#Helicopters and Hetty

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 Rewatch: “Game of Drones”

The basics: A bombing at a drone facility kills one, injures another and sets off the search for some terrorists in Los Angeles.

Written by: R. Scott Gemmill wrote/cowrote “The Only Easy Day”, “Brimstone”, “Breach”, “LD50”, “Found”, “Borderline”, “Absolution”, “Archangel”, “Tin Soldiers”, “Impostors”, “Cyberthreat”, “Honor”, “The Watchers” and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 “Touch of Death” episodes, “Recruit”, “Free Ride”, “Wanted”, “Ravens and The Swans”, “Impact”, “War Cries”, both ends of the “Deep Trouble” season five finale/season six premiere, “Inelegant Heart”, “Praesidium”, “Traitor”, “Active Measures” (season seven premiere), “Blame It On Rio”, “Internal Affairs”, “Matryoshka” part one, "Talion" (season seven finale), “High Value Target”/”Belly of the Beast” (season eight premieres), “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Under Siege”, “Unleashed” (season eight finale), “Party Crashers” (season nine’s premiere), “This Is What We Do” (episode 200), “Các Tù Nhân”, “Goodbye Vietnam”, “Ninguna Salida” (the season nine finale), “Hit List”, “Asesinos”, “Till Death Do Us Part”, “Choke Point”, “The Guardian”, “Hail Mary”, “Kill Beale Vol. 1”, “Alsiyadun”, “Fortune Favors the Brave”, “The Bear” (season 12 premiere), “Angry Karen”, “Love Kills”, “Russia, Russia, Russia”, “The Noble Maidens”, “A Tale of Two Igors” (season 12 finale), "Subject 17" (season 13 premiere), "All The Little Things", “MWD” and “Work and Family”.

Directed by: Kevin Berlandi. Berlandi is new to NCIS: Los Angeles. He has directed episodes of Criminal Minds, Bull and Partner Track.

Guest stars of note: Kavi Ramachandran Ladnier returns as NCIS Reserve Agent Shyla Dahr from “Work and Family”. Both Natalia Del Riego as Rosa Reyes and Richard Gant as Raymond Hanna are back from “Come Together”. Jennifer Marshall as Navy Commander Neal, Jamil Zraikat as Cyrus Karimian, Jenapher Zheng as Janice Ng, Anna Rajo as Maria Estevez, Turhan Troy Caylak as Darius “Bunny” Vale and Ramona Dubarry as Monica Tavares

Our heroes: Are back at it for season 14.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen: Asks to bring Hetty’s remains home from Syria if she was the one who perished. Sam: Bringing his father to an activity center so he can swim, play pool and poker. Kensi: Sniper. Deeks: Would have been killed without Sniper Wife. Fatima: Doling out assignments. Rountree: Starts an interview with an engineer and ends up defending what he does. Kilbride: Commandeering helicopters.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen: Self-titled world’s coolest uncle. Sam: Not thrilled his father broke away from the activity center. Kensi: First day school drop off. Deeks: Not built for first day school drop off or public restrooms. Fatima: Old show went into syndication so Fatima has cool new wheels. Rountree: Calculus is better than is algebra. Kilbride: Betting his non-existent grandchildren.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange? Not in a schoolhouse/safe house in Syria although some of her alias IDs were.

Who's down with OTP: Kensi and Deeks get to be anxious parents dropping Rosa off for her first day at school. They have a long and serious conversation bracketed between some Deeks jokes about how brutal their jobs can be, how awful the world is and that letting Rosa into the world to be her best self is an act of faith that the world will be kind.

Who's down with BrOTP: Not a lot of BrOTP situations. Callen works with Fatima, Rountree is mostly solo and Sam is only around at the end.

Fashion review: Callen is wearing a red, white and blue plaid button-down. Long sleeve black tee-shirt for Sam. Kensi wears a blood-red tee-shirt. Deeks starts the episode in a pale purple tee-shirt before wearing an LAFD fire inspector/marshal’s uniform undercover. White turtleneck for Fatima with a buttery looking black leather jacket (spectacular!). Rountree is wearing a blue, white and grey jacket over a pale blue tee. Dark blue three-piece suit, white dress shirt and blue and white tie for the Admiral.

Music: Not today.

Any notable cut scene: See music.

Quote: Kensi: “You know, all this is making me feel like I want to call Rosa and check in on her.” Deeks: “Okay, pull up on that stick there, helicopter mom, because she's fine. You just need to give her some space and time to find herself and-and to grow. Put the phone down.” Kensi: “Yeah, I know, but how many parents dropped their kids off at school only to never see them again because of another school shooting” Deeks: “Okay, you can't, you can't think like that.” Kensi: “How can you not think like that?” Deeks: “I mean, all right, you can consider the possibility, you can do the drills, but at some point, you just have to give in and believe in a greater good. I just feel like that's getting harder and harder to do. Yeah, well, that's why they call it faith.”

Anything else: A security guard is making his way through an engineering firm. The firm builds drones. The guard’s route is very deliberate, logging in and out of areas as he makes his way through building. As he gets near the exit, he sees a janitor’s cart just off the entrance.

Exiting the building, the guard locks up and logs out. There is a massive explosion. The guard is thrown ten feet from the door and fiery debris lands all around him.

Cue the new credits – a little red in the logo.

A really overprotective Kensi and Deeks are dropping Rosa off at school. Deeks is worried about bullying which makes Rosa nervous about bullying. Kensi and Deeks will pick her up after school but will text if there is a delay. There is a back-up plan with “Naomi’s mom”. After reviewing the alarm code for the house and the panic code, Rosa is finally on her way. Kensi and Deeks rethink their plan with home schooling a possibility. Deeks announces “I’m not built for this.”

As Sam is ready to take his father to an adult activity center, Raymond is walking around in his pajamas and slippers. Raymond is has no interest in “adult day-care”. Sam sells the place which has a gym, pool and library. Raymond is fine with Sam leaving him at a gym, a pool or a library. Sam notes this place has all three. The two bicker before Sam asks Raymond to just try the place. Since they have billiards and poker, Raymond is a little more interested but disappointed that the poker games aren’t for money. “The only fun is when you’re winning real money.” Mrs. Williams, Raymond’s caretaker, will be picking him up at the end of the day. Raymond complains about her driving. He’s also not keen on the idea of making new friends at the activity center since as soon as you get to know someone, they die. The only new things there are hips and pacemakers. Sam is patient with his father as he makes old age jokes.

Arriving through the side door, Fatima sees Callen looking at party venues. She offers some help – she’s good at planning things. Callen was looking for wedding venues. Fatima asks what does Anna want. Anna is torn between a trip to City Hall and Arkady’s dream of recreating “Doctor Zhivago”, complete with horses and snow. Fatima asks if Callen has a theme – traditional, fantasy, cosplay. Callen asks about “fantasy” and Fatima goes on including Sam as a troll, Deeks as a pixie, Kilbride as a wizard. Shaking his head, Callen tells Fatima he’s going to run these roles by them to see what they think. Fatima says no. “It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Callen replies. Fatima knows he’s kidding and asks that he not. Shyla interrupts, Kilbride needs to see Callen.

Walking to Kilbride’s office, Callen asks Shyla what’s up. She isn’t sure but there has been a communique from Syria. In his office, Kilbride tells Shyla to hold his calls and patch the Commander through to the plasma in his office. Commander Neal pops up on the screen. With the help of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Neal and her team were doing some recon work. At an abandoned school, known to be a safehouse, there was an ambush. Human remains were found, burned beyond recognition. One body had documents identifying them as Trudy Chambers, an American female. Callen looks stunned. Asking if the remains of Chambers were that of a small woman, Neal confirms they were. Dental records and DNA is still be checked. She will contact them when they have an ID. Trudy Chambers is one of Hetty’s aliases.

In Ops, Fatima arrives and asks Shyla what’s the new case. There is television coverage of the explosion and fire at Havlock/Haines Aerospace the prior night. Havlock/Haines builds remote piloted vehicles for the Navy. A janitor was killed, the security guard was badly injured. ATF said the bomb was nitroamine high explosive. The dead janitor was Luis Estevez, the guard Morgan Reynolds. Neither fits the profile of a bomber – more wrong place, wrong time. Fatima will go to the crime scene with Callen, Kensi and Deeks will look into the janitor while Rountree looks into the security guard. Shyla seems a little surprised that Fatima is doling out assignments – that is usually the job of a more senior agent. Since Shyla does not see a more senior agent in Ops, “go get ‘em girl,” is her advice.

Asking if the remains will be flown back to the US, Kilbride tells Callen they will be if they are positively identified. Callen wants to accompany them. Kilbride agrees. Callen then brings up Harris Keane, who was travelling with Hetty. Once the forensic team completes their work, the Admiral thinks they’ll know more. Knowing if she was ambushed at a safe house – even if it wasn’t Hetty – Callen believes she’s in danger. Kilbride disagrees – Hetty was in danger the minute she went back to Syria. And there are no safe houses in Syria right now. But since this is Hetty, she has more lives than a barn cat and is just as mean. Callen nods his head in agreement.

In the boatshed’s main room, Kensi and Deeks are speaking to Maria Estevez, daughter of janitor Luis Estevez. After offering condolences, they asks Maria about her father. He liked working as the night janitor – the money was good and it left him time during the day for other projects. As a skilled carpenter and mason, Estevez worked construction jobs when they came up. Kensi asks when did he sleep. Maria has an immediate answer – Sundays. During family dinners in the fall, he’d doze off watching football. Deeks asks why did Estevez work two jobs. Maria explains that years ago, her immigrant father worked two jobs to make ends meet. In recent years, especially after the death of his wife/Maria’s mother from COVID two years ago, it was to keep busy. Estevez did not work with explosives but loved fireworks. The Estevez family loved to put on a display. Asking if there were any financial issues, drugs, enemies, Maria states her father was a gentle and caring man who did anything to help others. Since Maria was told Estevez died in a factory accident, she wants to know what’s going on. Kensi and Deeks would like to see Estevez’s home.

A sullen Callen is a bit surprised by Fatima’s new Porsche. She explains her old TV show was just sold into syndication. When Callen notes the vehicle isn’t subtle, Fatima replies that in LA, subtle stands out. Callen is still distracted so Fatima asks if he is OK. He updates her about the body found in Syria. Fatima offers condolences and asks if they can do anything. They can’t so they should work the case.

Calling in to Ops from outside the hospital, Rountree has no luck with the security guard. He’s lawyered up but even if he didn’t, his doctor said he was in no condition to be questioned. Shyla notes he was healthy enough to find a lawyer. The Admiral wants the hospital staff and the lawyer to be put on notice, “as soon as he can eat his Jell-O, he better start talking.” Shyla is going to get a warrant to search Reynolds’s residence while the Admiral wants to question the staff at Havlock/Haines about Reynolds.

At the crime scene, Callen and Fatima are in the bombed out facility. The sleek, modern place is now a mass of burnt walls, cables and wires hanging from the ceiling, rubble all over. Speaking to executive Monica Tavares, she explains that the explosion is a financial hit to the company. Not only do they have to rebuild but they are not going to meet certain orders from contracts. Callen asks if she knows who would do something like this. Tavares has a list – anarchists, right-wing extremists, anti-war activists. Fatima asks about industry rivals or disgruntled employees. There are some – a few staffers left after they started working for the government – conscientious objections to making “weapons of war”. When Fatima asks for contact info, Taveras agrees to cooperate but makes it clear, none of them would blow up the building.

Callen asks if there were any other issues in recent weeks and months. Nothing as obvious as blowing up the facility but Havlock/Haines has been subject to a “relentless” series of cyber-attacks. The company is working on where they are coming from but no luck finding who is behind them. Callen gets a call from Shyla who has the terribly burned corpse of Luis Estevez on the big screen (ick, show, ick). Estevez was already dead for several hours when the explosion occurred.

Later speaking to Fatima, if Estevez was dead before the explosion, they likely used him to get into the building. Fatima agrees – the bombers killed Estevez, used his ID to get into the building, probably put his body and the bomb into something like a cleaning cart. That would be Fatima’s plan. Callen finds it scary but thinks it would be a good way to dispose of the body. Fatima agrees – it would make it look like Estevez died in the explosion.

Walking around the immaculate home of Luis Estevez, Kensi is on the phone with Callen. Thinking unless he was Jekyll and Hyde, Kensi believes Estevez was Mr. Rogers only more neat. Callen wants Kensi to check if Maria has power of attorney so they can access his phone and financials. Fatima asks about home security but Estevez barely locked is doors. Fatima wants to check the neighbors’ security systems to see if anyone was following Estevez. Kensi will ask. They also want Kensi to ask about Estevez’s daily routine. Meanwhile, Estevez’s Jeep is going to NCIS’s carport – they will check to see if he had GPS.

Moving to the kitchen, Maria is packing up the food in her father’s home. She talks about her father’s truck. Deeks assures her the truck will be released to the family when NCIS is done with it. Maria seems less worried about that, more thinking about how much her father loved the truck. It was his first ever new vehicle. Kensi asks about power-of-attorney. Maria got it after her mother passed away, her father got all his paperwork in order. Kensi tells Maria that they can take info from her father’s phone and financial records and maybe find who killed him. Maria is weeping. Deeks looks so uncomfortable. Kensi, seeing Maria’s distress, asks if she would be able to come up with her father’s daily routine, “Can you do that?” Maria says she can try.

Outside of the house, Kensi and Deeks are wrecked about the pain of the day. Deeks makes a joke about the pain being as bad as kidney stones, annoying Kensi. He extends to the joke to childbirth, leading Kensi to calling him an idiot. When Deeks says he’s joking, Kensi wants to know why. “Because if I don’t joke, this job is too sad for me to keep doing it.” Kensi understands but thinks he’s an idiot – a loveable one. All the sadness has Kensi wanting to call Rosa and see if she’s OK. Deeks stops her – this is Rosa’s time to “find herself and to grow.” Kensi brings up school shootings, something Deeks does not want to think about. It is what Kensi thinks about. Deeks tells her they can do the drills and prepare Rosa the best they can but at some point “you just have to give in and believe in a greater good.” Kensi finds that hard to do but Deeks tells her that’s what faith is. “I mean George Michael even wrote a song about it.” Deeks makes some George jokes.

