#densimber 2022

[densi-mber]

Never Let You Go

***

“Hey, I was thinking we could go skating after dinner,” Kensi suggested as they finished up a meal of leftover Christmas ham and sides on Thursday evening. “They’re supposed have free hot chocolate and live music.”

Kensi paused, looking to Rosa, but she remained silent, focused on the food she wasn’t eating.

“You know I love a good cup of hot chocolate. It’s been a while since I broke out my double axle,” Deeks commented, hoping to get some reaction from Rosa.

In the last few days, she’d been oddly quiet, even taking her reserved personality into consideration. She’d seemed irritated by any attempt to cheer her up or initiate a discussion.

Deeks told himself that it was typical teenage behavior, but every day she shut down a little more.

“Babe, I’ve never seen you do a double axle.”

“Which is why I need to practice.” Deeks caught Kensi’s eye, and raised his voice a little. “What do you think, Rose?”

“I don’t really feel like going out,” she murmured, nudging a piece of broccoli to the side with her fork.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun,” Kensi coaxed. “We’ve cooped up inside too much recently.”

“I don’t want to. Why can’t you just accept that?” Rosa snapped. She glanced up for the briefest of seconds, eyes flashing. Deeks had seen her disappointed, worried, scared, and dejected, but this was the first time he’d seen true anger.

Deeks glanced to Kensi, having a wordless conversation. She nodded, indicating he should take the lead.

“Ok, what’s going on, kiddo?” he asked gently. “I know you keep saying you want space, but something is clearly going on.”

“I’m sorry that I raised my voice,” she apologized, once again staring down, though she didn’t make anymore pretense of eating.

“We’re more worried about the why.”

“We know that it’s been a difficult transition the last year, and it’s probably a lot different than what you imagined—”

“That’s not it at all,” Rosa interrupted. “I’ve been so happy, and grateful to live here and have you and Kensi as my parents. I couldn’t have asked for more.” Her voice hitched on the last word.

“Then what’s wrong?” Kensi asked, and Rosa finally looked up, so much sorrow in her eyes, it left Deeks’ breathless.

“I heard you talking the other day,” she admitted. “I know about the baby.”

“I’m sorry you had to find out that way.” For some reason Deeks hadn’t considered that as a possibility.

“We weren’t hiding it from you,” Kensi added, reaching to cover Rosa’s hand. “But I understand why you’re angry with us.”

“I’m not angry, I’m just going to miss you,” Rosa whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

“Whoa, hold on a second, we’re not going anywhere,” Deeks said, confusion taking over concern for a moment.

“You’ve wanted a baby though, and when that didn’t happen, you got me instead. And now I’ll have to go back…” her face crumpled and she couldn’t go on as sobs overwhelmed her.

“Oh my god,” Deeks muttered, horrified as he realized what been thinking for the last four days. Simultaneously, he and Kensi moved around the table to either side of Rosa.

Crouching down in front of her, Kensi gripped Rosa’s hands. “Rosa, sweetie, we would never, ever give you up.” Her voice shook with barely contained emotion. “We love you so, so much.”

“More than anything,” Deeks added, laying his hand on Rosa’s shoulder. “You couldn’t make us give you up if you tried. And nothing’s going to change that. Yeah, things are going to get a lot crazier in a few months, but we will not stop wanting or loving you.”

“Really?” Rosa asked with so much hope and blind trust that it was a little terrifying. Deeks gently turned her chin to look her directly in the eye.

“Yes.”

Cupping her hands over her mouth, she let out another sob, shoulders caving with relief. Kensi wrapped her arms around her, tucking Rosa’s head into her chest. Blindly, Rosa reached out and tugged Deeks into the embrace, and he rested his cheek on top of her head.

Tears silently streamed down Kensi’s cheeks as she stared back at him with an anguished expression. He found her hand and squeezed it. They would be ok.

“Although, you might change your mind about leaving after the crying starts,” he added. Rosa chuckled wetly, rubbing her hand under her eyes.

“I’ve always wanted a little sister or brother, so I don’t think I’ll mind too much.”

“And you’ll make the best older sister,” Kensi told her.

As they stayed huddled together for several more minutes, Deeks knew that they would need to make sure they never broke their promise.

***

A/N: I usually write Rosa as fairly even-tempered, but even the most reserved people lose it now and then. Also, while I think Rosa is pretty mature and reasonable, teenagers can convince themselves of the worse case scenario when panicked.

[ejzah]

First Line Tag Game

Rules: Post the first lines of your last 10 posted to ao3 ff.net. If you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics.

Thanks for tagging me @chicgeekgirl89!

1. If I Could Change One Thing

"You gotta cut me loose."

Those words haunt her. She remembers the terror in his eyes, the little hitch in his voice as he forced the plea out, his eyes glazed with fear, and so much pain.

2. The Other Shoe - Chapter 6

The next couple weeks saw an improvement for Deeks, at least in terms of normalcy. He still had his dialysis treatments and other appointments, but he'd taken on a more active role in the team again.

3. Gone Too Far, Chapter 4

"Mom, did they hurt you?" Kensi asked Julia while Deeks wrestled with his boot. She didn't see any obvious injuries but the lighting wasn't good, and anything could be hiding beneath her mom's loose blouse.

4. Type A, from Family

"So, how was your math test?" Deeks asked, trailing Rosa into the house. She'd more quiet than usual on the drive home, which he presumed had something to do with the results of said test. Overall, she was doing amazingly well academically, but he knew Rosa would be upset with anything less than a B.

5. One Minute to Midnight, from Densimber Drabbles

"Wait a second, why is there a mannequin?" Callen asked, frowning at the TV screen in Kensi and Deeks' darkened living room.

6. Never Let You Go, from Densimber Drabbles

"Hey, I was thinking we could go skating after dinner," Kensi suggested as they finished up a meal of leftover Christmas ham and sides on Thursday evening. "They're supposed have free hot chocolate and live music."

7. The Bruises That Never Fade, from How Far We’ve Come

"You look like you could use this," Kensi said, coming up behind Deeks on the back patio. A cookie appeared in his field of vision, and he chuckled, accepting the offering.

"Thanks." He turned it slowly between his fingers instead of taking a bite. Kensi looped her arms around his upper chest, kissing the back of his neck.

8. Thankful Indeed, from Family

Thanksgiving 2022 looks a little different this year. Kensi and Deeks decided to keep things simpler this year, in part because of the general chaos of the last several months.

9. A Friendly Competition, from Densimber Drabbles

"Ah, the returning hero!" Sam said grandly, standing like he was announcing the entrance of royalty.

Deeks accepted the teasing with good grace, pausing in the middle of the bullpen with Kensi by his side while the rest of the team applauded. It was his first, official day back from FLETC.

Grinning, Sam gave him a firm hug, squeezing his shoulder.

10. Looking out for a Friend, from How Far We’ve Come

After Deeks signed off, Sam immediately grabbed his cell, and tapped Rountree's square in his contacts.

"Hey, Sam what's up?" Rountree answered after two rings.

"Devin, what's Deeks doing in OPS?" Sam demanded, crossing one arm over his chest as he glared at the now dark computer screen where Deeks had been a minute ago.

Tagging whoever wants to play!

[densi-mber]

The Shards of Me

A/N: Set during episode 5x01, Ascension. I’m not sure this is the most angsty thing I’ve ever written, but I’m partial to writing about this storyline. Given the episode, it’s also quite whumpy. Enjoy!

***

People surround him, roughly transferring him to a bed. Deeks inhales sharply and he inadvertently clenches his teeth, resulting in a sharper spike of pain throughout his jaw and head amidst the constant agony. The noises and sound of people shouting around him are reduced to a faint buzz, then flare as loud as if someone is using a bullhorn.

Everything is pain.

He’s aware of Kensi and Granger in the room, Sam beside him on another narrow bed.

