A/N: Hi all! Firstly, I hope you all had a great summer (or a not-too-terrible winter if you're in the Southern Hemisphere). My reasons for not updating boil down to the fact that I've been working a ton over the past few months (I got promoted to manager!), as well as looking for careers in my field. Thank you to those of you who messaged/commented to check in and encourage me to continue this story. I really do appreciate that the majority of you have expressed concern for my well being, and acknowledged that I have a personal life that needs taking care of first. Thank you for being patient and gentle in your encouragement. As many of you probably know well, adulting is hard!

Secondly, and story-wise, here is the next chapter! I'll let the writing do the talking, and keep this brief, but I'm pretty excited for a small time jump from this chapter to the next. I'm also looking forward to introducing some new characters, as well as a few you might be a little familiar with. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: Los Angeles

Deeks really shouldn't have been on campus on Monday afternoon. One reason was that he didn't necessarily have to be; all of the senior law students had been excused from classes for the trial. They only met once a week on Thursday evening to discuss and debrief. Another reason was that he had to be at work in less than an hour and he was still dressed in his button-up and slacks from the courthouse. The third reason—and definitely the most important—was that he was in the forensics department pulling evidence reports, trying to find a connection between what he'd seen on the beach and the Molina trial. He knew that even looking into the possibility of Healy being dirty was enough to throw him into hot water, yet here he was, combing through pictures, fingerprints, and autopsy reports, desperate to find something. Neither Healy nor Adam had mentioned anything about Molina, but Deeks was sure their argument was somehow connected. He just had to prove it.

"Thanks, Dr. Cramer. I really appreciate you letting me do this," Deeks said once again. He'd thanked the professor probably twenty times in the two hours he'd been in the archives office going over reports. He was trying to seem as innocent as possible, and the excessive gratitude was probably starting to wear, but he couldn't help himself.

"Oh, stop thanking me, Mr. Deeks," Dr. Cramer said, waving a hand dismissively. He was sitting at the front desk, hunched over his own testimony for the trial. "Though I don't know why you're so interested in this. We've put it down as a filing error and gone back over the evidence multiple times. Unless you have information to challenge that?" He looked at Deeks expectantly, and even though Deeks could lie his way out of anything, the steely gaze of the forensics specialist caught him off-guard and he sighed in resignation.

"I have a hunch," he started hesitantly. "But I'm not sure I should say anything until I have evidence."

"Good thinking, Mr. Deeks," Dr. Cramer said, slipping on his glasses and peering at his notes once again. "Though I'd be careful if I were you. Raymond Healy is a nasty piece of work at the stand, as I'm sure you know."

"Oh, I'm very aware of that," Deeks muttered, earning a chuckle from the professor. "I don't plan on going up against him on the stand."

"If you do, in fact, find something that satisfies this hunch, who will?"

Deeks looked at the professor in confusion. "You believe me?"

Dr. Cramer took off his glasses and set his piercing gaze on Deeks. He was an intelligent man, intimidatingly so, yet he had the heart that Healy didn't, which endeared the professor to his students. Deeks respected the man for his fairness and for letting his students choose their own paths, as long as they all arrived at the same result. Now, Cramer's look was the same look that he gave students in class who brought up unorthodox methods of doing things, and he said the same exact thing he always said to them, "If you believe it, who am I to judge? Do you believe that the evidence was tampered with, Mr. Deeks?"

Deeks nodded solemnly.

"So do I," Dr. Cramer announced, equally as serious.

Deeks was taken aback. "You—you think Healy rigged the case?" he stammered out, almost at a loss for words.

"I think," the professor said thoughtfully, "that someone compromised the evidence so that the original report would come across as a clean sweep, one for one for one. I also think Dr. Healy works too closely with Carlos Molina for his methods to be considered ethical."

"Are you the only one who thinks that," Deeks asked. The files in front of him were forgotten as he wheeled his chair around to face the other man.

"I will not speak for my colleagues," Cramer told Deeks, "but I don't think it's a secret that Raymond Healy is disliked by much of the faculty. Though I'm sure you know that disliking someone does not make for a supported case."

Deeks nodded in agreement, his mind working in overdrive to process this information and how he could use it to his advantage. "I don't expect you to help me, sir. I know it could jeopardize your job."

"Thank you, Mr. Deeks, for that consideration. In protection for my career, I will have to refrain from actively involving myself in your investigation, but as the records are available to any student who asks as long as a faculty member in present, I don't mind staying after hours so that you may work." The man smiled.

