A/N: How the heck did I get over 200 reviews? I LOVE YOU GUYS! Okay well, I'm hard at work writing the SEQUEL to this story, so if you want sneak peeks and all that jazz, remember to check my tumblr- garnetgivealittlelove.

And again- I love you guys!

DISCLAIMER: Kensi, Deeks, Callen, Sam, Hetty, Eric, and Nell are sadly not my creation. As if I'm that original!

Six months later . . .

Kensi signs the bottom of the report with a self-satisfied sigh, and moves it over to her stack of completed paperwork. She can feel Deeks' mischievous gaze on her but she keeps her focus resolutely on her work. Beside her, Callen chuckles and shakes his head.

A crumpled ball of paper suddenly lands on her desk and Kensi looks up in surprise.

"Seriously, Deeks?" She grabs the paper ball and throws it back at him, hitting him squarely in the face. He surprises her by doing nothing, merely staring at her dreamil for a moment.

"Is he in a trance?" Callen asks. Kensi grins.

"I think there's a bit of drool," Sam observes.

"He's making little love eyeballs, I think," Callen adds, "I can practically hear him saying-"

"-Kiss me, Kensi!" Sam finishes, imitating Deeks' surfer drawl. Kensi turns to Deeks, eyebrows raised in a teasing grin.

"You want a kiss, babe?" she asks, walking over to his desk and leaning forward closer to him. He stares at her, his expression awed and wide-eyed. Kensi grins and leans forward, pressing a quick and light kiss to his lips."Oh yeah," she says to Callen and Sam as she leans back. "Love eyeballs for sure."

"Like you aren't making them back at me as well," Deeks mutters. Kensi winks at him.

She had no idea how easy a relationship with Deeks could be. If she did, she would have jumped right in earlier.

Hetty had been surprisingly unsurprised when they came to her to inform her of their relationship. She had given them a warning, telling them that their relationship could not get in the way of their work, but was otherwise okay with them being a couple.

Sam and Callen kept them in check at work (even though most of the self-control issues stemmed from Deeks, not Kensi). They constantly teased them, especially on the days when they would come into work together. Nell was not at all surprised when Kensi came to her and told her everything. She, in fact, said that she and Eric had a bet going on if the op would get them together.

"Miss Blye!" Hetty enters, holding a telephone. "I have Lucy Wilson on the phone for you." Kensi's eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she glances over at Deeks. "Mr. Beale is redirecting the call to your cell phone."

Wordlessly, Deeks takes Callen's chair and scoots it over toward Kensi's. She takes the hint and gives him a nod of thanks, sitting down. Callen and Sam look curious, but instead they move over to the couch, chatting away.

She walks over to her chair and sits down. She reaches for his hand and gives it a squeeze before picking up her phone.

"This is Kensi," she says, biting her bottom lip.

"Hello Agent Blye," comes a cool and collected voice from the other line. "I just thought that since you've taken such an interest in my father, you would want to know that he is dead." Her voice cracks on the last word with grief.

"I am . . . " Kensi searches for the right word, her fingers dancing nervously on her desk. "I am sorry for your loss, Lucy." The line is silent for a long moment.

"There's a small coffee shop near the beach," Lucy says finally. "Meet me there at eleven o'clock tomorrow."

"Okay," is all that Kensi can muster. Lucy hangs up.

Kensi turns to Deeks, who is watching her carefully.

"You good, Kens?" Deeks asks, leaning into her. Kensi sighs heavily, closing her eyes and leaning into him.

"I'm fine," she whispers. Deeks arches an eyebrow at her, unbelieving. "Really, Deeks, I am. I-I'm good, okay?"

"Then what's the matter?" he asks. Kensi sighs.

"I liked her, you know that. But in the end-"

"-You had to do your job. There's nothing wrong with that, Kens." Kensi takes a deep breath and leans closer to Deeks, touching their foreheads.

"You know how you call me a honey badger?" she asks softly. "Well, this is one thing we don't have in common. I do care." She sighs. "I know how it feels to lose a father-"

"I know that," Deeks says softly, his hand moving to brush a strand of hair out of her face. She leans into the touch.