A doctor demands he open his mouth, rough and matter-of-fact in his urgency, and Deeks refuses, clenching his jaw even tighter. He hits at the hands that try to restrain him, acting on instinct, fighting back now that he can.

He spits out another mouthful of blood. Everything smells and tastes of it. It makes his stomach heave.

“Back off, give him a minute,” Sam says and they finally stop touching him.

Then suddenly Kensi’s next to him, gripping his hand. His savior and distraction during Sidorov’s endless torture. He wants her to never let go, and can barely stand her touch.

He inhales shallowly, teeth still clenched despite the overwhelming pain.

“Deeks, you have to listen to the doctor.” He barely hears her plea, can’t look at her, can’t focus on anything beyond ensuring no one else hurts him.

For a second, he hears Sidorov’s taunts in his head, and swears the man is here in the room with him. Glancing around wildly, Deeks catches Sam’s eyes and sees the pain, the fear, but above all else, understanding.

It’s just the two of them for a moment, recognizing the other’s pain, the absolute horror of it all. He thinks he sees Sam nod, reassuring him, even as he struggles for breath.

Then someone grabs his arm, he feels a sharp jab, and no amount of struggling can keep him from slipping into darkness. He fights itthough. He fights to stay awake, to have some semblance of control, right until the last moment of consciousness.

***

“Tell me the truth, Detective. Who is Quinn working for?”

The drill whirs again, descending towards Deeks’ mouth again and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. Deeks flinches, even though there’s no where to go. Sidorov has made sure of that. The brief reprieve was not nearly long enough, and it’s almost worse as the metal bites into flesh and tooth again.

And he screams.

Deeks wakes in a hazy state of confusion, not sure what’s real. His throat is raw from screaming and he can’t breathe. He closes his eyes, Sidorov, Sam, Michelle…Kensi, all of it coming back in sharp fragments that make him shake.

When he opens his eyes again, he’s aware enough to realize he’s alone and in a hospital room.

Right, the emergency room. His hands quake, and he grabs onto the tiny tray in front of him in a desperate search for stability. He notices the IV in his right hand then, and briefly considers pulling it out. The thought of anything sharp right now makes his heart pound, threatens to send him back over the edge into the waking nightmare of his memories.

In desperation, Deeks feels for his face, for anything to ground him, to distract from those memories. His cheek is swollen; he follows it down to his jaw, hissing at the pain caused by the lightest of touches. His mouth still has the tang of blood. At least he isn’t nearly drowning in it anymore, thanks to the cotton pads he feels jammed inside his cheeks.

Whatever they gave him must have worn off because everything hurts.

Something outside his door crashes, and he scrambles backwards, heartbeat instantly racing, the smell of motor oil in his nose, a drill whirring in his ear as the machines around him sound off in alarm.

Head falling back, Deeks gasps, each breath bringing a fresh wave of pain.

He has never felt so broken.

[densi-mber]

Bring out the Holly

“Hey, how are we doing on snacks?” Kensi asked, turning to Deeks as he popped in the kitchen with a load of empty bowls. She was currently wrist deep in a bowl of cheese dip. Her stomach turned slightly at the squelching sound as it mixed, but so far, she’d done pretty well by sipping on 7UP.

“Uh, we need more chips. And if Arkady keep going at his current rate, way more vodka,” Deeks responded. He dumped the rest of a bag of potato chips and then tortilla strips into bowls.

“Well, it’s a good thing we stocked up.”

Deeks grinned, making a detour to kiss her firmly while they had a moment. They’d been going pretty much non-stop since this morning, and the pace had only picked up once guests started arriving.

Kensi heard a loud cheer, which she assumed had something to do with Arkady, and possibly Roberta. She could only imagine what they were getting up to.

Deeks dragged in a deep breath. “Ok, I’m headed back into the wild. Keep me in your prayers. Kensi snorted, watching him balance the bowls of snacks before she turned back to the dip.

Deciding it was as mixed as it would get, she transferred it to a cut glass dish Roberta had insisted giving them during her recent move, washed up, and fortified herself with another sip of fizzy pop.

When she made it out to the living room and few minutes later, she found everyone spread out in little groups. Fatima and Rountree were talking with Rosa by the Christmas tree. Sam, Callen, and Anna appeared to be in a lively conversation with Arkady. Meanwhile, Nell and Eric were sandwiched between Julia and Roberta on the couch. Deeks was circling the room making sure everyone had enough to drink and eat.

When Nell caught sight of her, she hurried over, enveloping Kensi in a massive hug.

“Hey you!”

“Hey. You know, we did see each other less than 20 minutes ago,” Kensi reminded her teasingly.

“I know, but I really missed you,” Nell said, reaching up to straighten her Christmas inspired headband. Miniature ornaments hung from her earlobes and she wore a piece of sparkly garland as a necklace. Looking over her shoulder, she added, “Plus, I needed a minute. Your moms are grilling us about out relationship.”

“Oh, do tell?”

“Uh, you know everything thing there is to know, and I am not delving into that very complicated can of worms on Christmas.”

“Fair enough,” Kensi agreed. “But, once the holidays are over, be prepared to be grilled.”

A pair of arms wrapped around Kensi’s waist, followed by the familiar and reassuring presence of Deeks’ chest.

“Just so you know, Fatima and Rountree are trying to convince our daughter to move out of state for college,” he murmured.

“How dare they.”

“Ooh, I didn’t get a Shaggy hug yet,” Nell realized, reaching around Kensi to give Deeks a very big hug.

“I missed you too, Velma,” Deeks said, grinning as he pulled a couple pieces of tinsel from Nell’s outfit out of his mouth. “Maybe we should go rescue your partner in crime, he’s looking a little suffocated.”

“Yeah, I’m going to need at least one more drink before that happens.”

“Fair enough.”

Sam, Callen, and Anna wandered over then, making a pit stop for snacks on the way.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve been here since you two completed all the renovations. It looks good,” Sam commented. Kensi had no doubt that he’d been discreetly examining the drywall and flooring.

“Thanks. We had a lot of help from good friends,” Deeks said.

“Mostly thanks to Deeks’ surfing connections.”

“So, your first Christmas as parents in your new home. How’s that feel?” Sam asked, grinning when Deeks groaned.

“Terrifying,” Kensi answered. “Amazing, but terrifying.” Anna reached out to squeeze her hand.

“Alright, time for a new topic before we stress out our hosts,” Nell decided. Kensi sent her a grateful look.

“Ok, how about Arkady’s taken command of your kitchen?” Callen suggested. “His words, not mine.”

“Do I want to know what he’s doing in there?”

“According to him, making a famous Russian drink that only our family know,” Anna answered with a raised brow for emphasis. “I would not go in there right now.”

“Fantastic,” Deeks said, shaking his head. “But, It’s Christmas, so we’re not going to worry about it.”

“What are we not worrying about?” Eric asked, positioning himself between Nell and Deeks.

Kensi noticed that he automatically wrapped his arm around Nell’s waist. She pressed her lips together, holding back a litany of pointed comments. That could wait for later.

“Whatever weird and wonderful things Arkady is currently doing in our kitchen. How’d you escape the terrifying duo that are our mothers?” Deeks glanced over to the couch, but Julia and Roberta had moved on to join Rosa’s little group.

“Uh, with my extremely agile way with words,” Eric answered. “I learned from the master after all.” He bowed to Deeks and then casually added, “By the way, we’re having a June wedding.”

“Great, we can make it a double wedding.” Callen grinned and raised his glass of egg nog in a mock toast, ignoring Nell and Anna’s twin glares.

“It’s been nice knowing you, brother,” Sam said, slapping Callen on the back,

Fortunately, Rosa, Fatima, and Rountree came over before things could get too out of control.

