A/N - This is a little something I wrote for a FanFic friend for her birthday. She thinks I should post it so here goes. She was looking for advice to take into her next 30 years. The bunnies struck with this piece.
Angel - I hope you had a great birthday. I haven't changed much just tweaked it a little and fixed those errors.
Disclaimer - Characters are not mine, just playing with them a little. I also have no idea on Kensi's age.
Happy 30th Birthday Kensi
Kensi plopped down in her chair at her desk and pushed her handbag underneath with her foot. She leaned back with a sigh.
Normally she didn't mind birthdays but for some reason this one just plain bugged her. She refused to admit it was because it was the Big 3-0.
She wasn't vain about her age or anything like that but ... She shook her head. Nope, not thinking about it.
In hope of some distraction she logged onto the computer and tried to find a report, or anything, to work on.
"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday dear Kensi. Happy Birthday to you."
She lifted her head at the singing and looked to see the whole team making their way around the corner to her with Hetty in the lead carrying a delicious looking cupcake. Kensi sniffed and was pretty sure she identified it as a coffee/chocolate combination. Her mouth started to water.
"Happy Birthday Miss Blye," Hetty said carefully putting the cupcake, complete with a single candle down in front of her
"I could eat that for you," Deeks said, edging closer and eyeing off the concoction. "You know what they say. A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips."
Kensi glared at him and pulled the cupcake closer.
"Mr Deeks," Hetty reprimanded quietly.
"Sorry," Deeks replied meekly.
Hetty turned her attention back to Kensi.
"Now, as this is an important birthday for you I have asked your team to come up with some words of wisdom as their gift to you." Hetty turned first to Eric. "Mr Beale?"
Eric gulped a little nervously but turned to Kensi. He smiled, glanced sideways at Hetty before commencing.
"Always make a back up and keep it somewhere else."
Callen raised an eyebrow at him. Eric shrugged as if to say "What do you expect, I'm a techie."
Hetty simply nodded. "Your turn now Miss Jones."
"Happy Birthday Kensi. My advice. Know when to stop talking. It's a fine line between talking too much and not enough. You don't want to keep going on about something when someone has already got the gist of it. You'll just annoy them and end up making them forget whatever advice..." Nell trailed off when Eric's elbow found its way into her ribs. Nell bit her lip. "Case in point," she added before she looked at Hetty to hand over to the next person.
"Mr Deeks."
"What?" Deeks jumped a little.
Hetty looked at him over her glasses in a slightly scolding manner. "You do have some advice for your partner don't you?"
"But I've already done it. She shouldn't eat the cupcake..."
Deeks moved slightly to get himself further away from Hetty. "Okay, okay. I do have something." He turned back to Kensi. "Laugh more."
"Really Deeks?" Kensi asked with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. "That's the best you've got?"
Coming from Deeks it didn't really seem serious but he continued.
"The more you laugh at the good times, the easier it is to remember them and the bad times don't seem like they take up all of your life."
Everyone was silent for a moment. Deeks had actually give her some really good advice. Something they could all probably use in their lives.
"Very nice Mr Deeks," Hetty complimented. "Mr Hanna?"
Sam nodded and looked at Kensi. "The Big 3-0. Well," Sam pretended to consider his next words though Kensi was sure that they were already planned. "Whatever you do, whoever you are or need to be, give it everything you've got."
"Like he did getting to know about wine for a cover," Callen commented. Sam shot him a look and Callen raised his eyebrows. "Just helping your explanation Sam."
"Give it 100%," Kensi summed up with a nod.
Sam shook his head. "Not 100. 200."
"I guess it's my turn now," Callen spoke up before Hetty could.
He turned to Kensi, waited until she looked him in the eye and, in that way of his, trapped her gaze on him. For a moment it felt like they were the only two people in the room. And in that moment, Callen gave her his advice.
"Trust your instincts. They'll keep you alive better than anything or anyone."
Kensi finally pulled her gaze off Callen and the rest of the party came back into focus.
"Wow. I don't know what to say," Kensi said.
"Nothing yet," Hetty added. "It is now my turn."
Everyone turned their attention to Hetty to concentrate on the words of wisdom she was about to add.
"Remember. Remember who you were and how you got here. Because that is what makes you you. And who you will become. Memories are what we
are made of Kensi. The good, the bad and the other. How we respond to things is what we are made of and what shapes and guides our future."
Hetty paused just for a moment. "Happy Birthday Miss Blye."
"Happy Birthday Kensi," the team repeated in unison.
"And now perhaps you could blow out the candle before the table catches fire," Hetty added.
Kensi quickly blew out the candle and smiled at everyone. They dispersed quietly, leaving her to her cake and thoughts.
It wasn't the bit 3-0 that was the problem. She just didn't want to admit that she'd been without her father longer than she'd had him. But Hetty was right. We are made of our memories and so many good ones had him in them.
She smiled to herself and chose a few good ones to remember as she much on the Mocha Chocolate, with a hint of orange, cupcake.
Happy Birthday to me she added to herself.
A/N 2 - I do hope you enjoyed this little read as much as I enjoyed writing it - even if I didn't get a lot of time with it.