"Thank you, Dr. Cramer," Deeks said for the umpteenth time that afternoon, earning yet another dismissive wave from the professor.

They worked in silence for another half an hour, Deeks painstakingly going over every detail in every version of the evidence reports. The silence was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Dr. Cramer stood up to answer it. Deeks looked over briefly and then did a double take when he saw who it was.

"Sorry to interrupt, Dr. Cramer, but your TA said you'd be down here," Kensi was saying breathlessly. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked like she'd been running. She stilled momentarily when she saw Deeks over the professor's shoulder.

"Deeks?" She said in surprise, unconsciously running a hand through her hair.

"Miss Blye?" Dr. Cramer prompted, and Kensi snapped her gaze back to him.

"Sorry," she apologized quickly. "I have those reports that you asked for, and I wanted to talk to you about them in person."

"Of course," Dr. Cramer said, and he turned around. "Mr. Deeks, if you could please pack up."

But Deeks was already putting the reports back into their respective folders and shouldering his bag. "I'll see myself out. Thank you again, Dr. Cramer. Can I come by sometime next week?"

"Of course, Mr. Deeks. Just email and let me know."

"Will do. Thanks again."

The professor turned to walk away, motioning Kensi to come with him. She followed, but turned to cast a curious look at Deeks. She looked him up and down, taking in his professional appearance. Deeks was delighted to see that she was undoubtedly happy to see him, judging by her smile.

In true form, Deeks cocked a grin at her, and motioned between the two of them and then pointed exaggeratedly to the ground, mouthing "Tonight?" lest the professor should hear.

Kensi looked over her shoulder to where the Dr. Cramer was gaining ahead of her and then turned back, grinning. She put her thumb and pinky to her ear and mouth, respectively, mouthing "Call me."

His grin grew and he nodded. She winked at him before turning and hastening after Dr. Cramer, who had turned the corner, throwing one last wave over her shoulder as she did, leaving Deeks happily stunned in the middle of the hallway.

The beach was decently busy for a late Monday afternoon, and there was steady business at Nico's. Deeks was working by himself, and he barely had a minute to call Kensi and invite her down to the beach for a surfing lesson after his shift. She showed up forty minutes later, with Monica and two kids in tow.

His shift didn't end for another half hour, so he watched from the shack as Kensi helped Monica gather a stack of towels and a huge beach bag from her trunk. Monica pointed at the shack and said something to the kids, who began sprinting down the sand towards Nico's.

They skidded to a stop in front of the counter. "Hi! Are you Marty?" the girl asked breathlessly. She looked to be about seven.

"That's me," Deeks said to her. "What's your name?"

"I'm Ella. And this is Tanner." She indicated her younger brother, who couldn't be more than four. "Monica said to come say hi."

"Then you've completed your mission. Good job, cadets," Deeks said, holding his hand out for high fives. The kids responded enthusiastically. "Do you guys want a snack?"

"Nachos!" yelled Tanner, jumping up and down. "Monica said we get nachos!"

"You only get nachos if you don't scare Marty with your yelling," Monica admonished the little boy gently. She and Kensi had reached the counter and dropped their stuff on the stools. "Hey, Marty. Are they being polite?"

Deeks nodded. "Top nacho-worthy behavior right here."

"Ok, get these kids some nachos, then," Monica announced, and the kids cheered. "Seriously, it's like I don't ever feed you or anything."

"You don't ever feed us nachos," Ella corrected Monica matter-of-factly.

While the kids chattered to Monica and each other, Deeks turned to put the cheese in the microwave and grab a bag of chips. He glanced at Kensi, who was standing back from Monica and the kids. She looked decidedly uncomfortable, but grinned when Deeks caught her eye.

After the kids had been served their nachos and Monica got a smoothie, they headed across the sand to find a place to sit. Kensi took a seat on one of the stools. "Hey," she greeted him cheerfully, leaning against the counter and putting her chin in her hands.

"Hey. You okay?" Deeks placed another smoothie in front of her and she unfolded her fingers to place her hands around it.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." She waved hand dismissively and brought the straw to her lips to take a drink.

Deeks searched her face in disbelief. "You didn't look fine just now. You looked like you would rather be stung by a giant manta ray than be here."

Kensi rolled her eyes. "It's not that big of a deal. It's just that kids and me, we don't mix very well."

