Kensi had the hardest time getting to sleep two nights later. She kept thinking about Alyssa, and wanted so much to feel that little girl's body snuggled up to her own.

Alvarez was finally dead and gone, and everything had begun to return to normal. But now, for Kensi, normal just wasn't good enough.

She had begged Hetty not to relinquish custody of the little girl to Felicia Weston, the woman they knew nothing about, except that she was the one whom Maria Faraday had originally intended to be Alyssa's guardian after her death.

Hetty had insisted, though, that it was the right thing to do. She had told the whole team that because Alyssa had no other living relatives, and because Felicia Weston was the only other person Maria Faraday was known to have confided in just before her death—the move was only logical at that point. Or, at least that was how Hetty had rationalized it.

Kensi had forced herself to accept the decision before leaving the mission that day. She'd kept telling herself that it was what was best for Alyssa, and that as long as the little girl was happy—then Kensi would also find a way to be happy just knowing that.

So now Kensi laid in bed, restlessly, and thought about that precious little girl that had so drastically changed her life. Fresh tears sprung to the brunette's eyes, and she quickly buried her face deep in her soft pillow. "I miss you, Alyssa." She sobbed quietly. After a while she finally cried herself to sleep.

Deeks hadn't been coping with Alyssa's absence all that well either. He had been released from the hospital just the day before, and was finally settling back down at his place after spending so many nights at Kensi's place, and then at the hospital.

A car pulled up just outside Deeks' place. It was really late, and Deeks had already gone to bed. But a knock at his door awakened him from his deep slumber, and he wasn't the least bit happy about it.

"What the hell?" he mumbled under his breath as he rolled out of his bed. He steadied himself against the edge of the bed before moving forward. His ribs still ached a little bit from his previous ordeals.

Another knock came at the front door, and Deeks couldn't help but feel that much more agitated at whoever it was that was standing on the other side.

"I'm coming." He yelled as he entered the living room area. When he did finally reach the front door, and opened it he was surprised to see Felicia Weston standing on his front stoop.

"Ms. Weston." Deeks said with an air of surprise at the sight of the woman. Felicia Weston glanced back over her shoulder at her car, which waited just down the way.

The woman had tears in her eyes as she looked back up at the shaggy-haired detective. "I-I'm so sorry to bother you. I know its late, but-"

"No, no." Deeks said, gesturing for her to come inside. "Come in." She declined his offer though. There was a brief pause before either of them spoke again.

"The reason I'm here, Detective Deeks, is because of Alyssa. Ever since they brought her to my house, she's been unhappy. She won't sleep, she barely eats…she's-she's a mess. And I think its because she misses you and Agent Blye." Felicia Weston explained through quiet tears.

Deeks nodded in compassionate understanding. "Believe me, I know the feeling. We both do." He replied quietly.

Felicia Weston sniffled a little bit. "I know this may seem like a lot to process so late in the evening, but when I asked Alyssa what she wanted…well, here's her answer."

The woman produced a small packet of papers from underneath her overcoat, and handed them to Deeks. Deeks was a little bit confused at first, but once he opened the packet of papers he knew exactly what they were.

"Adoption papers." Deeks breathed in a low voice, suddenly looking up at the other woman who still stood on his front stoop.

Felicia Weston nodded up at the detective, and sniffled once again. "Alyssa was happy with you guys…and it just doesn't seem fair to take that away from her. You know what I mean." The woman explained. "And, I think its what Maria would have wanted too—for Alyssa to be safe and happy…and loved."

A single tear rolled down over Deeks' cheek as he suddenly really realized just how much the little girl meant to him. "Yeah, I think you're right." Deeks said with a tiny smile.

Suddenly the little girl appeared at Felicia Weston's side. In her little hands she held a small/medium sized backpack that held the few items of clothing she did have as well as a few other things.

"Sweetie." Felicia said upon seeing that the little girl had left the safety of her car.

"Hey there munchkin." Deeks said softly, looking down at the little girl. "How's it hanging?"

"I don't wanna go somewhere else." The little girl told Deeks. "I like it here with you and Ms. Kensi—I promise I'll be good, I promise." She said with a small sniffle. "Can I stay with you and Ms. Kensi, please." The little girl asked quietly, her eyes big with what little hope she had left.

