What Could Go Wrong?

Deeks adjusted his tie, the light reflecting off of the golden wedding band on his finger and he froze. Married. He smoothed the tie down and studied his finger with the golden band. He stepped out of wardrobe and waited tapping his foot a little impatiently. “Kensi, anytime today.”

“I’m sorry, do you have to shimmy your way into lycra?” she inquired from behind the curtain, she was in the opposite wardrobe change room to the one he’d come out of. She didn’t give him anytime to answer her question though. “No, you didn’t.”

He waited a few more minutes and the curtain was pushed open. Kensi stood in a black lycra dress that clung to every curve of her body. He figured most women would feel self-conscious in such a garment, if Kensi did, she didn’t show it. She looked confident, her chin raised just slightly, smoky eyes, bright red lips, her hair down in waves and curls, the scent of her perfume was exotic, intoxicating and rather distracting.

“About time,” he said with a bit of a smirk and to try and disguise the fact that he’d been staring. She rolled her dark eyes and walked past him to where the accessories were. “I have it,” he told her knowing exactly what it was she was looking for. She turned back to him in time to see him pull the gold band from his pocket and hold it up between his thumb and forefinger. “Do you Eden take-“

She quickly swiped it from him and put it onto her left ring finger. “You ready, Adam?”

“Of course,” Deeks replied. Married… for an undercover operation. It wasn’t the first time, and he doubted that it would be the last. Still, it was uncomfortable, it left him on edge. What feelings were his? Which were his alias? Which were Kensi and which were Eden? Or Melissa? Or whoever else she had been while sharing kisses with him.

Callen and Sam were doing the leg work, getting them the intelligence they would need. Eric and Nell were up in ops keeping everyone informed and sorting through files on the white supremist group Kensi and Deeks were tasked with infiltrating.

Deeks had a pretty bad feeling going into the entire mission. The group targeted couples, rich ones that shared their views and who could fund the purchases of guns and other supplies. This was why he was going in as an expensive defence attorney with some less than favourable views, and Kensi was a trust-fund baby with lots of daddy’s money. They targeted couples because they often used the woman as leverage, a ‘you’re late giving me money, maybe I’ll go beat on your girl for a while, make sure you remember’ kind of deal. He looked over at Kensi and his heart sped up a little. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

She tossed him the keys to the grey Audi they’d been given to help sell the cover. His Chevy Malibu just didn’t make the cut. Kensi carefully got into the car, four inch shoes and a tiny little lycra dress wasn’t doing her any favours. She looked over and watched her partner for a minute, the grey suit looked dashing on him, despite the fact that she’d never say so. His hair had been trimmed and he’d even shaven for the cover. His blue eyes were narrowed on the keys in his hand, and his lips were in a tight line. She didn’t see him serious often and it worried her. “You good partner?”

Her voice broke him from his thoughts. “Yeah. Fine.”

::

They’d put on a show of looking at houses in the neighbourhood, choosing the one right next to the Mark Waterford, the leader of the white supremist group. Movers (all actually NCIS agents) had staged the place and kept their eyes on the neighbourhood passing on all intelligence to Eric and Nell. Deeks opened the door and Kensi was first in, Deeks close behind, shutting and locking the door.

Kensi let out a low whistle. “Impressive,” she said studying an intricate vase set up in the entrance way, curly willow branches sticking out with large orange and pink lilies. Everything was done up to the nines boasting a rich life. A knock on the door had them both jumping. “That was fast,” she whispered.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, and she nodded letting him know she was ready, he let out a breath and nodded back. He turned and opened the door to a lovely young blonde woman in a pink dress, Priscilla ‘Cilla’ Waterford, he knew her face from the files. Her husband, Mark Waterford the leader of the group stood beside her, a smile on his face. Looking at them it was hard to believe that they were responsible for the deaths of four marines, two were Asian, another African American and the latest kill had been a fourth generation American Israeli marine. The Waterford’s looked like they were straight from the fifties, her powder blue dress, his slicked back hair and Stepford-ish smile and looked more interested in home cooked meals than starting a race war.

“Welcome!” Cilla said excitedly, her bright blue eyes wide as she smiled. “It’s so nice to meet you both Adam, and Eden,” her eyes ran over Kensi. “Look at you,” there was a hint of jealousy in her voice that Deeks picked up and managed to keep the grin off his face, it wasn’t difficult because as jealous as Cilla was, Mark was interested his eyes glued on Kensi’s long legs.

Kensi stepped up, her heels clicking against the floor, she put an arm around Deeks’s waist and immediately his arm went around her shoulders. “Thank you for the welcome,” Deeks responded with a smile.

“Well, we should let you two get settled,” Cilla said, but she was looking at her husband who was still gawking at Kensi. “But we’d just love it if you joined us for dinner, it’ll be ready at seven.”