Arriving at Ops, the Admiral wants a sit-rep. Shyla fills him in on the team’s status. She is also working with NCIS CYBER to find who is behind the cyber-attacks against Havlock/Haines. The Admiral figures that whoever did this was willing to kill an innocent man and used high end explosives – they are not militia “idiots”. Shyla suggests industrial espionage – a rival company that wants some of the hundreds of millions of dollars available in military contracts. The Admiral is rooting for that because the alternative is state sponsored terrorism.

As Kilbride walks back to his office, Callen calls up from the bullpen, looking for news about the remains and Trudy Chambers. Kilbride assures Callen he would have updated him if there was any news from Syria. The Admiral’s more pressing concern is whoever blew up Havlock/Haines since they like aren’t done. He wants Callen focused on the task at hand and not Hetty. “Now go catch these bastards before they strike again.”

In the carport, Fatima is working on Estevez’s truck. She tells Callen that the vehicle was wiped clean – she can still smell the bleach. Callen gets a call from Alex asking if she wants to hang out with Jake. Fatima wishes she had a niece or nephew – it seems like fun. Callen agrees it is while they are young. When they get a little older, less time for the world’s coolest uncle and more time for teenage girls. Fatima asks if Callen gave himself the designation of world’s coolest uncle. Callen wants to know who is cooler than he is? After Fatima laughs, she announces he’s cool, “like supercool.” “Let’s not oversell it.”

In the boatshed, Rountree and Shyla on the plasma are chatting. He is meeting with Janice Ng who left Havlock/Haines when they started working for the DoD. Shyla gets an alert from CYBER – the source of the attack is coming from Beirut, Lebanon.

With Fatima and Callen back in Ops with Shyla, they are discussing Lebanon being an US ally but Hezbollah, a militant group with a political arm, is not. Callen brings up two Hezbollah operatives who were arrested in the US for planning acts of terrorism. Those arrests were for fundraising and weapon buys but things may have gotten more aggressive since the US’s relationship with Iran gets worse. Iran funds a lot of Hezbollah’s actions. Asking about Estevez’s truck, Callen tells Shyla that the truck was wiped clean as was his GPS. Callen wants a list from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of any known Hezbollah members in the US, especially anyone on the West Coast.

In the boat shed, Janice Ng explains she joined Havlock/Haines to be part of the team that put the first person on Mars. She did not sign up to build weapons of mass destruction. Rountree tells her the drones aren’t weapons of mass destruction. Ng disagrees – they could be armed with a nuclear weapon. Rountree points out they aren’t but Ng thinks he’s being naïve. But she thinks it is Rountree’s job to cover up the military’s crimes against humanity. Explaining that it isn’t his job to cover up anything, Rountree is there to find the truth about who set the bomb at Havlock/Haines. Ng is annoyed – since she quit for not wanting to be “a warmonger”, she’s being treated as a suspect. She’s waiting for Rountree to beat a confession out of her.

Deeks arrives at the boat shed with Kensi right behind him. Rountree explains that he isn’t there to beat a confession out of Ng. Pointing to his wife, Deeks tells Ng that what Kensi is there to do as he walks into the restroom. Kensi tells Ng Deeks is just kidding. Rountree updates Kensi on his questioning and Ng lawyers up. Rountree tells her she doesn’t need a lawyer. After she warns them against railroading her, Rountree just cuts Ng loose.

Sighing that it is just “one of those days”, Rountree tells Kensi he’s gotten nothing from the former Havlock/Haines staffers. Kensi explains that they got some security footage and were going to Ops when “somebody needed a potty break.” Deeks returns from the restroom where they’re out of towels so he airdries his hands all over Kensi and Rountree. He explains that he would rather use their restroom than some public restroom. Rountree is more concerned that some of Deeks’s air-drying got into his mouth.

Contacting Ops, Kensi pulls out the thumb drive with the security camera footage and sends it to Shyla. Shyla has camera footage from other places as she tries to stitch together Estevez’s day. Kensi and Deeks are on their way to Ops to help Shyla. Deeks signals to Rountree that he probably shouldn’t use the restroom.

In the bullpen, Callen is reviewing some street camera footage with Fatima. With the coroner estimating Estevez’s time of death around 4PM, Callen sees white van for Bunny Vale Laundry and Dry Cleaning outside of his house at 11AM. The branded van is still there two-hours later. While it could be a long lunch or a day off, it is just as likely a stakeout. In Ops, Shyla has info on Bunny Vale Laundry, a chain in LA. Tracing the specific van, for the last few days, it was always near Estevez, either at his home or following him around.

Bunny Vale Laundry is owned by Darius “Bunny” Vale and his wife Sara. They are first-generation Persian-Americans, born in America. No links to Hezbollah but Fatima wonders if Vale is using his business as a front. There is a laundering money suggestion from Shyla – she really does fit right in. Callen and Fatima are going to speak to Vale.

In interrogation, Darius “Bunny” Vale is on the wrong side of the table. Callen shows him a photo of the laundry truck outside of Estevez’s home. Vale claims to have over a dozen vans like it. Callen tells Vale the van was used in a crime. Vale was worried something like that would happen – the van was stolen. Callen mentions there was no police report but Vale says the truck was gone for a while and then returned. He never knew it was missing until one of his employees found it. Since there was no damage to the van, he didn’t report it, figuring it was some teenage joyriders. The van was found near one of Vale’s locations by an employee who was with Vale for years. “Anything else?”

Pulling out his phone, Callen shows Vale Estevez’s dead body. Vale expresses his disgust in Farsi. Callen explains that Estevez was a father and a grandfather who was likely murdered in Vale’s van. When the forensic team goes through the “stolen” van, if they find any evidence Vale will be connected to Estevez’s murder and the attack on Havlock/Haines. Fatima asks how long as Vale supported Hezbollah. Vale is stunned – he’s never supported Hezbollah. Callen threatens a trip to Guantanamo Bay but Vale claims he had nothing to do with what happened.

When Callen says “last chance” to Vale, he explains he can’t help, “they’ll hurt my family.” Fatima offers protection but Vale is speaking about his family in Tehran. While NCIS has agents all over the world, they are not in Iran. Fatima tells him the threat is to his family in the US as well as Iran. If he helps them, they can stop threat.

Vale explains that two men demanded a van, was told if he didn’t cooperate his family in Iran would pay the price. He was told to not ask any questions and to not tell anyone. Vale gave them the van and then the van was returned. Vale doesn’t have much information – he didn’t know the men, he didn’t know where they were staying. In Farsi, Fatima tells Vale he needs to help them. He is in danger if he doesn’t cooperate. Vale mentions a friend named Ava who was threatened as well. She had to provide a place where the men could work. Callen wants Sam called in – this is a full team operation.

Joining Callen, Fatima and Rountree at an office park, Sam and the team are all wearing their kevlar with the big guns out. He thinks this assignment is easier than getting his father to behave. When Fatima asks how Raymond is doing, Sam replies he’s doing everything possible to make him crazy. The Admiral has had enough chit-chat – and Deeks isn’t even involved. Fatima and Rountree take one entrance, Sam and Callen take another. Shyla tells the team the building is owned by Ava Safari with only a 26% occupancy rate due to COVID. The terrorists are set-up on a vacant office floor. The Admiral considers them armed and they are dangerous since they have access to high end explosives. He warns them of booby traps. That doesn’t sit well with Deeks, who is dress as a fire marshal/inspector. “I’m not the bomb disposal guy.”

Deeks walks through one of the offices. It is empty though there is a cot and a lantern flashlight in an open area. He is approached by a man asking why Deeks is there. After saying he’s happy the place is rented again, Deeks claims to be LAFD there for the building’s monthly inspection. The man wants Deeks to leave and return the following day. Deeks explains he can’t do that. Deeks is walking ahead of the man, through the office. He is rambling about the inspecting the Nakatomi Plaza – nice “Die Hard” shoutout – and puts on soundproof headphones because he’s about to set off the building’s alarms. The man behind Deeks pulls out his gun. Kensi says “weapon” and takes out the man from an office building a healthy distance away. “Tango down.” Deeks seems surprised.

Callen and Sam join Deeks – “Nice shot honey,” Deeks calls to Kensi. He starts talking about having a BB right under his scalp from being shot by Darrel Dinkins. Sam mentioned the BB migrating to Deeks’s brain. An arriving Fatima and Rountree enjoy the show. Deeks tells Sam he missed him. “I bet you did.”

While Fatima sends the dead man’s prints to Ops, Callen has the dead man’s burner phone and wants to Shyla to check the contacts and any GPS info. Sam finds a Canadian passport for the dead man issued to Cyrus Karimain from Fort Erie, Ontario. It is likely a fake. Sam has four other passports for four other men. There may be an entire cell in Los Angeles.

Deeks find a trash pail full of shredded documents. One looks like a map but he could only figure it out if he was the Amazing Kreskin. Fatima doesn’t know who the Amazing Kreskin is. “That was before Google,” Sam tells her. Callen finds something and shows it to Sam. It is a symbol of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s staff college. The men in the office aren’t Hezbollah, they are Iranian special operatives who usually train proxies to fight, not do the fighting themselves. The Admiral knew this was state sponsored and is willing to bet his grandchildren that the drones that took out Soleimani was manufactured by Havlock/Haines. Shyla notes the Admiral doesn’t have grandchildren. “This team America, is payback.”

Tracing the location of the cellphone numbers in the dead man’s phone, they are all traveling on the PCH, just passing Malibu. While Deeks thinks they are surfers, Sam realizes they’re going to Point Magu. Point Magu is the home of the Triton drone project. The Admiral wants the team in helicopters on their way to the base in two minutes. When Shyla asks how, the Admiral doesn’t care – Coast Guard, National Guard, borrow a TV traffic helicopter.

At Point Magu’s entrance, a Bunny Vale Landry Van shoots its way past a guard station. The sole guard tries to fire on the men but is overwhelmed by four men with military weapons. Driving the van into the base, there are two barrel in the back with explosives. The men all exit the van before it plows into a trailer with a satellite on top. Since this is NCIS: Los Angeles, there is a massive explosion.

One of the men tries to enter a structure next to the structure that just was blown up. He has a keycard to get in but the door does not open. Callen comes out from the side of the structure and tells the man “nobody’s home.” The men are surrounded by Callen and Sam on the right, Kensi, Fatima and Rountree on their left and Deeks from the top of the structure. Behind the on the ground team is more armed Navy sailors. It was set-up as a kill box. Fatima starts ordering the men to surrender in Farsi. The men surrender. Deeks wonders how he is getting off the building – he asks Rountree to catch him.

Stepping away, Sam has a call from Mrs. Williams, his father’s caretaker. Raymond left the activity center without the caretaker. He instead left with a woman named Victoria. Callen is impressed – one day at the activity center and Raymond has a girlfriend. Callen thinks Sam could learn a little something from his father.

In the armory, Kensi, Deeks, Fatima and Rountree are dropping off their gear. Fatima thinks they should go out for drinks and Rountree should pay. This surprises Rountree until Fatima says she’s buying. Deeks offers to take everyone out to dinner if Rosa could join them. Kensi steps in – not on a school night. Deeks asks how is Rountree’s calculus. It is better than his algebra but it is not very good.

Pouring two glasses of scotch, the Admiral offers an arriving Callen a glass. Callen asks if he is going to need it. The Admiral thinks the longer Callen stays in their business, he will but he won’t need it today for Hetty “Not now anyway,” he tells Callen. The remains were of a female child, not Hetty. Callen asks why were Hetty’s IDs found on a dead child. The Admiral thinks Hetty planted them. Without the forensics the US military has, anyone who saw the remains and the ID thinks Hetty is dead. Thinking Hetty is in trouble – and the Admiral saying she was in the trouble the minute she went to Syria, Callen asks for permission to look for her. That’s a no from the Admiral. If they had actionable intel, they would go. Until then, Hetty is on her own.

Saying he has a lot of personal time, Callen is thinking of going anyway. The Admiral makes it clear LA just had foreign terrorists attack a building and a Naval Station so there will be no going halfway around the world “searching for your surrogate mommy.” Telling the Admiral to enjoy his scotch, Callen storms out. The Admiral drinks his own scotch and then Callen’s untouched glass, saying he intends to.

Not enjoying his scotch is Sam, sitting with a glass at his dining room table. Raymond sneaks in almost like a teenager caught by his parents. Sam asks where his father was. Raymond said he took Sam’s advice and made some friends. Sam thinks Raymond should have called. Raymond is sure he sent a text but he didn’t. This is every parent-child discussion about being out late with friends, just with the roles reversed. When Raymond says he’s not a child, Sam tells him he's acting like one. Yep, parent-child in reverse. Sam is angry that Raymond “hooked up with a woman on your first damn day. An angry Raymond talks about Victoria, who is married to Cliff, a bedridden veteran. After his time at the activity center, Raymond went to see Cliff, providing him such much needed company. Sam is instantly remorseful until Raymond makes it clear that he also provided Victoria some much needed company. Sam isn’t sure his father is joking as Raymond says good night.

They changed the fonts on the credits too.

What head canon can be formed from here: Sort of an update to the season 13 finale – Callen is looking at wedding venues, Sam is dealing with his father, Kensi and Deeks are taking Rosa to her first day of school. Family continues to play a big part.

Shyla is great with the team. She has a different relationship with Kilbride – more casual and fun than any of the team members.

Visiting the bombed out drone place had to be pretty brutal to Callen, who less than an hour earlier learned his “surrogate mommy” may have met her end in a similar action.

