Second Chances: Drabble 12/15/22

A/N: Once again, this story isn’t associated with a particular episode or events of the show. It’s a little bit strange, but I hope you like it anyway.

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Over the years, Marty Deeks has had a lot of opportunities to consider his mortality. It kind of comes with the territory when you’re in law enforcement. He can clearly pinpoint some of the events in his life when he was certain he would die.

The day he was shot at the Sandune convenience store. When Isaak Sidorov captured him. Trying to escape from the Mexican Federales only to see a small missile headed directly for their SUV. In all those moments, and a hundred more, he had enough time to realize that death might be very near.

Sometimes, he’s had a chance to think of Kensi. Usually though, he doesn’t have the opportunity to reevaluate his life, to consider regrets. God, he wishes he’d said he loved Kensi before she left the office. Kissed her one more time this morning.

Normally, he wasn’t stuck in a crashed car, slowly sinking to bottom of a small lake.

Another driver had crashed into him, sending him straight through the guardrail. When he came to sometime later, blood coated his forehead, and the water level was above the windows. He’s found his phone floating in the murky water, failing the “water-proof” promise.

Leaning his head back against the damp headset, Deeks inhales unevenly. He’s exhausted every way he knows to escape a sinking car, and now he sits, alone, wet, and defeated, the water just above his hips. It rises higher with every second.

“I’m sorry the last thing I said to you was a joke about cleaning,” he says, even though Kensi can’t hear him. “I’m sorry I won’t get watch you grow into an even more amazing woman. I’m so sorry. I love you.”

As the water burbles up around his neck, he checks his phone one more time, tugs and pushes at the doors in a last act of desperation. He takes a final breath as the water closes over his head.

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“Baby! Deeks. C’mon, breath baby!”

There’s fire in his chest, and it feels like he’s drowning all over again. Deeks gasps, instinctively turning on his side as he chokes up water, his throat and lungs burning.

A gentle hand that feels just as cold as his skin cups his cheek.

“Deeks,” Kensi whispers. He’s too weak to open his eyes, but he recognizes her voice, the touch of her lips against his. “I thought I lost you.”

He smiles, even though his entire body aches, and he nearly died again. It’s a smile of joy and gratitude. He’s been gifted another chance.