Invincible Summer (Part 2 of ?)
TITLE: "Invincible Summer"
AUTHOR: tess_dicorsi
RATING: R A smidge of adult language and situations.
GENRE: Relationship/Angst
CHARACTERS: Kensi/Deeks with a an occasional OPS staffer showing up.
DISCLAIMER: Recognizable characters are not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break them. There are a few original characters, they're mine. I'm also trying not to break them.
SUMMARY: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." Post "Descent" multi-chapter story.
2. "We are tied to the ocean. And we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch, we are going back to whence we came." - John F. Kennedy
x-x-x
The entire planned 12-plus hour drive was completely worth it before it even began the minute Deeks pulled up to Kensi's in Matthew's Ford F-150. A big white truck, a surf board and a paddle board strapped into the truck bed with his suitcases, a cooler with food and some of Monty's gear under the exterior hard cover, a kayak and paddle strapped to the cab roof were not what the usually unflappable Agent Blye was expecting.
He didn't tell her he paid two members of the building's maintenance crew $50.00 each to help him load the truck or a delivery company to pick up his boards and boat from his garage and bring them to this temporary home. That ran $150.00. All money well spent when he saw Kensi's stunned look.
He pulled back the cover of the truck bed and watched her toss what was obviously her Mt. Rainer climbing backpack in, taking what he figured were her weapons in her go-bag to the truck's cab. He figured if she got the call to go climbing or if he finally got on her last nerve, she'd be ready to go.
"Are you going to spend all your time in the water?" Kensi asked as he hopped into the truck's cab.
"If the weather holds," he told her, "that's the plan." And they were off.
The ride up went well. Deeks got Kensi to talk in generalities about her trip with Callen to Brooklyn to find Sidorov. He had no desire to hear about the capture of Andros or the near miss of Sidorov. Instead, Kensi in the City was of interest to him. She'd never been to Brooklyn before - Manhattan several times, even the Bronx once when visiting a college friend who lived near Columbia University took her to a Yankees game - but Brooklyn was all new.
She was stunned by the size of the Russian community in Brooklyn, the restaurants, the specialty shops, the entire social experience. She laughed about another visit to a Russian Bathouse where the team had to do business. She was sent with two of the businessmen's wives for a mudbath and massage - both awesome - while Callen and the DHS buddy spent two hours in a men's only schvitz and swim negotiating with the East Coast Arkady Kolcheck and his son.
While Kensi was laughing and telling her stories, Deeks felt again how much he missed this. Missed her. They hadn't talked in weeks and in that time, he felt so alone. And he was, though by his own choice. He knew he wasn't much company for those days. He was angry and in pain. Nobody needed to see him hurting and miserable. So Kensi was gone but she was working. He thought he'd have stayed with her if she was the one recovering but then realized if she was the one recovering, he'd have been hunting the world to find whoever hurt her. He was just vain enough to think she was probably do the same.
Outside of Sonoma, they found a place to grab some lunch, a 24-hour diner where he could have some scrambled eggs and a smoothie, Kensi could polish off a French Dip sandwich, a side of fries and a black and white shake. Back on the road, they sat in fairly comfortable silence, listening to NPR podcasts for Monty and enjoying the scenery.
Just before 7:30PM, as the sun was starting to set, Deeks turned the truck into a private driveway. He was glad they were nearly there since he was running on fumes. He heard Kensi's soft "Oh my God," when the pulled up to the main building.
"We're not staying here," he told her, hoping she wasn't too disappointed. The Farraige was a three story, sixteen suite bed and breakfast, a favorite of pricey travel guides and well-heeled Pacific Coast vacationers. It looked more like a mansion on an English estate than a West Coast B&B and the owners liked it that way. As he pulled into the driveway by the front door, Deeks told Kensi he'd be right back.
A young woman was sitting in a rocking chair in the living room area, reading her iPad as he walked in. Looking up at him she smiled. "You must be Marty, right? I'm Sharon."
"I am Marty, Sharon. Nice to meet you. Charley said she'd leave the keys for me."
Sharon stood and walked over to a small ante-room that was really a front desk. "She did," Sharon handed him an envelope with a key. She also gave him a brochure. "Have you been with us before?"
"I was one of the small army of groomsmen in Tim and Charley's wedding. I'm familiar with the place."
Sharon chuckled at the description of the bridal party size. "Well, we have a wedding tomorrow at one so there will be no access to the courtyard out back before 7PM."
"With any luck, I'll be on the beach all day."
"Glad you're here, Marty," Sharon said with a genuine smile. "Do you need any help? Charley said you're recovering from a bad accident and may need help. My cousin Frank is the handyman around here."
"No, thanks for the offer. I wound up bringing a friend. I think we can handle things."
"Enjoy your stay. The family's guest house is magnificent."
"I agree, thanks again for your help."
Deeks walked back to the truck and started the short drive to the cabin. He handed Kensi the brochure. "This is where we're not staying."
"This is amazing. How do you know about this place?"
"Law school buddy married into the family that owns the place. A lot like where I've been staying in LA, I'm everyone's favorite charity case."
"Don't talk about yourself that way."
"I'm not talking money, though with both I'm far out of both guys' tax brackets. No, my LAPD bud knows about my time with the Russians, my friend who married into all this knows I was injured in the line of duty but not the specifics."
"You spoke with them?" Kensi sounded hurt.
"Bates spoke with everyone in my undercover unit, from what I've heard. He's very angry. Matthew's on a long undercover so he was happy to lend me his place in Westwood and have an excuse to get his truck out of storage. As for all this, Timmy's wife is a bit of a force of nature. She knows I got hurt because I missed a friends dinner she put together the week before Memorial Day. You don't miss dinners Charley puts together. Especially ones at 21 Oceanfront's Patio Cellar that you RSVP'd you were attending. Anyway, Timmy called around, found Bates and Charley called him," Deeks told her as he pulled into the driveway of the small guest home. "You really don't say no to Charley. Even when you're Roger Bates. She's a benevolent queen but a queen nonetheless."
Deeks got out of the truck and looked at the kayak on the roof. That could be unloaded tomorrow. He hoped somewhere someone would deliver some food and he could get to sleep. Hell of a way to show Kensi a good time on their first night away but he was done. Letting Monty out of the back of the cab, he walked to do the front door with Kensi and Monty just as step behind.
"This is cute," Kensi said, looking at the small, cedar front of the guest house.
He handed her the envelope with the key. "Open the door, Kens. See if you stick with cute."
