Hi! So this is my first NCIS: LA fanfic, and it will be chock-full of Densi goodness.

Disclaimer: Though I am often confused with Shane Brennan (sarcasm), NCIS: Los Angeles does not belong to me.

Kensi groaned internally as she picked up her next folder of paperwork. Her work space was drowning in those fat manila bringers of boredom. How long had she been hunched over her desk? Four hours? That couldn't be good for her posture. She sat up to crack her back and glanced over at her teammates.

Sam had two neatly stacked piles and was diligently working on a particularly fat file. Kensi looked next at his partner. Callen and Sam had never seemed more opposite.

Callen had various files strewn half-hazardly across his desk and he was leaning back in his chair. Sleeping. Kensi snorted and shook her head as her eyes automatically shifted over to Deeks. It had become a habit of hers to look over at him whenever they were working – a bad habit. He was sitting with his head in his hands and gazing morosely at a towering stack of paperwork.

"Can't we just hire someone to do all this for us?" he asked glumly.

"That's what I did" Hetty said as she suddenly appeared in the bullpen. How she did that was still a mystery to Kensi.

"Right! So if we did too, you should be flattered! We'd be following in your sneaky ninja footsteps."

Hetty threw Deeks a look to shut him up. "I'm here because we have a new assignment."

"Great, more paperwork" Sam grumbled. Callen, whose eyes had sprung open the second he heard Hetty's voice, shot him a smirk as they all stood up and started for the stairs. It was then that Eric bounded to the railing and prepared to whistle, but Hetty cut him off.

"Mr. Beale, there is no need. We're already on our way." His shoulders slumped and he trudged back inside.

"Poor guy, always getting shot down" Deeks murmured.

"He's not the only one" Kensi chirped. Deeks frowned at her briefly as they walked through the automatic sliding doors. For two weeks he'd been trying to pick up this girl Trish from a new bar he'd found. Kensi had enough stress in her life without also having to listen to Deeks whine nonstop about this unattainable goddess. She huffed quietly. This Trish girl probably wasn't so hot.

She took her usual place leaning against the center table with the love struck, scruffy blonde. Why was she even so bothered by this? She and Deeks always bragged and teased and argued about this kind of stuff, which drove Callen and Sam mad of course, but added to their usual banter. And it was a harmless little flirting game – so what was so different about this time? Sure, Deeks had never been so invested in a girl before and sure he was her partner and sure they had a "thing" an- no.

Stop. Their "thing" wasn't official. It wasn't real. She was almost relieved when that little chat about their partnership was interrupted because it seemed to be taking a turn for the worst. To emotions. Emotions she didn't – she couldn't – voice to Deeks. They were just partners. Just partners. She had to keep telling herself that. Kensi put her thoughts on hold as Eric stood up to join Nell by the display board. He tapped on his tablet and a driver's license appeared on the screen.

"Meet Aaron Tucker, a Navy Cryptologist for six years. But don't get too attached because…" he tapped his tablet again, bringing up new photos, "He's dead."

There were multiple pictures of his sprawled body with a small caliber hole right through the heart. His skin had lost its rosy glow from the Navy ID photo and paled to that deathly color Kensi knew all too well, and his warm brown eyes had become misty and unseeing. Poor guy.

Callen looked to Eric. "We know why he was killed?"

Eric shook his head and Nell piped up.

"All we have to go on is his phone – which unfortunately, is heavily encrypted and is going to take all of Eric and my skills to crack – and this note."

She grabbed the tablet out of Eric's hands and pulled up one more photo. It was somewhat crumpled piece of paper with typing on it:

A.T.,

Meet at the Palomar Hotel at 8 sharp this Saturday. Come alone. If you don't have the info, you know the consequences.

Bring it, or else.

- The man in the red tie

"Or else? This guy sure has a flair for the dramatic" Deeks mused.

Sam ignored Deeks' comment and looked thoughtfully at the note. "A.T. stands for Aaron Tucker, but what information?"

"Who's this mysterious man in the red tie?" Callen added.

"And it's only Friday, why is Tucker already dead?" Kensi finished.

Eric and Nell shrugged simultaneously and Hetty stepped forward.

"This case is quite the mystery, but Tucker has quite impressive security clearance, so this talk of information could pose a threat to national security. We must determine if anything significant has been leaked."

Eric retrieved his tablet from the small redhead with the least threatening glare Kensi had ever seen. "Callen and Sam, we've sent you Tucker's CO's information, and Kensi and Deeks, you have the wife's address on your phones."

