A/N: Written for Kensi's 41st birthday.
Even a few years ago, Kensi wouldn't have imagined she'd be the lady with a backyard full of people and a table laden with summer snacks and drinks to celebrate her birthday. A few years ago, she wasn't even sure she was ready to be a mom, yet here she was with her own home, Rosa playing catch with her boyfriend, and another two kiddos happily cooking away.
In some ways, life was more chaotic than ever. In others, she'd never felt more at peace and sure of the future and her decisions.
She saw Deeks in the corner where they'd set up the grill, watching over Sam's shoulder with what she imagined was an amused grin. As expected, Sam had taken control of barbecue duties shortly after he arrived, ignoring Deeks' insistence that he was a guest.
Patting Sam on the shoulder, Deeks headed back across the yard, directly towards Kensi.
"Hey, baby, can I get you anything?" he asked, once he was a foot or so away. She already had a strawberry mint lemonade and some fruit on the whicker table next to her chair.
"You know, I can walk," Kensi reminded him with a smile. "These babies haven't made me an invalid yet."
"Yes, but as your husband, who can't physically carry said babies, it feels like the least I can do."
She tilted her head, touched by the offer. In the last two and a half months, Deeks had made it his personal mission to keep her well fed and pampered, on top of his normal tendencies. Sometimes she worried he would work himself ragged trying to manage everything, but other times she let him have his way.
"Well, in that case, I'd like two cookies," she decided. Sneaking her hand into his, she tugged on his arm until he got the message and got down to her level. Deeks arched an eyebrow at her, warmth in his eyes as she stole a kiss. "And you."
"You know what I always say, my Ladybird gets whatever she wants," he said with a ridiculous wiggle of his eyebrows. He patted her thigh affectionately, rising with an agility that Kensi envied. She tilted her head, enjoying the view as he sauntered in the direction of the tables set up under a small tent.
A faint jerking in her stomach had her pressing both hands against her stomach. It was an odd sensation, but not painful or uncomfortable at this point. "Somebody's got the hiccups again, huh?" Kensi said, directing her question to her stomach. As if in response, she felt a flutter on her left side.
"Uh-oh, who's acting up this time? Donut or Croissant?" Deeks had returned, a plate in hand. He bent down to kiss Kensi's stomach through her shirt, following it with a brush of his free hand. "Hey, give Mama a break there, kids."
"Pretty sure it's Croissant," Kensi told him. At first, she'd resisted Deeks' pastry related nicknames, but ultimately decided it was better than the Shawarma Twins. Plus, it had kind of grown on her.
"Not even four months old and already causing trouble," he joked. "That's ok, your mom and dad are kind of troublemakers too, so you'll be in good company."
Kensi smiled down at him fondly. She loved how much he talked and interacted with the babies, sharing everything from his favorite music to daily encouragement and little stories.
"What did you bring me?" she asked, attention drifting to the plate again, which held an impressive tower of food.
"Well, I didn't know what you and the Pastry Babies were in the mood for, so I got a little of everything. There's classic chocolate chip, a mocha brownie Mama made—don't worry, they're decaf, lemon bars, and what I think is red velvet, but could be beet since Anna made them." He pointed to each dessert as he listed them, offering Kensi the plate when he finished.
"Ooh, brownie please." She broke it in half, handing Deeks the other piece, explaining when he raised any eyebrow in surprise, "This way I can try all of them."
"God, I love you," he sighed with a massive grin. Together, they happily shared the treats, watching the antics of their guests. Callen had wandered over to Sam and by the look of it, providing unwanted feedback, Rosa and Steven were tossing pretzels into each other's mouths from a distance, and Roberta and Arkady…well, it was probably best if Deeks ignored any of their activities.
"I'm sorry this year's celebration isn't more elaborate," Deeks apologized unexpectedly, raising Kensi's hand to his lips for a soft kiss.
"What do you mean? This is great." Kensi gestured to their yard, now overtaken by their former team, their significant others, Rosa, the moms, and more eating and socializing.
"It is, but I had planned on something a little more intimate." He shrugged.
"I always enjoy whatever you do for my birthday, because it's coming from you. I think this might be the best one yet though. I have you, Rosa, these little miracles," she said, her hand passing over her stomach, gently cupping her four month bump. "41 is looking pretty good so far."
"Yeah, it is," Deeks agreed softly, leaning down to kiss her. "Happy birthday."