both gave her a smile and she knew it was real. Fratres Armis was done.

Deeks was holding Kensi in his arms when consistent buzzing woke him and Kensi up. The call was from Eric and the message had been simple: the Fratres Armis had made their mistake. Right that moment they both wanted to see Narah, so they rushed down, where Narah pointed them towards the news. The shoot-out was all over the news.

'Is this real?' Narah asked once she had hung up and put her phone down.

'It will take a long time to round up the entire gang or the key players,' Deeks told her. 'But it seems to be real. LAPD was engaged in a shootout after one of their officers was shot dead by a member of Fratres Armis...they made their mistake.' The shock was clear on Narah's face: her eyes big and her mouth a little bit fallen open. Kensi walked over to her and stroked her hair.

'Are you okay, Narah?' she asked worried and Narah slowly nodded.

'It's just a bit strange...' she answered.

'A bit surreal?' Deeks asked and Narah nodded again. 'Yeah, I feel the same way...'

'Do you think I can go see my friends?' she asked hopeful. 'After school? Because I guess I can go see them now, right? They feel a bit stranger coming over here...in the fancy neighborhood...and if Fratres Armis is done...I can go into the neighborhood again, right?' Deeks and Kensi looked at each other. Was it really safe enough for their daughter to go in?

'Okay, you can go,' Kensi answered and Narah gave a little chair. 'But under the condition you go to Ming's house. She lives on the side and there might be some trouble in the middle of your neighborhood. And don't go to the gym. Stay inside...just for today.' Narah nodded.

'I promise!' she said cheerfully. 'We'll stay inside and behave! Can I text them now?'

'Eat your breakfast first,' Deeks said and he grabbed her phone before she could. 'You still have to get ready and go to school you know. Your friends come after school.' Narah took quickly several spoons of her cereal.

'Dwon,' she said with her mouth full and she held her hand out for her food.

'That is even grosser than Kensi and her candy,' Deeks said, a little impressed, and he handed Narah her phone.

'LAPD is handing over the evidence we need to make a case against the shooters of the youth center,' Eric told the team when they had all arrived at the Ops center. 'They didn't find our shooters among any of the gang members, but they're trying to get the information.'

'And Narah won't have to do anything for their investigation, right?' Kensi asked. Nell shook her head.

'It seems Narah is in the clear,' she answered. 'It might not even come to a testimony during the trail. LAPD has plenty to go on. The neighborhood seems to be cleaning themselves up as well. People are already heading for the youth center, coming together.'

'So it's really over,' Deeks breathed. His daughter wasn't going to be haunted or threatened anymore by this gang.

'Congratulations,' Sam said and both Kensi and Deeks smiled at him.

'And it has its advantages with LAPD taking over our case,' Callen said. 'It takes a hell lot less paperwork handing the case over than catching them ourselves. Though catching them would feel pretty good.'

'Well right now, I can settle for no paperwork,' Deeks replied and he leaned back on his chair.

'Oh Mister Deeks, I'm sure we can find some paperwork to do for you,' Hetty announced as she walked into the bullpen. 'I'm still missing some paperwork on the last case.'

Narah could hardly contain her happiness when she got to school. During the break she told her friends the good news. All of them congratulated her. It was a bit strange to be hugged by Chris, but Narah was glad it wasn't as awkward as she feared it would be. They quickly eased into their normal conversation, like their date and the kiss had never happened. Just friends, like they had agreed to. During math she had received texts from all her friends, and breaking all her new rules, Narah decided to skip PE to call her friends. As she was walking out of the school with Hannah and Chris by her side, she was laughing and ready to head to the neighborhood. Maria was in her usual spot by the car and Narah stopped when she saw her. Maria was wearing casual clothes. Some of her happiness was instantly replaced by sadness. With the Fratres Armis gone, there was no need for Maria's protection anymore.

'Umm...I will see you guys tomorrow, okay?' Narah said to Hannah and Chris, who nodded. They said a quick goodbye and Narah walked to the car. Maria smiled when she got to the car.

'Don't look so sad, Narah,' she said to the girl. 'It's good news.'

'But you will have to leave, don't you?' Narah asked and Maria nodded.

'My new assignment actually starts tomorrow,' she answered. Narah looked at her very own Special Agents of the last weeks and she realized she would miss Maria. Having her around had become so familiar and felt so safe.

'I'm gonna miss you,' Narah said and her lip began to tremble. Tears were filling up her eyes. Maria stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

'I'm going to miss you too, kiddo,' she said. 'We had good times together. I'm going to miss seeing you every day...but I rather not see you. It means you're safe and no longer need protection from me. That's good.'

'Yeah...but you have to promise to keep visiting me!' Narah said.

'I will,' Maria promised and she stroked Narah's cheek. 'And you can still call me if you need someone who isn't Deeks or Kensi. To talk to about boys and kissing for example.'

'Don't!' Narah laughed.

'I will never,' Maria assured her and she let Narah go. She opened the car door. 'Now get in. I believe we have some friends to visit.' Maria walked around the car and got in the driver's seat.

There were so many people on the street, walking around with their heads up and laughing. It had been such a long time since Narah had seen that in her neighborhood. Driving around she saw so many familiar buildings and she realized she missed being in her neighborhood. It had been bad most of the times but she also had had wonderful times here.

'Can we maybe stop at the youth center?' Narah asked Maria. 'I know Deeks and Kensi didn't want me to get too close...but probably everyone is already there and I would really like to go there...' Maria seemed hesitant for a moment and then she nodded.

'Why not,' she answered. 'It's already my last day. But if I say we need to go...'

'...we're going,' Narah finished. Maria took a left turn and drove towards the youth center. There were a lot of people at the youth center, as Narah expected. The youth center always had been the heart of the neighborhood when it was safe enough to be. From afar Narah saw Maltino standing on a table, speaking to the people gathered around him. Narah stepped out of the car and headed towards the man. He laughed when he saw her.

'Narah, so good to see you!' he exclaimed and he hugged her.

'It's good to see you too, Mister M.,' Narah smiled. Maltino released her and took a good look at her.

'You look very good, Narah,' he said. 'Very healthy and looking very happy. Haven't seen you smile so much without Ivan and the rest of the gang.'

'Well we have reasons to smile again,' she replied and Maltino nodded firmly. There was excited screaming behind her, which Narah recognized right away, and soon Emily's arms were around her neck. Ivan's and Ming's soon followed. Narah joined in Emily's and Ming's excited screaming and looked at Ivan. The brightest smiles were on their faces. They only released each other when they needed oxygen. Ivan put his arm around Narah.

'Hey brother from another mother,' she greeted him and he squeezed her shoulder.

'Hey sister from yet another mother,' he replied.

'Okay, people!' Maltino shouted and Narah and Ivan turned to him. 'If you follow me, I will officially open the youth center for every child and adult again. We will get it back to its former glory as the family we once were!' Ivan released her shoulder and they followed Maltino towards the door. When they stood in front, Narah realized it had all started right here. The chance of her life. As Maltino pushed the doors open and everyone got inside, Narah stayed behind and she took a deep breath, looking at the building.

'It's over,' Narah mumbled, not able to believe the words that just came out of her mouth and the happiness the words brought to her.