15 years ago

With quick steps, she strode inside the kitchen. Her hazel eyes scanned the room searching for him, feeling a pang of disappointment inside when she didn't see the blonde shaggy haired man she was looking for. She instead spotted her mother, Julia, leaning on the breakfast counter with a cup she was sure was tea in hand.

Julia's face lit up when she sighted her. "Kensi dear!"

Managing to return her mother's warm greeting with a forced smile, Kensi stepped towards her and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "Hi m-mom."

"Would you like to join your mother for a cup of tea?"

She was about to decline her offer but noticed that Julia was expecting her to agree so she nodded almost reluctantly. "Sure."

The older woman walked around the kitchen preparing her drink while Kensi's eyes followed her as she took a seat on one of the stools.

Things have been strange between the mother and daughter since Julia's return to the Blyes' home 3 months ago.

Julia, wife of Donald Blye a marine officer, left her family 2 years ago for a man she met through a common friend, giving them an explanation over a letter Kensi found on her parent's nightstand. The handwritten note was telling the father and daughter that she was no longer happy with her life with them and that she fell in love with another man.

Kensi, who saw the empty closet of her mother one morning when she was about to bid her goodbye before going to school, was the most devastated. She never expected that her own mother was capable of such action.

At her age of 15, she was aware that her parents' relationship was imperfect. Whenever her father was home, she can hear their fights almost every night. She can make out the words unhappy, alone, always gone from Julia's tearful voice and Kensi couldn't help but feel sympathetic to her.

Donald was always away on assignments and was most of the time abroad, leaving Kensi in Julia's care in their home in San Diego, California. The younger woman felt her mother's worries whenever her father will leave them despite Julia's tries of putting up a brave face for her daughter.

Kensi did her best not to add to her mother's distress. Although she was known to be a daddy's girl, she can understand Julia's uneasiness. She knew her mother loved her family so it broke her heart to find her gone one day and a letter was all she left for them to read.

Donald, who was on assignment outside the country that time, was sent back upon learning that his wife left Kensi alone at home. He took a leave of absence to take care of his daughter. Kensi, who had started refusing going to school, became a closed off child. She spent her days alone in her room, avoiding to talk to anyone.

Her father, despite having his own heart breaking, managed to give Kensi the understanding she needed that time. He had been there for her trying his best to make her open up once again, pulling her from her own isolation.

Gradually, the father and daughter started living once again. 6 months after his wife left, Donald began reporting to Camp Pendleton located near their home. He was luckily removed from any international missions for a while and was asked to become a training officer at the camp. He happily agreed, taking the chance to still keep an eye on his daughter.

Kensi appreciated her father's effort bringing her back to her old self. She was aware that it wasn't an easy task for Donald to be there and be a single parent to his growing daughter. In her current teenage stage, she needed a mother. Someone who can understand what she was going through. Someone she can talk openly and freely about her crushes and other girlish stuff. And for her, her father doesn't fit that criteria.

But they managed to help each other. Donald and Kensi found that despite their obvious differences, they have one thing in common. Their hearts were broken. They were lonely. Donald missed his wife. Kensi missed her mother. But somehow, they survived.

"Were you looking for someone when you went here?"

Julia's voice pulled her from her lonely thoughts. A cup of tea was placed on her front. "Y-Yeah. I was actually looking for Marty. He was supposed to be here. Maybe he got caught up on something." She answered, picking up the hot drink and sipping it. Kensi saw her mother looked at her in concern. "I-Is there something wrong?"

Julia shook her head before taking a sip of her own drink. "It's nothing."

Her brow furrowed in curiosity, eyeing her mother warily.

The older woman sighed before speaking. "You and Marty." She began. "Are... Are you in a relationship?"

Kensi stiffened at her mother's question. "W-What?"

"I-I saw how the two of you are with each other. You seem a little... close."

"So? What if we are close?" She asked defensively, not liking the direction of her mother's words.

"Don't get me wrong, Kensi." Julia instantly backed off, noticing her daughter's wall beginning to build up. If she wasn't careful, she knew it will take months for Kensi to talk to her again and she didn't want that. "I... I worry for you. I don't know him that much but I heard stories about him and his family and none of them are good. A friend told me that Marty's father is a crimina-"

"Stop it, mom!" Kensi's loud voice was heard followed by a loud sound when she stomped the cup she was holding on the marble counter in anger. "I know Marty and his family. I know them. And if you are really worried for me, you shouldn't have left me alone while dad is away to elope with another man only to come back years after and pretend that nothing has changed!" She said angrily before turning to leave the room.

"Kensi!" Julia called. She was immediately on her side, with one hand holding her arm. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? For judging Marty? Or for leaving your family?"

