88A week has passed since Kensi left, but it was business as usual. I do what I can not to lash out at any one. Especially the support staff. The support staff has been on my case every day, all day, needing signatures. Usually the staff would ask the team for signatures, but Kensi is gone, and Sam and Callen are out of the office all the time.
"Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.
I looked up from the paperwork I was signing to see Hetty wave me to her office. I roll my eyes, and finish signing the document I was on.
"You can finish the rest at your own pace." the woman said.
"Thanks." I said, and got up to go see what Hetty wanted.
I decided not to bother Eric and Nell because they are up to their eyeballs trying to keep Sam and Callen up to date on information and leads for the current case load. It's weird because every time I turn around I have another stack of documents to fill out, and sign. If I didn't know any better this was Hetty's idea, and she was trying help take my mind off my partner being M.I.A. for the foreseeable future.
"Would you like some tea?" Hetty offered, as I took a seat.
"That actually sounds good." I said. "And is it really necessary that I'm signing all those documents?"
"Sam and Callen are out of the office at the moment." she said.
"That's no excuse. There were at least three days last week when they had two hours' worth of down time, and amazingly, I'm still the only person who could sign the documents." I said, and then took a sip of my tea.
"Aside from all the paperwork, how are you doing?" she asked.
"What do you think?" I asked, as I put the cup back on the saucer.
"I don't know. Of all the people I worked with, I could never get a read on you. I could even get a read on Ray." she said.
"Wow. Ray?" I asked.
"Yep." she said.
"I wouldn't have guess that you were able to read him. I'm pretty certain that you have a general idea what my mood is. And I don't what any excuses. I just want my partner back." I said.
I finished the tea, and left. I didn't head back to my desk, I just exited the building. I forgot about the stack of paperwork that I needed to finish filling out, and by the time I get to back to the paperwork there would be another two stacks with it.
Two minutes later, Callen and Sam came walking in. They looked into the bull pen, and saw that I wasn't there, but the paperwork kept piling up.
"Hetty, where's Deeks?" Callen asked.
"He went for a walk." Hetty said.
"In the middle of an active case?" Sam asked.
"Any time you two want to help out, and lighten the load for your junior agent, he would greatly appreciate it." Hetty said, and then walked away.
"Ew! Those stacks are looking pretty nasty." Sam said, as Callen pulled out his phone called me.
"Hello." I answered.
"Deeks, where are you?" Callen asked.
"Why? What do you need?" I asked.
"We need back up." Callen said.
"Send me the address. I'm already mobile." I said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Beverly Hills-
"Where did you go?" Callen asked, when they arrived.
"Just got out to stretch my legs. What are we looking at?" I asked, as I approached the challenger.
"Five guys." Sam said.
"All right." I said, and then moved from the vehicle.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked.
"I'm going to head around to the back, and you two can take the front." I said.
"Really." Sam said.
"Hetty attempted to give me a pep talk earlier, Sam. Which failed. I don't need one from you, too." I said.
"Deeks." Callen said
"Unless you have a way to bring Kensi back from whatever assignment she's currently on, there's nothing you can say, or do to make me feel better." I said.
"Deeks, you not in this alone." Sam said.
"Right, like I wasn't alone when I was on the ground with Thapa last week." I said.
Callen glared at me, but I walked away without a backwards glance.
"Come on partner. Let's get in position." Sam said.
When we got into position, and then executed on Callen's go. We were in and out of the building in record time because the building was wired with explosives. It was an hour before we were able to the leave the scene. When we were cleared, I jump back in my car and head back to OPS to work on the stack of documents that have been building up.
"What should we do about him?" Sam asked.
"Pretty sure there is nothing we can do. That is until Kensi comes back from her assignment." Callen said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
OPS: bullpen-
When I get back I see two stacks of paperwork, on top of the half stack I was already working on, that need to be filled out, so I get down to business and start filling out the paperwork. It was quiet for the rest of the day, so quiet even Sam and Callen had to fill out paperwork. The following day there was less paperwork, and more fieldwork. The problem with this is that there was practically a shootout almost every time we turned around.
"What is with these people?" Sam asked.
"A little less conversation, a little more action. All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me." I started singing.
"Seriously! Elvis!" Callen said.
"What! It fit the moment." I said, and then returned fire.
"Not the time, Deeks!" Sam said, and fired back.
"When exactly will that time be?" I asked, and fired off three more rounds.
"Are you always like this, Deeks?" Callen asked.
"Sometimes, but not always." I said.
"Kensi can't get back soon enough." Sam said, and then moved forward to check the bodies.
"That makes two of us." I said, when I joined Callen and Sam.
"You could've picked any song. Any song! And you start singing Elvis." Callen said.
"And?" I asked.
"You rescued Kensi to L.L. Cool J." Sam said.
"Not my choice. The DJ chose that song to set the mood, I was just along for the ride." I said.
"Whatever Deeks." Callen said.
"Whatever indeed." I said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
OPS: main hall-
Its Christmas time, and we save a senator and his daughter earlier in the day. I got to work in the field with Nell, which was comforting, but still not Kensi. I remember this night because of the conversation with Nell, and a phone call. Nell had a made a batch of eggnog mixed brandy, and whew!
"That doesn't smell right." I said.
"Move it." Nell said, attempting to get me out of her way so she scan scoop up the drink.
"Mm, smells like a hobo." I said.
"Get out of there." she said, pushing me out of the way.
"Mm. Wow, that is a lot of brandy. I don't you can even technically call it eggnog at this point." I said, looking around Nell at the drink.
"Pull up you skirt and drink." she said, and then held her breath as she handed me the little glass.
"Oh, wow, well-played." I said, and then stared drink debating whether or not it's safe to drink.