Kensi noticed Rosa wore the birthstone necklace they’d given her that morning. She’d worried it was a little too personal, or Rosa might find it cheesy, so seeing her with it now warmed Kensi’s heart.

She took a quick sip of ginger ale before her hormones got completely out of control and she started crying.

“So there’s this Christmas game going around. I thought it would be fun to play,” Rosa said, more animated than usual. Kensi wondered just what she’d been talking about with Rountree and Fatima. “Basically, you put a bunch of gift bows on the table, and each person takes a turn trying to scoop them into a basket while blindfolded.”

“You want to blindfold a bunch of highly competitive people, at least half of whom know multiple fighting styles,” Deeks summed up, pulling a face. “I see absolutely nothing going wrong here.”

“Hush, we can behave ourselves,” Sam protested with a smirk.

“We’re also going to need a lot of dollar bills,” Fatima added. “It’s part of the game.”

“Well, I don’t have any ones, but I got a stack of 20s,” Eric offered.

“Why the hell do you have a bunch of 20s, Eric?”

“He likes to be prepared.” Nell patted his shoulder, looking up at her not-fiancé with a happy smile.

“Oh, this is a going to be a massive disaster,” Deeks commented with a chuckle as everyone headed off to gather bows and spatulas. Callen was making side bets on who would collect the most bows.

“Definitely,” Kensi agreed. She took advantage of the relative privacy to pull Deeks in for a deep kiss. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

***

A/N: I would describe this as the happy chaos that develops when you gather a bunch of different people together for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

[densi-mber]

It’s Just A Coffee

A/N: This is set in season 2, when Kensi and Deeks were still very much in the process of figuring out how work together.

***

“Hey, Deeks, I’ve been waiting out here for two minutes,” Kensi said into her phone, not believing that Deeks had let her call go to voicemail. After getting a text to come into work early, she’d driven over to pick him up. By now, he knew better than to keep her waiting.

He hadn’t responded to her multiple texts, but she figured that he was busy entertaining one of his many, many lady friends. Kensi made a face at the thought, even though Deeks couldn’t see it.

Just when she was preparing to get out and drag him out, the front door swung open, and he emerged, shuffling down the sidewalk.

“Hey, thanks for picking me up,” he said, as he climbed into the passenger seat.

“No problem.” Kensi frowned as she took in his appearance.

He could be scruffy, usually a little disheveled, but he rarely looked this rough. Exhaustion lined his eyes, he lacked his normal agility as he forced his legs into the footwell, and his face looked washed out. On top of that, his hair was slightly matted, like he hadn’t even attempted to comb it.

Sighing, Deeks dropped his head back, eyes closing almost immediately as she started the SUV and pulled onto the street.

Kensi used the opportunity to examine him more fully. There was a dark bruise visible beneath his beard that she was 100% certain hadn’t been there when he left work yesterday. What the hell had he gotten up to last night?

“Rough night?” she guessed.

“You could say that,” Deeks muttered. He sounded two seconds away from falling asleep.

“So was it a stripper this time or a yoga bunny?” She didn’t try to hide her derision.

“Neither one.” Scrubbing his hands over his face, Deeks blinked several times, and sat up. If anything, he looked worse. Especially since he’d managed to fluff his hair into strange little tufts. “I spent all night undercover for LAPD.”

“I didn’t know you were approved for an operation,” she said, no longer amused. Deeks was supposed to be their liaison. She briefly wondered when she’d stopped thinking of Deeks as a temporary annoyance and claimed ownership. Brushing that thought away, she focused on Deeks’ answer.

“I wasn’t. This was a last-minute thing. My boss needed me to close a deal, and I happened to be available,” he explained.

“I’m pretty sure LAPD is supposed to run any work they want you for past Hetty. There’s no point in having a liaison if he’s gone all the time.”

“Your concern is touching,” Deeks drawled. He shifted his legs restlessly, failing to conceal a grimace. He held himself stiffly too.

“How dangerous was this job?” she asked more gently.

“I can’t really talk about it yet, but let’s just say there’s a lot less cocaine on the streets today than there were 12 hours ago.”

“You took down a drug ring in one night? Please tell me you had some kind of backup.”

“That kind of defeats the purpose of going undercover like I do,” Deeks said, not picking up on her outrage. He shrugged and yawned. It was telling that he didn’t boast about his superior skills. “Besides, there wasn’t really time. I had to be there half an hour after I got the call.”

He rubbed his thumbs over his closed eyes, squinting against the sun streaming through window.

“Do you need to get checked out o anything? We can stop by an urgent care,” Kensi offered when they stopped at a light. There was definitely a cut hidden by his bangs.

Deeks shook his head, sliding lower in his seat. “Nah. The takedown just went a little haywire at the end.” He gestured to his cheek. “I promise the other guys look way worse.”

Ah, there was the Deeks she knew. That reassured her a little. If Deeks could joke, he wasn’t in that bad of shape.

When she looked over a minute later, his leaned against the window, completely out. Eyeing the time, she made a snap decision, and pulled into the next parking lot.

Five minutes later found her walking back to the SUV balancing two cups of coffee, a paper bag, and a water. Deeks didn’t stir at all when she climbed back in, or as she quickly consumed an apple fritter.

Glancing over at Deeks again, she smiled despite herself. He looked kind of adorable when he was sleeping. Especially with the little curl of hair falling in his eyes. She felt oddly tempted to brush it out of the way. Before she could act on the strange impulse, Kensi nudged Deeks’ shoulder several times until her jerked away.

He inhaled deeply, eyes wild for a few seconds as he reoriented himself.

“Ugh, how long was I asleep?” he groaned.

“Just a few minutes. Here.” Kensi pushed the full coffee in his direction, and he took it hesitantly.

“You got me coffee?” Prying off the lid, he sniffed it, his brows raising. “Just the way I like it.”

“Even I wouldn’t torture a man who looks as bad as you do,” she said, uncomfortable with how appreciative sounded. He had that rare puppy dog look that she was sure got most women to do any number of things he wanted.

Deeks chuckled breathily, taking a long sip, and settling back with a sigh.

“Thanks.”

“It’s what partners do,” Kensi said, staring straight ahead. Definitely no other reason.

***

A/N: While writing this, I thought of the way Castle always brings Beckett coffee. And when he doesn’t, it’s an indication that something is wrong between them.

[densi-mber]

8 Years and Counting

“Deeks, this is ridiculous. I’m going to trip!” Kensi said as Deeks led her through the house, a silky scarf secured over her eyes. She stumbled over the threshold between the kitchen and dining room, giggling when Deeks caught her, steadying her against his chest.

“Like I would ever let my Ladybird fall. It’s only a few more feet,” Deeks assured her. When they were in the dining room, he kissed her cheek and untied the scarf with a flourish. “Happy All-In Day.”

“Oh my god,” Kensi whispered, taking in the table set with a dark blue tablecloth, their best dishes, and candles. “When did you have time to do all this?”

“I asked Callen to keep you busy for an extra hour and rushed home.”

“So you arranged extra work for me on our all-in anniversary?”

“You love using your Portuguese,” he said, adding, “And I think dinner will definitely make it worthwhile.” He lifted a covered dish, wafting out a rich aroma.

“Is that posole?” Kensi asked, eyes widening with surprise and delight.

“Yep. And that’s just the first course.”

“Oh, then you’re definitely forgiven,” she teased, looping her arms around his torso. “This is all amazing, but how did you manage it in an hour?”

“I might have had some, a lot, of assistance from our resident chef, Miss Rosalie,” Deeks explained. As usual when it involved cooking, Rosa was beyond excited when he mentioned creating a Mexican feast.

“That was really sweet of her. Where is she, by the way?” Kensi glanced around like Rosa might be hiding behind the couch.

“She’s getting mani-pedis with my mom and then they’re going back to her house. Apparently she plans to introduce Rosa to the best that 80s cinema has to offer.”