The Kensi and Deeks conversation about doing their jobs in the world we live in has been going on now since season eight. This was another variation of it with Kensi sounding a little more done this time.

The program used real events – the arrest of two Hezbollah terrorists, the bombing of Soleimani- to make the story go.

Episode number: Season 14 (a healthy run for any program), episode one. Episode 303 overall. These recaps will go up every Friday (save one in mid-March) until season 14 wraps.

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: Sports Biographies & Memoirs

One Jump at a Time by Nathan Chen

When three-year-old Nathan Chen tried on his first pair of figure skates, magic happened. But the odds of this young boy--one of five children born to Chinese immigrants--competing and making it into the top echelons of figure skating were daunting. Chen's family didn't have the resources or access to pay for expensive coaches, rink time, and equipment. But Nathan's mother, Hetty Wang, refused to fail her child. Recognizing his tremendous talent and passion, she stepped up as his coach, making enormous sacrifices to give Nathan the opportunity to compete in this exclusive world.

That dedication eventually paid off at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, where Chen--reverently known as the Quad King--won gold, becoming the first Asian-American man to stand at the highest podium in figure skating. In this moving and inspiring memoir Chen opens up for the first time, chronicling everything it took to pursue his dreams. Bolstered by his unwavering passion and his family's unconditional support, Chen reveals the most difficult times he endured, and how he overcame each obstacle-from his disappointment at the 2018 Olympic Games, to competing during a global pandemic, to the extreme physical and mental toll the sport demands.

Pulling back the curtain on the figure skating world and the Olympics, Chen reveals what it was really like at the Beijing Games and competing on the US team in the same city his parents had left--and his grandmother still lived. Poignant and unfiltered, told in his own words, One Jump at a Time is the story of one extraordinary young man--and a testament to the love of a family and the power of persistence, grit, and passion.

The Rise by Mike Sielski

Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 did more than rattle the worlds of sports and celebrity. The tragedy of that helicopter crash, which also took the life of his daughter Gianna, unveiled the full breadth and depth of his influence on our culture, and by tracing and telling the oft-forgotten and lesser-known story of his early life, The Rise promises to provide an insight into Kobe that no other analysis has.

In The Rise , readers will travel from the neighborhood streets of Southwest Philadelphia―where Kobe’s father, Joe, became a local basketball standout―to the Bryant family’s isolation in Italy, where Kobe spent his formative years, to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe’s legend was born. The story will trace his career and life at Lower Merion―he led the Aces to the 1995-96 Pennsylvania state championship, a dramatic underdog run for a team with just one star player―and the run-up to the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe’s dream of playing pro basketball culminated in his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers.

This is more than a basketball book. This is an exploration of the identity and making of an icon and the effect of his development on those around him―the essence of the man before he truly became a man.

The Last Folk Hero by Jeff Pearlman

From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, the greatest athlete of all time streaked across American sports and popular culture. Stadiums struggled to contain him. Clocks failed to capture his speed. His strength was legendary. His power unmatched. Video game makers turned him into an invincible character—and they were dead-on. He climbed (and walked across) walls, splintered baseball bats over his knee, turned oncoming tacklers into ground meat. He became the first person to simultaneously star in two major professional sports, and overtook Michael Jordan as America’s most recognizable pitchman. He was on our televisions, in our magazines, plastered across billboards. He was half man, half myth.

Then, almost overnight, he was gone.

He was Bo Jackson.

Drawing on an astonishing 720 original interviews, New York Times bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman captures as never before the elusive truth about Jackson, Auburn University’s transcendent Heisman Trophy winner, superstar of both the NFL and Major League Baseball and ubiquitous “Bo Knows” Nike pitchman. Did Bo really jump over a parked Volkswagen? (Yes.) Did he actually run a 4.13 40? (Yes.) During the 1991 flight that nearly killed every member of the Chicago White Sox, was he in the cockpit trying to help? (Oddly, yes. Or no. Or … maybe.)

Path Lit by Lightning by David Maraniss

Jim Thorpe rose to world fame as a mythic talent who excelled at every sport. He won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, was an All-American football player at the Carlisle Indian School, the star of the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and played major league baseball for John McGraw’s New York Giants. Even in a golden age of sports celebrities, he was one of a kind.

But despite his colossal skills, Thorpe’s life was a struggle against the odds. As a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, he encountered duplicitous authorities who turned away from him when their reputations were at risk. At Carlisle, he dealt with the racist assimilationist philosophy “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” His gold medals were unfairly rescinded because he had played minor league baseball. His later life was troubled by alcohol, broken marriages, and financial distress. He roamed from state to state and took bit parts in Hollywood, but even the film of his own life failed to improve his fortunes. But for all his travails, Thorpe did not succumb. The man survived, complications and all, and so did the myth.

[hjarnrota]

Sumire

Sexuality Headcanon: hettie

Gender Headcanon: cis

A ship I have with said character: hmm I like akira/sumire in a worst-couple-ever type of way, doomed to be unhappy <3 doesnt matter if perfect reality with akira forcing himself to stay together with her because she confessed eventually and he has nowhere else to go, or them becoming a thing, decide against marukis offer and then stick together because of misery. most important thing is akira cant break up with her because then shed be sad

A BROTP I have with said character: think futaba kinda counts? i dont spend much time thinking about them but from the art i have seen with them together, i quite enjoy it

A NOTP I have with said character: i do Not understand royal trio dynamics loooll i think labeling them as a trio is extremely far fetched because theres nothing there chemistry wise except some gameplay time .. but maybe im judging that from a kingdom hearts perspective. and akechi would never spend time together with a girl voluntarily

A random headcanon: like the idea of sumires dad being slightly helicoptering .. already before the Accident he wanted to know their daily routine and wrote a lot of texts just to check if theyre fine, but after kasumis death and sumire falling into deep depression hes like 'I Have To Supervise Her Every Step' which didn't go well with sumires mental health of course. gets better after her therapy seshes and successes

General Opinion over said character: sumire is extremely annoying in-game, and i know there is a purpose to it but i just dont think its been executed that well. can partially blame it because her role is squeezed into the vanilla story, but i still find it quite unforgivable how shes portrayed as The Perfect Girl, to-go dating partner and every conversation option you can choose is like omg youre so awesome kasumi i think youre cute blah blah blah 🤪🤪 and then to finish it all up her ultimate persona is just female arsene bbruuuhhh stahp it game

think its such a loss because conceptional id be soooo obsessed with her character trope. as it stands though i only find her interesting in proving and furthering marukis freakism.. im so sorry women

[chicgeekgirl89]

We’re All Right

A/N: So, I don't have any children, but writing this story felt like giving birth. Holy cow. It took waaaay longer than I thought and every time I thought I was done I went back and changed something MAJOR which took a zillion hours to work in. It was frustrating and annoying and I am SUPER pleased with how it turned out. It kind of went to a different place than I anticipated and I think it worked out for the best. Post “Payback.”

Get to her.

The words had been burning inside him all day but now they roared in his ears so loudly he couldn’t hear anything else. Nothing, until she screamed his name.

 He burst through the door and his eyes found her face, saw the blade pressed against her throat. He was barely aware of his finger hitting the trigger and then he was on his knees, ripping away her bindings and all he could focus on was if she was okay. Was she okay?

Yes. She was. She was all right. She had bitten her tongue, literally, not figuratively. Ferris, or as Deeks would refer to him from now on, ‘that asshole’, had definitely gotten an earful from her at some point during her captivity, of that he was certain.

He heard Callen come through the doorway, saw the uncertainty, the vulnerability in his partner’s eyes. She didn’t want them to see her like this, strapped to a wheelchair, at the mercy of someone else. It was not the ‘first day back’ impression she wanted to leave the team with. It wasn’t the comeback she deserved.

So he rescued her for the second time that day, in the best way he knew how, with his glib tongue. He didn’t even wait to see if Callen and Sam heeded his instructions to leave them alone, he just pulled her into his arms and it was like the world came crashing back into focus.

He breathed. She breathed. They were all right.

“You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?” Deeks finally asked when he managed to pull himself away, his eyes traveling her frame, looking for any sign of trauma.

“A few bumps and bruises. I had him on the ropes an hour ago but then his friends showed up,” she told him, rubbing at the red marks on her wrist where she’d been tied to the chair.

“Those damn spooks multiply like rabbits,” he muttered, finally looking at Ferris’ crumpled form. “What’d you get him with?”

“Box cutter.”

He shook his head. “That’s my girl.”

“It was a lot less than he deserved for threatening to cut my leg off.”

She said them casually but the words were nearly his undoing. His eyes slid shut and the breath left his lungs. After all she’d been through, to have that be Ferris’ parting shot…”I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely. “I should have been here.”

“I’m okay,” she told him. “Deeks, look at me. I’m all right. He didn’t do it. We didn’t let him. We made it. We’re all right.”

He inhaled. She was so much braver than he was. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

He helped her to her feet and then frowned.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Not close enough.” He lifted her off the floor, cradling her into his chest.

“Deeks!” she laughed as he maneuvered them through the house around dead bodies and debris. “I can walk! I’m fine.”

“I know. But I like having you this close.”

She continued to protest as they walked out the door, but he could tell from the way her fingers toyed with the curls at the nape of his neck that she was perfectly happy and comfortable with her position in his arms.

He settled her into the passenger seat and grabbed a handful of napkins, dousing them with water from a half filled bottle before he got behind the wheel. “Here,” he leaned over and gently wiped away the blood that covered his partner’s chin. “You want some ice for your tongue?”

“When we get home.” She frowned and reached for his hand. “Babe, what happened?”

He hadn’t noticed the bruising on his knuckles, hadn’t even felt it until now. “Oh, I uh, I may have hit Sabatino.”

“May have?”

“You were missing. What was I supposed to do? Wine and dine him until he gave it up?”

“Sounds like you all had fun while I was gone. What else happened?”

“I threw a chair,” he said guiltily. As his mind flicked through the events of the hours she’d been missing it barely felt real, almost like he’d been someone else. The rest of the world had ceased to exist in a way he’d only experienced once before, when she’d been missing halfway across the globe. He’d been completely absorbed in finding her and now that he looked back on his actions he could see they’d been erratic and uncontrolled. But he couldn’t honestly say he regretted any of them.

“Baby!”

“Actually it was two chairs. And I told Hetty if anything happened to you it would be on her.”

He watched his partner’s jaw drop. “Let’s be honest, she’s had that one coming since she sent you to Afghanistan.”

He didn’t feel bad about it. Not after all the ways Hetty had screwed them over the years. They’d all looked the other way one too many times and he was done. The cost was too high.

“I’m so sorry,” Kensi said.

“You’re sorry? I’m sorry. I’m the one who let that asshole kidnap you. If I had been there—“

“No,” Kensi told him firmly, “you are not blaming yourself for this. We have to stop doing that and put the blame where it really belongs.”

Deeks raised his eyebrows. “Kens…”

“It’ll be good for us. I’ll start,” Kensi thought for a moment, “I personally would like to blame the Syrian insurgents who dropped a helicopter on my leg. Because if they hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have met Ferris in rehab. See? Easy.”

“I can blame anyone I want?” Deeks asked.

“As long as it’s not you or me.”

“Okay, then I would like to blame Hetty for sending you to Afghanistan in the first place. Because if she hadn’t done that, then you wouldn’t have been kidnapped the first time or the second time.”

“Wow, you really do have some pent up anger about that huh?”

His eyes narrowed. “You have no idea.”

“Fine, helicopters and Hetty. That works for me.”

“Helicopters and Hetty,” he echoed quietly. It sat well with him. Finding a place to send the blame shifted some of the weight on his shoulders.

“So,” she looked up at him coyly, the mood in the car going to a lighter, happier place. “I bet you were pretty sexy throwing those chairs.”

“Maybe a little sexy. You would have to ask Callen and Sam. Ooh,” he winced. “Actually I wouldn’t ask Callen anything right now.”

“What’s wrong with Callen?”

“Joelle.”

“Joelle?”

“She’s CIA. Hetty knew.”

“Damn it!” Kensi cried. “I finally get back in the game and I still miss out on everything!”

“You didn’t miss out. You got to take a box cutter to Ferris, which I imagine was pretty therapeutic since beating up bad guys is a hobby for you. You slipped me that earwig while I was in jail, which by the way was very, very hot and slightly disgusting and which we will talk about later.”

“But I was unconscious half the time. Why did you let Ferris kidnap me?” she whined.

“I thought you said it wasn’t my fault!”

“It’s not!” she huffed. “I’m just mad I missed all the fun. God, poor Callen.”

“Yeah, worst break-up ever.”

“Comfortable?” Deeks asked.

“Mmhmmm….”

Her legs lay across his lap, her fingers entwined with his, her back pressed against him. They’d been sitting one the couch for an hour and she kept finding new ways to mold her body even closer to his. It didn’t matter that he could barely breathe or that his arm had fallen asleep ten minutes ago. After a day like today there was no such thing as being too close.

“So, I think we need some new rules,” he told her.

“Okay.”

“No more helicopters.”

“Reasonable.”

“No more new friends. We’re good with the ones we have.”

One eye cracked open. “Really?”

“No more Hetty. Just a blanket ban on anything related to tea or classic Hollywood movies or withholding information vital to the safety and sanity of everyone on the team.”

“Deeks,” she chuckled.

“You’re laughing, but I’m serious,” he persisted. “Let’s get you a bubble to live in or, better yet, let’s just go. Let’s go lie on a deserted island beach somewhere and leave all this behind.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d suggested it and every time the thought came to him he wanted it more. It didn’t even have to be a beach. A mountain or a cave would work, just as long as he had the assurance that she was safe, that they were together, and the world was okay.

 “Deeks…we can’t do that.”

“Why not?” he said, some of his anxiety slipping in through the levity.

