A/N: Densimber Day 9. This is an AU for "Sorry For Your Loss" from season 13, where Deeks' knife wound is more significant than on canon.

Deeks hadn't liked this case since the moment Miriam Sivac opened her front door and assumed he was her pool boy/gigolo. It wasn't anything he hadn't dealt with before, but she gave off creepy serial killer vibes. Or at least someone who would have no problem taking out an inconvenient relative or two.

So, it didn't come as much of a surprise when she sold them out. As chaos broke out, Deeks intercepted the nearest guard, knocking the gun from his hand. The guy whipped out a knife with an impressive amount of speed.

The blade slashed across Deeks' forearm, adrenaline blocking out most of the pain as he blocked the next blow with his serving tray. He felt blood trickle up his arm with the force of the movement. The guard took his opportunity to escape, running off towards a vehicle, and Deeks decided not to pursue.

"Deeks!" Kensi called out, mid-run from the sound of it, and hopefully unharmed.

He had just long enough to grab a serviette from the catering van and tie it around his arm before rushing off in Kensi and Callen's direction.

"You know, you could have told us you were back there earlier," Kensi said once shoot out was over and they waited for back up and ambulances. She sounded annoyed, but he knew it masked concern and lingering stress of the last fifteen minutes.

"Where would be the fun in that. Besides, I needed you guys to act naturally," he replied with a grin.

"Excuse me, are too implying that me and Callen don't have the skills to act like you weren't there?"

"I said nothing of the kind."

"Oh no, you just—Deeks, why are you bleeding?" Cutting herself off, she pointed to his injured arm. He'd honestly almost forgotten about it, brushing off most of the pain what with the whole surprise hearse ride and shoot out

"Turns out the guy I took out also had a knife," he answered wryly. He lifted up his arm so she could examine it. "He caught me a little bit."

"That looks like more than a little cut," Kensi observed, her earlier teasing completely replaced by concern. Deeks twisted his arm to see for himself. With the dark napkin, it was harder to tell, but now he saw the fabric was saturated.

"Let me see?" Kensi carefully held his arm in her left, uniting the cloth with the other. Whatever clotting had started must have broken, because as soon as she moved the napkin, blood immediately welled up from the cut. "Oh my god. It must have hit a vein or artery," she said hoarsely.

Replacing the cloth, Kensi pushed down, hard, and now he definitely felt it.

"Aah! Damn it, that really hurts!" he hissed. "It'll be ok," he assured her, even as he felt more blood dripping past the napkin and down his arm.

"Fatima? We need an ambulance here ASAP. Deeks has a cut to his forearm and the bleeding's not stopping," she rattled off, applying pressure the entire time.

It still wasn't enough. A wave of dizziness rocked through him and he felt the first hints of panic. He knew all the statistics about bleeding out. Had seen it happen in real time. At this rate, he didn't have long if it didn't stop soon.

"Deeks?"

"I'm a little dizzy," he managed, unnerved by how unsteady his legs felt.

"Ok, let's sit down." Helping him to the ground, Kensi twisted around, searching through the crowd of people around. "Callen! I need help!"

A fresh wave of blood ran down his arm, making his stomach twist with nausea. He glanced up into Kensi's eyes, which were wide with obvious panic.

He zoned out then, distantly aware of Kensi and Callen discussing a tourniquet. A sharp pain brought him back out of the fog and he screamed, head flying off the ground as he gasped.

Panting, he grabbed onto a handful of dirt, wondering when he'd laid down.

"I'm sorry," Kensi murmured, cupping his cheek. "The ambulance is almost here."

"Issa 'kay."

"Keep talking to me, Deeks, ok?"

"Mmm. Worst funeral ever," he muttered, smiling vaguely when Kensi choked out a quiet sob. A smear of blood streaked across her right cheek. Reaching up, he clumsily tried to wipe it off, but his fingers wouldn't cooperate. Instead, he settled for brushing his knuckles across her skin.

"You're beautiful," he slurred. He blinked, feeling oddly calm.

"No, no, no, no! Deeks. No, don't close your eyes!" Kensi screamed. "Baby, stay awake. It's going to be ok. Just don't leave me."

"Love you, Kens," he murmured.

And the pain stopped.

A/N: Before you burst into tears like I nearly did while writing this, rest assured that Deeks is not dead.