Loyalty can be a powerful thing…also fragile

SOLD OUT

Mission Bull Pen

It was a typical morning for the OSP. Sam and Callen came in with their usual banter, Kensi working bright and early. There was only one thing off. Deeks' desk was empty. Kensi was visibly in a sad mood not having him around. She was trying to read a report before she dropped it and rubbed her eyes, sighing.

"Never gets any easier, does it Kens." Callen said.

"How much longer is this stupid op supposed to take?" She said.

"Deeks wasn't really sure. From what Bates said it was pretty deep." Sam said.

"Why did he take this op? LAPD hasn't shown him any loyalty and he still bends over backwards for them?" She said.

"Deeks is a pro. This is what he does. You are right though. LAPD has been taking advantage of him, calling him in at the worst possible times." Callen said.

Just then a whistle came out. As usual they looked up to the upper level to see Eric, but the look on his face was anything but playful like he usually was.

"You guys need to get up here, now! We have a major problem" He said.

They all stood up and ran up as fast as they possible could. Filing into the Ops center they saw Hetty was already there. "Go ahead, Mr. Beale." She nodded to him to begin the briefing.

"I just received this e-mail 15 min ago." He punched a few keys on his tablet pulling up an e-mail. It was a long winded e-mail about looking to purchase a boat.

"And this matters…why?" Callen said.

"Because of what was encoded into the message." Nell said. Eric typed some keys and certain blocks of text were highlighted and then moved to another window.

Deeks. Status: Immediate Threat of Danger. Need Evac ASAP

"Deeks sent it. He is in trouble." Sam said.

"2 years ago I set up a way for Deeks to communicate to us directly when he was on deep cover ops for LAPD in case he needed backup. As we all know Bates isn't particularly fond of Deeks or his relationship with us." Hetty said.

"That is a bit of an understatement. He has always seen Deeks as expendable." Sam said.

"But not to us. So we are going to pull him out. LAPD be damned." Hetty said.

"What do we know about the op?" Kensi said.

"Deeks went under as a lawyer to help represent a skinhead gang purchase properties to cook and sell meth all across the California coast. LAPD isn't really that forthcoming on their ops." Nell said.

"So much for collaboration." Kensi scoffed.

"I want the three of you to track him down, make contact, and pull him out. Director Vance has given full support to this mission. He is flying out just in case things with LAPD go sour." Hetty said.

"Eric, Nell. Send all the info you have on Deek's backstop to us. We will start at the office and work our way backwards." Callen said.

"On it." Eric said.

"Bring him back home in one piece." Hetty said. All three looked at each other. Normally they would all crack jokes about Deeks but that was when he was just a Liaison Officer. Now he was family. They all three nodded to Hetty as they left.

Apartment complex 5 hours later

Sam pulled the Challenger into a parking spot and they all 3 got out. "You sure this is the place, Eric?" Kensi said into her cell.

"According to the financial records you found in the office there was a lease signed for an apartment there just a few weeks ago. Handwriting matches Deeks." Eric said.

"Ok. Thanks." She said as she hung up.

"Take it slow. Never know who could be watching." Callen said.

They made their way up to the apartment in question when Callen and Kensi moved to each side of the door. Sam knocked on the door. "UPS! Got a package need you to sign for" He said. No one answered. He knocked again.

The lock turned and the door opened real quickly. Deeks poked his head behind the door. His eyes when wide and then softened a bit as he breathed when he saw who it was. "Quick, get in here" He said, franticly.

He opened the door all the way and rushed Sam, Kensi, and Callen in before closing and locking the door.

"Boy, am I glad to…" He started to turn around before he was tackled by Kensi. She threw her arms around him and kissed him as hard as she could.

"If you two love birds don't mind." Sam said, smiling.

Both Kensi and Deeks held up one finger saying One Minute.

"I think we just got stereo shushed." Callen said.

"Yea we did." Sam said.

They finally broke the kiss but kept their foreheads together.

"God I missed you." She said.

"I missed you, too" He said.

He finally let her go and turned to Sam and Callen.

"I'm sorry to pull you guys into this. I haven't had any contact with LAPD for days." Deeks said.

Callen brushed his apology off. "Don't be sorry." He said.

"When were you made?" Sam said.

"A week and a half ago, I think. Everything was going great but then all of the sudden Alex stops contacting me, sends some wannabe thug instead. I start seeing guys tail me. I've been hiding out in various places ever since." He said.

Alex was the subject of his op, trying to use him to get intel.

"So I reach out to my handler and can't reach him at all. I didn't want to risk trying to contact LAPD directly in case lines were compromised or I was being watched." He said as she sat down on the couch, running a hand through his hair.

Callen's phone rang. "Yea Eric?" He said, answering it on speaker.

"Got something big. Frank Michaels, Deeks' handler? It was just announced that he took part in a major bust on a completely different case. I did some digging into LAPD and found out he was pulled from Deeks' op with no official reason." He said.

Everyone was shocked. "So they just left Deeks out to rot?" Sam said.

"Looks that way." Eric said.

"I am going to kick Bates' ass next time I see him. Badge be damned." Deeks said.

"Eric, I want you to set up a monitor on all cameras in the area that can see this apartment. Let us know if anyone comes close." Callen said.

"Will do." He replied.

"Sam and I are going to leave and come back later on tonight with a car that is a little more protected. You two just chill out here for a few hours." Callen said, patting Deeks on the shoulder.

"Ok. But be quick." Deeks said.

"Keep him safe." Sam told Kensi.

"Don't have to tell me twice." She said.