Kensi opened the door and everything aligned perfectly: the sunset on the Pacific, the floor to ceiling windows that made up the entire back of the house. It wasn't cute. It was magnificent. Kensi's small gasp confirmed that. "This is..."
"Where we're staying until you have to go climb a mountain or get sick of me."
"Why would anyone..."
"Why would anyone lend this to someone like..."
"Why would anyone not spend their summer here? Why wouldn't anyone spend their entire lives here?"
"The family is sort of scattered this summer. Timmy and Charley are in the Seychelles for a long business trip, her folks are in Tanzania on a safari and then spending August on Block Island, her oldest brother lives in town so he has his own place, her other brother is serving as the XO on the Carl Vinson."
She walked through the living room to the glass door leading to the deck. "Wow."
"There's a hot tub, barbeque pit and an outdoor fire place off the deck."
"This is..."
"I know. The best description I ever heard of this place was Cameron Frye's house with an ocean view."
"Who?"
"You watch endless John Hughes movie marathons and you don't know Cameron Frye. Ferris would be so unhappy," Deeks said, sighing in fake disappointment. He saw Monty looking around a realized he probably should have brought in the bags and Monty's bed. "Check the place out, I'll be right back." He was able to put her backpack on and carry his clothing duffle, the cooler and Monty's bed without too much effort.
When Kensi saw him come back into the house, she grabbed the cooler and the dog bed, leaving them in the hall. "I would have helped."
"We're good. I'm sorta beat from the drive." Deeks walked straight to the bedroom and dropped her backpack and his duffle by the door.
"I would have gladly driven ..."
Deeks put up his hand. "I would have fallen asleep in the truck and probably would have spent the night there if you drove. Uhm, about that."
"Sleeping in the truck?"
"Just sleeping. I'd offer to be chivalrous and sack out on the couch but..."
"We've shared a bed before; I'm good if you're good."
He wasn't good. He hadn't been good in weeks but for her he'd try. "I'm fine. I'll be the perfect gentleman."
"Where's the fun in that?" he thought he heard her mumble before she walked away. "Oh cool," he definitely heard her say just after he finished unpacking what he needed for the night.
As Deeks walked to the kitchen from the bedroom, he saw Kensi set up Monty's dog bed near the living room sliding door that led to the massive deck. Monty made himself comfortable. Deeks moved into the kitchen and saw his cooler along with a tray of sandwiches and a gift basket on the countertop. There were also containers of soup and salads. "Awesome."
Kensi held up a note. "Welcome Marty!"
"Read it." He looked at the tomato soup with some interest.
"You sure?"
"Charley's a one man woman, believe me."
Kensi opened the note and started to read. "Marty, Tim and I are so happy you took us up on our offer. We were so worried about you, still are, but are thrilled you're well enough to stay at the guest house. Mom and Dad want you to stay as long as you need. Of all of Tim's friends, they ask about you the most and were unhappy to hear you were injured. They're so pleased you're recovering in their guest house. Sharon at the B&B is ready to help you with anything. Marty, ask for help. Tim cried when he told me what you looked like in the hospital," Kensi's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's worried sick. I am too. Tim may tear up at flyovers during Seahawks games but he was wrecked after visiting you. Good friends are hard to find, someone like you is irreplaceable. Charley and Tim"
"Obviously, Charley and Tim have embraced my awesomeness," Deeks tried to lighten the moment.
"Don't joke about that. These people obviously care about you," Kensi chided.
Deeks picked through the gift basket, "And must have been psychic about you." Deeks held up a bar of Toblerone Fruit and Nut Chocolate. "Let's eat."
Deeks heated up the tomato soup for himself while Kensi made herself a grilled cheese sandwich - and was darn proud of it. Charley had the refrigerator filled with soda, beer, bottled ice tea and a quart of milk. There were eggs, bacon, some fresh fruit and vegetables in the crisper. Deeks transferred his food from the cooler and set up a water bowl and dinner for Monty.
Deeks struggled to keep his eyes opened during dinner but managed to stay awake. After loading the dishwasher, he apologized to Kensi and told her he was done for the day. She said she'd look around the house, check her email and make her way to bed shortly. He was sound asleep before she ever made it to the bedroom.
It was light up when he woke. Kensi was snort snoring in his ear as she star-fished all over the bed. He was curled up in a ball facing her, a bit stiff and sore from the long ride and looking at the clock, the twelve-hour plus night's sleep. The plan was to get up early and start getting healthy. Day one of the plan was off to a late start.
"Wake up sleepy-head," he whispered in her ear.
There was a long groan by Kensi and a quick duck by Deeks when her hand flung near his face. He made mental note to tell her about not getting hit in the mouth.
"Come on Kens, we're burning daylight here," he tried and that got a reaction.
She was a bit dazed when she looked at him but it all came back to her in a hurry. "What time is it?" she asked as she eased herself back to her side of the bed.
Deeks rolled onto his back and looked up at her. Lying on her side with her head propped up on her bent arm - he could get use to this. "A little after nine which is about three hours later than I wanted to get up."
"Long drive up," she offered as an excuse. "So what's the plan for today?"
"The plan was to get up around six, have some breakfast, hit the gym, pick up some food for the week and spend the afternoon in the ocean."
Kensi smiled. "So we'll adapt. Get up around nine, have some breakfast, hit the gym, pick up some food for the week, maybe find a place to have some lunch and spend the afternoon in the ocean."
He lifted an eyebrow. "I noticed adapting the plan for the day included a second Kensi feeding."
She leaned over, placing her hands on his tee-shirt clad chest and whispered in his ear, "A well-fed Kensi is a happy Kensi." She pulled back a little and smiled at him.
"Duly noted," he smiled back.
"I'll shower first while you figure out what to make me for breakfast," she said pushing herself off of him.
He didn't mean to scream, he really didn't. She couldn't know how badly inflamed the cartilage around his ribcage still was. Kensi nearly jumped to the foot of the bed while Monty came racing into the bedroom, barking.
"Oh, God, Deeks. I'm so sorry," Kensi was mortified.
Monty jumped on the bed where Kensi slept and looked for whoever hurt him.
Deeks just wanted everyone out of the room. Putting his left arm up, he rubbed Monty's ears hoping to calm the dog down. Deeks had his eyes closed and he was trying to pull himself together. Kensi chanting "I'm so sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry" wasn't helping.
Once Monty was calm and Deeks didn't think sitting up would kill him, he opened his eyes and pulled himself up on his elbows. "Kensi, it's fine."
