As the paramedic got to Deeks the first shot rang out and hit one of the paramedics in the back of his right shoulder pitching him forward and down. At the sound of the shot Deeks threw himself towards Kensi to try and shield her as well as grabbing for the paramedic to break his fall. As all this was happening a second shot rang out. This one hitting Deeks lower on the back but also off to the side as he was twisting away from the shooter. Kensi managed to get out from under Deeks and noticed blood on her hands and Marty's back. Realizing he had been shot, she screamed, "get more medics over here we have wounded." That set several things in motion and the chopper was almost forgotten in the ensuing commotion. Suddenly one SWAT member started firing at the chopper. This return fire caused the chopper to ascend rapidly and veer away. Deeks looked at Kensi thru eyes clearly in pain and said "smile for me sunshine" and then he was home in his mind and a smile crossed his face also.
Later, everyone was gathered at the hospital waiting for word on Deeks. Sam and G were off in the corner talking and being very animated. Hetty and Granger were in another corner whispering in a very conspiratorial way. Eric and Nell were setting with Kensi. Everyone's eyes were flitting around the room every few seconds, each person wondering what the others were thinking or saying. Then Hetty left Granger and approached Kensi saying "walk with me Agent Blye."
20 minutes later the 2 women came back. Kensi seemed a little more relaxed than when she left. G noticed it and mentioned it to Sam as the women sat down.
"Kensi Blye?" came a nurse's call. Kensi stood up and rushed over to the nurse who was still dressed in scrubs with, what Kensi assumed was Deeks blood. The rest of their "family", followed behind Kensi. The nurse raised an eyebrow but Kensi said "we are all family. You can say anything about Deeks in front of them. Please, how is he?" She was biting her lower lip as she asked.
"I am OR nurse Judy Lakins. Mr. Deeks is out of surgery. The doctor will be at Mr. Deeks room to talk to you shortly. He is in the recovery ward, room 417. He will be coming around in the next half hour. He came thru the surgery well, the damage was substantial but, fortunately minimally life threating. Here is the bullet you requested be delivered directly to you." Eric stepped forward, took the bullet, sealed it in a plastic pouch and then after the nurse signed it, he did the same thus preserving the chain of evidence. As they all started to bombard her with questions the nurse said "I'm sorry, the doctor will have to answer any more questions. He should be at the room by now."
As they walked in a group towards Deeks room, Sam and G came up on either side of Kensi. "Anything you want to share agent Blye" whispered Sam grinning slightly.
"Answers later. Right now all that matters is Deeks. I need him to be ok and I need to see him now" Kensi answered just barely above a whisper. Then she grabbed both agents and drug them off into a corner and in a very pissed snarl barked "why in the HELL did you let Deeks and Jack go at it? And you agreed to let him walk if he won? You let him take this beating?" She was so mad she was shaking and crying at the same time.
"Kens, listen" pleaded G "It goes back to Afghanistan as well as what Jack tried to do to you at your place. There's no way Deeks knows Jack attacked you but we did and felt he was the one to administer justice. We had no doubt about him. But part of him still wondered about you going off to save Jack and then the scene at the medical tent. He backed off after that. Deeks talked to us about the looks you were giving Jack as he was leaving. WE THINK- that a big part of him felt like he may have only been 2nd best. We tried to tell him he's wrong but given his background he had trouble believing it. That is a moot point now but this was his chance to exorcise any lingering demons and we felt we owed it to him. Same way he helped you chase down your dad's killer or when we went to Romania. He was always there when we went off the res and we had to let him deal with his demons and have his back the same way. He's needs to believe he is worthy or you and this was his way. Yea he got banged up but he beat the livin' hell out of Jack. In our book that was worth it for him and us. BEFORE you ask, as Deeks said we promised him safe passage OUT THE DOOR. Then G and I might have killed the son of a bitch ourselves. He would not have gotten away. Deeks made it plain what he meant and we could read what his real meaning behind the words were. Finally we've noticed an improvement in his actions in the field so we gave him the chance."
Kensi thought for a minute and then "those looks I gave Jack were concern for a friend and for the closure I finally got plus the peace I thought Jack found. Marty and I never talked about that and I never thought about how he might react. Siderov and Afghanistan are off limits for us to this day. And yes- - -he is training-I have been working with him and helping him. In his words he doesn't feel he's good enough right now to be an agent despite what I keep telling him. When this is over you 2 gotta help me get his head in the right place-being an NCIS agent. Finally thank you, he did need that if you're right about his mind set."
Then they joined the rest of the team at Deeks room. The doctor asked "Who is Ms. Blye?" Kensi nodded to him.
"Please tell us how Deeks is" she almost sighed now clearly showing the strain of everything yet realizing the lying was over but the op wasn't.
So anyone see that coming? Thoughts on who it was in the chopper and why? Also to redneck geek and Jericho Steele-an old plot idea I tossed out just might surface in the next couple chapters. Let me know what you think so far.