#undercover deeks

[ejzah]

A/N: After far too long, this story returns thanks to @perfectcomputerfire’s request.

***

Ain’t it a Kick in the Head, Part 16

Deeks ignored Kensi’s exclamation, swaggering out as though they weren’t in immediate danger and he wasn’t likely to collapse at any moment.

“I couldn’t help but notice you seem a little conflicted,” he said, and the brothers immediately stopped talking.

“This isn’t your concern, Max,” Dimitri told him. “Go back to your girlfriend. We’ll tell you once you’ve decided.

“Or, you could tell me now and then Bella and I can decide how far we want to take this.”

“You’re not in a position to barter,” Paul said through his teeth.

“And you could use all the help you can get. So, either tell me the plan, or we’re figuring our own way out,” Deeks warned, flipping from easygoing to calculating in a second.

Kensi didn’t know what he planned, or who Novikov was, but clearly he was important to Deeks. At any other time, she be impressed by his commitment. Now she hoped it wouldn’t get him killed. Either way, she didn’t intend to leave him behind.

“Or I could just shoot you and be done with all your talk,” Paul threatened. Deeks didn’t show any signs of fear, but Kensi tensed, ready to step in if needed.

“Yeah, who got us out of that warehouse? Your backup is almost gone and if you kill me, you’ll be fending for yourselves soon. I may be annoying as hell, but I’m also pretty damn useful.”

Deeks let that hang in the air, quietly smug, though Kensi noticed his left hand hovering close to his waistband in case he needed to defend himself. Paul’s wright shifted towards Deeks, and Kensi clasped the butt of her gun, sure this was about to get a lot more bloody. Then Dimitri pulled his brother back, regarding Deeks’ with disdain, but a resigned sigh.

“A business partner is arranging for a plane to take us to a safer location,” he said.

“Yeah, that’s a little vague. I’m gonna need—”

Deeks’ sentence was cut short by the door bursting open and shouts of “NCIS!” Kensi spotted Sam and Callen run in before the Kaisers’ two remaining guards charged forward, opening fire.

Kensi saw Deeks drop to the ground just as a bullet flew way too close to her face, and she ducked behind the pallet. She peeked out in time to see Sam exchanging one of the guards and Paul Kaiser. The other guard had hidden behind a piece of machinery. Deeks wasn’t anywhere in sight.

She checked her gun, preparing to pop up when there was a lull in the shooting.

“Well, this is cozy,” Deeks said, sliding in next to her. He had wood splinters in his hair and a half smirk.

“You’re insane,” she hissed, and he shrugged, looking around their barrier.

“You wouldn’t be the first to make that observation,” he told her, crouching next to her again. “You want to me to be the bait?” He nodded in Phillip’s general direction.

“No. Stay down and try not to bleed out,” she ordered, standing before Deeks could object. She aimed and fired three shots, each of them just missing Phillip, who turned and aimed, his bullets hitting the pallet a second after she’d ducked back down again.

Her second round, one of her bullets hit its target; Phillip jerked and fell backwards. Dimitri Kaiser took his place, but before she could even aim again, Deeks had moved in next to her, aimed, and fired. Dimitri grabbed his knee, collapsing to the ground with pained shouts.

In the middle of the room, Callen and Sam were taking custody of Paul, who seemed uninjured.

“See, I told you we didn’t need any backup,” Deeks said breathlessly, leaning heavily against the wall behind them. His jacket bunched up around his side, revealing fresh red blood soaking through the fabric of his shirt.

“Oh my god,” she murmured, reaching for him as he slid a few inches lower.

“But I might need that doctor now.” He gave her a faint smile, then sucked in a pained breath and went limp.

[densi-mber]

Tattoos and Sexy Pirates

A/N: Today’s prompt and story idea provided by @mashmaiden. As usual, I flipped the idea a little bit from the original. Set in the last couple of seasons.

***

Kensi sighed as she walked into the airport terminal, dragging her luggage behind her, a carryon bag hung over her right shoulder. After a month away for a series of specialized trainings, she was glad to be back home. Sure, she’d learned a lot, and more importantly, increased her job security, but hopefully this would be the last long trip for a while.

As much as Kensi appreciated the opportunity, she’d missed working with the team, missed the warmth and familiarity of LA, and most importantly, missed Deeks. They’d both been so busy most days that they only managed short calls, or texts if they were lucky.

Speaking of Deeks, he had arranged to pick her up today. Kensi glanced around the terminal, anticipation running through her as she searched for his familiar frame and blond hair.