Deeks lowered himself slowly to his knees so that he would be on even ground with the little girl. He looked into her sad green eyes for a brief moment before speaking again. "Is this really what you want?" he asked her softly.

She nodded, while rubbing at her eyes. Deeks smiled warmly at the little girl, and then pulled her into his arms for a hug. "We'd love to have you stay with us, munchkin." He whispered softly into the little girls' ear.

The next day arrived and Kensi, Callen, and Sam found themselves at the mission bright and early. Hetty had postponed the Debrief for their last 'Op' involving Juan Alvarez until the team had had a proper chance to heal and process everything that had happened.

Kensi had noticed that her partner was running late, but she dismissed it and told herself that he was just moving slow because he was still healing from his injuries.

Eric soon summoned the three present team members upstairs to the Op Center to begin the Debrief with Hetty.

"Kens," Callen said quietly as he walked towards the female federal agent. "How're you holding up?" he asked her. He knew that Alyssa's absence had been hard on Kensi from the very start.

She shrugged at the team's leader. "Okay, I guess. I mean, yeah I miss her. But there's nothing I can do about it." She admitted quietly.

"Hey, look at it this way. At least she'll be able to live a happy, healthy, normal life." Sam said reassuringly, from the side. "Isn't that worth letting go?"

"Yeah," Kensi said, as she wiped a few fresh tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Good morning all." Hetty said, as she finally entered the Ops Center. "I trust everyone is well rested and ready for the day."

Everyone in the room either nodded or vocalized their readiness.

Then Hetty noticed Deeks' absence, and eventually decided that his participation in the Debrief was important enough that she needed to inquire as to his whereabouts at that particular moment.

"Where is Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked her team. "I am sure I explained the importance of this meeting to him." She added.

"Late for work, I guess." Was all Kensi could say. She really did not know anything else other than that. Callen and Sam were also at a loss as to where the liaison officer could possibly be.

"Well, alright then. I guess we will have to continue without Mr. Deeks then." Hetty said at last. "Mr. Beal, if you please." Hetty said with a nod in Eric's direction.

Eric pressed a few keys on his keyboard, and several bits of information appeared across the big plasma, viewing screen located at the front of the room. "Nell." Eric said to his tech partner.

Nell nodded, stood, and walked over to Hetty's side. "Okay, so here's what we know. Maria Faraday was part of an FBI undercover Op designed to bring down Juan Alvarez and his drug cartel."

Nell touched briefly over the bits of information pertaining to the little girl and her association with the aforementioned drug dealer. Next, came the juicy bits. "What Maria Faraday didn't know, was that her FBI contact within the compound, Aziz Ansari, had secretly gone rogue."

Deeks and Alyssa strolled into the mission together. They both had excited smiles spread across their faces, and Deeks looked as if he hadn't slept a wink all night.

"Shhhh." Deeks raised a finger to his lips so that the little girl would know not to say anything that would ruin the surprise. Alyssa nodded with a smile, and then when Deeks pointed to a chair nearby, she sat down obediently and waited patiently.

Deeks carried a small stereo in one hand, and the Beach Boys CD from his car in the other hand. The shaggy-haired man quickly setup the stereo and then put the CD on to play—cranking the volume up nearly as high as it would go.

He summoned the little girl to his side then, with a snap of his fingers, lifted her up and sat her on his shoulders. Then he hit play.

The first few bars of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" began to ring out through the mission.

Kensi struggled to stay focused on the Debrief, as her mind kept drifting off into her memories of the time she'd spent with Alyssa. The first night with her, shopping with her, and going to the beach with her—these were the things she thought about.

She smiled a little when she thought about riding in the car to and from the beach, with Deeks trying to teach Alyssa the words to some of the Beach Boys songs he knew. Her favorite of the songs had been "Wouldn't it Be Nice".

"When Maria Faraday learned of Alvarez's plan for their daughter, she fled the compound and went into hiding. A few days later she was tracked down, while meeting with her friend Felicia Weston, and subsequently murdered by her ex-FBI handler Aziz Ansari. He forced her car off the road, and through a guard rail—she died instantly, and-"

"Wouldn't it be nice if we were older, then we wouldn't have to wait so long; and wouldn't it be nice to live together, in the kind of world where we belong." The music drifted up into the Ops Centre from the downstairs area, and everyone in the room could tell that Deeks was singing along with it.

