Ma'am—" whatever else Nell tries to say is lost in a flurry of noise. Kensi hurries after Deeks, in time to see Sylvia standing with her back to them hands fisted on her hips as she glares down at Nell with a completely furious expression visible from her profile. She towers over Nell.
It's a far cry from the amiable woman Kensi is used to. To her credit, Nell doesn't show a hint of fear.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kensi sees Sam come in from the kitchen. He doesn't intercede, merely observing, ready to jump in if needed.
"Sylvia," Deeks says. He barely raises his voice, but the affect it has on Sylvia is immediate. She spins around, relief flashing across her face for a moment, before she crosses her arms, shifting again to displeasure. "It's ok, Nell."
After a moment of hesitation, Nell steps to the side, not far, but giving them space.
"Marty, why did you bring these people here?" Sylvia demands. Kensi notes her first concern isn't Deeks' wellbeing or absence.
"They're here to help me," Deeks answers simply, his tone, demeanor, everything designed to defuse the situation. It puts Kensi on edge, but of course it's his natural reaction. This is what he does. She wonders how often he had to use these tactics in his own home. "Why did you come?"
He shifts his body, partially blocking Kensi from view, and she realizes he thinks Sylvia is a danger to them. The thought sends a shiver down her spine.
"Madison texted me. I didn't believe her when she said you had a moving truck and were clearing out our home, but here you are. With these people." She gestures rudely to Sam and Nell.
"Aren't you worried about losing your catering job?" Deeks asks, redirecting her again.
"I don't care about stupid cake. You didn't respond to any of my calls or texts for the last week. I had no idea where you were, and now you what? Planned on moving out without ever telling me?"
She leans in towards him. A short, manicured nail pokes his chest and her voice rises with every word.
Kensi catches Sam and Nell's eyes. Are they going to just stand here, knowing what they know? Sam flicks a glance at Deeks, then subtly shakes his head.
"I thought this was for the best," Deeks says calmly, far more calmly that Kensi would expect with Sylvia in his space and practically shouting at him. She notices he keeps his eyes slightly to the left of Sylvia though. As though he can't quite look her in the face. Or like he would with a dangerous criminal.
"What? Why the hell would it be for the best?" She huffs, like it's all ridiculous, but Kensi thinks she's losing her confidence with Deeks not giving in like he had in the past. Her shoulders rise slightly, chin tipping up imperiously in direct contrast to Deeks' calm, controlled demeanor.
"You know why," his voice is soft, even a touch sad, and Sylvia's eyes dart to Kensi before she catches herself and straightens her spine again, suddenly aloof and dismissive.
"We had a little fight, Marty, get over it. It's no reason to leave," she tells him. Deeks presses his hand to his mouth, turning half away, almost like he plans to leave, then turns back around and Kensi's shocked by the change in his posture. He's angry.
"A fight implies an equal exchange. That's not what occurred the other night or all the other times. I've spent months trying to defend your actions, your violence, and manipulation, and I won't do it anymore. I'm leaving and I don't want to see you again." His voice trembles, whether it's from fury or some other emotion, isn't clear. "I'm done."
"You're done?" Sylvia repeats incredulously. "After everything that I've done for you, you think you can just walk away? No, that's not happening, Marty."
"Deeks, I think we should go," Kensi speaks up, even though she knows he doesn't want her involved in this.
"Stay out of this!" Sylvia spits, turning her glare on Kensi. Her lip rises in a disgusted sneer before she turns her attention back to Deeks. "Can we please have this conversation in private? Although I'm sure you've shared enough lies with everyone already."
"Ok," Deeks agrees, not rising to her taunt. He finds Kensi's eyes before he heads for the door. "I'll be right back."
Kensi starts to go after him again, but Sam holds her back with a firm hand on her elbow, letting them leave. "Let him go, Kensi. This is between them after all."
She shakes her head, completely disagreeing. As a group, they move towards the front window. Beside her, Nell pulls out her phone and aims it out the window as Deeks and Sylvia stop at the end of the driveway.
"What are you doing?"
"Just a little amateur videography," Nell replies evasively. Then when Kensi continues to stare at her, adds, "If she tries to claim he intimated or assaulted her, I want evidence that she's lying."