Deeks saw her first, stepping forward, and Kensi barely recognized him. “Kensi, I’m so glad you’re back home,” he said, enveloping her in a tight hug. He picked her up, twirling her around a few times.

When he set her down Kensi could only gape for several seconds.

“Oh my god, baby, what did you do?!” she gasped, pressing her hands over her mouth. She walked around him in a slow circle, taking in his appearance in disbelief. Hair longer and pulled back with a hair band, an earring—she reached out to touch a flower within a skull on his forearm, but dropped her hand at the last moment.

She’d known he was feeling a little weird about his age the last couple years, but she didn’t think that it was this bad.

Deeks watched her with a raised eyebrow and a look of bemusement.

“Ok, I was expecting a little bit more of a warm welcome,” he drawled.

“Deeks, you got tattoos while I was gone. What am I supposed to say? I was only gone for a few weeks. If you were feeling this bad, you should have called me.” She inhaled deeply, realizing she was almost shouting when Deeks’ eyes widened. Then she caught sight of the tattoos again, which covered him from bicep to wrist. Something red peaked out from the collar of his t-shirt.

Oh god.

“Kens, what the hell are you talking about? I got called in on a joint undercover job the day after you left. Didn’t you get my text?”

“Yeah, you said you were going undercover, but I thought it was something simple. So this is…?”

“Oh babe, I’m sorry. Yeah, they’re just temporary,” he said, running his finger over a spider near his elbow. “I had to look the part of a longtime gang member.”

“So naturally you let your hair grow out, got fake tattoos, and a fake earring.”

He fingered the small hoop in his left ear and cleared his throat. “Uh, actually, this is real.”

Kensi’s mouth fell open, and he quickly rushed to explain.

“Listen, it had to be believable, and I figured just getting one piercing would be a lot easier than having to deal with one that could fall off at any moment. I’ve had that happen before, and believe me, it kind of ruins the vibe.”

“Ok, I can deal with an earring,” Kensi decided, pinching them bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. “I’m sorry I basically attacked you. That wasn’t the best greeting ever.”

“It’s ok. I probably should have warned you,” he said with a shrug. Then he grinned. “I surprised Sam too.”

“Now that I would have loved to see.” She kissed Deeks’ cheek, looping her arm through his, and they started making their way to the exit. “How was your undercover? Sounds like it was kind of dangerous.”

“Things got a little tricky. But I was spectacular as usual, and everything ran fairly smoothly.”

“Oh, I bet you were.”

He chuckled softly, drawing her closer. “What about you? How were your classes?” he asked.

“Pretty amazing. But also really long.” She paused, and added more softly. “I’m glad to be back.”

Deeks’ response was another, lingering kiss that probably tested the boundaries of propriety for their current location.

“So, what were you talking about me feeling bad before?”

Kensi flushed, suddenly feeling embarrassed about her massive leap.

“Oh, well you know, recently you’ve been a little down about your hair, and aging and—”

“You thought this was the result of a mid-life crisis,” Deeks surmised with a raised eyebrow.

“Not because I think you’re actually middle-aged,” she defended herself quickly. “But kind of.”

“Well rest assured, I am feeling very secure about myself right now, so you don’t have to worry about me doing anything crazy.”

“Good. Speaking of crazy, how long before these wear off?” Kensi poked a surprisingly accurate rendition of a dagger.

“Uh, about three weeks, give or take,” he answered. Kensi closed her eyes, holding back a groan. “We didn’t know how long I’d be under so we had to make sure they’d last a while.”

“Right. We’re going to need to buy you more long sleeve shirts,” Kensi said.

“Ok, but I think I might keep my hair this way for a while. And the earring.

I’ll be like a sexy pirate.”

Kensi inclined her head, considering.

“Oddly enough, I don’t completely hate that idea,” she decided.

[ejzah]

A/N: This is a decidedly fluffy and comforty chapter.

***

Ain’t it a Kick in the Head, Part 17

“Slow down.”

“I’m not going that fast.”

“You just got out of surgery yesterday, for stab wounds, and I am not letting you tear your stitches on my watch.”

Deeks stopped in the middle of a typical looking hospital corridor, arching his eyebrow at Kensi.

Everything after he fired the last shot in that warehouse was a little hazy. He vaguely remembered firing his weapon, but not who he’d shot, and Kensi bending over him while everything around her blurred and spun. The next thing he knew, he was waking up with a dry throat and the kind of heaviness that only hospital strength meds could create.

Then he’d noticed Kensi by his side with some old magazine and the dull pain throughout his torso. She’d informed him he had a fancy new set of sutures and scars, and hadn’t left his side since then.

