Chapter 71

Deeks had been asleep for a couple hours and Kensi was bored. She'd read as much as she wanted to of her book and now had nothing to do. She'd played with the tablet Eric had left but couldn't find a move to watch or a game to play that she didn't immediately think she wanted to share with Deeks. The knock on the door was a god send, even when she looked up to find it was Talia peeking around the door frame.

"Can I come in?'

"Of course. He's sleeping right now though." Kensi stood up and waited for Talia to reach the bed. The two looked warily at each other, both wondering if the shared bond they'd felt the night he'd been brought in would last. Talia tentatively held her arms up and Kensi smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't like that! I don't like that at all! What are you two cooking up?"

Both turned to look at the now awake Deeks, who was looking from one to the other in confusion and not a little nervousness. Looking at each other, they smiled conspiratorially. Kensi turned back to look at him, tilted her head and said "Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about…at least not yet."

"Nope, I don't like this!" He said again.

The two women laughed and Talia moved to Deeks's side. She put a hand over his and said, all levity gone, "I'm so glad to see you awake. You really scared everyone." She squeezed his hand hard and then tried to remove it, well aware of Kensi behind her.

He held on and said "I hear I have you to thank for getting the DEA involved in helping to find me. I can't thank you enough Talia."

She grinned. "I think my director was hoping it might convince you to join our team. You know, leave the dark side?"

Kensi snorted and said "Don't you mean, go over to the dark side?"

They all laughed. Talia moved a little away from his side and this time he let her go. Kensi took her place and sat on the bed, motioning to the empty chair for Talia to sit. She sat down and then bounced up again, dying to update on them on everything that'd been happening.

"What's up Talia? You're bursting with something! Out with it!" Kensi said.

"You both know that Robinson named names in Parks's organization. Each one that we've brought in for questioning, when faced with terrorism charges, has given up yet more names. Some were related to drug trafficking. The DEA has managed to break up two major rings we've been following for months based on this new Intel. And we've got our eyes on several more. It's like a domino effect!"

Deeks raised an eyebrow and said dryly "Glad to hear there was some positive fallout."

Talia looked at him in horror and said quickly "I'd give up every one of those arrests if it meant this had never happened to you! You have to know that!"

He grinned at her and she realized he'd been teasing her a little, maybe to get back at her and Kensi for their own earlier teasing. She smiled back and was about to make a witty comeback, when the door opened again and Craig walked in.

The ER nurse stopped and said "Oh, sorry! I didn't realize you had company. I was just stopping in on my break to say hi. I can come back later."

Kensi and Deeks shared a look, both pretty sure that it was no coincidence that Craig's "break" had occurred just when Talia was here visiting. The man had eyes and ears everywhere in this hospital. Kensi turned and said "Don't be silly Craig! Come on in. You remember Talia?"

They watched the two as both stammered out that they remembered the other. Craig was clearly smitten and Talia seemed even more interested than the last time. It was odd to see the normally self-assured DEA agent so flustered. Kensi fully planned on encouraging this interaction and was pleased to watch them staring at each other. Trying to get past the current silence and awkwardness, Kensi said "Talia was just telling us about all the arrests the DEA has made from this case."

She was pretty sure that that would get the other female agent talking and wasn't disappointed as Talia once again got excited about the activity of the last few days. She proceeded to regale them with tales of takedowns and fire fights as each drug ring fought to protect their product and refused to give up easily. Kensi watched Craig closely; a little afraid the other woman's enthusiastic stories might be scaring him off but instead she saw only admiration and awe, and not a little lust.

Eventually Craig looked at his watch and realized he had to go back to work. He said his goodbyes and Talia asked him to wait, saying that she'd walk out with him. She turned back to Deeks and smiled. "It really is good to see you getting better. Maybe when you're out of here and feeling up to it, we can all go out for a drink to celebrate?"

Both nodded at her, wondering if Craig was going to be included in the all of us mentioned and watched the two walk out together. Kensi looked at Deeks to find him grinning at her. "Match making, Kensalina?"

"Why not? Craig's a great guy; Talia's a wonderful woman, why shouldn't I encourage whatever attraction they're feeling for each other?"

Deeks's eyebrows rose up into his hairline when he heard Kensi call Talia a wonderful woman. He knew that they'd somewhat bonded over a case they'd worked undercover together, but it had only been one day and Kensi still tended to be on edge when Talia got to close to him. He smiled as he realized that she figured if Talia was involved with someone else, she wouldn't be making inappropriate moves on him. He wondered if he should call her on it and then decided not to. She looked so very proud of herself. He had no idea what had transpired between them in the waiting room that night, when Talia had admitted to Kensi that she was in love with Deeks and Kensi wasn't about to tell him. They talked about all the information Talia had given them when they were interrupted by another knock at the door.

