New case

Deeks hadn't fared any better with Hetty, finally telling her and Callen and Sam exactly what he'd thought of them for the last six months and trying desperately to catch up with his partner.

He finally found Kensi by their desks. "Hey." His eyes looked worried although he tried to hide it.

"Go away," whispered Kensi, though she didn't mean it.

"I'll stay right here, but I'm not leaving you, Kens."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, b...Kens. You don't have to."

"Why did she tell everyone?"

"Because she's a bitch," Deeks said plainly.

"That's mean." She smiled slightly.

"I've got a few other choice words for her and her henchmen."

"Henchmen?"

"The two stooges."

"You mean Callen and Sam?"

He nodded.

"They aren't that bad. But I do agree with you. They are idiots sometimes."

He could have said more to that, but knew she was upset enough.

"He got what he deserved."

"Good."

"You aren't going to tell me to be unbiased and nice?"

"If I had the chance, I would have killed him myself."

"What for?"

"Cause I'm overprotective. Isn't that what you always called it?"

"You only just found out about this now."

"That's why I said if I'd had the chance."

"Thank you."

He nodded. "You want to get out of here?"

"Yes."

He held a tentative hand out for her. Kensi took his hand gratefully and let him lead her to his car.

"Where to?"

"Anywhere."

He started driving, unsure where he was going at first.

"Deeks? This is heading away from the city."

"And?"

"Why?"

"No reason."

"Is there somewhere nice out here?"

"I think you'll like it."

"Okay. I trust you."

He looked over and smiled at that before continuing to drive. Kensi closed her eyes while he drove. He was glad she wasn't noticing that the way he was going was towards Camp Pendleton or it might have spoiled the surprise. He made a phone call thirty minutes later, giving fifteen minutes warning before pulling up outside the house.

Kensi woke up when she felt the car stop. "Where are we?..... You sneak!" she smiled.

Deeks feigned innocence, although it was hard since KC had been outside waiting on them and was at the car almost before Deeks stopped. Kensi climbed out if the car happily. She ran to her best friend and hugged her tightly before finally letting go to kiss Deeks. KC saw a pained look in Deeks' face, not because of anything Kensi had done, but because of something she was sure she would hear about later.

"I missed you. Where's Ali?" Kensi asked.

"Inside," she indicated the monitor she was carrying. "Napping."

"I wanna play with her later."

"Of course. As much as you want."

"Thank you."

She walked into the house with Deeks and Kensi. Kensi went to the couch and curled up into a ball, feeling safe and scared at the same time. She didn't want to tell her best friend what had happened, but knew she would eventually.

"Are you hungry, honey?" KC asked, worried about Kensi, but not wanting to pressure her.

"No. But Deeks might be," she grinned cheekily. "He never eats anymore..."

"Be right back, okay?" KC smiled for her, trying to hide her concern, as she walked into the kitchen with Deeks. "Okay, what did Hetty do?"

"How did you know it was Hetty?"

"It's not you, since you're with her. As idiotic as Sam and Callen can be, they would never hurt Kensi; they both love her too much. Leaves Hetty."

"And Granger. But, yes, it was Hetty. She knew something Kensi had told her. It was meant to be a secret. But our case, the dead guy, he attacked Kensi and Hetty practically told everybody about it. In front of Kensi."

"That bitch." She paused. "Did you know?"

"No. I think she was too scared to tell anyone. Hetty must have been there or something for Kensi to tell her."

She nodded. "I can't see Hetty knowing something that we didn't know without a reason, but regardless she never should have done that. Then again, Hetty tends to think of what serves her purposes best, then MAYBE others."

"Agreed. Kensi says she doesn't want to talk about it, but I think she does."

"Yeah, I'll deal with it. There's some leftovers in the fridge. I can't get used to cooking for one person."

"No problem. Thanks for this KC."

"Don't mention it." She went into the living room.

Kensi was still curled on the couch, but made room for KC to sit too.

"You feel up to talking?"

"I guess. Deeks told you?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I....I can't. You don't need to worry too."

"Hey. You're my sister. Of course I worry."

"Okay. I guess you should know. Everyone else does."

"Screw everyone else. That doesn't matter."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"I learned the hard way, sweetheart."

Kensi smiled. "He attacked me in broad daylight. On a busy street. Hetty was inside a bakery and I was waiting for her."

KC squeezed Kensi's hand lightly.

"I screamed. Amazingly, Hetty didn't come out until after someone else had helped me."

She kept her feelings about Hetty quiet for the moment, although she didn't like the woman any more than Deeks did at the moment.

"Why didn't Hetty help me? Why did a stranger have too?

She had an idea that was too horrible to think about. "Honey...what happened to the man?"

"Nothing. He got away with it."

Her first instinct was for Deeks to never find out that information, along with who had done it. "Why did Hetty bring it up today? What was the context?"

"Our case. The dead Marine is him."

She absorbed this, turning it in her mind, trying to figure out what Hetty had been thinking.

"Someone asked why we were investigating it, and she just blurted it out."

"Seems to me that would be a good reason NOT to investigate it."

"Yeah..."

"I don't know, Kens. From my standpoint, Hetty rarely makes sense except in her own twisted little monkey mind."

"Monkey mind?"

"If I got started with what I really think of the...woman...I'm afraid I wouldn't stop."

Kensi smiled. "I'm glad you're my bestie."

"I'm glad you are." She wasn't sure if she would have gotten past the last year without Kensi.

"Which part?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah." You should've gotten that opportunity, she wanted to add. "I'm going to check on Alina."

"Kitchen," KC said before giving them privacy.

"Just a minute, Callen." He looked at his partner. "I'm gonna call you back." He hung up before Callen could argue. "What's up, Kens?" He sat at the table and moved aside a chair for her.

"I don't know, babe," he slipped without even realizing it this time, so focused was his concentration on her. "I don't know why Hetty's been doing any of these things lately." It had been one of the things he'd been discussing with Callen. "I can't fix what happened to you, but I'm going to find out what's going on. I promise." Hetty had been furious when he left, talking suspension, but all he cared about was his partner.