Sam and Callen exited as Kensi locked the door behind them.

"It's going to be ok, Deeks. We will get out of this together." She said as she sat down next to him.

She wrapped her arms around his chest.

"God I have missed you so much." She said. "Please tell me you won't do this again?" She asked.

"I promise. This is it for me. I can't do this anymore." He said, finally starting to relax in her arms. After a few moments he was asleep. She could tell he hadn't slept in days by how tense he was.

4 hours later

It was starting to get mid evening when Kensi's phone rang. She grabbed it and saw it was Callen.

"Callen?" She said as she answered it.

"We are 20 min out. Be prepared to move quickly." He said.

"Copy that." She said as she hung up. She looked down at the sleeping form of Deeks.

"Deeks, wake up!" She said as she nudged him.

He snorted. "Huh?" He said as he opened his eyes.

"They are 20 min out. Get up." She said as she stood up.

He got up and smoothed his clothes out. Kensi pulled her gun and checked it, Deeks doing the same.

Kensi's phone dinged. She pulled it and saw it was a Text from Callen.

In the lot. Eric says it's clear. Move fast. It said.

"They are here. Are you ready?" She said.

"As I'll ever be." He said.

"You go. I'll cover you." She said.

He nodded as he opened the door, checked around the corner and saw it was clear, before slinking his way around the door frame and down the path to the stairs. He ran down them as quickly as possible before darting for the Van Sam was driving. He pulled the door open and jumped inside, scooting over just in time for Kensi to jump in and close the door. "Go!" She said as she closed the door.

Sam took off and they all breathed a sigh of relief. They had made it out. Kensi reached out and took Deeks hand as he breathed to try and get his heart rate down. Kensi handed him her phone which was dialing Ops.

"Eric." He said.

"It's me. We are out." Deeks said.

"Great! Everyone is here to welcome you home." Nell said.

"See you soon." Eric said.

Mission

The door opened and the team walked through the hallway and into the main area. Standing in the center were Hetty, Granger, Eric, Nell and Director Vance.

"Detective. Welcome back" Vance said as he extended his hand out to Deeks.

"Good to see you, sir. Wish it was under better circumstances." He said.

"I'm just here as extra political muscle." He said.

"Good. We might need it. Because I am about to do something that is going to change everything." He said as he turned and walked to his desk. He grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

"It's Deeks. I need to talk to Bates…Now!" He said as he fished through his desk drawer and pulled out a folder.

"I don't care what he says. Put him on." He said, almost yelled.

"Bates. I want you to meet me at the NCIS Boatshed. I am not taking no for an option. If you don't come I will go to you." He said as he hung up.

Deeks walked back to the group. "How about we all take a team field trip to the boat shed?" He said.

The others couldn't help by smile. It was rare to see Deeks on a warpath like this but they were enjoying the ride.

Boatshed

Everyone was standing around the table when the door opened and Bates stepped in. His face showed he was not in the best mood.

"What the hell, Deeks? You call me in at 8 at night to come in to some secret clubhouse?" He said, stomping up to Deeks.

"Really, Bates? You are the last one to be pissed right now." Deeks said, eerily calm.

"You think having your Fed buddies here is going to help you?" Bates said.

Deeks grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. Callen moved to pull Deeks off of Bates but Sam stopped him. He looked at him out of the corner of his eye and shook his head.

"These 'Fed Buddies' as you call them are my family. They have been for years. And when you leave me high and dry with one of the most dangerous and well armed skinhead gangs gunning for me they came to my rescue." Deeks said through gritted teeth, his eyes on fire.

Deeks pulled back and punched Bates across the face. One solid punch knocked Bates to his knees as Deeks shook out his hand, kissing his knuckles.

"You are finished Deeks. You will never work a day in your life ever." Bates said, wiping blood from his mouth.

"It will be your word against several federal agents, one manager, and two directors." Hetty said. Bates just glared at her.

"I am done with you, Bates." Deeks said as he walked over to the table and grabbed the folder. He opened it, grabbing the papers from it and signing his name to them. He took the top page and walked back over to him. He took out his badge and shoved it and the paper into Bates chest.

"I'm done with LAPD." He said.

Vance took the other paper and put it back in the folder. "Let me be the first to welcome NCIS Special Agent Marty Deeks." He said as he placed the folder in a briefcase.

"Go crawl back to wherever you came from. Never reach out to me. You wanted me gone from LAPD, you got it." Deeks said.

Bates stood up, glaring holes in Deeks.

"Oh, by the way Lieutenant, I have issued an order allowed Agent Deeks to use his current service weapon instead of NCIS standard issue. You can bill my agency for it." Vance said as a matter of factly. Bates didn't even respond, he just turned and left.

Deeks sat down on the couch and shook his hand out. "Dang that hurts!" He said.

Kensi walked up with an ice pack. He stood up and she pulled him into a hug. "I'm so proud of you." She whispered.

"I don't know about the rest of you but I believe this is cause for celebration." Hetty said as she and Grainger set out glasses. She produced a bottle of scotch and began to pour into multiple glasses. Grainger passed the glasses out.

"I think I speak for everyone in NCIS now. Agent Deeks, It's about damn time." Vance said as they all drank to Deeks, his new badge, and his return.

I can't say I was completly and totally happy with this one but I really couldn't find ways of making it better so Im going to throw it at the wall and see what sticks. See if you guys like it or not.

This is another one I've actually had prepared for awhile, just never posted it. But since Im going to be gone for a week I wanted to put it up before I go.

Thanks for the continued Reads, Reviews, Follows, and Favorites!

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