"What the hell have you done?" Kensi yelled at Sam and Callen, who were exchanging looks of pure, unrestrained panic. While Callen was rooted to the spot, Sam actually took a couple of steps back. Deeks continued to choke and gag but now his eyes were rolling about horribly.

"You idiots!" Kensi bawled. Under the circumstances, she felt that was quite restrained. If Deeks had not retained his firm grip of her hand throughout his performance, she would not have been responsible for what she'd said. She was highly tempted to throw herself on his chest and start sobbing loudly, but remembered his broken ribs just in time. Instead, she contened herself with throwing a furious glare at the two agents and then caught sight of Nell. The younger woman looked completely terrified and Kensi realised the joke had gone too far

"Okay Marty, that's enough." She gave his hand a firm squeeze to let him know she meant business. "You're upsetting Nell.

His eyes returned to normal in an instance. "Sorry about that, Nell. But you guys deserved that. That was really below the belt. If that neurosurgeon hadn't been in earlier to inspect his handiwork, you could have really had me going."

"And don't even think about trying to get him back for that – or I'll set Nell onto you," Kensi warned, pulling the fiercest face she could. "So back off or you'll be hobbling around for a week - you know her preferred method of dealing with anyone who hurts Deeks."

Callen looked at them could never resist having a final quip. "Is it just me, or do Deeks and Kensi have that whole Brat Pitt/Angelina Jolie "Mr and Mrs Smith" vibe going on?"

"Good day at the office, Fern sweetie?

"How many times to I have to tell you I hate that name? It sounds like a hooker."

"Takes me back to when we first met and you made up that story about emailing those dirty photos of yourself to Daniel Zuma. I couldn't sleep for a week after that." He tilted his head back and looked up at her, eyes crinkling in the hot sun that beat down onto the patio. "You look tired."

"You look like you've done nothing but lie here in the sun all day." Kensi kicked off her shoes and let out a small sigh of pleasure. "It was a long day. We really miss you."

"I know you do."

"You really are a conceited pig sometimes."

"Yeah, but you still love me. Don't you?"

"You know I do. Want me to rub some lotion on you?"

Marty Deeks let out a low groan. "You know how to say all the right things, Fern."

THE END

To be continued in FORMER GLORY