Kensi sobbed long enough for her head to start aching, and for once she didn't care what anyone who might see her. She felt so helpless and defeated.

After several minutes, the tears stopped, and she leaned back, throat dry and eyes heavy and swollen. Clumsily wiping her palms over her cheeks, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the rearview mirror. As expected, the skin around her eyes was puffy and bright red. Her mind felt a little clearer though with the release of some of the tension and emotions.

She sat back, opening the glove compartment, and rooted around until she found a random snickers bar. Pulling her legs up in front of her, she contemplated her next move while slowly working her way through the candy. She knew how Deeks thought, maybe better than anyone. He would want somewhere isolated yet familiar. Her initial instinct was that she would find Deeks at the beach, but she'd expected to see him in his usual mode, surfing and connecting with the water. Maybe she needed to go back and check again.

It was a daunting thought since Deeks knew the beach better than her and had at least a half a dozen spots he stopped regularly when he wasn't surfing. The last couple summers, they'd spent a good part of the time exploring little alcoves and abandoned buildings Deeks had somehow discovered.

In an instant, she was transported back to a day from the summer they were both 14.

Kensi watched Deeks the 2x4 poorly secured over a weathered wooden door. Above it, faded letters proclaimed "Best Smoothies in Town". The last time Kensi had been this far down the beach, the same building had been some kind of beach-themed store and before that, a Tiki Bar.

When Deeks had asked her if she wanted to go on an adventure, this was not what she expected.

Deeks dropped the piece of wood to the ground, brushing off his hands, and held the door open for her. Reluctantly, she walked in, blinking in the darkened interior. Some of the windows hadn't been boarded over very well, so there was enough light to see once her eyes adjusted.

"Isn't it amazing?" Deeks asked. He navigated the floor with an ease that suggested it wasn't his first time here.

"It's old." Kensi gingerly stepped over a broken piece of wood, grimacing at something dark that she didn't want to examine too closely. "And dirty."

"Oh come on, this is so much cleaner than your room," Deeks teased, pausing to turn and grin at her. When Kensi crossed her arms and didn't return his smile, he climbed down, jumping over the bits of debris. "Kens, don't be mad at me. I know it's a little rough, but it's got potential."

He spread his arms, glancing around with an expression that suggested he'd just walked into a mansion instead of an abandoned, broken-down shack.

"Yeah, the potential for cockroaches," she grumbled. She didn't know why it bothered her so much. Usually she was on-board for just about anything Deeks suggested and anything but squeamish. Maybe it had something to do with her rumbling stomach and the sweat trickling down her back.

"No, this could be anything. A store, a house, a hideout."

"In the last two years it's been like ten different things, so I wouldn't hold my breath."

"I bet I could make it renting surf boards," Deeks countered. "Marty's Surf Shop?"

"Marty?"

"Eh, I'll work on the name." He shrugged, his face alight with the possibilities and even Kensi couldn't stay annoyed. He swung himself up on the empty bar, which creaked just enough for Kensi to worry that it might come crashing down.

"Seriously, why do you like this place so much?" Kensi asked, hopping up beside him.

"I don't know. I guess maybe because it could be anything with enough work. And because everybody thinks it's just an old building, it's the perfect place to go when you don't want anyone to find you," he explained. There was a dreamy almost wistful tone his voice that almost made Kensi want to hug him.

"Are you planning on running away or something?" she asked instead.

"Nah. But it's always good to have a backup plan."

"If only your backup plan still served food. I'm starving after that hike."

"Then it's a good thing I brought with your favorite." Reaching into his worn backpack, Deeks produced a slightly squashed Twinkie. "Lunch is served."

Snorting, Kensi ripped open the package, and took a large bite. She looked around at the splintered and faded walls with new eyes.

"Ok, maybe this isn't so bad after all," she decided.

Kensi shook her head as if to dispel the memory, coming back to herself in the hot car, the remnants of her candy bar melted over her fingers.

She hadn't even thought of the old shack in at least a year. Between their busy schedules and maturity, the idea of hanging out in a smelly and grimy building had lost its appeal. Or at the very least, she hadn't visited anytime recently.

Deeks had loved it there though; he'd even talked about staying there once when he'd fought with his mom. He'd never followed through on the threat, but things hadn't been nearly as bad back then.

Putting the car back into drive, certain she was on the right track now.

It took a while to walk to the shack since it wasn't directly accessible from the parking lot.

The structure looked worse than remembered, even at a distance. The elements had clearly not done it any favors.

Picking her way through the sand, Kensi walked around the building, noting the door was still boarded up. She nearly missed Deeks curled up against a wall. She froze in shock at the sight of his head hanging forward so only his hair was visible, the rest of his body lax.

"Deeks?" Stepping forward, she hesitantly touched his shoulder, fearful that he wouldn't move. He twitched ever so slightly, but didn't move otherwise. She shook his shoulder a little harder, and repeated his name. "Deeks. Hey, look at me, Deeks."

Just when she was really beginning to worry, he lifted his head, staring up her from bloodshot eyes, his face drawn.

"Kensi?" he whispered, desperation in his voice.

A/N: Thanks to mashmaiden for helping me with this one!