"Daddy, who was that?" Caleb asked as Deeks walked back into the kitchen. Honestly, Deeks was surprised he hadn't come to investigate. The reason became clear a second later when he noticed Caleb had taken his dishwashing duties very seriously.

"It was Kensi," Deeks answered, coming up behind Caleb, and kissing the crown of his head. "Having fun?" He nudged a plastic cup full of water, precariously balanced on the ledge between the two sink basins.

Caleb's eyes shifted impishly as he filled up a mason jar, but otherwise ignored Deeks' comment. "Oh, are you guys going on another date?"

"And how would you feel if we were?"

Instead of answering immediately, Caleb pondered his question for a few seconds, hands drifting aimlessly in the water.

"Happy," he decided. "Because it makes you happy and it makes Miss Blye happy. I can tell because you smile and laugh a lot more when you're together." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "And then maybe if you take her to a really nice restaurant and buy flowers, she'll let you kiss her."

"Oh really?" Grabbing him around the waist, Deeks flung Caleb over his shoulder, heedless of his wet, soapy hands clutching at his shirt. "Sometimes I think you know too much for your own good," Deeks said, mercilessly tickling the bottom edge of his ribs.

"Daaad!" Caleb protested, even as he giggled, and flailed, clutching at Deeks' shirt. "Put me down."

Relenting, Deeks flipped him back on his feet, and smoothed his hair back into place. Or as much as his curls would be tamed.

"So is Miss Blye your girlfriend now?" Caleb asked with his trademark tenacity, and Deeks sighed internally. Sinking to a crouch, he tugged Caleb onto his knee.

"I don't know, kiddo," he told him honestly. "It's complicated."

"Like with you and mom?"

Way to break his heart.

"No, not like me and mom." He was aware of Caleb's unwavering gaze, his little face serious. "There's nothing wrong between me and Kensi. In fact, I'm really happy that I know her and she's in our lives." Caleb's eyes widened hopefully, and Deeks quickly added, "but…we're still figuring things out."

Despite what he'd told Sam Hanna just hours ago, he wasn't prepared to reveal his feelings to the world at large. Or Caleb, who was likely already concocting fantastic versions of the future in his head.

"That's confusing," Caleb said with a frown, and Deeks quickly stifled it when Caleb's mouth narrowed in a glare.

"I'm not laughing at you. It's just that everybody finds this kind of stuff confusing."

"But you do like her."

That was the understatement of the millennium, but he tempered his enthusiasm.

"Yes, I like Kensi very much," Deeks confirmed, which transformed Caleb's frown into a brilliant, toothy grin almost instantly. "Alright, are we good now?"

Caleb nodded, and Deeks kissed his head, squeezing him tightly.

"Sweet. Now you find something for us to watch, and I'll finish these dishes."

Kensi stalked into St. Bridget's the next morning with a purpose. She'd arrived before most of the staff, including the secretary. Which is exactly what she'd hoped for; enough of her personal business had been through the rumor mill recently.

She cut through the office, and stopped outside Sam Hanna's office, giving a perfunctory knock before she stepped inside without waiting for a invite.

Sam looked up, unsurprised to find her there.

"Morning Kensi, what can I do for you? If it's Jason's mom again—"

"Actually, I heard you called Caleb Deeks' dad in for a meeting. I didn't realize there were any issues," she said.

"I think we both know I didn't meet with Marty Deeks to talk about his son," Sam said. "I called him in to address the rumors that have been circulating for the last several weeks and came to a head this weekend."

A small part of her was grateful that he didn't try to conceal the truth from her. The other part though, was just as furious as when Deeks told her.

"Sam, I've never known you to be one to listen to gossip."

"I do when it has the potential to hurt someone I care about. Or this school," he replied calmly. "And I see that potential in Marty Deeks." Kensi made an outraged sound, but her forestalled her with a raised hand before she could speak. "I've never known you to take risks like this before him."

"I went to a gala with him, Sam, we didn't elope to Vegas and get married by someone from Star Trek," Kensi responded acidly. "Do you plan on interceding every time I show interest in a man?"

"Only when he's as smooth talking as this one. "Remember, I promised your dad I'd look out for you."

Kensi rolled her eyes at the age-old issue.

"I'm not 16 anymore, and who I decide to date is not your business. I can take care of myself." She paused and drew herself up a little taller, even as she tried to appeal to Sam's more reasonable side. "Listen, I'll be discreet for the rest of the school year, but I will not stop seeing Deeks. I care about him, and no one, including you, gets to have a say in that."

Sam regarded her with a grim expression for several long moments. She knew all his intimidation tactics from years of experience, so she didn't react. Eventually, he smirked, chuckling softly to himself.

"What?"

"He said something similar." Sam gestured to Kensi, and explained, "About caring about you. Apparently you two are on the same page."

Even though she already knew as much, the confirmation sent a soft wave of pleasure through her.

"Good. Now stay out of my personal life," she said turned to leave and Sam called after her, secure in the knowledge that they were alone,

"Then stop making out on your front porch!"

A/N: I hope you're still enjoying this story. I really want to focus on the relationships, and diving into Kensi and Deeks' lives.