"Deeks, I'm so..."
"Kensi, can you take a shower? I'll take one when you're done. Monty's upset and I just need a minute."
He felt Kensi jump off the bed like it was on fire. Deeks leaned back and closed his eyes, listening to her move around a little. When the room was quiet and he could hear the shower going, he slowly opened his eyes. Monty was making himself comfortable on "Kensi's side" of the bed - someplace the dog may be for the next month if he didn't handle this right. The problem was he wasn't sure he was up to handling it right.
When he heard the shower turn off, he eased himself out of the bed and started looking for something to wear. He saw Kensi standing on the deck as he moved to the bathroom. After his shower, he walked out to talk to her.
"Deeks, I am so sorry," she told him.
He put his hand up. "I'm just going to say this once and we'll figure something out after that."
"Deeks, I..."
"Kensi, just listen, just once. Okay?" When she nodded, he started, "Since I finished with all the dental surgery, on a good day, I'm at seventy-five percent. There haven't been a lot of good days. On a really good day, I'm eighty percent. There's been one of those - yesterday. I'm not in a great place physically. Everything hurts. Everything. And everything hurts most of the time. I'm here to work on that. I think you being around is going to be a good thing for me but I'm not me. Or the old me. But I want to be. Right now, I can't get hit in the mouth. When I'm tired, I go to right to sleep. You can't use me like a table when you get up. So, if you can deal with partly-me, I'll make us some breakfast and we'll figure out the rest of the day. If you can't, I'll make us some breakfast and we'll figure out how to get you back to L.A. today."
"I don't want to leave," she put her chin out, the fighting Kensi Blye returning. Deeks took that as a good sign.
Bacon, scrambled eggs and toast for Kensi, just scrambled eggs with some diced veggies and a powered shake for Deeks restarted their morning. Keeping things light, Kensi caught Deeks up on what she was pretty sure was the office's newest romance, Eric and Nell. Nell wouldn't fess up to Kensi straight out but she admitted she was taking Eric to visit her folks in Michigan that weekend.
Deeks thought that he needed to go surfing with Eric once he was back on his feet. Nell could keep a secret - she was an intelligence analysts after all - but Eric couldn't hold up under a tough interrogation. He thought interrogation was probably a bad choice of terms for asking a friend about his love life and figured he wasn't capable of a tough anything right now. Well, getting to the gym was the first step in that direction.
Deeks offered and Kensi agreed to a visit to the local gym. He arranged for a month long membership for himself and Kensi thought she'd do the same if she liked the place. Deeks was stunned when he left the house and found the kayak off the roof of the truck. A note left on the windshield from Frank the handyman told Deeks not to worry, the kayak, his surfboard and paddleboard were now in the family's changing locker near the beach. The locker's door code was 9573 in July. Deeks again wondered why his useless father couldn't at least have money.
Tate's Gym and Fitness Center was in the middle of the Tututni Beach shopping area. The Tututni Beach shopping area being the gym, a smallish Target, Horton's meat and produce and Mort's Diner - complete with a life-sized mechanized waving Mort.
Inside the gym, a teenage girl with a name plate that read Emily was folding towels and working the reception desk. "Welcome to Tate's, I'm Emily. Are you Marty?"
"I am Marty, I'm assuming Charley called," Deeks said with a smile.
"Called, e-mailed, text'd," Emily smiled back. "Can you wait here for a sec?"
As Emily dashed into the manager's office, Kensi turned to Deeks. "I'm going to need a full rundown on this Charley."
"Concerned you're not the only bossy woman in my life."
"I'm not bossy, I'm just right all the time."
"You and Charley."
"Marty, I'm Frank Tate. We met at the wedding. I was in my sheriff's uniform," Tate introduced himself, extending his hand to Deeks. He had a firm, two-handed handshake.
"Nice to see you again. This is my friend Kensi Blye," Deeks offered an introduction. After another two-handed handshake, this time for Kensi, Deeks asked, "Are you still the sheriff?"
"Still am. The gym is a side business to put my girls through a good college. Emily's up next."
"Emily was one of the flower girls, wasn't she?"
"Yes she was. Charley babysat for Em's older sisters Jenny and Sharon - they were the junior bridesmaids. Charley called a day or two after I got your check for the monthly membership. She told me you were injured in the line of duty. Why didn't you mention that? I'd have offered all our services gratis as a professional courtesy. Either way, Charley said she's paying for your membership." Tate pulled a check out of his shirt pocket.
"I can't accept it. Charley's been so generous..."
"Do you want to tell Charley you didn't take her up on her offer? I don't."
Deeks chuckled. "Yeah, you're probably right. How about this, Kensi is staying with me. Can we apply my check for a monthly membership for her?"
"Sounds like a fair deal. Let me give you the five cents tour."
"I'm really going to need a full background on you, Charley, the wedding and why the sheriff knows you," Kensi whispered to Deeks as they walked to the weight room.
The gym had a decent sized weight room, six treadmills, six exercise bikes, two stairmasters, two rowing machines and an Olympic-sized pool in a glass enclosure next to the gym. There were daily aerobic classes, several spin classes and four weekly yoga classes. The men's and women's dressing/locker rooms both had small saunas. Kensi loved that. She admitted the Russian Bathhouse in Brooklyn had two amazing steam rooms.
It was a small gym in a small town - mobbed on Saturday mornings, quiet for the rest of the week. Currently there were two people in the main gym besides the staff, an older man reading his Kindle on an exercise bike and a teenage girl running on a treadmill with Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" leaking from her headphones. Kensi saw there was a cardio-aerobics class starting in ten minutes and Deeks wanted to test his shoulder and stamina in the pool so they went their separate way.
Deeks kept his shirt on until he was poolside. There was an older woman swimming laps and working hard not to get her hair wet. Deeks remembered his days working at the Y and the number of retirement age women who could swim without ever putting their head in the water. When the anti-Dana Torres was on the other side of the pool, he tossed off his shirt and quickly made his way into the water. Nobody needed to see his bruises.
The swimming was hard. He decided not to pace himself against his pool mate, only because it would depress him. The breaststroke would have been the best style for his injuries but his lack of stamina made it impossible. He struggled with the front crawl and nearly cried after four laps of the backstroke. The butterfly was out of the question.
Forty-five minutes later, he was finished. He was alone in the pool so he didn't have to sprint to get a towel over his now pigeon chest and assortment of bruises. He made his way to the dressing room and dozed for about fifteen minutes in the men's sauna. Two men laughing as they entered the locker room woke him up before he turned a puddle.
