Old Love, New Love, True Love

The music pounded through the club, lasers shooting through the dark and fog, people pulsating in time to the beat.

Deeks turned to Kensi and sighed, shaking his head. 'I don't know how you talked me into this.'

Kensi grinned at him. 'You're clueless sometimes, you know that?'

'Only sometimes, huh? Is that a hint of fondness that I detect in your tone?' Deeks asked with a teasing smile, his clear blue eyes even bluer in the dimly lit club.

Kensi laughed lightly. 'Deeks, how about you shut up and come and dance?'

Deeks tossed back the last of his beer before signalling for another and gulping half of it down. 'I gotta warn you, I'm not very good at either.'

Kensi sighed, still smiling. 'You've got me to make you look good.'

'Oh, well, lead on then.' He offered her a hand and was accordingly pulled out onto the crowded dance floor. 'Did I mention that you're probably the best looking thing out here?' he murmured into her ear.

'Deeks…'

'I'm just saying… feel free to dump me at any time.'

Kensi laughed, a sound barely heard over the music and to his ears, a thousand times sweeter. 'Never. You're my partner, remember?'

'Alright then partner.' He slowly took her hands. 'Ready?'

Kensi sighed and removed her hands from his grip. 'Do I have to remind you of the waltzing disaster?'

'Do I have to remind you that this isn't the waltz?' And with that, much to Kensi's amusement and amazement, he pulled off a series of moves that had the majority of the people around them looking on, suitably impressed.

Kensi raised an eyebrow. 'What happened to not being very good at dancing?'

'Well, I s'pose I was lying for that half of the sentence.'

'Huh.' Kensi moved sinuously against him, raising a hand and running it through his hair and back down his shoulder and arm. She twined their hands and grinned, breathing heavily against his ear. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't actually find anything to say. 'I think that entire sentence was a lie, Mr Deeks. You don't appear to be able to say anything.'

'I do have trouble uh…' He gulped and took a moment to regather his thoughts. 'Finding words to say when a really hot woman starts moving in a way that suggests…'

'Suggests?' Kensi prompted in a breathy whisper, never stopping in her seductive dancing.

Deeks shook his head ruefully and laughed lowly. 'You know exactly what it suggests,' he said before taking hold of their entwined fingers and twirling her around, chuckling at the sight of her surprised expression.

She giggled into his ear. 'And I know exactly what it's doing to you, partner.'

Deeks groaned. 'Do you really have to remind me of that right now?'

'I'm trying to stop you before you make a huge mistake.'

'Kens…'

'You started it.' She grinned at him.

'Oh, Kens… that's not nice.'

She laughed and threw up an arm, and as she laughed, a shot rang out from the dark.

Kensi crumpled into her partner's arms, and looked up at him with wide, scared eyes. 'What…?'

'Kens…' He lifted a hand, and it was covered in blood. Her blood. He quickly checked her for a wound, and found a heavily bleeding one in her upper arm. 'Oh, shit.'

He looked up and found that a large crowd had gathered around them. He looked around wildly before zeroing in on a familiar face – a policeman he'd worked with previously. He grabbed the man and pulled him down, forcing his hand onto the wound.

'Keep pressure on it,' he directed firmly before drawing his weapon, much to the consternation of the surrounding crowds, and running after the man who had disappeared through a back door.

He burst through the doors, fury burning in his eyes. 'LAPD! Freeze!'

The man, like so many others, didn't, but began to sprint down the alley.

Deeks groaned and began to run after him. 'Stop!' After only a few steps, Deeks had managed to catch up with the man and only a few steps later, he managed to tackle the man to the ground. He held the man to the ground, the muzzle of his Beretta pressed into the man's sternum.

'I told you,' Deeks began hoarsely, 'to freeze.'

'Go on,' the man spat, and he looked strangely familiar to Deeks. 'Shoot me.'

Deeks let out a hollow laugh and pulled the man so that he was facing the other way. 'That would be a waste of a bullet.'

…

Deeks lifted his head from his hands and looked up at Callen, who stood before him. 'How's Kensi?'

Callen gave him a wry and somewhat amused smile. 'You do know that that is the eighteenth time you've asked that in the last two hours? How many did you have tonight?'

'Two.'

Callen raised an eyebrow at him.

'And a half. She dragged me onto the dance floor before I could finish it. How is she?'

