Chapter 27

Deeks sat and buckled himself in. Turning to the young woman holding the crying baby he said "Hope you don't mind a different seat mate?"

She smiled tiredly at him. "I'm grateful, that woman was horrible. I'm really sorry; I just don't know what's the matter with her. She's usually such a good baby. I've tried everything, but she's not hungry, she doesn't need a diaper change. I just don't know what else to do."

Deeks watched her bounce the baby up and down, rubbing her back. Something about her body language made him ask "Do you like to fly?"

She looked at him, surprised. "What? No, I hate it. Actually it scares the crap out me and I only fly when there's no other choice." She looked down at her baby. "I didn't think driving across the country with a baby was a smart idea. Now I'm wishing I had."

Deeks smiled at her and said "Can I try holding her for a bit?"

She hesitated and said "I don't know you."

"Detective Marty Deeks LAPD, at your service."

"Isabelle Peters."

"See, now we're not strangers." He smiled at her and she smiled back.

Handing him the baby, she said "Good luck."

"What's her name? "

"Melanie."

"Hi Melanie, what's the matter little one?" he put his arm under her butt and started rubbing her back with his other as she rested on his chest. The baby looked up at him and stopped crying for a moment, taking in the stranger now holding her. She pushed herself back a little, grabbing handfuls of his t-shirt in her little hands. "I'm Marty, Melanie. Pleased to meet you." He grinned down at her. She hiccoughed and then opened her mouth. Expecting her to start crying again, he was surprised when she yawned widely and put her head back down. He waited a couple minutes and she still didn't start crying again.

He looked over at Isabelle who said "What? How did you do that?"

"I think she might have picked up on your fear and crying was the only way she had to deal with it." She reached out for the baby and he went to move her back to Isabelle. Melanie tightened her hands on his t-shirt and started crying again. He patted her back and she settled back down. "Looks like I have a new friend."

"I'm sorry. I'm sure this isn't what you expected when you offered to switch seats. I hope you don't regret it too much?"

"How can I regret having a beautiful girl sleep in my arms?" he joked with her. She smiled at him in relief. "So, why are you guys on your way to L.A.? Vacation? Trip home to see family?"

Her smiled faded and she sighed. "We're moving home. Melanie and I are going to stay with my folks for a while, until I get my feet under me again."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but, where's Melanie's father? Is he not in the picture?"

"Stereotypical sad story. Girl meets boy, falls in love, follows boy across the country, girl gets pregnant and dumped by said boy. He tried; at least I think he did. About a month ago he tells me he doesn't want a family, packs up and moves out. I found out later he'd met someone else and moved in with her that same day. So now I'm moving back home with my tail between my legs and a baby on board."

"It's his loss Isabelle. Any man would be lucky to have you and Melanie in their lives."

She smiled at him again. "How many kids do you have?" She hadn't seen a wedding ring but thought maybe he couldn't wear one in his line of work. He certainly was good with babies, enough so to make her think he had kids of his own.

"None. Yet. But, I have the most amazing woman in my life and I know she'll be a great mom. It's just a little early yet."

"I think you'll be a great dad Marty. You're a natural."

"You couldn't pay me a greater compliment. Are your mom and dad looking forward to having their granddaughter come to live with them?"

"Yes and no. They love Melanie and I know they love me. I'm just not looking forward to their "I told you so's". I feel like such a failure."

"No one who follows their heart is ever a failure, Isabelle. And look what you created, this beautiful little girl who will fill the rest of your life with joy. I take it they didn't like the boy in the story?"

"No, they disliked him from the moment they met him. I should have listened to them but I was head over heels in love and ready to follow him anywhere. I thought he felt the same. Now I'm broke and need to live in my parent's basement until I can get a job and my own place. Plus I need to worry about daycare. It's going to be hard being a working single parent."

"What do you do for work?"

"I'm a legal secretary. I'm hoping it won't take me very long to find a job but I don't know what the market is like right now."

Deeks thought of his friends and acquaintances who were lawyers. He wondered if any of them needed secretarial help. For some reason, Ken Crosby popped into his head. After he had arrested Timmons at Ken's office, the two of them had become friends. Ken heartily disliked the judge and had convinced his firm not to represent Timmons in his upcoming trial. He was a nice guy, somewhat soft spoken for a lawyer and not married. He looked at Isabelle speculatively and said "I know a lot of lawyers both from law school and when I was a Public Defender. I can ask around and see if anyone's hiring."

