Every breath Kensi took sounded like a freight train barreling through as she tried to stay as quiet and still as possible. It must have taken just a few seconds for the truck to pass by where she hid, yet it seemed like an eternity. Only when it was completely out of sight did she cautiously crawl out of the weeds.
Another wave of dizziness rocked her, and she grabbed onto a spindly tree until is passed. She needed to find some kind of shelter soon, preferably with a phone, because she was fading quickly. The desire to sit back down and rest for a few more minutes was overwhelming.
She had the babies and Deeks and Rosa to think about. They needed her to keep going. Pushing past her exhaustion, Kensi imagined Deeks' smile, then two tiny faces with blonde curls to keep her feet moving as she climbed back onto the gravel road.
Somehow trekking through woods in adverse conditions, with injuries had been a lot easier a few years ago.
"Don't even start," she said to the imaginary Deeks in her head.
She blamed her dizziness and mounting headache for her lack of awareness. She never heard someone approaching from behind.
"Move another step and I'll shoot your kneecap out," a low voice growled from somewhere behind her. She recognized that voice from earlier at the house. Stilling, she quickly slid the knife in her hand into the cuff of her sleeve and held her arms out to the side.
Stopping within touching distance, he ran his hands down her sides and ankles, the muzzle of a gun dragging along her clothes.
"I knew I saw something out here when drove by," he said with a smug voice that made Kensi want to break his nose. "Looks like you're not so smart after all, Special Agent."
Kensi nearly snapped then. She was tired, she hurt, and he was mocking her.
"Before you do anything you'll regret, you should know that I'm pregnant," Kensi told him, working to control her anger. It had worked with the last guy, though he was obviously younger and less experienced.
"Yeah, and I'm a Nigerian Prince. Turn around slowly and if you try anything—"
"You'll shoot my knee out. Yeah, I heard you the first time," Kensi interrupted. She should be terrified, or at the very least worried, but instead she felt a kind of fury induced focus come over her.
She turned, taking in the man's dark blonde hair, about six feet tall, and glasses concealing his upper face. He grabbed her arm, pushing her in front of him as he began leading them back the way she'd come.
They went maybe a few hundred yards before the truck came into sight, and she knew she needed to act now or lose her chance. On the next step, stumbled forward a step, letting the knife slide back into her hand, and as he reached to grab her, she spun, aiming for his ribs. She knew she made contact when he reared back with a roar of pain.
Kensi jerked the knife back out, adopting a fighting stance as he pressed his hand to his side, coming away with blood.
"You're going to pay for that," he promised.
Deeks had two choices: take one of the vehicles and backtrack along the gravel road, or head into the woods on foot. He didn't know how severe any of Kensi's injuries were, but he couldn't see her heading into the open where she'd be more vulnerable.
Working mostly on instinct, he made a snap decision, and headed for the woods. A few feet in, he found a clearly defined boot print in a patch of mud. Deeks bent to examine it. He instantly recognized the familiar pattern of treads and the shape of the outline.
"Thank god you wore boots today, Kensi," he murmured, rising. There was another less obvious print a few more yards, and he followed it along with the signs of trampled foliage.
The path deviated a little here and there, which concerned Deeks slightly. Based on the depth of the boot prints, she hadn't been running, meaning she hadn't been chased. Or at least he hoped.
A few times he had to guess that Kensi continued straight when the signs dropped off for more than a few yards. Eventually though, the trees began to think, and he knew he'd was reaching the other side of the woods. He knew Kensi wouldn't have stopped unless she was seriously hurt, but he still felt his stomach sink in disappointment when he stepped out onto a gravel road and found it completely empty.
He started jogging along the road, hoping it wasn't taking him farther from Kensi. He'd made it about half a mile when he heard a distant, yet piercing cry coming from the same direction. He broke into a full out run, shoes skidding on the gravel in his haste. A couple more shouts filled the air as he got closer, and then he drew even with a dust-covered truck, and two people on the ground.
Kensi was sprawled on the ground, fighting a man who just have been Ricky Dorton. She landed a punch squarely in his face, and she managed to crawl a few feet away before he grabbed her again, forcing her down with a rough movement, and pinning her down with his body.
Rage and fear filling him, Deeks ran the last few feet and jerked the man off Kensi, throwing him off balance. Not giving him time to react, he slammed his fist into the guy's head repeatedly until he collapsed to the ground with a pained exhalation, his eyes slipping shut. Deeks unceremoniously cuffed him and tossed his weapon out of reach, then rushed to Kensi's side.
"Kensi," he breathed out, his voice trembling. She hadn't moved. He touched her shoulder, and she groaned, rolling onto her back, blinking slowly.
"Deeks." She sat up far more quickly, and threw herself against him, arms tightening around his shoulders. Fine shudders ran through her entire body. He could tell she'd fought hard from the dust and dirt covering clothes and the scrapes covering what's kind was visible.
"Oh my god, baby. Are you ok? Your head." He brushed her hair back from the temple not tucked into his body, cradling her skull with the other hand as he checked for injuries. Blood crusted along her hairline over a nasty bruise.
"I think I have a concussion, but I'm ok," she said into his neck. "We're ok."
"Oh my god," he repeated. "You scared me, baby."
"Me too. But it's gonna be ok. You found us." Her fingers bit into his sleeves, clutching at him, and he held her just as tightly. Relief filled him even as he thought that he'd almost been too late.
A/N: Yay, everyone's ok!