jealousy

Kensi nodded and walked behind Callen to the car.

Kensi was waiting outside the room her friend was in when Deeks arrived. She ran over to him, still holding Ali.

He held her, kissing her forehead, rubbing Alina's back. "Where's Callen?"

"With KC."

"Good." He paused. "Right?"

"She seems to be okay, but I'm worried."

"You wouldn't be you if you weren't."

"She's my best friend Deeks."

"I know that, baby. I didn't say it was a bad thing."

"Sorry, I'm just tired. And sore."

"Did she hurt you?" He asked, instantly worried.

"Scratched my shoulder."

"You should get that looked at. I can hold Alina."

"Come with me. I'll give Ali to her dad."

"I'll come with you. And I can hold her. We need...we need to let Callen focus on KC right now."

Kensi thanked him as they walked together. Alina babbled at Deeks as he carried her down the hall near her aunt. Kensi found a doctor to help them. He led them to a room, then left to get supplies.

"Everything's going to be okay now. You're both safe. You'll both heal. It may just mean KC needs some more girl time for a little while."

"I love our girl time," grinned Kensi, "we always talk about you and Callen."

Deeks moaned and Alina put her tiny hands on each of his cheeks, as if she were checking on him.

"Relax Deeks. I was joking. Half joking."

He held her hand as the doctor came back and patched her up.

"Thank you," Kensi said to the doctor as they left.

"Yeah, thanks, Doc," Deeks said, still holding her hand as they left. "Maybe KC's ready to see visitors," he tried to cheer her up.

Kensi nodded and led the way back. Callen was standing outside the room, looking tired, when they came back.

"How is she?"

"Wants to see you. Won't take my word for it that you're okay and is raising hell until she sees you and the baby with her own eyes." He accepted a baby hug, hugging her back gently.

"Dada," said Ali happily.

"Okay." Kensi took Alina into the room with her.

KC looked relieved when she saw her best friend and her daughter.

"Are you really okay?"

"I don't know how okay I am, but I'm hangin in there." She said with a smile.

"Promise?"

She nodded as she heard her daughter struggling, calling for 'mama, mama'. "It's okay. I can handle it."

Kensi handed the child over. Alina rubbed her thumb on the fabric of KC's gown, her tiny head resting against her mom, curled as close as possible to her.

"She knows you're hurting."

"Either that or she's scared."

"Both."

She nodded. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"I'm worried about you."

"I know."

"What did the doctor say?"

"He thinks it's just temporary, but I'll be tired until it gets fixed." He'd also mentioned surgery if it didn't correct itself and it wasn't so much tired as exhausted, drained, but she didn't tell Kensi any of this.

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long until it's fixed itself?"

"They're not sure."

"That's not good KC."

"Nothing about this is good, Kens." She said softly.

"I know that, but this is really bad. You have a child to look after."

"G can take care of her for awhile."

"Someone needs to take care of you."

"I take care of myself."

"KC."

"What?"

"Let someone look after you for a change."

"He's doing good to do one. He can't do both. Not yet."

"Let me take care of you then."

She nodded, slowly, finally.

"Thank you. When can you go home?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"I'll pick you up and you can stay with me."

"Thank you," she whispered softly.

"Always."

"Kens...what am I gonna do?"

"What do you mean?"

"My home is gone. I..I don't begrudge Callen dating when we were apart, but...I don't know if I can get past this."

"You can. I know you can. And you can stay with me. I have plenty of room."

"It isn't just the room, although that does help, thank you." She paused. "I feel like I did when I came home. Like I'm not sure where I belong. Like I'm not safe. And theoretically, I know I am, but it doesn't feel that way."

"You are safe. I'll keep you safe, and Ali too. You guys are my family, and I protect my family. It may not seem okay now, but everything will be okay."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course."

Callen waited until Alina and KC were both asleep to come in with Deeks.

"She's scared."

Callen nodded. "Know the feeling well." On the job, nothing scared him, but the possibility of losing the family he loved so much and had waited so long for terrified him.

"KC and Ali are going to stay with me. I have everything they need, and I have room and a yard for Ali."

He nodded. "Did...did she tell you what the doctor said?"

"She needs to rest so she can heal."

"They're gonna give her a week. If the pacemaker's not working better by then, they're doing another surgery. Taking that one out, putting another in."

"What?"

"I thought she wouldn't tell you. She won't even accept it herself. She's so damned stubborn."

"Gets it from her sister," Deeks told him softly, wishing he could help Callen in some way. He couldn't imagine Kensi going through that once, much less twice.

"Shut up Deeks," grinned Kensi. "She's tough, but I won't let her go through more surgery. She's going to rest until she's better."

"You can't fix a pacemaker, Kens. If Joelle disabled it permanently or if her heart was too damaged..." Callen started.

"You can't think that way. Kens is right. She's tough. She's not going anywhere." Deeks replied.

Kensi nodded. "Deeks is right."

"I'm scared," Callen admitted.

"Of losing your family. I know." Deeks told him. "But you won't."

Kensi hugged Callen. "Trust us."

There were only a handful of people who could hug Callen. Kensi was one of them. "I do." He paused. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to go check on Sam."

"I can do that," Deeks volunteered. "You should stay here with the girls."

"I'm not needed here. I...I have to go check." He wanted to see with his own eyes that Joelle was locked up.

"Go with him Deeks. I've got the girls."

He kissed her head. "Call me if you need me. Try to get some rest."

"I will. I love you."

"Love you." He walked out with Callen.

Sam stood there, watching Joelle. How could he have been so wrong? He had nearly killed his partner and, although he didn't always see eye-to-eye with KC, she and Alina were his family, just like his children and Michelle.

"They're moving her to prison, G. But they want her to see a shrink first. I recommended Nate. He was the only person I could think of that would look out for KC and the baby too, not just Joelle."

"I know that, G. That's why I called in Nate instead of letting them transport her to a mental hospital. If she's sane, she needs to be responsible. Either way, she needs to be dealt with."

"Absolutely not," Sam told him.

"It's what you'll do short of killing her I'm worried about, partner."