Law and Order

Summary – Kensi and Deeks meet under different circumstances. Kensi is the agent we know. Deeks never stopped being a lawyer. They both have pasts which have shaped their present. A story about the struggle of keeping secrets and the question of whether love really can overcome anything.

It starts in the fall of season three. There will be very little focus on the details of Kensi's work and the cases of season three. In chapters where knowing the plot of the episode is important, I will put it in the AN at the top.

NOT a crossover or in any way related to the TV show(s) Law and Order.

Disclaimer – I own nothing. I am simply borrowing the characters and promise to return them safely.

AN: This idea came up while writing an earlier chapter of ADLS. I wrote the first couple chapters about a year and a half ago, but didn't have time to pursue it being that I barely had time to write ADLS. I've picked away at it over time and have about 12 chapters written (not proofed/polished yet) so I wanted to start posting. There should end up being 15-20 chapters total and I plan to update about once a week.

When Kensi agrees to go on a date with a lawyer, this isn't exactly what she expects.

He isn't what she expects.

Clean cut. Suit. Fancy restaurant. A certain level of pride and arrogance. Those are things she had expected.

That's what her previous experience with lawyers had been; from the guy with the suit that probably cost as much as she makes in a month who she dated exactly one time the previous year, to the Jag lawyer who tried to kill her the year before that.

But as she stares across the small table at the man her friend convinced (forced) her into a blind date with, she's starting to seriously wonder if this is one big practical joke.

She's also wondering how offensive it would be if she asks for confirmation, only to find out he actually is a lawyer. In her history of bad dates, this could actually make a new record for the shortest one ever.

The blond, shaggy haired man across from her - who she believes may not own a comb - beats her to it. "I really am a lawyer," he says.

Kensi immediately starts to defend herself. "I wasn't…"

Her companion cocks his head. His hair shifts with the movement, so she can actually see the raised eyebrow. And his blue eyes sparkle, reflecting the light of the restaurant and ...oh. She likes this look. She likes it a lot. She feels herself pull forward ever so slightly.

"Fine, I totally was," she comes clean. "You don't exactly look like a typical lawyer." She hopes her words aren't too harsh. Her friends keep telling her she needs to be gentler.

"Well, I'm not your typical, every day lawyer," he responds smoothly, seemingly unaffected by her words.

It's her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Lawyer by day, superhero by night," he declares with a smile.

She laughs, despite herself. "Impressive," she plays along. "What kind of superhero stuff do you do?"

"World saving, mostly." He smirks. "May save the occasional damsel in distress if the situation calls for it."

Kensi rolls her eyes, but she's still smiling. "Sounds fascinating."

"Probably more fascinating than working sixty hours a week or more at the Public Defenders' Office, trying to juggle twice as many cases as I should be handling at one time," he says with a slight tinge of self-deprecation.

He had made her laugh before, but now she's actually interested in knowing more.

She leans forward. "What made you choose the Public Defender's Office?"

He sits up a little straighter, she notes. Whatever his answer, he's proud of his reason. "I wanted to help people."

She considers him for a long moment. "It's why you became a lawyer," she surmises. "To be a public defender."

He sits back in his chair, protective of his choices. He nods with an, "Mmm-hmm."

She offers him a soft smile and a nod. "Good for you."

It's his turn to consider her for a long moment. "Thank you." He sits forward again. "I think Mindy said you make drugs?"

She glares at him for his purposeful misinterpretation of her (cover) job. "I work for a pharmaceutical company," she clarifies.

"Sounds fun," he offers.

"Well, it is when I make drugs by day, and be a superhero by night." She can't hold back her smile as she copies his earlier statement.

He laughs openly and nods his appreciation. "Surprised we haven't bumped into each other. You know, with all the superheroing going on."

She laughs and reaches for her water glass, taking the opportunity to delay any response she needs to make with a sip. He's sweet and funny and she really likes his eyes, and he really is a lawyer. By day and by night.

But he has no idea she's lying about her day job. And he has no idea the superhero by night joke is closer to the truth than he would ever guess.

Kensi hates lying. And she hates that she's so damn good at lying. It makes her job easier, but her private life harder.

"Hello, folks, sorry for the wait," their waiter announces himself as he appears beside their table, showing up just in time to prevent Kensi from having to say anything further on this particular conversational train.

They place their drink orders and hear the specials. By the time their drinks arrive, they order their dinner. The food is good and the company better. Kensi can't remember the last time she laughed so much. The unusual lawyer across from her is smart and witty and fun. She lets down her guard and a little more of the real Kensi comes out than she normally allows.

When they finish their meals, he offers to pay for them both, but doesn't seem off put when she pays for herself.

"So..." Deeks starts as they make their way out of the restaurant together.

"So," Kensi echoes.

He smiles lazily at her before cocking his head ever so slightly and...yup. She still really likes this look. "I had a really good time tonight, Kensi."

"Me, too," she says honestly.

"Can we do this again?"

She smiles softly at him. She's not one for second dates. And when she had agreed (relented) to a date with a lawyer to make her friend happy (stop harassing her), she had definitely not expected to be looking forward to a second one (a lot). "I'd like that."

"Friday?"

They're getting closer to her car, and she uses the action of retrieving her keys from her purse as an excuse not to answer right away. Work has been crazy and she'd been lucky to get away this evening for dinner. In fact, if Callen and Sam hadn't eavesdropped on her call with Mindy the previous week and found out about the blind date, she'd still be at work now. They'd pretty much forced her out the door.

"Uh, I'm not sure what my schedule is going to be like for the rest of the week..."

He narrows his eyes ever so slightly.

It's her turn to say what he's thinking before he can. "I want to see you again," she says boldly, and then feels her cheeks heat at her own forwardness. She hadn't meant to be quite so open. "I just... Can I call you?"

He actually smirks at her words.

She huffs. "Okay, that might sound like a cliché line-"

"The most cliché line," he cuts in, still smirking away. Then he cocks his head. "Well, maybe the second most cliché line. It's not you, it's me, may have the title of the most-"

"But," she continues, cutting him off, "I do mean it." She pulls her phone from her pocket, unlocks it and holds it out to him. "Make yourself a contact. That way I cannot claim to have written down your number wrong."

He takes her phone and only pauses long enough to pass her his before entering his personal information in as a new contact.

"So, when you call and confirm that you're free to go out with me on Friday because I'm charming and you can't possible wait until next week..." He pauses to smile at the glare he apparently expected. Only one dinner and he already knows her well enough to expect a glare for that kind of comment. She's not sure if she like that or not. "What did you want to do? Dinner and a movie?"

She raises an eyebrow. "And you think I'm the cliché one?"

He purses his lips for a moment. "Don't clichés become clichés for a reason?"

"Probably."

He smiles. "So, we'll talk soon and then nail down a plan?"

"Sounds good."

He hesitates ever so slightly. "Would it be too cliché if I...?"

She shakes her head.

He closes the gap between them and ducks his head down to kiss her. It's a soft kiss, just long enough to not be chaste, and...oh. There's that feeling again. He pulls back and smiles at her.

She smiles back as her heart thumps in her ribcage. It's been a long time since she's felt anything like this.

"I'm really glad we did this," he says.

"Me, too, Marty." She breathes. "Me, too."