Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story, and for all the encouraging reviews, follows and favorites! I am amazed at the response, especially being my first story. Here is the next chapter for your enjoyment…

Chapter 3 – A glimpse of the bigger picture

Deeks woke up the next morning feeling much better. The cotton and gauze had been removed from his mouth and he was able to talk again. He hadn't needed to be sedated anymore, and he was on a much lower dose of pain meds. He knew where he was and who was with him. He looked over to his side and saw Kensi, who was still sleeping. She had managed to convince a sympathetic staffer to get a reclining chair in Deeks' room, and she slept there all night, right next to him. Their fingers were still entwined from when she had held his hand last night, promising to be right here when he woke up. She was so beautiful when she slept, so peaceful. He wished he could rouse her awake with a deep, passionate kiss, but his mouth was still pretty tender. That wish would have to wait until later.

A few moments later, Kensi started to stir. "Good morning Deeks. How did you sleep?" she asked drowsily, trying to sit up in the recliner. "And what's with that goofy smile so early in the day?"

"I'm feeling good, I am getting upgraded from broth to jello and scrambled eggs, and I woke up to the most beautiful woman by my side this morning. I could definitely get used to this," Deeks responded.

"Which part – the jello or the scrambled eggs?" Kensi grinned back at him.

"The you-by-me-in-the-morning part. I could definitely get used to waking up to you every morning by my side. Well, the jello is a pretty good perk, too," he joked. Then his eyes flew wide open, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Oh, or… you and me AND jello. That could be really fun!"

"Eww, Deeks. Really? There will be no jello in our bed, ever," she replied. "OUR bed? Whoa, where did that come from?" she thought. Quickly she continued on, hoping he didn't catch that. "One surprise kiss, some attention in the hospital, and now you're planning kinky mornings together? You don't waste any time, do you Deeks?" Kensi shot back, but in a light tone letting him know she wasn't angry.

"I think 3 years is plenty of time already, don't you agree Sugar Bear? I know this isn't the best time or place to talk about it, here in the hospital where anyone can just walk in, but I am ready to move forward – with you Kensi. With us," Deeks said sincerely.

Kensi looked down for a minute, and then looked up into those perfectly blue eyes she had come to adore. "I think I am too, Deeks. I promise we will talk about this later. I'm not going to run away or shut down this time. Let's just get you better and out of here first."

Deeks' breakfast was delivered, and they ate together in comfortable silence – Deeks with his eggs and jello and Kensi with some doughnuts Callen had brought yesterday. After they were finished, the doctor came in for an assessment. He decided that Deeks was progressing well enough that he could be released later that day, to rest and heal at home. The nurse came in with his discharge instructions and paperwork. He had to return in two weeks for a follow-up appointment, to see if he would be fit to return to the office. In the meantime, he was to stay home and relax. No strenuous activity, no lifting of anything over five pounds, and only soft foods until his mouth was completely healed. The nurse suggested he have someone stay with him to help out, at least until his bruised ribs were better. Kensi quickly agreed to stay at his place as long as he needed her, which of course brought out a huge smile from Deeks.

"But she doesn't have to cook for me, does she? I mean, I can do that myself, right? Cause otherwise I might as well stay here. Her cooking would kill me," Deeks joked as Kensi shot him a look.

"Mr. Deeks, as long as you are not lifting anything heavier than five pounds in the kitchen, you should be fine to do your own cooking. I will leave you to pack up your things. When you are ready to go, give me a call and I'll help you out," the nurse instructed him then walked out.

Deeks was sitting on the edge of his bed, reading over the paperwork he had just been given.

"Kens, did you read ALL the fine print on these discharge papers? Cause I think you missed one specific thing you will have to help me with, darling."

"Yeah, what's that? I believe I am to keep you calm, lift all the heavy stuff, and make sure you don't do anything stupid," Kensi replied.

"No, well, I mean that's all true. But I am also not supposed to do anything strenuous. I believe that translates into sponge baths for yours truly. Showers could be a danger to my recuperation – lifting my arms up too high or twisting around to wash could harm my ribs further, and I could fall in the slippery stall. Since you are acting as my home nurse and caregiver, the job of sponge baths falls to you. It's your lucky day!" Deeks summed up with a twinkle in his eyes.

