A/N: I can’t believe we’ve reached the end of Densimber. The month has passed so quickly. Thank you to everyone who has participated in the event this year. Here’s to a good 2026 to you all.
***
A Good Life
“Is it Christmas, Daddy?” Caleb wondered, watching him and Kensi put up decoration.
“No, we already had Christmas, kiddo. Today is New Year’s Eve.”
“What’s new years?” Sophia wondered.
“Um, it’s a special party where we eat some yummy food, listen to some music, and then when it’s really, really late, watch a big ball fall on the TV,” Kensi explained.
Sophia and Caleb both oohed, even though Deeks had a feeling neither of them fully understood what was going on.
“Can da ball come to my house?” Caleb asked.
“No, it’s too big, but maybe we can make our own ball,” Deeks suggested.
“I gonna get my pincess ball!”
Rosa and Steven arrived while Deeks was in the process of wrapping silver wrapping paper around a large pink and blue ball. Well, attempting to. So far he had a very lumpy and wrinkly product, but Sophia and Caleb didn’t seem any less excited.
“Rosie, Stebe, we making a new ear ball!” Caleb announced, running to greet her. He hugged Rosa’s legs.
“Hey. We’re trying to recreate the ball drop at home,” Kensi said, and Rosa nodded, looking over Deeks work.
“Oh wow. They look great, dad,” Rosa commented.
“Liar.” Abandoning the balls, Deeks hugged her and patted Steve’s shoulder. “Glad you could make it.”
“How was the student gala?” Kensi asked, hugging Rosa against her side.
“Boring and unreasonably long.”
“And the food was ridiculously bad,” Steven added.
“Which has absolutely nothing to do with why we’re here,” Rosa said.
“Uh-huh.”
“Speaking of food, I should go check the oven. I might have forgotten to set a timer.” Giving Rosa’s arm a squeeze, and rushed off to rescue the potentially burning snacks. Caleb and Sophia hurried after her, likely hoping to steal a few snacks.
“That should be fine,” Deeks said, then gestured to Rosa and Steven. “You’re in for a wild night. We’re gonna have nachos, pizza rolls, and chicken wings, and we might even break out the sparkling grape juice.”
“I’ll brace myself,” Steven joked.
Rosa grinned, holding Steven’s upper arm, and he smiled down at her, the corners of his eyes creasing. Deeks wondered, not for the first time, if they realized how smitten they were with each other.
“Ok, lovebirds, help me move the bigger table in here.”
“Daddy, I help you too,” Caleb insisted, running in from the kitchen, with Sophia not far behind. They stood on either side of Deeks, faces screwed up with effort as they held the tiniest bit of the table and tiptoed along while the adults carried it.
“Perfect timing.” Kensi arrived with a tray of food and plates. “Hopefully this makes up for the gala.”
Rosa and Steve descended on the table, quickly making plates for themselves, and the twins.
“Mommy, I don’t want carrot.”
“You don’t have to eat carrots tonight,” Kensi assured Sophia, removing the offending items. Caleb handed over his carrots and a single pea pod.
“We live such exciting lives,” Kensi joked, biting into a carrot stick.
“For sure. I wouldn’t change any of it,” Deeks said, nodding to the little scene in front of them. Caleb and Sophia were begging cookies off of Steven, while Rosa watched him adoringly.
“Me neither.” Kensi leaned her head on his shoulder. “It’s a good life.”