"She just lost hers, and I-we accused her and him of-"

"The evidence pointed to her Kens, we did our jobs," Deeks murmurs, pulling back slightly and resting his palm on her cheek. "You did yours."

"I know," Kensi murmurs, "But still- I just . . ."

"You need to meet with her tomorrow," Deeks concludes gently. "I'll go with you."

"No," Kensi declines, "No I need to do this alone." She stands up, moving away from Deeks. "Will I see you tonight?" Deeks grins at her and winks.

"You have to ask me." Kensi opens her mouth to object, but he interrupts her. "And say please."

"Deeks-" Kensi finally objects, turning to him.

"Guess you'll be alone tonight then," Deeks says smugly, shrugging with nonchalance.

"I never-" Deeks stands up and moves behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist.

"Ask, Kens." She won't, she won't because she-

"Please come over Deeks," she murmurs, turning in his arms. "I'll make it worth your while." Deeks leans in and plants a quick kiss on her lips.

"That wasn't asking . . . but I'll take it."

The next morning (*cough AFTER cough*)

Waking up in his arms like this is something Kensi doesn't ever think she'll get used to. But she hopes she will. She hopes he'll be around long enough for her to get used to it. She shifts in his sleepy embrace and presses a gentle kiss to the hollow of his throat.

He comes to slightly, eyes fluttering open. He grins, a sleepy, purely happy grin that makes Kensi chuckle and want to kiss him again.

So she does.

She loves it, being able to kiss him whenever she wants (except around Hetty).

The kiss is messy and slow, but Kensi doesn't mind. It is the morning after all, and after last night . . . well, she just doesn't have too much energy left this morning to do anything more than lazily kiss him.

"Nice way to wake me up," Deeks murmurs, yawning. Kensi chuckles.

"What, with a kiss?"

"I am a sleeping beauty," Deeks says with a wink. "Looks like true love's kiss can conquer all."

True love's kiss?

Kensi's stomach does this weird flip thing and the next thing she knows, she's kissing him again.

He breaks the kiss to (what else?) talk. "You ready for lunch with Lucy today?"

Ah, yes. That. "Not really."

"I can come with you, if you-"

"No, Deeks, I'm fine." She gives him one last kiss before hopping out of bed to track down some clothes. "But thank you."

"Well that's good, 'cause I have lunch plans anyways," Deeks says with a grin. Kensi turns around, curious.

"With who?"

Deeks shrugs, sighing coyly. "No one important."

Lucy is dressed in a casual black dressed, and her luxurious red hair is combed back into a french braid. Kensi can tell that she's been crying. She sits down across from her and sits patiently, studying the other woman.

"He died while I was in the house with your two menn the bo," Lucy says quietly. "I got the call from my brother about an hour after you let me out. Apparently he had been trying to get a hold of me all day."

"I'm sorry," Kensi says earnestly, "But I can't regret doing my job."

Lucy stares at her, eyes guarded. "I know you can't." She pauses and takes a sip of her coffee, staring out of the window. "I blamed you, you know. I couldn't really blame your partner, he never pretended to be my friend like you did."

"I wasn't completely pretending," Kensi says, "You were the most sane woman at that retreat." Lucy's mouth twitches into a ghost of a smile.

"I could say the same for you," she replies quietly. "I tried hating you. I thought it would be easier to hate you than to face the . . . consequences of Daddy's death."

"I lost my father too," Kensi says, "I know what you are going through." Lucy nods, eyes still averted.

"So what I'm saying is . . . I don't want to hate anymore. I'm not a part of that life anymore, I'm tired of revenge and hatred and anger." She finally looks Kensi in the eye. "So what I'm saying is . . . I apologize and I forgive you." Kensi smiles.

"I apologize and forgive you too," she says. Lucy holds out her hand, and the two women shake. "You'd make a decent Agent, you know." Lucy smirks.

"Who knows." The two sit in silence for a few moments before Lucy speaks up again. "I was in touch with Bianca recently. Craig left her."

"Oh, no," Kensi murmurs.

"She was cheating on him again, apparently," Lucy says, "But she's doing good for herself now. She got cast in some ballet production in Chicago three months ago."

