#kiddo deeks

[ejzah]

A/N: Well, the time has finally come. Thank you to each and every one of you who has read and followed this story that originally started out as a silly tumblr post. See you for the next one!

***

In Miss Blye’s Class, Epilogue

Deeks popped his head into the bathroom, frowning at Caleb, who stood in front of the mirror, toothbrush still in his mouth.

“Hey, what’s taking so long? Usually I have to beg you to make it to two minutes and you’ve been in here for ten.”

“I think I’m getting sick,” Caleb mumbled around his toothbrush.

Deeks reached out, feeling his forehead. “Hm, are you really?” he asked, not surprised when Caleb’s eyes danced to the side, looking extremely guilty. “Ok, what’s going on?”

“Why can’t Kensi be my teacher again? If she can teach people in college, then she should know enough to teach first grade,” Caleb sighed finally.

“Caleb, we’ve gone over this all summer. You know why,” Deeks answered, starting to lose his patience just a tiny bit. He bumped Caleb’s butt with his knee. “C’mon, scoot.”

“Daaaad.” Hunching his shoulders, Caleb gave him a pleading look. “I just want to stay with you or Kensi.” There was a slight tremble in his voice underneath the whine, and Deeks sighed.

Putting aside his irritation and the need to leave, Deeks squatted in front of him. He gestured at Caleb until he came closer, leaning into his chest. Sometimes it was easy to forget that even though he’d grown in so many ways, both physically and maturity-wise, Caleb was still a little boy.

“Hey, I know that it’s scary to start new things sometimes. It’s true you probably won’t have all the same classmates and Kensi won’t be your teacher, and that’s going to be hard for a little bit. Soon, you’ll be too busy learning all kinds of amazing things and playing with all your friends, that you won’t have time to think about everything that’s changed.”

“I guess,” Caleb mumbled.

“You met Mrs. Craig and she was nice, right?” Deeks asked, and Caleb gave a one-shouldered shrug.

“She gave you a new book, which you’ve read no less that ten times since then, and you liked the classroom pet.”

“The lizard was pretty cool,” he admitted. Deeks could tell his protests were starting to peter out, so he hugged him a little closer, and reminded him,

“If you are having a really tough time, Kensi said you can come see her during lunch, but I bet you won’t have to.”

“And you’ll pick me up?” he checked.

“Absolutely. As soon as they let you out.” He paused, giving Caleb a minute to process everything. “You good now?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome. Now we gotta leave before all three of us are late. Go get your shoes and backpack,” he said, kissing the top of his head, and nudging him towards the door. “Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you, dad.”

He walked into the master bedroom checkin his watch; they had approximately five minutes before they needed to leave. Kensi stood in front of the floor length mirror in one of her sundresses, and he momentarily forgot about the time.

“You look amazing,” he told her, coming up behind her and kissing her neck.

“Thank you.” Kensi eyed his reflection. “You better not change out of that suit before I get home.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Caleb was acting a little odd at breakfast. Is everything ok? Kensi asked as she reached back to put on a necklace.

“Just first day jitters,” he assured her, automatically closing the necklace clasp for her. “He’s worried the new teacher won’t measure up to his last one.”

“Oh, well, I heard she was pretty good.”

“Mm, extremely good. She’s taught me all kinds of things.” Deeks lowered his eyes suggestively, and Kensi leaned back slightly so she brushed again his chest, and he settled his hands on her hips. They stayed there for half a minute until he sighed in regret.

“School sucks,” he said in a fair approximation of Caleb. Kensi snorted, turning to kiss him before she wandered off to get shoes.

When they reached the living room, Caleb balanced on the back of the couch, Captain America backpack on, a Lego figure in one hand, and a book tucked under his other arm.

“You ready to go?” Deeks asked, holding out his hand.

“Yeah.” Hopping off the couch, Caleb ran to them, slipping between Kensi and Deeks to take each other their hands in his.

“I think I’m gonna give Matthew my Star Wars Lego,” Caleb said, looking up at Kensi. “Do you think I’ll see him at recess?”

“I’m sure you will. And after school, you get to hang out with me until it’s time to leave,” Kensi informed him.

“Yes!” Caleb pumped released Deeks’ hand to pump his hand in the air.

As Caleb chattered away, his fears forgotten for the moment, Deeks shared a look with Kensi.

Yeah, this was going to be a good year.

[densi-mber]

Babies Just Make it Better

“Hmm, what do you think? Should we get the Gala or Pink Ladies?” Deeks asks, looking down into the small nest of dark blonde curls atop Caleb’s head, and then turns his head enough to check in with Sophia, currently attached to his back.

“Glhh,” Sophia responds, one her little hands glancing off his neck. Caleb grabs Deeks’ chin, his eyes narrowing as his skin comes in contact with Deeks’ beard.

“Yeah, definitely the Gala.” He puts a few in their cart, next to a box of fish crackers and a jar of spaghetti sauce. “Ok, we just need some bananas, avocado, cucumbers, and cheese. Then we can go find—”

“Oh, they are so sweet!” a high-pitched voice interrupts him. Deeks turns, finding a tall dark-haired woman standing just a little bit closer than what’s appropriate for the produce section of a grocery store.

“Hey. Thanks. I like them too,” Deeks says, placing a protective hand over Caleb’s head. The woman reaches out to touch Sophia’s foot, who makes a squawking sound Deeks’ recognizes as one of displeasure.

“I just love twins,” the woman continues, leaning closer like she’s confiding something personal. “My cousins are twins.”

“Imagine that.” He chuckles a couple times, hoping he’s imagining the flirtatious edge to everything she says.

“I’m Angela.” She holds out her hand, and Deeks shakes it, releasing quickly.

“Deeks.”

“Oh, what an unusual name,” she comments. “I like it.” Her pitch drops a few tones and Deeks sighs internally. Turns out he wasn’t wrong after all.

“Thanks. Well, it was nice meeting you, but these kiddos won’t hold out much longer and I’ve got avocados to squeeze,” Deeks says in an attempt to excuse himself.

Angela laughs far more loudly than the joke deserves, tilting her head back, and when she comes back up for air, her hand somehow finds its way to his bicep. He edges back a couple steps, peering over Angela’s head in search of Kensi. Of all times for Kensi to get held up at the pharmacy.

“How’d you like to get some coffee?” she asks. “I bet you’re tired after carrying these two all around.”

“I appreciate the offer, but, I’m actually married,” Deeks informs her, holding up his left hand and wiggling his ring finger.

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Angela murmurs, moving even closer.

“I’d love a coffee,” Kensi says brightly, appearing from behind Angela with a small white paper bag. Angela turns at her voice, giving her an annoyed glance, her hand falling from his arm.

“Ah, this is the love of my life, mother of the darling twins.” Deeks takes the opportunity to slip around to the other side of the shopping cart. Kensi lower her eyebrows in a silent question, quirking her head on Angela’s direction. “And this is Angela, who very kindly offered to buy me coffee. Isn’t that nice, Kensi?”

“Oh, yes,” Kensi agrees dryly, addressing Angela directly for the first time. “We’ve been wanting to make new friends.” She rests her hands on his forearm in a subtle possessive gesture that Deeks appreciates deeply.

“Actually, I just remembered I have an appointment I’m going to be late for,” Angela says, offering Kensi an icy smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Then, as she passes by, she leans into his ear, and adds, “I work at the realtor’s office across the street if you ever need to get out.”

“I leave you alone for 10 minutes,” Kensi comments once Angela has beat a hasty retreat. Shaking her head, she takes a moment to kiss each of the babies.

“Hey, I was putting up all kinds of stop signs, she just didn’t listen,” Deeks defends himself.

“They never do.” Kensi loops her arm through his as Deeks starts to push the cart towards the display with avocados. “Not at the beach, or the library, or that one time at my mom’s church. Your Deeksness is in overdrive.”

“Ok, I get the point. I really thought that presence of two babies under the age of one and the ever increasing gray hair would be a deterrent.”

“Oh, believe me, it’s not,” Kensi tells him, pausing to brush a curl off his temple. “Maybe next time mention that I’m fully versed in martial arts and knife throwing.”

[optimistictalia]

finally felt a breeze in the south so i got excited 

did a continuation of the first deeks drawing I ever posted, but with the kiddos because ITS DEAD POETS SOCIETY SEASONNNNN 

LOVE YOU GUYS HOPE YOU’RE DOING WELL 

tagging the deekians 

@tuskofthyme @thearchivistonmars @cc-tinslebee

[tinytinybumblebee]

DEACON YES I AGREE… BELOVED. - kitty-cutie-zack

! A a a a a!!!! Yes !!! I love this game ao much aaaaaaa

Sarah is definitely his carer and she's the sweetest pea in the wooorld! She loves to bring him out for flower/material picking, telling him all about what each flower is- but the kiddo is more interested in playing in the dirt but nods along because he loves hearing her voice ;u;

Ricky lets tiny Deek 'help' her with fixing bikes (aka: he gets to hand her the tools but that's a very important job!!)

