"Are there going to be any Montys at the zoo?" a four year old Callie asked. She was sitting up high on Deeks shoulders while Max walked alongside Kensi.
Deeks laughed. "Probably no Montys," he said, turning to Kensi. "But we're going to find the rain forest and the desert animals, there are bound to be ferns and cacti." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.
Max giggled. "Ferns," he said quietly. Often, Max heard his Daddy call his Momma 'Fern' and he'd asked why. They'd told him the story about how while they were working, his Dad had made up a crazy name for his Mom. She got very angry! But, she learned to like it. He'd have to ask about the cacti later.
Kensi squeezed her son's hand tightly and smiled down at him. He grinned right back.
"Are there gonna be polar bears?" Callie asked.
"There's going to be pretty much any animal you can think of," Deeks said.
"But no Montys?" Callie asked again.
"Except for Monty."
They turned into the first exhibit. Laughter filled the room, a majority of it Deeks' and Callie's. Max was more than thrilled, pointing at the elephants and thinking of his old favorite storybooks.
Callie, still up on top of her Dad's shoulder, squealed. "Mom! Max! Hurry!" They ran up ahead to find Deeks and Callie pointing at a group of lazy, sleeping raccoons.
Deeks gave her a quick wink, and she laughed. Max covered his cheeks with his hands. Mommy's favorite animal!
They saw lots of lizards and cacti and alligators and koalas. Finally, they were walking through the rain forest. Max was busy learning about the colorful poison dart frogs. Callie tugged on her Mom's hand, having gotten off of her father's shoulder to explore.
"Mommy, Daddy's trying to find a fern."
"I bet he is. He's a dweeb," Kensi said goofily.
"Dad! Mom called you a dweeb!" Callie called out.
"You little tattle tale," Kensi joked back.
Deeks poked his head around the plant. "Hey!" he shouted.
"A fern!" Max said, running away from the frogs to see the plant.
"Our kids think ferns are some sort of exotic treasure, thanks to you," Kensi told her husband.
"Well, that is exactly what she is," Deeks said, giving her a quick kiss.
They may be married and they may have two kids together, but he can still make her blush with statements like that.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she replied.
"I think we should go to the zoo more often!" Deeks declared, joining his kids in their study of the common plant.
All Kensi could do was laugh.