Chapter 19

Deeks woke slowly and stretched a little, eliciting a grumble from Kensi, who was draped all over him. He looked at the bedside clock and realized they still had a little over half an hour before the alarm went off. He looked down at the sleeping beauty lying beside him. Her head was on his shoulder, arm across his waist, leg across his and instead of feeling trapped, he felt safe and protected. He thought back to last night, or rather early this morning. It had felt good to share the burden of his history with Timmons with her. Her compassion and utter faith that the rest of the team would want to help had made him feel more optimistic about finding something on the judge than he had in a long time. If the wonder twins couldn't find anything on him, then there was nothing to find. He thought about how much he loved this woman, more than he had ever loved anyone else before or ever would again. He wanted to tell her but was afraid she wasn't there yet, afraid he'd push her away by moving too fast. He wanted to be the first to say it. He wanted to be the brave one. His arm tightened around her and she murmured his name against his chest, snuggling into him a little more in her sleep. Her movements brought back other memories of last night and he put his hand under her chin to raise her head so he could gain access to her lips.

The last half hour before the alarm went off was put to good use.

Two hours later they walked into the Mission together. On the ride in they had agreed to talk to Hetty first, to get her permission to have NCIS look into any possible involvement Timmons had had with Parks beyond the trial. Sam and Callen were already in so they said their good mornings and dumped their bags at their desks before heading to Hetty's office. Both men watched them curiously and, maybe, with a little concern, wondering what was so important that the two of them had to see Hetty about it first thing in the morning.

"Hetty, do you have a moment?" asked Deeks.

"Of course, Mr. Deeks, Miss. Blye. Have a seat." The two took the seats in front of her desk. "Tea?"

"No, thank you, Hetty. I, we, wanted to talk to you about something. It has to do with Judge Timmons." said Deeks. At her nod he told her the story of the Steven Parks trial, his and Katie's suspicions about the judge and her subsequent death. Deeks finished and looked at her.

"So, you want to use NCIS personnel and resources to look into whether Judge Timmons is dirty?"

"Yes. If he was bought off on this case, how many others has he done the same on? Cases the FBI, DEA and even NCIS have brought, or will bring, before him. Cases that we risked our lives on, only to have the bad guys get off because of a judge who can be bought."

"You really should have stayed a lawyer, Mr. Deeks. Have no fear, I have every intention of helping you look into Judge Timmons." She didn't seem surprised at what he had told her. He narrowed his eyes at her, wondering. Did she really know everything or was she just so good at hiding her surprise that she made it seem like she did? It certainly added to her mystique.

A gravelly voice sounded behind Deeks and Kensi, interrupting his musings. "You can use those two meerkats up in ops as long as it doesn't interfere with any current cases. You will also have my full support during your discreet investigation. I am no fonder of a dirty judge than I am of a dirty agent or cop, especially when it interferes with NCIS cases." Owen Granger stepped up into Hetty's office. Deeks grinned at him in appreciation and Granger frowned. The LAPD detective got under his skin and he was afraid he was getting used to it. Before being assigned as the Assistant Director over the Office of Special Projects, he had been a hard, battle tested, ruthless and ambitious man. Now, there was something about this team of Hetty's that had broken through to something he had long thought dormant. He wouldn't go soft or easy on them, but he would protect them as far as he could and maybe a little beyond. He had finally come to understand Hetty's attachment to this team of hers and he wasn't sure if he was particularly happy about it. Still, they seemed to be coming to care about him as well and that didn't bother him, too much.

Hetty clicked the Bluetooth in her ear and asked Nell to come downstairs and to bring Eric with her. Nell responded that they'd be right down. Getting up, she motioned the three in front of her towards the bullpen. "No time like the present to brief your team, Mr. Deeks." They made it to the bullpen at about the same time as the two analysts. Everyone looked curiously at each other, not sure what was going on. "Mr. Deeks?"

Deeks cleared his throat and started. "It would seem my current and previous lives have chosen now to intersect. The boy who assaulted Meaghan is, as you know from what Eric told us when it happened, the son of a federal court judge. What you don't know, is that the judge and I have a history, an unpleasant one. I firmly believe that his actions led directly to the death of one of my best friends, her husband, their unborn child and two FBI agents several years ago. I just haven't been able to prove it. With Hetty and Granger's permission, I'd like to ask you guys to help me look into him. Find out if he's taking bribes or has something in his life that opens him up to blackmail. I've tried on my own but I haven't gotten anywhere. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important." He then proceeded to tell them what he had told Kensi last night, leaving nothing out, including his accusing the judge of murder right to his face.

Sam looked at him. "There's something more now, isn't there Deeks?"

Deeks sighed and nodded. "I have no idea if it's true, but I have a feeling that this isn't the first time that Paul Timmons has gotten into trouble with the law and expected to get away with it. He was too sure of himself, too smug. It seemed like he knew the playbook and was waiting for everyone else to fall into line. He was stunned when I showed him the video and told him he wasn't getting off on this. He recovered quickly and threatened me with his father, so sure it would work. If what I suspect is true, it bothers me to think that, if the judge hadn't gotten Paul out of trouble in the past, the assault on Meaghan might never have happened."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. He thought about Kamran and how he would feel if she were hurt by someone who, because he had escaped justice in the past, crossed paths with his little girl. "I'm in!"

Everyone else agreed wholeheartedly. Nell and Eric were dying to get back up to ops to start their search, already bouncing ideas off each other at the speed of light. Granger took a moment to remind them that active cases would come first, to which they all agreed. Deeks looked at his team, his family, and had a moment's sympathy for the firestorm about to rain down on Judge Timmons. A sympathy that died as quickly as it was born. If the man was as guilty as Deeks thought, he deserved everything that happened to him. If he wasn't, then Deeks could finally put that part of his past to rest.