“Kensi, this is not the first I’ve been injured or been in the hospital,” he told her patiently. Deep down, he appreciated her concern; he was used to spending his hospital stays alone.

“Deeks, you needed a transfusion,” Kensi said, emphasizing each word as though he might be having difficulty understanding her. “That’s a really bad sign.”

“Last time I ended up in the hospital, I’d been poisoned, and all my boss did was stop in to make sure I wasn’t dead, get a signature for my medical leave, and express just how inconvenient my absence would be.” And Bates didn’t completely hate him.

“That’s awful.” Kensi looked horrified. She had a whole team of people who would probably show up for regular shifts. He wasn’t without friends at LAPD, but they usually weren’t aware of his injuries until after the fact. Or were busy with their own work.

“I’m not trying to make you feel bad for me,” he said, then inclined his head. “Well, maybe a little.” They started walking again at a sloth-like pace.

“After what you’ve been through, I think you deserve some comfort.” She shuddered, and her grip tightened on his arm. “I can’t believe everything you’ve been through with this case,” she sighed. “I’ve never worked on anything like it.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Please.” She made a self-deprecating sound. “I felt like a rookie out there next to you.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” he told her honestly. “I threw you a lot of curve balls and you went right along with it. Most people wouldn’t.”

If Kensi planned to protest anymore, she didn’t get the chance since Deeks’ legs decided to give out in that moment. Kensi caught him, bracing her arm under his armpit, keeping him from falling to the ground.

“We better get you back to your room,” she said as they stumbled along.

“He focused on inhaling shallowly through his nose in an attempt to manage the growing pain and weakness. When the finally made it to his room, Kensi carefully, well as carefully as she could, deposited him on the bed, helping him swing his legs onto the mattress.

“I knew it,” he joked in a breathless voice. Kensi paused in the process of untangling his IV.

“Knew what?”

“You couldn’t wait to get my back in bed. Are you going to make me feel better Indiana Jones style?”

“Oh my god—you’re ridiculous,” Kensi gasped, blushing a deep red. “I’m not kissing you while you’re in a hospital bed.”

“But I’m injured.” He fixed Kensi with his best puppy dog look, and after a few seconds, she rolled her eyes, leaning forward.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she told him, though she didn’t look all that annoyed. Cupping his cheek in one hand, she kissed him. At first, it wasn’t much more than a brush of her lips over his, but then she added more pressure. She made a soft noise when he lightly licked her bottom lip, his hand finding a place on the back of her neck.

Deeks had to pull away way too soon, or risk passing out. Head falling back on his pillow, he smiled faintly up at Kensi.

“I feel so much better already,” he said.

Kensi rubbed her thumb under his lip, her expression fond. “Then I guess I better administer another dose.”

[ejzah]

Ain’t It a Kick in the Head, Part 15

***

“Eric, can you track them?” Sam demanded.

“Kensi’s tracker isn’t coming up. Give me a couple minutes.”

“Dammit, if he gets Kensi killed,” Sam said, breaking off as he shook his head, jaw set. He’d known there was something fishy about Deeks from day one; he should have trusted his gut.

“Hey, easy partner. We’ll get Kensi back and handle Deeks, but we have to stay calm.”

“Right.” Sam drew in a calming breath. Despite how annoying Deeks had been in their short acquaintance, Sam had recognized his skill and even started to respect him. He’d enjoy being the one to cuff Deeks given the chance.

Nodding at the empty room, he said, “Let’s do one more sweep of the building.”

“Guys, I just got Kensi’s tracker back online,” Eric exclaimed. “She’s sending out a message in Morse code. She’s saying…‘I’m si—‘ No, “I’m fine. Wait signal.”

“She wants us to wait for her signal,” Callen interpreted. “Do you think we can trust it? Deeks could have taken her tracker and be luring us in for the kill.”

“Guys, there’s one more word. Twinkie.”

“She’s ok,” Sam sighed in relief. “For the record, I still hate that code word.”

“Where are they headed?” Callen asked

“Coordinates are on your phones,” Nell answered. “And based on the traffic footage, they’re driving a stolen car.”

“Maybe Marty Deeks isn’t a traitor after all,” Sam muttered.

***

“Did you get a response?” Deeks murmured, his head dipped towards Kensi’s.

He’d been beyond impressed when she’d used her tracker to send out a message in Morse code. Unfortunately, that was twenty minutes ago, and they were running out of time.

The secondary location the Kaisers took them too was a much larger and more elaborate complex and clearly their headquarters. Deeks had a distinct sense that the Kaisers wouldn’t have brought them here if they weren’t shaken by losing most of their guards.