Deeks widened his eyes and took a step back in mock horror. "Wait a second. Are you one of those people that hates kids?"

Kensi's eyes widened at his tone. "Hate is a strong word. I don't hate kids. I'm just not very good with them is all."

"Wow. This changes everything. Kensi Blye hates kids," Deeks said disapprovingly.

"I don't hate kids!" Kensi exclaimed, a slight panicked look coming across her features. "I just prefer to work with adults."

Deeks shook his head with a mock disappointed look on his face. After a moment, Kensi seemed to catch on to his playacting, because she narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "And I suppose you're amazing with kids?"

"I am, actually. Kids love me," Deeks told her proudly.

"Of course you are. You're perfect," Kensi murmured, and when Deeks smirked at her, she blushed.

"You think I'm perfect?"

"I think that you think you're perfect," Kensi shot back. "I can recognize a narcissist when I see one."

"Ouch. Kensi's back for round two," Deeks said, feigning injury. "And this time, it's personal."

Kensi was taking a drink of her smoothie, but choked on it in her laughter. "That was one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard," she croaked out.

"But you liked it," Deeks stated, smirking.

Her laughter died out, but she was still grinning when she said, "Yeah, I did."

True to his word, Marty Deeks was good with kids—fantastic, actually—and watching him interact with Ella and Tanner was kind of incredibly attractive. Kensi would never admit it out loud, though.

Monica, on the other hand, made her feelings known. "If I didn't know how completely gone you are on him—and don't try to tell me otherwise—I would have snapped that man up by now," she said as they watched Deeks play in the water with the kids. Ella and Tanner had flocked to Deeks immediately, like he had some sort of kid magnet embedded in his infectious smile. Surfing took a backseat to entertaining the kids, and Kensi wasn't complaining.

She did roll her eyes at Monica's comment and kept quiet, a small smile playing at her lips. Monica bumped her shoulder with Kensi's, grinning when the other girl looked over at her. "I can't believe I'm here to witness Kensi Blye crushing on a hot surfer type. This is a historical milestone."

"It's not a huge deal," Kensi said, blushing.

"Stop blushing and giggling, or he might think you actually like him. What a shock that would be," Monica whispered in Kensi's ear, as if Deeks could hear.

"You're ridiculous."

"I'm right."

"Monica! Watch!" Ella called, and both girls looked up to see Deeks lift Ella up and toss her over the water. She landed with a splash a few feet away and came up giggling. "Again, Marty! Again!"

"Me too!" Tanner squealed.

"Marty, you know I have to return them to their parents in one piece, right?" Monica called out.

"They're perfectly safe with me," Deeks called back. "Right guys?"

"Yeah!" the kids yelled.

Monica shook her head as Deeks tossed Ella again. He kept hold of Tanner as the younger boy flew through the air, however, and only dunked him under the water for a second. Monica nodded in approval. "You got a good one, Kens. Don't waste the opportunity."

Monica left an hour later to take Ella and Tanner home. They both hugged Deeks goodbye and Monica was only able to tear them away by promising they would see him again. Kensi stayed, with Deeks jokingly promising Monica that he would have Kensi home at a decent hour.

The sun was beginning to set, and they headed for the boardwalk, which was nearly deserted. "I know it's a little last minute, but can I take you to dinner?" Deeks asked, gesturing to a burger place a few doors down.

Kensi surprised herself by taking his hand in hers and winding their fingers together. "Lead the way."

Deeks looked down at their joined hands with a boyish grin, and then back up at her. Kensi couldn't help but smile, then she nudged him forward towards the restaurant. He set off down the boardwalk, beaming and with a new spring in his step. Kensi was surprised he didn't start skipping, but his happiness was infectious and she found that she kind of felt like skipping.

They sat at the bar and ordered. Once they had their beers, they started talking and conversation flowed pretty easily. It was the first time they'd actually talked about themselves in person, and the little things that made them who they were. They'd texted, sure, but there was only so much you could communicate through text. Deeks lamented over Kensi's love for trashy reality TV, and Kensi got him talking about how much he liked to read biographies. By the time they got their food, Kensi was talking about living in Israel and Jordan.

"Hanukkah was amazing in Israel," Kensi gushed (she didn't know she could 'gush' about anything). "There're candles in every window, and the food was so good. The streets lit up at night, everyone sang. It felt like this huge family celebrating. It was so incredible. What?" she asked. Deeks was staring at her, an awed smile adorning his face.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head and looking down at his food. "That would be pretty cool to see. I've never lived more than a few miles from where I was born."