“Wait, so that means that we have the whole house to ourselves?” Kensi checked. Her hand shifting lower on his back, somehow instantly suggestive. Deeks nodded, and she grinned deviously, untangling her arms, and taking his hand.

“The soup will get cold,” Deeks said, not that he did anything to stop Kensi.

“We can reheat it.” Walking backwards, she led him back towards their bedroom, eyeing him playfully while she unbuttoned her shirt with her free hand.

***

A/N: Here’s to 8 official years of Densi, and many more!

[densi-mber]

Miracles of Miracles

“Mmm, good morning,” Deeks greeted Kensi sleepily, grinning as she leaned over to kiss him. His eyes were still hazy and soft, almost dreamy.

“Merry Christmas.” She kissed him again, resting her hands on his solid chest. God, she loved him so much. Tucking her hands behind his neck, Kensi settled her head just above his heart, relishing the steady, solid beat.

After an unknown amount of time, Deeks sighed. “I should probably get breakfast started. Christmas pancakes and waffles coming right up.”

“Before we do that, I have a present for you,” Kensi said quickly.

“Pre-breakfast presents? Now I’m super curious. Is it something unmentionable?” he asked with a playful grin.

Pushing off his chest, Kensi pressed a finger to his lips. “You’ll just have to see.” She slid out of bed, noting Deeks’ eyes following her bare legs as she walked to the door. “Stay right there.”

For the first time in many, many years, Kensi felt as giddy about Christmas morning as she had when she was a little kid. She also felt incredibly nervous, which didn’t exactly help with her chronic nausea.

She’d wanted to tell Deeks almost immediately, but then doubt had set in. So, she took a couple more tests, and sure enough, the lines grew slightly darker each time. Even now, she found it a little incredible to believe. After everything, she was finally pregnant.

Waking early, Kensi had left a sleepy Deeks in their warm bed, and snuck into the spare room they used for office work and storage. She reached to the very back of a small cabinet where she stored most of her keepsakes over the years. Hidden beneath a collection of jelly bracelets and a t-shirt sat a little blue box with a perfectly tied ribbon, courtesy of Walmart.

She carried it back to the bedroom where Deeks was waiting for her in bed, the covers pooled around his waist. Kensi placed it on his lap, curling up next to him.

“Open it.” Kensi nudged his arm.

“Ooh, looks fancy,” Deeks commented, lifting the lid with a flick of his wrist. His brows furrowed, and he pulled out one of the strips out.

Kensi watched in anticipation as his expression switched from confusion, to disbelief, and then cautious excitement.

“Kens, this is a pregnancy test. A lot of pregnancy tests.” He dumped the rest out, studying each for a second.

“I know,” Kensi said, pressing her lips together as he turned to her with barely concealed hope in his eyes. Kensi felt a surge of love for him, tears forming behind her eyes.

“Are-are you pregnant?” he croaked out, and she could only nod in response. “But I thought we couldn’t…” He broke off and laughed a little hysterically.

“I know, baby. It’s insane, but I’ve been nauseous for the last week, I’m really late, even for me, and, we’ve got five positive tests.” She cupped Deeks’ cheeks, framing his jaw with her palms. “It’s real. I’m pregnant.”

“Oh my god.” He shook his head, kissing her through a mixture of tears and laughter as they kneeled on the bed together. The feel of his grin against her lips, the way he clung to her silenced the tiny thread of doubt that still lingered.

“Surprise,” she murmured, which made Deeks snort. He gently gathered her hands between his, and brought them to his mouth.

“It’s the best Christmas present ever,” he said, and Kensi couldn’t have agreed more.

***

A/N: Oh yes, I’m continuing with this storyline. Kensi and Deeks are having a surprise baby and I neither regret nor apologize for any of it.

[densi-mber]

Back in Business

A/N: This is for “767” and that lovely first scene with Kensi and Deeks. As such, this is decidedly M rated.

***

Deeks woke up to Kensi stroking his back, never anticipating that in thirty seconds, she’d be hovering over him, her thighs bracketing his hips, and kissing him like it was the only thing that mattered.

They’d had a few more intimate moments since she left the hospital, but nothing like this. She’d been too fragile, both in body and mind to even attempt sex before this.

His mind hazed, senses completely overwhelmed with the feel, scent, and taste of Kensi. God, it had been so long, Deeks was hard in an embarrassing few seconds. He kept his hands tucked behind his head, content to let Kensi lead.

Her kisses grew more insistent against his lips, fingers skimming his jaw.

“Baby, you know how much I want to do this. Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked, before they got too carried away.

“Yeah,” Kensi whispered back without hesitation, her lips brushing his with every word. She sealed her mouth against his again, and this time he returned it, reflexively reaching to grasp her hips, to pull her down against him.

“Deeks,” Kensi groaned, shifting against him, her lower body slowly dragging over his erection. Deeks rolled his hips in response, eliciting an almost pained hiss from both of them.

Sitting up suddenly, Kensi stripped her shirt off, and flung it away. Deeks distantly heard something fall to the floor with a heavy thud, but he ignored it, running his hands down the length of Kensi’s bare back. He savored the feeling of her smooth skin under his fingers.

Kensi braced her hands on his shoulders, eyes glittering with mischief and desire. Still holding his gaze, she shook her hair back, giving him the perfect view of her breasts.

“Oh dear lord,” he sighed, stretching his head back as Kensi leaned over him again, and licked a stripe up the length of his neck.

Neither of them heard her phone buzzing on the floor.

***

A/N: Hope you enjoyed!

[densi-mber]

A Friendly Competition

A/N: Now for some pure silliness. Set post Deeks’ time at FLETC.

***

“Ah, the returning hero!” Sam said grandly, standing like he was announcing the entrance of royalty.

Deeks accepted the the teasing with good grace, pausing in the middle of the bullpen with Kensi by his side while the rest of the team applauded. It was his first, official day back from FLETC.

Grinning, Sam gave him a firm hug, squeezing his shoulder.

“So, how’s it feel, Investigator Deeks?”

“A little surreal, difficult at times. Glad I don’t have to take anymore tests,” Deeks summed up, and Nell scoffed.

“Oh, please. Deeks, you were gone for weeks. We need more than that!”

“He’s been surprisingly reticent,” Kensi spoke up. She patted his shoulder. “But I’ve been able to weasel a few things out of him. From all accounts, his performance was very impressive.”

“Kens.” Deeks dipped his head in embarrassment, but Kensi ignored his protest.

“From what I heard, he was at the top in all his classes, he tutored some of the other candidates, and, they even asked him to present one time,” Kensi filled in proudly.

“Wow, that is impressive,” Callen commented. “Especially from a guy of your advanced age.”

“G, you’re older than Deeks.” Sam game him a perturbed look.

“True, but I was not the one who had to pass FLETC. Because I’m not a glutton for punishment.”

“Well, congratulations, Deeks,” Eric offered, speaking over Sam and a Callen as they continued to bicker. “It sounds like you did really well.”

“Thanks, man.”

“I’m just sad I wasn’t there to see it all,” Nell said mournfully. “Especially your final run.”

“Oh, I forgot to mention that Deeks also had the fastest time for his last run.” Kensi grinned up at Deeks. “He’s going to get a little plaque and everything.”

“Nice. I was very much middle of the pack during my training.” Making a face, Nell made a gesture to her body as a whole. “I can’t keep up with you people and freaking long legs.”

“You know, I think I could still keep up if I had to do it all over again,” Sam mused. “I’ve kept in shape.”

“I seem to recall that you had issues with speed. Something to do with being too bulky, wasn’t it?” Callen said. Sam’s expression turned truly menacing, but Callen just grinned, completely unbothered.

“I tripped over a root. My speed was fine.”

“Yeah, I think I ran into that root a couple times, too,” Deeks said, chuckling.

“What about you, Kensi?”