'She's gonna be okay. It was only a flesh wound, Deeks, and it was a through and through. In fact, she's not even gonna spend the night in hospital. In fact, Sam is driving her here right now.'

Deeks sighed and lowered his head back into his hands. 'I don't suppose you could've given me that lecture in reverse? Then I would've been a whole lot less worried a whole lot more sooner.'

Callen patted the younger man on the shoulder.

Deeks raised his head again. 'You gotta let me question him.'

Callen snorted. 'No way, dude.'

'What, you think you and Sam are likely to be rational interrogators?'

'Sam and I aren't going to be doing this either, at least, not yet. We're going to wait for Nell and Eric to get us at least some identification on this guy, and then we'll consider asking him why he attacked you and Kensi.'

'Me?' Deeks looked surprised at the thought. 'He shot Kensi.'

'Deeks, Sam and I have seen the footage from the club.'

Deeks opened his mouth to say something.

'All of it,' Callen clarified.

Deeks sighed. 'It's not what you think. When we left OSP at the same time as you guys, Kensi wanted to go clubbing; I wanted to surf, so we went different ways. About two hours later, I got a text from her asking me to save her.'

'Save her?' Callen sounded utterly amazed.

Deeks chuckled. 'Not in that way. About a month ago, I was at a bar having a drink when this chick just wouldn't stop hitting on me, so I texted Kensi asking her to come and help me get rid of her. So she came and posed as my girlfriend, we had a few drinks and then left. She texted me earlier this evening asking me to return the favour. That's all that was happening out there.'

'I dunno, it looked like an awful lot more than that,' Callen said.

'Look, I'll even show you the texts from her phone.' Deeks dug in Kensi's purse, which he'd retrieved from the club and instead of emerging with Kensi's phone, emerged with her wallet with an unreadable look on his face.

'What is it, Deeks?' Callen asked.

'I uh… I know where I've seen this guy before.'

'You know who this guy is?' Callen asked, concerned.

'Yeah, I… I think so.' Deeks opened his partner's wallet and rifled through her things before emerging triumphant with a slightly crumpled, wallet sized photograph folded in half. 'This guy, he's…' He unfolded the photo with shaking hands. 'He's Jack.'

'Hey, Kens! You promised you'd pay for this pizza,' Deeks called into the kitchen, where Kensi was occupied with getting fresh beers.

There was a heavy sigh from the direction of the kitchen. 'Okay. My wallet's in my purse.'

Deeks nodded and began to shuffle through her purse in search of her wallet. 'Here you go, buddy.' He handed the kid a few bills.

The kid nodded and handed Deeks the pizza before hurrying off. Deeks, curious, put the pizza down and quickly flicked through his partner's wallet. 'Hey, Fern, how many credit cards does one need?'

'Enough,' Kensi said, returning. 'Why are you going through my wallet?'

'You can learn a lot about a person from the contents of their wallet. For example, you like to shop. A lot.'

'You already knew that,' Kensi objected, coming back into the living room.

'Gun license, expected. Permit to carry a concealed weapon, expected. Hunting license?' Deeks drew the thing out with an amazed look. 'Something you haven't told me, Kens?'

'I used to hunt. I haven't done it for years.'

'That you did it at all surprises me,' Deeks said, tucking it back into its spot, but meeting unexpected resistance. He stuck two fingers in and pulled out a worn looking piece of paper. 'Hey, what's this?'

Kensi gave the piece of paper a disapproving and slightly scared look. 'I thought I got rid of it a long time ago.'

Deeks eyed her and then unfolded the paper to reveal a fairly older photograph, wallet sized, yellowing slightly. There were two people in it – they both looked very happy. The man was in a marine's uniform, and his arm was around a younger Kensi.

'I thought you said that men in uniforms were overrated,' Deeks said, teasing her.

She didn't say anything, just took the photo from him and ran a sad finger over the faces before folding it firmly and tucking it back in its spot in the wallet.

Deeks sobered his tone. 'That's Jack, isn't it.'

Kensi lowered her gaze and bit her bottom lip, and that was all Deeks needed to know that it was.

'When was it taken?' he asked gently.

She let out a shaky breath and tentatively looked up. He was highly disconcerted to see that she had tears in her eyes. 'Shortly before his, um, shipping out to Fallujah.'

He could hear the unsaid words. Before the PTSD.