After he showered and changed, he saw Kensi walking toward the women's locker room.
"Awesome class," she told him. "I'll be ready in a few minutes." Deeks was more than happy to sit near Emily in the reception area.
With a cleaned up Kensi, they hit the produce market. Deeks brought up enough food to last for a few days. Even with Charley stocking the fridge with basics, they'd need more. Kensi paid for the food - making Deeks feel completely like a kept man between Charley and Kensi. Kensi said it was to make up for the gym membership.
They picked up some takeout from Mort's Diner - a Mediterranean tuna fish wrap for him, a Reuben sandwich for her and made their way back to the guest house's deck. Bringing what was left of his breakfast shake, Deeks started to unwrap his wrap and ate the insides with a fork. Kensi, with some Powerade and her lunch started the Charley interrogation. "So who is this Charley?"
"Colleen Fiona Buchanan-Brennan is Charley. She's the youngest child and only daughter of Aileen and Malachy Buchanan and the wife of my law school bud Timothy Eamon Brennan. A match made in Irish heaven. Colleen's year-older brother Sean, the XO on the Carl Vinson, had a tough time saying Colleen when they were little so what started as Collie became Charley. She liked Charley so she was Charley. It was the beginning of whatever Charley wants, Charley gets way of life."
"When did you meet her?"
"Between second and third year of law school everyone gets a summer legal gig. Some people go to law firms as summer interns and Timmy wound up at Recker, Carter in DC."
"Where'd you wind up?" Kensi interrupted.
"Child advocacy group. Tried to get benefits for handicapped children in the LA public school system."
"Good for you."
"Better for them. Back to our love birds, one of the Recker, Carter clients was Buchanan Ship Building. Since the late 1800's, the Buchanans built ships for the Pacific Northwest. Mostly for the fisheries but with World War II, they started making ships for the Navy. When Timmy was in DC, Buchanan was haggling with the DoD about something. Charley was fresh out of business school and working with her Dad who is the CEO. They met at a settlement conference with the DoD in June, had drinks after a firm-client golf outing around the 4th of July and have been a couple ever since."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. Timmy is different than the guys Charley met at Gonzaga. Grew up in Belle Harbor in Queens."
"Why is that name familiar?"
"About a month after 9/11 there was a plane crash there. It is a nice, middle class, mostly Irish neighborhood. Timmy's one of eight boys. Two firemen like their dad, four attorneys including one of the firemen, an accountant, a high school teacher like their mom and an actor-slash-waiter. Timmy's a New Yorker - hardcore accent that's hilarious when he's tired or drunk. He's tough, smart. Rode the subway 32 stops over three transfers to high school - made Abe Lincoln's trip to school seem easy. Went to Harvard while working three jobs. Got sick of the cold and wound up out in Pepperdine with four jobs. Timmy's everything all these wealthy, Northwest guys Charley knew weren't. Charley saw that and it was exactly what she wanted. Someone who gives as good as he gets but is good to the bone."
"So how does the sheriff get involved with you."
"They got married here Memorial Day weekend 2008. It was lovely. Small beach wedding right down there." Deeks pointed with his fork to the beach. "Six hundred person reception in the B&B's courtyard."
"That's excessive."
"The bride's father knows half the Navy and everyone who fishes professionally from San Francisco to Bellingham. Timmy's got seven brothers, dozens and dozens of cousins. Most of the town was invited. All of Charley's and Timmy's friends were. Didn't see excessive. Seemed like a big party."
"And the sheriff was needed to what, keep things calm?"
"Not quite. Charley has another brother. Patrick is the oldest and had a drug problem. Four or five rehab stints, family finally cut him off. There was a concern that he'd show up - he wasn't invited."
"Tough love."
"Something like that. Cocktail party is going great. They've got these restroom trailers alongside the front lawn and well, there was a line and I really needed to go. Peeing in the bushes seemed sorta low class. The groomsmen were staying in the B&B. I was one of the groomsmen. There were sixteen of us. I decided to use the bathroom outside my room. Got inside, saw a guy walking out with three laptops, including mine."
"Patrick."
"There's the reason you're a highly trained NCIS agent. I stopped him with a little effort and had one of the catering waiters get the sheriff and Mal Buchanan. Charges were pressed. Patrick did two years in an experimental treatment facility-jail in Eastern Oregon and has been clean and sober ever since. Learned how to cook professionally, has a small taco shack right outside Port Orford. Lives in town in a small house. So far, so good."
"How much did you have to do with Patrick getting into the experimental treatment facility?"
"I told the truth when I testified. But he wasn't armed, he didn't struggle nearly as much as he probably could have. Nobody in the wedding party even knew I was involved in a fight when I returned to the cocktail party."
"No wonder her parents ask about you. The beloved daughter's wedding goes on and the family is grateful you brought the prodigal son home."
"Seemed less mythical at the time since I still needed to pee but yes, that's what happened."
Kensi chuckled. "What does Tim do now?"
"Besides being Mr. Charley? Which, by the way, is a full-time gig. Charley's father wanted to put Timmy at Buchanan Ship Building but he wasn't interested in the job. Charley's mom owns about a dozen B&B's or small private resorts all over the world and he runs the real estate and legal end of things. The Farraige here is the only one in the US. She owns places in wine country in France, a place in Fiji, ski resort in Switzerland. That's why they're in Seychelles this summer. Charley's mom found a resort that was going under. Aileen and Timmy are looking to see if they can turn it around. Charley just finished four months of negotiating with the Navy for a new ships to be built in Port Orford and Portland. She needed a break."
"Probably another reason Charley is the queen around here."
"She and Timmy live in Bellingham but her heart is here."
"Is it Tim or Timmy?"
"To the world it's Tim. To our little study group in law school, it's Marty, Timmy, Johnny and Stewie."
"You weren't Deeks then?"
"No, Deeks is a cop." Or was a cop, he thought. He wasn't sure what he is now.
"You're going to need to give me their address, I want to send them a thank you note."
"Charley would like that." Deeks looked at what was left of his Mediterranean wrap - basically the wrap. He saw Kensi made quick work of her meal as well. "Well, the ocean air has my appetite working for the first time in a while. If you're interested, I'm going into the water."
"I am. But aren't you supposed to wait an hour after a meal before you go swimming?" Kensi teased.
"I've waited since mid-May to go into the ocean. Not waiting a second longer."