And Boozer 1000% is the cool big brother that lets Deek do all the fun (lowkey dangerous) things the others don't let him do xD But is also the best at getting Deek to sleep (Boozer will start to sing some random song off-key and Deacon will instantly say he's sleeping so Boozer will stop singing xD)

[mashmaiden]

AN: OMG, did I just churn this out in the last 80 minutes on the fly with no preparation? Yes. I blame @glenncoco4, @wanna-be-bold, @psyched1328, and @ejzah ! But here it is!

--

“Sadie! Wash your hands before you grab your hair stuff!” Deeks called after his eldest daughter as she ran down the hallway.

“Okay Daddy!”

“We do not want a repeat of the syrup incident,” he narrated to Kimi, who was still gumming her waffle pieces with her 3 little teeth. He secured the wrap around his torso, attacked Kimi’s hands and face with a baby wipe, and maneuvered her into the baby sling. “Too many tears,” he lamented, referring more to his wife’s than his little girl’s when they’d had to cut two inches from her curly locks.

At the sound of feet pattering toward him, Deeks took a seat on the well-loved ottoman, putting him at the perfect height for handling Sadie’s hair.

“What are we doing today, kiddo?”

“Ummm, piggytail braids!” Sadie deposited the hair ties and brush at his feet.

“What was that?” he prompted the almost five-year-old, with a little tickle to her tummy.

“Piggybraids please Daddy!” She responded in a near-shriek, causing Kimi to fuss. “Oops, sorry!”

“It’s okay Princess,” Deeks said, which worked for both his girls, calming Kimi while inspecting the hair products for stickiness.

Once the tools passed inspection, Deeks began brushing through the bright blonde locks.

“Hair tie please,” Deeks requested once the first pleat had been formed. Once he secured the end, he looked up, surprised to find his wife at the edge of the room, toddler on her hip, and her phone in her hand, capturing the moment.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Kensi insisted. She came over and kissed both girls on the head before kissing her husband’s lips. “I didn’t think anything could make me love you more, but I was wrong.” The second kiss they shared was heated, but lasted just a moment, as their two-year-old requested a greeting as well.

Kensi set Sean down beside Deeks and gave everyone one last round of kisses before pulling away reluctantly. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late for my meeting. You guys going to be okay?” She teased, knowing her husband was well versed in kiddie-juggling.

“Of course!” Sadie cried out, always happy to help watch over her younger siblings. “Ow, daddy!”

“Sorry Sadie,” Deeks rubbed the base of her skull where he’d pulled the braid a bit too tight. “Better?”

“Yes. You going to be home for dinner, Mommy?”

“Yes, I will. I can’t miss Sketti night!” Spaghetti night was everyone’s favorite in the Deeks household.

Sadie and Sean cheered at the prospect, and waved goodbye to Kensi as she left.

“Sadie, hair tie.”

“Hair tie what?” She asked, in the matter of fact manner that reminded Deeks so much of Kensi.

“Sorry Baby Girl. Hair tie please.” Sadie handed it off and Deeks fastened the last braid. “Okay, lemme look. Spin!”

Sadie turned and Deeks internally frowned at the slight unevenness of the two braids. Hopefully Sadie wouldn’t notice and request a redo. She could be quite particular when she wanted to be.

“Looks good!”

“Thank you, Daddy!” She reached to give him a hug, barely managing to reach him with Kimi strapped between them.

“You’re welcome. Let’s go get your siblings ready and dressed so we can head off to school.”

“Oh, Can I help? I pick Kimi’s clothes!” Sadie ran off before Deeks could answer and he laughed.

Not wanting to be left out, Sean chased after her, “I help too!”

Deeks looked down at his youngest and gave her a soft kiss as he made his way to the bedrooms. “Let’s go make sure they don’t empty your whole closet trying to agree on something,” he chuckled.

[glenncoco4]

Zing

A/N: So it’s been awhile. This is a part of my Our Younger Selves story and I’m considering making it it’s own story. Tell me what you think!

XXXX

She watches as the little brunette beauty runs down the aisle towards her with a shaggy haired might she say quite handsome man in tow. “Mommy! Mommy! Did you see me?!”

Pride shines in her eyes as she bends down wrapping up the tiny brunette that is her whole world in her arms. “Yeah, I saw you, baby. You did an awesome job! I’m so proud of you.” She places a kiss to her daughter’s cheek and turns her attention towards the blonde man. “Hi, I’m Kensi Blye.”

He takes her offered hand. “Hi, it’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Blye. I’m Marty Deeks.”

She sends him a smile. “It’s so nice to meet you, too. Chloe can’t stop talking about you and how fun Mr. Marty’s class is. And it’s Kensi.”

Returning her smile with one of his own, he nods. “Well, she’s a pretty special girl. But you already know that.”

They both look over at the sound of giggling erupting from the little girl being chased by a brown haired boy. Smiles lighting up both their faces at the scene before them then turning back to continue their conversation, something unexpected happens. 

As mismatched chocolate orbs meet those of cerulean blues the term Zing is the only word that makes sense. 

Shaking her herself out of her daze, she tries to ignore the feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Chlo, time to go.”

The little girl pouts as she walks over to her mother. “Mommy, I don’t want to go.”

“Okay, I guess that ice cream will have to eat itself then.”

At those words the mini version of herself runs over, taking her hand. “You’re welcome to join us Mr. Deeks.”

“Yeah, Mr. Marty, come with us!”

He shares a look with Chloe and then looks back towards her mother. “Yeah, okay. Just let me lock up and I’ll meet you guys in the parking lot.”

The brunette and blonde laugh as the exuberant six year old jumps for joy. “Yay!”

XXXX

As the three walk out to their cars, Kensi feels a tug on her arm. Looking down she sees the pleading look in her daughter’s deep brown eyes. “Okay. Okay.”

“Marty.” She hopes he can’t hear the hesitancy in her voice.

Stopping in his tracks, he turns towards the duo, giving them his full attention. “Yeah?” 

“Chloe was wondering…..” She feels the tug on her arm once again. “We were wondering if you’d like to come to our house for lunch tomorrow.”

The smile that lights up his face is all she needs to know. “Can I bring anything?”

“Just yourself. We got the rest covered, right, Chlo?” Kensi looks down at her beaming daughter.

“Right!”

He tries to stay calm, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach is making it very hard to do. “Alright. Great! I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” 

XXXX

He takes a deep breath, smoothing out his clothes to make sure he’s as presentable as necessary. Bringing his fist up, he knocks on the door twice before he hears what he can only assume is Chloe’s bare feet hitting the floor as she runs to the door. 

“Hi, Mr. Marty!”

“Hey there, Chloe.” He gives her a smile. 

“Puppy!” His attention turns away from the little girl towards his trusty sidekick. 

He smiles as she runs forward, running her hands through his hair. Looking back up at the sound of another pair of foot steps his brain turns to jelly when he sees the tall vision dressed in red walk towards him. “This is Mon….Monty.”

“Hi, Marty.”

Words. What are words? “Hhh…hiiiii. Hi, Kens.” He gathers himself, hoping he’s not making a complete fool of himself. “You look beautiful.” 

Shocked at his words and the butterflies that erupt within her stomach, she gives him a shy smile. “Thank you.”

They make no move to break their locked gaze. Eyes dancing with something neither of them have felt before. They’re finally broken out of their trance when a barking Monty drags an exuberant little girl through the front door. 

“Come in.”

As they walk through the door he becomes a little more nervous than before. “I hope it’s okay that I brought him. I thought Chloe would enjoy it and Monty needs to get rid of some of the what little energy he has.”

She walks into the open kitchen towards the stove, stirring something. “Of course it okay. She’s been begging me to get her a dog for months so maybe this will help stop the nagging.” 

“Well, I’m happy to help.” He sits on the bar stool at the island and watches her as she moves around the kitchen like it’s nothing. “So what is it that you do?”

Stoping what she’s doing, she looks out the window, taking a peak at her girl and the dog she’s seemingly fallen in love with playing in the backyard. Once she’s satisfied that they’re okay, she turns her attention back to the man whose effecting her like she doesn’t even know what. “I’m a personal trainer. I have my own studio on Pico.”

“Wow, that’s really great.”

She gives him a questioning look. 

“No, I really mean that. To be able to take care of your daughter, be there for her all the time, working full time and doing it alone no less. You’re like a real life Wonder Woman.”

The faint smile that spreads to her face tells him that she doesn’t think so. “Thanks, I do my best. My parents try to help out as much as they can. Sometimes it feels like I’m not doing enough. But I’d do anything for her.”