Julia flinched at her words and removed her grip on her daughter in defeat. "I'm sorry. I'm just concerned about you. You are still my daughter. I am still your mother. I made a mistake and I don't want you making the same thing. There are so many other guys out there, Kensi and you are still young. You have a bright future ahead of you, don't settle for anything less." Thinking she had already said enough, she left her daughter to ponder over her statement.

"Hey, what's wrong? You look sad." Marty commented on the girl sitting across from him, gazing at her worriedly.

Placing both of her elbows on the table, she glanced at him. "I'm fine."

They were inside the school library. She was studying for her next subject while he was doing his assignment.

With one brow raised, he threw her a 'Really?' look that earned him Kensi's famous eye roll and he chuckled at that. "Is this about me not showing up at your house last Saturday? Are you still mad at me? I already told you, Mrs. Jackson needed my help with her Venus statue."

She shook her head. Kensi already knew the reason he was absent last weekend. He already explained that he helped his neighbor in moving the newly bought huge statue on the old woman's backyard. "It's not about that."

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing. I'm really fine, Marty."

"Kensi."

"Marty."

"Kensalina."

"Martin."

"Kensi Marie Blye."

"Martin Andrew Brandel."

"Princess?"

Kensi was about to answer him back but stopped when she processed his new nickname for her. With one eyebrow arched, she asked. "Princess?"

He shrugged his shoulders as an answer. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"It's my mom."

She hated to admit but her mother's words last Saturday brought her to thinking. She asked her of her relationship with Marty and Kensi didn't know how to answer that. Honestly, he had become an important person in her life. He was the reason, aside from her father, that she was able to move on from her mother's departure. He helped her face her situation and look at the future.

Their first meeting was still clear in her memory.

4 months after Julia's departure

Kensi was sitting alone under a tree located at the school backyard. The old big tree had been her favorite place to date. It was shady and she liked that it hid her from the almost scorching rays of sun. She discovered it one week after her mother left her when she was feeling swamped with the pity looks her classmates were throwing at her. She was supposed to feel happy that they empathize with her but she was not. She hated it. She didn't like that they acted like they know what she was feeling. Nobody knew how she really feels. Nobody.

And just like how she felt 4 months ago, Kensi felt alone.

"No, you're not."

She jolted in her position when she heard a man's voice. It caught her surprised that she didn't recognize where it came from. She looked around searching for its owner and frowned when she didn't see anyone. "Where are you?" She called.

"Up here."

She turned her head up and saw him sitting on one of the strong branches of the tree almost 4 feet above her. Smiling at her was a blonde shaggy haired boy with blue eyes.

"You are not alone." He said again.

"Apparently not." She scowled. She didn't like that there was somebody else on her favorite place. She wanted to be alone. She needed to be alone. "Are you spying on me? How long have you been up there? Why didn't you tell me you are there?" She asked rapidly. "And would you mind going down? My neck is hurting from here."

The blonde boy held his hands in surrender. "Whoah, hold it right there. I'll answer your questions but I need to go down first." He then jumped from the branch and settled on her side. "Okay." He began when he was already standing next to her. "First, I am not spying on you."

'Well, it is a lie.' Marty thought.

It had been almost four months since he first saw her came to his tree. His tree. He wanted to laugh at his words. The tree wasn't his but he saw it first and he liked it first. During the first day of school, he searched for a place where nobody else was. A place he can relax and gather his thoughts, not that he had plenty. And it didn't take him long to find the old tree and up until the girl with a dark hair and most beautiful hazel eyes came, it had been his hidden haven.

He was sitting on his favorite branch looking at the surroundings when he first saw her walked towards to where he was. A small smile that didn't reach her sad eyes graced her lips as she settled herself on the ground just below him on his right. Marty wanted to call her attention knowing that she will immediately leave when she sees him. He was about to do just that but he halted. A tear followed by another fell from her already closed eyes made him freeze from his position.

She was crying. And his heart tightened at the sight. He had seen girls cried before right in front of him. Sometimes he was even the reason they were in tears but never, as in not for once, they made the same effect on him as she did and he didn't even know her. Marty was confused as to why the mysterious girl was weeping. He silently hoped that she wasn't dying or sick.

He remained silent from his position and tried to avoid any movement that will catch her attention. Several minutes and some wet tissues later, the girl stood up and walked away. Marty's eyes followed her as she began striding towards the school building. He contemplated if he will follow her but opted not to. He didn't want any complications. He was there to finish high school and that was what he was going to do. He still have 2 years to go through.

He saw her rolled her eyes at his answer and he found it cute surprisingly. "Second, as you can see I was here first, just minutes before you came."

Marty made sure that it happened every time.

The next day, he arrived at the tree the same time like he always does and was surprised that the girl from yesterday came again. He took time studying her appearance. She was tall but not as tall as him. Her dark hair was shoulder length and a little wavy. Her eyes, which bore sadness just like yesterday, were framed with long lashes. Her nose was pointed just right and her lips were full. He was pretty sure that she will be more beautiful if she will smile.

