1. Chapter 1

"Hey Kensi, it's Deeks. I'm really really sorry about today. We need to talk. Call me back when you get this, okay?"

"Hey, it's Deeks…again. I need to talk with you Kens. I know I didn't have anything to say earlier, but I have a lot to say now and I need to say it in person. Call me."

"Kens, it's me. First of all, I want to let you know how sorry I am for keeping you in the dark earlier today for the umpteenth time. Also, I'm sorry about the somewhat incomprehensible text-bombing, but I just want to make sure that you're okay. It's been like, five hours since I've last seen you. Please call me back."

"Kensi, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not the only one who's worried about you right now, Sam and Callen are too. They might not be calling or texting as much as me, but I know they're worried deep down. Can you at least text me back?"

"Okay, I just want to let you know that if you call, I promise to pick up the phone so you can verbally abuse me or get into a touché argument or talk about America's Next Top Model or Monty or anything you want to. Just please please please call me."

"Kens, this is nowhere near the last phone call, but it may be for the next half hour because Hetty told me to stop calling you. But we really really really really really really really have to talk. Please Kensi, just call me back."

"Six hours without any text, sighting, punch, or phone call. I know how upset you are and understand that you never want to see me or hear that annoying song I had Eric set up whenever I call your phone again, but at this point I just want to know that you're okay. Show me a sign of life!"

"Kensi, we're leaving for work in like, three hours and I haven't slept at all and I know you haven't. I want to sort this out before then. Seriously, I don't think we've went this long without talking since getting over your initial dislike of me. We have that couple hour unspoken rule, remember? I send a few texts, you send one or two back, I send a video or picture and you tell me how far on the idiot scale I went…good times. Call me."

"I've been outside your house for the past hour and haven't seen a single sign of inhabitance- not a light switch, not a TV hum, not a decibel of your therapeutic rock music. I'm getting concerned. Are you doing this on purpose? I get the psychological torture and all, I'm a big fan don't get me wrong, but I really need to make sure that you're okay. Please call me."

"Okay, this is a courtesy call. Within the next ten minutes, if I don't hear from you, I'm breaking down the door. You can beat me up when I get in and I will be prepared for a strong offensive attack, I just need to see you."

It was nearly eight hours of unanswered calls and texts and a burning conscious that led Deeks to Kensi's doorstep. The silence was slowly but surely driving him into empty-headed insanity. And while Deeks and empty-headed insanity do mingle, Deeks wanted no part in an insanity without Kensi Blye to criticize him for it.

He knew he deserved it, of course. Working with the team to deceive Kensi had been the hardest thing Deeks had ever done as a cop. Even when Callen and Sam had assured him that Kensi would understand that it was _necessary_ for the mission, Deeks knew that keeping Kensi in the dark would cause her to double up the walls around her.

There was no denying the fact that Kensi Blye is a strong woman, but Deeks knew firsthand the tight walls she threw up to keep people believing that she would never break. It seemed that today, everyone had forgotten the fact that Kensi was. But Deeks could still see the fragile girl abandoned by her parents and fiancé no matter how much she imitated Wonder Woman. Kensi's purposeful ignorance of Deeks' calls had proven him right, but there was never a time when Deeks wished he had been wrong.

Deeks walked up to the doorway with the expectation of knocking on the door a few times and ringing the doorbell to the beat of America's Next Top Model theme song before breaking down the door. So when the door opened before he even knocked, all the words of the speech Deeks had spent the last eight hours preparing dissipated.

Kensi stood in the doorway, looking like an Amazon Queen with a fierce expression and angry eyes, despite tousled hair and casual pajamas. "I'm fine Deeks. You can go now."

Deeks swallowed a ball of saliva forming in his throat. "Did you get my messages?"

"Deeks, it's three in the morning. What do you want?"

"I want to talk,"

"Oh really? Because earlier, I explicitly remember you leaving me when I wanted to talk. I really don't know what you want me to say."

Deeks winced at the verbatim of his words that had seemed like a gentle let down at the time. But he pressed on. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier today, err, I guess yesterday since midnight passed but,"

"I get it Deeks. It was part of the job. Besides, we all lie on a daily basis. If we had a problem with lies, we would never have gotten hired."

"We never lied to each other before." Deeks said gently. "I never doubted for a second that you wouldn't understand, but I also knew how mad you,"

"Dogs go mad, people don't get mad." Kensi corrected.

"Okay, how _angry_ you would be that we left you out."

Kensi's eyes sparked with anger. "What do you want me to say Deeks?"

"I want you to talk about it. All you ever do is lock up your feelings and you have the rest of the team fooled into believing that you're invincible but I know differently."