Paul and Dimitri stood on the other side of the room, engaged in furious conversation while their two remaining guards hovered nearby. Even without hearing them, they were clearly arguing.

“No,” Kensi whispered back. “Too risky.”

Deeks nodded, leaning against a pallet of drugs ready to be shipped, hoping it looked casual and not like he needed the support to keep standing. There were several chairs available, but that seemed too vulnerable. Plus, he wasn’t sure he could stand up without collapsing. His pain had reached an excruciating level and while his latest round of bandages seemed to be holding up, he felt overheated and vaguely nauseas.

Since abandoning their original plan, he and Kensi had been trying to find a way to isolate the Kaisers. If needed, they could take on the brother plus the two guards, but he’d prefer not to risk it.

He shifted forward slightly, brushing his hair back to cover his next words.

“Can you tell what they’re saying?”

“They’re talking about someone named Novikov. Dimitri wants to call him, Paul doesn’t.”

Deeks straightened at that, instantly recognizing the name of a drug king LAPD had been chasing for longer than the Kaisers.

“Who’s winning?” he asked, quickly recalculating.

“I can’t tell. Paul wants to take a plane…I didn’t catch were,” Kensi answered.

“Alright. New plan.” He pushed off the crate, taking a few extra seconds to find his balance as the world tilted around him

“What are you doing, Max?” Kensi hissed, grabbing at his forearm.

“Oh, probably something incredibly stupid,” he answered, then leaned close enough to whisper in her ear. “If this goes south, don’t worry about me. Just run.”

***

A/N: I just can’t seem to get these guys out of trouble.

[ejzah]

A/N: Thanks so much to @mashmaiden, for once again working me through my writer’s block and brainstorming with me!

***

Ain’t It A Kick in the Head, Part 14

Deeks drew his own weapon, putting a cautioning hand on Kensi’s arm as aimed it towards the main entrance. So far none of the guns were currently pointed at them, but he had a distinct feeling that would change soon.

“Phillip, go check,” Dimitri ordered, jerking his head at one of the guards. He slung a MP5K over his shoulder and slipped out the door.

“Kensi, Deeks, we’re pinned down by three armed gunmen,” Callen’s voice said in Deeks’ ear. Based on the slight tensing of Kensi’s shoulders, she’d heard as well. “Stay where you are.”

“I thought you had good security,” Kensi said, her tone accusatory as she glared at Dimitri and Paul. “I knew we couldn’t trust you.”

“I was just about to say the same of you, Ms. Melendez,” Dimitri growled.

“Seriously. You think we’re responsible for this?,” Deeks retorted. “If I wanted to, I would have done it when we were out in the middle of parking lot and not an enclosed space when all your musclemen are here to guard you.”

Kensi nudged his hip, and he could practically hear her frustration with him. She probably wanted to strangle him at the moment.

“Or, you thought you could torture the information out of me or one my men.”

Deeks laughed, like he wasn’t being held at gun point and a firefight wasn’t raging just outside. “You’ve got and even better imagination than me, Dimitri. Torture’s really not my style.”

“You expect me to believe that on the same night we agree to meet, a meeting you insist must happen quickly, it is a coincidence that we’re ambushed?” Dimitri asked.

Phillip reappeared from a side entrance, distracting Dimitri and Paul long enough for Deeks to find Kensi’s eyes. She lowered her eyebrows in an unspoken question, and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring look. He needed her to follow his lead without question. No matter what happened.

“There’s at least two guys out there, armed with rifles. They got Johnny,” Phillip reported breathlessly. He held his left arm protectively against his chest, a trickle of blood visible on his hand. “I couldn’t get a good enough angle on ‘em. It’s like they knew exactly where we’d be.”

Deems silently cursed NCIS as Dimitri turned back to them with a grim smile. “And how do you explain that, Max?”

“I imagine you have a lot of enemies, just like me,” Deeks replied. He spread his arms wide, ignoring the way it tugged at his side in an alarming way. And the fact it left an even wider target area.

“Always an answer. Always so clever.” Stepping closer, Dimitri leaned in his face. “I think you tell nothing but lies.”

“Alright enough,” Paul snapped. “We are wasting time. Phillip, Bates, restrain them. If they resist then kill them.”

Kensi lifted her weapon higher as Phillip and Bates moved towards them, and he knew she wouldn’t just stand by if he didn’t do something fast.

“Woah, hold on. There’s no need to kill anybody. I swear to you, I don’t know who those men are or how they found us, but it wasn’t me and it wasn’t Bella. We have nothing to gain by killing you,” he said, using every ounce of persuasion he possessed. He held his hands higher, then reached out, slowly pushing Kensi’s gun downward.

