Sweet Silver Lining

Title: Sweet Silver Lining
Rating: PG
Fandom: NCIS: Los Ageless
Characters/Pairing: Eventual Kensi/Deeks, team friendship
Genre: Family/Humour
Summary: When tragic strikes Kensi is left being the legal guardian of her friend's four-year-old daughter. Deeks uses this opportunity to be the father he always wanted to be. Life as they know will be changed forever.
Warnings: N/A

Disclaimer: Don't own NCIS: LA.

Author's Note: Okay. First of all, I'm alive! Secondly, I'm so extremely sorry for the wait. I've had the most horrific month and it just got a hold of me. And now that school's about to start, I can't promise anything with the new chapters. :( Sorry again! But thank you to those who are still sticking by me. Special thanks to KlingonLady, who in a review, gave me this terrific idea. Hopefully I did the idea justice. :) And if anyone has any further suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Chapter Six - Monster Chaser

Late July, 2011

It was two o'clock in the morning when Kate started screaming.

Kensi woke with a start, and with her agent trainings immediately kicking in, she grabbed the gun she always kept on her nightstand before she was even fully conscious. Rolling out of the bed as Kate screamed "Mommy" again, she raised her gun in front of her defensively.

She wondered what was happening in Kate's room, just a few feet away from her own. She had worked enough kidnapping cases to know what can happen if she wasn't there for Kate on time. The thought of losing Kate make Kensi's blood grow cold instantly, and as she stepped out of the room, she noticed the sudden eerie stillness. All she can hear now was the ticking clock in her living room and her heart - heavy with worry - thumping in her chest.

Kensi literally just wanted dash to Kate's room this instant.

But she knew better than that. The rational, agent part of her brain was telling her to assess the situation, if there was even one. With her gun still raised, she walked down the carpeted hallway towards Kate room, being as silent as possible.

Finding no oddities in the hallway (not that she was expecting any, but it still paid to keep your eyes open), she paused in front of Kate's room, and held her breath, listening intently for any sound other than Kate's own shaky breaths. She sounded like she was crying, and the sound alone made Kensi enter Kate's room without another thought.

Through the darkness of the room, Kensi can tell that all of the little girl's blankets were thrown around her bed chaotically. She was on her bed, eyes wide open with shock. She didn't seem to register Kensi coming into her room at all. Poor Dolly the Sock Monkey lay faced-down on the floor. She looked absolutely terrified, and Kensi sworn her heart melted (not for the first time), at the sight of her.

At least she was alone, and seeing no sighs of break-ins and/or kidnappers and/or psychopaths, Kensi let out a relieved breath, turned on the overhead light in Kate's room before placing her gun on a drawer near the door. Right away, Kate squirmed against the light, and was about to scream again when her eyes landed on Kensi.

"Mommy?" Kate whispered, and the way she was able to switch her volume from loud to soft never failed to amaze Kensi.

"Sweetie," Kensi plopped herself down next to Kate on top of one of her floral blankets. Wrapping her child in a warm hug, she rubbed her back soothingly. "What's wrong?"

Kate sniffled, and that might've made Kensi's usually tough demeanour fell away more. "There was a monster in my room. it's got really big eyes and it's soooooo scary. It's gonna eat me."

She buried her head and cried into the camisole Kensi wore to sleep. The wetness of tears was seeping through the light material, but Kensi didn't even care. She continued to sooth Kate as her mind started spinning.

She was so not prepared for this.

As an adult, she knew that monsters and demons existed. Hell, with her line of work, she saw them almost everyday. They were buried deeply underneath a person, and sometimes, they win and take over completely. But that wasn't the sort of things you tell a four-year-old when you're trying desperately to get rid of their fears. Kensi wanted Kate to feel safe, and to hold on to her innocence for as long as possible.

Kate shifted closer to Kensi, frantically searching for comfort. Kensi looked down as Kate looked up at her with wide, frightened eyes. At that moment, she made a promise to herself that she will always be there to take care of Kate. She would do anything for her. She would go to hell and back just to protect her.

Kensi was positive that there was nothing she wouldn't do for Kate. That thought made her smile a little; at least she was getting used to the whole parenthood thing.

"Where's Daddy?" Kate murmured suddenly. She didn't sound tired at all, which proved to Kensi that getting her back to her soundly sleep was going to be harder than she thought.

"Daddy's not here right now," Kensi replied, and thought of Deeks. Surely he would know what to do when something like this happens. Surely he was able to vanish Kate's fears with a snap of his fingers.

Kate sniffled again, "I want him here." She said, her voice small.

I do too, Kensi suddenly realized. The thought scared her, because she didn't think she was this needy when it came to her partner.

Then she thought about how late it was, how unreasonable and unfair it would be to wake him up from his much needed sleep just for Kate (and probably herself).