"You already know how I feel, so why do I need to say anything? You know that I'm angry at Hetty for making the call in the first place. And at Callen and Sam for refusing to fight for you when we-I thought you got kicked off the team! And that somehow Eric and Nell got clearance over me to know that you weren't actually fired! And you! If you really knew how I was going to react, why would you deceive me into thinking that you were leaving me just like everyone else in my life? I thought I meant more to you…to all of you!"

"You do mean more Kens,"

"But the job still came first in the end, didn't it?"

The hard truth was, that none of them were more important than the job. Whatever crisis was happening would always take precedence. That was the sacrifice that they had made when they joined the team.

"Did you ever think about how this made me feel?" Deeks countered. "Lying to you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. You're my partner. I know you better than anyone and that's why I knew exactly how this would make you feel and no one would listen when I said so."

"Were you the only one who argued with Hetty's decision?"

Deeks shifted nervously from foot to foot, looking like a toddler caught in a lie. "You can ask them yourself…"

Kensi knew to take that as a yes. Out of everyone on the team, only Deeks- the person who she had known for the shortest amount of time- had somehow understood her in a way no one else had.

"Is that why you could bareley look at me when you were emptying out your desk?"

"I knew we couldn't have a conversation like that in the middle of a lie."

He knew that if he had allowed Kensi to admit her feelings or express too much concern under false pretences, their partnership would have been broken beyond repair.

"I know this isn't exactly the best time to say this, but I promise that I will never do this to you again. I would rather get fired than put you through this again."

"Even if it meant that we couldn't be partners anymore?"

Deeks nodded. "You don't think such a minor detail would stop me from annoying you, would it?"

Kensi couldn't help but snort at his joke attempted and Deeks took that as a sign that they could move on.

It amazed Kensi that in their short time together, shaggy haired blue eyed Deeks, despite the fact that he put up with her stubborn and closed off personality, had managed to wiggle himself into Kensi's heart. His laissez-faire attitude, sharp humor, sense of adventure, loyalty, and his never-quit personality told Kensi that she could trust him.

"I'm sorry." She said finally.

Deeks cocked his head in confusion. "Shouldn't I be telling you that?"

"You have- in your multitude of texts and voice mails. I never considered things from your perspective and I know that, if our roles had been switched, I would have done the same thing."

"I wish it would have been me." Deeks said quietly.

Kensi sighed. "Today has just been—a crazy, horrendous day. The way everyone acted like you leaving wasn't a big deal and then Hetty saying that it…that it was better that you left…" She didn't finish, but she didn't have to. Deeks understood perfectly.

He laughed softly. "If this were to ever happen for real, I would hope for a different reaction."

"I wouldn't let it happen for real." Kensi said. "I was mostly angry at you after I found out."

"If there was anyone to be mad at, it should have been me. I'm the reason we had to deceive you in the first place."

"But you were the only one to argue with Hetty and apologize." Kensi pointed out.

Deeks only nodded, happy that Kensi was okay with him again. "So, am I forgiven?"

Kensi pretended to think a moment before nodding. "But only if you get us a couple of beers and let me pick the movie."

"You mean, let you watch Titanic, a three hour movie of pure torture?"

"Deeks,"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I _love_ the Titanic, with its depressing mood and unrealistic death of Jack."

"The producers and director just weren't thinking straight. They were creating a masterpiece." Kensi argued. "Just pretend the that only Rose could fit on the wooden panel."

"Whatever you say Kensalina," Deeks said, smiling. "I'll go get the burgers and beers."

"I'll set up the movie." Kensi said, perking up a bit.

A giant grin sat on Deeks's face as he set out to purchase the apology gifts because if Kensi's eager behavior was any indication, movie nights at Kensi's were about to become a lot more common.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, I want to thank mar2811 and summer-princess88 for reviewing and to everyone for following this story! I only meant for it to be a one-shot, but the positive responses have me writing more! *And a special shout-out to guest Sarah- my first review EVER!* I hope this meets your guys's expectations!**

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_Ding, ding, ding._

Deeks opened the door to an irritated looking Kensi, who was skillfully balancing an eight-pack beer and a bag of junk food on her right hand. "Why the grumpy grandpa frown?"

"They were out of cronuts."

Deeks smirked knowingly. "You only have yourself to blame, you know. I was the one who suggested that we stop by when we were in the neighborhood."

"We were traveling 'in the neighborhood' at ninety miles per hour! There was no way I was going to jump out of the car and apprehend the cronuts instead of the terrorist."

"Kensi denying junk food, that's a first. I expected that you would do anything for food after seeing you jump out of the car last week for a twinkie."

