Prompt from ryan9098

The hot water beat on her upper back at an intense pace as she stood in the shower stall, forehead pressed to cool tiles as stream rose up around her, flogging Kensi's vision as much as the tears that stung her eyes.

They'd tried. God…she'd tried, but at the end of the day the bullets still pierced the young girl's skin; the girl they'd been protecting, but had ultimately failed doing. Their last link to a seemingly hopeless case, ruined chances, and a bright laugh that Kensi had grown to love hearing in the few days she'd spent with the fourteen year old girl. They were all gone and the hollow feeling that replaced them in Kensi's gut was simply unbearable.

With a silent cry she beat her fist against the tiles, ignoring the rush of pain and sinking the floor, gathering up her knees to her chest, tears streaming down her face along with the shower water.

Callen had sent them all home with downcast eyes, words of starting fresh in the morning as Sam sat as his desk, head buried in his palms, his thoughts surely focused on his daughter. And her partner had led her from the Spanish mission with a palm on the small of her back, an expression that matched hers, and soothing words that did nothing to stop her guilt.

"Kensi.." She heard him now, pulling open the shower door and switching off the water immediately, the sudden shock of cold causing her to shiver, gripping tightly at her knees.

"Kens," he murmured again, curling his fingers gently around her arm and tugging her up and out of the shower, her limp body offering little resistance.

"It's my fault," she mumbled numbly as he wrapped a thick bath sheet around her shuddering body, running his palms over in torso in attempt to dry her soaking skin.

"It's not." He shook his head, tone soft and blue eyes insistent. "I was there too, Kens. We can't save everyone."

"I was there," she persisted, squeezing at his shoulder for support, her knees threatening to give out. "I watched her die, I-" She hesitated, the sentence ending in a gasping hiccup as he pulled her tightly into his arms, her hands pressed to his chest, caught between their bodies.

"It's not your fault." Stroking over her wet hair, Deeks shivered against her, the torrents of emotion flooding from her not escaping him. "They almost got you."

Fisting her hands tightly in the cotton of his shirt, Kensi drew in a deep, shuddering breath, burying her face into his chest until she could only smell him.

"Today's a bad day, Kens. But I love you, and tomorrow we'll go in and Eric will have found something and we'll find them." Kissing at her hairline, Deeks leaned back against the wall behind him, his hold on her torso firm. "Okay?"

Her eyes shutting and taking comfort in the darkness and the scent of Deeks all around her, Kensi managed a nod, her face never lifting from his shirt.

"Good enough," he mumbled, kissing her temple and leaning fully back against the wall, letting the silence surround them.