“Because you would hate it. I would hate it. We would drive each other crazy.  And the team needs us. I know today sucked, that the last eight months have sucked, but we can’t just leave.”

He went silent. She turned to look at him, concern in her eyes. “Deeks?”

“I went crazy without you today. Ever since Syria, it’s like I can never really rest. I’m scared of losing you every second. I thought it would be better now that you’re home and things are better, but it’s not. And then Ferris took you because I wasn’t there. You were abducted because of my choices. If I hadn’t done what I did to Boyle, or if I’d come clean to Whiting months ago, I wouldn’t have been in that cell when you were taken.”

The words bubbled out before he could stop them. He’d kept his pain private for so long, but the day had worn down his defenses. He felt raw and exposed and guilty that he’d let his feelings escape.

“I didn’t know,” Kensi looked stunned. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d been so afraid?”

“You had enough going on. I didn’t want to add one more thing.” He took a shaky breath, trying to steady himself. He wanted to be a rock for her and tonight he was failing. Just like he’d failed to protect her from Ferris. Just liked he’d failed to protect her from a crashing helicopter.

“Baby,” her face was so full of love and worry, “tell me now.”

It came pouring out. The ache that had lived inside him for months, the terror that gripped him every day. That it was agony to be away from her even as he tried to give her the space she needed to heal. He’d been shouldering his own burden along with hers and the weight was slowly crushing him to death. “I’m so sorry,” he finally told her, his eyes wet with tears. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry that I didn’t stop this from happening to you.”

“Deeks, this wasn’t your fault. None of it. Everything that happened was because of Hetty’s master plan. She would have found some way to take you out of the picture. Helicopters and Hetty remember?”

“Okay, fine, maybe that’s true, but it doesn’t change the fact that I wasn’t there today. The thought of you with that psychopath, alone and scared…”

“I wasn’t scared.”

He met her eyes, surprised at the strength and calm he found there. “What?”

“I wasn’t scared of Ferris. I mean, I was a little freaked out when he started trying to take a saw to my leg. But, I wasn’t scared. All this time in rehab, I’ve been afraid I wouldn’t be able to come back, that I wouldn’t be good enough anymore. But as soon as Ferris put me in that chair…I knew I was going to be strong enough. Honestly, you guys showed up too early. Another fifteen minutes and I would have had him.”

“Really?” he asked incredulously.

She smiled at him and suddenly there she was. His Kensi, looking at him for the first time in months. “Really. I’m back, Deeks.”

He kissed her, his fingers tangling in her hair, even as he felt tears stinging his eyes. He hadn’t known if he would ever see her again, the Kensi he’d fallen in love with, but here she was, as if she’d never been gone. It was as if the sun had finally emerged after months of darkness.

“Okay,” she pulled away and reached for his hands, gripping them firmly. “Enough. We’re done with this. Done with keeping things from each other so nobody gets hurt, done with struggling, done with being afraid. I can’t do it anymore and neither can you.”

She’d surprised him again. “What uh, what do you want to do?” he asked in confusion.

“Let’s just…be all right. Let’s move on and leave all the helicopters and hospitals and double agents behind us. No matter what else is happening with the team or with Hetty, let’s just decide that we’re all right.”

The relief that swept over him was staggering. He felt free, like he could truly breathe for the first time in months. She was back. He was back. They were back. As awful as today had been, it had become the final push they needed to put their lives back in motion.

“We’re all right,” he spoke the words, believed them, a grin spreading across his face as she smiled back at him.

The nightmare was finally over.

[orionares]

BTHB: Ambush

BTHB: Ambush

NCIS: Los Angeles

@badthingshappenbingo

-------------------------------------------------

Deeks

Weakness.

That's the best way he can describe the feeling that's been permanently scarred in his psyche since he was a child. The feeling that's drowning him every passing moment Kessler isn't in jail or preferably dead, the same feeling on the twelve hour flight to rescue Kensi in Afghanistan or the times he hid under his bed during Gordon John Brandel's numerous abuse towards his mother.

It's also what he feels now, lying on his back bloodied and barely conscious under the low flapping of an approaching helicopter . As Investigator Marty Deeks takes painful, sharp breaths , he recounts the four bodies scattered throughout the cabin around him who had ambushed him on a drive back from a surf and kidnapped him.

Two by the door, downed by two shots from the Smith & Wesson semi automatic Deeks had wrestled away from a third figure, laying in a heap near the door.

The fourth, laying at Deeks' feet with the ghost of the greedy, smug smile on his face.

"H'lp," He chokes through the blood and spit he can't bring himself to swallow. He can feel his eye swelling by the second along with the burning sharp pain with every inhale and exhale.

"....Federal agents!"

Relief at rescue should be the emotion he feels. Relief should annihilate the weakness he feels after being kicked, punched and dragged, dragged , like a worthless doll across the floor to be tortured further.

Relief at the recognition of Sam's commanding voice and the cabin door flying open doesn't erase being clobbered by shared hits across the face from his kidnappers.

"Jesus Christ."

"Oh my God- Baby!"

Tears burn in the corner of his eyes and finally fall when his wife's hands gently pat a lock of blonde hair matted with dried blood. Kensi's face is blurry in the small slit of vision in his right and eye.

"I'm going to end Westfield. Deeks, can you hear me? We're here! You're safe."

Safe can't cover the dehumanizing snarl from the three humans he had fought tooth and nail to survive. It definitely cannot cover the smirk from the scruffy mid sixties man sitting handcuffed at the boatshed.

The leader of the small back of drug runners responsible for moving shipments across the state and killing two Petty officers.

The man with blue eyes that match his, although decades older.

His father.

---------------------------------------

Callen

"You do know," Admiral Killbride warns via video call,"that you will not go in and harm our suspect the moment Blye and Hanna check in."

He sighs as the team's lead continues to pace the length 9f the table in the boatshed like a hungry cheetah circling its prey. The lack of reaction doesn't bode well for the admiral sending Fatima to 'support' Callen, also known as preventing a possible murder.

A not entirely blameless murder based on Westfield's a.k.a Gordon John-back-from-the-dead Brandel, orchestration of Deeks' ambush and kidnapping.

On the other end of the call, Grisha Callen glares at the small hall leading to the interrogation room, protected by two agents. The leadership ingrained in him screams that assaulting two fellow agents to get to the 'father'- the man that's supposed to protect and care for his child- won't help Deeks.

His phone goes off with a loud chime that grabs his attention. A text from Sam arrives with short, brief statements- Got him. Hospital. It's bad. They beat him.

Callen shoves his phone across the table and plops down in his chair. His leg bounces violently as he scowls down the closed interrogation room once more.

He cannot go in there and beat the life out of that man for nearly killing Deeks, he cannot-

"Mr. Callen."

Hetty's voice appears on his right and he nearly jumps out of skin, a rarity for a season agent. She stands in the open space in front of the stairs in her trademark dark suit, hands crossed and an unreadable peer at her agent.

"They got Deeks but Sam said-" Callen spits out before Jetty finishes for him, " it appears that they beat him. Badly. "

"How are you so calm?" He snaps and then sighs. Henrietta Lange walks to his side and pats his shoulders in a comforting manner that neither comforts nor fuels the homicidal mood he's in towards Brandel. Her expressions remain stoic and a touch pensive as she states,"Things are never what they seem, Mr. Callen. Head to Providence Saint Joseph in Burbank and meet the others there. "

Callen's shoulders sag at Hetty's answer-intertwined on riddles, hidden message and on a suspicion fueled by his gut, a warning resembling the old spy game. He pushes himself from the table and forces the calculations needed to drive the thirty miles to Burbank.

And how to feign ignorance to whatever Hetty decides to do next.

-----------------------------------------

Kensi

Flying over Los Angeles is supposed to be beautiful.

Once, Deeks had rented a helicopter ride over the city at night ten months into their marriage to fly over the downtown area. There had been no rhyme or reason for the sudden trip until they had landed with an overly chatty pilot and Deeks had sighed and told her seeing the city without death hovering over them was a nice change.

Now, the twinkle of lights towering over the sea of travelers heading home on the interstate don't register for Kensi. Even over the loud chopping blades, all Kensi can hear is Deeks' painful, whistling breaths.

She's supposed to think when this is over and he's safe, she'll admit that running across a warehouse floor past and dropping to her knees at his battered, bloodied body rivaled Mexico.

But the shared conclusion amongst the pilot, the medic, Sam and herself is that his father hired three men to beat and torture his only child.

The child that shot him three decades ago.

And that alone brings the fear- did Brandel tell these men secrets about Deeks? Did they tear into him between the kicks to the ribs, the strikes to every part of his body?

Kensi looks up to the monitor hooked up above the hospital cot. Ten minutes out- the pilot had yelled sometime ago. Deeks' heart beats relatively steady considering the wheezing under the broken ribs and the undetermined tremors that pass every moment or so.

He's still alive, drifting in and out of consciousness , based on what she hopes to be movement from his cupped hand and not a hallucination.

It's the after- Deeks' support and love doesn't hide the fear of Kessler, the fear of not being able to provide her a family and the lingering self criticism from training at FLETC. After this is over and Brandel never sees the light of day, they will sit down and talk and truly check in.

And she'll wrap her arms around him and never let him go.

------------------------------------------------

Sam

“Move.”

“Agent Hanna, I can’t -” the young NCIS agent that stands in front of the interrogation room with both hands up in defense. The man is about six inches shorter than Sam, fresh faced and younger than Sam by at least a decade. Sam raises an eyebrow when the young man quickly scans him for anything in hand or waistband that could be used to ‘talk’ with the man handcuffed behind the door.

“I will move you,” Sam growls in a low voice, “ if I need to. That man needs to answer questions regarding kidnapping and torture of a federal agent-”

The young agent briefly straightens as if mustering a bit of strength before sighing, “I have my orders from Admiral Killbride.”

Approaching footsteps stop him from snapping at the young agent. A hand tugs at his bicep before Callen’s voice breaks the tension between the two. “Sam,” the lead agent directs, “Come on- we can’t.”

Sam scowls and backs away from the now wide-eyed agent. He follows Callen to the end of the hallway before snapping, “You okay with this?”

“You know damn well I’m not,” Callen replies exasperatedly. He scratches the back of his neck and glances back to the large video screen. “You strangling an agent isn’t going to help things.”

“If it gets me closer to Brandel, I don’t care!” Sam hisses. He eyes Callen’s impassive expression and recalls part of the creed he had taken to be a Navy SEAL.

I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates.

“That man went after my little brother,” Sam admits in a softer voice. Westfield’s absolute disregard for his only child reignites the desire to ‘chat’ with the suspect. “They beat the hell out of him, G.”

Calllen’s jaw tightens but he manages to maintain a calm voice as he says, “I know. As much as I’d like...the best thing we can do right now is be at the hospital for Deeks. Sam, we will do everything to make sure that Brandel doesn’t get anywhere near Deeks again. Alright?”

He should agree and move forward, but until Brandel is behind bars, secured and suffering, he won't settle.

He can't.

------------------------------------

Brandel

Somehow, somehow, the brat is still alive.

Gordon John Brandel, now Westfield, scoffs at the innocent looking NCIS agents driving the transportation van that he's handcuffed in. The wooden bench in the back of the van reeks of wet dog, oddly reminding himself of the last time he'd been engaged in anything auto related with the police.

Car accident- Faking a death in a sparsely populated area is much easier than it should be.

The van lurches forward onto a gravel road, rocking the van slightly side to side. The rest of the drive lasts a minute before the vehicle jerks to a stop and both agents slide out of the driver and passenger door without a word.

"Is this supposed to be some sort of theatrics?" Brandel laughs. He is answered with silence for a long moment before the side door opens and a small, older woman with a leather purse over her shoulder peers up at him.

"Who the hell are you?" Brandel snaps. The woman's face is unreadable in an oddly eerie way.

"My name is Henrietta Lange, the operations manager at the Office of Special Projects," the woman replies. Brandel quickly glances beyond the small woman for the other agents and comes up empty.

Did they disappear like a ghost?

"You took one of my people," Hetty adds with a hint of anger in her voice. "You hurt one of my people."

"I took the little sh-"

"That's Investigator Deeks to you," Hetty cuts him off quickly. Brandel settles back against the side of the van. On any other day, he's sure he'd flick the tiny woman and go on his merry way.

Hetty steps closer to the van, enough for her purse to rest on the van floor. "I wanted to alert you that you lost. You tried to break him apart but Mr. Deeks is one of the strongest people I know. He is a husband, a brother, a future father and one of the many who protect this country. You, Mr. Brandel are nothing."

Brandel cocks his head to the right and growls," You don't get to speak to me like that."

"That requires respect, Mr. Brandel." Hetty slides the purse strap off of her shoulder and pulls out a red soft material wrapped by black string. "Which you lost the moment you first hurt your child.You are nothing and I want you to remember that during what happens next."

Brandel watches Hetty lift out a small vial from her bag. His stomach begins to tie into knots. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Henrietta Lange's expression finally changes into a calculated smile.

Oh. He is so dead.

-----------------------------------------

Hetty

Her little ones are all sleeping scattered in Deeks' hospital room .

Hetty Lange approaches the foot of the bed and sighs at the heaviness in her shoulder blades, metaphorically and realistically. Callen and Sam are sleeping side-by-side in chairs against the wall, both with arms crossed and chin tucked down into their chests.

Kensi sleeps soundly with her head resting on the edge of the bed with her hand extended out to her husband's side. Just as she had in Mexico, she keeps watch over her husband with the same vigil he had after Syria and Afghanistan.

Each protecting the other. For life.

Hetty walks to the opposite side of the bed in a small opening between Sam’s outstretched legs and the edge of the bed. Her view of her once detective now investigator is limited but enough to paint a picture of his injuries.

Bruises line the Investigator's jaw and across his shoulder blades. Above his left swollen eye, a large gash is covered by white bandage.

She can't even imagine the bruises and cuts on the rest of his body.