She had already returned to work for a week now, after finding a nanny suitable to take care of Kate. (Eric cleared all but one nanny on Kensi's list. It surprised her to know that the reason that one nanny wasn't cleared was because she had a little run-in with a drug-dealing business. LAPD was contacted, and she was probably already taken into custody by now).

The team hadn't met her new nanny yet, but Kate seemed to be comfortable enough with her to be left alone at home with her. After her breakdown a while back, Kensi wasn't sure if hiring a nanny was really a good idea. But Kate had been on her best behaviour over the past week with her babysitter, Kensi was becoming less and less worried.

"Mommy?" Kate's voice brought her back to the current situation. "Why isn't Daddy here?"

Kensi sighed, "Daddy's not here because he has his own home, Sweetheart."

"Is his own home far?"

"Not really," Kensi thought about where Deeks lived, and decided that it was relatively close to her house.

"Then why can't he come?" Kate demanded, a little bit louder this time.

"Because -" Kensi trailed off, unsure of what to say. She knew that Deeks would be here in a heartbeat for Kate, but then Kensi would feel selfish because she'd rob him from his own time. Kensi was just about to explain that to Kate when she started to squirm in her embrace.

"I want Daddy here!" she all but screamed, tears gathering in her baby-blues. "I want him here NOW!"

It broke Kensi's heart, hearing Kate cry. She thought about the connection between a father and a daughter, she thought about her own relationship with her father. Granted, she never needed someone to get rid of monsters for her in the middle of the night (please, she was more than capable to do that herself), but the bond between her and her father was unbreakable, even until today. She'd feel even worst if she took that relationship away from Kate.

"Okay," Kensi agreed, fortunately effectively stopping Kate from throwing a tantrum. "He'll be here soon, alright? I promise."

"Can't he be here now?" Kate complained, rubbing her eyes. She was starting to look tired, but Kensi was sure that she won't be falling asleep within the next hour if Deeks didn't show up.

"Sorry, Kiddo. I'll have to call him first. But I promise, he'll be here as soon as possible."

Kate nodded weakly, and Kensi started to break away from the hug in order to get to her phone in her room so she can call her partner.

"Where are you going?" Kate asked, alert at Kensi's sudden movement. Kensi stopped short, her arm still over Kate's tiny shoulders.

"I'm just going to get my phone from my room," Kensi told her. "I'll be right back. Promise."

Kate looked up at her with teary eyes, "can I go with you?"

How the hell was Kensi going to say no to that? She was pretty damn sure that even the toughest criminals they face were going to break down at the sight of that. Kensi nodded gently, picking Kate up so they can head into the living room.

It was two thirty in the morning when Deeks' phone started ringing on his nightstand.

Groaning, he rolled over and grabbed his phone. His half-awake mind was vaguely aware that it was his partner calling as his eyes adjusted against the bright caller ID on his iPhone screen. Smirking just slightly, he slid to unlock the phone.

"If you're making a booty call, you should've called earlier."

He can almost hear Kensi roll her eyes on the other side, "you'd be the last person I call I was making a booty call."

"I didn't know you had a 'booty-call' list," Deeks said, laughing. It wasn't surprising to know that even in the middle of the night; his partner can still bite back a remark like a shark during shark week - vicious and quick. It almost slipped his mind to ask why she was calling.

"Well you're going to have a hard time explaining booty-call to Kate," Kensi deadpanned.

At Kate's name, Deeks immediately sobered as he grew worried. Of course. Next to urgent cases, Kate would be the only other reason why Kensi would be calling him in the middle of the night. "What's going on? Is she okay?"

Kensi sighed, and there was a shuffle on the other side. Deeks guessed that she was passing the phone over to Kate. It was ridiculously hard to refuse the little girl.

"Daddy?" Kate's voice sounded tired and scared from the other side, and Deeks found himself smiling at her voice alone.

"Hey, Munchkin," Deeks was grinning now, thinking about the little blond girl balanced perfectly in Kensi's hug, his sleepiness slowly wearing off. "What's wrong?"

"'m scared. Big monster in my room." Kate explained, sounding terrified. Deeks can suddenly see himself at four-years-old, but instead of metaphorical monsters, there was one that lived just a room down the hall from his own room, keeping him awake every night. Deeks knew first hand how petrifying monsters can be, and he will make it his personal mission to make sure that Kate'll stay blissfully oblivious to the real monsters in her life for as long possible.

"Can you come and scare the monster away?" Kate was pleading on the other side, seemingly close to tears. Deeks was already out of his bed and pulling on a pair of jeans at that point.

"Of course, Kiddo. Anything for you."

"Thanks Daddy!" Kate was a lot relaxed now, and Deeks can hear the smile in her voice. It was amazing how a four-year-old's emotions changed as evidently as day and night. "You're the best!"

