NCIS LA Season 14 Countdown, Day 12

A/N: I couldn't resist an opportunity to write a scene from one of my favorite episodes, Personal.

Kensi didn't intend to visit Deeks again today. Her plan was to go home, grab a pint of whatever ice cream she had in the freezer (or cookies if it turned out she already ate the ice cream) and veg out on some trashy TV.

As she was driving home though, she couldn't get the thought of Deeks, all alone in the hospital out of her head. She was the reason he was in the hospital to begin with. So, with her guilt eating at her, she switched lanes and headed for the hospital.

The hallways were pretty deserted by the time she got there, probably in part because it was after visiting hours. Only one intern stopped her though and a quick flash of her badge took care of that.

When she reached Deeks' room, she found the door open, Deeks sitting up with his head lowered, focused on something in front of him. She was a little surprised that he was still conscious at all after everything he'd been through today. The run through the hospital to come to her rescue had completely ripped his stitches open and he actually needed a second, more minor surgery to fix the damage.

Knocking on the door, Kensi paused in the entrance as Deeks continued to stare at whatever was on his bed tray.

"Sorry, Hetty if you came back for more—" he started to say as he looked up, then broke off, expression shifting to surprise. "Oh, hey, is everything ok? Did something else happen with the Chechens?" He made a move like he was going to get up and Kensi rushed forward, pointing a warning finger at him.

"Deeks, don't you even think of getting out of that bed," she ordered, going so far as to give his shoulder a light shove. Deeks rolled his eyes, but didn't make another move. "And everybody's fine."

"Oh, well that's a relief." Sighing, Deeks settled into his pillow. "I don't think I have it in me to save you again."

"Thank you for saving my life," Kensi said dutifully, and completely insincerely as she dragged the chair by Deeks' bed closer. "So how long can I expect you to hold that over my head?"

"Not long. Maybe a month or two. No more than three," Deeks assured her with a grin that was just a little less vibrant than usual.

"Awesome." She wouldn't tell him, but she gladly put up with his complaints and bragging for a little while. It was worth having her partner alive and mostly whole. Again, something that Deeks would never hear her actually say.

"Hey, did you say Hetty was here?"

"Yep. She stole my jello too," Deeks said, jutting his lower lip out.

"What did she want?" Kensi asked, not sure why it surprised her so much. She knew Hetty had a soft spot for Deeks.

"Uh, she brought this over." He tapped the table, which Kensi now realized held a thin folder. With the mention of it, Deeks was suddenly pensive. "She, um, she put herself down as my next of kin."

"Wow. That's kind of her." Deeks shrugged at her comment and she amended, "I mean, assuming you want her to be."

"I guess she might as well be," Deeks said with a shrug that made him grimace slightly. "It's not like I have anyone else I can put down."

"We were all kind of surprised about that. You want to talk about any of it?" She let her voice drop a touch, to let him know she wasn't just talking about his lack of emergency contact.

"Not really."

She expected as much, but it still stung a little that he didn't trust her enough.

"I will tell you eventually," he added, eyes heavy with exhaustion and whatever darkness his past held. "Just not today. Because it's a lot. And I'm not sure that I'm in the right place to talk about it right now."

"It's ok, I get it," Kensi assured him. "Just know that I'm here to listen whenever you're ready. And I won't judge."