She gave him a confused, then vaguely betrayed look. He nodded again, hoping she understood.

“So I’m just supposed to believe you because you give me your word?”

“No, because we’re going to help you get out of here without getting shot.” He’d noticed he’d stopped hearing Sam and Callen’s voices a couple of minutes ago, so he figured something had happened to the communication devices on their end. He hoped they’d understand him going off-script. “Send another two of your men to distract and take care of the intruders. I’m sure you have several alternate exits we can use to escape.”

“I suppose you want us to let you keep your weapons,” Paul guessed.

“You can try to take mine,” Kensi said dangerously.

“It would be ideal,” Deeks agreed. He offered his hand to Dimitri, staring back into the man’s cool gaze. “We can waste time arguing, or we can get the hell out of here before whoever those guys are shoot through the rest of your guards and break in here.”

***

“Kensi, Deeks, do you copy?” Sam asked for the second time, running as he spoke. He landed behind a parked car just as Callen stopped shooting. They’d already taken out four men, and one remained.

“Kensi!” he hissed again.

He poked his head around the car, spotting the last guy trying to move closer, and he took advantage, shooting him in the chest. As he sank down to the ground, Sam stayed in place just in case more men appeared.

After a minute, he stood and called out, “Clear!” loud enough for Callen to hear.

“Clear.” Callen met him halfway. “Did you hear anything from Kensi or Deeks?”

“No. They stopped responding five minutes ago.”

“Well, could be they didn’t have a chance without alerting someone,” Callen said.

“Kensi would have found a way,” Sam disagreed, and Callen nodded grimly.

“Yeah, I know. Let’s go save those two idiots.”

They approached the warehouse with practiced ease, Sam taking the lead. He shot through the metal lock, and Callen yanked the door open, following after him, and pivoting to the right as Sam went left.

They worked their way through building until they came to a side room, which held a large pallet and some machinery. Sam slowly checked the perimeter of the room, including a smaller closet of some sort.

“Unless there’s some secret room we haven’t found, they’re not here,” Callen said.

“There’s no sign of a struggle,” Sam added, examining the packet of drugs Kensi had obviously tested. “Kensi wouldn’t have gone without a fight.”

“Maybe Deeks made a bargain to keep them both alive. He knows these guys pretty well.”

“Or maybe he sold Kensi out.” Sam gestured to the empty room. “Think about it. We lose contact with them, there’s just enough gunmen to keep us busy, and by the time we get in here, they’re gone. It’s awfully convenient.”

“You really think he’s a dirty cop?” Callen asked. He sounded uncertain, even bothered by thought.

Sam could understand why. Deeks had been annoying, but they’d liked him enough, and up until now, thought him a solid and honest officer.

“If he is, he’s going to regret ever having messed with this team,” Sam promised.

***

A/N: Yeah, you probably weren’t expecting that. I hope you liked it!

[ejzah]

You Had Me at Jack, Part 7

***

After a fairly long phone call, Kensi Blye returned to the bedroom with a pinched expression.

“Apparently you and my team are going to LAPD for a meeting with your boss,” she informed him.

“You got reamed out, huh?” he guessed. She rolled her eyes.

“No. My boss isn’t happy we didn’t realize there was an open and ongoing investigation, but I think she’s more annoyed with your supervisor.”

“Ah, Roger Bates. Yeah, he kind of hates you guys, so I’d be careful what you say.”

“Fantastic.” She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, inadvertently revealing a healthy amount of cleavage. Deeks cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow, and she hastily dropped her arms, cheeks turning an amazingly dusky shade of red.

“I need pants,” she declared, turning abruptly. “And a bucket of coffee.”

“I’ll take a vanilla latte,” he called after her. “Hold the whip cream.”

***

A few hours later, Deeks waited outside Roger Bates’ office, slouched against the wall. He’d already received his own call from Bates, who had some very choice and not child friendly words to say about NCIS and Kensi Blye’s team. After assuring that the case hadn’t been compromised, calmed down slightly.

“Right through here, Agents,” Bates’ secretary said, ushering Kensi, now dressed in jeans and a coral colored t-shirt, and two men into the outer room. He caught her eyes and winked.

“Agent Blye.”

“Detective Deeks,” she responded, her pitch dropping just a touch. Now that was interesting. “These are my colleagues, Agents Sam Hanna and G. Callen.”

“Nice to meet you. Can I interest you in a cup of coffee? It’s terrible, but it helps to fill any awkward silences,” Deeks said. Agent Callen gave him an odd look, shaking his head.