"Really?" Kensi says in surprise, "Good."

Lucy takes a final sip of her coffee and dips her head in farewell. "Thank you for meeting me, Kensi."

"Thank you," Kensi responds.

"Could we meet again?" Lucy asks. Kensi hesitates and then finally nods.

"I'd like that."

One month later . . .

The only thing keeping Kensi completely steady is Deeks' arm wrapped securely around her waist. She leans into him as they stand in the back of the kindergarten classroom, watching the widowed Callie Neilson put on a happy face for the fifteen or so children sitting around her.

"Still wanting mutant assassins?" Kensi mutters to Deeks as the children babble while Callie tries to speak.

"Maybe," he answers coyly, winking when she looks up at him in surprise.

"They remind me of you," Kensi observes. Deeks arches an eyebrow at her.

"Come again?"

"They don't shut up," she reasons playfully, chuckling softly when he pulls her closer and gently tickles her waist with the hand resting there.

A few moments later, Callie dismisses the class and another teacher comes to pick them up for dismissal. Kensi can't help but notice the sympathetic glance the teacher gives the woman before closing the door.

They walk forward together and don't miss the slight moisture in Callie's eyes as she regards them. The young widow sets down her folder and stands a little straighter.

"Agent Blye and Detective Deeks?" she asks softly, holding out her hand. Kensi shakes first, then Deeks.

"Yes," Kensi says with a small smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss . . ."

"Mrs. Neilson will do," Callie says softly, "Or just Callie." Kensi smiles earnestly at the lady's devotion.

"Well, Callie, we really are glad to meet you," Deeks says.

"Sit down, please," Callie offers, "Though I'm afraid they're a bit small." Kensi chuckles. Deeks pulls her in closer.

"Laugh like that more often," he murmurs. Kensi nudges him.

"So you two are together?" Callie asks softly. It's more of an observation than a legitimate question.

"Yes," Deeks says. Callie smiles ruefully.

"Cherish every second," she advises, "Never waste time because you never know . . ." she trails off and shuts her eyes to block out tears.

"We will," Kensi promises, turning and looking over at Deeks. "We do already, I think."

Callie smiles.

"Good, good." She pauses for a moment, and then stands up, approaching Kensi and Deeks. Without warning she pulls the two into a hug. "Thank you," she whispers, "Thank you for bringing my family closure."

"It's nothing," Kensi replies, hugging her back. Callie pulls back, looking her in the eye.

"No. It's everything."

They arrive back at the Mission arm in arm, gaining lots of teasing from Sam and Callen. But Kensi doesn't mind, it's all a part of their dynamic, which thank God hasn't changed.

"Mr. Deeks!" Hetty says as they reach their desks. Kensi raises her eyebrows at him but he just smiles and shakes his head at her. "You had something you wished to discuss with me."

"Yes, Hetty, here I come," Deeks responds, nudging Kensi slightly before following Hetty to her desk.

The exchange piques the interest of Sam and Callen, who both look up from their paperwork and at Kensi, who is trying to devise a method to writhe what Deeks wants to discuss with Hetty out of him tonight.

"So Kensi . . . know what that was about?" Callen asks all too innocently.

And here they go.

"Actually, Callen, I have no idea," Kensi deadpans. "So you can get back to-"

"I'll bet it's about the PDA," Sam says with a smirk, "Because I, personally, have seen way too much already." Kensi rolls her eyes.

"We're not that obvious!" she huffs. Sam and Callen exchange an incredulous glance.

"You're kidding me right?" Callen snorts.

"Let us direct your memory back to . . . the boathouse," Sam begins.

"And Ops . . ." Callen adds, "-and that one time at the door-"

"I get your point!" Kensi snaps. Callen and Sam laugh.

In her defense, Kensi thinks, she and Deeks have been very good about controlling themselves at work, mostly because of Hetty's one condition to allowing them to remain partners. But damn, sometimes she finds it really difficult. Especially when she sees him bring down a suspect or shoot down a door or even make some snarky comment about their case. Now that she can openly admit how attracted to him she is, she has a whole new problem.

Not broadcasting that attraction to the world.

