Much apologies for the huge delay in updating this story. Real life complications... Hope everyone is enjoying the new NCIS:LA season.

Kensi walks wearily back into the mission, trailing close behind her teammates, Callen and Sam. Reaching her desk in the bullpen, she plops down on her seat and puts her feet up on the desk, reclining her chair. What a grueling day, she thinks, and not for the first time she finds herself wishing that Deeks would return to work already so she could stop playing third wheel to the Callen/Sam dynamic duo. Being low person on the totem pole out in the field just absolutely sucks. At least when she was partnered with Deeks, he could at least share the load of some of the shitty tasks they had to do. Ya, this case today sucked. But at least it was over with.

At her release of a long pent up breath – that's faintly reminiscent of a sigh- Callen and Sam both look towards their female teammate, eyes raised in interest. "Is that a sigh of exasperation I hear?" queries Callen. "Let me guess, you're still bummed you had to spend three hours in the car on surveillance detail while we got to hang out in the bar? I told ya Kens, I needed a bodyguard for my meet with Karponsev more than I needed a hot girlfriend on my arm. So I had to take Sam."

"Maybe she's just frustrated she has to go home to Deeks." Sam contributes, " I know if it were me, I certainly would be."

Callen looks briefly to his partner and then back to Kensi. "So how is living with Deeks anyway? Are you getting sick of him yet?"

Kensi runs her fingers through her hair and glances at Deeks' vacant desk before looking at Callen. "I've had him for three weeks, maybe you should take him for a while." She suggests, but she can't hide her grin.

Callen laughs at the suggestion. "Hey, I wasn't the one who shot him! You made your bed, now you have to sleep in it."

At the mention of her bed, Kensi's mind reflexively slips back to that morning and waking up wrapped around Deeks, inhaling his wonderful scent as she woke. She can feel heat forming in her cheeks at the memory, and she vainly attempts to cover the blush she knows is appearing by busying her hands on and around her face.

"Any idea yet of when he's getting his own place?" Sam asks, seemingly oblivious to her sudden discomfort. But she doubts he really is.

Kensi shakes her head. "He's been looking the last week and a half, quite a bit actually. But so far no luck. Seems not too many people out there are willing to rent to a guy who literally burned his last home into cinders." Then she gives a faint half-smile as she adds, "I wish that fact would have occurred to me before I allowed him to move in with me."

Callen snorts at this. "C'mon, we both know you would have asked him to live with you regardless. You did shoot him after all."

"Twice." Sam chips in.

Kensi frowns and glares at the two men. "Gawd, you know, you guys don't need to keep reminding me of that."

"Hey we're just trying to keep you focused," says Callen, "you know, making sure you don't forget why you're doing your little good deed."

Kensi's has had about enough from her two teammates for one day. Once again, she wishes Deeks was here, then at least they would be teasing him instead of her, like they usually do. "Ya well," she replies, "it's not all bad. He is a damn good cook. Speaking of which, I should get going, he's making mushroom lasagne tonight."

Kensi stands up and starts throwing her things into her bag, unseeing of the look Callen and Sam share with each other.

"Mushroom lasagne? That would just about hit the spot right now. I haven't eaten since this morning." Says Sam.

"Me too." adds Callen.

Kensi smiles at the two men as she zips up her bag and grabs her keys. "Yeah well, it's too bad there's not enough to go around. Have a good night boys."

And with that, she walks out of the mission, with a little bit more spring in her weary step.

Kensi exits her car and climbs the stoop to her front door. Unlocking it, she enters, and is greeted with the most wonderful aroma that she can ever remember smelling. Instantly, her nostrils are assaulted with the delectable smells of freshly baked lasagne and garlic bread. Saliva floods her mouth, glands stimulated by the fantastic scents, and she has to swallow hard in order to speak. "Smells good!" she announces from the door, in lieu of a greeting. And the way her stomach is now rumbling, she'd be surprised if Deeks didn't hear that as well.

"Hey, welcome home Sunshine!" Deeks says from the kitchen, causing Kensi to involuntarily roll her eyes. "Dinner's almost ready and there's a cold beer for you on the table."

Kensi smiles at that. She wasn't lying when she said it wasn't all bad living with Deeks. She could get used to this treatment… she really could. Maybe she already has. But that will be something to think about later.

Tossing her keys on the coffee table and her bag on the corner chair, she walks into the kitchen, grabbing her beer off the table and taking a long pull. When she finishes, she sits down in a chair and casually studies her partner as he busies himself at the stove, cutting a loaf of garlic bread. "How was your day?" she asks, "you and Rebecca have fun at the beach?"

"Oh, yeah." Deeks replies, "my physiotherapy is coming along nicely. And Becca is damn near a pro at surfing now. Definitely some natural talent in the Brandel blood. She said to say 'hi' by the way but she has date so she couldn't come."

"A date?" Kensi asks, taking another sip of her beer.

"Yup. Travis."

"Travis? What is he, a computer nerd?"

Deeks stops his cutting and looks at his partner. "That's what I said! Well… almost. I think I mentioned a chess club." Then turning back to his bread cutting, "I met him when I dropped her off. I don't know, he seemed nice enough on the surface, but there was something about him that just seemed a bit off-putting."

