A/N: I decided it was time Rosa learn a little bit more about Deeks' FLETC journey.

"Where do you want this, Marty?" Rosa asked, carrying a small box of papers and documents from the garage to the office. They called it the office, but it also doubled as a storage room, study, and spare bedroom when the need arose. Right now, they were finally getting around to moving in the last of the things they'd shoved in storage during his and Kensi's hasty move.

"Uh, just stick it on the desk," Deeks answered, hefting a larger box knickknacks. While he started unpacking some small pictures, Rosa laid the contents of the other box on the desk.

"There's a badge in here," Rosa said after a few minutes, and Deeks looked up to see her holding one of his old LAPD shields and wallet.

"Oh, I forgot I even kept that." Deeks walked over, running his fingers over the tarnished metal. In all the time he'd worked for NCIS, he didn't think it had been updated once. It bore the wear and tear of more than 12 years' use. "Huh."

"I didn't realize you were a detective," Rosa commented. She examined both objects with interest, a furrow growing between her brows.

"Yeah, I was promoted a few years after I joined the force," Deeks explained with a shrug. Thinking back, it seemed a lifetime ago.

"You were so much younger!" She'd flipped open the wallet, which still held his Liaison ID, and featured a 30-some year-old Marty Deeks.

"Oh geez, yeah, NCIS isn't always big on updating pictures. Which is kind of surprising given our available technology." Shrugging, he tossed both objects to the side.

Rosa had taken advantage of his distraction to remove several more objects, including a diploma and a small plaque that Deeks easily recognized.

"Is this where you received your training?" she asked, holding up his certificate of completion from FLETC.

"Yeah, everyone at NCIS has to complete the program in order to be a federal agent. Or in my case, investigator."

"What's the difference?"

"We're still working on figuring that out," Deeks said with a self-deprecating grin. "Mostly I've just used it to mess with Sam when he tried to give me grunt work at first."

"You had perfect scores on all your courses. That is impressive, Marty," Rosa told him, and he felt his cheeks heat with the admiration in her voice.

"Well, I had a lot of experience to begin with, so I wasn't exactly starting from the beginning like most of the other candidates."

"Kensi said you were much older though, so that must mean something. And you received this award." She held the "Honor Graduate Award" up as evidence. "Aren't you proud of that?"

"Yes, but…" Deeks trailed off, struggling to finds the words to explain why he didn't feel quite worthy, why he never had. "I guess it just doesn't feel the same as everyone else."

"Well, I am proud of you, and I know Kensi is too," Rosa said firmly. Deeks' throat tightened and he once again was overwhelmed by her continuous faith in him.

"Thank you," he whispered, feeling oddly shy as he ran his fingers through his hair to hide his discomfort.

"You're welcome." Rosa glanced down at the award and diploma with a calculating look. "I think these would fit right over there on that wall."

Deeks chuckled again, not stopping her as she grabbed a hammer, level, and nails.

A/N: I'm not sure if an officer who resigns would be able to keep their badge, but we're pretending they can.