-30-
The more you know note: The house is based on The Muse Guest House in Port Orford.
AUTHOR: tess_dicorsi
RATING: R A smidge of adult language and situations.
GENRE: Relationship/Angst
CHARACTERS: Kensi/Deeks with a an occasional OPS staffer showing up.
DISCLAIMER: Recognizable characters are not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break them. There are a few original characters, they're mine. I'm also trying not to break them.
SUMMARY: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." Post "Descent" multi-chapter story.
2. "We are tied to the ocean. And we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch, we are going back to whence we came." - John F. Kennedy
x-x-x
The entire planned 12-plus hour drive was completely worth it before it even began the minute Deeks pulled up to Kensi's in Matthew's Ford F-150. A big white truck, a surf board and a paddle board strapped into the truck bed with his suitcases, a cooler with food and some of Monty's gear under the exterior hard cover, a kayak and paddle strapped to the cab roof were not what the usually unflappable Agent Blye was expecting.
He didn't tell her he paid two members of the building's maintenance crew $50.00 each to help him load the truck or a delivery company to pick up his boards and boat from his garage and bring them to this temporary home. That ran $150.00. All money well spent when he saw Kensi's stunned look.
He pulled back the cover of the truck bed and watched her toss what was obviously her Mt. Rainer climbing backpack in, taking what he figured were her weapons in her go-bag to the truck's cab. He figured if she got the call to go climbing or if he finally got on her last nerve, she'd be ready to go.
"Are you going to spend all your time in the water?" Kensi asked as he hopped into the truck's cab.
"If the weather holds," he told her, "that's the plan." And they were off.
The ride up went well. Deeks got Kensi to talk in generalities about her trip with Callen to Brooklyn to find Sidorov. He had no desire to hear about the capture of Andros or the near miss of Sidorov. Instead, Kensi in the City was of interest to him. She'd never been to Brooklyn before - Manhattan several times, even the Bronx once when visiting a college friend who lived near Columbia University took her to a Yankees game - but Brooklyn was all new.
She was stunned by the size of the Russian community in Brooklyn, the restaurants, the specialty shops, the entire social experience. She laughed about another visit to a Russian Bathouse where the team had to do business. She was sent with two of the businessmen's wives for a mudbath and massage - both awesome - while Callen and the DHS buddy spent two hours in a men's only schvitz and swim negotiating with the East Coast Arkady Kolcheck and his son.
While Kensi was laughing and telling her stories, Deeks felt again how much he missed this. Missed her. They hadn't talked in weeks and in that time, he felt so alone. And he was, though by his own choice. He knew he wasn't much company for those days. He was angry and in pain. Nobody needed to see him hurting and miserable. So Kensi was gone but she was working. He thought he'd have stayed with her if she was the one recovering but then realized if she was the one recovering, he'd have been hunting the world to find whoever hurt her. He was just vain enough to think she was probably do the same.
Outside of Sonoma, they found a place to grab some lunch, a 24-hour diner where he could have some scrambled eggs and a smoothie, Kensi could polish off a French Dip sandwich, a side of fries and a black and white shake. Back on the road, they sat in fairly comfortable silence, listening to NPR podcasts for Monty and enjoying the scenery.
Just before 7:30PM, as the sun was starting to set, Deeks turned the truck into a private driveway. He was glad they were nearly there since he was running on fumes. He heard Kensi's soft "Oh my God," when the pulled up to the main building.
"We're not staying here," he told her, hoping she wasn't too disappointed. The Farraige was a three story, sixteen suite bed and breakfast, a favorite of pricey travel guides and well-heeled Pacific Coast vacationers. It looked more like a mansion on an English estate than a West Coast B&B and the owners liked it that way. As he pulled into the driveway by the front door, Deeks told Kensi he'd be right back.
A young woman was sitting in a rocking chair in the living room area, reading her iPad as he walked in. Looking up at him she smiled. "You must be Marty, right? I'm Sharon."
"I am Marty, Sharon. Nice to meet you. Charley said she'd leave the keys for me."
Sharon stood and walked over to a small ante-room that was really a front desk. "She did," Sharon handed him an envelope with a key. She also gave him a brochure. "Have you been with us before?"
"I was one of the small army of groomsmen in Tim and Charley's wedding. I'm familiar with the place."
Sharon chuckled at the description of the bridal party size. "Well, we have a wedding tomorrow at one so there will be no access to the courtyard out back before 7PM."
"With any luck, I'll be on the beach all day."
"Glad you're here, Marty," Sharon said with a genuine smile. "Do you need any help? Charley said you're recovering from a bad accident and may need help. My cousin Frank is the handyman around here."
"No, thanks for the offer. I wound up bringing a friend. I think we can handle things."
"Enjoy your stay. The family's guest house is magnificent."
"I agree, thanks again for your help."
Deeks walked back to the truck and started the short drive to the cabin. He handed Kensi the brochure. "This is where we're not staying."
"This is amazing. How do you know about this place?"
"Law school buddy married into the family that owns the place. A lot like where I've been staying in LA, I'm everyone's favorite charity case."
"Don't talk about yourself that way."
"I'm not talking money, though with both I'm far out of both guys' tax brackets. No, my LAPD bud knows about my time with the Russians, my friend who married into all this knows I was injured in the line of duty but not the specifics."
"You spoke with them?" Kensi sounded hurt.
"Bates spoke with everyone in my undercover unit, from what I've heard. He's very angry. Matthew's on a long undercover so he was happy to lend me his place in Westwood and have an excuse to get his truck out of storage. As for all this, Timmy's wife is a bit of a force of nature. She knows I got hurt because I missed a friends dinner she put together the week before Memorial Day. You don't miss dinners Charley puts together. Especially ones at 21 Oceanfront's Patio Cellar that you RSVP'd you were attending. Anyway, Timmy called around, found Bates and Charley called him," Deeks told her as he pulled into the driveway of the small guest home. "You really don't say no to Charley. Even when you're Roger Bates. She's a benevolent queen but a queen nonetheless."
Deeks got out of the truck and looked at the kayak on the roof. That could be unloaded tomorrow. He hoped somewhere someone would deliver some food and he could get to sleep. Hell of a way to show Kensi a good time on their first night away but he was done. Letting Monty out of the back of the cab, he walked to do the front door with Kensi and Monty just as step behind.
"This is cute," Kensi said, looking at the small, cedar front of the guest house.
He handed her the envelope with the key. "Open the door, Kens. See if you stick with cute."