Deeks looked up and said in stunned surprise "Versey?"

The red head nodded and stepped a little further into the room. "Hey, Deeks. I was just dropping off a suspect in the ER. Guy was running from us and ran a red light, got t-boned by another car. I figured I'd stop up and see how you were doing while I was waiting. Bates has been keeping everyone up to date."

"Um, thanks. I really appreciate it. I'm doing better, hoping to get out of here as soon as possible."

Jeff Versey nodded and didn't know what else to say. The two of them had history but it wasn't what everyone thought. Feeling awkward he said "Well, glad to see you're better. I have to get back downstairs and make sure my suspect doesn't make a run for it after he's patched up."

"Sure. Uh, thanks for stopping in."

"You bet." Versey walked out the door and stopped. He leaned up against the wall and thought. Well, that could have gone better. He was about to push off and go back downstairs when he heard his name. He couldn't help but wait to hear what was said.

"What's the story with you and Versey, Deeks? Sam and Callen filled me in a little when we ran into him after you were shot at Sandune's. Something about you filing corruption charges against him?"

Deeks sighed and ran his hair through his hair, a sure sign that he was nervous or upset. "I caught him drinking on the job one time. I confronted him and he told me it was just that once, after a really bad case. I let it go but I kept an eye on him. I caught him drinking more than once and started to worry about him. He's a good cop but he was getting drunk every day. I was afraid he'd get himself killed or, worse yet, get someone else killed when he was impaired. I don't think he would have been able to come back from something like that." He stopped.

"Go on."

"I filed a corruption charge with I.A. against him. I knew he was a straight arrow and that they'd never find anything on him but I also knew they'd be watching him like a hawk. He wasn't going to be able to drink like he'd been before. It worked, he took the steps to get sober and I.A. didn't find anything on him to make a corruption charge stick."

"And?"

"And, it had a negative side effect that I didn't expect. The charge against him has interfered with him getting promoted. He's been passed up a couple times now. I've even gone to I.A. and told them that I was wrong, tried to get them to expunge it from his record, but they won't do it. I've spoken to Bates about it but he's not Versey's commanding officer, there's nothing he could do except talk to Versey's superior and he got nowhere."

"It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it really does. Versey's a good guy and a great cop. We need guys like him out there. That's why I went at it the way I did. He just wouldn't listen to me or admit he had a problem. Unfortunately, it didn't do much for our relationship. He hates me. I'm really surprised he bothered to stop in today."

"Maybe he doesn't hate you as much as you think?"

"Maybe. You know, Kens? I think, under different circumstances, he and I could have been friends."

"You did what you thought was right, baby. He's stopped drinking and he's still out there stopping the bad guys. I'm sorry that you feel you lost out on a potential friend but there's nothing much you can do about that now."

"I know." He sighed deeply and there was quiet in the room.

Outside, Versey thought about what he'd heard. He'd always wondered why Deeks had filed those charges against him and now he knew. What surprised the hell out of him was hearing that Deeks respected and liked him. That that was why he'd gone the route he had. He shook his head. He was going to have to think about this. Maybe it was time to clear the air between the two of them, just not now when he was in a hospital bed. He pushed away from the wall and headed to the elevator, feeling a little lighter. The doors were just opening and he recognized the two men getting off. Agents Hanna and Callen, he remembered their names, hard not to when the two had basically accused him of hiring the two thugs that had shot Deeks in order to get revenge on him. He nodded at them and got a nod in return. He entered the elevator and turned back, not surprised that the two men had stopped and were watching him carefully. He didn't say anything as the doors closed.

Sam and Callen looked at each other and Sam said "Wasn't that…?"

Callen finished his sentence. "Detective Jeff Versey. Not someone I would have expected to be up here visiting Deeks."

"Yeah, me either." Sam responded, still frowning at the closed elevator doors. Callen grabbed his arm and pulled him towards Deeks's room and he went, not particularly willingly, his protective instincts when it came to Deeks kicking in.

When they entered Deeks's room, the first thing Sam said was "What was Versey doing here?"

Kensi and Deeks both looked surprised at the tone of Sam's voice. Deeks finally responded with "He was here with a suspect, just came up to say hi."

"I thought there was bad blood between you two." Said Sam.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that we don't worry when other cops get hurt. You can dislike someone but still want them to be safe."

Sam frowned and Deeks wondered what was going on in the big guy's head. "Sam?"