Almost hesitantly, he placed a hand on her arm, gently squeezing. She dropped her head and squeezed her eyes shut. A tear dropped down her cheek. Deeks pulled her close and held her, gently rubbing one hand against her back, whispering sweet, comforting nothings in her ear. And they stayed like that for a long time.

'Jack?' Callen asked, taking the photograph. 'Kensi's Jack?'

'Jack?' The word was whispered from the doorway.

'Kensi.' Both men looked in surprise at the two people standing there, but Deeks couldn't help but let his partner's name slip from his lips. 'Are you alright? Does it hurt?' He couldn't stop the babble that was pouring from his lips.

'I'm okay,' Kensi said quietly, looking at the monitor which prominently displayed a moody and pacing man. 'It was Jack? Jack shot me?'

'He could've hit either of us, Kensi,' Deeks said, trying to be reassuring. 'In fact, he had a very good chance of hitting basically anyone in that club.'

'No, Deeks. He didn't. Jack is an expert marksman.'

'Was, Kens. It's been seven years. You don't know him.'

'I did.' And Kensi stalked off to get a cup of coffee.

'We should talk to him, Deeks,' Sam said quietly.

'What?' Deeks asked, eyes flashing. 'You think I'm too emotionally invested?'

Both of the older men nodded. 'Yes,' Callen said. 'We do.'

'Well, I don't.'

'Don't I get a say?' Kensi asked from the couch where she'd decided to curl up and watch. 'I am the person he shot.'

'Happened to shoot,' Deeks immediately corrected her.

'And I am his ex-fiancé. Doesn't anyone think that maybe I'd be a good choice to interrogate him, seeing as I know him best?'

'No,' the three men immediately said.

'Well, don't take a moment to think about it,' Kensi muttered, curling back up.

'I really think that I should talk to him,' Deeks said firmly.

'Why?' Callen asked.

Deeks sighed before leaning forwards and whispering something in Callen's ear. Callen's eyes widened slightly before he turned to Deeks and nodded once. Deeks nodded before stepping into the interrogation room.

'What did he say?' Kensi demanded.

Callen fixed her with a look before turning to the monitor.

Deeks stared silently at the pacing Jack for a few moments before silently pointing to the chair. Jack stared at Deeks before sitting where Deeks had wordlessly directed him. It was almost chilling for the people observing outside to watch Deeks go so long without saying a thing.

Finally, Deeks spoke, and what he said did send a chill up the agents' spines. 'She's dead.'

Jack stared at him. 'Dead?' he whispered, his voice hoarse from lack of use.

'Dead,' Deeks said angrily, his voice cracking. 'You killed her.'

'I never…' Jack's voice failed him for a moment. 'I never wanted to hurt her.'

'No. You wanted to kill me.' Deeks stared at the other man, and he didn't try to deny it. 'You wanted to kill me because you couldn't stand the sight of her with another man, let alone one that made her happy. You wanted to kill the cop, but instead you killed the federal agent.'

Jack's eyes widened. 'She's a federal agent?'

'She was a lot of things. She was a federal agent. She was an insane shot. She was definitely and unequivocally the most beautiful woman I will ever meet.'

Jack dropped his eyes to the table. 'You were in love with her,' he said, understanding.

Deeks said something that took Kensi's breath away. 'Yes.'

Jack sat back in his seat, looking satisfied. 'Then you should know why I did it. Why what I did was justified.'

Deeks sat back in his seat. 'No. I don't.'

Jack was almost speechless for a second. 'Your profession isn't the safest, Detective Marty Deeks. If you died, she would be hurt.'

Deeks smiled wryly. 'Says the man who walked away from her. Says the Marine. Who served in Fallujah. Where men died every day. You got some twisted logic, man.'

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Deeks interrupted him in the way that he was often prone to do.

'And anyway, what part of shooting me in front of her wouldn't hurt her? It's almost worse than walking away from her on Christmas morning. And anyway, what were you thinking, man? Christmas morning? Happiness and joy around the world? "Merry Christmas, darling. I'm walking away on Christmas morning, never to be seen again."' Deeks looked down on Jack with disgust, lips pulled back in an uglifying sneer. 'What kind of man does that? And to someone like her?' He pulled out his phone and pulled up a picture of Kensi, and then slammed it down in front of Jack.