Kensi opened the door and everything aligned perfectly: the sunset on the Pacific, the floor to ceiling windows that made up the entire back of the house. It wasn't cute. It was magnificent. Kensi's small gasp confirmed that. "This is..."
"Where we're staying until you have to go climb a mountain or get sick of me."
"Why would anyone..."
"Why would anyone lend this to someone like..."
"Why would anyone not spend their summer here? Why wouldn't anyone spend their entire lives here?"
"The family is sort of scattered this summer. Timmy and Charley are in the Seychelles for a long business trip, her folks are in Tanzania on a safari and then spending August on Block Island, her oldest brother lives in town so he has his own place, her other brother is serving as the XO on the Carl Vinson."
She walked through the living room to the glass door leading to the deck. "Wow."
"There's a hot tub, barbeque pit and an outdoor fire place off the deck."
"This is..."
"I know. The best description I ever heard of this place was Cameron Frye's house with an ocean view."
"Who?"
"You watch endless John Hughes movie marathons and you don't know Cameron Frye. Ferris would be so unhappy," Deeks said, sighing in fake disappointment. He saw Monty looking around a realized he probably should have brought in the bags and Monty's bed. "Check the place out, I'll be right back." He was able to put her backpack on and carry his clothing duffle, the cooler and Monty's bed without too much effort.
When Kensi saw him come back into the house, she grabbed the cooler and the dog bed, leaving them in the hall. "I would have helped."
"We're good. I'm sorta beat from the drive." Deeks walked straight to the bedroom and dropped her backpack and his duffle by the door.
"I would have gladly driven ..."
Deeks put up his hand. "I would have fallen asleep in the truck and probably would have spent the night there if you drove. Uhm, about that."
"Sleeping in the truck?"
"Just sleeping. I'd offer to be chivalrous and sack out on the couch but..."
"We've shared a bed before; I'm good if you're good."
He wasn't good. He hadn't been good in weeks but for her he'd try. "I'm fine. I'll be the perfect gentleman."
"Where's the fun in that?" he thought he heard her mumble before she walked away. "Oh cool," he definitely heard her say just after he finished unpacking what he needed for the night.
As Deeks walked to the kitchen from the bedroom, he saw Kensi set up Monty's dog bed near the living room sliding door that led to the massive deck. Monty made himself comfortable. Deeks moved into the kitchen and saw his cooler along with a tray of sandwiches and a gift basket on the countertop. There were also containers of soup and salads. "Awesome."
Kensi held up a note. "Welcome Marty!"
"Read it." He looked at the tomato soup with some interest.
"You sure?"
"Charley's a one man woman, believe me."
Kensi opened the note and started to read. "Marty, Tim and I are so happy you took us up on our offer. We were so worried about you, still are, but are thrilled you're well enough to stay at the guest house. Mom and Dad want you to stay as long as you need. Of all of Tim's friends, they ask about you the most and were unhappy to hear you were injured. They're so pleased you're recovering in their guest house. Sharon at the B&B is ready to help you with anything. Marty, ask for help. Tim cried when he told me what you looked like in the hospital," Kensi's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's worried sick. I am too. Tim may tear up at flyovers during Seahawks games but he was wrecked after visiting you. Good friends are hard to find, someone like you is irreplaceable. Charley and Tim"
"Obviously, Charley and Tim have embraced my awesomeness," Deeks tried to lighten the moment.
"Don't joke about that. These people obviously care about you," Kensi chided.
Deeks picked through the gift basket, "And must have been psychic about you." Deeks held up a bar of Toblerone Fruit and Nut Chocolate. "Let's eat."
Deeks heated up the tomato soup for himself while Kensi made herself a grilled cheese sandwich - and was darn proud of it. Charley had the refrigerator filled with soda, beer, bottled ice tea and a quart of milk. There were eggs, bacon, some fresh fruit and vegetables in the crisper. Deeks transferred his food from the cooler and set up a water bowl and dinner for Monty.
Deeks struggled to keep his eyes opened during dinner but managed to stay awake. After loading the dishwasher, he apologized to Kensi and told her he was done for the day. She said she'd look around the house, check her email and make her way to bed shortly. He was sound asleep before she ever made it to the bedroom.
It was light up when he woke. Kensi was snort snoring in his ear as she star-fished all over the bed. He was curled up in a ball facing her, a bit stiff and sore from the long ride and looking at the clock, the twelve-hour plus night's sleep. The plan was to get up early and start getting healthy. Day one of the plan was off to a late start.
"Wake up sleepy-head," he whispered in her ear.
There was a long groan by Kensi and a quick duck by Deeks when her hand flung near his face. He made mental note to tell her about not getting hit in the mouth.
"Come on Kens, we're burning daylight here," he tried and that got a reaction.
She was a bit dazed when she looked at him but it all came back to her in a hurry. "What time is it?" she asked as she eased herself back to her side of the bed.
Deeks rolled onto his back and looked up at her. Lying on her side with her head propped up on her bent arm - he could get use to this. "A little after nine which is about three hours later than I wanted to get up."
"Long drive up," she offered as an excuse. "So what's the plan for today?"
"The plan was to get up around six, have some breakfast, hit the gym, pick up some food for the week and spend the afternoon in the ocean."
Kensi smiled. "So we'll adapt. Get up around nine, have some breakfast, hit the gym, pick up some food for the week, maybe find a place to have some lunch and spend the afternoon in the ocean."
He lifted an eyebrow. "I noticed adapting the plan for the day included a second Kensi feeding."
She leaned over, placing her hands on his tee-shirt clad chest and whispered in his ear, "A well-fed Kensi is a happy Kensi." She pulled back a little and smiled at him.
"Duly noted," he smiled back.
"I'll shower first while you figure out what to make me for breakfast," she said pushing herself off of him.
He didn't mean to scream, he really didn't. She couldn't know how badly inflamed the cartilage around his ribcage still was. Kensi nearly jumped to the foot of the bed while Monty came racing into the bedroom, barking.
"Oh, God, Deeks. I'm so sorry," Kensi was mortified.
Monty jumped on the bed where Kensi slept and looked for whoever hurt him.
Deeks just wanted everyone out of the room. Putting his left arm up, he rubbed Monty's ears hoping to calm the dog down. Deeks had his eyes closed and he was trying to pull himself together. Kensi chanting "I'm so sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry" wasn't helping.
Once Monty was calm and Deeks didn't think sitting up would kill him, he opened his eyes and pulled himself up on his elbows. "Kensi, it's fine."