Kensi listened carefully to the singing that was coming from downstairs, and she almost instantly knew who it was that was singing. It was Deeks. He was singing along with the Beach Boys CD he always kept in his Chevy Malibu.

"What the hell?" Callen looked up over his shoulder towards the entrance to Ops. "Is that-?"

"Deeks? Sounds like it." Sam said, with a weird expression painted across his face. "He sounds a little off-key though." Sam pointed out.

"Kind of off-key?" Callen arched an eyebrow at his partner, and gave a tiny smirk. Across the way Sam stifled a small laugh.

"It is Deeks." Kensi confirmed the statement made by the muscular black man.

"Wow, he's really making an ass of himself this morning." Callen said, with a shake of his head.

As they continued to listen they began to notice the second voice singing along with Deeks and the music. The second voice made Kensi's breath catch in her throat, and fresh tears then sprang into her eyes.

"You know its gonna make it that much better, when we can say goodnight and stay together." The two voices sang together as best as they could from downstairs.

"Alyssa." Kensi breathed the little girls' name, and then without warning turned and bolted for the staircase.

Kensi reached the edge of the staircase, and looked down to see Alyssa sitting on Deeks' shoulders singing along with Deeks and the stereo near the bullpen area.

"Morning Sunshine!" Deeks called up to his partner with a smile. "Brought someone here to see you."

"Alyssa," Kensi cried, as she turned and raced down the staircase towards the little girl.

Kensi reached the bottom of the stair and then in two or three more steps she was at Deeks' side. Deeks gently lowered the little girl down into Kensi's outstretched arms. "I've missed you so much." Kensi said softly in the little girls' ear as she hugged her.

"Marty said I could live you guys." Alyssa said, as she gently returned the older woman's hug.

Kensi pulled back a little, and looked into Alyssa's eyes for a brief moment. Then she turned her attention to Deeks who was just turning off the stereo. "I was visited by an angel last night," he told his partner. "Apparently, someone's been a little unhappy with her living arrangements." He added.

When Deeks finally turned back around he had the packet of papers in his hands, given to him by Felicia Weston the night before, and he then showed them to Kensi.

"I've already signed them. That means your John Hancock is all that's needed to make it official." He said with a grin as he gave the packet a small shake. "That is…if you're interested."

Kensi looked at the little girl again, and studied her face for a moment. "Are you sure that's what you want?" Kensi asked softly.

Alyssa rested her head against Kensi's shoulder, and wrapped her arms around the woman's neck. "Yes." Alyssa replied quietly.

Callen, Sam, Eric, Nell, and Hetty had all appeared at the top of the staircase by then, and had been watching the whole scene from above. Someone sniffled a little bit.

"Sam?" Callen said without looking.

"What? My allergies are acting up." Sam tried.

"You don't have allergies, Sam. You're crying, aren't you?" Callen said with clear amusement.

"Can it G." Sam threw back. "Real men aren't afraid to cry."

"Just keep telling yourself that." Callen replied, with a chuckle.

"Well, I think its very manly Sam." Nell chimed in from the side.

"Thank you Nell." Sam replied, as he shot Callen a dirty look.

Deeks looked from the guys upstairs back to Kensi. "So what do you say? You think you're ready…Mom?"

Kensi thought for a moment, and then nodded as a smile crossed her tear stained face. "Yes. I think I am."

"Hey Hetty, you think we can get a rain check on that Debrief." Deeks called up to the older woman. "You know, give us time to finalize the adoption." He added.

"I think perhaps we can work something out." Hetty replied after a brief moment of thought. "After all, I guess this is a rather special occasion." A smile slowly made its way across the tiny woman's face.

"Go on, get going." Hetty said at last. "All of you take the day off—we will resume the Debrief tomorrow." She winked down at Kensi as she spoke.

Kensi smiled appreciatively up at the tiny woman, and gave a slight nod. "Thanks Hetty." Kensi said to the Operations Manager.

The sun was just beginning to set low in the sky as Deeks pulled the Chevy Malibu to a slow stop just outside a small brick house located about 10 minutes away from Deeks' favorite beach spot.

It was a small house that had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a little swimming pool, palm trees in the front and back yards, and a gorgeous stone walkway that led up to the front door.

Alyssa was fast asleep in the back seat of the car, and Kensi sat with her head propped against the window in the front passenger's seat.

