Mothers
Summary – Kensi and Deeks discuss their respective mothers. Post 3.16/3.17 (Blye, K).
AN: I've had this idea for a long time. It's one of many oneshots that got started and never finished. Not sure when I actually started it, but I know I've had the idea since before Kensi and Deeks went all in. Although it follows the events of the Blye, K episodes, its purpose is to explain some inconsistencies with Deeks's next of kin issue.
AN2 – For those who are still following after such long delays, I am working on both Tabula Inscripta and ADLS. The last chapter for Tabula will be up this week. I'm refamiliarizing myself with ADLS and hope to get re-started posting in April.
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Episode 3.17 – Blye, K Part 2. Conversation between Kensi and Deeks.
"I owe you an apology. There's a lot I never told you."
"I'll settle for a beer every day for the rest of my life."
"Oh, God."
"I just dropped your mom off at home. You nervous?"
"I cut her out of my life, and I never gave her a chance to explain herself. I don't know how to apologize for that."
"I don't think she wants an apology. I just think she wants her daughter back."
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Mothers
Kensi laughs out loud at her partner's joke. Across the small table from her, Deeks smiles. His eyes sparkle.
Kensi gets caught up for a moment before tearing her eyes from his and focusing on her beer. Because she is not attracted to her partner. She lifts her glass and downs the last remnants of her beer.
Deeks nods and follows suit, finishing his own drink.
"So…" She starts, at the same time Deeks says, "Another round?"
She raises an eyebrow.
"You owe me a beer a night," he explains. "And you spent the last two nights with your mom. So, by my calculation, you owe me three beers tonight." He holds up three fingers.
She rolls her eyes. "I did not agree to this."
He smiles that charming and amused smile she both loves and hates. She can't say no. "Fine. I will buy you as many beers as you want tonight only. And then we're even."
He purses his lips for a moment as he considers her. "And dinner?"
She narrows her eyes. "An appetizer."
"Deal." He reaches his hand across the table.
She laughs, despite herself, as she shakes his hand.
Deeks uses his free hand to signal the waitress for another beer. "I like this place," he says as he releases her hand. "One day I want to own a bar."
"What would you do with a bar?"
He shrugs. "Serve drinks. Drink drinks."
"Can I drink for free?"
He huffs a laugh. "As my partner, of course."
She smiles.
He cocks his head. "So, how are things going…with your mom?"
"Nice subject change."
He winces slightly. "I've been trying to bring it up since we got here. And I didn't want to ask at work."
"I appreciate that."
He stares at her for a moment. "You don't have to talk about it."
She stares back at him before relenting. "I didn't realize how much I missed her," she whispers.
Deeks's expression immediately softens.
"It's going to take some time, but I'm really glad to have her back in my life."
"That's really good, Kens."
Kensi opens her mouth to reply, but shuts it quickly when the waitress arrives. She drops the fresh beers onto the table with a perky smile and whisks away the empty glasses. Kensi can't help but notice how much Deeks doesn't notice the busty waitress and her low-cut top. She shouldn't feel good about it, but she likes being the focus of her partner's attention.
"I want to thank you, Deeks," she says once they have privacy again.
"I didn't do anything."
"You did," she insists. "You said all the right things to get me to go see her. And now…" She trails off for a long moment. She swallows hard at the sudden lump in her throat.
"And now?" He questions.
She half nods before continuing. "And now I'm not alone anymore." She says it quietly, but she says it. She is proud of herself for saying it out loud.
He reacts like he doesn't want her to see his reaction. He looks away for a moment and takes a breath. Then he looks back to her. "I hate that you were ever alone."
She offers a small smile. "Well, I'm not anymore. So, thank you."
He nods, understanding she doesn't want to talk about it anymore. "Well, you're welcome. Even though I don't think I did anything."
She raises an eyebrow. "If you don't think you did anything, then I'm not buying you anymore beer."
He sits back, taking his beer with him. "On second thought…"
She laughs. "That's what I thought."
He laughs as well. He holds up his glass. She lifts her glass and clinks it against hers.
She takes a big sip before setting the glass down. She stares at her partner for a long moment. "Do you have a mother?"
He sits up a little straighter. "Nope. I just materialized one day."
She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "You know what I mean. You've told me about your dad. But you don't talk about your mom. I mean, you mentioned once that she has that newspaper article on her fridge, but that's it. And when you were in the hospital-"
"I have a mother," he cuts in.
She waits, but he says nothing more. "And…" She prompts.
He looks down at his beer for a moment.
"You don't have to talk about it." She offers him the same out he offered her.
"No, it's okay." He looks back up to her. "It's just…complicated."
"Not close?"
"I don't know how to answer that." He runs his hand through his hair. "My mom is awesome. I mean, she can drive me insane at the best of times. But she's still awesome. She picked up after my dad…" He trails off, knowing he doesn't need to explain anything to her about his father. "She's a good mom." He sighs. "She deserves better."
His words surprise her. She's known him for nearly two years and worked closely with him for over a year and a half. He drives her crazy sometimes, but he's a good man. "I doubt that's true," she offers. "What mom wouldn't be proud of you? I mean, you're a bit funny looking, but you're a lawyer and a cop."
He laughs at her joke about his looks. "Thanks for that." Then he sobers. "She was proud of me for becoming a lawyer, but she doesn't exactly know what I do now."
His words surprise her again. "Like, she doesn't know you're working with NCIS?"
"Like, she doesn't know I'm a cop," he answers.
She stares at him for a long moment. "So, she…"
"Thinks I'm a lawyer." He makes a face.
"Deeks!" She exclaims. "That is not okay."
He does actually look sheepish. "I didn't know how to tell her. She was so proud when I got into law school. And money was tight for a lot of years. She helped keep a roof over my head while I was in school. And when I graduated…" He trails off for a long moment. "When I finished law school, she was so happy. It was like she could forgive herself for all the bad things that happened in my childhood."
Kensi feels her heart pull towards him. "Deeks…"
He sighs. "I was a good lawyer, but it wasn't what I needed to be doing. So, I applied to the LAPD. And I didn't tell her because the odds of getting accepted was low."
"But then you got in," she offers.
He nods. "And it was six months of training, and I thought there was no point in telling her until I finished."
"And then you finished."
Again, he nods. "And then I didn't want her to worry. And then I started working undercover and I really didn't want her to worry. Trust me, she doesn't handle stress well."
"Which is why you couldn't tell her when you got shot," she surmises.
He exhales slowly. "She probably would have moved in with me and come to work with me each day since."
She laughs out loud.
"I'm serious!" He insists. "I don't want to put her or me through that. Or you."
"Me?"
He nods, his eyes sparkling with humour. "She'd insist on coming to work, so you'd be driving us both around. And she doesn't stop talking."
"Now I know where you get it from," she quips.
"Ooh, touché."
"Touché," she echoes.
He sighs, but doesn't say anything.
Kensi takes a sip of her beer. "So, I've had a mother for exactly two days of my adult life, so I'm not exactly an expert. But even I know you need to tell your mom."
"I know. I just don't know how."
"She may worry. But she won't be disappointed in you. She'll still be proud."
He looks away, and she knows she's hit the nail on the head.
She continues. "I think being a cop, and a good cop, shows just how much you overcame your childhood. She'll be proud of that."
His eyes go to hers, and then quickly away, and then flicker back again. "I hope so."
"You're going to tell her?"
"Not today. But…I'll tell her."
"Good." Kensi nods to her partner and then throws back the rest of her beer. She places her empty glass down and cocks her head. "Another round?"
He smiles and nods. "Another round."