"There's something to be said for growing up in the same place," Kensi told him. "Same schools, same friends, familiarity, stability. It sounds nice."

"It's not always that nice. Not in Reseda. And definitely not with my family," Deeks muttered darkly.

Kensi was quiet for a moment, and Deeks was afraid he'd ruined the conversation, but when she looked up, she was smiling. It was clearly forced, but at least she wasn't getting up to leave. "So, can I ask what you were doing in Dr. Cramer's archives today?"

Deeks breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the change in subject. "I can't shake the feeling that Healy's mixed up in this more than just being the defense attorney."

"So you're trying to find other inconsistencies in the evidence," Kensi answered for him.

"Something that guy on the beach—Adam—said. About a deal? And that it would be 'off' if the evidence was investigated. I don't know," Deeks trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. "It all makes me think that the inconsistencies you found in the evidence weren't just a clerical error. I know it's my word against his, but if there's some sort of justice for that girl and the cop…"

"You have to do something," Kensi finished for him, nodding in agreement. Then she smiled, and Deeks warmed at the sight. "If you need any help with your case, Detective Deeks, I'm here to help."

Deeks laughed at the name—somewhere in the back of his mind, he found that he kind of liked the sound of it—and quipped back, "I'll keep you posted on the case, then, Agent Blye."

Kensi hated first dates; they were awkward and stiff and ridiculously cliché. It had been years since she'd been on a 'proper' first date, but this didn't feel like it had when she'd gone on her first few dates with Jack. Maybe it was the unorthodox way she'd come to know Deeks, or maybe it was because they'd already gotten to know each other so well prior to this. The nerves weren't there, the awkwardness gone, and in their place, Kensi felt like they'd known each other for years, not just a few weeks.

He drove her home, like a 'proper' date. He even walked her up to her door, through which they could hear Monica singing along to some Latin pop song. "I'm sorry Monica and the kids crashed our surfing lesson," Kensi apologized, leaning against the doorjamb.

Deeks mirrored her pose and shook his head. "I don't mind; those kids are awesome. We can surf anytime. Besides, I liked getting to take you out on, like, a real date."

"Yeah, that was nice," Kensi laughed. "Thanks for tonight. I had a really good time."

"I did, too," Deeks replied quietly. He looked down at his feet, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Kensi felt a small bit of terror start to rise up the back of her throat. She knew how most 'proper' dates ended, knew what he was going to say. She wanted to keep tonight as untainted as possible. Kissing him would be awkward and cliche, and turning him down would be just as awkward. Either way she spun it, this wasn't going to end on the pristine note she'd hoped.

Deeks swallowed and raised his eyes to hers, and Kensi prepared herself. What came out of his mouth, however, surprised her. "I uh, I know this is the part where we're supposed to kiss, and I was going to ask you if I could kiss you, but this doesn't feel right, does it?"

Kensi exhaled in relief and shook her head with a smile. "No, it doesn't. Is it weird to say that I think it's too cliché?"

Deeks echoed her sigh of relief and chuckled. "Not at all. This," he gestured between the two of them, "is anything but cliché."

Kensi nodded, and then stood up straight. Taking on a business-like tone, she suggested, "How about this? We promise to see each other this week to investigate your corrupt professor, I'll take you to shoot again sometime soon, and we can try and fail to talk about our dark pasts." She tried to stay serious, but a hint of a smile threatened to ruin her act.

"That sounds more like us. Clichés be damned," Deeks answered, his eyes sparkling.

Kensi stuck out a hand. "Shake on it."

"Deal," Deeks agreed, putting his hand in hers.

They shook, but when Deeks moved to pull away, Kensi gripped tighter and pulled him closer. She leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek. It was brief and chaste, and when she pulled away, they were both pink in the face.

She turned the doorknob quickly and cracked the door, allowing Monica's music to fill the landing. "Night," she quipped, turning into the door.

Still trying to process the feeling of her kiss on his cheek, Deeks struggled to find something witty to say. However, all he could bring himself to say in his dazed state was a murmured, "Goodnight."

Kensi made to close the door, and they both noticed Monica at the same time. She was standing in the living room, watching their interaction with a knowing smile. "Kens," she said, eyeing Deeks in mock concern, "I think you broke Marty."