Hetty rests her hand on his and feels the anxiousness subside slightly when his finger twitches slightly in response. The operations manager chuckles softly," Oh, rest, Mr. Deeks. You've had a nightmare of a day. Rest.”

Hetty takes another glance around the room at her resting agents, inhales slowly before adding, “Your father has lost, Martin. Don’t forget that. And he will never, ever, lay a hand on you again. I should have made sure of that last time, but now, I’ve righted my wrongs. He won’t touch you- that’s a promise.”

[ncisladaily]

NCIS: Los Angeles‘ Barrett Foa himself had a hand in one of the Season 12 finale’s big sendoffs. No, not his own nor co-star Renee Felice Smith’s. But that of Eric Beale’s mustache.

Speaking with TVLine exclusively about parting ways with the high-octane CBS drama after more than a decade, Foa shared that amusing anecdote about a carefully clipped caterpillar, as well as reflected fondly on his 12-season run, his character’s journey from “bumbling beta” to “bulletproof,” Eric and Nell’s happy ending and his hope for a milestone encore.

TVLINE | How did you find out that your time with the show was coming to end, and what was your initial reaction? It was just sort of clear that we were, like, winding down this character during this season, so I think we sort of mutually were like, “This feels right.” I know the pandemic was a tough and strange time for everyone, but it sort of gave me time to do some real good work on myself, so as Barrett I was out exploring and adventuring…. Kind of like what Eric Beale was doing! He was getting into all kinds of crazy stuff in his new billionaire life, and I was sort of living my best life in the interims, in between the seven or eight episodes that I did this season. It was a nice little parallel reflection there.

TVLINE | [Showrunner] Scott [Gemmill] told me basically the same thing, that it felt like time for the character’s story to wind down, plus he knows what a multi-talented, ambitious son-of-a-gun you are. I’ve done some sort of incredible, amazing, artistically fulfilling theatrical endeavor in between each season, and I’ve loved doing that, because it just really recharged my batteries for each new 10-month stretch of NCIS: LA. It kept things fresh, and I’m excited for new, wonderful things coming my way. First of all, theater is back, which is very exciting. Television also is back, but it’s so different from when we started 12 years ago.

TVLINE | Now you can peel off and do a six-episode something, and then go on to an eight-episode something, and still have a half a year left. Exactly. I always thought that I would be living that sort of more gypsy lifestyle. I was an actor in New York for 10 years before NCIS: LA, going from Broadway to off-Broadway to regional to Broadway to off-Broadway to regional, and I always thought that would be my life. So when I auditioned for this part, I was like, “NCI-what? Who? How many letters are there?” I was a guest star for the first 12 episodes, and then they sort of saw something in me and liked me and I became a series regular on Episode 13. Now, 12 seasons later, 280 episodes later, I’m on this primetime network television show the likes of which doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s sort of the last of its kind, and I love that I got to be a part of that and have that consistency, to have one character for so long, to have one family for so long.

TVLINE | Well, let’s talk about the character that you played for some 280 episodes. What do you love about Eric? Oh, gosh…. I really love how far he’s come. I started out as this tech guy that was spouting coordinates, and as I realized that there was so much brawny energy on the show, I felt like there was a place for someone who was brainy and sort of beta, and that could make a great foil to our leading character team. So I started leaning into that a bit more, and I think the writers really liked that.

Eric Beale was so good at what he does in his job, but socially he’s so awkward. And in love, he’s so awkward. I love that he found his match with Nell, because she was so good at her job but she was also super quirky and liked the same nerdy things that Eric Beale liked. Again, I started out as this sort of computer geek who delivered a ton of exposition, and I don’t know if they knew what to do with me at first, but then I think the writers were like, “Oh, Barrett’s funny. Oh, Barrett can fall in love. Oh, Barrett can give us some quirk.”

TVLINE | “Oh, Kilbride can yell at Eric for wearing board shorts to work.” Exactly. And at one point they were like, “Let’s put this bumbling beta Beale in the field and see what happens,” and then he became “bulletproof Beale” and surprised everyone with how he can sort of hang with the guys. It was cool to see that growth, and suddenly have entire episodes about my character. And then in this last season, to see him becoming a billionaire and me getting to show up with my pandemic ‘stache and my long, curly hair.

TVLINE | And be a liiiittle bit douchey. [Laughs] A little bit douchey, and with a whole new wardrobe. It was about time that Eric Beale got a little cocky! It was a fun turn, and I think that also parallels my life in the last 12 years. Like, I’ve come so far in my confidence and my style, knowing who I am. I think we both learned a lot in the 12 years.

TVLINE | But did you learn a single thing about computers? Not one.

TVLINE | You learned how to poke at an iPad. I learned how to poke at Microsoft tablet — a little nod to our sponsors, there. Eric said a lot of fancy things and he hacked into a lot of FBI websites, but I don’t think I can come close to that — nor would I want to try.

TVLINE | Did you like the happy ending they gave Eric and Nell? I mean, they literally rode off into the sunset. We did, and I think it’s really fun. He pulled up in a matte black Lamborghini, opens the door, and he’s like, “Do you like it? Is it too much?” He can’t even stand by it, because he’s Eric Beale; he needs to ask Nell and Deeks if they like it. But he’s got to put that money somewhere!

TVLINE | I need to know. Did Renée actually shave your mustache on-camera? She did. Thank you for reminding me about that.

So, this is actually a funny story. I hadn’t been on the show for a bit — I had like a month off or something — so I was clean-shaven. Because I knew my episode was coming up, I asked Scott, “Hey, for the finale, do you want the ‘stache back? Because I’d need to start growing it.” And he’s like, “Oh my god, yes. And you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to have Renée shave it on-screen.” Now, you never really know when Scott is kidding; he always has these crazy ideas. But I open the script, and from the first draft to the second he added this entire scene of Renée shaving my mustache — and it was all because I asked about the mustache, and it sparked this idea. So, that was a really fun, live moment. And I definitely was walking around with half a mustache for an entire afternoon.

TVLINE | Last question: What is your message to the fans? My message to the fans? Oh my gosh…. You’re going to make me all sentimental. I mean, I’m sort of taken aback whenever fans reach out. I live an incredibly blessed life, and the fact that am on a long-running television show for 12 years has been so fantastic, yet I can also live my life and go to the grocery store. Especially in L.A., people don’t stop you as much on the street, so it’s really nice to have social media to be in direct contact with our fans and see how much they love us and watch us, consistently. They really follow storylines.

I get wind of all the fan fiction and blogs, the Reddit things or whatever, where people discuss the nitty gritty plot details of our show, and I’m constantly reminded of how much this show means to people when, in my everyday life, I can sort of forget that.

The fans and this show have really, completely changed my life, so I am so grateful for them and their loyalty…. I sometimes can’t even believe how many people watch our show every week, after all these seasons, with so much entertainment out there. It feels like such an honor.

TVLINE | NCIS: LA will hit 300 episodes late next season, so maybe Scott will bring you back for that milestone. I would love nothing more. How cool is it that our creators have very much kept the door open for Beale to return? It would be fun to hear from the fans about how they’d want him to stop by for a visit next season.

TVLINE | He could pull up in the Lamborghini…. Well, I feel like Beale would at that point have a private drone that would fly him in, or some helicopter that blows Hetty’s mind!

[densi-mber]

Answers to Discussion Day 29

So, as I asked yesterday - Can you name all the countries we’ve SEEN Kensi and Deeks in since they’ve met (and if you’re feeling ambitious, when)?

So I’m only counting from when they met in Hand to Hand (so Kensi’s assignment in Japan does not count). @wanna-be-bold was the first one to come up with most all of the countries! She was just missing one, but to be fair, that was the one I didn’t realize they’d been to until yesterday!

Countries they’ve been to together - 10

Trips to International waters - 2

Without their partners - each has 1 (ish...I’ll explain)

Kensi also has one canonical reference that is never seen (and two that don’t have a timeframe mentioned on them, so I don’t know if they qualify for the list - but I’ll tell you anyway! haha)

Here’s everything I could pull up - please let me know if I’m missing any! (Also, I did fill out the list for the rest of the team as well, if anyone is curious). In order of airing...

Partners travelling together -

Prague, Czech Republic (Familia, 2x24) - The team follows Hetty here en route to Romania. (this very first one is actually the one I somehow overlooked before this question. As it’s only mentioned with the city name I always lumped it in with Romania, despite the fact they are two different countries (and I knew that, I just forgot)! I’m silly!)

Constanța, Romania (Familia & Lange, H. 2x24 & 3x01) - the city isn’t mentioned in the episode (on screen or spoken), but the map Nell uses when locating the team is of Constanța.

Mexico (unspecified desert area near the border) (Greed, 3x08) - Kensi and Deeks follow the trail to find where the mysterious box traveled to.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Recruit, 4x2) - The team travels to Dubai at the end of the episode to take down the bad guys.

Tijuana, Mexico (Resurrection, 4x21) - Kensi and Deeks go to Mexico to pick up an informant with important info on the case.

Afghanistan (Camp Chapman and surrounding area) - Kensi episodes 5x11 - 5x19, Deeks - 5x19 only (Spoils of War)

Tijuana, Mexico (Black Wind, 6x14) - Kensi and Deeks enter Mexico via a drug tunnel, meeting up with Callen and Sam who are on an op.

Govorovo/Moscow, Russia (Chernoff, K, 6x24) - The team “rescues” Anna and keeps millions of barrels of oil from getting into the wrong hands.

Beit Jinn, Syria (Belly of the Beast, 8x02) - The city they travel to before their helicopter is blown from the sky and Kensi is injured.

Ho Chi Minh City (and surrounding areas), Vietnam (Goodbye, Vietnam, 9x14) - Rescuing Hetty.

Sinaloa/Los Mochis, Mexico (Ninguna Salida & To Live and Die in Mexico 9x24 & 10x01) - Rescuing Mosley’s kid

Havana, Cuba (No More Secrets, 10x22) - Travel with Joelle to rescue Anna/Nikita and take down Volkoff

“Eastern Border of Iraq”/Desert near Al Asad Air Base (False Flag & Let Fate Decide, 10x24 & 11x01) - Densi teams up with Sabatino and Wallace to try to locate those who can prove the False Flag.

Rihadh, Saudi Arabia (Let Fate Decide, 11x01) - The team reconvenes here after the mission is complete. 

International Waters -

Sea of Japan (Free Ride, 4x10) - The team solves a case upon an Aircraft Carrier, the USS Van Buren.

Mediterranean Sea (?? - Accessible from the Coast of Syria) (Belly of the Beast, 8x02) - Aboard the USS Carl Vinson, the Aircraft Carrier on which Kensi has surgery after the helicopter crash in Syria.

Deeks without Kensi -

Jordan (Recruit, 4x2) - this is one of the “ish” answers - we SEE Deeks’s vacation photos from his trip, but we don’t actually see him THERE himself. Does it count? You guys tell me!

Kensi without Deeks -

"Iran, 12 kilometers from the Afghan Border” (Descent, 4x24) - Kensi travels with Callen to collect Janvier from Iran to “assist” with their nuclear weapons case

Kensi’s unseen/unknown timeframe locations -

Landstuhl, Germany (Belly of the Beast, 8x02) - Kensi is flown here for treatment  - This is the canon reference that is NOT seen that I mentioned up top.

Jordan (Recruit, 4x02) - When discussing Deeks’s vacation, Kensi states that she’s “already been to Jordan”. But we don’t know when (it can be assumed it’s before she met him, since she’s telling him, but we don’t know for sure - maybe it was just classified).

Jakarta, Indonesia - When did she mention this one?! Oh yeah, slightly trick question. She mentions this on her trip to Hawaii in episode Ka Hakaka Maika'I (2x06) of Hawaii 5-0! hahaha! BUT, since the episode was written by one of NCIS: LA’s current writers (back when he was fulltime on 5-0), AND was specifically called back on in Answers, I’m counting it as canon. Again, we just don’t know when the trip happened.

Did I miss anything?!

[taina-eny]

Bad Dream

As promised, this is the one shot I wanted to upload last Weekend.

Enjoy, and if you see mistakes, please tell me^^

G Callen x Reader

Prompt: none

Words: 3.352

Tagged: @imnot-typical-92 @susan1333 @coffeebooksandfandom 

“You shouldn´t eat so much sugar.” You told your boyfriend as you two walked through the halls to the bullpen.

“I like sugar, what is wrong about it?” He asked with his big bag slung over his shoulder. You looked at Callen.

“Nothing is wrong about liking sugar, but only if it isn´t the base of your nutrition. We should cook more.” He looked at you and raised his brow.

“I can´t cook and we both don´t have enough time for it.” You sighed and walked towards your desk. 

“I know, but maybe we could buy healthier take out?” You looked at G hopefully with your big (E/C) eyes. He put his bag down and went over to you.

“Of course (Y/N).” He gave you a quick kiss and you smiled. You looked in his blue eyes.

“Thanks.”

“Everything for you.” He whispered and put his hands on your waist. You locked your arms around his neck and leaned in for another kiss.

“Good morning!” You broke your kiss and turned your head to Sam. You smiled.

“Morning Sam!” Sam smiled at you two. “Had a nice night?” He asked innocently, but you and Callen knew his intentions.

“It was a good workout.” Told your boyfriend his partner and both you and Sam began to chuckle.

“What was a good workout?” Asked Deeks curiously when he and Kensi turned around the corner. Now Callen was the one chuckling with a smug smile on his face, while Sam just shook his head with a smile on his lips. Deeks stopped in the middle of the desks, while Kensi just sit down and started to smile too. You walked out of Callens grip and took your bag. When you walked past Deeks with a smug smile on your lips and winked sheepishly, it was only a matter of time until you heard his “oh”. It let your smile brighten up on your way up to OPS. Up there you began to work with Nell and Eric, when a new case came in.

“I get the others”, said Eric and walked out of the room. In the meanwhile you looked at the screen.

