Well, readers, this is officially the end of the road, its shorter then I intended after doing some editing, but I think the end fits well and comes full circle back to where we started one year after chapter one (in fic timeline). And considering this fic was only intended to be two or three chapters, I think it's been a good ride.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the reviews, alerts and favorites; they are appreciated even on the last chapter.

(When this began)
I had nothing to say
And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me
(I was confused)
And I let it all out to find
That I'm not the only person with these things in mind
(Inside of me)
But all that they can see the words revealed
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel
(Nothing to lose)
Just stuck, hollow and alone
And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own

I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real
I wanna let go of the pain I've felt so long
(Erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm close to something real
I wanna find something I've wanted all along
Somewhere I belong

Somewhere I Belong, Linkin Park

Chapter 11: The End

Rushing out to the pool as McManus was dragging himself out over the edge, Deeks was in the water in an instant, confident that Sam and Callen would deal with their suspect. It didn't take long before he was wrapping his arms around Kensi's shoulders, swimming back up.

"Callen!" he yelled as they punched the surface of the water. Immediately the other agent was pulling Kensi out, Deeks close behind. Carefully the team lead laid her on the concrete.

"No pulse," Callen said and looked at Deeks.

Without speaking, Deeks leaned in and breathed into his partner's mouth. Somewhere in the background was Sam's terse voice yelling about an ambulance.

As Deeks paused, Callen started chest compressions. "Come on, Kensi," Deeks whispered desperately. "Please, baby…"

Deeks watched in a dream-like state as Callen completed the last of the chest compressions. All he could think was this was not happening; he was not losing his partner like this. Deeks could not accept that as the ultimate outcome.

Desperation flowed through him and Deeks breathed into her mouth again with everything he had, trying to will the life back into her. For a moment he felt dizzy.

Callen started another round of compressions and he was vaguely aware of Sam stating the ambulance was three minutes out.

"God damn it, Kensi," he practically yelled at her. "Come back to me! You've never given up on anything a day in your life, do not give up on me now. Don't!"

"Deeks…" Callen said in a calming tone. "Focus…she needs you to focus."

"Please, please…" he whispered and leaned forward, ready to breathe for her again.

And suddenly she coughed.

Pain and agony, that's all she was aware of as she pulled in a deep breath and immediately regretted the action as she coughed hard, sending searing pain through her chest.

"Kensi!" Deeks voice was distant, fuzzy, but she was aware of being rolled onto her side as water was expelled violently from her lungs and stomach. Taking several deep breaths she felt a familiar hand rubbing her back gently and finally opened her eyes enough to see she was lying on the pool deck, McManus cuffed next to Sam. Callen was on his knees at her waist, a pained expression on his face. And Deeks was at her head, whispering words she couldn't quite make out. Again pain tore through her abdomen and chest as the last bits of water were forced from her system and she let out a small cry.

"Deeks," she tried to say but only succeeded in getting out a small squeaking noise.

Strong arms gathered her into her partner's lap and she laid her head on his chest, gripping his t-shirt desperately as his arms wrapped strongly around her. She was exhausted and everything was blurred around her but didn't want to give into the pull, terrified she wouldn't wake again.

Coughing a few more times, she realized she was shivering despite the warm evening air and an equally warm body she was pressed against.

"C-c-cold," she finally got out and it wasn't a few seconds after that she was covered with a jacket; probably Callen's.

"Did…did you get him?" she forced out.

"Yeah," Deeks responded and rubbed his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to warm her body. "Now shush, the ambulance is here."

Later Kensi wouldn't be able to recall all of what happened after the EMTs arrived. There were bits and pieces of memory. Being loaded into the ambulance, stripped of her soaking wet dress, Deeks making a stupid comment about her being stripped of her dress and then nothing until she woke up in a hospital room, sensors attached to her chest monitoring her heart rate.

Blinking her eyes several times to get them to focus, Kensi first looked around the room before taking in her partner, folded into a large leather chair in the corner, a fleece blanket covering his body.

She wasn't going to wake the sleeping man, content to watch him, but a voice from the door did it for her. "Miss Blye, you are awake," Hetty stated and Deeks immediately sat up, looking around confused, his hair going in every direction possible.

"Hetty," he said while rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"I…I just woke up," Kensi answered while watching him with a soft smile.

