A/N: Kensi and Nell have a small conversation. It gets slightly inappropriate and probably quite ridiculous. Set in season 12. Deeks isn't actually present, but he's discussed.

"Hey lady," Kensi said, sitting down across from Nell. She eyed a disgustingly large pile of paperwork spread around Nell's desk. "Do you need some help with all this?"

"Thanks, but I'm actually pretty close to being done," Nell answered, groaning as she poked at a file. "Plus, as temporary operations manager, there's certain things that only I have the authority to do."

"How are you holding up?" Kensi knew that Nell was pretty good at putting her emotions to the side, like they all were, most of the time, but she was surprised by how easily Nell took on the role of manager in Hetty's place. "I mean, this is a huge change and a lot of responsibility to have thrown at you."

"It is a lot and some days I feel like tracking Hetty down, wherever the hell she is, and telling her I don't want to do this anymore." Shaking her head in vague amusement, Nell stood and grabbed a bottle of bourbon and two glasses.

"Most of the time I'm just happy that I'm here and not someone who doesn't know or understand our team. And I tell myself that at some point Hetty will come back and I can return to OPS." That didn't exactly reassure Kensi and it must have shown on her face because smile gently and added, "I promise I'm ok." She set a healthy serving of bourbon in front of Kensi and kept the other for herself.

"Speaking of OPS, what's going on with you and Eric?" Kensi asked. She knew they'd been spending a little more time together since he was staying in the area for at least a little while. They'd both been pretty quiet about it though.

"It's…weird."

"Well, Eric's always been weird. That's part of what we love about him."

"This is a different kind of weird," Nell said, sipping at her drink thoughtfully. "Sometimes it seems like he's been replaced by an alternate universe Eric."

"Yeah, I have noticed he seems a little more…eccentric," Kensi commented.

"That's one word for it." Nell sighed glancing beyond Kensi, like she was picturing Eric standing at the top of the stairs. "But then sometimes there are moments where it seems like he's my old Eric again."

"Wait, did you just call him "your Eric"? Kensi asked, raising her eyebrows when Nell's neck turned a bright cherry color.

"I definitely did not."

"Maybe we can double date when Deeks gets back," Kensi teased and Nell jabbed a finger in her direction.

"Ok, hush you. This conversation is officially closed," she said firmly, pouring a couple more inches of bourbon for Kensi without asking. Kensi thought about pressing the topic a little more, but figured Nell would tell her when she was ready. "What about you?" Nell asked after a couple minutes of companionable silence. "How're you doing?"

"It's hard with Deeks away." She shrugged, not wanting to start a pity party. Which was ridiculously easy to do these days if she let herself. "I miss talking with him, his smile. I miss…everything."

"It's ok, you can say you miss having sex." Nell smirked, clearly pleased with herself when Kensi made a shocked sound.

"Penelope Jones! I can't believe you said that," Kensi gasped. "For the record, I was not thinking that." No, she kept those thoughts for when she was all alone at home.

"Why wouldn't you?" Nell questioned. "Deeks is completely ripped and now he's so far away you can't even enjoy it." Kensi acknowledged that with a nod of her head.

"Yeah, he is, isn't he?" He'd sent her a picture a few days ago post-workout and she'd spent at least five minutes staring at it until Sam had walked in.

"Well, you could always schedule a little long distance private time." Nell raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nell, I am not having phone sex with Deeks while he's at FLETC," Kensi said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"He has a private room," she said simply. "And I'm sure he has plenty of spare time once classes are done."

"What if one of his classmates, or worse, one of his instructors, overheard?"

"I'm sure they'd be extremely jealous of his good fortune."

"Ok, I'm leaving before this conversation gets anymore insane," Kensi said, setting her half-empty glass on Nell's desk.

"You should really consider it!" Nell called after her. "Three months is a long time. Especially when your husband looks like Deeks."

"I'm not listening anymore!"

"Call me if you need suggestions!"