“I-“

“Mommy, me and Monty are hungry.”

They both shake their heads, trying to rid the buzzing feeling from their heads.

“Okay, sweetie. Go wash your hands and then we’ll eat.”

XXXX

He brings his napkin to his lips to wipe away the last remnants of his dinner. “Well, that has got to be the best meal I have ever had. Thank you, Kensi.”

“Thank you, mommy.”

She sends him a grateful smile. “I’m glad you both liked it.”

He shakes his head. She’s a super mom, this he knows. She probably doesn’t get the praise she deserves most days but he can change that. “Love.”

“What?”

Marty sends her a smile and then turns to her mini version. “We both loved it. Right, squirt?”

Chloe nods in agreement. “Right!”

Nothing else can be said before the seven year old’s attention span shoots to another subject. “Mr. Marty, do you wanna watch Moana?”

“Sure, I’d love too.”

XXXX

A few hours later the credits begin to roll and Kensi looks over to find her daughter beginning to nod off. “Alright, kiddo, say goodnight to Mr. Marty and go get into your jammies.”

The little girl slowly begins to get up and gives a half wave to her teacher as she makes her way out of the living room. “Goodnight, Mr. Marty.” 

“Goodnight, Chloe.”

The adults share yet another smile as they see her get a sudden burst of energy and runs down the hall towards her bedroom singing.

He doesn’t want the night to end, but seeing as though they’ve all had a long day he knows he’d better before he does something stupid. Like spill his feelings for this beautiful woman that he just met standing before him. “Well, I’d better get going.”

“Let me walk you out.”

They stop at the door, neither wanting to say goodbye. “I had a really great time today, Kensi. Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome. We loved having you. Maybe we could-“ She’s interrupted when he blurts out the words.

“Would you wanna go out with me some time?”

A blush rises to her cheeks. “Yeah. Yeah, I would like that very much.” 

Their eyes lock not for the first time today. He takes a slight step forward closing the distance between them. 90/10. He repeats to himself. After a few seconds he’s scared he went too far but then her lips are on his and WOW. 

The kiss doesn’t last as long as either would like but it’s a start. A start to the beginning. “How about tomorrow night?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Would you go out with me tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, tomorrow is great.”

“Great.” He leans forward, placing another brief kiss to her lips. “See you tomorrow, Kens.”

“Bye.”

She smiles as she shuts the door and slides down to the floor her legs now in a gelatin like state. That kiss. Wow. The sound of her daughter calling for her pulls her out of her trance. And what a trance it was. 

XXXX

One year later……

They’re at their usual spot. Enjoying the waves and the sun, but more importantly, they’re enjoying each other. 

He’s sitting in the sand with his girl cocooned inside his legs and his other girl nearby building a sandcastle. Life can’t get much better than this. 

“Hey, baby, could you stand up for a second? I think you may be sitting on my phone.”

Leaning back against his chest, she turns her head a smirk playing at her features. “What like that’s ever stopped you before?”

He places a kiss to her shoulder, because they’re in a public place and can’t do anything more without being arrested and because the little girl that’s five feet away from them. “Baby, please?”

Sighing, she gets up, but startles when she realizes his phone is next to her bag. “Babe, your phone’s right-“ Her mouth drops open at the sight before her. 

He’s down on one knee, holding the most beautiful ring in between his fingers and reaches for her hand. “Kens, from the moment you walked into that auditorium with this little spit fire over here I was enamored. So much so that you knocked me flat on my ass-“ He stops when the other piece of his whole world gasps.

“Bad word!” A shocked Chloe covers her mouth.

“Sorry, Chlo.” He leans forward placing a kiss on his hopefully soon to be daughter’s head.

Kensi look on as the man she loves cares for her little girl. Like a father would his daughter.

“As I was saying, I can’t promise I won’t let a few bad words slip every once and awhile.” He sends a wink to the little girl making her giggle. “But I can promise that I will love you,” He looks at Kensi and then at Chloe, sending her a smile. Turning his attention back to his hopefully soon to be wife. “That I’ll love both of you with everything I am for the rest of my life. Baby, you make me want to be a better man. The best man. Because that’s what you deserve. You’re the most amazing woman and mother to ever be and I hope that I can grow with you. I hope that maybe I can make things easier for you. Your smile, your laugh….everything. You’re everything to me. I never knew love could feel this way. That I could love someone so deeply that it hurt when I’m not with them. That’s you. You’re my solstice. You’re the one I want by my side. Whenever I have a bad day all I have to do is look at you and know that as long as I have you and your love nothing else matters. One of my favorite things to do is run my finger through your hair. So……will you let me run my fingers through your hair until it’s gray or you’re bald even. Either way…..will you make me the happiest man in existence and be my wife? Will you marry me?”

The tears that are streaming down her face are nothing compared to the summersaults going on inside her. She’s found a man. An amazing man that treats her the way she deserves to be treated. A man that respects her, that encourages her, pushes her to be better and loves her with all he is. Most of all he’s become the father she’s always dreamed for her little girl. “Yes!” She bends down, bringing her lips to his. “Yes. I love you so much. Yes!” 

He stands up wrapping his arms around her waist and twirling her around, bringing their lips together once again. Once they pull back, she places her forehead to his. Their eyes locked onto one another’s, no words need be said. A few minutes pass before he sits his future wife back on solid ground and another nervous look crosses his face. 

The mother daughter duo watch as he reaches for something in his pocket. He pulls out the silver chain with a pendant and both of their eyes light up when they see the sea turtle. Calling Chloe over he returns to his earlier position and gets down on one knee. 

“Chloe, squirt, besides your mom you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Watching you grow and discover new things over the past year has been one the highlights of my life. I promise to love you for the rest of my days. To kiss your booboos. To beat up anyone that hurts you and to protect you from all the scary things in life. I promise to make you laugh when mommy’s trying to be serious. To play dress up with you everyday for as long as you want me to. I love teaching you how to surf and how to play soccer. Chloe, just like your mom, you deserve to be loved and taken care of so if you let me I’d love to teach you all the things a daddy is suppose to teach his little girl. Chloe, will you let me be your daddy?”

The excited grin that spreads to her face tells him his answer but what he wasn’t expecting were the tears. As he clips the clasp around her neck, she falls into his embrace. Her tears soaking his shirt. “I love you, daddy.”

“I love you, too.” 

If Kensi wasn’t a mess before, she most definitely is now. This man…..god this man of hers. He’s everything. More than everything. 

The shaggy blonde stands up, holding Chloe in his arms as he wraps his free arm around his other girl. The tall brunette wraps her arms around both of them, he places a kiss to her head. “I love you, Marty.”

“I most definitely love you, too, Kens.” 

They watch on as the sun begins to set over the Pacific. A sunset built for a family. 

[ejzah]

A/N: A tiny angsty fic featuring Deeks and Roberta.

***

A Life Worth Living

“Look at them go,” Roberta commented, watching the twins run through the grass. They’d both started walking early, but at 12 months old, they still had a classic toddler’s run, hands held out to the side. “I swear it was just yesterday that you and Kensi told me she was pregnant. And boy was that a surprise.”

“I think it was for everyone,” Deeks agreed. He tracked Sophia and Caleb for a few moments. They were still within catching distance.

“You two must have had some kind of date night when you made them.”

Deeks closed his eyes, sighing. “Mom.”

“What? It’s not a secret.”

“Yes, but I’d be way more comfortable if you didn’t bring up our sex lives every other day,” he told her.

Caleb ran up to them, Sophia not far behind, his hand clamped in a tight little fist.

“Da-da! Fow,” he exclaimed excitedly, and offered Deeks a handful of smashed leaves.

“Oh thanks, Caleb. I love weeds! Just don’t pull any of Rosa’s flowers cause she’s worked real hard on keeping them alive all fall and winter,” Deeks said, accepting a bunch of grass from Sophia. “Gracias.” He pressed a kiss to each other their temples, and then they were off running again, babbling away to each other in a mixture of real words and toddler jargon.

“I’m real proud of you, Marty. You built a good life for yourself,” Roberta murmured unexpectedly. Shifting to face her, Deeks saw her staring at the twins wistfully. “Most kids wouldn’t have handled half of what you went through.”

“Couldn’t have done it without out you, Mama.”

“Oh please, I was a mess. Half the time you were taking care of me more than I was you.” She shook her head with a wry smirk edging towards bitterness. “You had a lousy father and a mother who couldn’t stop him.”

Turning to face her fully, Deeks cupped both her hands between his. They’d had a number of conversations like this over the years, usually out of the blue and without any real closure.