Deeks laughed, "just don't let Mommy hear that, alright? She still thinks she's the favourite."

Kate giggled, and Deeks thought that it was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

"Too late," Kensi was now saying on the other side, after somehow wagering her phone back from Kate.

"Is that jealousy I hear in your tone?" Deeks teased, exiting his room as he made sure that his car keys are in his jeans pocket.

Kensi scoffed, "you wish."

"I do."

There was a slight pause before Kensi spoke up again, this time in a serious tone. "You know, you don't have to this. I can take care of it."

"Come on," Deeks almost rolled his eyes at his partner's stubbornness. "You know I'd do anything for Kate." And for you, he added silently.

"Thanks," Kensi's voice was quiet as she said gratefully. "Really, thank you."

Deeks smiled, locking up before stepping out of his apartment.

"Anytime, Kensi." He replied, as a gust of unseasonably cold breeze blew past him, making him shiver slightly in his plain black LAPD t-shirt. Traffic is considerably less at this time of the day (or more accurately, night), and Deeks was glad that he wouldn't have to worry about someone cutting him off in the middle of the road, since Los Angeles wasn't exactly the model city for its traffic.

When Deeks hung up with the promise of being there within ten minutes, he remembered that Kate wasn't the only one who was battling monsters.

Kensi was starting to worry about Kate's sleeping schedule when the little girl was now bouncing excitedly on the couch, waiting eagerly for her daddy's arrival.

And it was literally the middle of the night.

The brunette agent cast a look over at Kate, who jumping up and down the couch next to Kensi and chanting to her sock monkey happily. Kensi covered a yawn with her hand as she smiled tiredly. She was feeling a lot exhausted than before, since the adrenaline she felt a moment ago was slowly wearing off. At least Kate didn't seem like she was scared anymore.

"When's Daddy gonna be here?" Kate asked impatiently, stopping her movements momentarily. She blinked up at Kensi, her eyes glowing with anything but sleepiness. Kensi cursed internally; getting Kate to go back to sleep was probably going to be a lot harder than Kensi originally thought, since excitement was clearly winning fear over.

"Soon, Sweetie." Kensi answered, brushing a hand through Kate's tangled hair in hopes of getting her to at least calm down a little.

It seemed to work, as Kate shifted a bit closer to Kensi and leaned against her. Kensi can feel the cheerful energy vibrating off of the four-year-old, and wondered just how long it will take for it to all wear off.

Kensi wondered if it was odd for a little girl like Kate to be this restless after waking up from a nightmare, and made a mental note to research about this the next time she opened her computer.

A rhythmic knock on the door interrupted Kensi from her next thought. Kate suddenly stiffened, before realizing that it was probably her daddy on the other side. She jumped off of the couch before Kensi even got a chance to stop her and dashed towards the door.

Throwing the door open (Kensi didn't even remember teaching Kate how to open all of the locks on the door, and realized that the little girl took over her birth mother's wit. She had to smile proudly at that), Kate immediately enveloped her daddy in a tight hug. Deeks bend down, picking Kate up while kicking the door behind him shut.

"You're here!" Kate practically screamed glee. It was hard to believe that just few moments ago she was shaking with fear. Kensi just hoped that her neighbours won't be complaining in the morning (she still wasn't sure that the old lady that lived next door to her was aware that she recently adopted a little girl).

"I'm here!" Deeks' enthusiasm matched Kate's. At this rate, Kensi thought broodingly, Kate'll probably stay up all night. And it'll have nothing do to with the monster in her room and everything to do with her Daddy.

Deeks met Kensi's eyes as Kate buried her head deeper in to his warm hug. Offering her a smile - with a little tiredness, Kensi noted, and immediately felt a little guilty - he said to Kate, "so, where is this big bad monster?"

Kate somehow managed to wrap herself around Deeks a little bit tighter, seemingly unable to let go. "In my room," she said in a small voice. "It's under my bed."

Deeks was already making his way towards Kate's room. Kensi followed him, a brief smile gracing her lips at the thought of her partner bonding with the little girl. It was beyond adorable, and Kensi was resisting the urge to snap a picture of this moment with her phone.

Kate grew considerably tenser in Deeks' arm with each step towards her room. Clearly, she was still scared out of her mind about the monster, but as a four-year-old, she wasn't exactly the expert at disguising her fears. Kensi realized that little girls didn't usually have the ability to file away things they didn't want to know deep inside their minds. They simply just unleash it all, because it was easier than to have it hidden.

Lost in her own thought, she didn't even notice as Deeks did a double take at her gun that was on top of the drawer in Kate's room as he flickered on the light. Shaking his head with a small, knowing smile at the weapon, he placed Kate gently on top of her soft blanket. Kate seemed reluctantly at first, but a hint of exhaustion seemed to set in as she blinked up at Deeks on the bed.