"Maybe it's just your big-brother over protectiveness kicking in?" She suggests.

Deeks finishes cutting the bread and moves over to the pan of lasagne to begin cutting it into squares. "Yeah, I considered that. It didn't stop me from having a little chat with him before he left though."

Kensi snorts into her beer, dribbling a little onto her shirt. "You had a chat with him?" she echoes as she wipes beer off her chin.

Deeks looks over at her, mild amusement etched on his face. "You ok there partner? Want me to get you a glass? Or maybe a bib?"

"Funny." Kensi deadpans, taking another sip of her beer.

"Ya, you know," Deeks continues, "Just a little chat to get to know each other."

"So… let me guess, you told him you're a cop as well as her brother, and then delivered some implied threat to his well-being if he mistreats your sister?"

"Well, technically I'm not a cop any more…"

"Semantics."

"And, there was nothing implied about it. I told him straight out. He might have peed his pants a little."

Kensi smiles at the visual, knowing Deeks can be quite the scary individual if he wants to. His old alias Max Gentry was proof of that.

Deeks finally turns towards her, holding a plate of food in each hand. Walking over to stand beside her, he puts the plate of lasagne and plate of sliced garlic bread in front of her, then lays down a neatly folded napkin and cutlery beside them.

"Bon Appetit." says Deeks turning and walking back to the counter.

Kensi eyes the repast laid out before her, and her stomach rumbles again in loud acknowledgement of its definite edibility. "Holy shit Deeks," she declares, "this looks friggin awesome." And without delay, she grabs a slice of garlic bread and her fork and begins to eat.

Or perhaps consume vigorously would be a more apt description, thinks Deeks as he watches his partner dig in. He smiles to himself as he watches her eyes close and her mouth smile upon tasting the first bite, and he knows then that he's done good. "I have freshly shredded parmesan cheese here, if you want. Or do you want another beer?"

"Mmm hmm, yes please…to both," she responds through a mouth full of food.

As Deeks brings her the cheese and beer, before settling down himself to start eating, Kensi considers again how truly great this is. Sure Deeks can be pretty annoying to live with at times, it sucks having to sleep on the couch, and he has an annoying habit of leaving whiskers in her bathroom sink when he uses the trimmer on his stubble, but meals like this more than make up for it. Before Deeks, her nightly meals consisted of junk food, tv dinners and delivery.

The two eat companionably for the next several minutes as Kensi tells Deeks about her day, and after three helpings –way more food than Deeks thought Kensi could put away in one sitting- Kensi retires to the living room, followed soon after by Deeks after putting the food in the fridge and loading the dishwasher.

As Deeks parks himself on the couch, Kensi uses the remote to flip idly through the channels on the TV. Finally she settles on a reality show about cars, and Deeks groans. Kensi looks sideways at him, an expression daring him to say something plastered on her face. But Deeks learned in the first week of his living with Kensi that, as the only one of them currently working and not spending their days at the beach, she decides what shows they get to watch on the TV.

Deeks frowns and raises his hands in a gesture of submission, and Kensi, giving a half-smile, turns back to her show.

Deeks eyes glaze over as he stares at the screen in complete disinterest. He supposes he could go watch TV in the bedroom -he's done it before- but sitting close to Kensi, in her presence, makes him feel good, and he doesn't feel like giving that up just yet tonight.

Thinking about the effect she has on him reminds him of that morning, when he woke up with her wrapped around him. The thought of that brings a smile to his face until his thoughts stray to the dream he had earlier. That wasn't the first time he had dreamed about Quaide. In truth, the man has probably haunted his dreams more nights than not since that day, and it's really starting to piss Deeks off. He just can't figure it, Deeks feels relatively fine during the day. Sure he thinks back to that day frequently, but it doesn't plague his mind or anything. But there's just something about the quiet stillness of night, coupled with the weird frame of mind one gets when in or on the verge of sleep, that just makes for a ripe environment to bring all these thoughts to the surface to trouble him. And those dreams, they seem so real, so horrifying.

Kensi glances over at her partner then, and notices immediately the distraught, troubled look on his face. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asks, hitting the mute button on the remote control.

Deeks glances at his partner, then back to the TV. "I was just thinking."

Kensi turns slightly in her seat, angling herself more towards her partner. "Thinking… about what? Is it your dreams again?"

Deeks huffs, "so it's that obvious huh?" He then looks at his partner, and turns a little towards her in return. "Um…I don't suppose you would care to keep me company again tonight?" he asks, somewhat timidly if Kensi is any judge. She meets his gaze, searching his eyes again for motive behind his words. This is Deeks after all, the guy who spends much of his waking hours flirting with her and pushing the boundaries, so she can never be too sure. But, as she did last nite. she sees only genuineness, and maybe a trace of pleading in his deep blue-grey eyes, so that she finds it hard to say no. But Kensi is nothing if not stubborn, and she certainly doesn't want to seem too eager.

"I don't think so Deeks. You're a big boy, you can sleep by yourself."