"Deeks, I'm so..."
"Kensi, can you take a shower? I'll take one when you're done. Monty's upset and I just need a minute."
He felt Kensi jump off the bed like it was on fire. Deeks leaned back and closed his eyes, listening to her move around a little. When the room was quiet and he could hear the shower going, he slowly opened his eyes. Monty was making himself comfortable on "Kensi's side" of the bed - someplace the dog may be for the next month if he didn't handle this right. The problem was he wasn't sure he was up to handling it right.
When he heard the shower turn off, he eased himself out of the bed and started looking for something to wear. He saw Kensi standing on the deck as he moved to the bathroom. After his shower, he walked out to talk to her.
"Deeks, I am so sorry," she told him.
He put his hand up. "I'm just going to say this once and we'll figure something out after that."
"Deeks, I..."
"Kensi, just listen, just once. Okay?" When she nodded, he started, "Since I finished with all the dental surgery, on a good day, I'm at seventy-five percent. There haven't been a lot of good days. On a really good day, I'm eighty percent. There's been one of those - yesterday. I'm not in a great place physically. Everything hurts. Everything. And everything hurts most of the time. I'm here to work on that. I think you being around is going to be a good thing for me but I'm not me. Or the old me. But I want to be. Right now, I can't get hit in the mouth. When I'm tired, I go to right to sleep. You can't use me like a table when you get up. So, if you can deal with partly-me, I'll make us some breakfast and we'll figure out the rest of the day. If you can't, I'll make us some breakfast and we'll figure out how to get you back to L.A. today."
"I don't want to leave," she put her chin out, the fighting Kensi Blye returning. Deeks took that as a good sign.
Bacon, scrambled eggs and toast for Kensi, just scrambled eggs with some diced veggies and a powered shake for Deeks restarted their morning. Keeping things light, Kensi caught Deeks up on what she was pretty sure was the office's newest romance, Eric and Nell. Nell wouldn't fess up to Kensi straight out but she admitted she was taking Eric to visit her folks in Michigan that weekend.
Deeks thought that he needed to go surfing with Eric once he was back on his feet. Nell could keep a secret - she was an intelligence analysts after all - but Eric couldn't hold up under a tough interrogation. He thought interrogation was probably a bad choice of terms for asking a friend about his love life and figured he wasn't capable of a tough anything right now. Well, getting to the gym was the first step in that direction.
Deeks offered and Kensi agreed to a visit to the local gym. He arranged for a month long membership for himself and Kensi thought she'd do the same if she liked the place. Deeks was stunned when he left the house and found the kayak off the roof of the truck. A note left on the windshield from Frank the handyman told Deeks not to worry, the kayak, his surfboard and paddleboard were now in the family's changing locker near the beach. The locker's door code was 9573 in July. Deeks again wondered why his useless father couldn't at least have money.
Tate's Gym and Fitness Center was in the middle of the Tututni Beach shopping area. The Tututni Beach shopping area being the gym, a smallish Target, Horton's meat and produce and Mort's Diner - complete with a life-sized mechanized waving Mort.
Inside the gym, a teenage girl with a name plate that read Emily was folding towels and working the reception desk. "Welcome to Tate's, I'm Emily. Are you Marty?"
"I am Marty, I'm assuming Charley called," Deeks said with a smile.
"Called, e-mailed, text'd," Emily smiled back. "Can you wait here for a sec?"
As Emily dashed into the manager's office, Kensi turned to Deeks. "I'm going to need a full rundown on this Charley."
"Concerned you're not the only bossy woman in my life."
"I'm not bossy, I'm just right all the time."
"You and Charley."
"Marty, I'm Frank Tate. We met at the wedding. I was in my sheriff's uniform," Tate introduced himself, extending his hand to Deeks. He had a firm, two-handed handshake.
"Nice to see you again. This is my friend Kensi Blye," Deeks offered an introduction. After another two-handed handshake, this time for Kensi, Deeks asked, "Are you still the sheriff?"
"Still am. The gym is a side business to put my girls through a good college. Emily's up next."
"Emily was one of the flower girls, wasn't she?"
"Yes she was. Charley babysat for Em's older sisters Jenny and Sharon - they were the junior bridesmaids. Charley called a day or two after I got your check for the monthly membership. She told me you were injured in the line of duty. Why didn't you mention that? I'd have offered all our services gratis as a professional courtesy. Either way, Charley said she's paying for your membership." Tate pulled a check out of his shirt pocket.
"I can't accept it. Charley's been so generous..."
"Do you want to tell Charley you didn't take her up on her offer? I don't."
Deeks chuckled. "Yeah, you're probably right. How about this, Kensi is staying with me. Can we apply my check for a monthly membership for her?"
"Sounds like a fair deal. Let me give you the five cents tour."
"I'm really going to need a full background on you, Charley, the wedding and why the sheriff knows you," Kensi whispered to Deeks as they walked to the weight room.
The gym had a decent sized weight room, six treadmills, six exercise bikes, two stairmasters, two rowing machines and an Olympic-sized pool in a glass enclosure next to the gym. There were daily aerobic classes, several spin classes and four weekly yoga classes. The men's and women's dressing/locker rooms both had small saunas. Kensi loved that. She admitted the Russian Bathhouse in Brooklyn had two amazing steam rooms.
It was a small gym in a small town - mobbed on Saturday mornings, quiet for the rest of the week. Currently there were two people in the main gym besides the staff, an older man reading his Kindle on an exercise bike and a teenage girl running on a treadmill with Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" leaking from her headphones. Kensi saw there was a cardio-aerobics class starting in ten minutes and Deeks wanted to test his shoulder and stamina in the pool so they went their separate way.
Deeks kept his shirt on until he was poolside. There was an older woman swimming laps and working hard not to get her hair wet. Deeks remembered his days working at the Y and the number of retirement age women who could swim without ever putting their head in the water. When the anti-Dana Torres was on the other side of the pool, he tossed off his shirt and quickly made his way into the water. Nobody needed to see his bruises.
The swimming was hard. He decided not to pace himself against his pool mate, only because it would depress him. The breaststroke would have been the best style for his injuries but his lack of stamina made it impossible. He struggled with the front crawl and nearly cried after four laps of the backstroke. The butterfly was out of the question.
Forty-five minutes later, he was finished. He was alone in the pool so he didn't have to sprint to get a towel over his now pigeon chest and assortment of bruises. He made his way to the dressing room and dozed for about fifteen minutes in the men's sauna. Two men laughing as they entered the locker room woke him up before he turned a puddle.