Kensi punched Deeks in the shoulder. "We weren't in the middle of a high speed chase then. You try jumping out of the car and not breaking your neck. Then we'll talk."

Deeks grabbed the food bag from Kensi. "Did you get everything else?"

"Yes, yes, the usual. So what are we watching tonight?"

"You're asking me?"

"I was thinking about another horror flick. Maybe Insidious?"

Deeks groaned as the two piled into his house. "Don't you think we see enough blood and knockouts during work?"

"It's completely different seeing it on the screen than at work." Kensi argued. "Besides, you know I can't watch these things alone."

"So basically what you're saying, is that you need your big strong partner to comfort you during the scary parts?"

Kensi slammed her fist into Deeks's shoulder again. "If you don't want to watch Insidious, then what did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking something along the lines of The Notebook or maybe Grown Ups Two."

Kensi groaned. "You and your stupid chick flicks and comedies."

"You and your stupid scary movies. You know you love them Fern."

"Do not."

"Do to."

"Do not."

"Do too!"

"You're not getting any of the twinkies!" Kensi yelled, snatching the food from Deeks.

"Like you would share them in the first place!"

Kensi stuck out her tongue.

"Very mature Kens."

"I'm more mature than you."

"That's a good one."

"Am too."

"Am not."

"Am too!"

Deeks took a deep breath. "I'm stopping this nonsense because that's how mature I am."

"Really?"

"Really. And I get to pick the movie."

"That's not fair! I'm the one who had to chase down 81st while you got to take the car!"

"We're watching The Notebook and that's the end of it."

"I'm not watching that!"

Deeks glared at his partner, who had a smug look on her face, right before he snatched the food bag right out of her hands.

"Give it back!"

Deeks smiled, holding the bag above Kensi's head with his four inch advantage. "Not until you agree to watch the movie I pick out for a change!"

Kensi pouted. "Never."

"You'll cave eventually sweet pea. I know you will."

Kensi shook her head.

"Not even for your glorious twinkies? I think I feel about ten in here." Deeks teased. "And is that yummy yummy heart attack food I smell?"

"Maybe..."

"You just have to watch The Notebook. We can watch Insidious another night."

"...Promise?"

"Of course."

"Fine."

Deeks grinned, knowing he won a rare victory. "Here you go, Princess."

Kensi snatched back the food in an instant. "Ugh. Let's get this over with."

"There's my girl."

"Your what?"

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**Okay, I'm really partial to having Deeks win arguments with Kensi, because he wins so few on the show! Now, I have a question for ya'll! In the next one-shot, should Kensi and Deeks to talk about movies, or to have a bunch of tags to different episodes throughout the seasons (recommended by you of course- or me, if there are no takers out there, I'm happy with that). Just PM me or review! I hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Thanks for the amazing reviews. Sorry it took so long- a little bit of writers block recently. This one's focuses on the episode "Blye, K Part 2." I hope you like it!**

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Kensi walked down the dimly lit street. Rows of dark houses outlined her surroundings. A nearby streetlight cast a faint glow against a backsplash of night sky, bright stars, and a waning moon. Kensi didn't know what she was doing.

It wasn't Friday.

It wasn't Saturday.

There was no previously made arrangement.

There was no traumatic case that had been closed.

The time was 2:38 in the morning.

No reason for him to expect a visit at the time.

Kensi had only meant to drive away her anxiety and frustration. It was a complete accident that she had unconsciously driven to his house. At least that's what she told herself.

Now she was at his doorstep, reading far too into the door's slightly peeling paint and brass doorknob.

When the door suddenly opened, Kensi took a step back.

Deeks stood before her, wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of red shorts. "Talk to your mom?"

Kensi just stared, speechless. She had never planned to actually talk to him. She hadn't even factored in the possibility that he could be up.

"Can I take that as a no...?"

"No, I did. It just didn't go very well."

Deeks made a face before saying, "Why don't you come in?"

Kensi hesitated for a split second before forcing herself to move forward. "Okay."

Deeks scratched the back of his head as the two walked in. His house was virtually spotless, as usual (at least compared to Kensi's "disorganized organization" methods). "The twinkies are in the-"

"I know where the twinkies are." Kensi made a beeline for Deeks's kitchen. More specifically, the pantry to the left of the fridge.

"I'm assuming that you two got into an argument."

Kensi ripped open the box and stuffed a twinkie in her mouth.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Kensi glared at him through her mouthful.

"Look, I know you don't like talking and stuff, but you really need to get better at expressing your feelings. It'll make you feel better."

"Food makes me feel better."