“There are too many”, you whispered.

“Exactly.” The prompt and unexpected reply would cause anybody to jump out of their skin, but not you. You merely turned your head to look at your small boss.

“And that��s why the team needs help.” You were about to ask her what she meant with that, but Eric came back in with the team in tow. You took some steps back, so you wouldn´t stand in front of the screen, and ended up between Kensi and Deeks.

“We found the video footage from this night ten minutes ago.” Explained Nell and started the video. You could see one victim and about ten attackers. They were brutal, the victim didn´t stand a chance against their hits. In the end they burned the victim alive, even though he was unconscious.

“Wow.” Deeks flat comment was the mood of everybody.

“Yeah, the victim was one of our informants”, told Nell and Eric continued.

“The attackers are all part of a Mexican cartel. We suppose they are still in LA.”

“Why do you think so?” Asked Sam, who leaned against the table with crossed arms.

“The victim was just one of our two informants. He was the older brother and his younger brother is still alive and somewhere here in LA. If they want to finish the job, they need to find the younger one”, you explained while you put a picture of the victim and his younger brother on the big screen.

“So, we don´t know where the younger brother is?” Asked Callen and looked to you, but Hetty beat you to the answer.

“Exactly. This is your job Mr. Callen. Find the boy and protect him. The cartel shouldn´t get a hold on him.”

“We don´t have enough time to search everywhere for him, we aren´t enough people.” You shared this opinion with Kensi. Your time was limited and you´ve got to many opponents to find and beat.

“I know Ms Blye. That´s why Ms Jones and Agent (L/N) will help you in the field.” You stared wide eyed at Hetty. You were shocked, but in a very positive way. You were a trained field agent after all.

Two years ago you were assigned to Callens team by Hetty, when your old team got separated. Well, you were alive, two of your three team members were killed and the last one was chained to the wheelchair. To be honest, you survived by mere luck, nothing more. This was your last job out in the field and since you came into this team, you were banned into OPS to work as an analyst and advisor.

At first you begged Hetty to let you work in the field, but after months of begging and nothing happened, you just accepted your fate. One year ago you and Callen started to date, and your ache for the field was gone. But now you realized that this fire was still burning inside you, this ache for the field was still there and you were eager to go out and fight the bad guys. You smiled, but before you could open your mouth, someone beat you to it, again.

“What?” It was Callens voice that reached your ears. You looked to your boyfriend and saw his worry.

“No, we are able to do it alone.”

“Mr Callen” Hetty stood her ground against your boyfriend and you were glad she did.

“Your girlfriend is a perfectly trained field agent and was stuck too long up here. If you already forgot it, she worked on more difficult cases then you and always succeeded with her team.” Callen wanted to argue back, but Hetty raised her hand and with a pointed look, he kept his mouth shut.

“Ms (L/N), if you would follow me?” She begged you to follow her and as you walked past Callen, you shot him a pissed look and an ironic thanks. You followed her into the weaponry.

“Ms (L/N), here is your clothing and the weapons you prefer.” She pointed to a stack of clothing and to the different weapons that laid on the table.

“Thank you” you told her surprised, “but how do you know all of that?”

“I would be a bad boss if I didn´t know my agents. Now get changed and come in the bullpen when you are ready.” She smiled and left you alone. After you were ready, you walked into the bullpen. Even though no one was directly looking at you, you felt every stare of your team, and your boyfriend in particular.

“I´m ready Hetty.” You called to your boss. And on cue, Nell walked down the stairs, also in another set of clothing.

“Shall we?” She asked you and gave you a weapon. You took it and gave her a small smile.

“We shall.”

  After that the whole team left HQ and searched after your target. The day was very exhausting, but eventually you found a lead. You were currently in the weaponry to prepare your weapons. The whole team worked in silence. When everyone was finished, they left quietly, so at the end only you and Callen were left. He eventually stopped and looked at you, but you just ignored him and prepared for the strike.

“Are we gonna keep this silence?” G asked you. You shrugged.

“Hell, (Y/N)! Could you please talk to me?” You set the weapon down, a bit harder than necessary, and looked sharp at him.

“What do you want me to say?” You asked sour. He looked at you quizzically.

“What?”

“You wanted me to talk to you. About what?” Callen rounded the table and stood behind you, so you had to turn around.

“Are you gonna be angry with me forever?” He cocked his head and looked into your (E/C) eyes.

“You questioned my skills as an agent in front of the whole team. What do you expect me to be? Grateful? Happy?” “I was worried about you.”

You snorted.

“I´m worried about you too, but I don´t question you in front of everyone. That stings, G. It hurts.” You turned around and looked over the weapon. You heard a sigh behind you. Callen wanted to say something and opened his mouth, but Eric ran into the armory.

“We know where they are.” You grabbed your weapons and left, leaving Callen to follow your lead.

   You haven´t found your informant, but you found the guys that wanted to kill him.

“Everyone ready?” questioned your boyfriend with a small voice through your earpiece.

“We´re at the back”, said Kensi.

“We´re at the side entrance”, you replied, confirming the position of Nell and you.

“On my mark…now!”

As Callen gave the clear, Nell opened the door, so you walked in first, a small detail, but you wanted to make sure Nell was save. You heard shots being fired over your earpiece, but you needed to focus on you and Nell and every possible threat. You saw a man behind crates and fired your gun. Three shots and he went down. You spun around and saw how a second man was shot down by Nell. Both of them were armed with machine guns.

“Everything alright?” You asked her and waited.

“Yeah.” She nodded and you signaled her to search the room. After you looked everywhere and no enemy was found you turned to Nell and nodded.

“Everything is clear”, she told you.

“Status?” Callen asked over the earpiece.

“Everything´s clear”, explained Deeks.

“Same goes for us”, replied Nell and you walked to the man you shot down. Neither Nell nor you saw the woman, who came in from the floor.

   Callen nodded to Sam, after everyone told him they were alright. He looked around in the big hall. Kensi and Deeks walked to them, when he suddenly heard a shot.

All four of them went down. Then they realized, that the sound came from the other room. He shot up again as he heard a second one directly afterwards. He could feel his heart beating faster with each passing second.

“(Y/N)? Nell?” He asked with wide eyes and heavy breathing. He looked at his team, when Nells voice rang through their earpieces.

“Eric, I need a helicopter, fast!” He felt a sudden pressure on his chest.

Without a second thought he started running to the other room, all caution to the wind. He heard the footsteps of his team following. When he burst through the door, Nell turned around and pointed her weapon at them. When she realized it was Callen, she turned back around, her focus at the limb body lying next to her.

“No”, he whispered.

He didn´t saw the dead woman at the other door, neither the two dead men. He just saw the limp body that wore the same clothes as you.

When Nells sob reached his ears, he broke out of his trance and ran to you. Falling to his knees, he skidded to a stop next to you.

He felt a pressure behind his eyes.

He stared at you.

Your already dull eyes looked at the ceiling, your mouth gaped open like a fish out of water. When he saw the cause of your state, his tears slipped out of his eyes.

“I- I don´t know how to put more pressure on it without strangling her.” Nell´s voice broke at the end. Her hands were full of your blood.

He put his hands over hers, adding more pressure on the wound. He lifted his hands when he heard a shocked squeak from you, knowing he cut off your airways.

“Don´t,” he sobbed, “don´t die on me. You can´t die on me. You hear that? I don´t allow you to die (Y/N).”

He felt his own body beginning to shake.

“Eric? How long?” Sams voice was something he could focus on.

“Three minutes.”

“That´s too long. She won´t survive!”

A sob escaped his lips at his partners statement.

“G.” He looked down. Your weak voice sounded like heaven to him, your dull (E/C) eyes looked as radiant as ever. You could talk, you could survive. You looked directly at him.

“(Y/N)…”, he whispered, hope filling his voice.

“I love you.” Your voice sounded better, but why were your eyes rolling back? Why couldn’t he hear your gaping after air? Why couldn´t he feel your pulse any longer?

“No…” He searched your face. “No.”

He took his hands from your wound and started to reanimate you. After some seconds, he cried harder.

“No!” He said loudly. His tears were streaming down his face freely, his sobs ragged his body.

He took you in his arms, don´t caring that your blood would be all over him. He put his head against yours, his nose softly nuzzling yours.

“No…“ He couldn´t believe it.

“It´s too late Eric, she´s gone.”

He lost you. He lost the love of his life.

   The next day Callen sat on the couch at the bullpen. He stared in the room, not focused on anything except his aching heart. He was so sad and angry. Angry with himself, with you and with Hetty. You died, and the last thing you two were talking about was a stupid argument, because he was worried sick about you. But you didn´t saw this, you saw him as a backstabbing boyfriend, who didn´t trust in the skills of his girlfriend.

“Mr. Callen?” He looked up at his boss. He didn´t knew she was there. He changed his position and opened some space for Hetty to sit next to him.

“What is it, Hetty?” “The autopsy of Miss (L/N) is finished. I need to talk to you about the results.” He furrowed his brow.

“She was shot in the throat, the bullet hit the artery. She bled out.” It felt wrong to talk about you just like another victim. Hetty sighed.

“You are right. But the medical examiner found something. Something different.” She paused. Hetty wasn´t someone to pause, only if it was a difficult situation.

“Hetty?” He asked and leaned forward to look at her.

“Miss (L/N) was pregnant.” He felt like throwing up.

He let himself sink back in the couch. A lump was suddenly in his throat. He felt his eyes burning again and he couldn´t feel anything except the sorrow. He gulped.

“How long” he asked breathless.

“At the beginning, third week. She didn´t know.” He nodded.

“If she knew she-“, he sobbed quietly. “She wouldn´t have gone in the field. She would protect the child.” He knew that, they talked about it, when she thought she was pregnant. This was before they were in a relationship, and after the shock she was on birth control, or so he thought.

“Thanks Hetty” he told her quietly and focused on nothing, he just stared in the room. He didn´t realized when Hetty left. He was just so hurt.

First he felt all alone on this world, with the whole foster families, than with his jobs. The first family he had was his team here at NCIS. Then he found you, the new addition to his team. You weren´t very open, no one of the team was, but you weren´t even friendly or tried to get along with the team. At the first case everyone was pissed at you, even Eric and Nell. You worked on your own, so he thought you were a lone wolf, like him, but then he overheard a conversation between you and Hetty, just a week after you first showed up.

   “This isn´t fair!” You sounded angry. Callen hid at a spot, where he couldn´t be seen, but could hear you perfectly.

“This isn´t about fairness, Miss (L/N). It is about you and your ability to work as a field agent again.” You were an agent? He didn´t knew, he thought you were a profiler or something like this, or a technician, because you worked up in OPS.

“And as far as I can see, you aren´t able to work again.” He heard you snort.

“I am perfectly fine. I am healthy and the psychologist and the doctors gave their all clear, so what holds me back?”

“You aren´t working with my team, you were incredible unfriendly and cold towards them, how am I supposed to let you work with them?”

“That´s because I don’t want to work with them. See, I´m grateful that you took me under your wings, without you I wouldn´t be standing here, I would´ve lost my job, but I don´t want to work with anyone, I want to work alone.”

“That´s not possible. You are a team player and we both know it. You´re staying in OPS until you learn to work with my team.” Callen heard your footsteps and watched you leaving.

“It isn´t nice to eavesdrop on someone.” He looked at Hetty, who was standing now.

“What do you mean that she is a team player?” He didn´t even try to lie to Hetty.

“That, Mr. Callen, is a question you should ask her.” He huffed.

“She doesn´t even talk to me.”

“Then you should find another way. It´s worth a try.”

   It was worth it.

It was totally worth it.

He trusted you like no one else, even if it took its time.

“G?” Callen heard your voice, he was crazy. He felt crazy. He felt sleepy.

“G.” He felt heavy, he couldn´t keep his eyes open.

“G!”

  He woke with a start. He didn´t know where he was. He started to panic.

“Shhh. Everything is alright, you´re safe.” He could hear your voice, loud and steady.

He realized he was in his bedroom, or better in his and your bedroom, in your shared bed.

He looked to the side and saw you there, healthy and alive. You have cocked your head, and he could see the worry in your (E/C) eyes. He couldn´t believe his eyes.

He frantically cupped your face and went down to your neck, where the bullet opened your skin and you bled, and now was your strong and steady pulse. He let his hands wander all over your body.

You sat quietly there and waited for your boyfriend to finish his checking. You knew how he was when he had a bad dream, but this was even new to you.

When he cupped your face on both sides, and put his forehead on yours to lightly nudge your nose, you knew something was very wrong. You waited in this position until his breathing got even.

“You wanna talk about it?” You asked him, knowing that he would possibly deny your question. So you were surprised when he nodded and started kissing you. You broke the kiss and lay down, guiding his head to your chest, so he could hear your heartbeat during his telling and you could cradle his head.

You listened to him till he finished, never pushing him to tell you something he didn´t want to and waiting for him on difficult passages. He finished and you didn´t know what to say. You died in his dream and were pregnant.

“G?” A humming noise came as response.

“You know I´m on birth control, right?” He made an approving noise.

“And you know I want to work in the field again?” He nodded.

“But you know, I wouldn´t decide anything without talking with you first. We are a couple, we should decide together about our future.”

“You are right.” He murmured. You decided to talk with him now.

“G? Do you want children?” You stopped caressing his head, when he put his head up to face you.

“Do you want children?” He empathized your addressing. Slowly you began to nod. 

He leaned forward to capture your lips with his. The kiss was passionate, the way his lips moved over yours was feeling like caressing.

When he backed away, you slowly opened your eyes to see him smirking at you.

“Then let´s start, and stop the birth control.”

[derryderrydown]

Players: We rent a helicopter. Hetty can fly them.

GM: There are no helicopter rental places near you.

Players: *googling* Yes, there are! Look!

GM: All helicopters have been rented for the local helicopter festival.

This is the problem with having your game set in the real world.