In the field, she and Deeks still have each others' backs. For the first month or two, Callen and Sam kept a wary eye on them in the field, but they soon realized they had little to worry about. To Kensi's intense pleasure, Deeks was and is still her partner. Just now . . . in more ways than one.

"So how are things with Deeks?" Callen asks. His eyes wander down to her left hand.

"Very unobvious of you, Callen," Kensi says. "And things with Deeks are nice," she answers coyly, biting her bottom lip and staring down at her paperwork.

"Nice how?" Sam ventures. Kensi just keeps doing her paperwork with a smirk.

"I am not having this conversation with you two," she says, shaking her head and chuckling.

"You two seem pretty . . . endgame lately," Callen observes, causing Kensi to drop her pen in surprise.

"D-do we now?" she stammers.

"G has a point," Sam says, moving in closer. "You two discussed . . . ?" Kensi's eyes widen.

"Even if we have, why would I tell you about it?" she asks.

"Because we're a team," Callen says, "And as your team leader I order you to tell me."

"Tell you what?" comes Deeks' voice from behind their little huddle. Kensi buries her head in her arms and groans. "What did you do to my partner?" he asks, laughing.

"It's not funny," Kensi mutters, her eyes shooting daggers at Sam and Callen, who still look very amused.

"On the contrary," comes Hetty's voice too, and it's only Deeks' teasing gaze that keeps her from hiding in her crossed arms again. "It appears that Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna find this situation quite humorous."

"You too, Hetty?" Kensi asks. Hetty merely pauses, smiles at her, looks at Deeks, and then walks away. Kensi turns to Deeks, attempting to change the subject.

"So what were you talking to Hetty about?" she asks. "You finally decided to take Urban Warfare?" Callen and Sam laugh, and Kensi is grateful for the distraction.

"I just had a few questions for her is all," Deeks replies, the same coyness Kensi was employing earlier now in his voice.

"What kind of questions?" Kensi asks. Deeks just winks.

"You ready to go?" he asks. "I am your ride, after all."

"Don't think I'll let this drop," Kensi warns him sternly, her tone offset by the sparkle in her eyes. "And yes, I'm ready."

"You two behave now," Callen says with a smirk.

"Yeah, keep Deeks out of trouble," Sam adds.

Kensi grins and takes Deeks' offered arm.

"You gonna keep me out of trouble?" Deeks murmurs teasingly.

"Never," Kensi whispers.

"Kens . . . Kens, wake up," Deeks whispers, his voice still raspy from lack of use during sleep. Kensi groans and turns, burying her face in her pillow. She feels his fingers danging along her stomach and although she knows what's coming, she can't react fast enough to stop it.

He begins to tickle her and before she knows it, he's hovering over her, grinning triumphantly. She manages to kick him away (though he knows that if she really wanted to cause serious damage, she could have kicked harder).

"Alright, alright!" she squeaks before he can get on top of her. "I'm up, Deeks." She grabs her pillow and throws it at his face. "You better have a good reason for waking me up at-" she glances at her clock, "-six in the morning!"

Deeks grins cheekily. "I do." Kensi then notices his attire. He's dressed in his surfing bodysuit.

"Deeks, why-"

"You're coming to the beach with me."

"This early?" They usually go in the afternoons or evenings.

"I have breakfast set up there." The mention of food wakes Kensi up completely. "Knew that would get you up," he snickers. Kensi shoves him gently.

"Hey," she mutters, suppressing her foolishly happy grin by leaning over and kissing him.

A few kisses later, Kensi pulls away to change before she ends up keeping Deeks in bed all morning. She grabs the same bathing suit she wore at Lake Affetto and slips it on, layering a hoodie and denim shorts over it.

"Hot," Deeks observes when she enters his bedroom from the bathroom. She rolls her eyes and approaches him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Very articulate of you," she teases. "Now take me to the food."

Said food is only a short drive away, and Kensi's heart warms when she thinks of how early Deeks must have risen to set all of this up. He leaves her with the picnic basket and Monty to surf for about an hour.

She watches him as he gracefully navigates the waves, enjoying the sight of the ease at which his body moves. She loves the peace that radiates from him in the ocean Sometimes when she decides to let herself get wet, she catches his eye in the ocean, and there, they lack their storminess or subtext. They're just . . . blue.