"Keep me apprised" Hetty said, and the team took that as their cue to leave.

Deeks sighed for the nth time that day as he slammed his car door shut.

"Shot through the heart, I know what that feels like."

Kensi rolled her eyes. "No, you don't. But if you keep this whining up, I just might show you."

Deeks pouted at her as they walked up the porch steps. "You're my partner; you're supposed to be supportive."

"I thought that's what your bras were for, Deeks."

"Are you saying I have man boobs? Is that what you're saying?"

"Maybe." Kensi said with a grin as she knocked on the door and watched Deeks touch his chest self-consciously. He was too easy.

A petite brunette woman answered the door and Kensi and Deeks held up their badges.

"Aubrey?"

The woman nodded.

"I'm NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye and this is my partner, Marty Deeks. Can we come in?"

Aubrey nodded and opened the door further for them.

"How come I don't get a 'Special Agent' introduction?" Deeks whispered in her ear as they followed Aubrey to the living room.

His breath was hot and sent shivers down her spine, so it was all she could do to elbow him lightly in the stomach since words seemed to be failing her. She refocused herself as they sat across from the now-worried woman.

"NCIS? Does this have something to do with Aaron?"

"Yes, and I'm afraid we have some bad news." Deeks said calmly. "Your husband was found dead this morning."

She gasped and placed a hand over her mouth, eyes brimming with tears.

"I know this is difficult Aubrey," Kensi said soothingly, "but do you remember if he said he was going somewhere last night?"

"He said he was going to meet up with an old friend, and that he would be back by tonight."

"Was he acting strange lately? Nervous?"

She shook her head and tried to wipe away the tears falling down her face. "No, he was fine. He was more than fine! He seemed so happy."

She regained some of her composure and continued: "He works at Puget Sound up in Washington for a few weeks every month, but he came back early, on Saturday. He said he wanted to surprise me. Like he wanted to make up for all the time he'd spent away."

Her lip quivered and a new batch of tears ran down her cheeks. She spoke rapidly now, with sobs interspersed between every few words.

"I don – I don't know h – how this happened!" She dropped her head into her hands.

Kensi handed the woman a tissue and glanced over at Deeks who had a funny expression on his face. He leaned in and spoke up.

"How did you meet him?"

Aubrey sniffed and smiled sadly. "My brother Caelan introduced us about five years ago. They both work as cryptologists, and since Aaron doesn't have much family left, Caelan brought him home for all the major holidays. I found myself spending a lot more time with him, and things just sort of fell into place. He proposed a year later, and of course I said yes. He was everything I could have every hoped for." Her smile faltered. "And now he's gone."

Kensi realized they probably weren't going to get any more relevant information out of her. She didn't seem to know anything, and she probably just wanted some time to herself. Kensi reached out and squeezed the grieving woman's hand. "We are so sorry for your loss. If you can remember anything or if you just want to talk, here's my card. Please, don't hesitate to call."

Aubrey nodded but remained rooted to the couch, so the two agents walked themselves to the door. As Kensi pulled it shut behind her, she exhaled. That part always sucked. Deeks seemed oddly affected though, since he still had that weird expression on his face and remained silent as they walked to the car. Deeks being quiet? Something was definitely up. She finally decided to say something as they buckled themselves in.

"Hey, Mr. Stoic. You okay?"

"Yeah. Aubrey just got me thinking…"

"Oh?"

"I'm done with Trish. She doesn't really have that much going for her. I mean, I'd never feel as strongly for her as Aubrey did for her husband. And I want that. I want someone who can make me feel that passionate. I want that connection."

Kensi was shocked at his confession. "Wow Deeks, that was actually… deep."

He shifted in his seat. "Besides, she was maybe an eight. I can totally do better."

"And the truth emerges" Kensi said dryly. But she couldn't help smiling triumphantly. Take that Trish, you're only an eight! She sat up straighter in her seat because she herself was most definitely a ten. A hard, rockin', sexy ten.

Deeks looked at her questioningly. "Why are you so happy?"

"I'm always happy."

"Do you smell that? Yeah, it's smoke because somebody's pants are on fire!"

Kensi rolled her eyes at him; someday those muscles would get tired. "Just call Eric and tell him to get Callen and Sam to talk to the brother, Caelan."

Deeks pulled out his phone but squinted at Kensi suspiciously. Did he suspect she was glad he was giving up on Trish? No, he couldn't. Because she didn't like him that way and neither did he.

…right?

Reviews are appreciated!