After he showered and changed, he saw Kensi walking toward the women's locker room.
"Awesome class," she told him. "I'll be ready in a few minutes." Deeks was more than happy to sit near Emily in the reception area.
With a cleaned up Kensi, they hit the produce market. Deeks brought up enough food to last for a few days. Even with Charley stocking the fridge with basics, they'd need more. Kensi paid for the food - making Deeks feel completely like a kept man between Charley and Kensi. Kensi said it was to make up for the gym membership.
They picked up some takeout from Mort's Diner - a Mediterranean tuna fish wrap for him, a Reuben sandwich for her and made their way back to the guest house's deck. Bringing what was left of his breakfast shake, Deeks started to unwrap his wrap and ate the insides with a fork. Kensi, with some Powerade and her lunch started the Charley interrogation. "So who is this Charley?"
"Colleen Fiona Buchanan-Brennan is Charley. She's the youngest child and only daughter of Aileen and Malachy Buchanan and the wife of my law school bud Timothy Eamon Brennan. A match made in Irish heaven. Colleen's year-older brother Sean, the XO on the Carl Vinson, had a tough time saying Colleen when they were little so what started as Collie became Charley. She liked Charley so she was Charley. It was the beginning of whatever Charley wants, Charley gets way of life."
"When did you meet her?"
"Between second and third year of law school everyone gets a summer legal gig. Some people go to law firms as summer interns and Timmy wound up at Recker, Carter in DC."
"Where'd you wind up?" Kensi interrupted.
"Child advocacy group. Tried to get benefits for handicapped children in the LA public school system."
"Good for you."
"Better for them. Back to our love birds, one of the Recker, Carter clients was Buchanan Ship Building. Since the late 1800's, the Buchanans built ships for the Pacific Northwest. Mostly for the fisheries but with World War II, they started making ships for the Navy. When Timmy was in DC, Buchanan was haggling with the DoD about something. Charley was fresh out of business school and working with her Dad who is the CEO. They met at a settlement conference with the DoD in June, had drinks after a firm-client golf outing around the 4th of July and have been a couple ever since."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. Timmy is different than the guys Charley met at Gonzaga. Grew up in Belle Harbor in Queens."
"Why is that name familiar?"
"About a month after 9/11 there was a plane crash there. It is a nice, middle class, mostly Irish neighborhood. Timmy's one of eight boys. Two firemen like their dad, four attorneys including one of the firemen, an accountant, a high school teacher like their mom and an actor-slash-waiter. Timmy's a New Yorker - hardcore accent that's hilarious when he's tired or drunk. He's tough, smart. Rode the subway 32 stops over three transfers to high school - made Abe Lincoln's trip to school seem easy. Went to Harvard while working three jobs. Got sick of the cold and wound up out in Pepperdine with four jobs. Timmy's everything all these wealthy, Northwest guys Charley knew weren't. Charley saw that and it was exactly what she wanted. Someone who gives as good as he gets but is good to the bone."
"So how does the sheriff get involved with you."
"They got married here Memorial Day weekend 2008. It was lovely. Small beach wedding right down there." Deeks pointed with his fork to the beach. "Six hundred person reception in the B&B's courtyard."
"That's excessive."
"The bride's father knows half the Navy and everyone who fishes professionally from San Francisco to Bellingham. Timmy's got seven brothers, dozens and dozens of cousins. Most of the town was invited. All of Charley's and Timmy's friends were. Didn't see excessive. Seemed like a big party."
"And the sheriff was needed to what, keep things calm?"
"Not quite. Charley has another brother. Patrick is the oldest and had a drug problem. Four or five rehab stints, family finally cut him off. There was a concern that he'd show up - he wasn't invited."
"Tough love."
"Something like that. Cocktail party is going great. They've got these restroom trailers alongside the front lawn and well, there was a line and I really needed to go. Peeing in the bushes seemed sorta low class. The groomsmen were staying in the B&B. I was one of the groomsmen. There were sixteen of us. I decided to use the bathroom outside my room. Got inside, saw a guy walking out with three laptops, including mine."
"Patrick."
"There's the reason you're a highly trained NCIS agent. I stopped him with a little effort and had one of the catering waiters get the sheriff and Mal Buchanan. Charges were pressed. Patrick did two years in an experimental treatment facility-jail in Eastern Oregon and has been clean and sober ever since. Learned how to cook professionally, has a small taco shack right outside Port Orford. Lives in town in a small house. So far, so good."
"How much did you have to do with Patrick getting into the experimental treatment facility?"
"I told the truth when I testified. But he wasn't armed, he didn't struggle nearly as much as he probably could have. Nobody in the wedding party even knew I was involved in a fight when I returned to the cocktail party."
"No wonder her parents ask about you. The beloved daughter's wedding goes on and the family is grateful you brought the prodigal son home."
"Seemed less mythical at the time since I still needed to pee but yes, that's what happened."
Kensi chuckled. "What does Tim do now?"
"Besides being Mr. Charley? Which, by the way, is a full-time gig. Charley's father wanted to put Timmy at Buchanan Ship Building but he wasn't interested in the job. Charley's mom owns about a dozen B&B's or small private resorts all over the world and he runs the real estate and legal end of things. The Farraige here is the only one in the US. She owns places in wine country in France, a place in Fiji, ski resort in Switzerland. That's why they're in Seychelles this summer. Charley's mom found a resort that was going under. Aileen and Timmy are looking to see if they can turn it around. Charley just finished four months of negotiating with the Navy for a new ships to be built in Port Orford and Portland. She needed a break."
"Probably another reason Charley is the queen around here."
"She and Timmy live in Bellingham but her heart is here."
"Is it Tim or Timmy?"
"To the world it's Tim. To our little study group in law school, it's Marty, Timmy, Johnny and Stewie."
"You weren't Deeks then?"
"No, Deeks is a cop." Or was a cop, he thought. He wasn't sure what he is now.
"You're going to need to give me their address, I want to send them a thank you note."
"Charley would like that." Deeks looked at what was left of his Mediterranean wrap - basically the wrap. He saw Kensi made quick work of her meal as well. "Well, the ocean air has my appetite working for the first time in a while. If you're interested, I'm going into the water."
"I am. But aren't you supposed to wait an hour after a meal before you go swimming?" Kensi teased.
"I've waited since mid-May to go into the ocean. Not waiting a second longer."
-30-
The more you know note: The house is based on The Muse Guest House in Port Orford.