The small woman entered the room, looking at the pair. Her agent still looked exhausted, her skin still rather pale and had a large bruise on the side of her face where McManus had slugged her. The LAPD detective didn't look much better, dark circles were prominent under his eyes.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

"Tired."

She nodded. "As expected, and you, Mr Deeks?"

"I'm good," he said and ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to tame it.

"Well, I thought you two would like to know that the information Eric got from the computers in McManus' office was extraordinary. We not only have McManus, but the data implicates several other major players in Los Angeles. Excellent work."

"Thank you, Hetty," Kensi said.

"I spoke to the doctor, as long as everything goes well you will be released tomorrow morning. I do not wish to see you or your partner in the office for two days after that."

"Hetty…" Kensi started to protest but the older woman stopped her with just a finger.

"This is not negotiable Ms Blye. This has been a long, hard case and you deserve, and probably require, the time off to recuperate. Nearly drowning is nothing to ignore, dear."

After considering this, Kensi nodded. "Ok."

"Good then, I'll leave you two. Unless something changes, I will see both of you on Thursday."

The pair nodded and the Operations Manager left, satisfied.

Slowly Deeks got up, stretching the kinks out of his back and moved to sit on the edge of her bed, taking her hand. "That scared hell out of me last night."

"I'm sorry."

He reached up and touched her face carefully. "You don't need to be sorry; there is nothing to be sorry for. I just…" he let out a long breath, unsure how much to admit to her. "You weren't breathing and I've never been so terrified in my life. I thought for sure I was going to lose you right there."

"I didn't mean…I don't…God." She looked down at her hands, frustrated. Because she did hate that she was responsible for making him feel this particular brand of fear. The kind that for a long time she lived with on a regular basis; the fear that everyone would leave her. But this time instead of scaring her off, Kensi was more determined to make every second of however long they had together count. He did that for her, he gave her hope and promise and a future. And so without warning she changed the subject with a single word.

"Yes."

Cocking his head at her, Deeks looked utterly confused. "Yes…what?"

"I'll move in with you."

A surprised expression crossed his face. "Wait…what? Are you serious?"

"I'm always serious."

A broad smile crossed her face, but Deeks looked concerned. "I don't…are you sure this isn't some reaction to almost drowning?"

"I am reacting to almost drowning, Deeks." Carefully she leaned forward, placing her forehead on his. "Because you know what, I don't want to miss out on something great because of fear. I want my life outside work to have more meaning then it does. Shit, I want to have a life outside work."

"Ok…ok." He smiled broadly and kissed her deeply.

"Ok…" she smiled into his lips and laughed.

December 25th, 2011, 1 am

Fingers trailing up her naked spine woke Kensi from a deep sleep.

"You should know better than to wake me up when we don't have a case," she mumbled into the pillow. "I did bring my gun."

Suddenly the hand stopped and Kensi smiled to herself. "You brought your weapon?" he asked.

"Yep."

"On vacation."

"Yep."

"We're in Sonoma. Hetty said we were not on call barring an actual nuclear incident."

"I know."

"You know."

"Yep," she said and rolled over, facing him.

"I don't think I will ever actually understand how that brain of yours works."

"Probably better that way," she said and kissed his collarbone, a recently discovered sensitive spot.

"Probably," he agreed.

"So…" She pulled away and looked at him. "Why did you wake me up?" Her tone was hopeful and her fingers had started dancing on his bare chest, slowing working their way down.

"It's snowing…" he said simply and her head snapped to the large French doors at the foot of the bed, fingers frozen.

So it was. Large, fluffy flakes where falling at a quick pace past the windows. Kensi sat up slightly, pulling the thick comforter up to cover her bare chest.

"This place is the best," she breathed out and looked at him. Deeks had found a small bed and breakfast in Sonoma for them to spend the long holiday weekend. They had their own "cabin" on the property and had really only left it to eat at the main building. The rest of the time had been spent either in bed or relaxing either inside on their private deck next to the outside fireplace. It was easily the best vacation she had ever been on.

"Thought you might like it."

"Love it. You don't see that in LA," she said and sunk back onto the pillows smiling, Deeks hovering over her, an equally broad smile on his face. "You are something else."

"That's what I've heard."

"Prove it," she whispered and her fingers started sliding down his chest once more.

"Yes, ma'am…" he said and buried his face in her neck, kissing slowly. "Oh, and Kens…"

"Mmmm," she responded.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Marty."

END