This is my second story and takes place in season 6 after Kensi and Deeks go all in. My first story was much better received than I could have ever hoped for. I am not so sure about this one. One word of warning, things are not always as they seem. Still don't own anything but the OCs.

~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,~,

Chapter 1: Bad News

Henrietta Lange, Operation Manager of NCIS Office of Special Projects gently replaced the receiver in its cradle and folded her hands on her desk. In reality, she wanted to smash it into tiny little pieces. She has not been this angry in a very long time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Little by little the anger turned to grief. She thought to herself "Oh my dear, I am so very sorry. I will miss you."

When she felt calmer, she pressed the ever present Bluetooth in her left ear. "Miss Jones?"

Nell Jones instantly replied "Yes, Hetty?"

"Can you and Mr. Beale please join me in the bullpen immediately?"

"On our way." replied Nell, curiosity in her voice.

Hetty turned to the safe in her office and opened it to pull out a banded group of envelopes. She gripped them tightly as she slowly made her way to the bullpen trying to formulate the words that would devastate her premier team. As she approached silently, she could hear Sam and Callen teasing Kensi, both about her missing Deeks and about her treatment of the LAPD Detective currently working with her in Deeks's place while her partner was on an undercover assignment for the police department.

"Kens, really? Cut the guy some slack, he's only been here a couple weeks." said Sam.

"Yeah, Kens, it takes a while to train a personal servant." teased Callen.

"Seriously? The guy has been here 3 weeks and still doesn't know how I like my coffee! It only took Deeks one day!" grumbled Kensi Blye. Hetty knows she and Deeks have become more than partners, more than friends and dreads her reaction to the news she is about to impart to this team most of all. She heard Ms. Jones and Mr. Beale coming down the stairs behind her.

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, Ms. Blye?" The agents turned quickly, as usual not having her heard her approach. How does she do that? Deeks calls their boss the tiny ninja and it seemed appropriate right now. The agents were still laughing at their earlier conversation but the laughter slowly died out as each of them took in the look on her face. Callen had a bad feeling about whatever Hetty was about to tell them, his stomach cramping. He knows Hetty better than all of them and can usually tell when she has something to say to them that they won't like. If it was a new case, they would have been called up to Ops instead of Nell and Eric coming down.

"I have just gotten off the phone with the LAPD" began Hetty when Nell and Eric had reached them.

Instantly Kensi interrupted her complaining, "PLEASE tell me they didn't extend his assignment again?"

Sam piped in "When are you going to offer him a full time agent position Hetty? We need to get him out of LAPD and here permanently!" Callen was silent. The team is still unaware that Hetty had offered Detective Deeks a permanent agent position several years ago. He had not said yes, but neither had he said no.

"Mr. Deeks will not be returning to NCIS" she began again, perhaps not the best way to start things as this started a new barrage of questions and complaints from all present.

"What?"

"Why?"

"Hetty, do something, they can't just stop him from coming back!"

"Mr. Deeks… was killed while on his recent assignment with the LAPD." Hetty baldly tells her agents. Silence and disbelief meet her words. Hetty looks at her team and sees the reactions she had expected. Sam was angry, Callen had turned his back to them, not sure how to deal with the emotions he was feeling, Eric had his arms around Nell who was crying, tears running down his own face and Kensi, well Kensi was still and silent.

Suddenly Kensi spoke up quietly "I need to see him, where is he Hetty?"

Hetty started to reply "Ms. Blye, you can't..."

Kensi interrupted, "I have to see him Hetty! I have to know it's true. I need to… I need to say good-bye!" her face a stiff mask, hiding her emotions.

"Kensi, my dear, you can't see him…."

"Is this some kind of LAPD bullshit Hetty? Are they worried about whatever ops they were running with Deeks? They can't keep me… they can't keep us away from him!" cried Kensi.

"Kensi!" Hetty said loudly trying to get through to her junior agent, "You can't see Mr. Deeks because, oh my dear, he died almost two weeks ago. He had left instructions with LAPD, as well as with me here, asking that, in the event of his death, he be cremated and his ashes scattered over the ocean. They honored that request last week. Kensi, he's gone. I am so sorry!" Kensi looked at her like she just can't comprehend what Hetty has told her. Then she stood up and slowly walked out of the bullpen. She walked down the hall into the ladies room, shut and locked the door and slid down the wall, her tears finally flowing now that she was alone.

Callen turned to face her and looked at Hetty with the kind of anger she herself had just experienced. "What is this bullshit, Hetty? Why would they wait almost two weeks to tell us our Liaison, our friend was dead? What kind of game is Bates playing?"

Hetty sighed and began to explain. "According to Shelly Pearson, the LAPD representative who called me, Mr. Deeks's assignment was as a homeless person and was completed quickly. He had come in for his debrief with Lt. Bates and then went back down to the area where he had been living. As long as he hadn't had to break his cover, he often went back and quietly gave away some of the props he had been using during his assignment. Blankets, extra clothes with a little money discreetly tucked into a pocket here and there. He was cleaning out his living area when another transient thought he was stealing and attacked him. He stabbed Mr. Deeks multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There was nothing they could do to save him. The person responsible has been arrested and is under lockdown in a psychiatric facility. Apparently Lt. Bates reacted badly. You know he had a lot of respect for our Mr. Deeks, more than even he was willing to admit. He took care of a few things, put in for vacation, asked someone to notify NCIS and left Los Angeles. They aren't exactly sure where he is at the moment, believe me, I asked. His request to notify our office was misplaced until today."

"It's still bullshit Hetty! Bates should have had the courtesy to call you himself immediately! Something isn't right here" said Sam.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hanna, I don't know what else I can tell you." said Hetty.

She looked down at the all but forgotten envelopes in her hand, each addressed to a member of the team in Deeks's handwriting. "He left each of us a letter, asking that I give them to you in the event of his death". She handed each of them the envelope addressed to them, giving Kensi's to Nell. "I know you and Kensi have become good friends Nell, can you please take her home and give her this when you feel it's appropriate? And, if you don't mind, could you stay with her tonight? I don't think it would be a good idea for her to be alone." Nell nodded an affirmative, looking at the envelopes in her hand with sadness.

"Now, I want all of you to leave whatever you are doing, go home and don't come in tomorrow. There are no pressing cases at the moment and we all need time to process this." The team slowly began packing up their belongings, getting ready to head home. Nell pulled out of Eric's arms and said she would go see to Kensi. Eric walked slowly back up to Ops with none of his normal buoyancy. This news has devastated them all. They all know that it happens, it's an everyday possibility when you do what they do, but it's never easy to lose a friend.