“I think we’re good.”

“Alrighty.”

“You’re telling me you’re really a cop?” Agent Hanna asked, looking Deeks up and down with a perplexed expression.

“Yep,” Deeks confirmed with a knowing grin. “He tipped his chin up at him. “Detective Martin A. Deeks, undercover division at your service.”

“They don’t have a dress code?”

“Not really. The department understands that undercover work requires a certain amount of leeway, even eccentricity if you will.”

“I guess it would take a special sort to dress up in a Jack Dawson costume every night for weeks at a time,” Agent Callen commented. “Kensi said you played the roll very convincingly.”

“Oh my god, don’t listen to a word they say,” she groaned, glaring at them. “They’re a couple of idiots.”

Before Deeks could same something in return, Roger Bates barreled into the office, greeting the three agents with the barest of nods when they introduced themselves.

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” he said, impatiently inviting them into the office. “So, why don’t you tell me what brought you in to nearly blow my detective’s cover?”

“We had information that linked him to a murder we’re investigating,” Callen shared, pausing expectantly. When Bates didn’t take the hint, he added, “Just to give you a forewarning, our boss, Hetty Lange, will likely be recommending NCIS take lead on this case.”

“And she can take that suggestion and shove it,” Bates said, unmoved.

Deeks saw Kensi’s brows raise in surprise. He’d guess that Bates was a revelation for the whole team.

“Our team is specially trained for this kind of situation. Can you say the same?” Sam asked, his smile ever so slightly condescending.

“Deeks is the bane of my existence, but he’s also damn good at undercover work,” Roger Bates declared, looking supremely annoyed at having to make such a statement. “Which of you fellas think you could fit in at a dance club like that?”

Kensi snorted, immediately covering her mouth, muttering an apology under her breath. Deeks concealed a grin at her slip.

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me,” Deeks joked. “Anyway, I’ve been investigating a possible money laundering scheme. It’s important, but probably not enough to get a federal agency involved.”

“We take financial crimes very seriously,” Agent Hanna said.

“Well, in that case, I suggest you buy some tear-away pants and find a good waxer,” Deeks said brightly, settling back for what would likely be a very entertaining meeting.

***

“Well, that was interesting,” Deeks commented, strolling out Bates’ office with Kensi by his side. “Your boss is an extremely reasonable woman.”

“Gloating is a very unattractive quality,” she grumbled.

“Oh, don’t be bitter, Agent Blye. Just because your Miss Lang agreed to give LAPD lead on the case doesn’t mean we can’t be civil.”

“Right. You’re already causing trouble.”

“How? I have done nothing but be an absolute delight,” Deeks objected with feigned shock.

“Like you don’t know. I’m talking about the winking, and suggestive comments, the looks,” she rattled off, leaning towards him.

“So, what you’re saying is that you were watching me.”

“Oh no, don’t try to turn this around on me.”

He turned so he faced her, placing a hand on his hip as she stared at him with a furious expression. It was kind of cute.

“Do you want to talk about what happened last night? You know, with the whole making out on my couch thing,” he clarified. “I mean, since we will be working together, it seems like we should be completely honest and open with each other.”

“That was just to keep my cover and don’t you dare think of opening anything in front of me,” she said.

“What if I offered to give you a private show?”

To his surprise, she stilled, eyes flickering with interest before she caught herself, and huffed out a forced laugh.

“Right. In that case you’d be paying me.”

“Uh-huh, you keep telling yourself that, Agent Blye.” He dropped his head towards her ear, whispering, but if you change your mind, I’ll be your Jack any day.” He was rewarded with her inhaling sharply, and he grinned to himself, sauntering away.

[ejzah]

Ain’t It A Kick in the Head, Part 13

***

Deeks was not ok. He’d convinced himself that a couple of pain pills would get him through the worst of the pain, but every step felt like he was being stabbed all over again. He’d been through worse in the past—a gunshot wound to the chest and a concussion that lead to days of vomiting and headaches came to mine—but not by much.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you looked at it, Deeks had gotten pretty hood at blocking out pain and faking it. Even though he felt the tug and pull of his wounds and the unpleasant sensation of blood seeping into fresh bandages, his face showed nothing except a vague smugness as he and Kensi stopped in front of a yet another warehouse.

He was really getting sick of warehouses. On his next undercover job, he’d ask for something with a minimal number of concrete buildings. Maybe a nice little jaunt as Artie as a palate cleanser.

“So predictable,” he muttered, and Kensi shot him a confused look. She’d gone with another pantsuit, the suitcase containing their payment completing the look.

