A/N: Takes place between the fight and plane scenes in "A Line in the Sand".
"What you're saying to me is that if I don't leave my job, you are leaving me."
"That's not fair and that's not what I said."
"That's exactly what you said to me!"
He shouldn't have said anything. He should have waited until the case was over, when they weren't so stressed, when Mosley wasn't set on destroying everything in her path to get her son back.
There were so many things he should have done differently.
Deeks pulls into the driveway, turning off the ignition, and resists the urge to smash his fist through the driver's window. After he'd been summarily escorted from NCIS premises, he'd been too shocked to do anything other than go home.
His shock has settled into regret, and anger. Anger at himself. And Kensi. He can't believe that she thinks so little of him and didn't give him a chance to explain himself.
If he'd only had a few more minutes before Mosley had him forcibly removed, he could have reasoned with her. Could've explained that he never truly meant to give Kensi an ultimatum. He could have straightened things out.
Or maybe it wouldn't have made any difference.
He drags himself inside, needing to move, but not sure what to do. If he goes anywhere near NCIS property, he wouldn't put it above Mosley to have him arrested.
As he walks in the living room, Deeks' eye catches on one of their engagement pictures. He's holding Kensi in his arms, and they're both grinning as they stare into one another's eyes. His breath hitches, and he feels himself begin to spiral at the reality that he may be losing all of this. He might have already lost it, and a wave of grief hits him.
With a shaking hand, he grabs his phone, and taps out a text, asking Kensi to call him. It appears underneath her last message to him, something about grabbing takeout if they got the chance. He paces around the house, straightening random items to keep his mind from completely derailing.
When half an hour passes without a response, he dials Kensi's number. It immediately goes to voicemail, and he pinches the bridge of his noise, and he inhales shallowing. "Hey Kens, I know you don't want to hear from me right now, but I can't leave things like this. Not if you're going to Mexico. Please—" he clears his throat. "Please call me back."
Closing his eyes, he sinks to the floor.
Deeks is still awake when the sun rises the next morning. Kensi hadn't responded to his call or any of his texts. In the light of day, his anger and disbelief has settled into a sort of resignation.
Even if Kensi and he are over, there's no way he's letting her go to Mexico without him.
Grabbing his phone again, he calls Bates' direct line.
"Sir, I need a favor," he says.
At least he'll see Kensi one more time.