I remember when I first started working for UNCLE as a young woman. I'd fallen in love with nursing when I volunteered one summer as a candy striper. You didn't do much of the more unattractive duties, like emptying out bedpans and changing nasty bandages, but what I was allowed to do, I adored. I grew to learn that nursing was a profession in which a woman could earn a good living as well as help people get well. I didn't care. At least I was right about the helping people get well part.

I'd received my training from a local school and worked at one of the many hospitals in the city. I was on swing shift when an older gentleman was brought in with heart palpitations. He had a grandfatherly look about him and I sat with him after the doctors had finished. We weren't busy and he seemed to draw some comfort from my company. We talked and talked until he drifted off to sleep and I went off duty.

The next day they ran tests on him, gave him a prescription, a diet, and sent him on his way with the help of his nephews - just one of the many people who came through our door on a gurney and left under their own power.

I didn't think about the older gentleman much until I received a note and a bouquet of flowers the next week. If I ever wanted to change jobs, I should call this number, anytime day or night.

Time passed and the administration changed. Worse, two of my favorite doctors left and were replaced with cocky know-it-alls who thought it was the nurse's job to worship at their feet and swoon whenever they opened up their mouth for a decree.

I worked hard to be a good nurse and to be treated as if I was just a child and unable to read instructions or follow directions burned me up.

One night was the worst and we very nearly lost a patient because the doctor was too pompous to admit he made a mistake and insisted we keep administering the wrong medication. I disobeyed his direct orders and corrected it. The patient lived and I was fired.

Back home, I'm afraid my poor front door took a bit of abuse. I slammed it shut and then crumpled to the floor and began to cry. I'd been too proud and too angry to do it at the hospital. I sat among the stuff from my locker and had a good long sob fest. Pookie, my sweet little kitty, tried to cheer me with rubs and purrs, but it didn't help. I'd been working long and hard and I had very little to show for it. If I was out of a job for long, I would lose everything I had. It wasn't much, just a studio and second hand furniture, but it was mine.

I looked around at the mess and my eye caught the little note. Day or night… the City was just waking to greet the dawn, so I got to my feet and went to the phone.

The next day I reported to duty at UNCLE. It's sort of an international police organization. It's really hush-hush, even more than the CIA or FBI. It was frightening how much they already knew about me. A handsome man with gorgeous eyes and the sweetest smile interviewed me and decided I was a good fit.

That's when I discovered that UNCLE didn't just help people, they helped countries, nations, anyone who asked. And it was soon after that I discovered a more insidious side to the price some of our employees paid. You see, as dedicated as UNCLE was to keeping the peace, there were others who weren't.

Even though we had several sections in UNCLE, it pretty much boiled down to Section Two and everyone else. Section Two was the front line. They went into situations deemed too dangerous for anyone else to handle and they were the ones who paid the price. I couldn't fathom what would drive a person to take that sort of abuse, but I was thankful that they were there.

So, it's Christmas Eve and all is calm and all is bright, except down in Medical. There had been a major assault the day before and we were busy picking up the pieces.

The handsome young man, who I learned was the head of Section Two, was our guest in Room Four. He'd been in surgery for nearly five hours and was still unconscious.

"May I sit with him?' I asked Nellie, the head nurse. She's the sort of person that you wish were a relative.

"Where's his partner?" Her question seemed odd to me.

"Who's that?"

"Illya. Where's Illya… Mr. Kuryakin?"

"I don't know… Mr. Solo was brought in alone." I watched her wring her hands and began to wonder if there was more going on between her and this Illya guy."

"He must still be out. I hope someone told him." Then she seemed to remember I was there. "Of course, you can sit with Mr. Solo. Just not too close and if he starts to come around, don't try to help him. Come and get one of us."

I was young and naive. "Why?"

She pointed to a small crescent-shaped scar on her chin and nodded. I didn't understand, but I nodded back.

I was reading in a chair when I suddenly heard thrashing. Mr. Solo, so peaceful a few minutes before, was thrashing and moaning. Immediately my mind began running through possible scenarios. He was fighting to breathe or even fighting to life.