"We talked about this last time you came over."

Kensi swallowed her twinkie. "Fine. It started out okay- we were talking, trying to catch up on a few things."

"A few things? You haven't talked with your mom in years. I kind of think-"

"Do you want me to talk or not? Because I would be totally fine with the not talking."

Deeks cleared his throat. "No, please continue."

"Thank you. Now as I was saying, we were catching up when we started arguing, and everything pretty much went downhill from there."

"What did you argue about?"

"It was something really stupid." Kensi said, taking a bite out of another twinkie. "Like always,"

"Did you start the argument?"

"Are you saying that it was my fault?"

"No, I'm saying that you have really bad communication skills and- ow! See? This is what I'm talking about! Punching your partner in the arm is not the proper way to communicate your feelings!" Deeks scolded, rubbing the injury.

"I think it gets my point across just fine."

"Then it proves that you have the problem-solving skills of a kindergartener." Deeks argued. "Just tell me what you argued about."

"It was about work." Kensi groaned, angrily tearing at the innocent twinkie.

"Now was that so hard?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel better?"

Kensi ignored him and continued with her story. "My mom kept arguing that it was too dangerous and that she doesn't want me to work in such a dangerous field and blah blah blah."

"You're mom's just worried about you. Our work is kind of dangerous. We kind of get shot at every day. That's like, the definition of dangerous."

"I guess."

"She's just freaked out because she figured out that your dad was killed because of his work and she doesn't want that to happen to you. Can you really blame her for that?"

Kensi glared at Deeks. "You're too good at this."

"I'm talented in a variety of ways."

"Ew."

"What? I didn't say anything bad, I just was saying that I am a very talented person. My mind isn't the one that's in the gutter right now."

"Either way," Kensi said, sighing, "now we aren't speaking again. Left the same way I did when I was fifteen."

Deeks gave his partner a meaningful glance. "You need to give it another try."

"I already did!"

"I mean for you to actually talk, not just babble about meaningless stuff girls talk about like celebrities or TV shows or food. You need to sit down and talk about what you two want to do, where you want to see yourselves in a few years." Deeks explained. "This mission brought you and your mom together, gave you two a second chance. I don't want to see you blow it because of one, stupid, meaningless argument."

Kensi sighed, looking exasperated but thinking deeply. She was surprised to realize how right Deeks was. Coming from a broken home, Deeks knew the blessing of a happy family better than anyone. "I'll think about it."

Deeks nodded, feeling certain that he had done his part. The rest was up to Kensi- it was her family after all. "Thank you,"

"Why are you thanking me?"

"For taking my advice, Princess. You never do that."

Kensi managed a grin. "It's because you never give any useful advice Shaggy."

"Aw, and the tough old Kensi Blye is back," Deeks said, flopping down on the couch. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Mmm, sure. What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking Monster-in-Law."

"Seriously?"

"What?"

"I'm not married Deeks."

"I would hope not."

"I'm having problems with my mom, not mother-in-law."

"Same principle. It's feuding between mother and daughter, only they're in-laws instead."

"I still don't see-"

"That's why we're watching the movie." Deeks said, grabbing the clicker. "I'm turning it on."

"You're so weird." Kensi groaned, taking her spot next to Deeks on the couch.

"Thank you."

"You're a weinbag."

"A what?"

"A weinbag."

"What's a weinbag?"

"A term my cousin uses."

"Yes, but what does it mean?"

"It's a word for someone annoying or irritating."

"Well, that definition could apply to you too, you weinbag."

"You're the weinbag."

"No, you are."

"No,"

"Shh! I'm playing the movie!"

"You aren't getting out of this,"

"You need to learn the life lesson, now be quiet! The movie's starting!"

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**And scene! I gotta give props and cred to my _awesome_ friend- the user of the noun "weinbag", which is perhaps mankinds greatest and most powerful word for those who are annoying. Review your thoughts- positive, slightly negative, or critical!**


	4. Chapter 4

**This takes place right after 6X2, praesidium. Warning- spoilers for the Amazing Sider-Man 2.**

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It had become a ritual, an unspoken, unbreakable rule between them.

Evolved over years of partnership, Kensi and Deeks had reached the point where it didn't matter whose house they were at or what movie they were watching as much as it mattered that they were together, on a couch, drinking beer, and eating food.

Currently, the dynamic duo were at Deeks's house- Kensi's had been visited the night previous- eating yummy yummy heart attack after devouring the cronuts as appetizers. The movie was yet to be picked out. Deeks figured that Kensi's day had been pretty awful, but for a change, Kensi didn't feel like making the decision. So the two ate in silence, focusing exclusively on their tasty food and simultaneously berating themselves for not speaking.