“Mom, I thought we agreed to let dad be in the past. You were and are the best mom I could ever ask for. Definitely certifiable, and unbelievably nosy—” Roberta snorted, though her eyes were suspiciously wet—“But I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

“You big liar.” Shaking her head, Roberta elbowed him in the side. She smiled in the direction of Caleb and Sophia. “You’ve done a good job, kiddo.”

Swallowing back the tight feeling in his throat, Deeks hugged her closer.

“Love you, mama.”

[ejzah]

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 35

***

The call went better than expected. Monica’s lawyer was surprisingly civil and matter-of-fact, which Deeks appreciated. They agreed to meeting on Tuesday, his lawyer would be in attendance as well, to update the custody agreement. Hopefully they could resolve everything in one sitting, but he was prepared for it to be a prolonged process.

In the meantime, they were rolling into the final week of school, which meant Caleb had a few more assessments to complete. Mostly though, it meant he came home with an increasing number of projects from throughout the year and instructions for celebratory activities.

On Monday night, Deeks stayed up late with Caleb making a costume for the end-of-year party. Caleb had alternated between an artist and pirate for a couple weeks, and only decided last minute that he actually wanted to be Captain America. Thankfully, it was a simple enough design, since Deeks’ sewing and crafting skills were admittedly limited.

“Can you hand me a pin?” Deeks requested, holding out his hand in Caleb’s direction. Caleb carefully placed one in his palm. He balanced on his knees, he watched Deeks work, a pair of scissors held at the ready.

“Daddy, can I ask you a question?”

Deeks tucked the non-pointy end of a needle between his lips, readjusting the pile of fabric in front of him before resuming sewing. “If it’s why the shield is a little asymmetrical, it’s all part of the plan.” Caleb didn’t respond to that, so Deeks nudged him with his foot. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Is Mommy not coming to visit anymore?” he asked finally.

“I’m not sure, kiddo.“

Caleb dipped his head then, peeking up out of his banks sheepishly. “I heard you talking on the phone the other day with somebody about Mom. You said she couldn’t just show up here anymore whenever she wants,” he admitted reluctantly.

Deeks sighed internally. This was why he tried to conduct most of his personal business while Caleb was at school or asleep. He didn’t fault Caleb for being curious, but sometimes it certainly made life more complicated.

“Come here.” Deeks opened his arms, waiting until Caleb clambered onto his lap. His legs had grown so much in the last couple of years they extended over Deeks’ lap, nearly touching the ground. Once he was settled, Deeks wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight.

“You’re right, I was talking about your mom. Tomorrow we have a meeting to figure out if there’s a way for her to visit more regularly without it being such a big surprise. Now I don’t know if it’s going to work out that way,” Deeks explained. Caleb didn’t say anything, but Deeks could tell he was listening intently. “What do you think about that?”

“Will it always have to be a long visit?”

“It probably won’t be as many days in a row as this last time.”

Caleb nodded, his face contemplative. “I guess that sounds ok,” he decided. Taking one of Deeks’ hands, he started forming his fingers into various configurations. He gave a little sigh that was too heavy for a five year old. “I love Mommy, but sometimes it’s hard to be with her. Does that make sense.”

“It makes a lot of sense.“ Deeks kissed the top of his head. “I wish is was easier.”

“Me too.”

Deeks patted his thigh, scooching him back on the floor. “C’mon, let’s get this costume finished up before it’s time to wake up for school.”

***

Deeks took a half day on Tuesday for the meeting with Monica. When he reached the office where they were meeting, Monica had already arrived. For once, she didn’t attempt to flirt or intimidate him, outside of a pointed look before she turned back to talk with her lawyer.

Three hours later, Deeks walked out, exhausted, but cautiously optimistic. Assuming Monica didn’t come back with any changes, they’d successfully modified the custody agreement.

Kensi was supposed to come over for dinner, so Deeks rushed to pick up Caleb, and grabbed pizza on the way home. While Caleb finished up the tiny bit of homework assigned, Deeks tossed the pizzas in a couple of skillets to reheat. It was hardly a gourmet meal, but he figured Kensi would forgive him.

The doorbell rang while he was in the middle of throwing together a very simple salad of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado.

“Caleb, can you get that? Check to make sure it’s Kensi before you unlock the door, ok?” he requested in between dicing a small cucumber.

“Kay!” He ran off, his bare feet slapping against the floor. Deeks heard the indistinct sound of his and Kensi’s voices.

“Hey.” Kensi wrapped her arms around him from behind, and kissed his neck. He grinned, twisting his neck so he could reach her mouth.

“Hey. I think I could get used to this.”

“Mm. Thanks for feeding me again. It smells delicious,” she said, snatching a piece of cucumber from the cutting board.

“I’ll pass it on to Peter, my pizza guy. How was your day?” he asked. He offered Kensi a handful of clean lettuce leaves, which she accepted with a smile.

“Chaotic, but that’s to be expected at this point. Even the kids who love school are ready to break out. The ten thousand and one activities paired with candy and ice cream parties doesn’t exactly help,” she answered.

“Yeah, I noticed. Caleb spent the entire drive home singing and bouncing in his seat.”

“I’m sorry about that. It’s only three more days though.”

“I know it’s, crazy. I don’t think I’m ready for first grade,” he said, shaking his head. Kensi made a sympathetic face.

“Aw, you’ll be ok. And so will Caleb.” Moving around the kitchen with familiarity, Kensi got out three place settings, and started placing them in the usual spots around the table.

Deeks checked the bottoms of the pizzas, which had browned up nicely, and he turned off the heat, sliding each pizza onto a large cutting board.

“Hey, earlier you mentioned something about a surprise,” he said as he worked. “Do I get to hear all the juicy details?”

“Yes, but tell me about the meeting today. I kept thinking about you all afternoon.” Retrieving two cold beers from the fridge, Kensi sat down, patting the chair beside her.

Deeks groaned, feeling everyone of his 30-some years. “It went as well as can be expected. We drafted a new custody agreement. Monica will get two days of visitation per month, at a secondary location we both agree on. We initially suggested more, but she said that she couldn’t agree to that commitment at the current time,” Deeks explained. He rubbed his eyes and groaned again. “I really wish it hadn’t come to this.”

“Do you think she’ll follow through?” Kensi asked, distractedly nibbling on another piece of cucumber.

“I honestly have no idea,” Deeks admitted. He sighed heavily, shaking his head, and Kensi rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. “She could either come because she actually wants to see Caleb consistently now, to prove a point, or just skip out again.”

“I’m sorry. For Caleb’s sake, I hope she does.”

“Yeah. At least now we should have fewer unexpected visits, which is all I wanted.”

“You made the right choice,” Kensi assured him. He appreciated it; he’d probably always question his decision to a degree, but it helped that Kensi didn’t think he was a complete monster. “Alright, now you tell me about your secret. Are you moving to Aruba, joining a traveling circus, buying me a puppy?”

Kensi snorted. “Not quite. A few weeks ago, I applied for a teaching position at University of California, Los Angeles, and today I got a call saying they’d like to hire me. So, I’ll be teaching a couple of Spanish classes this summer,” Kensi shared, unable to hold back a grin.

“Kensi, that’s fantastic!” Deeks exclaimed, getting up and picking her up to swing around the room. She tilted her head back, laughing in obvious delight. He set her back down again, keeping one hand on her waist. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”

“You were dealing with all the Monica stuff and I didn’t want to add anything else to your plate.” She folded her hand over his. “Besides, I wasn’t really sure that they’d even offer me an interview. If it didn’t go anywhere, I wanted to wallow all on my own.”

“Hey, I will always wallow with you. I’m great at it. We’ll get some wine, cookies, make a whole night of it,” Deeks said.

“You’re ridiculous.” She kissed him softly, her lips lingering long enough that he felt a tingle of warmth building in his chest. When Kensi pulled back, she brushed his hair back from his forehead. “I love it. And you.”

“Love you too.” They kissed again, this time for just a few seconds

“You know, this kind of news deserves a celebration. We’ve got wine and mint Oreos. Only the best for you.”

“Now how could I say no to an offer like that,” Kensi teased, untangling her arms from around him. “I’m going to go wrangle Caleb while you dig out those Oreos.”

Wiggling her eyebrow ridiculously, Kensi walked out to the sound of Deeks’ laughter.

[ejzah]

A/N: A sweet late night moment between Kensi and Rosa.

***

I’ll Love You For a Thousand Years

Rosa sleepily wandered into the kitchen, an empty glass in one hand. She was almost at the fridge before she noticed a shadowed figure bent over the counter.

“Kensi?”

“Shhh!” Kensi spun around, pressing her finger to her lips.

Rosa stretched to see beyond Kensi, catching sight of what looked like a jar of peanut butter and one of the baby monitors, which emitted a low murmur of voices. “Why are you listening to Marty on the baby monitor at 2 in the morning?” she hissed back.