She laughs out loud when a wave gets the better of him and he disappears momentarily beneath the water. When his face pops up she raises her arms and gives him a thumbs-up. He returns the gesture, making her laugh again.

For the remainder of the hour, she reads a book she had packed and eats two chocolate doughnuts. She's nibbling on her third chocolate doughnut when she hears his footsteps approaching.

He sits down beside her as she looks up and sets her book aside.

"How was the water?" she asks.

"Decent swell," he says, "But I like this much better." He leans in and kisses her for several moments, his lips soft and languid against hers. She pulls away, grinning at him.

"You still haven't told me why you went to talk to Hetty," she says. Deeks stares at her for a long moment, his eyes probing and full of nothing but love.

"I love you, Kens," he says, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you too," she replies, surprised at how easy it has become for her to say those words. "More than doughnuts," she adds lightly, pressing a quick kiss on his nose.

"That's a lot," Deeks murmurs teasingly. "Hey Kens, do me a favor?"

"Sure," she replies. He takes a deep breath and stares at her for another long moment.

"First . . . don't hit me. Second . . . close your eyes." Kensi arches an eyebrow.

"You gonna kiss me?" she asks teasingly.

"Just close your eyes," Deeks says, his hand inching towards his surfing bag. Kensi gives him a slightly questioning look but complies, crossing her legs and putting her hands in her lap. She hears some shuffling, and then . . .

"Keep your eyes closed, but stand up." Kensi's heart leaps a bit, and she briefly wonders if- "Kens." She stands up, her hands trembling slightly. "Open your eyes."

"Oh my God," she whispers.

She can see what he's about to do in his eyes. One arm is behind his back, and that can only mean-

Oh my God.

"Kensi Marie Blye," Deeks says, his voice shaking slightly but radiating certainty, "You have got to be the most difficult woman I have ever met. For two years I tried to pass off what I felt as friendship, fun, but despite how frustrating and distant and sometimes violent you were, I fell head over heels in love with you. I love everything about you Kens. I love your eyes, your hair, your-"

"Don't say body," Kensi teases, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. Deeks chuckles.

"I love how you interrupt me. I love how you always try to be in charge and I love how you never stop fighting, no matter how hard things get."

"Deeks . . ." she whispers, but he shushes her and continues.

"I love eating burgers and drinking beer with you while watching classic musicals, Titanic, or Top Model. I love how despite your best efforts, I've turned you into a cuddler."

"I am not a-" Kensi objects despite herself.

"Not yet, Kens, I'm almost there."

"Where?"

"There, Kens, now let me finish. I love you, honey badger. I love you like I've never loved anything or anyone in my entire life. And I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep this 'thing' we have going for longer than a partnership."

And then, he gets down on one knee.

"I went to lunch with your mother last month, Kensi, because I wanted her permission since I can't get your dad's. That's also why I had to talk to Hetty today, in a why, it's the closest I'll get to a blessing from my family."

And then the full force of what's about to happen hits her square in the chest.

He's kneeling. He's kneeling in front of her in his wetsuit, at the beach, wearing an adorably nervous yet excited expression. And dear God, he's holding a black velvet box in his hand with . . .

A diamond ring. It has a simple golden band entwined with a slight bit of a silver band embedded with small diamonds, and one circular diamond dead center.

"So, Fern," he says, his eyes sparkling, "Will you marry me?"

This time, Kensi doesn't change the subject. She doesn't run away or even try to deny how absurdly happy she is feeling. She doesn't break their gaze or take a step back. She only says one word, a word that she has never felt more confident saying in her entire life.

"Yes."

Copy and past and see Kensi's ring! - product/3-4ct+tw+diamond+engagement+ring+ ?sortby=ourPicks&page=2

And once again, thank you all for this amazing experience! I love you guys!

There WILL be a sequel centered around a conspiracy to murder an informant for NCIS and, more importantly, how Kensi and Deeks plan their wedding! It will be entitled Till Death Do Us Part so stay tuned for that!

Once again, all my love!

-Gab