“We’d love to,” Kensi replied with a smile. “Should I bring anything?”

“Oh no, dear,” Cilla responded. “I have everything under control, you just bring your husband.”

“Okay,” Kensi replied as Cilla grabbed Mark’s arm and pulled looking a lot stronger and more fierce than the powder blue dress and Stepford smile suggested. “See you at seven,” she called waving at them as they walked along the pathway. She shut the door and stared out the frosted glass that distorted the image beyond. “That was weird.”

“Agreed,” Deeks replied worriedly. “Mark looks considerably more submissive than we once thought.”

“I’ll have Nell look further into Priscilla,” Kensi replied walking down the hall and away from him. Notes of her perfume still hung around and he breathed it in deeply. Sucker for punishment, he thought as he followed her catching the goodbye section of Kensi’s conversation with the intelligence analyst back at OPS.

He looked at the clock. “Two hours before dinner with the Waterford’s,” he muttered.

“I hope they serve pie,” Kensi noted as she sat down at the table.

“Seriously?” Deeks said sounding rather incredulous. “Pie? That is where your mind is?” They never really discussed how they worked, or dealt with things while undercover. They just… lived in the same house, slept in the same bed, but they never acknowledged their fears, or talked about how they worked undercover. Deeks had worked so long alone that it was still strange working with a partner even after a few years and a handful of ‘married couple’ covers.

“Cherry,” Kensi continued oblivious to how her careless words were effecting her partner. “I could really go for some cherry pie… Cilla seems like the type to serve apple though.”

Deeks shook his head, she was thinking about pie and he was just hoping that they could get through dinner, plant the bugs, and hopefully Mark wouldn’t be making eyes at Kensi all night. He was worried about how it would all play out, what could be expected of him. The race war the Waterford’s were starting made him feel ill, the images of the four dead marines that had been caught in the crossfire was tormenting, and Kensi seemed so unaffected. Then again, what was hidden behind her mask wasn’t to be found today. Today she was Eden and he doubted he’d get a glimpse of Kensi. He pulled a box from the cabinet and split up the small cameras and even smaller microphones they needed to plan inside of the Waterford’s home.

Kensi flipped through a magazine and he wondered if she was even reading it. Was she Kensi sitting there ignoring his worried gaze, or was it Eden? She let out a sigh and looked up at him, her dark eyes staring right into his blue ones. “It’ll be fine,” she assured. Kensi. She looked back down and absorbed herself into the magazine and Deeks let out a breath, some weight lifting from his shoulders as he continued to count out what they would need.

::

The meet and greet had gone over well, what they hadn’t been expecting was that the Waterford’s had many of the members of their group over. Deeks had caught sight of a tattoo under a man’s collar, a swastika. He took in a deep breath and forced it back out, he was Adam, Adam didn’t, couldn’t have any problems with anything that was going down in this house.

He caught sight of his partner across the room. Kensi stood out from the other women around her. He thanked the extra height of the heels, but the short black dress had the attention of the men in the room.

“I take it that lovely creature is with you,” Roy Green said, Deeks knew him from the pictures, from his three priors of armed robbery he was head on the suspect list for being involved in the murders.

“She is,” Deeks said darkly, his eyes narrowing. He didn’t want Roy Green anywhere around his wife… his partner.

Mark smiled as he came up. “Good to see you too getting along.” Deeks was only half listening, Kensi had excused herself from the group, she caught his eye and then she continued past him and he knew she was going to the second floor to plant some of the bugs. He looked for anyone following her. Eyes certainly, but no one started tailing her so he returned to his conservation with Mark.

::

Kensi looked over her shoulder and waited a beat. No one was following. She had studied the layout of the house extensively and went into the office first. She put a camera up behind the desk so they’d be able to see what he did on his computer, she took apart the bottom part of the phone and put a listening bug in before snapping the piece back in. She set the phone down carefully. She taped a microphone under his desk. She knew she had to move fast, but she went to the filing cabinet and retrieved her lock picks from her clutch and got to work, she quickly flipped through files, took pictures on her cell phone of ones she thought might help and locked it back up again.

She peeked out and continued down the hall, Granger wanted every room wired. She quickly tagged the bedroom, guest room and what appeared to be a crafting room before she went back down stairs. She looked around and found her partner in a deep conversation with Roy, Mark and another man from the files, Preston Stiles who they suspected was the extremist in the group, most likely to snap second in command to the far more eloquent Mark. Deeks appeared as if he were hanging off of every word, nodding his head every once in a while, but she knew from how he’d been behaving through out the day that this case was bothering him. She couldn’t blame him. The men here were just as creepy as the women.