"I don't know Deeks. With all the corruption we've uncovered at LAPD, I'm not sure if I trust any reason he gave as to why he came up here to see you, given your past."

"Versey? You're way off base Sam, Versey is an honest cop and, if he had something to say to me, he'd say it to my face. My face found that out not too soon after I filed those charges against him. Besides, LAPD wasn't the only one with some dirty laundry that just got uncovered."

"I know. I just worry about you, that's all."

"You worry about me Sam? Aww, that's so sweet of you!"

"Keep it up Shaggy and you'll have enough to worry about from me!"

The two men smiled at each other, knowing that the teasing was all good natured.

Kensi watched the two of them and met Callen's eyes. Their team leader just rolled his eyes and said "We thought we'd come by and bring you up to date on some things."

"Talia told us the DEA has broken up a couple drug rings based on Intel gathered from the people that have been rounded up." Said Kensi.

Callen looked somewhat disgruntled that his news was not really news any more. Kensi grinned at him and said "What about the guys who worked directly for Parks?" throwing him a bone.

His face lit up and he said "We've broken the back of Parks's organization. Every higher up has been put under arrest and they all cooperated as soon as we hit them with the treason and terrorism charges. With the information we've been able to get, Eric has been able to put a freeze on every one of Parks's hidden bank accounts that we could find. We've seized enough weapons to outfit a small army. In addition, the threat of treason was dead on, one of the men we arrested had names and locations of several terrorist cells working on American soil. They're all under arrest now."

"So, all's well that ends well?" said Deeks.

Three sets of angry eyes immediately rounded on him. "Whoa! Sorry! Poor choice of words?"

"Deeks, there is no outcome that would make up for what was done to you. And, I owe you an apology." Callen said.

"An apology?"

"I should have listened to you outside that warehouse. If I had, things might have gone differently."

"Maybe, but then again, things might have gone worse. That's something we'll never know. I can't pretend that what happened was nothing and that it's not causing me nightmares but I promise you, I will get past this. We all will."

All three looked at him closely, judging the sincerity of his words, relieved to see nothing on his face or in his eyes that would lead them to believe he was being less than truthful with them. The very fact that he'd admitted to the nightmares gave them hope that he would, indeed, get through this, with help from all of them. They continued to talk through the cases until another group of visitors entered the room, one of them before the rest.

Meaghan had heard his voice from down the hall and had rushed ahead of her parents into the room, practically tripping over her feet in her anxiety to get to him. She pushed past everyone and threw her arms around him, albeit gently, well aware of his injuries. "Marty! You're awake! I missed you so much!"

Deeks put his arms around her and hugged her carefully. "Hey sweetie, yeah, I am. How're you doing?"

"I'm fine." She sniffled a little. "Ryan and I broke up."

"You did? Why? I thought you two made a cute couple when I saw you together at the wedding."

"He's a nice guy but he's not the guy, if you know what I mean. We're just going to stay friends."

Deeks smiled at the matter of fact tone of her voice. His girl knew what she wanted and she wasn't going to settle for anything less. He looked up to see John, Laura and Neal enter the room at a statelier pace.

"Hey guys!"

Laura looked at him and her chin quivered a little. Deeks wasn't sure what to make of it. She made her way to his side and Meaghan moved to make room for her. Laura took one of his hands and sighed. "You can't keep doing this to me little brother."

Deeks heart stuttered a little. "Brother?"

Laura looked him in the eyes and said "Yes, brother. You've taken up space in my heart right next to Perry and, like it or not, you are my brother in all but biology. You're family now Marty and we worry about you."

Deeks smiled softly at her. "Brother. I think I like the sound of that and I'm honored that you would put me in the same category as Perry." He squeezed her hand tightly. "I can't promise that I'll never get hurt again, that's just not something any of us in this line of work can do, but I can promise I'll be careful. I have to; Kensi would kick my ass if I wasn't." He looked to John, knowing that the man's opinion of him hadn't been the best when they'd first met. John smiled at him and nodded. Deeks remembered that Kensi had told him that John had had Naval Intelligence working on finding him and had insisted on being included in the rescue himself. He also knew that John would never deny Laura anything she wanted.

Laura smiled down at him, knowing that he would be careful but that there was no way he was ever going to give up what he did willingly. It was part of him, just like John's naval career was part of him. She'd worried about John when they were first married and he'd been deployed to one war torn country after another. She was a military wife and knew she could deal with it, she'd just thought that was all behind her when John had gotten promotion after promotion and was eventually kept stateside. Now this scruffy cop had entered her life and here she was, living it all over again. She looked carefully at him and realized that she wouldn't change a thing. The atmosphere in the room was quiet and heavy until Meaghan piped up. "Does this mean I get to call you Uncle Marty?"