“The venue. It’s either always an abandoned warehouse or some dodgy looking place. Rarely ever a restaurant or mansion. Though there was this one time with a Russian, but I try not to think about that job.”

“Are you ok?” Kensi asked very seriously. She went so far as to touch his arm, her Bella facade vanishing completely.

“Yeah.” It was as much to convince himself as her. Though she didn’t look very convinced. He shook off the pain induced chatter just as a guy in a muscle shirt opened the door.

He’d made the concession to have Agents Hanna and Callen nearby as backup and the use of their communication system. It didn’t sit well to have players he wasn’t all that familiar with getting involved. It was part of the reason he’d insisted on only working with Kensi. Now though with his injuries, he couldn’t chance leaving Kensi to fend for herself. Not to mention, ruin an operation with months of work devoted to it.

The guard patted them both down, but didn’t confiscate either of their weapons. When he was done, he nodded and lead them through a several storage rooms that only contained the remnants of former machinery and packaging materials.

“Classy digs,” Deeks commented for Hanna and Callen’s benefit, sauntering past the man, while quickly scanning his surroundings. “Could use a little redecorating though.”

“Charming, Mr. Gentry,” Dimitri Kaiser greeted them, unsmiling as he walked into the room along with two of his bodyguards. “Did you bring the amount we discussed?”

“What, no smalltalk?” Deeks lifted a hand, ignoring the accompanying painful tug in his side.

“Unlike you, I’m a busy man.”

“Ok, then show us the product, I’ll check it for quality, and then we’ll be on our way,” Deeks said. Dimitri’s lips tightened briefly, but he inclined his head after a moment, leading Deeks and Kensi further inside the building.

Every couple of steps, Kensi’s arm brushed against his, and with that brief contact, he could feel the tension rolling off of her. He nudged her elbow lightly, waiting until she caught his eye, and nodded once, hopefully reassuring her. She took a visible breath, and he saw her shoulders relax ever so slightly.

They stopped again once they reached the very back of the warehouse. This room was filled with pallets, machinery, and lacking materials, but Deeks knew that none of the drugs were actually processed here. It was just another stopping point among many. Assuming that everything went according to plan, they’d be able use the Kaiser’s to find the original source. At the very least, they’d be off the streets.

There were a few more men standing by along with Paul Kaiser. Deeks nodded each of their positions, ignoring the sudden swooping of his stomach and clammy feeling on the back of his neck.

Taking a brick off the top of a stack, Dimitri handed it to Deeks. His hand shook ever so slightly as he took it, but enough that Deeks wasn’t sure he could conceal it with Dimitri watching his every move. He wordlessly handed it over to Kensi, and whether or not she understood the reason behind it, she produced a knife from her waistband and slit open the package with practiced ease.

Underneath his growing nausea, he felt a note of admiration as she took out a testing kit and calmly tested a small sample. The next five minutes felt like and eternity, but finally Kensi held a strip up, addressing Deeks.

“It’s pure.”

“As if there was any question,” Dimitri said with the slightest of smiles. “Now, show me the money.”

Before Deeks or Kensi could speak, the distinct rapport of gunfire came from outside.

“Crap,” Deeks hissed as everyone in the room reached for their weapons.

***

A/N: Please forgive my lack of knowledge surrounding the business of drug despite my many years spent watching procedurals.

[ejzah]

Ain’t It A Kick In The Head, Part 11

***

If Kensi hadn’t seen Deeks bleeding out and barely able to move just a few hours ago, she almost wouldn’t believe it. He moved with the same confident strut as always, giving no hint of any pain as they walked to the meeting point. The tailored suit did go a long way to projecting that image.

“You ready?” Deeks asked, looking over his shoulder. Kensi’s apprehension must have shown, because he actually stopped, and took her arm. “Hey, if you think that you can’t pull this off at all, you need to tell me now.”

A part of her wanted to be outraged by his assumption, but she repressed it. Their lives depended on both their abilities to convince the Kaisers they were legitimate buyers.

“I can handle it,” she insisted. “I’ll follow your lead.”

“Remember, we don’t push too hard.”

“In that case, I won’t tell them I have a million dollars on me and more where that came from,” Kensi muttered sarcastically. That got the barest hint of a smile out of him.

While he’d recovered on the couch, Deeks had called Andre, and convinced him to contact Dimitri Kaiser again, and ask for a meeting. Deeks didn’t didn’t like the idea of seeming too desperate and showing their hand, but he truly felt like they had no other choice. After so many months, LAPD wouldn’t take kindly to the operation falling apart. Not to mention his own need to take a drug ring out of circulation.

