All the way home.

Gentry took his gun out and tossed it at the man, "Keep it safe, I'll be back for it."

Gentry walked toward the gate and his new life.

Kensi looked at the footage, that Eric was pulling up on the big screen in ops and was shaking her head, "There has to be some mistake?"

Hetty looked at her, "I talked to Lieutenant Bates, there is no mistake, If Eric can get the footage, Mr. Deeks attacked a NCIS agent and threw him off the docks into the water, and he's in the ICU right now and may die." She said sadly.

"But why?" Callen asked, "I mean I know he has a rocky relationship with the LAPD, but Deeks wouldn't do this." He defended his friend.

"Look though." Sam said turning and watching the footage again, "Maybe he was drinking; he staggers out from behind those pallets and then goes for the officer."

"Sam!" Kensi snapped, hurt that he'd blame her partner. "Deeks doesn't drink. I mean I know he says he does, but have you ever seen him drink…really?" she asked.

"No, I haven't."

"It's because he doesn't he was too afraid of turning into his father."

"Who's that?" Callen asked looking at the man that Deeks shot as he stumbled again.

"That is our case, and why as of right now Mr. Deeks is on our most wanted list. That is Special Agent, Dan Dickson. He's one of us, NCIS out of San Diego. He was chasing a Darius Mitchelli who was a petty officer on the US Georgetown and he was dealing drugs to the crew."

"And Deeks just shot him?" Callen asked.

"Deeks shot him in the head? Special Agent or not, Deeks should have aimed for a non fatal area." Sam snorted.

Kensi's hands flew up to her face, "No…!" she watched stunned as a man came over to Deeks and helped him up, walking past the special agent Deeks kicked his as he held his head and climbed into the dark colored saloon car.

"Where did he take him?" Callen asked turning to Eric.

"LAX about five hours ago; Mr. Deeks has dropped off the grid." Eric told them sadly.

Max got off the plane and walked towards the exit, the lack of a bag or anything else worrying him.

He got to the main terminal when he saw a pretty dark haired Italian girl "Max!" she called as he walked out. She ran up and hugged him.

"Hello Sara." Max said.

"Jake said that Marc had asked you to pick me up?" Max said.

Sara's face fell, "Max? You don't remember me?" she looked hurt.

"Should I?" Max said.

Sara produced a picture of him and her last Christmas, "Marc's Christmas party, we, we had a thing."

"A thing." That struck something of a chord within him.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. He groaned into the kiss. "Sara." He said remembering the feel of the woman in his arms.

"You do remember." Sara smiled, "Max…lets go home." She took him by the hand and they walked arm in arm out of the airport.

It had been three years, the team had searched the length and breath of the country and there had been no sign of Deeks, Monty had gone to live with Sam and his family, Kensi had gotten a new partner, who after a rocky start had finally fitted in, Eddie Regan had transferred from San Diego and was a welcome addition to the team. Hetty had done away with the LAPD liaison position after Deeks but had this time stayed with the team, Callen forestalling every attempt of her's to quit. Callen himself had only in the last month or so begun to let Regan in on the team. Although he still held out hope that one day they would find Deeks and he could explain what had happened. Kensi still had a few shirts of Deeks' and had a box of stuff from his old apartment which he doggedly held onto for him.