Jack didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at the photo that Deeks had taken of Kensi after an op which hadn't required any special makeup or clothing, just her normal jeans and leather jacket and boots, but Deeks had suddenly just quickly snapped a photo of her when she wasn't looking, leaning against the Challenger and laughing at something that Sam and Callen were bantering about. Her pink mouth was curved in a grin that Deeks knew well, and her eyes were alight with laughter. 'She's so beautiful, isn't she?' he asked quietly, catching Deeks off guard.

'She is,' Deeks agreed softly. 'But why, Jack? Why try and ruin Kensi's happiness? Did you hope that after I'd died on the floor of that club that she'd fall into your arms and cry out her grief before forgiving you and taking you back into her life?'

The moment of silence from Jack told him all he needed to know.

Deeks let out a disbelieving laugh before hardening his features and glaring at the man before him. 'You're selfish, Jack,' he said sharply. 'You're selfish, and you're weak.'

'I love her,' was his weak reply.

Deeks dropped his face to his hands, and when he lifted them, everyone inside and out of the interrogation room were disconcerted to see tears in the man's blue eyes. 'Yeah. So do I. The difference between you and I is that you know what it was like to be loved back. Tell me Jack, was it worth it?'

'No, not her life! I was aiming for you! I saw you and her dancing and I just lost it! I saw the gun and I picked it up and I aimed it at you, and then you moved and I saw her fall! I never wanted to hurt Kensi! I just wanted to get rid of you!'

Deeks watched the other man silently for a moment before nodding once.

Suddenly, the door to the interrogation room opened, and a sober looking Kensi entered holding a pair of silver handcuffs. 'Jack Harrison, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of a Los Angeles police officer and assault with a deadly weapon on a federal agent. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided.'

Jack watched her read him his rights in silence before reaching out with a shaky hand. 'Kensi?'

She fixed him with a look before exchanging an emotionally charged look with Deeks and pushing Jack out of the room.

Deeks followed her out moments later. 'I told you I could do it,' he said, grinning widely at Callen and Sam.

'Gotta admit, your acting skills are pretty damn good,' Callen said, dipping his head in acknowledgment of the other man.

'Oscar worthy?' Deeks joked, receiving a pat on the shoulder from Sam.

'I almost believed that Kens really was dead,' Callen grinned. 'But she was sitting right next to me, so I knew that she wasn't.'

'It was when you started crying that got to me,' Sam quipped, smirking at the younger man.

'You'd really tear up if I died?' Kensi asked, half-heartedly joining in on the ribbing.

'Of course,' Deeks replied, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping away the tears that had accumulated on his cheeks. 'You'd never be able to pay me back for all of those doughnuts.'

Kensi's scoffing 'Ha, ha,' was almost unheard.

'Why do you have a handkerchief?' Callen asked.

'Always be prepared, Mr Callen.' Hetty appeared in the doorway suddenly, and the agents and detective jumped. Hetty gravitated to Kensi's side (for Hetty doesn't do anything so mundane as walk) and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. 'Are you alright, dear?'

'I'll be better after some sleep,' Kensi admitted. 'Some painkillers and some sleep.'

'A lot of sleep,' Hetty corrected her, checking her watch. 'I don't want to see you or you' – she turned on Deeks – 'until after lunchtime.'

'What about us?' Callen objected.

Hetty made a soft chuckle. 'Alright. You can have an extra hour.'

'An hour?' Callen sounded dismayed. 'They get four.'

'Kensi was shot, Mr Callen,' Hetty gently reminded him.

'And Deeks?'

'And Mr Deeks was with her the entire time, and, if I'm not mistaken, has still has alcohol running through his system.'

'Not that much,' Deeks objected.

'You did have three drinks,' Kensi said.

'Two and a half,' Deeks corrected her. 'You dragged me away before I could finish it.'

'Mr Deeks, please drive Miss Blye home,' Hetty said. 'Assuming that you're not too intoxicated to do so.'

'Not at all,' Deeks declared.

Callen snorted. 'Well, I'm headed home. I'm glad you're okay, Kens. Nice work, DiCaprio.'

Deeks laughed. 'Thanks, man.'

Callen patted him on the shoulder and left the boatshed. Sam performed a similar farewell and soon followed his partner.

Hetty folded her hands in front of her and smiled at the two left. 'Don't stay too late,' she said before turning on her heel and leaving.

