So this is my Densi first fic and my first day back writing in nearly a year. This is pretty rough, but I have feels after watching The Frozen Lake and I really wanted to get it posted ASAP. I have ideas for a second part to this, and possibly even more, but I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I also have a few ideas for some other Densi fics. I'd love to hear if anyone is interested in me writing some more. Reviews are always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS LA or any of the characters


SEVEN

Seven. It was a fairly simple number. Just a single digit sitting there between six and eight. But it was about to hold a great deal more significance in the lives of Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye.

...

Deeks slowly walked out of OSP, feeling his heart sink a little more with every step he took. To say that Hetty's words were any less than devastating to him would be a lie. They had come so far, him and Kensi. Many big steps had been taken recently and they were finally moving in the right direction. He knew that it had taken a lot of courage from Kensi to say the things she had, she was the bravest person her knew, and truth be told he'd had to work up a great deal of courage too to say and do the things that he had. But he didn't regret them, not at all. He could never regret a decision that allowed him to spend even a moment with Kensi.

Facing the prospect of God knows how long without his partner, his best friend, his girlfriend, Deeks continued the long walk out of the building. It had never felt this long before. Surely it wasn't this long when he and Kensi had left together the previous day, bumping shoulders and laughing as they walked. But he was alone now.

"Mr Deeks," he heard Hetty call. "I've taken the liberty of having Mr Beale send the GPS location of the airstrip to your phone. They take off at seven o'clock. Do what you need to do."

With Hetty's blessing to say goodbye, Deeks broke into a run, sprinting towards his car.

6:53

Seven minutes. He could just make it, if he drove fast. Fortunately Deeks was quite adept at doing just that, especially when it involved something to do with Kensi.

6:54

He cursed the LA traffic. He really should invest in a helicopter or something, just for times like this. He could probably write it off as a business expense; use it for a few cases, argue that it was used to ensure that he could quickly get to his partner when she needed back up. He could convince Hetty to put a helipad at OSP. It would guarantee that he got to work quicker. But there was the downside of needing a pilot's license. He would get one though. He would do anything to get out of this traffic and get to Kensi.

6:55
He had broken every traffic law on the planet just to get back to OSP in time, and now he was breaking them all again just to get to the plane. His eyes darted down to the clock once again. Did it always move this fast? Surely not.

6:56

It wasn't nearly enough time, but it had to be. For once Deeks wished that time would just slow down.

6:57

He thought back to the text he had sent Kensi.

I'm almost there

He was almost there now. He just hoped he wouldn't be too late again.

6:58

He would make it. He had to.

He refused to think about what would happen if didn't make it in time.

6:59

He wouldn't make it.

7:00

He hadn't made it.

7:01

Deeks pulled up at the airstrip. He had no idea if he was even parked in a parking space, and quite frankly he didn't care. He had more important matters to deal with. He saw a small building off to the right, undoubtedly an office, but that didn't hold his attention. Neither did larger building that stood between him and the planes. There was something much more important he was looking for.

7:02

That's when he heard it: the unmistakeable sound of a plane engine. He glanced up just in time to see a plane taking off into the sky. He couldn't see who was in it, and for that he was glad. He didn't think he could take the sight of seeing Kensi being taken away from him, knowing that he was so close to seeing her, but still too late. Instead he just had to watch the plane, knowing that she was in there and leaving him behind.

7:03

"Deeks"

Deeks spun around. He would know that voice anywhere. Then there she was, walking around the side of the building to stand in front of him

"Kensi" he whispered, pausing for a moment to take in the sight of her there in front of him before continuing.

"Aren't you supposed to be on that plane, you know up in the sky?" he asked, sounding more like his usual self and gesturing to the plane that was making its way through the sky. He couldn't help the way his heart soared as he realised that she was here, with him, and not on the plane as he had thought.

"That wasn't our plane." She could literally see his heart sinking at her words. "I stalled and told them that I had to go to the bathroom. I had a feeling that you might come."

"So how long until you..." Deeks asked, wanting to know how much longer they had together.

"Does it matter?" she responded. The phrase 'quality over quantity' came to mind, but Deeks still had to know.

"Yes," he replied, nodding as he took a step closer to her, looking into her eyes. "I need to know how much time I have left to spend with you."

"Granger will be looking for me soon," she stated sadly, avoiding his question, but failing to avoid his stare. Deeks sighed.

"Then I guess I better make the most of it," he said before taking her face in his hands and kissing her passionately.

All too soon they broke away. They both knew that this had to end. As much as they didn't want it to, it had to happen.

"You make sure you come back to me, Princess," Deeks called with a smile as she began to walk away.

"Promise me," his voice was softer this time and full of vulnerability. She knew this was his heart talking.

Kensi turned around to face him, stopping as she did so. He needed to see her for this. She needed to see him. They had never been particularly good at verbal communication, at least not until today, but their eyes always told their true feelings.

"I promise," she replied solemnly. "Oh and Deeks, the answer is the rest of our lives."

With that she turned to walk away again. A small smile spread on Deeks' lips. That was the answer to his question. They would have the rest of their lives to spend together.

As he watched her walk over to the plane he realised that he'd never said goodbye to her. Then it hit him: he didn't need to. This wasn't goodbye. It was just a temporary separation, albeit a temporary separation of unknown length. He watched her climb into the plane. She stopped, turning to look in his direction for a moment. He was nearly out of sight, half hidden behind a building. Granger wouldn't be able to identify him from where he stood, but Kensi knew it was him and that was what mattered.

7:07

The plane taxied down the runway and took off, taking Kensi along with it. Deeks stood there and watched. He waited, his subconscious foolishly hoping that she would appear from around the corner again. But she didn't.

7:14

Deeks climbed back into the car. He couldn't stay there forever, though he wished he could wait another seven minutes and have Kensi return just like that.

Seven. It was the time that she was supposed to leave and the time he had to find her. She left seven minutes late, and he waited seven minutes more for her.

He hoped she would be okay on this assignment. He hoped she would return to him soon. He desperately hoped that when she did she would be alive and in one piece. He could handle the separation. He would wait for her. As long as they had the rest of their lives.