“For sure.” She answered without hesitation. “I bet I could even beat Deeks.”

He raised his brows in surprise, not sure when she had gone from supportive to competitive.

“Oh, really?” He crossed his arms, staring his down. “Would you like to put a wager on that?”

“What did you have in mind?”

Deeks considered the possibilities for a second.

“If I win, you have to fill out my expense reports for a week.”

“And if I win, which I will, you wash my laundry for a week,” Kensi decided. He chuckled, because of course after all this time, she’d still do anything to get out of housework.

“I accept your bet.”

“I’ll put two weeks of coffee runs on Sam,” Callen added.

“Why the hell are you bringing me into this?” Sam asked, quickly switching from amusement to disbelief and annoyance.

“Are you saying you can’t compete?” Callen raised one eyebrow in an obvious taunt.

“Of course not. I’m in.” Sam scowled at everyone, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Now let's get this over with.”

“Anyone else want to join in?”

“Oh no, I am completely fine just keeping everyone time,” Nell said, naturally appointing herself as racing secretary. “I’ll grab my stopwatch, you guys better change.”

***

Half an hour later, they’d gathered outside behind the mission. While the participants changed into running clothes, Nell and Eric marked off a mile-long track.

Kensi was performing a series of stretches while Sam paced angrily. Deeks decided on a set of warmup squats, in part because it helped loosen up his joints, but mostly because every time he sank towards the ground, Sam muttered under his breath.

“Alright, runners, on your marks!” Eric called out. They lined up, Sam on the far left, Kensi in the middle, and Deeks on her other side. “Set, go!”

They all took off, staying pretty even for the first quarter mile. Then Kensi pulled ahead, lengthening her stride to its full limits, and Sam put on a burst of speed to keep up. Deeks kept the same pace, the same way he’d learned in high school track, and then relearned at FLETC.

He blocked out the sound of Nell and Eric’s cheers, as well as Callen’s playful taunts directed at each of them in turn. He kept sight of Sam and Kensi, to make sure they didn’t get too far ahead.

At the quarter mile marker, Sam began to flag. He growled, pumping his arms even faster, as though it would increase his speed. Deeks easily passed him, then caught up to Kensi.

He really should have warmed up more; his muscles were beginning to tighten up a little, but he pushed on. As they approached the last tenth of a mile, Deeks extended his stride to its full limit, bringing him in line with one another.

For several seconds, they were neck and neck. Kensi growled, desperately trying to force her legs a little faster. It wasn’t enough though, and Deeks crossed the finish line a couple strides ahead of her to the sounds of cheers.

Kensi followed him a few seconds later as Deeks bent in half, hands on his knees, and dragged in deep breaths. Sam brought up the rear, sweat dripping down his temples.

“Damn it!” Kensi gasped out, looking at him in disbelief. “You didn’t used to be this fast.”

“Well, something about having the equivalent of a very large drill shouting at you puts the fear of God into you. Plus, I don’t have the energy to run like that every day.”

“I want a rematch,” Sam said.

“I’m afraid not, the times stand as they are. Deeks is the winner,” Nell decided, and no one had the nerve to argue with her. “Congrats, Deeks.” She them at the finish line and hugged him.

“Don’t you think that’s a little biased for the grandmaster of the race?” Kensi asked.

“Oh, the grandmaster always congratulates the winner.”

“Don’t be jealous I’m the favorite,” Deeks teased, winking at Kensi.

“Don’t worry big guy, maybe you’ll win next time.” Callen stood up with a massive grin and gave Sam a conciliatory pat on the shoulder.

“Why are you so happy?” Eric asked. “You lost your bet.”

“I don’t care, it was worth it,” Callen decided happily.

“This is all your fault,” Sam grumbled.

“You’re welcome.”

“Congrats babe,” Kensi said reluctantly.

“Thanks. You know, I think I’ll have that plaque framed. Maybe put it up on behind my desk.” He spread his hands out like he was describing a marquee. “Marty Deeks, Office of Special Projects Fastest Runner.”

He ignored Sam and Kensi’s groans, addressing an amused Nell.

“I’m thinking gold plate is absolutely necessary.

[densi-mber]

Our Mistakes Are Carved in Stone

A/N: This story was suggested by @mashmaiden. As you can imagine, there’s a bit of angst.

***

“Marty?”

Deeks glanced up from the monthly bills, smiling at Rosa. It was a welcome distraction from his current task.

“Hey Rosamund. You know anything about annuities or term life insurance?” he asked, holding up a couple papers.

“I’m glad that I don’t have to worry about them right now,” she answered with a grimace.” Deeks smiled at her honesty.

“Fair enough.” Noticing the way she lingered in the doorway, a little uncertain, he gestured to the other chair in the small office. “What’s on your mind?”

She came in slowly, perching on the edge of the chair. “Um, I was looking through some boxes for pictures to use for my art project. Kensi said it was alright.” She added the last part quickly, like he might accuse her of snooping.

“Ok. I’m guessing you found my seventh grade pictures. I’ll admit it, the hair was a lot. I was going through an experimental stretch,” he joked, but Rosa didn’t so much as break a smile.

“No.” She sighed deeply and pulled something from her pocket, laying it flat on the desk.

It was a copy of Deeks’ mugshot. He picked it up, brows furrowing as he stared at it.

“Where did you find this?” he asked softly.

“It was in an envelope with a bunch of papers. I promise I wasn’t looking for it,” Rosa said, sounding worried once again.

Damn. He’d kept everything from his IA investigation, just in case he ever needed the evidence to defend himself. That box must have gotten thrown in with their photo albums when they were renovating the house.

“Did you read any of those documents?” If Rosa had gotten a look at the police report, or anything else, no wonder she was upset. Deeks closed his eyes briefly, never having imagined this particular conversation. He should have though.

Rosa shook her head quickly, hair bouncing on her shoulders. “No. This picture was on the top, and I didn’t look at anything else,” she explained.

“Good.”

Hesitating again, Rosa gestured to the picture. “Marty, were you in prison?” Deeks looked up. There was concern, but also blatant curiosity in her eyes.

They’d come so far in their relationship from the beginning; he hated the thought of destroying that hard-won trust.

“I was arrested,” he answered slowly. “Looking down at his clasped hands, swallowing heavily. He didn’t need Rosa to speak to know her next question. “Several years ago, Internal Affairs, the part of LAPD that tries to keep cops in check, started an investigation against me. My first partner had been shot, and they thought they found evidence that I had murdered him.”

“Why would they think you killed him?” Rosa asked. It wasn’t what he’d expected, but she always surprised him. Catching her eye for a moment, he didn’t see any anger or fear. He could tell she was trying to put all the pieces together though.

“My ex-partner was not a good man, and an even worse cop. He did a lot of terrible things and got away with them, which is why I switched departments soon after we were partnered together.” He licked his lips, dragging his hand through his hair as he tried to find a palatable way to explain the next part. “He also liked to, um, hurt young women who were in unfortunate circumstances.”

Rosa’s brows furrowed with immediate understanding, something that broke Deeks’ heart. She didn’t look all that surprised though.

“They should have stopped him,” she said softly, but he still heard the anger underneath.

“A lot of people tried,” Deeks said, not able to conceal his lingering bitterness and disgust. “But more even more people, the important ones, didn’t care. He always found a way to get around any charges, or someone covered it up for him. Until the day he was found dead in a motel room.”

“Anyway, in the end, IA didn’t have enough evidence to prove I had killed him, so they had to let me go.”

Rosa remained quiet for several moments. Deeks waited for her judgment. Her gaze focused on the picture, and Deeks wondered if she saw him differently now.

“Was your ex-partner hurting someone, another girl, when he was killed?” she asked eventually, once again surprising Deeks with her shrewdness.

“That was the running theory.” Lie by omission, he through wryly.