“I woke up really hungry so I came in here to get a snack and heard Deeks talking to the twins,” Kensi explained, gesturing to the monitor.

“That’s a little strange,”; Rosa commented.

“No, listen.” Turning the volume up, Kensi motioned for Rosa to come closer. It came in on Marty mid-sentence, saying something about tacos.

One of the babies fussed—Rosa thought it sounded like Caleb—and Marty made a soothing sound.

“Hey kiddo, it’s all better. You’re changed, sissy’s changed, and now we’re going to have some milk,” he assured the two month old. There was sound of rustling and Marty groaned, then sighed. “There we go. So, were did I leave off? Oh yes, how mommy and I met.

“So there we were in this gym, both pretending to be people were weren’t. Your mom will say she didn’t trust me, found my annoying, and everything, but I have it on good authority that she had a thing for my hair. I still remember what she was wearing that day.”

He trailed off, the slightly static sound of the speaker the only sound in the room.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Rosa whispered.

“Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I just listen to Deeks talk to them,” Kensi admitted. “He tells them about our past, or stories.”

Marty started singing softly, voice low and slightly raspy as sang a now familiar John Denver song. Rosa smiled as he sang about leaves bowing down. When he finished, she wiped a tear from under her eye.

“Daddy loves you. For a thousand years,” Marty said in the softest of whispers.

“I could listen to that all night long,” Kensi murmured, sounding simultaneously teary-eyed and adoring.

[ejzah]

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 34

***

A full week and a half had passed since Deeks last spoke with Monica. In that time, Deeks and Caleb were too busy to really dwell on whether or not she’d appear. There were multiple end of year events a week to prepare for, and which Deeks did his best to attend. He and Kensi also tried to sneak in a few lunches or dinners together as time would allow.

On Saturday, they were miraculously caught up on all Caleb’s extra projects and he had his work inbox mostly cleared out—what was left could wait a couple days. It was also the perfect weather for surfing.

Before Caleb woke up, Deeks packed a couple of bags with towels, their wetsuits, sunscreen, and snacks. It was certainly a lot more than he’d ever brought with when he was a kid and would walk out the door with little more than his board. He also texted Kensi, inviting her to join them. She responded a few minutes later with a “yes” and offers to bring sandwiches.

Then he started making a simple breakfast of eggs—scrambled with cheese for Caleb—and toast.

Caleb wandered in a little after 9, still in his pajamas, his hair puffed out in frizzy curls, rubbing one eye. He sat down at the kitchen table without speaking, and started eating his eggs.

“You still a little tired, kiddo?”

Caleb grumbled unintelligibly, shoveling a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

“Huh, well maybe this will perk you up. I was thinking we could go to the beach today,” Deeks said.

Caleb immediately straightened up with wide eyes.

“Really? When can we leave?”

“As soon as you finish breakfast and change.”

Caleb scarfed down the rest of his food, his cheeks full as he struggled to swallow. “Done,” he announced.

Chuckling, Deeks ruffled Caleb’s hair, and nodded to the sink. “Ok. Clear your plate and then go brush your teeth and change into your trunks,” Deeks instructed him, and Deeks hopped up, whooping on his way out of the kitchen. “And don’t forget to brush your teeth.

They’d just carted out a few boards in and totes with their supplies when Kensi pulled up.

“Kensi?!” Caleb shouted, dropping his tote back on the ground, and raced to meet her. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

“Hi, sweetheart. I hope it’s a good surprise,” Kensi said, bending to hug him.

“Of course it is!” Taking her hand, Caleb walked with her back to Deeks.

Kensi greeted him with a quick kiss behind the cover of he truck, which made Caleb giggle.

When the boards and bags were all packed up, the piled in and headed for the beach. Deeks turned the radio to an oldies station, rolled down the windows, and sang along to John Denver and Bread. Caleb even got Kensi to join in, though she resisted at first until they both sang at the top of their lungs.

***

As soon as they parked, Caleb unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out, barely waiting long enough to grab their boards and totes before he was running off.

“A kid after my own heart,” Deeks commented proudly. They watched him slow to a stop about 20 yards ahead, balancing his board on his head while he waited for them to catch up.

“He’s been talking about going all week,” Kensi told him with a fond smile. “I’m surprised you don’t go more often. Caleb informed me you’re very good.”

Deeks shrugged off her compliment, even as he threw his shoulders back a little. “Eh, I won a couple competitions when I was younger and stayed her during the summers. Now I just do it for fun. Nothing like being out on the water on a sunny day. What about you? I bet you’ve got some special moves.”

“I’ve been out a couple times, but swimming has always been more my speed. I may or may not have gone to nationals my senior year of high school.”

Deeks stopped holding up a hand. “Woah, you can’t just drop that kind of information in so casually. Why am I only hearing about this now?” he demanded.

“I like to keep you guessing.”

“Oh, well I definitely will need a demonstration today.”

“Only if you show me your fancy surf moves Caleb keeps bragging about,” Kensi said, turning to walk backwards, a playful smile creeping at her lips. “We’ll make it a competition.”

They walked the rest of the way down hand-in-hand; Caleb waited impatiently at the end of the path, hanging off of anything that would hold him. As soon as they reached the beach, he took off again, stripping off his shirt and racing for the water with his board under one arm.

Kensi and Deeks stopped about three yards from the water to set everything up.

“He really is a little water bug, isn’t he?” Kensi mused, eyes on Caleb, who had just toppled into the water, immediately getting back up to try again.

“He’s still getting the hang of staying on his board, but he just keeps trying. I’m just glad he loves it.” Deeks turned around to face Kensi, who was in the process of stripping off her coverup, hair momentarily obscuring her face, and he was suddenly breathless. She wore a royal blue one piece, the color accentuating her tanned skin. His eyes drifted across her legs, and then back up again.

Kensi shook out her hair, smirking when she noticed him staring.

“Something catch your attention? Sorry, I didn’t think a bikini would be appropriate,” she said wryly. He cleared his throat a couple times. He blamed the sun for his suddenly overheated skin.

“I’m pretty sure that would kill me,” he replied hoarsely. Kensi lowered her eyes, stalking closer to him, and he swallowed heavily, watching her every move. She didn’t stop until they were nearly pressed against one another, probably a little too intimate for a public setting. Looping her arms around his neck, she slid her hands down his back, briefly pausing at the small of his back before dropping lower.

He chuckled breathily. “Something I can help you with, Miss Blye?”

“No, I think I found what I want.” She winked, giving him a firm squeeze before she tipped her face up towards his. Deeks’ lips parted in anticipation, and he shifted ever so slightly closer. Just before their lips touched, Kensi whispered,

“Race you.” She released him, laughing as she turned and ran in the opposite direction. It took a few seconds for his brain to catch up.

“Cheater!” he yelled, racing to catch up.

They spent the rest of the day playing in the water, building sandcastles, and investing various contests for each other. Caleb appointed himself judge of the swimming and surfing completion between Kensi and Deeks.

It might have been years since Kensi had swum competitively, but she hadn’t lost any of her skills, and beat him by a few seconds. She managed to ride approximately half a wave, which Deeks found pretty impressive give her lack of experience, and then she happily watched him show off for a few minutes.

The next time they came back to the shore, Caleb awarded them each circular rocks he found in the place of medals.

***

By six in the evening, they’d consumed all of the food they’d brought with and were exhausted and covered in sand. Deeks didn’t feel like cooking anything, so they took everything back to the truck, and stopped for fish tacos from a little stand.

“I think we successfully wiped him out,” Kensi commented when Caleb’s eyes drifted closed mid-taco, and he fell into Deeks’ shoulder.

“Yeah, he’ll sleep good tonight. So what do you have going on tomorrow?”

Kensi finished the last bite of her taco and leaned back to stretch before responding. “Mm. I need to finish some lesson plans. I also should call my mom, but otherwise I don’t have anything else.” She shrugged. “

“Then can I tempt you with a pot roast dinner?” Deeks asked.

“You can make me pot roast dinner every night,” Kensi said eagerly. “With an occasional lasagna night.”

“I knew it. You’re with me for my cooking skills.”

Winking, Kensi snuck a few shreds of cheese from the top of his last taco.

“You figured me out. Next I’m going to get you to clean the mountain of dishes in my sink.”

Deeks tipped his head back with a grin. She grinned back, stealing more toppings from his plate. They continued chatting while they finished off the last bit of food.

He was halfway through a new story involving Talia and their latest hire when his phone buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket, and frowned at the family number, his mood taking a nosedive as he read the accompanying text.

“It’s from Monica. She wants me to call her lawyer tomorrow,” Deeks relayed grimly. “Unfortunately, I think we’ll have to cut tonight short.”