'So, um…' Deeks picked up his jacket and draped it over his arm. 'You ready to leave?'

Kensi paused for a moment before nodding. 'Sure.' She retrieved her jacket, looking in disgust at the bloodstain and bullet hole, and her purse.

Deeks smiled fondly at her. 'Here. It's chilly out.' He draped his own jacket over her shoulders.

She looked up at him with surprised eyes.

'What?' he asked. 'I really don't think you wanna wear that thing.'

Kensi nodded and lead the way out of the boatshed, leaving Deeks to lock up after her.

He found her leaning against his car, staring out at the sea. He perched himself next to her, trying to keep his gaze on the ocean and not on her.

Finally, she spoke. 'You were good in there.'

Deeks shrugged. 'It's part of the job, right?'

'Uh huh.' Kensi turned to him. 'You're too good at lying, Deeks.'

Deeks was quiet for a moment, before almost whispering, 'What if I wasn't?'

Kensi drew in a sharp breath. She didn't have to ask as to what he was referring. She knew.

He stared out at the sea, not daring to look at her. She was outraged, he knew. She was horrified and disgusted, and probably wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.

'I guess we better go,' Deeks mumbled. Even his ears had turned red with the strength of his flush. He turned to get to the driver's side, and found Kensi in his way, staring up at him. He steadfastly refused to meet her gaze, staring away at anything that wasn't her.

'Deeks,' Kensi whispered. When he wouldn't look at her, she reached up and placed a palm against his scruffy cheek. He faced down, but closed his eyes, refusing to meet her eyes, afraid of what he'd find there.

'I… I know you don't feel the same way as I do,' Deeks stuttered, blindly reaching out and finding her shoulder. 'You don't do love, I know that. And if this is going to be awkward, then I'll go back to the LAPD, you can have a new partner and you'll never see me again. I don't want to hurt you, Kens, but if you knew you like I do, you'd fall in love with you too, if that makes sense.'

Kensi laughed lightly, something Deeks hadn't expected to hear. 'It doesn't, Deeks. Nothing about you makes sense. You're sweet, and charming, and sometimes you're even a little bit awkward, you're definitely annoying and sometimes I want to shoot you-'

'Kens,' Deeks interrupted. 'If this is your way of letting me down gently-'

'Marty,' Kensi interrupted, using his Christian name in the hope that it would actually shut him up for long enough that she might get what she wanted to say in. 'I'm not letting you down at all.'

The surprise of this statement forced Deeks' eyelids open, and he stared at her in amazement. 'What…?'

'Marty, you're scruffy and you're an idiot. You're a loveable idiot, but you're an idiot all the same. You're so completely the opposite of anyone I've ever dated. But somehow, despite everything, maybe because of everything, I fell in love with you too.' She smiled, and his eyes lit up.

'Oh, Fern, what did I do to deserve you?' Deeks asked, moving his hand to thread his fingers into her hair.

'I don't know, so how about you just shut up and kiss me, Marty?'

'Well, since you asked so nicely…' he laughed before dipping his head and connecting their lips.

It started softly, almost like a dream, or a dream of a dream, a long forgotten dream of belonging and togetherness and love. Their lips barely brushed at first as they gravitated towards each other. Her hand drifted down from his cheek and to the nape of his neck, where her other hand joined it before drifting up into his hair. One of his hands was woven into her hair, while the other took firm grasp at her waist, pulling her closer. Finally, he increased the pressure against her lips and she willingly opened as he nipped against her bottom lip, tasting her cherry lip gloss, moaning when he finally, hesitantly allowed his tongue to taste her mouth.

When they finally drew away, Deeks was smiling. 'I think Hetty has a crystal ball.'

Kensi toyed with his hair. 'Why is that?'

'Because at any rate, we're gonna be late into work.'

…

I honestly don't know where this came from. I'm sure that Barry (purple plot hippo) had something to do with it – he's got half a million things that he wants me to write, and I'm sure that this is one of them because it was not me that wanted to write this. Generally, I leave the mysterious "Jack" alone – he ruined Kensi's life; he doesn't deserve the stories that he appears in. But here, I just could resist the thought of Deeks ripping Jack a new one because he hurt Kensi. I mean, we all know that Deeks can't stand the thought of Kensi hurt.

So don't thank me for this story – thank Barry. And Barry likes reviews (hint, hint).

XD PurpleHipposRock (& Barry)