Kensi gave him one of her trademark eye rolls, and turned back to packing up his things so they could leave. She wasn't quite ready to let him see the small smile that spread across her face at the idea.

"Kens? Princess? Is that a yes – you'll do it for me? Cause you know I'd be eternally grateful. And I'm not hearing any objections, so…" Kensi just shook her head and laughed. Deeks was still Deeks, and truthfully she wouldn't have it any other way. He loved hearing her laugh like that; despite the rough past couple days with the case and rescues, she was still willing to let her walls down for him. Kensi gathered up his things, slung his bag over her shoulder, and offered him a hand. "Ready to go home?" she asked him.

"I'm ready to check out, but I need to do one more thing before we head home. Can you help me find Sam's room?" Deeks asked her. Kensi helped him check out at the nurse's station, and then led him down the hallways to another wing, where Sam was staying. She saw the seriousness in his face as he glanced inward through the narrow strip of glass in the door, and offered to wait in the hall for him. This was something he needed to do alone. Deeks slowly pushed the door open and tiptoed in. Michelle had stepped out to the cafeteria and it looked like Sam was sleeping. Deeks stood there for a minute, seeing with his own eyes that Sam was indeed going to be ok, and started to turn back toward the door.

"You know it's rude to walk into a man's room and not even say hi," he heard the ex-SEAL say in a somewhat raspy voice. Deeks turned around and saw Sam giving him a weak but genuine smile. "I wasn't sure you would even want to see me, considering everything that you went through cause of me. Thanks for stopping in though. You going home today?"

"Yeah, just signed out actually. Look, I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to stop by and see you, make sure you were doing ok and being taken care of. I'll let you get back to your rest and, uh… I'll see you back in the bullpen when you're up to it," Deeks said hurriedly. He didn't want to give Sam any more reasons to dislike him, like waking him up in his hospital room after the trauma he had been through.

"Deeks, wait. I have some things I need to say to you," Sam sighed. He pushed the button on his bed so that he sat up a little more. "Have a seat, please." Deeks settled into the chair near the bed, a little anxious about what Sam had to say right now.

Sam started apologizing for judging Deeks' character based on his looks and unorthodox style of doing his job. "You are good, really good, at what you do. You are definitely an asset to our team Deeks. I shouldn't have let my military pride get in the way of seeing that there is more than one way to do what we do." He paused to take a drink of water; his throat was still sore but he wanted to continue. He thanked Deeks for what he did to save his life in the pool, and for not saying anything to Siderov about Michelle, thereby saving her life as well. "All I could think about while we were in those awful rooms was Michelle and my kids. The love I have for them and how I couldn't imagine life without them, was what got me through all the pain." Sam paused again, contemplating the next words he was about to speak. Deeks nodded, knowing what he meant. Thoughts of Kensi, his feelings for her, and their kiss on the hill were the only things that kept him fighting through the horrible pain. He saw what Sam endured because of his love for Michelle, and he knew he loved Kensi at least that much. "I misjudged you, unfairly, and I am deeply sorry. I'm sorry it took such a drastic situation to make me see the real you. I would trust my life, and my family's lives, in your hands any day Deeks. I hope you can forgive me, if not today then at some point in the future," Sam concluded.

After a moment, Deeks spoke. "Sam, I'll be honest. You've never been my favorite. You've picked on me and joked at my expense so many times I stopped counting. I've always felt like I didn't measure up to your incredibly high standards, and that I was just a stand-in on the team. Your words the other day at the park upset me, because I couldn't believe that you would be shallow enough to judge someone by their haircut. But when I saw you face down in the pool, there was no hesitation. Any irritation I was feeling, any frustration with you, went right out the window. It didn't matter because you were my partner at that time. Partners are there for each other no matter what. I would drop my weapon and dive in after you again any day, because that's what being part of the same team means." He stood up and held his hand out to Sam. The two men silently looked each other in the eyes, nodded and shook hands. It was an understood acceptance of everything that had been said.

"Take it easy Sam, and listen to the doctors and your wife. I expect to see you back at the mission real soon. I need someone to keep training me," Deeks finished. Sam smiled and closed his eyes against the cool pillow. That conversation had tired him out, but he felt better for having had it.

Next chapter, Deeks and Kensi finally talk – for real!