“Dinner is served,” Cilla called out and everyone flooded into the large formal dining area. It was immediately noticeable the respect Cilla got from everyone, like she was the leader and not just the wife. Deeks and Kensi shared a wary look before they filed into the room last.

::

“Dinner was delicious,” Kensi said with a smile as she assisted with cleaning up.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Cilla responded as the woman stayed in the kitchen cleaning up. “If you enjoyed dinner you’ll love desert,” she said with a grin. “Apple pie.”

“No way, my favourite,” Kensi lied enthusiastically as Deeks passed through the kitchen on his way out with the men that were swarming him. He managed to give her a little smile as he continued following the men.

“I think the boys have taken to Adam,” Cilla gushed.

Kensi knew case wise, she should be overjoyed. Covers were solid, they were making progress, she was forming a bond with Cilla and the other wives, and Deeks was being taken back into the living room with the men for more conversation, there was a good chance that he was getting valuable intelligence…. but as his partner… she was worried. “What are those boys talking about?”

All the women looked to one another and finally to Cilla.

“The cause,” the blonde woman said placing a hand on Kensi’s shoulder. “I see great things in Adam’s future.”

::

From months worth of surveillance Deeks knew that the men met at the Waterford’s every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Saturday’s the women came along and everyone had a big meal like they were some kind of twisted family. It was suspected that on the three days the men came over that there were meetings. “Right this way, Adam,” Mark said putting his arm around Deeks leading him into a large room, a long wooden table with chairs all around. The men seemed to know where they were sitting. Mark at the head, Roy and Preston to his right and left everyone else seemed to Deeks to file in at random, but he figured there was more to it than that. He took the last empty seat.

During his conversations with Mark, Roy and Preston he’d shown his hand; his dislike of immigrants and immigration policies, his suit and watch showed off his wealth. “I think you’ll fit right in,” Mark had said to him.

“I have a task for you,” Mark said. “To prove yourself, and your loyalties.”

“Of course,” Deeks replied his heart hammering in his chest.

::

“What kind of things?” Kensi inquired.

“No need to worry dear,” Cilla responded. “I knew right when you moved in that you and Adam were just what we needed to show just how serious we are.”

Kensi had an awful feeling. ‘You and Adam’ Cilla’s words kept replaying on a loop in her mind. They never used the women as anything more than leverage. Her thoughts derailed when all the women suddenly pulled out guns and pointed them at her.

::

Deeks turned to the door as he heard multiple sets of heels walking down the stairs. “The ladies joining us?” Deeks felt as if the men were walking around their demands, keeping everything smoke and mirrors. He wasn’t sure what to make of the women joining them… until the door opened and Kensi was first in. Her eyes sought his immediately and when the were found relief replaced panic. She took another step forward and she was followed in by Priscilla who had a small Beretta in her hand. All of the women filed in, their guns trained on Kensi. All the stood and pulled out larger guns than their female counterparts and pointed them at Deeks.

“Yes,” Cilla said to Kensi. “Two federal agents will show how serious we are.”

“You won’t get away with this,” Kensi said right before Cilla pistol whipped her and she fell in a heap.

“Kensi!” Deeks cried out breaking a cover already broken, he only made it two steps toward his fallen partner before he too was hit with a gun and it was lights out.

::

Deeks woke and immediately noticed was the ache in the back of his head, the ache in his neck and he lifted his head to relieve the tension. He tried to move his arms but they were tied to the pole behind him. He shifted uncomfortably and had a bad feeling that Hetty was going to skin him for the dirt and grime that was certainly on his trousers. The lighting was poor, but it was enough to make out that the space they were in was large, industrial looking, likely they’d been transported to some kind of warehouse. Across from him tied to another pole was Kensi who appeared unconscious still, her head hanging, her long hair obscuring her face.

He took another look around but didn’t see anyone guarding them. “Kensi,” he whispered as loudly as he dared, he pulled against the bindings, his fingers working trying to untie them, but it was a futile attempt. “Kensi!” He called out to her again not caring if anyone heard him.

She groaned and lifted her head just slightly. “Did I seriously just get pistol whipped by one of the Stepford Wives?”

“Yeah,” Deeks said. “And she didn’t even serve cherry pie.”

“Should have tipped us off,” Kensi bantered back as she tested her bindings.

Deeks found a bit of his sanity in the raillery. “How’s your head?”

“Fine,” Kensi replied dismissively. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Deeks blew out a breath. “How were we made?”

“I have no idea,” Kensi was frustrated about it too. It didn’t seem that it was anything they had done, they hadn’t made any mistakes. “A leak?”

They were quiet for a moment, both thinking. A pipe somewhere dripping. “I don’t know,” Deeks admitted. “But I’ve got to take a leak.”

“Really?” Kensi replied looking over at him. “This is not the time!”

“It’s not as if I don’t understand this is an inconvenient time to have to go!”