“I understand. Let me know what you find out,” Kensi requested, gently grasping his chin between her thumb and forefinger. She kissed him softly, rubbing the pad of her thumb over his bottom lip. “Love you.”

“I will.”

He told himself that this was a good thing. Monica had listened for once, which hopefully meant that she wouldn’t be pulling her usual games. Still, he couldn’t quell the uneasy feeling in his stomach even as he tried let Kensi pull him back into conversation.

[ejzah]

A/N: I’m finally back with this story again! I’m hoping that I can get it wrapped up before July, but no promises.

***

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 32

Despite the specter of Monica hanging over them, they had a good night. Caleb contributed significantly to keeping the mood light. He was delighted to have uninterrupted time with Kensi and made use of the opportunity. After dinner, he showed Kensi all his new books, as promised, even reading two all by himself.

Kensi seemed just as excited by his reading as Deeks, even though she got to seem him practice his skills every day. He’d come to love these moments of quiet simplicity. There wasn’t any pressure on any of them to be anything but themselves.

He watched Kensi help Caleb decode a difficult word, and he glanced up, seeking Deeks’ gaze, his approval with a wide grin. Deeks grinned back, reaching over to smooth an unruly curl down. It instantly sprung back up. Just like it always did.

“That’s one of the biggest, hardest words I’ve ever read!” Caleb exclaimed.

“I know, kiddo. I’m so proud of how hard you’ve worked on your reading,” Deeks said wholeheartedly.

“Me too,” Kensi agreed. “You’ve made so much progress these last few months.”

This alone was enough to convince that he needed to have a serious conversation with Monica. Up to this point, he’d held back for Caleb’s sake, and maybe because despite it all, he still felt some tiny bit of compassion for her. All that had gotten him was Monica pushing as many boundaries as she could.

He was done. He wouldn’t put his relationship with Kensi in jeopardy. Not anymore.

They spent another half an hour playing and talking before it was Caleb’s bedtime. Kensi decided to leave then, and he briefly imagined a time when she’d stay for a bedtime story and the good nights. He didn’t let his imagination drift too far with that daydream, but it was on his mind as he kissed Kensi goodbye at the door, lingering for a few extra seconds even though they’d both said their goodbyes already.

Once Kensi left, he ran the normal nighttime routine with Caleb: bath, teeth brushing, talking over the day, before a final book—this time read by Deeks. He made sure Caleb was fully asleep before he crept out and headed for the patio, pulling up Monica’s number on his phone.

“Hello, Marty. I did not expect to hear from you so soon,” she answered after a couple rings. “Did you miss me?”

“No. Monica, we need to talk,” he said, not taking the bait. She chucked, her voice fading for a second as though she’d turned away from the phone.

“I’m sorry, but I’m a little…occupied tonight.”

“I don’t care. After the last week, you can deal with some inconvenience. Now, we can either talk now or meet here.”

He could almost feel her debating the consequences of blowing him off for whatever plans she may or may not have. After several seconds, she sighed dramatically, the sound loud in his ear.

“Alright. I’ll be over in half an hour.”

***

Deeks was waiting in the driveway, leaning against his truck, when Monica pulled up to the curb in a black car. He didn’t want to chance Caleb hearing the conversation they were about to have if he happened to wake up.

Monica raised an eyebrow at his position as she approached, but didn’t comment. Uncrossing his legs, Deeks straightened, meeting her at the halfway point.

“This is cozy,” she joked, mimicking his posture. “So, what is so important that you pulled me away from what promises to be a very nice date?”

“Did you question Kensi about our relationship?” he asked bluntly. Monica didn’t show any sign of guilt or embarrassment, her expression blanking for a second before she laughed throatily.

“Oh, so the teacher went and tattled. I was 50/50 on which way she’d go. You know, she’s spunky. I like that—”

“On my god, Monica, stop. This isn’t a game. What were you thinking asking Kensi’s those questions?”

She shrugged flippantly. “Like I told her, I’m just looking out for you. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

“That is not your job or your business. How many times do I have to tell you that you no longer have a say in my personal life before you get it? That ended when you divorced me,” Deeks reminded her.

“That may be true, but she’s also in Caleb’s life. And I’m still his mother,” she shot back, taunting him. “I still have a say in his life. Especially when it comes to such big changes.”

“No, you don’t. Not anymore. You’re the one who terminated your parental rights. If you want visitations we can get lawyers to work out an agreement, but this cannot go on. You don’t get to walk back in whenever you want and make demands. I won’t let you do this to us anymore.”

“I thought we didn’t need a contract,” Monica said, reminding him of his own words from a time when he was younger and far more naive.

“I thought so too, until you started interfering in our lives. It’s not fair to either Caleb or me to have you just showing up without warning and expect us to drop everything.”

“A mother should be allowed to see her son.”

That pushed him over the edge. He’d tried to remain polite and in control, but everything that he’s kept back since she left came pouring out.

“Oh don’t give me that crap, Monica. You abandoned him. That’s what it’s called when you leave a child without any warning or way of contacting you,” he snapped, inhaling deeply to regain even a tiny bit of control. He didn’t need the neighbors hearing the entire conversation. “Look, I have tried so hard to move on and not be bitter about any of this.”

He drew his hand through the air to encompass the last five years. “I know people change, sometimes what they thought they wanted doesn’t make them happy anymore, and-and I accept that, but the way you left destroyed both of us when you left. Monica, you didn’t even give me any warning. It took me so long to begin trusting another person, for Caleb to stop asking when you were coming home, and now that we’ve finally found peace and happiness, you come in like some kind of wrecking ball.”

Monica shifted from one foot to the other, and opened her mouth like she was about to defend herself, but he cut her off with a shake of his head.

“I don’t want to hear whatever excuse you’re going to come up with. You’ve manipulated our son, questioned my girlfriend, and violated my privacy.” He shook his head, licking his bottom lip. “There’s, uh, there’s no excuse for any of that. I wouldn’t believe it anyway at this point.”

Her face fell slightly at the last part, but he refuses to feel any guilt. She shifted from one foot to the other, looking down with her lips pursed, then lifted her chin.

“So, what exactly do you want if it’s not an apology?” she asked.

“We agree to put parameters on your visitation and parental rights,” he responded. “I’m going to get a lawyer. I suggest you do to.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect my family.” He let that hang in the night air for a few seconds, then nodded. “Have a good rest of your night, Monica.” He didn’t wait for a reply, heading for the front door again.

***

A/N: I know this is a little heavier and dramatic than most of this story. I hope that’s ok. Monica’s just one of those people who doesn’t know when to stop.

[ejzah]

A/N: Just a little ficlet to continue the final scene of “Citadel”.

***

I Don’t Need You to Cook or Clean

“Marty, will you run out and get me a loaf of French bread for me?” Roberta requested, busy stirring pots and checking the foil rimmed baking dish in the oven. They’d all had a chance to grab a drink and settle in a bit.

Roberta had already made several vaguely inappropriate comments that had Kensi snorting into her wine. The first couple made Deeks groan quietly, but when he saw Kensi’s response, he seemed to realize that she wasn’t about to storm out.

“Uh, sure, mama. I’ll be back soon,” Deeks answered. As he grabbed his keys again, he shot Kensi a questioning look (Are you ok with me leaving you alone here?) Kensi offered him a reassuring smile. She could handle 15 minutes with his mom.

She still felt a little nervous, but meeting Deeks’ mom, especially as a complete surprise, had been far less awkward and painful that she would have anticipated. Maybe it helped that she didn’t have a chance to build the moment up in her head.

“Thanks, kiddo!”

“No problem. Just don’t tell any embarrassing stories while I’m gone,” Deeks called over his shoulder.

“Yeah, no promises there!” Roberta called back with a chuckle. She shook her head, almost speaking to herself. “How I raised such a little prude I’ll never know.”

Kensi doubted anyone had ever described Deeks that way before.

She watched Roberta bustle around the kitchen, managing multiple dishes at once. Suddenly, a hint of guilt and self-consciousness running through her as she remembered her knee-jerk response to Roberta’s question about cooking.

“You know, when I said I didn’t like cooking, I wasn’t thinking. I’d be happy to help,” Kensi said, unable to stop a nervous laugh. Deeks would call it a cackle. “Honestly, it probably wouldn’t hurt to learn a few things.”

“What are you talking about? I appreciate the honesty.” Roberta made a face, pausing to look up from the open oven.

“Well, I just want you to know that I care about Deeks. Marty. I don’t want to give the impression I’m taking advantage of him or anything.”

Roberta stood, staring at Kensi for a full, very uncomfortable, ten seconds. Then she pulled off her oven mitts, tossing them to the side.

“The moment I saw you, I knew you cared about my son. Hell, I knew it the first time he mentioned you,” Roberta told her. “Never even crossed my mind to think you weren’t treating him right.”

