hunted

"Kensi told me what happened. I feel like there's more to the story, but I won't be pushing her anymore than I already have. I think she's in enough pain as it is."

"What did she tell you?"

"That she killed a guy to protect KC, or she thought she did anyway."

"The guy was one of her clients. He beat her up and stalked her. They moved three different times, trying to get away from him. They thought they were safe so Kensi left, I'm never sure where she'd gone. When she came home, and I use the word loosely, he was raping KC. Kensi had Donald's weapon and used it. I would have too, but his son never believed it. The suspicion was that KC was working and Kensi tried to rob him, but it went wrong. The son of a bitch put KC in the hospital, damned near killed her. Kensi did what she had to do."

"I'm not judging or anything. I just want them safe. KC told me that the guy was watching them when she went to Kensi's doctor's appointment with her, was still there when they came out. He's stalking them, and doing a pretty good job for a dead guy."

"Girls." He found the picture that McGee had printed for him, not telling the agent why. "Was this who was following you?"

Kensi looked up, but she hadn't seen them, so she looked to KC for confirmation.

KC nodded. "Honey, it's the son. You wouldn't remember him and he's changed since Kensi last saw him, but it's not...it's not a ghost. It's his son."

"At least I'm not crazy."

Kensi stood up and walked to the window. "Where's Deeks?" she asked.

"I'm here, Kens," Deeks popped his head back in. "Hey, Gibbs."

"Hey." Gibbs said, not smiling, his eyes never leaving the girls.

Kensi headed over to Deeks, cuddling into him. She felt calmer having him there, especially knowing she was pregnant.

"When's the last time anyone saw him?" Gibbs asked.

"This morning. He was outside my place."

"McGee's at headquarters. I'll tell him who to start looking for." He left to make a phone call.

"Deeks, do you think I should tell him about our baby?" Kensi asked, wanting Gibbs to know.

"If you want to, darlin'."

KC excused herself out of the room. When Gibbs returned, Kensi pulled him aside. She was smiling a little.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he said, meaning it.

"I want to tell you something. Two things actually."

"What's that?"

"Well, I'm engaged." She held her hand out to him.

"Congratulations." He knew Deeks was one of the Jenny and Shannons of the world, the good ones. "I'll give him the speech later."

"You'll have to get behind KC, Callen, and Sam," Deeks told him with a smile.

"And I'm also pregnant!"

"Now I feel old." He smiled though and congratulated her again.

"Hey, where's KC?" Kensi moved away from Gibbs and Deeks to check the boatshed.

"She went to the bathroom, but that was awhile ago," Callen said, searching as well.

Kensi started to worry. "We have to find her!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Callen asked, getting frantic as he couldn't find her anywhere.

Kensi ran into the interrogation room and screamed. "She's gone!"

"Damn it!" Callen cursed when he saw the trapdoor was open. He never should have told her that was there.

Gibbs was already on the phone with headquarters.

Kensi raced back to Deeks. "Come on! We need to find her now."

"Darlin, let Nell and Eric find her first and then we can go to her, okay?"

"I can't just sit here Deeks. She's my best friend!"

"Okay, Kens, then where do you want to start? She could be anywhere."

"I don't know. I just want to find her."

"I know you do babe. We all do. But even if you take Alina to Sam or your mom, there's four of us in a city of three million. And that's just L.A."

"Why would she leave?"

"If I knew that, I'd know where to start looking for her," he told her softly.

"I want to help her."

Kensi knew he was right. She cuddled him again and tried to calm down.

"I'm on it boss. What's her last name?"

"I think we found her boss," said McGee, "about five miles from you, in a southerly direction. She's on foot."

"Promise me you'll be safe?"

"Thank you." She kissed him and then walked to Gibbs, getting as close as she could.