"He's still under there," Kate whispered shakily. The moment of happiness seconds before was replaced with fear. Kensi leaned on the doorframe, wanting to reach out to comfort Kate but didn't know where to start. Sure, she'd comforted millions of victims before, but Kate wasn't a victim, she was as far from a victim as humanly possible. Well, Kensi conceded, that wasn't exactly true. She did just lose her mother a few weeks ago.

Except Kensi didn't want to think of her little girl as a victim. She didn't want her little girl to ever be a victim in her entire life. She wanted her to stay as blessedly unaware for as long as possible.

She knew it was wishful thinking, but it was something she had to hold on to, for both her sake and Kate's. Maybe even Deeks'.

Speaking of the blond cop… Kensi was half surprised to see him lying on his stomach on the carpeted floor, his head buried deep underneath Kate's bed. The little girl was watching him curiously atop of her bed as she tried to hide a yawn.

"I think I see him!" Deeks suddenly announced, his voice muffled between the bed and the floor. Kate's eyes lit up happily, and Kensi realized how contagious her happiness was. It made her smile softly as she decided to just settle against the doorframe in semi-comfortableness.

Kate was now asking a string of serious questions regarding the monster, and Deeks was doing his best to answer everything. Kensi simply stood there, watching, because if felt like this moment belonged to the two of them, and that she was somehow intruding it.

Instead, Kensi focused on how great a father Deeks was if he was given the chance.

It was almost four o'clock in the morning when Deeks finally convinced Kate the monster was a friendly one.

Kate - bless her youthful naïveté - was finally slowly slipping into a peaceful state of sleepiness. He hoped that her dreams will just carry her away into a land of fairytales; away from the ghosts and monsters in real life.

Now, the four-year-old was underneath her covers, blinking tiredly. Kensi had disappeared not so long ago, claiming she was going to get something to drink. Deeks was secretly grateful for the time given to him to spend alone with Kate, who was becoming more and more like his daughter every day.

Whoa. Deeks blinked. Now where the hell did that thought came from?

"Daddy?" Kate murmured right on cue before Deeks can answer his own question.

"Yes, Katie-Kat?" he replied, looking down at the little girl from his spot next to the bed as she visibly grew more and more tired by the second.

"Can you lie down with me?" she muttered with a yawn. Deeks looked down at Kate's bright blue eyes, and felt an undeniable wave of warmth inside of him. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was (it felt a little dangerously close to love, but that definitely wasn't a feeling to be used lightly), but he felt a smile on his lips.

"Sure," he answered, brushing a hand warmly though her hair before settling himself on the bed next to the little girl he swore he was going to protect with his life. Kate giggled tiredly as she scooted a little closer against Deeks' side.

As her breathing grew even (a sure sign that she was falling asleep), Deeks didn't wonder about going to work tomorrow morning. He didn't think about how at this very moment, an innocent girl like Kate could be a victim of a heinous crime. He didn't worry about his own father, who ended his childhood way too early and abruptly for it to be even considered one.

Instead, as he felt himself slipping into the land of sleep, he realized how comfortingly good it felt holding the little girl close. He wondered if this was what family is supposed to feel like, because he never really quite had a normal one.

"I love you, Daddy," Kate whispered suddenly, and Deeks - despite being already half-asleep - froze upon hearing the words. Even though Kate was still only a little child, Deeks was positive that even she knew the three words shouldn't be used lightly. He also knew that Kate's never had a father figure in her life. He felt a strange sense of pride, as he realized he felt the same way towards the girl in his arms. He never had a child to take care for, and for the first time in his life, he was experiencing what it really felt like to a father.

And the feeling was indescribably, incredibly awesome.

Deeks smiled then - suddenly feeling uncharacteristically giddy - and planted a soft kiss on top of the child's head.

Without hesitation, he replied easily, "I love you too, Baby Girl," and realized how true that was.

The next morning came faster than Kensi expected, probably because last night's sleep was reduced considerably by Deeks' monster hunting. She woke up on the couch, then remembered that was where she fell asleep the previous night.

A small smile landed on her lips as she made her way into Kate's room. Kensi caught a glimpse of her partner's car in her driveway, and wondered just exactly where he slept last night.

Kensi almost did a double take as she pushed open Kate's bedroom door lightly. There he was, peacefully asleep on the bed next to Kate. Her legs are tangled with the blanket, and Deeks was still in his t-shirt and jeans. The sight was beyond adorable, and Kensi scrambled to grab her phone in order to snap a picture.

As the picture saved on her phone, Kensi grinned warmly as she set the picture as her iPhone's lock screen.

Reviews are love~ and feel free to suggest anything else you want to see. :) See you all next chapter!

XO - Spring