Isabelle frowned at him. "I thought you said you were a police detective."

"I am. I'm also a lawyer, just not a practicing one. Look, I'll give you my card and, if you want to, once you get settled give me a call and I'll start looking." He reached into his back pocket, being careful not to disturb Melanie, and pulled out his badge. Behind his picture he kept his business cards. He pulled one out and handed it to her.

"I don't know what to say. This is incredibly kind of you!"

"You'll have to do all the work, all I can do is find out where there are openings."

"It's still very kind of you to offer that kind of help to a stranger."

"Ah, but remember, we're not strangers anymore, are we?"

She giggled and nodded. They continued to talk, mostly about inconsequential things, when Deeks yawned hard enough to crack his jaw. He hadn't slept last night, worried about Kensi and missing her in his bed. On top of that, he hadn't been sleeping well since the weekend, with all this music running around in his head. "Why don't I take her back Marty and you can get some sleep." He nodded and tried once again to hand Melanie back to her mother, this time with as little success as the first time. The baby wouldn't let go and he didn't want to force her.

He smiled at Isabelle and said "I guess I'll be keeping her. I can sleep, even with her resting on me. Just keep an eye open that she doesn't start to slide." She nodded and he closed his eyes, asleep in seconds. She watched him, wishing she had met him when they were both unattached. She found herself wishing he was Melanie's dad; he was so kind and obviously loved children. He'd been asleep for almost an hour when she noticed a beautiful brunette standing in the aisle, eyes locked on Marty, her mouth open in astonishment.

Kensi had woken up feeling guilty and decided she would apologize to Deeks right now and tell him they needed to talk once they got home. She turned to him and was stunned to find an older woman in his seat, reading a book. "Excuse me? Why are you in that seat? Where's the man who was sitting there?"

The woman sighed, put a finger in her book to mark her place and looked at Kensi in annoyance. "He switched seats with me so I could get away from that crying baby. I hope you don't plan on being chatty. I don't need a new friend!" She turned back to her book.

It was all Kensi could do not to say something snarky about her needing all the friends she could get, if that was how she behaved with people. Instead, she said "What crying baby?"

The woman looked up, annoyed at being spoken to again, and shrugged. "I guess the mother finally got the little brat to shut up. Now, please stop bothering me." Kensi wondered if she could get away with slugging her. How could Deeks have switched seats with this nasty piece of work and left her here alone to deal with the woman? She unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up; squeezing by her, grateful that there was enough room to do so. She could only imagine how aggravated the woman would get if she actually had to stand up to let Kensi out. Once in the aisle, she scanned the plane. She found Sam and Callen talking quietly several rows behind her. Finally, she saw the top of her boyfriend's shaggy blonde head almost all the way to the back. She started towards him, stopping to exchange a couple words with the boys.

As she moved closer she could see he was asleep but was holding something. When she saw the baby curled up on his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around it, her mouth dropped open and her world shifted. She found herself wishing it was their baby he was holding like that. He would be such a great dad, maybe it would make up for any shortcomings on her part. Suddenly, having children, if it were with this man, didn't seem like such a horrible idea. They would have to work out the logistics, both of them worked a very dangerous job but they could figure it out, they always did. She blinked a couple times; feeling teary eyed and got control of herself. She walked up beside his seat, her eyes locked on the picture the two of them sleeping made. She reached out and brushed a lock of hair off his forehead.

"Kens?" he said as he opened his eyes. She knew from experience that he wasn't awake. The man could have entire conversations with you while still asleep.

"Shhh. Go back to sleep." She whispered, reaching out to stroke his cheek.

"K. I love you." and closed his eyes again.

Her hand froze halfway to his face. Did he really just say he loved her for the first time and he was asleep when he did it? Her hand finally continued its journey and she stroked his cheek. "I love you too." she said softly.

Feeling someone watching her, she turned to the woman in the seat next to Deeks. She must be the baby's mother. The woman smiled sadly at her and said "You're a very lucky woman."

Kensi smiled back and said "I know."

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A/N – sorry if this was a little sappy but I just finished watching season 6 on DVD and noticed that Deeks brought up kids a couple times. When he did it seemed like Kensi scurried away or just looked scared. I think baby talk might come up next season, especially with Deeks's mom showing up.