"I know I'm a big boy." Deeks says, "all I'm saying is that I sleep better when you're near by."

Kensi feels her heart melt at these words, but knows she dare not display it. Still, she can't help the ghost of a smile that forms on her face. "Are you seriously afraid of sleeping by yourself?" she asks, a trace of false humor imbedded in the question, to explain away the smile on her face.

Deeks frowns, "If you're going to laugh at me about it, then no, I'm not."

Kensi frowns then as well, remembering that his nightmares are a touchy subject for her normally easy-going partner. "Sorry Deeks, you know I'm just kidding around. I'll sleep in the bed with you again if you like. But no funny stuff or I'll kick your ass to the couch."

Deeks smiles his lop-sided grin, and brings a hand to his heart. "Scout's honor, I'll be a perfect gentleman… again."

Kensi looks at him skeptically but then nods briefly and turns back to the TV, turning back on the sound.

Happy that he just got his way, Deeks turns back to the TV as well, smile still stuck on his face. But thirty more seconds into watching that damn car reality show and he is frowning once more, again contemplating watching TV in the other room. Eventually, he decides instead to engage in conversation. "Did I tell you that I think I'm starting to make some progress with Theresa Atwood?"

Kensi looks over at him, irritation on her face and in her voice, "So what… you two are discussing seven day weather forecasts now instead of the usual two days? Ya, that's progress." She smiles then at her own joke and turns back to her show.

"No I'm serious," Deeks continues, undeterred, "we had coffee and muffins together today, and we talked… for quite a while actually."

Kensi briefly glances his way, "that's great Deeks."

"Yeah it was, she told me quite a few stories about my sister. One time, when Rebecca was six, her babysitter fell asleep on the couch, and when Rebecca found her like that, she covered her head to toe in baby powder. When the Atwoods came home, Theresa nearly freaked out seeing this 'white corpse' laying on the couch."

Kensi glares at Deeks. "Do you mind? I'm trying to watch the show. You can tell me about your wonderful bonding experience later."

Deeks grins again. Annoying his partner is so one of his favorite pastimes. He opens his mouth again, about to start in on another interesting Rebecca story when he hears his phone ringing from inside the kitchen. "Saved by the bell," he says as he gets up and limps –somewhat embellished- into the kitchen.

Picking up the phone from the counter, he sees it's Rebecca calling. "Speak of the devil" he says before answering. Then "hey sis, what's up" upon answering the phone.

"Marty? Can you come pick me up? Please?"

The pitch and tone of Rebecca's voice instantly puts Deeks on edge, for it is faintly reminiscent of something he's heard before –three weeks ago- and it is not something he has wanted to hear coming from his sister ever again. "Becca? Are you alright? Tell me where you are."

"I'm alright Marty, I'm just a little… um… worried. Travis started acting all weird tonight, and he was all upset by the conversation he had with you. He really worked himself up, and he started getting a little rough…so, I kinda locked myself in the upstairs bathroom."

Deeks is already grabbing his keys off the counter and heading for the front door, as his sister continues to speak. "Tell me where you are, I'm coming to get you." He says, while crossing through the living room, grabbing his jacket hanging off an armchair in the process.

Kensi looks up as Deeks crosses her line of sight to the TV. "Deeks? Where are you going?" she asks as he reaches the door.

Deeks looks over to Kensi as he opens the door. "Rebecca needs a ride, so I'm going to pick her up. Be back later." Then he's out the door before she has a chance to respond.

"I'm at the Lambda Chi frat house," says Rebecca, "but I don't know the address. I'm sorry Marty."

"You don't have to be sorry Becca, I have GPS, I can find it. Just stay in the bathroom and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Kay Marty, please hurry."

Deeks ends the call as he unlocks his car and climbs into the drivers seat. Having finished strapping himself in, he places a quick call while starting his car. The phone rings once, before a familiar voice answers. "Deeks! What's up amigo? Como estas?"

"Hey Eric, I need you to do me a quick favor," says Deeks, ignoring the pleasantries.

"We don't have any new cases, and you're not even on active duty yet Deeks," counters the OPS tech.

"I know that Eric, that's why I called it a favor. Please man, I know this isn't work related but can you help me out?"

There's little hesitation in Eric's voice as he answers, "sure man, as long as it won't get me in trouble. What do you need?"

"I just need you to look up the street address for the Lambda Chi Beta frat house at USC and to upload that info to my GPS. I would do it myself but I'm kinda in a hurry. Do this for me man and I'll owe you one."

"Don't worry about it Deeks, you weren't kidding about it being a quick favor. I'm already done. You should be getting the info sent to you…now."

Almost immediately, the instrument panel in Deeks BMW lights up, with the requested info on display on the screen. Deeks grins as it appears, "great job Eric, you're a star."

"No problemo Compadre," replies the logistics expert. "Do you need anything else? I can alert Callen and the others if you need any help."

"No thanks Eric, I can handle this on my own I think. Thanks man, talk to you soon."

Deeks ends the call and puts his phone in his jacket pocket. Then, looking over at the directions on display, he makes his way to the frat house… and his sister.