Just a quick note to thank every reader and reviewer who has made this story so much fun to write. The feedback and reviews have been amazing, the favs and followers have blown my mind. I hope you are happy with the conclusion of this story and I look forward to writing a sequel in the near future. :)

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Now to what you were all waiting for, the final chapter of Even Partners Have Secrets.

The Next Morning in the Bullpen

"Admit it, King Kong was the shiz-nat. Rescuing a damsel in distress, no game came compared," Sam said smiling. "I spent so many hours in the arcade protecting my top score status."

"Figures your favorite game would focus on saving a girl- even as a kid you suffered from Chronic Hero Syndrome," Callen teased.

"Funny guy, are we?" Sam asked scowling and crossing his arms. "So what was your favorite game then?"

"Hands down, the best game ever was….Asteroids. Shooting and blowing up flying saucers, what a rush."

"Seriously, G? A game of shooting at round balls? There has to be something Freudian there. Maybe we should call Nate," Sam shot back laughing at the dour expression Callen sent him across the desk.

"You wouldn't," Callen started before noticing Sam had turned his attention towards the third man in the bullpen, who seemed to be ignoring the older partners.

"Hmmm….balls, Freud, chronic hero syndrome….and no comment from the peanut gallery?" Sam asked tilting his head towards the young man, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Definitely not normal," Callen returned easily. "You feeling okay, Shaggy?"

"I'm fine," Deeks finally said irritably as he looked up at the senior agents. "Just have a stack of paperwork to get done before I'm stuck with a new partner."

"I believe that had a bit of an attitude behind it," Sam said dryly.

"Just a bit," Callen agreed. "Maybe you should give her a chance," he said with a small smile.

"Hmmph, don't need a new partner. Things are fine the way they are."

"She's not so bad…" Sam said with a smirk causing Deeks head to jerk up.

"How exactly do you know that?"

"G and I saw her upstairs in OPS earlier. Quite the looker and tough as nails," Callen and Sam exchanged knowing looks.

"While it pisses me off that Granger got involved, you really do need a partner for this case," Callen looked at him seriously. "You need someone to have your back and keep you alive."

"Isn't that why I have the two of you?" Deeks asked with a slight smile.

"Well, neither of us are going to wear a skirt…"

"But you have such nice legs, G," Sam teased.

"What about Nell? Can't she help out on this case?" Deeks whined. "I am under so much lately, a new partner seems a waste."

"Sorry, Deeks. The big boss has spoken- you need to make the best of it."

"Why are the two of you so calm about this?" he asked in frustration. "I thought…"

"It's a job, sometimes you just have to accept the inevitable," Callen said calmly.

"You're not the one being stuck with a man hating, ball busting, rule breaking partner dumped on you," Deeks said angrily. "The last thing I need is to have to babysit a spoiled brat sent by Granger."

"Mr. Deeks," Hetty's voice rang out from the landing above. "That is more than enough."

"Fine," he said as he walked around his desk and leaned against the edge crossing his arms. The older agents stood as well and leaned against their desks expectantly, watching the unfolding events, their eyes travelling from Deeks to the top of the landing where Hetty, Eric and Nell stood.

"Just answer me this…." Deeks started before going silent and staring upwards.

"Your question, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked as he continued to stare at the slender woman that had appeared and was standing at the top of the staircase.

"Really, is that the best NCIS could do?" he finally asked with just a hint of a smile as he met the flashing eyes of his newly assigned partner. She crossed her arms and studied him quietly for a moment from above before speaking.

"Man hating?" she started, "Only assholes." Nell snickered slightly.

"Ball busting?" she continued through narrowed eyes, "Are you offering?" Callen and Sam both choked slightly.

"Rule breaking?" she stopped consideringly. "Fine, I can give you that one."

"Just repeating your last partner's words," Deeks said slightly defensively.

"Really?"

"Well, not those exact words…"

"Maybe he just didn't know how to handle me…" she said with a hint of a smile. "Maybe he just couldn't keep up." Deeks bit back the smile threatening to emerge, staying serious.

"And you think I can "handle" you?" he said with a smirk.

"Nope," she snorted. "But you may be able to at least keep up." Deeks allowed a smile to breakthrough before he fell back into seriousness.

"How about your partner before? What was his issue?" he finally asked.

"Issue?" she asked puzzled. "Spent three years with him, he was tolerable."

"Tolerable?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Talked too much and a bit on the protective side. A bit full of himself sometimes," she answered with a smile. "But the best partner I've ever had and I miss him."

"Hmmm…..so then why did you leave?" he finally asked his eyes softening slightly.

"You ever heard the saying, the grass is always greener?" she asked.

"Yep."

"It's a total lie," she answered seriously. "There's just more crap on the other side." The partners went quiet as their eyes met in silent communication.

"Umm, not that I want to interrupt," Eric finally interjected. "But we have a suspect waiting to be interviewed in the boatshed." The entire team looked to Hetty for direction.

