The way I have the rest of the story planned out there is only going to be two more chapters. And guess what?! The next chapter is ready to go up all I have to do is read through it one more time and make sure everything is okay. I hope you all are having a great weekend and a great beginning of the school year if you guys are in school.

Thanks for bearing with me,

Kenzie 3

Deeks sat resting his head in his hands, "Kens, I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Please, I don't like being down here by myself, I am so bored!" Nell was pleading from downstairs.

"Just ignore her." Kensi smiled patting him on the arm.

"Don't forget Deeks, you owe me one. And I demand you let me up now or I am going to tell…" Nell's voice trailed off. Deeks visibly paled and Kensi sat up in anticipation. Deeks did not think she would tell, she had promised that she wouldn't but if she did tell, his life would be over. "Kensi! This one time I found Deeks in the shooting range and he was…"

Deeks sat up quickly, "I'm coming Nell, just shut up."

"Deeks, Callen and Sam is going to be irate when they find out…just leave her in there if you don't want to feel their wrath." Kensi knew that he would see past the logic she had given, but she needed to know what Nell was going to say and she knew Deeks could be intimidated by the two senior agents. For now it was the only leverage she had.

Deeks opened the door, "Nell, you are to do everything we tell you to do. If I tell you to stay put, you stay put. If I tell you to run, you better run."

Kensi looked curiously at the pair…what could possibly make Deeks more scared than Callen and Sam? She knew she needed to find out.

"I solemnly swear that I will do exactly as I am told Deeks." Nell smiled running and plopping down on the couch next to Kensi.

"I owe you an apology Kensi." Nell said sincerely. She knew she had taken advantage of Kensi's fragile state even though Kensi would never admit she was fragile with a bum ankle.

"It is what it is." Kensi replied turning her attention to the television.

"I don't want there to be any hard feelings, I was just doing what I thought was the right thing." Nell tried explaining to the only other girl on their team besides Hetty.

"Well maybe you should stop living in a fantasy world where you go play the hero. This isn't a fairy tale, you can't die and save the world. The story isn't over when you give yourself up. In case you weren't aware there would be a sequel. You die, we fight to avenge your death. If that means we die, then so be it…it's about keeping our family safe and alive. That little stunt you pulled could have easily killed one of us…maybe even all of us." Kensi's voice had rose and she was now standing. Her adrenaline was so high that she was no longer feeling the pain in her leg.

Nell didn't know how to respond, "I'm sorry Kensi."

Kensi noted the regret on the woman's face and she sighed sitting down wrapping her arm around Nell, "I'll forgive you under one condition."

Nell smiled, "What's that?"

"What exactly was Deeks doing in the storage room?" Kensi asked as Deeks mouth dropped.

"You can't do that. No, no that's not fair at all. Nell, I will lock you back in that basement in a heartbeat don't push me. You just remember who let you out and who gave you this window of opportunity to redeem yourself. Don't you dare ruin this."

Nell smiled to Kensi and mouthed later, she didn't want Kensi to think she wasn't going to eventually tell her, "No worries Deeks, your secret is safe with me." As an after thought she mumbled for now.

Deeks let out a breath he didn't know he had even been holding. Kensi laughed and her curiosity grew even more, she had to find out what exactly was causing her partner to behave so oddly. Her phone rang and she picked it up, "Kensi."

"Hey, it's Callen there has been a development in the case. I can't talk about it just yet, but you need to be extra vigilant with Nell. Our source says their growing antsy and tonight is the night their planning to finish the job. She is not to leave the basement under any circumstances, we're sending some extra agents to run a perimeter. Until they get there you need to make sure you and Deeks are keeping an eye out. Me and Sam will be heading your way soon."

"Got it G. I will fill Deeks in. We'll see you in a little while." Kensi replied hanging up. She wasn't going to tell Callen that Nell had only lasted a little while in the basement before being let loose.

"What's going on?" Deeks asked unconsciously positioning himself at the window where he could peer out.

"Can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" Kensi asked refusing to look at Nell.

"Ummm, yeah…sure." Deeks sent an apologetic smile in Nell's direction before following his partner into the kitchen.

Nell sat on the couch silently frustrated that she was being treated like any other victim. She was a part of the team too and she felt she had every right to be in on the meeting that was underway in the kitchen. The phone on the coffee table rang and Nell picked it up after staring at it for a few moments, "Hello?"

"Oh….hey Nell, I wasn't expecting you to answer." Eric's voice sounded over the phone.

"Eric Beale! I have a bone to pick with you!"

Eric felt it was in his best interest to play dumb, "I don't know what you're talking about Nell."

"You told Hetty my location and my direction. That is breaking the rules of our partnership sir."

"What rules are you speaking of?" Eric asked this time really confused. He didn't know they had unspoken rules.

"You're supposed to have my back. You are definitely not supposed to throw me under the bus."

Eric felt it was not the time for a short joke, so he kept his mouth shut. Otherwise he would have joked that being thrown under the bus wouldn't hurt her because she was not tall enough.

"You're supposed trust that I know what I am doing." Nell continued on when she realized Eric wasn't going to say anything.

"Nell, I'm sorry you feel like I betrayed you. Betraying you was not my intention. I had your best interests at heart and that is why I told Hetty where you were and where you were heading. You can't do this alone, and you're not going to. I have your back and as your partner I am going to do whatever I have to do in order to keep you safe. Would I do the same thing all over again…yes I would. I think that you are just so used to…"

Nell interrupted him as a knock sounded on the front door, "Hang on Eric somebody is at the door."

"Let me look on camera before you answer that to see who it is." Eric told her.

"Eric don't be silly. Kensi was just on the phone with Callen and told him that we would see him in just a little bit. I'm sure it's just him…" She sat the phone down.

Her heart was racing as she walked toward the door. She had missed him like crazy since he had left earlier that morning. She had been anxiously awaiting his arrival for what seemed like an eternity. She unlocked the dead bolt and turned the other lock before slowly opening the door.

Meanwhile Eric's heart was racing for a completely different reason. A man stood at the door, his hand on his gun, his hood was pulled up over his head so you could not make out his identity, "Nell, don't answer that!" He screamed. The coffee table vibrated from the speakers as it sat on the table.