“Really?” Kensi asked uncertainly.

“Absolutely.” Her face took on a slowly melancholy look. “He hasn’t always had a lot of happiness in his life. It’s good to know he has you now.”

Kensi didn’t know what to say to that, and Roberta seemed to realize it. She squeezed both Kensi’s shoulders, her smile reassuring.

“Now, I gotta come up with a story to tell you before Martin gets back,” Roberta said, effectively switching the subject.

[ejzah]

A/N: Thanks to @mashmaiden for the story idea.

***

Weddings, Dresses, and Toddlers

“Ok, now we just need to put on your little vest and we’ll be ready to go,” Deeks said, holding up a tiny black vest. Caleb gave him a dubious look, but didn’t resist when Deeks slid it over his little arms.

“Daddy, take off,” he requested, squatting slightly in his equally tiny pair of slacks.

“Not yet, kiddo. I know it’s not comfy, but you just have to wear it for a little bit.”

“Ok.” Caleb sighed heavily, and leaned into Deeks’ chest, his fluffy little curls tickling his chin.

“Hey, how’s the ring bearer coming? Kensi asked, appearing in the room with Sophia braced on her hip. She wore a dark green tulle dress a few shades lighter than Sophia’s, which was also poofier. Kensi’s hair had been styled into perfect waves while Sophia’s shorter hair was pulled into a matching bow. Her outfit was accessorized with ridiculous little flats and a silver bracelet.

“Wow, you ladies look amazing,” Deeks murmured. “And Caleb’s all ready.”

“Thankfully Tiffani has good taste.” Setting Sophia down, Kensi stood, shaking out the skirts of her dress. Although the hold ordeal of planning Tiffani’s wedding had taken its toll on Kensi’s nerves, Deeks had to agree.

“Daddy so pretty,” Sophia informed him seriously. He turned, biting his bottom lip as unexpected tears filled his eyes, reaching for her little hands.

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“I agree,” Kensi said. “You both look perfect.”

“I hot, mommy,” Caleb told her with a pitiful smile from where he’d burrowed into Deeks’ shoulder, his hands folded together.

“Oh, i’s ok, Cayeb,” Sophia soothed him. She patted his cheek, and after a moment, he had a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth.

“Ok, daddy’s gotta stand up,” Deeks groaned, gently released the twins with a kiss to the cheek so he didn’t mess up either of their curls. They immediately began to chatter away, probably comparing the recent torture they’d experienced at the hands of their parents.

“You really do look nice.” Kensi smoothed down the front of his shirt. “Can you hook the clasp at the top? I couldn’t quite reach it.” Turning so her back faced him, Kensi gestured to the swooped back of the dress, which had a minute closure at the top of the zipper.

“Sure.” He brushed his thumb over Kensi’s bare skin, just barely grazing it. As he finished, someone knocked on the door frame.

“Wosa!” Sophia and Caleb shouted together. A second later, Sophia raced across the room, her little legs flying through the air in her eagerness to reach her sister. Just before she made it, one of her feet slid out from under her, and she slammed headfirst into a small table next to the door.

“Oh crap,” Deeks hissed, running to pick Sophia up.

***

A/N: This could have been a one-shot, but I did not have the energy to continue.

[ejzah]

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 27

***

Kensi stayed for dinner and while Deeks cleaned up. Over the course of the evening, Caleb slowly opened up a little more, even breaking a couple of smiles.

Deeks thought at least a part of his continued reserved behavior came down to embarrassment. While Deeks appreciated that Caleb recognized what he did was wrong, he also didn’t want him to wallow in guilt.

When he had finished cleaning the few dishes used for the pizza, and packed up the half-finished meal he’d started, Deeks made his way into the den. He found Kensi and Caleb with their backs to the door, bent over a book. He stayed in the doorway watching them interact, and listened to the rise and fall of Kensi’s voice more than the words.

“Wait, did you forget to read the fine print!!!!” Kensi exclaimed.

“They ate spicy salsa on accident and now it’s going to make them breathe fire,” Caleb announced in between giggles. “And then the whole house is gonna burn down.”

Deeks smiled as he recognized one of Caleb’s most favorite books. Even if it had be a crappy couple of days, he had a lot to be grateful for. Mainly the two people crouched over a book about dragons. He waited for them to finish before interrupting with a gentle clearing of this throat.

“Hey kiddo, it’s getting close to bedtime,” he said, and both Kensi and Caleb’s heads swiveled towards him.

“We were having so much fun, we completely lost track of time,” Kensi said, nudging Caleb with her knee. “I better get home. Have good night, ok?”

“Ok. Thanks for reading with me, Kensi.” He dipped his head, peeking up from under his bangs. “Can I hug you?”

“Of course.” Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around Kensi, clinging to her for several long moments. When he let go, Kensi brushed his hair back with a fond smile that made Deeks’ chest ache in a way that wasn’t physical. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Kensi,” he said.

“I’ll walk you out,” Deeks offered. “I’ll be back in a couple, buddy.”

Caleb nodded, turning back to the small pile of books and trains scattered nearby.

“Ugh.” Deeks rubbed his palms over his face as he and Kensi reached the front door. “This is not how I imagined today going.”

“Hey, we’re all going to have bad days. Compared to some of my other relationships, this is actually not that bad.

“Very reassuring.” Holding out his hand, Deeks waited for Kensi to thread her fingers through his. “I should have told you about Monica sooner,” he added.

“Yeah,” Kensi agreed. “But I also understand why you didn’t.” She sighed, her smile a little melancholy. “Exes are hard. Especially when there are kids involved.” She tugged lightly on his hand. “Let me know if you need anything. Talk, yell, cry. I’m here and I promise not to judge.” She nodded. “Well, not too much.”

Deeks chuckled, and shook his head. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” she told him, leaning in for a brief kiss. “Good luck with your talk.”

Deeks shut the door behind Kensi, dragging both hands through his hair. He’d been thinking about how to approach this conversation all evening, and still wasn’t settled on what to say. He walked back to the den; Caleb had cleaned up everything, with more care than usual.

“I’m ready to go to bed,” Caleb announced.

“Come here for a minute,” Deeks said, sitting in one of the chairs, and Caleb hung his head, shuffling over reluctantly. He stopped with his still lowered, which just made Deeks want to wrap him up in a big hug. He pulled Caleb onto his lap, settling him on one knee.

“Kensi said you told her you were upset about mom and that’s why you got mad and threw the block. Is that true?”

Caleb shrugged once, and then gave a single jerk of his head, still not looking up. Deeks gently tipped his chin up. The were the sheen of tears in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

“I don’t know.” Another shrug.

“You know you can tell me anything,” Deeks reminded him. Caleb didn’t respond, so he prompted. “Why are you upset about mom coming to visit?”

“Because you always get sad when she does,” Caleb answered, with a hint of sadness and bitterness, which had no place in a five year old’s voice. “I like it when we’re happy. And I like having Kensi here, and I don’t want it to change.”

Deeks blinked at him in shock for a moment as he processed everything Caleb had just revealed. He’d tried to conceal his true feelings about Monica, but apparently he hadn’t been as successful as he thought.

“Hey, first of all, you do not have to worry about how I’m feeling, Caleb. That’s not your job, ok? If you wanna see mom, then that’s what we’re going to do. It doesn’t matter how it makes me feel.” He tapped Caleb’s chin, until he made eye contact again.

“Secondly, mom coming back isn’t going to change anything with Kensi,” he said.

“You promise?” Caleb whispered hopefully.

“Yeah, I do.” He let that sink in for a few seconds. “So, what do you think about mom visiting again while she’s here?”

Caleb considered the question with a tilt of his head. “I don’t know. I have to think about it.”

“That’s fine. It’s always good to think about things before you make a decision,” Deeks said approvingly. As they talked, Caleb had slowly melted into his chest. He could tell he was fading fast.

“Hey, one more thing.” Deeks rested his hand on Caleb’s back. “I know you weren’t feeling like yourself when you threw that toy today at school, but that can’t happen again, ok?”

Caleb nodded into his chest, sniffling a little.

“It’s never ok to hurt people, even when we have really big feelings. If you feel like you did today again, you come talk to me, or Kensi, or another grown up,” he told him.

“Ok. I’m sorry, daddy.”

“I forgive you. We still gotta make it right though, so tomorrow I want you to apologize to your friend, and Kensi.”

“That’s all?” Caleb asked in surprise.

“First time offender,” Deeks joked, hugging Caleb tighter. “It happens again though, there’s gonna be more consequences. Like losing privileges.”

“Ok,” Caleb whispered again, curling his fingers into Deeks’ shirt.

“Love you, kiddo.” Kissing the top of his head, Deeks held him closer. A few minutes more wouldn’t hurt.