"Now, look, I know it's gonna take me a while and I'll probably never get to Kensi's level—" she began.
"Not without a booster seat." I said.
"Wow." she said, not believing what she just heard.
"No, I'm kidding. You did great today." I said.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Yeah. I don't need you to try to replace Kensi, which will never happen. I just need you to be you and have my back out there." I said.
"Thank." she said, and gave me a hug.
"You're welcome." I said, hugging her back. "And cheers." I said after breaking the hug.
"Cheers." Nell said.
At that moment Sam, and Eric walked up so Nell scooped them each a drink. Then Callen and Hetty joined the group. Nell scooped up two more drinks, and then Sam made toast. "Guys, to Kensi."
While everybody else took on a somber tone when they toasted, I lost all expression and emotion when I toasted. About an hour later, I was sing my own rendition of Little Saint Nick, sings all parts, as I was walking away from the group—I wanted to drink my sorrows away in peace—when Hetty approaches me.
"And a real famous cat, all dressed up in red. And he spends the whole year, working out on his sled. It's the Little Saint Nick, Little Saint Nick." I sang, not caring who was listening.
"Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.
"Huh? Ooh. Sorry, was that too awesome? Because I can—I can turn it down a notch." I said, and then took a sip of my brandy.
"Check your desk drawer. I left you a little present." she said.
I turned and look at my desk, and said. "Oh. Thank you, Hetty. And, uh, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Deeks." Hetty said, and walked away.
"It the Little Saint Nick, Little Saint Nick." I said, as I sat down at my desk and placed my drink on my desk. I opened my drawer and saw the present. I placed the present on my desk and shut the drawer as I said. "Happy Birthday. Merry Christmas. Ho-ho-ho." For some strange reason I had a French accent when I said Ho-ho-ho.
I start shaking the gift next to my head, and then it starts ringing. I drop the present in a heartbeat. While staring at the present I say. "Or it's a bomb." The package keeps ringing. "That's ringing a lot like a phone. A sat phone." I said, as I ripped of the lid. "Ha! Go for Santa." I answered.
There was a moment of silence before I heard. "Deeks?"
I pause for a moment because I couldn't believe what I heard. My emotions were getting the better of me, but when I found my voice I asked. "Ken—Kensi?"
We babbled on for a few moments, but when it was time to end the call I said. "I miss you."
Kensi got choked up at first, but I heard her clear her throat as she said. "I miss you, too."
N.C.I.S. L.A.
OPS-
Two months had passed since Kensi was "reassigned," and the strangest thing happened. Granger came back. But that's beside the point. I found out that after the case that we were currently working on, that Callen went on a date. I didn't think much of it, until Sam told me who the date was.
The following morning, it was just Sam and I in the bull pen, and Callen was late.
"Where's your partner?" I asked.
"He had a late night." Sam said.
"Late night as in a usual late night for Callen, or a late night late night?" I asked.
"The latter." Sam said.
"Oh. So, Callen went on a date last night." I said.
Sam just nodded his head.
"Really. Who was it with, and what does she looked like?" I asked.
Sam launched into a long winded explanation about Callen's date. I was taken back by the description because it was a spot on for Joelle. And then he said her name. "Joelle Taylor."
"Well, it's about time." I said.
While Sam continued talking about Joelle, I had to get a lock on her location. I needed to make it clear to Joelle how serious the consequences would be if she hurt Callen.
"Hey, you okay?" Sam asked.
"Never better." I said.
I put coming conversation behind me when Callen walked into bull pen.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Taylor residence-
Joelle was walking upstairs to the office to go over paperwork that was needed for an upcoming meeting. She had entered the office, shut the door, and took a seat at the desk. Joelle was so distracted by the paperwork that she didn't even sense me sit down the chair.
"Ahem." I clear my throat.
"Deeks! What are you doing here?" Joelle asked, almost jumping out of her skin.
"I'm pretty certain you know why." I said.
"Because I'm Callen's new girlfriend." she said.
"Good, good. That makes things easier. What does the C.I.A. want with Callen?" I asked.
"I can't tell you that." she said.
"Does it have anything to do with Afghanistan?" I asked. I don't know what the C.I.A.'s presence in Afghanistan is, but I'm certain that if Kensi is there, her presence is meant to disrupt their activities.
"How do you know about Afghanistan?" she asked.
"I'll take that as a yes. I don't know the specifics, but I'm certain the agency is misbehaving." I said.
"Please, if you have a problem take it up with me. Just leave my family out of this." she pleaded.
"I have no intentions of harming them. That child isn't your baby. You're incapable of conceiving a child." I said.
"What? How do you know that?" she asked.
"Ninety-eight." I said.
"Yeah. You saved me, so what?" she asked.
"You died, and are living again on borrowed time." I said.
"What are you saying?" she asked.
"There are a group of people on this earth who have died and came back to life again. You know who these people are because you carry a bladed weapon with you. And I wouldn't be surprised if it was in your desk drawer." I said.
"How do you know about that?" she asked.
In answer, I lift up the dagger that Joelle had in her desk drawer. And on cue, Joelle opens the drawer to see that the dagger was gone.
"Please don't kill me." she pleaded, on the verge of tears.
"That's not my intention. Consider this little visit a warning: if you harm Callen, I will kill you." I said, sensing that her plea was genuine.
"Thank you." she said, shedding tears of relief that were originally tears of terror.
"Anybody home?" I asked, as I placed the dagger on the desk.
"They're in the living room. If you go out the kitchen, they won't know you're here." Joelle said.
"Ta-ta." I said, and then left the house entirely. Exiting out the back as instructed.
I head back to OPS to fill out after action reports. I had three of them, and then I went to the range. Before long I went home for the night.