'What is the reason you are sad?' He wanted to ask her that but just like yesterday, he chose to remain still. He watched her sit on the ground and cry. After drying her tears, she left once again.

For almost 4 months, that had been their tradition. Marty will come minutes before Kensi and will sit above where he knew she will be. He learned her name when she accidentally left her ID under the tree. He also knew that she was a sophomore, a year younger than he was.

Her crying stopped 2 weeks after she first sat under the shady tree. He will never forget his relief when the tears he was expecting from her didn't come that day. She just looked sad but no tears stained her face. He wordlessly wished that time will come he will be able to see her smile.

'Maybe if her mother will return, Kensi will smile again.' He hopefully thought. He was saddened to learn from some of her nosy classmates the reason she was sad was because her mother left. He didn't mean to pry on her life but he overheard them talking about Kensi in the canteen one afternoon.

"And my question number 3?"

Marty was removed from his reminiscing when he heard her speaks. "Oh right. Your last question, I didn't tell you that I am here because I don't want to disturb you."

He knew at one point she will discover that there was a person right above her, watching her. One look. Just one look to where he was, Marty will be busted. He should be worried but he wasn't. He was actually looking forward to her finally seeing him. For almost four months of just watching her, his curiosity on Kensi grew. Somehow just gazing at her was no longer enough, there was a need. A need for him to know her.

So when she unknowingly said out loud that she was alone, Marty took the opportunity to let her know of his presence.

"I'm Marty Brandel." He introduced himself, extending his hand for a shake and was glad that although uncertain, Kensi took it.

"Kensi Blye."

And that was the start of their friendship.

"What about your mom?" Marty asked carefully, knowing that anything about her mother was a sensitive topic for his friend.

She hesitated but discerning that he will not let go until he hears what troubled her, she answered. "She just started acting like a good mother again." Kensi then opened the book on her front and pretended like she was reading it.

He had known her for almost 2 years now and he can tell she no longer wants to discuss her issue with her mother.

"Give her a chance." He said after a while. "Ever since we met I know you are longing for her return. Now that she's back, why dismiss her presence? You missed her, Kensi. And I bet she missed you too."

Kensi put her book down and eyed him with a playful smirk. "Wow, Mr. Brandel! You are maturing, I can tell."

He winced at the mention of his surname. "One of these days I am going to change my last name."

"You don't like the name Brandel?" She carefully pried.

She lied to her mom when she told her that she knew Marty and his family. Kensi didn't know everything about him. All she can tell was Roberta, his mother, and Marty came to their neighborhood 2 years ago from Los Angeles for reasons she wasn't aware of. Sometimes, he tell her stories about him and his mother but was dodging to discuss anything about his father.

Kensi also heard rumors that Marty's father was a wanted criminal but she refused to believe it. She didn't care anyway if that was true, Roberta and Marty were good people for her and he was a friend. They were enough reasons for Kensi.

"I did before. But it keeps on reminding me of my father."

"It seems like I am not the only one who has parent issues."

"Well mine is different."

"How so?"

"Your mom didn't hit you and your father. She didn't wield a shotgun at you. She isn't a felon wanted for different crimes."

He said so casually that Kensi was doubtful if he was telling the truth or not. She stared at him in shock.

Marty saw how her face changed at his revelation and was hurt thinking that she might probably begin avoiding him and stop hanging around with him. Who would want to be friends with the son of a fugitive? He can understand if Kensi will end their growing friendship. He told her about his father because she had become one of the very few important people in his life and he wanted to be honest with her.

"Look Kensi, I understand i-"

"What do you think your new surname will be?" Kensi cut his sentence.

Seeing how his shoulders fell at her reaction to his admission, she knew she hurt him. She was surprised to learn that all the rumors circling Marty's family are true but it won't stop her from being friends with him. She liked him. She liked Roberta. It wasn't their fault that the older man Brandel was a lawbreaker. The mother and son were his victims too according to what her friend just told her.

Marty's face brightened after hearing her. "I am thinking Deeks." He answered.

"Deeks?" Her brows furrowed. "That's kinda weird."

"That's the name of my godfather who helped us settle here. If it wasn't for him, my mom and I would probably still be in LA and within my father's grip."

"I think it suits you. Martin Andrew Deeks. That's nice. I'll call you Deeks from now on, alright?"

"What happened to 'Marty'?"

Glancing at her watch, she noticed that it was almost time for her next class. Instead of answering him, Kensi stood up and gathered her things. "Gotta go, Deeks." She left him alone on the table.

"Hey, Kensi!" Marty tried to stop her.

When she didn't turn, "Kensalina!"

"Princess!" He called her a little too loud.

"Mr. Brandel! You are in the library!" An older woman's voice swatted him.

Kensi stifled a laugh when she heard the librarian calls his name. Glancing at him, she saw him blushing in shame while combing his hair with his fingers, a habit she liked him doing.