"Good thinking," Sam compliments her grimly. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Although she has to know they're watching, being out of earshot seems to embolden Sylvia. By her gesticulations alone, Kensi can tell she's laying into him. She sees Deeks' lips move, he shakes his head, gestures to his side.
Whatever Sylvia says next has him wavering; Kensi can see it in his posture, in the way he lets her touch his arm, sliding down to grip his wrist. The one with the scar. It makes Kensi's blood burn hotly through her to see the affect Sylvia has on him even now. Her hand smooths up Deeks' chest and Nell makes a small sound of discomfort that Kensi wholeheartedly agrees with.
Leaning closer, Deeks rests his head lightly against hers, his shoulders rise visibly, with a sob or perhaps a sigh or release, and he gently moves Sylvia's hand from his chest. As he turns away, Sylvia stares after him.
Kensi sees the shift in her expression right before she hurls herself after him. "Deeks!" she shouts, even though her warning isn't loud enough and far too late.
They crash to the ground, Deeks turning his body just in time to avoid landing fully on his bad side.
"Oh my god," Nell gasps as Kensi races for the door, Sam close on her heels. By the time she makes it outside, Sylvia is on top of Deeks, legs anchored around his waist as she beats on him with both fists, shouting a string of epithets. He doesn't fight back, just stops one of her blows with his palm, fingers grasping around her fingers and holding her arm in place while he rolls her onto her back. It's enough to dislodge her hold momentarily and by that point Sam is close enough to jerk her back before she can attack again.
"Let me go!" she shouts, fighting futilely against Sam's hold.
Deeks is still on the ground, a hand clutched to his lower side, blood flowing freely from his mouth and nose.
Kensi crouches in front of him, and he flinches, chest heaving, his eyes on Sylvia as Sam finally gets her to lay stomach down on the ground. He doesn't have handcuffs, but Kensi doesn't think he'll have trouble keeping her down.
"Hey, look at me," Kensi tells him, holding up a finger to test his visual response. She wonders if he notices her shaking finger. After a second, he tracks her movement, his pupils large but even. "Did you hit your head?"
He blinks a couple times and then shakes his head. "Not hard."
"This is off-duty Detective Nell Jones, badge number 22378. I'm reporting a domestic assault against off-duty LAPD officer Martin A. Deeks at his residence. The perpetrator is his ex-girlfriend," Nell reports from behind her. Kensi looks over her shoulder, catching Nell's eye, and she nods. "The assailant is currently incapacitated by off-duty officer Sam Hanna. We need officers and medical support for Officer Deeks."
"That's not necessary," Deeks says from beside Kensi. She hadn't realized he was listening in.
"Deeks, you're bleeding and we need to document all of this," she says. He doesn't respond, pushing himself to his feet, and stumbling slightly. "Woah, easy."
"I know." He squeezes his eyes shut, inhaling shallowly through his nose. "I just need to get away from here. Please."
A few people have gathered outside by now, either out of concern or curiosity. Mostly the latter she thinks based on the stares. "Ok. Alright." For procedural purposes, she should keep the scene as intact as possible, but she can't deny Deeks him the need for privacy.
Support him on her shoulder, she guides him up the driveway.
"Marty, don't do this," she pleads as the pass. There are tears streaming onto her cheeks and she makes a desperate sound, arching towards him. "I'm sorry."
Deeks pauses, not looking her way. There's a haunted, broken look in his eyes. He takes three sharp breaths, then continues on his way, ignoring Sylvia's continued pleas.
A/N: Alrighty, I'm anticipating that this will be a tough chapter for some to swallow. In Deeks', and my, defense, he historically is a protector of women and struggles to fight against them, even when it is warranted (in the show I believe we rarely see him take on a woman and often he doesn't come out on top, which I choose to believe is his ingrained protectiveness versus a lack of skill). Also, in this case, even with his history with Sylvia, none of them truly though she would attack him in the open and with several witnesses. My answer is, Sylvia is highly impulsive, aggressive, and violent, and snapped.
Hope you enjoyed, and thanks once again for reading!