They had spent most of the day getting Alyssa's adoption finalized. It had been a long and trying day, but they left that dreadful place filled with new happiness in their lives. This happiness came from the knowledge that Alyssa was finally theirs.

Deeks put the car in park, and then sat back in his seat staring up at the house. He let out a small sigh as he looked over at Kensi. "What do you think?" he asked her.

"About what?" she asked, obviously clueless as to what he was talking about. Deeks pointed through the windshield at the car. Kensi sat up straight and looked at it for a long moment. "The house?"

"Yeah, the house." Deeks replied, with a shake of his head.

"Its great. Why?"

"Could you live there?" Deeks asked the brunette, eyeing her as he spoke. "You know, like settle down and raise a little family—that kind of thing?"

Kensi thought for a moment before answering. "Yeah, I guess I could." She answered finally.

"Could you live here…with me?" Deeks asked next, looking fully at the beautiful brunette sitting in the seat beside him. His heart was beating frantically, but he tried to hide that fact from her. He did not want to seem nervous around her about things like this.

Kensi looked into Deeks' eyes for a second or so. It clicked, suddenly, what the shaggy-haired man was pushing at. She began to feel a little nervous and ashamed at the same time.

"Deeks, I-" She paused and took a deep breath to steady her nerves before continuing. "I know what you're thinking. But I'm just not the 'housewife' type." She spoke softly, and avoided direct eye contact with him. "I mean-"

Deeks laid his hand on top of hers, which rested in her lap. "Kens, I don't expect you to turn into some 1950s 'I Love Lucy' poster wife." He said, with a humorous flair. "I just want you. You and Alyssa…and Me—All of us, together in that house." He said motioning with his free hand towards the little house.

Kensi looked up at Deeks then, and searched his eyes for something—what, she did not really know at that point.

"Deeks, are-are we…are we even." She blew out a frustrated sigh as she struggled to get the right words out. "Look, I know we've already had…I mean, we've-we've done-" Damn, this was harder than she'd ever thought it would be.

Deeks chuckled at the memory he was reliving. "You mean 'it'." He finished for her. "As in 'Sex'." He added. "And you thought that's all I wanted from you…just a one night stand."

Kensi nodded. "Well, I mean we haven't really talked about it yet." She pointed out.

Deeks rolled his eyes at the woman next to him. "Well yeah, I was hit by car—that kind of delayed things I think. Then you got kidnapped, nice job by the way." He said jokingly.

Kensi couldn't help but laugh at his sense of humor.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She agreed with a small chuckle. She intertwined the fingers of one of her hands with his, the way most of the couples she'd seen in her life always did, as they sat there.

"Besides, I don't think it would be fair to Alyssa to have be shuffled between two houses for the rest of her childhood, ya know?" Deeks told her.

"You're right." Kensi said with a small nod. Then she looked up at Deeks. "This…is what I want, I think. You think maybe I could sleep on it tonight, and give you my answer in the morning?"

"I mean I don't want to say yes, and then down the road-" she started to say.

"-Regret it?" Deeks suggested.

Kensi nodded silently at the blue-eyed man liaison officer. "It just wouldn't be fair to you, if I did that."

Deeks shrugged. "I'll give you until the end of the month if you want it." He said with a grin.

Kensi smiled at Deeks, and then leaned over the space between the two seats and kissed him on the lips. When they finally parted from their kiss, Deeks reached up and threw the car back into drive.

"Where are we going now?" Kensi asked, as she settled back into her seat.

"Home." He told her. "More specifically, your home." He added. "Munchkin back there had already expired on us, and I'm pretty sure your getting close to doing the same."

"It's been a long day." Kensi said, with a sigh.

"Sure has." Deeks agreed. "But, I think it was worth it."

Kensi nodded. "I do too."

…THE END…

…F.Y.I. Even though this is technically the final chapter in this series, for those of you who are interested I do have several one-shots planned as follow-ups. These one-shots will show Deeks and Kensi's lives a little later down the road. I think you guys will really like how things turn out for our heroes.

P.S. The first of the one-shots will be called 'Surprise', and in it Kensi and the gang throw Deeks a birthday party. His biggest birthday surprise comes from Kensi…and it is quite the doozie I must say. Look for it to be posted sometime within the next week or so.

Thanks again for reading you guys, and don't forget to comment/review. Enjoy!