A/n: Well, I got this prompt this morning after the Max thing, so I just figured we'd keep it going with him.
She comes back into the livingroom with her hands full. A teething ring is draped around her pinkie, a tube of Baby Orajel and a syringe of cherry flavored infant Tylenol in her hand. She's definitely Super Mom these days, in every sense of the word. She can stop bad guys by day, and balance the many tasks of a mother by night.
She is not pleased to find that Max is already asleep when she comes back into the room.
"Are you serious right now?" she asked her husband, who was holding their sleeping son.
"I wasn't going to force him to stay awake. He's in pain."
"That's why he needs more Tylenol," she said, setting down the teething supplies on the lamp table.
She sat down on the couch and wrapped her arms around Marty. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her hairline.
They both stared at the beautiful little one in his arms. He'd grown to be this beautiful little man. He had a mellow but adventurous personality. But ever since teething started, things went down hill. He didn't do a lot of crying, but recently, it had been awful. He didn't want to play like he'd been doing. His entire disposition changed. He clung to Kensi, although as Daddy'd predicted, Max needed a lot of Daddy time. He was a Daddy's boy already. But he cried for Kensi and instead of his usual smiles and cooing, he'd just sit and stare at them. He didn't interact with Monty, didn't follow him around trying to pet him.
She missed her little man's big smiles. She missed hearing his little giggles. She missed watching her husband tote him around the house and play with him.
"I hate this," she said.
"I hate this too," Marty replied. She traced patterns on her husband's back. She wanted nothing more than her son to feel comfort, and the fact that she couldn't fix it for him made her ache.
"Hey," Marty whispered, "he's asleep. He's not hurting right now."
How's he always know what she needs to hear?
Being a parent was a tough job. Being a federal agent doesn't even compare. But being a parent with Marty Deeks makes everything better. Together, they've got this. Beyond a doubt. They're capable of conquering the world. They'll make it through Maxwell's teething too. She pushes herself forward and presses a feather light kiss to Max's nose. Marty follows suit, and in his sleep, Max's nose twitches and he smiles.
They both witness it, and its lights up Kensi's face.
He kisses his wife on the lips. Max stirs in his arms, and he sits him up. The smile on Maxwell's face lets Kensi's heart grow wings. That burdon seems to lighten, because her beautiful boy is okay, even though teething's worn him out. She suddenly remembers that she's Super Mom, and feels the warmth of his forehead and grabs the Tylenol. She pushes the little syringe in between his gums slowly, and he takes the medicine easily. He may be a Daddy's boy, but he behaves for his Momma.
Seeing that his son is a little better than he was before, Marty tries to set him down on the floor, but he begins to fuss. He also tries to give Max to Kensi, knowing that she'd probably like some time to just snuggle with him. But it became clear that Max was just content resting on his father's lap. Max took the teething ring his mother offered to him. He pressed it to his mouth and looked up at his father, his pretty brown eyes melting Deeks.
Kensi was in the kitchen cleaning out the Tylenol dispenser when Monty jumped up onto the couch next to where the boys were sitting.
Marty tried to initially push Monty off of the couch before his wife killed him, but Maxwell grinned at the dog. He reached his little hand out and grabbed the dog's ear. Suddenly, Max was holding the teething ring out to Monty. Monty took it and immediately ran. It all happened so quickly, and then Deeks was shouting, "Kensi, Kensi! Kens! Help!" He was running around chasing to dog, trying to hold onto Max, and losing his mind.
Kensi was startled, and ran from the sink without drying her hands off. Upon seeing the incident playing out on the livingroom, she laughed and dried her hands off on her pantlegs and took Max. She was a mother, she didn't claim to be classy. "You have fun getting that back," she chuckled. "And you're washing it too."
She took Max back into the kitchen with her to get a new ring out of the freezer, and then she settled into the couch with him.
She never saw herself cuddling with her precious baby boy, watching Deeks chase their dog around to get a teething ring back. But sometimes the best things in life are things you never thought you'd have.