“Then I’m glad that someone protected her,” she decide. If you did kill him, I wouldn’t blame you,” Rosa told him, lifting her chin defiantly.

Deeks felt immense pride that she wasn’t afraid to hold firm to her beliefs, and fear that he’d made a grave mistake in telling her at least a partial truth.

“Rosa…”

“Thank you for telling me.” She took the picture back, effectively closing the subject for further discussion. “I’ll put this away.”

On her way out, she squeezed his hand. Bracing his chin on his clasped hands, and Deeks closed his eyes.

It was all kinds of wrong, but to a certain degree he still agreed with Rosa. At least Boyle couldn’t hurt anyone else.

***

A/N: I know it’s somewhat unlikely that Deeks would just tell Rosa about Boyle and all that, especially without consulting Kensi.

[densi-mber]

In the Bleak Midwinter

A/N: Set in season 4.

***

“This sucks,” Deeks said, breathing out a cloud of icy fog along with the two words.

“Because I didn’t hear you the first 20 times,” Kensi grumbled.

“Well, it still sucks.” He rubbed his hands together with hope of bringing some warmth. If anything, it only made him more aware of the cold.

Of all the times for there to be blizzard-like conditions in the Midwest, it would just have to be when the one time they were pursuing an active case in Indiana.

Last week, Gabriel Heeds had stolen several gigabytes of sensitive data from his company, leading the FBI on a wild good chase across California before eventually disappearing. At that point, the FBI had asked other agencies to assist in pursuing Gabriel. Based on solid leads they received, they’d headed to his hometown of Winamac, Indiana.

They arrived three days ago, set up camp at the town’s Comfort Inn, and started searching for Gabriel. You’d think wouldn’t be that would be difficult in a town with a population of less than 2,500, but the locals were pretty close-mouthed. They’d spent the first two days were spent traipsing around the quaint down town area and the spacious farm land.

At first, the snow had seemed seemed kind of charming as it coated the little neighborhoods. Snow didn’t make it’s way to LA all that often, so Deeks might have made a snowman or two and even convinced Kensi to make a Snow Angel before they headed off for another round of interviews.

Now, even Deeks could admit that the weather was beginning to get old, especially as the snow piled higher and the temps dipped lower. Even with a wool hat, coat, and gloves, the cold air still managed to seep through. It didn’t help that he knew Sam and Callen were back at the reasonably warm hotel while they battled the gravel and dirt backroads to follow up on their single lead of the day.

Needing something to pass the time, and off Kensi’s less than careful driving—he winced as the tires lost traction for a few seconds—he opened the glove compartment and started sifting through the contents.

“What are you looking for?”

“Your candy stash,” he told Kensi. There was a half-empty water bottle, a used up chapstick, and several Twix wrappers. Any snack were decidedly absent.

“Hah, I moved it,” Kensi said smugly.

“By which you mean you ate it all.”

“I did not!”

He grinned at Kensi’s instant protest. Even after three years together, she still tried to deny her massive sweet tooth. Like he hadn’t watched her eat an stack of red velvet pancakes this morning.

“Uh-huh, then where’s that box of 100 Grand bars you bought last week?” he teased.

“I plead the 5th counselor,” Kensi said, leaning forward to squint out the windshield. “The the next turn should be coming up soon. Let me know if you see a Forest Drive.”

“I haven’t seen any signs for the last two miles,” Deeks told her, peering through the passenger window. He grabbed his phone and turned on the GPS. “Crap. Still no internet connection. Are you sure you didn’t pass it up?”

“Yes. Mrs. Marsh was very specific about her directions.” She glared at him, pulling her gaze back to the road almost immediately as the tires skidded across a patch of ice.

“Ok, well I’m thinking we should probably turn around if we don’t find it soon. It’s going to get dark in a couple hours and—Kens, look out!”

A deer darted from the brush along the road, freezing in the middle of the street. Kensi turned the steering wheel sharply, pumping the breaks relentlessly as the tires spun and then skidded on the freezing snow, sending them straight towards a snowbank.

***

A/N: Oh dear, whatever shall happen to them? Don’t worry, there will be a part 2.

Note, I live in Indiana so I’m allowed to complain about the weather. For anyone not familiar, there is indeed a town called Winamac, which is quite small and has a lot of farm land. I took a bit of creative license with the other particulars though.

[densi-mber]

Tattoos and Sexy Pirates

A/N: Today’s prompt and story idea provided by @mashmaiden. As usual, I flipped the idea a little bit from the original. Set in the last couple of seasons.

***

Kensi sighed as she walked into the airport terminal, dragging her luggage behind her, a carryon bag hung over her right shoulder. After a month away for a series of specialized trainings, she was glad to be back home. Sure, she’d learned a lot, and more importantly, increased her job security, but hopefully this would be the last long trip for a while.

As much as Kensi appreciated the opportunity, she’d missed working with the team, missed the warmth and familiarity of LA, and most importantly, missed Deeks. They’d both been so busy most days that they only managed short calls, or texts if they were lucky.

Speaking of Deeks, he had arranged to pick her up today. Kensi glanced around the terminal, anticipation running through her as she searched for his familiar frame and blond hair.

Deeks saw her first, stepping forward, and Kensi barely recognized him. “Kensi, I’m so glad you’re back home,” he said, enveloping her in a tight hug. He picked her up, twirling her around a few times.

When he set her down Kensi could only gape for several seconds.

“Oh my god, baby, what did you do?!” she gasped, pressing her hands over her mouth. She walked around him in a slow circle, taking in his appearance in disbelief. Hair longer and pulled back with a hair band, an earring—she reached out to touch a flower within a skull on his forearm, but dropped her hand at the last moment.

She’d known he was feeling a little weird about his age the last couple years, but she didn’t think that it was this bad.

Deeks watched her with a raised eyebrow and a look of bemusement.

“Ok, I was expecting a little bit more of a warm welcome,” he drawled.

“Deeks, you got tattoos while I was gone. What am I supposed to say? I was only gone for a few weeks. If you were feeling this bad, you should have called me.” She inhaled deeply, realizing she was almost shouting when Deeks’ eyes widened. Then she caught sight of the tattoos again, which covered him from bicep to wrist. Something red peaked out from the collar of his t-shirt.

Oh god.

“Kens, what the hell are you talking about? I got called in on a joint undercover job the day after you left. Didn’t you get my text?”

“Yeah, you said you were going undercover, but I thought it was something simple. So this is…?”

“Oh babe, I’m sorry. Yeah, they’re just temporary,” he said, running his finger over a spider near his elbow. “I had to look the part of a longtime gang member.”

“So naturally you let your hair grow out, got fake tattoos, and a fake earring.”

He fingered the small hoop in his left ear and cleared his throat. “Uh, actually, this is real.”

Kensi’s mouth fell open, and he quickly rushed to explain.

“Listen, it had to be believable, and I figured just getting one piercing would be a lot easier than having to deal with one that could fall off at any moment. I’ve had that happen before, and believe me, it kind of ruins the vibe.”

“Ok, I can deal with an earring,” Kensi decided, pinching them bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. “I’m sorry I basically attacked you. That wasn’t the best greeting ever.”

“It’s ok. I probably should have warned you,” he said with a shrug. Then he grinned. “I surprised Sam too.”

“Now that I would have loved to see.” She kissed Deeks’ cheek, looping her arm through his, and they started making their way to the exit. “How was your undercover? Sounds like it was kind of dangerous.”

“Things got a little tricky. But I was spectacular as usual, and everything ran fairly smoothly.”

“Oh, I bet you were.”

He chuckled softly, drawing her closer. “What about you? How were your classes?” he asked.

“Pretty amazing. But also really long.” She paused, and added more softly. “I’m glad to be back.”

Deeks’ response was another, lingering kiss that probably tested the boundaries of propriety for their current location.

“So, what were you talking about me feeling bad before?”