[blogger360ncislarules]

                                       The 5 Days

                          (Either before or after S11′s Knock Down)

Callen was walking to Hetty’s office, he had gotten a call from her in the middle of the night saying that she had something to tell him.

‘Callen?’

She was sitting on one of the couches next to the bullpen.

‘Hetty, you wanted to talk to me?’

Looking sad as usual, ‘Yes, I do, Please sit down.’

He sat down next to her on the couch.

‘Hetty, what is it? Are you ok?’

‘I’m ok, What I’m about to tell you, is going to be difficult for me to tell because it hurts me as well.’

‘You’re, quitting?’

‘Oh gosh, no! It’s why I’ve been unhappy these past few months!’

Callen was relieved, because as much as Sam thought he wanted to, he just couldn’t take Hetty’s place.

‘Good to know. why, have you been unhappy?’

‘Sigh. Remember how back a couple of years ago you found out I was involved in a helicopter crash over Vietnam?’

‘Yes, you and Keane survived and you don’t have any memory of what happened after the crash, right?’

‘Right. Well, I remember, what happened to me, during the 5 days it took for me to be found.’

Few seconds later.

‘Wait, you remember?!’

‘Yes.’

‘When did this happen?’

‘When I was in Greece. I was wandering around the city. When I came across a hypnotist.’

‘A hypnotist?’

‘Yes, He asked why I looked sad, I told him I was trying to remember something. He told me that he could help me.’

‘So, you allowed yourself to be hypnotized? Is that even possible?’

‘Believe it or not, it is. So, I agreed to it. I told him what I was trying to remember. And, we proceeded from there.’

‘You weren’t trying to remember those 5 days, were you?’

‘No. I was trying to remember a happier memory.’ ‘While I was underr, I saw myself in a jungle. I thought, ‘No, that can’t be right’, well, I was curious to find out more, so I stayed under and kept going. Took about 1 minute, but I could see that it was Vietnam. I wondered what this memory was about, then, I saw him.’

‘Keane?

‘Yes, I saw Keane. He looked like he needed help. So I started to walk over to him, then, I heard a twig snap.’

‘And?’

Looking like she wanted to cry really bad: ‘I, ran.’

‘You, ran?’

‘Sniff. Yes. I left him there. and, because of that, he was stuck in that war zone for so many years!! 😭’

Callen let her hug him because she was practically crying now.

‘I left him! I left him! 😭😭’

After what felt like 4 minutes, Hetty stopped crying, and Callen let go of her.

‘You alright now?’

‘Sniff. Maybe.’

‘Did you tell him what you know?’

‘Yes. When I got back before February. I invited him to my place so we could talk.’

‘And?’

‘I told him, that I now remember, and that I was very sorry.’

‘And?’

‘He looked at me, for a few seconds, and got up and left. I went after him, asking why he was leaving. All he said was: ‘I don’t want to talk to you, or see you right now. Please leave my alone.’

‘Have, you tried to talk to him?’

‘I called him later. He said he was going on a trip somewhere, for a while. He said he needed time to think.’

‘Have you spoken to him?’

‘I’ve been trying to call him multiple times, he won’t answer them. Just left me 1 voicemail asking to be left alone for a bit.’ ‘Well, he hasn’t left me any voicemail for weeks now. I’ve been calling the place that he was at, They said that they havn’t seen him in quite a while!!’

‘You fear that something has happened?’

‘Yes, very!’

‘Well, I can get Eric on the case of looking for him, if that’s what you want.’

‘Yes, I’ll talk to him today.’

‘OK, well, time to work, and Hetty.’

‘Hmm?’

‘What happened to you in those 5 days?’

No answer.

‘OK’.

As he left, She thought: ‘Does he want to know how I struggled to survive in a unforgiving jungle for 5 days, was knocke out for a few days, woke up and didn’t remember seeing him?’

                Not only is this a drabble, this is also my biggest theory yet as to why Hetty has been so unhappy this Midseason!

Tagging: @shipppphappens, @ncis-ncislafan, @typingtess, @ejzah, @ncisla-westaytogether, @anonkp, @mashmaiden, @detective-and-agent-deeks, @bluenet13, @psyched1328

[typingtess]

NCIS: LOS ANGELES:  "The Reckoning" – Teaser/Act One

And we're back for the final three.

The previouslys are Callen yelling at Hetty, Callen telling Leah she's in danger, lots of Pembrooke.

The Callen/Leah in the hospital sneak peek.  The ambulance pulls over – Leah's protectors meet with a man in a Pershing Square.  They are all survivors of Pembrooke.   While meeting there is a mass assassination – sniper - of the group.  Only the fellow driving the ambulance, Beltran, gets away.

Deeks and Rountree walk to Ops behind a very cranky Kilbride.  Deeks makes a joke but Kilbride is no mood.  Callen and Kensi are at Pershing Square.  In Ops, the bossy CIA Agent sneak peek.

Callen and Kensi look over the dead people.  Kensi figures out the math of where the sniper was hiding.  Bossy CIA Agent accuses Callen of being a killer like all of the Drona subjects.  Kensi comes back – the shot had to be fired from a helicopter.

Callen/Kensi/Ops sneak peek.  Gee whiz – we've through all of those.  Callen gets a call from Pembrooke.

[tooldtoship]

I thought about Live-Blogging tonight, but I was afraid because of my time zone and that I’m behind watching, I would see to many spoilers, so this is a pseudo-live blog just for me, so read at your own risk:

Nell is a miracle worker, she made Kensi want to set a date

Glad they are talking about the wedding again

Gad Densi knows Neric is moving in together.

Sneak Peek where Callen sees it’s Joelle.

Callen - It’s not personal - I’m asking you to trust me...Ha Ha

Densi are called back to the boat shed.

I love Nell sharing with Eric, and admitting she knew Joelle wasn’t dead.

Wow, a kiss per episode so far this season

Hetty Lange school of Mischief.

Mission Impossible 5

I called it - It’s Joelle who triggered the boat shed motion detector.

Callen believes Joelle and it surprises her.

@typingtess has to be upset, Joelle is in HQ, but Callen has a good reason.

Nell pulls out the gun...and dropping Joelle off, says she thinks it a bad idea

Nellvarine!

Sam feels most at home at Sea.

Shooter at the helicopter, shoots Bush.

Joelle recognizes the shooter, who is the bride from earlier.

Bush apologizes to Callen about his Dad, nice moment.

So does Joelle get to here about Callen’s Dad.

Actually a nice moment between Joelle & Callen and he did tell her about his Dad.

I didn’t think she’d go in.

This was a nice episode.  Ties up one of the storylines from last season, so that was good.  Everyone stayed in character and was involved and the team managed without either Hetty or Mosley.  I would watch this again.

[sexydeathparty]

12 TV Shows From The 90s You'd Almost Forgotten About

We all remember the likes of Absolutely Fabulous, SM:TV Live, Blind Date, but there’s been a whole host of other shows from back in the 90s that have been consigned to the TV vaults. 

As HuffPost continues its celebration of old-school televisual treats in our series Rewind To The 90s, we’re raiding the archives to uncover a host of programmed you’d likely forgotten all about... until now. 

1. Man O Man

Man O Man turned the concept of a beauty pageant on its head and featured a host of male contestants, with a female audience voting on the winner after they were put through various challenges. It memorably saw losing contestants pushed into a swimming pool behind them. 

Based on the German gameshow of the same name, Man O Man was hosted by Chris Tarrant and aired for two series between 1996 and 1999. 

2. Don’t Try This At Home

After learning her craft as a presenter with roles on MTV and a number of late night shows, Davina arrived on prime time with her own Saturday night series, Don’t Try This At Home, in 1998. 

It saw members of the public facing tough and extreme challenges, such as bungee jumping, or facing their fears by being locked in a room full of spiders. 

One episode saw Davina have to bungee jump from a helicopter into the Grand Canyon after one contestant pulled out of a challenge at the last minute.  

3. Hetty Wainthropp Investigates

Patrica Routledge is beloved for her role as snobby neighbourhood busybody Hyacinth Bucket in BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. But after leaving the show in 1995 at the height of its popularity, Patricia said she wanted to pursue other more dramatic roles – the first of which came a year later when she began playing the titular character in detective series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. 

Airing for four series between 1996 and 1998, viewers followed Hetty – a retired woman from the North West of England – solving crimes that were often seen as too trivial for the police. 

4. Ground Force

Coming off the success of home renovation series Changing Rooms was its horticultural counterpart Ground Force. 

Each week a team of designers, builders and gardeners, headed up by Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Jones would transform an unloved garden, sparking a national obsession with decking and pebble bubble fountains. 

5. The Thin Blue Line

The 90s was a golden era for British comedy, with shows like Absolutely Fabulous, Keeping Up Appearances, Desmond’s, Dinnerladies, Men Behaving Badly and The Vicar Of Dibley among the most notable. 

One that is often less well remembered is The Thin Blue line – a sitcom penned by Ben Elton set in a police station. 

Starring Mr Bean himself Rowan Atkinson and Rudolph Walker (aka EastEnders’ Patrick Truman), it focused on the divide between the uniformed squad and CID and their conflicting approaches to policing. 

Only 14 episodes were made across two series between 1995 and 1996. 

6. Sunburn

Sunburn was a BBC drama that followed the lives of a group of British holiday reps working in the Algarve, starring Michelle Collins, Sharon Small, Sean Maguire and Paul Nicholas. 

The idea for the show, which ran for two series between 1999 and 2000 – came about after writer Mike Bullen (the man behind Cold Feet) watched the docu-soap Holiday Reps. 

7. The Grimleys

This comedy drama followed the trials and tribulations of the everyday Grimley family, based in the Midlands in the 1970s. 

Written by Line Of Duty creator Jed Mercurio, it also starred Amanda Holden in one of her early dramatic roles, where she played school teacher, Miss Geraldine Titley. 

After a pilot in 1997, it ran for three series between 1999 and 2001. 

8. The Cruise

Following the success of the BBC’s fly-on-the-wall documentary series Airport, the broadcaster set its sight on the seas, and launched The Cruise, which followed the staff aboard the luxury liner Galaxy. 

It was also the show that launched the TV career of Loose Women legend and cruiser extraordinaire Jane McDonald. 

Jane was working as a singer on board and captured the nation’s hearts with her down to earth sense of humour and blossoming relationship with partner Henrik, who she went on to marry on the show, which aired for 12 episodes in 1998. 

9. House Doctor

One of the key shows in Channel 5’s early years was House Doctor – a home renovation series with a twist. 

Each episode would see Californian real-estate stylist Ann Maurice come to the rescue of people struggling to sell their homes, helping them to declutter and redecorate on a budget in order to attract potential buyers. 

Having originally aired between 1998 and 2003, there was a brief revival in 2016, where Ann was succeeded by new designer Tracy Metro. 

10. Peak Practice

Peak Practice was an ITV drama that ran from 1993 to 2002 which was set in a fictional GP surgery in the Peak District. 

Kevin Whately, Amanda Burton and Sarah Parish were among those who appeared during the course of its 12 series. 

The show ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger when it was axed by ITV, with two characters going over the edge of a cliff, with their fate remaining unclear. 

11. Talking Telephone Numbers

This ITV game show gave viewers the chance to win cash based on their telephone number. 

During the course of each episode, various variety acts would perform and play a short game that would generate a number. Once five digits were selected, viewers who had them in their phone number could call into one of the show’s 96 telephonists. A phone line would then be picked at random, and that person given the chance to win £25,000. 

The show was presented by Phillip Schofield between 1994 and 1997, with Emma Forbes joining him for the first four series, and Claudia Winkleman co-hosting the final run with him. 

12. The Frank Skinner Show

Graham Norton and Jonathan Ross make up the majority of hosts on the chat show circuit these days, but back in the 90s, they had company from the likes of Michael Parkinson, Mrs Merton, Des O’Connor and Frank Skinner.

You might have forgotten that Frank hosted an eponymous late-night show for the BBC between 1995 and 1999, before moving to ITV for its final six years.

As well as celebrity chat, the show also used to feature a stand-up routine, sketches and a comedy song.

BACK TO THE 90S:

22 Nostalgic Top Of The Pops Performances That Will Take You Right Back To The 90s

These Classic TV Moments All Celebrate Their 30th Anniversaries In 2022

The Definitive Ranking Of The 20 Best Kids TV Shows From The 90s

from HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public) https://ift.tt/SkX6FPJ via IFTTT

[chicgeekgirl89]

Cruel, Cruel Summer Chap 8

Read chapters 1-7 here.

He was going to die out here. The world had begun to swim before his eyes and breathing had become a painful challenge. Deeks staggered through the trees aware that despite the fact he was sweating from the humidity, he felt cold. He’d lost too much blood.

He hadn’t heard SM1 or SM2 behind him in a long time, which was both a relief and terrifying. If they’d left him then it meant they might have gone after Kensi and Katrina. Kensi on her own might be able to evade them, but with Katrina in tow she was at a significant disadvantage.

He tripped over a rock and went sprawling to the ground. He felt his shoulder tear and had to stifle an agonized cry. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky.

He couldn’t get up even if he tried, but he was too exposed lying out here. He pushed himself up and began dragging his body toward the protection of a rotting tree that had fallen on its side. He leaned against it and tried to catch his breath, but it refused to come out as anything other than agonized gasps. His body had become one, giant, throbbing heartbeat.

Vacation sucked.

“Deeks!”

He started. He must have blacked out because he could swear he’d just heard someone call his name. Someone who sounded a lot like Sam. But that was crazy. Sam wasn’t here. No one was. Just him, dying alone in the woods on what was supposed to be a relaxing beach vacation. He was going to miss the beach. And Kensi. And being at the beach with Kensi.

“Deeks!”

There it was again. He was hallucinating, definitely hallucinating because now Sam was running toward him and that was completely impossible. “Hey, hey, Deeks look at me!” Sam commanded.