The nonplussed look on Deeks's face caused everyone to erupt into laughter and, just like that, the tension was gone. He looked at her and finally said "I'd like that, Meaghan. I really would!"

"Great! Wait until I tell Val. She's going to be green with envy. She's been mooning around since you ended up here, crying and going on and on about how upset she was, how she had to be brave for you."

"Drama queen?"

"Exactly!"

Meaghan's eyes opened wide when she realized she had a piece of news, she refused to call it gossip, that Marty didn't know. "Neal has a girlfriend!" she blurted out.

Deeks looked at Neal in surprise. "Does he now? What's her name? Where did he meet her?" asking the questions of Meaghan but his eyes not leaving Neal's as he watched his friend get more flustered by the minute as Meaghan answered his questions.

"Her name's Cheryl Leary and she's an FBI agent. He met her right here at this hospital when we were all waiting to find out how you were that first night." Meaghan replied, her eyes sparkling and her young heart beating hard at the romantic notion of their butler finding love with an FBI agent while waiting to find out how her Uncle Marty was doing.

Deeks looked at Kensi who shrugged. She's seen the instant rapport between the FBI agent and their friend but she'd been out of the loop as far as that romance went. "Cheryl was notified that we were looking into Parks and gave us valuable information on Robinson and McGonagle. She also joined us in the rescue. She was partnered with one of the FBI agents that Robinson gunned down after Parks was released. She's been looking for justice for a long time."

Deeks sighed. "I know how she feels. I can't wait to meet her." He aimed this at Neal who finally found his voice.

"She's dying to meet you as well. She said anyone who had this many people worried about him must be someone worth knowing. She would have been here today but she's personally overseeing the case against the man who shot her old partner and she's swamped." Deeks smiled at his friend, happy that he'd found someone, even if it was at the weirdest time.

They all visited for a while longer until Moira poked her head into the room. "Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Deeks smiled at her and said "Come on in Moira! Is there anyone here you don't know?"

Moira looked around at the smiling people overpopulating her patient's room and wouldn't change a thing. Even Caro had turned a blind eye to the fact that Marty had more than the allowed number of visitors in his room. She smiled and said "Nope, I know everyone. How's everyone doing?"

A chorus of goods and fines met her question. She looked at Marty and eyed the machines he was hooked up to. All his vitals looked good. "Are you ready for some good news?"

Deeks looked at her expectantly, holding his breath and nodding. "I need to run some more tests but, if everything looks good, I don't see any reason why I can't release you the day after tomorrow. You'll need someone to stay with you and you won't be able to go back to work, even on desk duty, for several weeks, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't finish your recuperation at home. You'll also need physical therapy but that can be done outpatient when you're ready for it."

"Day after tomorrow? What not tomorrow?" Deeks whined.

Kensi gently swatted him and said "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Deeks! It's only two days and then you can get out of here." She looked at Moira and said "I'll be staying with him and I'll make sure he does everything you tell him to Moira."

"Yikes, Admiral Blye makes an appearance!"

"Keep it up Deeks and I'll show you Admiral Blye."

"Promises, promises!" He smirked at her, daring her to remember an incident a few weeks ago.

Kensi blushed hotly and opened her eyes wide at Deeks, motioning slightly with her head towards Meaghan. Deeks mouth dropped open a little and he started to blush too. "I mean, I know you'll keep your promise to Moira that I'll follow all her rules." He stammered out.

Biting her lip, trying not to laugh at them, Laura made the offer that she and John had talked about on the way over. "Marty, when you get out of here, I want you and Kensi to go to the Santa Barbara house for as long as you want to."

"Really? That would be awesome Laura! I can't imagine anywhere more peaceful to recover. That's very generous of you." Deeks replied.

"You're family and we'll be happy to know that you're using the house. Neal and I will start the ball rolling to get it ready for you."

Sam said "Michelle, Kamran and I will come out and visit you there. Kensi has told me all about it; I can't wait to see it! Maybe Aiden will be able to get home as well."

Callen added his two cents "You guys aren't going without me!"

Sam rolled his eyes at his partner and good naturedly agreed to let him tag along.

Deeks looked around the room, full of people who cared about him, finding himself including Moira in that company and felt his heart swell. Who would have thought that he'd be part of this extended family? He felt Kensi squeeze his hand and he turned his head to look at her. The love of his life, his reason for being. He really needed to go ring shopping soon.