Kensi stayed close to Deeks’ side as they approached a dark parking lot. A single black Volvo was parked conspicuously in the middle of the lot at an angle. Once they were within five yards of the vehicle, all four doors opened, and four men emerged.

Two of the men stayed back while the other two stepped forward. Kensi noted that the two guards were visibly armed.

“Dimitri, Paul,” Deeks greeted them.

The Kaiser brothers were both tall and incredibly thin. While they weren’t physically imposing, there was something undeniably dangerous about them.

“Mr. Gentry, I’m surprised to see you so soon,” Dimitri Kaiser said, tucking his hands into the pockets of his long coat. He flicked his eyes over Kensi without any change in expression. “I haven’t met your friend before.” He had a soft, slightly raspy voice that made Kensi’s skin crawl.

“This is Bella Mendez,” Deeks answered. “She’s a colleague.”

“I thought you preferred working alone, Max.”

“He made an exception for me,” Kensi spoke up, giving him a cool smile. Dimitri regarded her with distaste while Paul’s expression didn’t change.

“Max, you know I don’t like surprises. I didn’t agree to anyone else coming.”

“Dimitri.” Deeks spread his arms wide. “It hurts that you don’t trust me.”

“You know I don’t trust anyone.” Gesturing with two fingers, he beckoned, and one of the guards came forward. “Check them, Jacob.”

Jacob frisked Deeks first, his search thorough, and based on Deeks’ brief wince, roughly.

“Watch your hands,” she told Jacob when he moved on to her. He winked, a sliding his hands down the outside of her thighs more slowly. She sincerely hoped she got the chance to kick him in his smirking mouth.

“They’re clean, no wires,” Paul said, stepping back.

“You think we’re cops?” Deeks asked with an incredulous and mocking laugh.

“Oh, that’s the last straw,” Kensi huffed, following his lead. “I will not be disrespected in this way.”

“Bella,” Deeks protested softly, turning to face Kensi. He grasped her wrist gently.

“No. We can take our business elsewhere. I told you that this was a terrible idea.”

Deeks gave her the slightest nod of encouragement, and she shook his hand off.

“Ms. Mendez, we do apologize. You understand that people like us need to work with an abundance of caution,” Paul Kaiser interrupted, speaking for the first time.

Kensi tipped her chin up, regarding him for several moments.

“I’m not accustomed to being mauled,” she informed him. “The next person who touches me will find out how skilled I am with a knife.”

Paul leaned back slightly, glancing to Deeks, who shrugged.

“She has many skills. Personally, I wouldn’t test it.”

Paul looked between them for a few more seconds, then unexpectedly, threw his head back, and laughed. Kensk held her ground, hand dropping to the back of her waistband where her gun was concealed, but before she could touch it, she felt Deeks’ fingers just barely brush her arm. Thankfully, Paul didn’t seem to notice her slip.

“I like her,” Paul decided. “She’s unpredictable like you, Max.” Kensi got the sense that he was trying to charm her, and suddenly wished for Dimitri’s emotionless persona again. “Alright, Max, tell us why we needed to meet so quickly.”

“I’ve parted way with some of my business partners,” Deeks explained. “They’re less…adventurous than I am. In order to keep my previous customers happy, I need more supplies. Soon.”

“I see.” Paul turned to glance towards Dimitri. “How much?”

“Triple my last order.”

“We agree, but it will cost you double for the short notice,” Dimitri said.

“Or, you charge the normal price and I promise to use you exclusively,” Deeks suggested. Kensi’s eyes widened slightly, and she willed him to take the deal before they got shot or one of the Kaisers changed their minds. Instead, Deeks stared Paul and Dimitri down with a challenging glint in his eyes.

“Half extra,” Dimitri countered. “Because Paul likes you.” He held out his hand, and after the briefest of hesitations, Deeks shook it, his grip firm.

“You have yourself a deal. Is tomorrow at noon too early?”

“Give us until two. We’ll meet at our usual location. And bring Ms. Mendez with you,” Paul said. He offered Kensi a smile that sent another shiver up her spine, and she glared back. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you as always.”

“You should come to my poker night,” Deeks drawled as Paul and Dimitri turned to leave, shadowed by their two guards.

Only once they were inside the car and pulling away, did Kensi dare to turn her back on them. “You’re insane,” she informed him in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, but you love it about me,” he said nonchalantly. His delivery was ruined by a wince and him suddenly grasping for her arm. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I think I’m about to bleed through my bandages.”

Kensi shook her head in disbelief as he unsteadily made his way back to their own vehicle.