***

A/N: And of course, the book referenced in this chapter is the wonderful “Dragons Love Tacos” by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri. It’s been a staple for me ever since Eric read it during one of his story time videos.

[ejzah]

A/N: Another fluffy drabble for the weekend.

***

Deeks, coming home with Kensi after a date night: Hey, how’s everybody doing?

Callen, almost passed out on the couch, a twin on either side: You’re children are exhausting. They nearly killed me.

Kensi: Let me guess, they convinced you to try the climbing wall.

Callen: Just nods.

Deeks: Hey, I warned you. *he leans over the twins, giving them each a kiss* Thanks for watching them. Were there any issues.

Callen, attempting to stand, then eventually giving up: Nope. Just that your children inherited your monkey-like abilities.

Deeks, proudly: That’s daddy’s kiddos.

Kensi, smiling too: Don’t feel bad, Callen. They practice a lot and have beaten me a couple of times.

Callen, yawning: Oh, I don’t. But I am going to con Sam into competing against them.

Deeks: Promise you’ll let me be there when you do.

[ejzah]

A/N: Here’s my little Whumptober offering for this year. As usual, I’ve gone with a light topic for this one. Takes place post series finale. For the purpose of this story, both Kensi and Deeks have retired from NCIS and fieldwork.

***

No Matter How Far You Run, We’ll Draw You Back Again

“Well, first we’re going to change your diapers, then mommy’s going to feed you, and then we’re going to go for a walk. And, if we’re lucky, sissy is going to come for dinner,” Deeks explained as he secured the sides of Caleb’s diaper. “What do you think we should have?” He directed this question at Sophia, who was kicking away in the little bassinet attached to the side of the changing table.

“Ha!” she exclaimed in response.

“I agree,” Deeks said conversationally. “Potatoes would be nice.”

“Ooh, what gourmet dishes are we planning?” Kensi asked, coming up behind him, and resting her chin on his shoulder as she looked down on the twins.

“Mmmmaaaa,” Caleb cooed, excitedly waving his hand in Kensi’s direction.

“Hi sweetie.” Kensi closed her fingers around his fist, shaking it hard enough to make him giggle. She turned to Sophia then, kissing her tones, and the little girl let out a truly impressive string of sounds.

“And there we go,” Deeks announced, hefting a baby under each arm, and spun them in half circles, resulting in another round of giggles. When they were done, he unlatched Caleb’s sharp little nails from his t-shirt, presenting him to Kensi with a flourish. “Two squeaky clean kiddos, which will last for approximately 1-3 hours.”

“Thanks, baby. “Next round is on me,” Kensi said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “So, what are we having for dinner?”

“Well, Caleb has some interesting ideas about coq au vin, but I’m not sure we have time for it.”

“You’re quite the chef,” Kensi told Caleb, going along with the joke.

“Baaaa,” Caleb replied, determinedly tugging at the front of Kensi’s shirt.

“And of course, you’re hungry again.” She sighed good-naturedly, adjusting her top so Caleb could nurse.

Balancing Sophia in one arm, rocking back and forth. Just the other day, she’d figured out how to clap, and had been entertaining herself with the new skill whenever it struck her fancy. Right now she kept an enthusiastic, if uneven beat to Deeks’ rhythm.

“You want me to watch this one, or start on dinner?” he asked Kensi.

“Dinner,” Kensi replied without a second thought. “I can handle these two.”

“All right.” He turned Sophia to face him, giving her a mock scowl. “No prison breaks, you hear me missy?” She giggled at his expression, tugging at his beard with her little fingers.

***

Deeks had just gotten started on cutting up some veggies, when his phone buzzed in his pocket with an incoming call. He checked the number, didn’t recognize it, and resumed his previous task, dumping a pile of diced potatoes, onions, and peppers into a pan.

His phone started ringing again less than a minute later with the same number. Frowning, he accepted the call.

“Hi, this is Marty,” he answered cautiously.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Deeks, this is the Director of the FBI along with NCIS Director Leon Vance,” a smooth male voice responded. “I was hoping you’d have some time to talk.”

“Um, honestly, I was just about to start dinner,” Deeks answered, falling on humor to cover his surprise. These days the number of calls he got from any federal agency aside from the IRS was minimal.

“We’ll try not to keep you too long. I know you have a family waiting for you,” Director Vance spoke up, clearing his throat pointedly.

“Of course,” the FBI director agreed, appeasing Vance, Deeks thought. “Well, to get straight to the point, our agency has been following a human trafficking ring for the last year. This particular ring has grown over the years, but it’s come to a head recently.”

Deeks felt his stomach clench unpleasantly at the mention of trafficking. In all his years in law enforcement, dealing with those cases had been some of the very worst.

“We’ve attempted to infiltrate this ring many times, with subpar results,” the director continued on, oblivious to Deeks’ inner turmoil. “Unfortunately, time is not on our side. We recently received a tip that several hundred children and women are being transported in the next few weeks. That’s when your name came up.”

“I’m going to need you to be a little more explicit, Sir,” Deeks said, even though he was certain where this conversation was heading.

“Former Deputy Director Ochoa mentioned you’re skilled in undercover work, and a review of your history with NCIS confirmed that to be true. I think you’d be perfect for this job.”

“You do recall the part where I have six month old twins at home, right?” Deeks asked facetiously. He didn’t think for a moment that the Director hadn’t completely vetted him and combed through his and Kensi’s lives meticulously. A bitter feeling settled heavily in his stomach at the thought. “Not to mention I retired from active fieldwork last year.”

“Yes, we’re aware,” Vance said, sounding strained and maybe a touch irritated. Deeks wondered how much say he’d had in this entire venture. If the FBI had gone over his head to ensure his cooperation.

Deeks had expected the topic of fieldwork to be officially shelved, not to be on the receiving end of a call from the directors of NCIS and the FBI asking him to return for what sounded like a highly dangerous mission.

“Yes, yes, my belated congratulations to you and Agent Blye,” the FBI director added on hastily. “Though I’m sure they could spare you for a few weeks for a good cause.”

“With all due respect, why not use another, active agent? There’s half a dozen that come to mind right now.” He didn’t envy anyone who was tasked with the job.

“Your persona, Max Gentry, would be a perfect fit for this role,” the Director explained, and Deeks’ lip curled at the mention of an alias he’d come to hate. “And, to be perfectly honest, you’re the best agent for the job. You fit the profile, you have the skills, and you know to speak to these kinds of people. After reading through your file, I don’t know that I’ve seen a better operator when it comes to undercover roles. It’s truly impressive.”

“You can cut down on the flattery, Director,” Deeks said, now without any politeness. “I know my talents. I was good at my job. When it was my job. Now I’m a father, husband, and lawyer and I’d like to think I’m pretty fantastic at those too. I’m not prepared to jeopardize any of that.”

There was a moment of silence over the phone, and Deeks wondered if he’d stunned the Director by not immediately capitulating.

“I’m not sure you understand the gravity of the situation. These are children, like your twins. Imagine someone taking them in a few years. Or your wife,” the Director pressed, his tone telling Deeks he knew exactly what he was doing. Deeks flinched at the mention of the twins and Kensi. “You’ve dealt with this before. Do you think you’ll be able to sleep knowing that these kids are out there, being sold and abused? That they may never see their families again?”

Deeks clenched his jaw, beyond angry at the blatant manipulation, and even more so that the Director was right. When there were kids involved, hell when there was anyone vulnerable being mistreated, he found it hard to stand idly by.

“I’m going to need more details before I commit to anything,” Deeks decided reluctantly. He hated himself for giving, almost as much as he was quickly growing to dislike the Director.

“Of course, Investigator.” He could almost hear the SECNAV’s satisfaction through the phone.

“Let me be perfectly clear; I still don’t like this. My priority is my family and if I don’t think that your operation is sound and capable of actually shutting down this trafficking ring as well as saving the victims, then I will not be a part of it,” Deeks said firmly. “I won’t be used as a pawn in some game or to gain you a gold star.”

“We understand,” Vance replied before the Director could. “I think that’s a perfectly reasonable request given the importance of the case. Rest assured that I will be involved every step of the way should you decide to assist us.”

“Yes, we appreciate that, Leon,” the Director replied, not sounding too pleased by at all. “We’ll expect your decision in two days, Deeks.”

“Right. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s getting late and I have a hungry family waiting.”

“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule,” Vance said, and he actually sounded like he meant it. “Tell Ms. Blye hello for me.”

“Sure thing.” A moment later, the call was over, and Deeks carelessly set his phone to the side. Turning to face the counter, he braced his elbows on the surface, burying his face in his hands.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

***

A/N: I couldn’t confirm who the current NCIS director is, so I just went with Vance before I went crazy searching for answers. Part 2 to follow.