"So, what do you want to watch?" Deeks asked finally, out of food to use as an excuse for not talking. The tone in his voice was almost like the one he normally used, but not quite. It was gentler, more patient. It acknowledged their moment from earlier today.

Kensi shrugged, pretending that she didn't notice the difference. "I don't know. Maybe The Amazing Spider-Man 2?" She had been meaning to see that movie.

Deeks winced. "You know I've already seen that one Fern."

"I still can't believe you went to go see that one without me."

"Eric and Nell invited everyone to go to the midnight premier with them! You had the choice to come with us."

"I told you, I had to go do that thing with my mom! I would have come any other night."

"What about the entire time it was in theatres? You could have seen it then."

"I didn't want to see it alone."

"So now you're the only one who hasn't seen it yet." Deeks stated.

"That's why I'm suggesting it tonight."

Deeks pondered on Kensi's movie choice. It seemed innocent enough- for those who hadn't seen the ending. The whole Peter failing to save Gwen might not go over very well considering their own predicament so closely mirrored theirs. "Not tonight."

"What do you want to watch then?"

"How about Neighbors?"

"Too much for tonight."

"Inception?"

"You're going the wrong direction here."

"A Million Ways to Die in the West?"

Kensi considered the thought. "Funny, cheesy, unimportant, won't require thought...it could work."

Deeks looked hard at Kensi a moment before saying, "Or we could just talk."

Kensi shook her head.

"Look, I know the interview was hard today,"

"I don't want to talk about this Deeks."

"I know you want to forget but you can't forget until you reconcile everything first! You have to make peace with it Kens." Deeks said earnestly. "I want you to move on Princess. I want us to move forward this, make Afghanistan a thing of the past. Don't let this one incident rule your life."

"It's not ruling my life." Even as Kensi spoke the words, she didn't believe them. And Deeks knew it.

"Can you at least tell me about the interview?"

"It was horrible."

"I got that much from your reaction earlier."

Kensi took a deep breath. "She told me the hard truth about my rescue."

"What about it?"

"That it cost millions of dollars to get me back."

"That doesn't matter to me."

"But it mattered to the people who died because the money wasn't spent on their rescue."

Deeks's face darkened. "Is that what they told you? That people died because we rescued you?"

"It's the truth."

"You don't know that for sure. What happened, happened because you're worth getting back. You're an amazing agent. A lot of the money was from Hetty! The DEA can't prove anything. Correlation doesn't prove causation."

"There's always an operation that needs more money."

"There are gifted agents that can get through-"

"You guys wouldn't have been able to get through without the ransom money and you're some of the best I know."

"We sent our people right after the Taliban. They didn't make it far before they were bombed."

"Along with the money."

"I don't care about the money. I care about you!" Deeks yelled. "You know I would give up the world for you if I had to."

Kensi looked hard at her partner, eyes moist for the second time that day. "That's exactly why we shouldn't do this."

An extended silence spread over the room. The dilemma they had both been struggling with for months upon years had been brought up again- the job or their thing. It was always a perpetual choice, with both of them wavering over the line depending on the day, time, mood, and month. There were choices to be made in their line of work, choices that would force the to pick between others and themselves, choices neither of them wanted to make.

"But I don't care." Kensi said boldy. "I don't care. About any of that. And that's what terrifies me."

Deeks leaned in close, brushing Kensi's dark locks behind an ear. "I don't care either."

"But we should."

"I still care about work."

"That's not what I mean."

He cut off her train of thoughts with a quick, butterfly kiss. "We both know what we should and shouldn't do. And I'm tired of sitting on the fence."

Kensi stared deep into Deeks's ocean blue eyes, desire and conflict swimming in her own. "We just need to keep our thing."

"We'll always have our thing. The question is if we'll let our thing grow into its full potential."

All the breath left Kensi as she thought about how far she was willing- how far she _wanted_ to go. The idea was thrilling, exciting, terrifying.

Deeks sat back, sighing. "Of course we don't have to decide now. We can keep our thing running another couple years before we actually decide."

"But I don't want to wait that long." Kensi blurted, eyes quickly widening at her shock of the bold admission.

Deeks grinned. "We'll take it one day at a time."

Kensi sighed, nodding. "One day at a time..."

"Wanna watch A Thousand Ways to Die in the West?"

And just like that the moment was gone- banished to memory. They were good at that, good at covering their emotions, quickly brushing feelings under the rug.

"...Sure."

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**Thanks to everyone who ever reviewed and favorite this story- it means the world to me to get feedback about my writing!**


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