"Looks like the four of you need to leave," Hetty said in a calm voice. "The two of you will have to finish this later in private." The others looked on in disappointment as the newest agent walked down the stairs and stood. Callen and Sam walked towards the doorway and stood and waited for the younger team.

"Not quite yet," Deeks said seriously. "We need some ground rules for this relationship."

"Relationship?" she asked questioningly.

"Partnership," he corrected with a quick smile.

"What kind of rules and why do we need them, exactly," she asked Deeks suspiciously.

"Well, my last partner was a bit of a control freak. Always had to be in charge."

"Hmm. Sounds like she was a pain in the ass."

"Sometimes…" he said with a smile.

"I'm waiting," her arms crossed in exasperation, as she stood only a couple of feet in front of him.

"I drive," he said with a smirk as her eyes narrowed. He took out his car keys and twirled them on his finger.

"No food in the car," he continued struggling to hold back laughter when she snorted inelegantly at him. "My last partner had a bit of a sweet tooth, found wrappers everywhere."

"Is that all?" she exhaled loudly.

"Nope," he said popping the "p".

"What. Else." She said through gritted teeth.

"I choose the radio station," he finally answered smiling. She quietly studied him for several moments before she gave him an innocent smile that quickly gave him cause for concern. His smile faded as he wondered if he had pushed too far.

She took two steps forward until she was standing between his thighs against the desk, only inches between them. His eyes caught and held on the necklace and the heart shaped pendant that hung around her neck. His breath caught at her closeness as she placed her hand on his cheek and whispered in his ear, so low no one but him could hear.

"So exactly how do you feel about hello sex?" blowing gently on his ear before she pulled away running her finger over the jelly bracelet on his wrist and grabbing the car keys from his now limp hand.

"I drive," she said as she turned and winked at him as she walked towards the doorway.

"Shut your mouth, Deeks, your catching flies." She stopped in the doorway where Callen and Sam waited patiently. "Ms. Pac-Man- top rated game of all time, always was a fan of girl power," she said with a genuine smile.

"Coming Deeks?" she threw over her shoulder as she headed for the car.

"That's my girl," Deeks said as he broke out into his first real laughter in months. "Honeybear, Fern, Sweetums…wait up," he called as he followed her from the bullpen.

"Ms. Pac-man has swag," Sam smirked as he looked over at his partner his eyes full of merriment. "And that girl definitely has game."

"Haters gonna hate," Callen laughed softly as the senior partners followed the younger pair out of the bullpen.

"Guess it worked out okay?" Eric asked Nell with a smile.

"Yeah, we did good," she said pushing her shoulder against his affectionately. "We better stop spying and get back before…"

"Mr. Beale and Miss Jones, where are you two disappearing off to so quickly?" Hetty asked as they both froze and turned slowly to look at her.

"Just back to ops," Nell said with an innocent smile. Eric moved uncomfortably next to her.

"Mmm, hmm. I am not sure how exactly but I have a funny feeling that the two of you played a role in the last few days events," Hetty studied them as they avoided her sharp gaze. "Do you two not have a case to be working on?" she asked as she turned around and began walking towards her office and they both let out a sigh of relief. A few steps later she stopped suddenly and looked back.

"Tell Miss Sciuto hello and thank her for me when you talk to her again." Hetty bit back her smile at the shocked and guilty looks her young techs shared before they turned and ran for the cover of OPS.

A Few Hours Later

Hetty quietly walked across the room towards the vault, holding a folder tightly in her hands. She stopped at the wall of vaults where she took her key and unlocked a large heavy steel door. She pulled out the drawer and brought it to the counter. She opened the file, removing the papers within and slid them into a new white file folder with the words, "Blye, K" scrawled across the top.

She then took the near empty file and walked to the incinerator where she tossed it in. She watched the flames encase the red folder and in moments it disappeared. A smile finally broke free and she turned and walked back to the counter. Hetty opened the enclosed metal drawer and gazed down at the files it held.

"So many secrets," she mused to herself as she took the new file and slid it between those that read, "Brandel, J." and "Callen, G". A sense of peace stole over her as she ran her fingers over the files of her team members, both past and present.

Her smile slowly faded as she remembered the case they were currently working on and the lasting effects it was sure to have on her team. She shook off a sense of foreboding and reminded herself of the strength of each of her team members both individually and as a unit.

Sam and Callen were strong in their partnership, and she knew they would gladly give their lives for one another. Nell and Eric would stand guard quietly in the night, their expertise would give the team comfort and security, knowing they were never alone. The younger agents were going to have to learn to trust one another again, but she knew that Deeks will need Kensi as he is forced to open the doors to the secrets he holds tight.

She ran her hands over the metal box as she smiled slightly when she heard the boisterous noise from her team below drift into the room. Her eyes drifted shut as if in silent prayer.

The challenges of the last few months may have stretched the ties that bind a little, but they have never broken. They would make it through the challenges ahead, together, as a unit, as a team.

"Welcome home, Miss Blye," she murmured softly as she walked from the room full of secrets, towards the laughter that encased the room below.

Fin