Kensi flushed, suddenly feeling embarrassed about her massive leap.

“Oh, well you know, recently you’ve been a little down about your hair, and aging and—”

“You thought this was the result of a mid-life crisis,” Deeks surmised with a raised eyebrow.

“Not because I think you’re actually middle-aged,” she defended herself quickly. “But kind of.”

“Well rest assured, I am feeling very secure about myself right now, so you don’t have to worry about me doing anything crazy.”

“Good. Speaking of crazy, how long before these wear off?” Kensi poked a surprisingly accurate rendition of a dagger.

“Uh, about three weeks, give or take,” he answered. Kensi closed her eyes, holding back a groan. “We didn’t know how long I’d be under so we had to make sure they’d last a while.”

“Right. We’re going to need to buy you more long sleeve shirts,” Kensi said.

“Ok, but I think I might keep my hair this way for a while. And the earring.

I’ll be like a sexy pirate.”

Kensi inclined her head, considering.

“Oddly enough, I don’t completely hate that idea,” she decided.

[densi-mber]

One Minute to Midnight

A/N: I can’t believe it’s the last day of Densimber! I hope you guys enjoyed the festivities, had nice holidays if you celebrated any, and have a great new year. Thanks for joining in and for all your lovely thoughts and contributions.

And of course, thanks to @mashmaiden for creating and running densimber and being and all around great friend. ❤️

***

“Wait a second, why is there a mannequin?” Callen asked, frowning at the TV screen in Kensi and Deeks’ darkened living room.

“There’s a store across from his workshop,” Deeks said in a hushed whisper.

“I thought they were having dinner and discussing the 5th dimension.”

“That’s because you keep checking your phone,” Sam muttered, grabbing Callen’s phone like a perturbed parent and tucking it next to his leg. “He’s traveling through time. Now pay attention.”

Callen didn’t seem that bothered, and Deeks predicted he’d have his phone back in a matter of minutes.

Sharing a grin with Kensi, Deeks pressed his cheek against hers, offering her the open end of his box of milk duds. She shook a few candies into her hand, and kissed his cheek in thanks.

Deciding to forgo yet another party, they’d decided to get together for snacks and every New Year related movie Deeks could find. The commentary was entertaining, to say the least.

“Ew, what are those blue things?” Rosa asked, looking up from her spot near Kensi and Deeks’ end of the couch.

“Morlocks,” Deeks answered with relish.

“This doesn’t seem like a very festive movie,” Rountree commented, taking a handful of popcorn, and passing the bucket back to Fatima.

“It starts out on New Year’s Eve,” Deeks explained patiently, just the way he had the first time he showed it to Kensi. “I eight the first time I watched it with my mom.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing,” Sam muttered. “Oh come on, how has she never heard of fire before?”

“I thought you read the book,” Callen said.

“Well, it was a lot different that this film adaption. Besides, I read it in high school.”

“Which we all know was roughly a millennium ago.”

“Are you done? I’m trying to watch the movie.”

“Hey, quit hogging all the popcorn, Devin!” Fatima and Rountree tussled briefly over the dwindling popcorn.

“This probably wasn’t what you pictured when you suggested movie night,” Kensi whispered in Deeks’ ear. Between the arguing and Callen’s continued ridiculous commentary, no one was paying attention to them.

“Uh, this is pretty much exactly how chaotic I imagined it,” Deeks said. He nodded to Rosa, who was yawning widely, her head leant against Kensi’s knee. “Totally worth it though.”

“Yeah.” She held up a milk dud, and Deeks grabbed one from the box for a modified cheers. “To a good, and hopefully less chaotic year.”

“Amen to that.” Grinning playfully, he tipped Kensi over the arm of the couch, kissing her.

***

A/N: This story features a tradition borrowed from my own family. Also, beware the Morlocks.

The movie referenced is the 1960 Time Machine movie based on the book of the same name by H.G. Wells.

[densi-mber]

When You Least Expect It

Kensi stretched and rolled onto her side so she faced a still sleeping Deeks’ side. Pushing herself up on one hand, she trailed her fingers from the base of his head to just above his hips, lightly blowing along the same path.

The muscles in his back twitch, and he sighed into his pillow, but didn’t make any move to get up. Sitting up all the way, she swung her leg over his torso, straddling his hips. She grinned as she pressed her lips to his left shoulder.

“Oh, you’re trying to kill me,” Deeks groaned quietly. He turned his head just enough to reveal one eye beneath his bangs, which had grown out slightly from his latest haircut. Kensi brushed the hair back, kissing along the line of his beard. “And on a work morning too.”

“Well, we just have to be fast,” Kensi whispered. Deeks stilled then started turning over, and she obligingly rose on her knees to give him room.

“Perfect way to wake up in the morning,” Deeks murmured, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip.

“Oh, I thought I was killing you,” Kensi teased, settling on his lower stomach with an extra shimmy.

“I didn’t say it would be a bad way to die.”

Grinning again, Kensi dipped her head. She felt a familiar swooping sensation in her stomach just as her lips touched Deeks’.

With a panicked expression, she rolled off Deeks, and scrambled for the bathroom. She didn’t have time to close the door or worry about dignity before she was heaving over the toilet.

“Oh baby.” She felt Deeks gently pull her hair back and secure it with a hairband. When she finally stopped throwing up a few minutes later, he handed her a glass of water, which she accepted gratefully. She rinsed her mouth out and took a couple careful sips, leaning her head against the wall.

“Do you think this is still from that stomach bug you had last week?” Deeks asked, pressing his hand to her forehead. His eyes narrowed in concern as he crouched next to her.

“Maybe. I actually feel a lot better now.” She’d felt nauseous off and on for the last week. After the first day, she’d gotten sick one other time, though Deeks didn’t know about it. The nausea usually subsided towards the afternoon, and when she ate. “I think I’ll take the day off, just in case.”

“I can stay with you.”

“Oh thanks, but there’s no reason for you to waste a sick day. I’ll be just fine on my own.”

“If you’re sure,” he checked, still obviously a little worried.

“Yes.”

“Ok, I’m going to get ready and take Rosa to school.”

While Deeks showered and dressed, Kensi brushed her teeth, and then headed back to bed. Her stomach still felt a little unsettled, but it was significantly better than before.

Deeks came back into the room 10 minutes later, buttoning up his shirt. When he was done, he perched on the edge of the bed.

“Do you need anything? Gatorade, crackers?” he asked, still uncertain about leaving.

“No, I’m really ok, baby. But thank you for worrying about me,” she assured him. Deeks sighed, kissing the top of her head, and stood again.

“Alright. Call me if you need me. Or you know, your crazy mother-in-law, who lives 42 seconds away.”

Kensi chuckled softly, giving him a slight push towards the door.

“I will. Love you, baby.”

She waited until she heard both Deeks and Rosa leave to go back in the bathroom. Pausing in front of the mirror, she studied her reflection for a moment, taking steadying breath, then retrieved the small box of test strips she’d stashed at the back of the cupboard.

Her hand trembled as she removed a small strip. She stared at it for several seconds, marveling that such a tiny thing could make her feel terrified, excited, and hopeful all at once.

***

A/N: Oh yes, I am going there. Those are pregnancy tests.

[densi-mber]

Dancing in the Rain

“You know, when I pictured this vacation, I imagined a little more tropical beaches and a little less torrential rains,” Kensi commented, peering out the cabin window with a grim expression.

Since Hetty disrupted their plans to road trip across the state after Deeks’ FLETC graduation, they’d been forced to make alternative plans a few months later. By that time, the Airbnbs and hotels they’d originally booked were no longer available, or way outside their budget, so Deeks had to look for alternative accommodations.

Which is how they ended up in a little cabin smack in the middle of the Oregon woods. During a particularly rainy week. Normally, the rainy season had wrapped up by April, but not this year. It had started raining shortly after they arrived, and barely let up since.