Without thinking I stood and leaned over to comfort him. "It's okay, Mr. Solo. You're safe now." Then my world exploded in a shower of lights, color, and pain.

I woke up and had to blink a few times to clear my vision. That's when I realized I was in a hospital bed and Nellie was leaning over me.

I moaned a little as I tried to sit up. My face ached and I felt as if it weighed a ton. Nellie smiled and helped me.

"You didn't listen to me, did you?"

"Huh?" I managed to get out. Even that hurt. I carefully touched my lip. It felt like a five-pound sausage.

"You tried to render care and comfort to Mr. Solo, didn't you?"

I nodded and knew I'd blown it big time. On top of a massive headache and swollen mouth she was about to fire me. Without meaning to, tears started trickling down my cheeks. I'd only been here a few months, but I really liked my job, the people, the ample salary, and I felt like I was really doing something here.

"Shh, shh," Nellie hugged me and rocked me in her arms. They were so comforting. "We have all had this happen. You'll just be more careful the next time."

"N..next time? I'm not being fired?"

"For what? Making the mistake of getting too close to a waking Section Two agent?" Again she pointed to her chin. "Mr. Kuryakin gave me this one my first month here. I didn't think I walked straight for a week." She released me and pushed me back against the pillows. "Something you have to understand. These men are dangerous, killing machines. They have been trained to fight and to withstand conditions and situations that neither of us can imagine. Mr. Solo didn't know where he was or who was with him, so he came out fighting."

"Please don't hold it against him." There was a voice from the door and I looked over. A slender blond man was standing there and I saw relief flash in Nellie's eyes. He walked into the room and by doing so, immediately filled it. Mr. Kuryakin came to stand beside the bed and hugged Nellie briefly. "How is he?"

"You haven't seen him?"

"No. The doctors were with him."

Nellie looked at me and smiled. "Suffice it to say, he came up fighting."

Mr. Kuryakin held his hand out to me and I took it, amazed and slightly scared as my hand sort of disappeared in his grasp. "Thank you for being with him when I couldn't." It was then that I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and that his mouth seemed slightly swollen. "I'm sorry that he hurt you."

"It's okay…" I rescued my hand and pulled the sheet up to my chin. I was still wearing my uniform, but needed an additional barrier between him and me. Mr. Kuryakin smiled as if he knew he frightened me, he nodded to Nellie and left.

She watched after him for a moment and then looked at me. "How about I give you a ride home?"

"I can finish my shift." I started to get out of bed and winced.

"Your shift was over two hours ago."

"What?" I looked at the watch clipped to my uniform and silently swore. "I'm sorry, I'll make the time up."

"Shelly, it's Christmas Eve. You've taken a knuckle sandwich as delivered by one of the most capable agents in UNCLE and you've lived to tell the tale. There is nothing to make up. If anything, you should get danger pay for this shift. Let me treat you to some breakfast." She studied me again. "Or maybe soup would be a better choice. Do you have someone to spend Christmas with?"

I thought of Meagan, my little sister and her fiancé due in just a few hours. I thought about Harold and the ring he hinted about giving me today and nodded. "I do, but what about Mr. Solo? He shouldn't be alone. It would be a terrible thing to be alone today."

Nellie smiled so sweetly. "He won't be. Illya's here and he won't leave unless he's forced to. Napoleon is in good hands."

"Mr. Kuryakin didn't look very good."

"No, he could use a bed of his own. He'll probably end up next to Napoleon."

"Is that why there are two beds in each room?"

"Partially, although I hope to never see the day when they are all filled."

Nellie helped steady me. "They really pay a tremendous price, don't they - our Section Two agents?"

"The highest in some cases and all to keep us safe. They really are something special."

Harold did end up proposing that night and I accepted. I remained with UNCLE until the birth of our first child. He had sweet green eyes and a cherub mouth and I went to bed every night feeling a bit more secure knowing there were men like Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin keeping us safe. I wore the scar on my chin proudly, but I never, ever got too close to a sleeping agent every again.