Deeks blinked. This was real. Sam was really there. “We didn’t invite you,” he said.

“Yeah that was an oversight on your part. Maybe if you had you wouldn’t have a new hole in your chest. From now on we vacation together,” Sam said as he pulled out his radio. “Callen I’ve got him.”

“Not going on vacation anymore,” Deeks said. “Too dangerous.”

“I don’t blame you. Somebody get me a pressure bandage!” he yelled as he ripped open Deeks’ shirt.

“Hey, hey,” Deeks said. “I have a fiancée.”

“Now’s not the time for your funny shit Deeks,” Sam growled. “How bad is the pain?”

“Not…” he started to answer but the world went grey.

Sam barked his name, “Deeks! Wake up!”

Sam’s face looked hazy and Deeks struggled to bring him into focus. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Stay awake,” he commanded. “This is going to hurt.”

He wasn’t kidding. Deeks moaned out a stream of obscenities as Sam put an immense amount of pressure on his wound. “Breathe man, just breathe,” Sam said as he worked.

The pain made his brain click back into gear. “Sam, Sam they’re after Kensi,” he gasped.

“Callen’s got her Deeks. They’re coming. Hang in there. What’s the ETA on that helicopter?” he yelled to someone behind him.

“They want--” he moaned as Sam taped the bandage into place, “they want the Overwatch passcodes. And Sebastian. You have to find Sebastian.”

“Deeks, I’m telling you, we’re on it. Just focus on not dying all right?”

He must have blacked out for a while after that because the next time he opened his eyes he was flat out on the ground on a stretcher with no idea how he’d gotten there. His mouth was dry and it took him a long moment to figure out where he was at all. “Sam,” he rasped.

“Chopper’s almost here Deeks,” Sam said.

“Deeks!”

He tried to raise his head, searching for the face that went with the voice that had called his name. “Kensi!” he croaked.

She dropped to her knees beside him, grabbing his face in her hands and kissing him as hard as she could. “Are you all right? Are you good?” she asked, brushing hair from his face.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. Is Katrina?”

“Katrina’s fine. We’re all fine.”

“Good. Okay. Is it okay if I skip all those mai tai’s and just mainline some morphine instead?”

She laughed. “Yeah, I think you’ve earned it.”

Kensi sat next to Deeks’ bed, waiting for him to wake up. They’d been choppered out of the woods and Deeks had been taken immediately into surgery to remove the bullet that had indeed lodged against his collarbone. It had gone well, but they were concerned about infection considering what he’d been up to for the last twelve hours.

She herself had a bit of a concussion and they’d bandaged up the gash on her head. Sam and Callen were still out, searching for their captors and for Sebastian, although Kensi didn’t hold out much hope for the man at this point.

She rubbed a hand over her face. She’d have given anything for a shower but she didn’t want to leave until Deeks woke up.

“Did you bring me a mai tai?” His voice was full of gravel.

“Sorry, no mai tais in the hospital. I can get you the finest jello in all of Hawaii though.”

He opened his eyes and squinted up at her. “If mai tais are out I’m guessing the beach is too?”

“For today at least,” she said.

“So, I guess that just leaves really amazing sex then.”

She rolled her eyes. “How about you focus on healing the new hole in your shoulder and then we’ll talk.”

He looked down at the white bandages covering a good portion of his torso. “That looks like it’s going to take too long. Let’s just try it now. Live dangerously.”

“I think we’ve had enough danger for one vacation.”

His cheeky smile faded. “Sebastian?”

She shook her head. “No word yet. Katrina’s here somewhere. They looked her over and she’ll be fine. Aside from the many, many years of therapy she’s going to need to deal with all of this.”

“It’s going to extra suck if something’s happened to Sebastian. I feel really bad they got caught up in all of this,” Deeks said.

“It’s not our fault,” Kensi said, trying to believe it. “We didn’t start this. We did our best and we got Katrina out.”

“I guess we did.”

“Hey, you pulled off a pretty amazing escape back there,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “Now you see me, now you don’t.”

“Yeah I’m thinking of calling it a Harry Houdini with a Hawaiian Sunset. You caught on pretty quickly.”

“Well I’m used to your crazy plans at this point,” she said fondly.

“Knock, knock.”

They looked up to see Sam and Callen entering the room, still in field clothes. “Hey,” Kensi said, getting to her feet. “Did you find Sebastian?”

They looked at one another and Kensi felt her heart sink. “Actually we did,” Callen said.

“He managed to escape and has been wandering around in the wilderness for even longer than you two. He’s dehydrated but with a little time, he should be perfectly fine,” Sam said.

Deeks snorted in disbelief. “All right then. Go Sebastian.”

“Apparently he finally figured out they’d made a mistake and when he told them they left him while they tried to work out a plan B. They didn’t lock the door and he got out. He’s a tough guy for an IT worker,” Callen told them.

Deeks shifted, trying to get more comfortable. “What about the assholes who started this in the first place?”

“In HPD custody,” Sam said.

“What did they even want the Overwatch codes for?” Kensi asked.

“Apparently their boss is pissed off at Keenan Tambor,” Callen said.

“He’s on NCIS’s watch list,” Deeks said immediately.

“Exactly. Somehow they got word he’d been tagged for Overwatch and their boss decided it would be a great way to get what he wanted. Tambor’s a slippery guy and this was their chance to get ahold of him.”

“Well, glad we were able to save his sorry ass,” Kensi said.

“Yeah I hope he’s grateful,” Deeks grumbled.

“Unlikely, but Sebastian and Katrina are extremely grateful for your help,” Sam said. “They’re coming by to visit as soon as Sebastian’s been rehydrated.”

“How are you two doing?” Callen asked.

“Don’t we look well rested and tan? We are on vacation after all,” Deeks said.

“Well you definitely look better than when we found you,” Sam said. “Although that’s not saying much.”

“How did you find us anyway?” Deeks asked, furrowing his brow. “We were literally in the middle of nowhere.”

Kensi glared at them. “They put trackers in our watches.”

“And aren’t you glad we did? Be sure to tell Eric and Nell thank you when you get home,” Callen told them.

“You people are getting Hetty level crazy. I’m not sure we can be friends anymore,” Deeks grumbled.

“Well maybe next time you go on vacation we won’t jump on a plane and fly across the ocean to save your ass’ from whatever mess you find yourselves in,” Callen said.

“We are definitely grateful,” Kensi said.

“We’re just glad you’re okay,” Sam said. “Really.”

“We are too,” Kensi told him sincerely.

He pulled her into a hug. “We’ll see you guys at home.”

“For sure.”

They walked out and Kensi sank down next to her partner again. “So how long until they let us out of here?” Deeks asked.

“Well I’m free to go at any time. You’re a hostage until they’re convinced you’re not going to develop an infection.”

“Any chance of you breaking me out of here since I basically saved our lives today with my David Blaine act?”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “Not a chance.”

[raccoonsmate4life]

I feel like this is the first time, in 9 seasons, that we’ve seen Hetty that unsure of what was going to happen to her.  Both in the moment, and its aftermath.  Her leaning on Callen after he untied her, and again on the helicopter - we’ve never seen that side of her and it’s giving me some feels.

[ncisladaily]

Life started to fall apart for Kensi (Daniela Ruah) and Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) last month on the Season 12 premiere of NCIS: Los Angeles when Deeks was informed that his services as an LAPD liaison to NCIS were no longer needed. And to make matters worse, he can’t return to the LAPD because of cutbacks, his job there was also eliminated.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time because the couple were discussing buying a house and starting a family.

“Last season, Kensi was concerned about getting pregnant,” Ruah tells Parade.com. “The biggest disagreement between Deeks and Kensi was the fact that he was ready to settle down and have children and she just wasn’t ready to do that because she didn’t know who she was without this job. And now the table’s turned a little bit, now he’s the one who’s very concerned about the logistics, which makes total sense.”

The fact that they have each seem to have done a 180 makes for an interesting storyline. And viewers can’t find fault with either of them because both of them are completely justified in how they feel about the situation.

“Deeks is very concerned about the logistics, about having only one income, and we’re about to buy a house and we want to get pregnant,” Ruah continues. “And we can’t afford to do any of this right now. She has become the glass is half full partner in the relationship. ‘We’re going to make it work. We can do this. We can do this because together we can do anything,’ which is incredibly romantic because she loves him so much. It’s like, ‘We’re going to make our life work the way we want it to work no matter what, we just have to figure it out.’”

To compound matters even more, Deeks also finds out that the ship has sailed when it comes to attending FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center) and becoming a full-fledged NCIS agent, because he is too old. And Hetty (Linda Hunt), who can normally solve all difficulties of this sort, has tried and failed.

“That seems to be a FLETC thing,” Ruah explains. “It’s like, ‘Well, actually, they don’t take people above a certain age.’ It’s an academy where kids go to learn. So, that’s definitely a big obstacle that these two are going to have to overcome.”

Whether the two will catch a break remains to be seen–although Ruah does hint at a possible positive resolution down the line. Even so, in the present, Kensi has lost her partner of 11 years and is functioning on her own. It will work out to her advantage in this Sunday night’s “Raising the Dead” episode, when she is recalled to an old case.

In order to get intel on a matter of national security, Kensi must come face-to-face with David Kessler (Frank Military), a sociopath who has been obsessed with her since she put him in jail years ago. And like Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs, Kensi has to stand outside his glass cage and try to get information out of him as he taunts her.

Like Hannibal Lecter, David Kessler picks up on clues and vibes and he can tell that Kensi has gotten married and he senses there is an issue when it comes to starting a family.

“There is definitely a crack in her armor when he talks about her inability to have babies,” Ruah says. “There’s definitely a viciousness in her in that moment. But, of course, you have the guy behind the glass who is incredibly dangerous and he’s attempting to manipulate and get information by prodding and stabbing away. It’s hard not to equate it to that, but I don’t think it’s exactly the same as Silence of the Lambs.”

The last few seasons, there seems to have been at least one Kensi-centric episode and each time we get one, we find out something new about her. Are you still learning things about her, too?

Yeah. For one, I learned during the episode that her capturing of David Kessler was what got Hetty’s attention and what brought Kensi into this team, the Office of Special Projects. I didn’t know that.

But we don’t necessarily delve into her history. We know about her father and we know about the ex-fiancé who suffered PTSD and left her on Christmas. We’ve found out a lot about this girl. Let’s face it. She has a pretty traumatic past. She lived on the streets as a young girl, ran away from home, didn’t have much of a relationship with her mom. So, she has a pretty phenomenal background that has shaped her and given her this incredible amount of resilience and strength.

She’s like a Phoenix. This girl just keeps coming back from the ashes, no matter what the trauma, whether it was being kidnapped by the Taliban in Season 5 in Afghanistan, or getting caught under a helicopter when flying back from Syria in Season 8 and then having to fight through having half her body being paralyzed.

The show has a different feel this season. Hetty is out again, Nell is subbing for her, Beale is off somewhere. We have two new characters, Fatima and Roundtree. Does it bring a new energy to the show?

Definitely, and then, of course, we can’t forget that there’s a pandemic that we’re also working around. On the show we’ve chosen to make this sort of a post-pandemic setting, or some parallel world where it hasn’t happened, and so we have to take a lot of precautions to be able to not have our masks on.

So, that means less people in a scene to avoid too much contact, a few more phone calls as a result, and you have to adapt the directing to stuff like that. If you just have two sitting ducks at desks talking on the phone, that’s not interesting no matter what they’re talking about. So, you have to create movement within those scenes where there’s only a few people at a time. You don’t get the whole cast in the ops center anymore.

Even the cast is in pods each episode. So, we’ll seldom interact with everybody, or never interact with everybody, in one episode. But after 12 years, you have to have fresh blood. You have to have a fresh energy. You have to have a new input. Not because the audience is tired of us or anything like that, but, I think, it makes it more interesting. And now you have two new characters to fall in love with and get to get to know.

And new story possibilities?

New story possibilities, new connections, new relationships. I love those two. Fatima [Medalion Rahimi] and Roundtree [Caleb Castille] have been incredibly rich additions to this show. I think the more we get to know them as characters, the more interesting this is going to become. I have had the title of junior agent for the longest time and I think I still do, which is weird. I feel like I should’ve been promoted by now. But Kensi was the green one learning from Callen [Chris O’Donnell] and Sam [LL Cool J], and now she’s experienced.

In real life, becoming a mom, and having a real life to manage, especially now with homeschooling and learning my lines, and there’s no break from anything now, which is fine because I love hanging out with my kids. But it brings something else to you. And now to be the big sister to someone else, or the mama bear to someone else as characters, I like that transition. I don’t want to be the junior agent forever. I want to evolve into someone who’s now guiding someone else.

But Kensi doesn’t want Hetty’s job?

No, I don’t think Kensi’s cut out for Hetty’s job. I think the fact that they’ve placed Nell in that position is pretty brilliant, because we know that Nell is an incredible field agent. The times that we’ve seen her in the field, she’s more than capable. She’s incredibly intelligent, so is Kensi, but listen, different people are cut out for different things, and I don’t think that Kensi is cut out for the Hetty position.

I heard when Beale returns, he’s going to have a different job. Can you elaborate on that?

So, if you remember last season, Beale was developing this technology for a company in San Francisco, and the company went bust. But the technology that he was developing is his, and so he’s continued to develop it. And now Mr. Beale has become a multi-million-dollar tech guy, who rolls in in new clothes on one of those electric monocycles, sporting a mustache. The man has come a long way. We don’t have the polar bear pajama bottoms anymore. I think that Mr. Beale probably has Chanel pajama bottoms now.

Here’s a frivolous question: are you keeping the shorter hair or are you growing it back out?

Definitely growing it back out. I like it short, but I’m growing it back out. Maybe once it gets to a certain length, I’ll cut it off and donate it again. That’s why I cut it off. It has to be at least 10 inches and it can’t be bleached.