All the fun activities Deeks had planned went to the wayside, keeping them cooped up inside for the most part.

“I’m sorry,” Deeks apologized, wrapping his arms around from behind, and resting his chin on her head. “Everything I checked indicated that the weather would be nicer by now.”

“It’s not your fault.” Kensi made a disgruntled sound. “You didn’t decide to come home from FLETC early, or cancel our vacation.”

From her tone, he could guess who she did blame. Once the dust had settled around his expedited graduation, Kensi’s annoyance had grown exponentially. Four months later, and she still hadn’t completely forgiven Hetty for her scheming.

Kensi slid her hand up to cover his. “I know how hard you tried to make this a good trip.”

“You just were hoping that leaving the cabin didn’t require water skis?”

She snorted at his summation, then sighed deeply.

“I guess I was hoping for this to be a break from all the crappy stuff that happened this past year. Now this just seems like an omen of more disappointment.”

They watched the rain pour down onto the flourishing trees and vegetation. It seemed to fit Kensi melancholy, the familiar scent and sound of water hitting leaves.

“You know, there’s no reason why we can’t go for a small hike,” Deeks suggested a few minutes later.

“You mean other than the flood?” When he didn’t respond, Kensi twisted her neck to look at him. “You’re serious.”

“Yeah. We brought boots and jackets. It’ll be good to get out.” He paused, lowering his voice playfully. “Unless you think you can’t keep up. I mean I prove that I’m capable of keeping up with FLETC’s best.”

“Oh, I can definitely keep up,” Kensi said with a hint of her usual competitiveness. Exactly as Deeks had hoped. “Get your raincoat and try not to fall, Atticus.”

Ten minutes later they were decked out in coats, boots, and carrying umbrellas just in case. They decided to take one of the many trails that surrounded the cabin—a huge selling point when Deeks had booked the place.

It was surprisingly peaceful, and as they hiked through the muddy leaves and weeds, he felt his spirits rising. It was also warmer than he anticipated. After trekking up a particulary steep part of the path, he tugged his hood down, letting the cool rain wash the sweat off his skin.

“Deeks, you’re going to get soaked,” Kensi said, slipping over the leaves as she followed after him. He offered her a hand, and she tugged herself up, resting briefly against a tree, inhaling deeply.

“What didn’t you ever play in the rain?”

“When I was about 5.”

“You should try it again. It’s good for the spirit,” Deeks said, unzipping his jacket and shrugging it off. He stuffed it into the backpack he carried, then held his arms out from his sides as the rain began to seep through his shirt.

Kensi shook her head, then reluctantly stripped her own jacket off. Once it was safely stored away too, Deeks set the bag to the side, and took a few step backwards.

“No, lets see if you can catch me,” he taunted, darting off down the path.

He heard Kensi gasp something unintelligible, then the sound of her racing after him. Deeks grinned, dodging a tree stump. He kept a good gap between them for most of the chase until they entered a small clearing, marking the end of the trail.

Deeks spun around as Kensi crashed through after him, hair plastered to her head, and sweatshirt equally wet. She had a dangerous look on her eyes. He started to backing up, holding his hands up in surrender, but Kensi didn’t stop.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around his middle, moving them both until his back his a tree.

“Gotcha,” she murmured, fire and triumph sparkling in her eyes.

“Yeah, you did,” he said unevenly.

Stretching up on her toes, Kensi grasped the sides of his head, fingers sliding through his dripping hair, and kissed him. Her lips were hard and insistent, making him gasp. Dragging her hands down his back, she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth.

She pulled back with a wicked grin. “You know what else is fun in the rain?” In answer, she stripped his shirt over his head. The wet fabric clung to his skin, and they were both giggling by the time she got it off.

Sliding her hands across his bare skin, Kensi pulled his head back to hers.

“Best vacation ever,” Deeks murmured right before their lips met again.

***

A/N: I have no idea if it was actually more rainy in Oregon in April 2021.

Why exactly would they go to Oregon you might ask? Well, it’s quite rainy there, and it’s a fair distance from LA.

Also, the title is misleading since no actual dancing occurs.

[densi-mber]

What Happens in Tokyo

“Just as a warning, Nell is extremely excited to see you again,” Deeks informed Rosa as they walked towards their airport terminal.

“Yes, I remember last time,” Rosa said with a wry grin. During Nell and Eric’s last, and very brief, visit to the states, Nell had nearly knocked Rosa down with her overly enthusiastic hug. “I’m prepared.”

They found Eric and Nell at the very front of the line, holding up a handmade sign that read “Welcome to Tokyo Deeks-Blye Family” in sparkly letters.

Nell caught sight of them when they were a few yards away and ran to meet them, making a beeline for Rosa. She enveloped her in a tight, albeit less aggressive, hug.

“Rosa, I’m so happy to see you again!” she said, pulling back with a smile.

“I see how we rank these days,” Deeks joked, accepting a hug from Eric.

“Oh you know that I miss you guys like crazy,” Nell told him, finally releasing Rosa. She moved to Kensi next, rocking back and forth slightly. Deeks heard her say “Love you, Lady,” the rest unintelligible.

When she got to Deeks, she wore a slightly wistful expression.

“Deeks.” She held out her arms, waiting for him to enfold her first. She tucked herself into his chest with a sigh. “I really missed these big brother hugs,” she murmured, her smaller arms wrapping tight around his torso. “And these muscles,” she added, giving his bicep a playful squeeze.

Deeks laughed breathily, not having realized just how much he’d needed this.

“Good to see you too, Nellosaurus,” Deeks told her, earning a grin from both her and Eric.

“I think I missed that most of all, Shaggy.”

“Now there’s something I haven’t heard in forever,” Eric commented. “There’s a severe lack of nicknames in our company. And novelty pajama pants.”

“Well, I can help you with the first one, but sadly we did not pack any pants with pandas or cacti on them.”

“But we did bring presents,” Kensi assured them.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Nell said, linking arms with Deeks and Kensi, leading then towards the exit. “What do you get us?”

Rosa snorted at Nell’s childlike excitement.

“Nope, you’ll have to wait,” Deeks teased.

“It’s tradition,” Kensi objected reasonably. “If you open them at any other time, they’re no longer Christmas presents.

“You can have mine whenever you want, but Marty and Kensi will probably insist on waiting until it’s closer to Christmas,” she informed Nell in a stage whisper.

“And now I like you even more,” Nell decided, switching over to walk next to Rosa instead.

“So where do you want to go first?” Eric asked once they had piled into a blue SUV.

“Well, I’m kind of hungry,” Kensi said, and Deeks grinned, squeezing her knee. If there was one thing that was always consistent, it was Kensi Blye’s appetite.

“So we should stop at a cafe as soon as we drop your luggage off,” Nell finished. “Ooh, there’s a place just down the street from us that has the most amazing Japanese pastries. You guys will love it.”

“And then maybe we can visit some place like Inokashira Onshi Park,” Rosa suggested. Eric raised an eyebrow, looking impressed.

“Wow, your pronunciation is really good.”

“I’ve been practicing.”

“And researching ever since she found out we were coming to Japan,” Kensi added with a proud smile.

“It was interesting,” Rosa said with a shrug.

“Alright, food for Kensi so she doesn’t turn into a wildebeest, and the garden for Rosa,” Deeks summed up.

“Sounds good. Then later this evening, we can do something a little more adventurous.”

“Nell, we totally need to take them cosplay go-karting,” Eric said, sharing a look with Nell that Deeks found fairly terrifying.

“Uh, I’m not sure that’s really our thing,” he said uncertainly.

“Oh, you guys will love it. Then we’ll do something really crazy.”

“This is going to be amazing,” Rosa decided happily while Kensi and Deeks shared dubious looks.

***

A/N: I always imagine that Nell and Eric are up to crazy hijinks in between running their company.