NCIS: LOS ANGELES - "Falling Star"

Safeguard

Deeks had just cracked open an ice cold beer and was mulling over the events of the day when he heard a thumping noise from somewhere out in the back yard. It was probably a dog rifling through the trash, but after the day he'd had he wasn't prepared to take any chances. He set the beer down on the kitchen worktop, before reaching for the gun still tucked at the small of his back. He moved quietly towards the door and could see a shadow bent over, working the lock.Jaw set, Deeks tightened the grip on his gun, while keeping his gaze firmly locked on the shadow. Within seconds the lock was picked and the door clicked softly open, moments later the shadow came inside and Deeks found himself staring down at a startled looking Starr.

"Dammit, Starr, that's how you get yourself shot," he said lowering his gun. "How the hell do you keep getting in here?"

"You need better locks. Because a kid with a bobby pin could break them," she told him. "I had to come the back way. There's a guy out front in an SUV."

"Yeah, he's been out there for the last half hour." Deeks reached behind her to close and lock the door, giving it a jiggle and checking it was secure.

"Why so grumpy and jumpy?" she asked to which he gave her a blank look.

"There's a guy sitting out front in an SUV. You just said it."

"So what's going on?"

He swiped up the beer and she followed him into the living room. The window blinds had already been half drawn but he was now closing them all the way. Starr had never seen him this jittery.

"What's going on is I've been handed a temporary suspension." He set his gun down, before throwing himself onto the sofa, kicking his feet up onto the table.

"Because of me," she said matter-of-factly.

"In a nutshell."

"I'm sorry."

"Forget about it," said Deeks and swallowed down a mouthful of beer.

"What you gonna do?"

"Nothing I can do." He jerked his shoulders. "Just have to let it play out."

"So now they're watching you."

"Yeah. So you being here?" He shook his head once, firmly. "Not a good idea."

"I'm starting to get that," she replied. And not just because of his job. He was not only jittery - he was pissed. She had seen him pissed off a few times over the years, not many - after all the guy was one of the happiest and chilled she'd ever known - but this was something else.

"And yet here we are," Deeks said with a little more edge than he meant to apply. They stared at one another.

"Mean much?" she said with a little edge of her own. "Look, I get that you're upset, you have a right to be, but can you take it down a notch? I haven't had the best night, either."

Deeks exhaled. Yeah, he was pissed about the suspension - all of it - but there was no point in taking it out on her. It wasn't her fault that he'd lied to Hetty about her visit the night before. She was still staring at him, green gaze unwavering, waiting for him to say something. That was when he noticed what she was wearing - sky high heels, leather jeans, black shirt. "Seems to me you've had a great night," he said, then added with a frown, "Wait, what's going on here? Why you even dressed like that?"

Starr bobbed a brow at him. "Excuse me?"

"It's distracting, is all I'm saying. I'm trying to stay in character, keep the mean cop method going, and you show up looking like the stone cold fox you are. What's that about?"