Deeks didn’t continue since the door opened and Roy walked in. The man was whistling as he walked up to Deeks and stared down at him. He said nothing before delivering a harsh kick to the ribs. The detective grit his teeth as the air left his lungs. “Not much of a man are you? Try to play it like you’re part of the cause?” Another swift blow.

“Stop!” Kensi yelled at Roy.

Roy turned and smiled. “You sure are pretty,” he crouched down before her and pushed back a stray curl, she responded by spitting in his face. He wiped his face, a looking enraged before he back handed her. “Pretty, but not to bright.”

“How did you know?” Deeks managed to get out once he had breath back in his lungs.

“That the two of you were federal agents?” Roy smiled. “With the right amount of money… you can find out anything.”

“Who was your contact?”

“Do I look stupid?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Deeks asked knowing he was pushing his luck. “My partner keeps telling me about ‘rhetorical’ questions, but I’m not sure if-“ The punch came on a downwards strike and hit him in the temple, the quick second hit his cheekbone and split skin.

“Leave him alone,” Kensi growled, her voice low and dangerous.

“Do you think I won’t hit a woman?” Roy asked her.

“I can take a punch better than you can. It’s why I’m tied up and you’re standing with your arms free. You couldn’t beat me if I was untied.”

Roy walked over to her, a slow dangerous kind of prowl that left Deeks with a pit in his stomach that was inconsistent with the blows. It came with knowing his partner was in trouble and further, the knowledge that he could do nothing to stop what was coming.

He crouched and pulled out a knife. Deeks stopped breathing. Kensi’s eyes held defiance as she stared at Roy. He moved around her and cut off the bindings. She was on her feet in an instant, a little unsteady, but she quickly regained her equilibrium and kicked off her shoes. Barefoot she felt the dirt and grime on the warehouse floor. The lighting cast eery shadows everywhere and served to make Roy look like a villain in a B movie.

She wasn’t too worried about the knife in the man’s hand. She practised her disarming moves often, soon, the knife would be her advantage. She didn’t dare look at her partner for fear he would distract her from what she needed to do. She circled with Roy waiting for her opportunity. He was impatient and lunged, she curved her back, grabbing his hand with both hers. She slid her fingers into place and quickly turned with her entire body forcing his hand open the knife clattering to the ground. She slammed the bottom of her foot into his shin and whirled around thrusting her palm into his throat. He staggered back gasping for air. She carefully placed her foot on the handle of the knife and slid it to her partner.

Roy charged her and took them both to the floor, he got one good punch to her face. He drew back for a second and she braced herself for the blow that never came. She opened her eyes, Deeks had the man’s arm and pulled him off of her. He followed it with a quick and high roundhouse kick she had been completely unaware that he had in his arsenal of moves, but with how flawlessly it was executed she knew it was well practised. Especially since Roy dropped like a stone to the floor.

They stood together looking at Roy for a second. “We need to get the heck out of here,” Deeks commented.

“Still have to pee?”

“You have no idea,” Deeks responded. “Those blows to the kidneys did not help the situation.”

She grabbed some of the rope that she’d been held with and tied up Roy’s wrists, she found a cell phone in his pocket and quickly called Callen.

“Yeah?”

“Callen? It’s-“

“Kensi! Are you okay? Is Deeks with you?”

“Yes and yes,” she answered his questions quickly. “Can Eric-“

“We’ve been tracking Roy’s phone, we’re making our way through the warehouse.”

“Nell must be rubbing off on you, finishing my sentences like that.”

“You two dropped off the map for three hours, I was worried. “Sue me,” he said worry and agitation mingling in his voice.

The door opened and Sam came in first lowering his weapon with a smile and a relieved laugh. “Married less than twenty-four hours and already trying to spice things up?”

“I’m going to ignore that,” Deeks said with a grin. The job rarely worked out the way they planned, but it in this instance it had derailed spectacularly.

“We’re clear,” Callen said finally coming in the room. He looked them over. “You two good?”

Deeks looked down at Kensi and she smiled up at him. “Yeah, we’re good.”

“Speak for yourself,” Deeks said. “I have to pee. I need a nurse.”

“You need a nurse to pee?” Callen and Sam quipped at the same time.

“Oh that’s just adorable,” Deeks mocked with a roll of his eyes. “I should upgrade the nurse request to a doctor once Hetty sees the state of this suit.”

“And you went and bled on the collar,” Kensi said worry pitching into her voice. “Must have pistol whipped you pretty hard.”

“Great, dirt, grime and bloodstains,” Deeks said with despair as he opened the side door and balmy LA air greeted him. “Hetty’s going to kill me.”

Kensi followed her partner outside just in time to see him unzip his trousers she quickly turned around. “DEEKS!”

“I told you I had to pee,” he said, laughter in his voice.