April and Mark had arrived back in New York late last night after a rather harrowing affair in Billings, Montana. Rather than go home and report to The Old Man first thing in the morning, they opted to head straight to Headquarters, grab the extra clothing they kept there and sleep in one of the visitor's rooms on the upper floors to gain an extra hour's sleep.
She had noticed her partner's moroseness on their flight home. Their mission was an undercover assignment that took a psychological rather than a physical toll on them both, but apparently, more so on the Brit. The normally upbeat Cockney only gave one word answers or shrugs in the car to the airport and stared silently out the window on the plane.
Mr. Waverly listened to their verbal report and asked a few questions. Finally, he removed his pipe from its stand and said, "Well, it seems your mission turned out quite successfully. Congratulations." He lit his pipe while glancing back and forth at both agents. "Finish up your written report and then I want both of you to take off the rest of the week and report back to duty next Tuesday."
Mark startled at his superior's words. "Sir? I would prefer to go back out on assignment," he replied without looking at his partner. If he had, he would have seen her eyes widen slightly.
"Agent Slate, while your enthusiasm is much appreciated, I am aware from Mr. Solo that he had been planning to give you and Agent Dancer some time off as you have had four back to back affairs. He was reluctant to assign you this last one, but I felt your team was best suited to do it, which you've proven to me with the outcome. You are overdue for a rest and you shall have it, starting today. Dismissed."
By the time the duo handed the mission report to the Secretarial Pool for typing, it was almost noon. They exited Del Floria's and April placed her arm through Mark's and said, "I'm starving and I feel like hot dogs and pretzels by the East River. Let's go."
"Ducks, maybe some other time, I…"
She pulled on his arm and squeezed it a bit tighter. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Darling. It's an unseasonably warm winter day and I don't want to waste it indoors. We're going."
Mark was going to argue, but he knew the "I'll brook no argument" look she was giving him. They proceeded east toward the river, bought franks, pretzels and coffee from a cart on East 41st Street and walked as far as FDR Drive before settling on a bench that afforded them a river view and privacy.
They ate quietly for a few moments. Mark finished his hot dog, stuck his pretzel in his pocket for later and sipped coffee while he gazed across the water at Queens.
"I'm waiting, Darling."
He turned his head in her direction, but didn't meet her eyes. "Waiting for what, Luv?"
"Don't play coy with me, Mark Slate! You've barely said a word since we left Billings and you basically volunteered the two of us to hit the field again with no consideration for how I might have felt about it. What's going on?"
His gaze lowered to his shoes. "I'm sorry about that, April; I should 'ave checked with you before I said anything."
"I'll live. I want to know what has you spinning your wheels."
"Um, what?"
"An American expression, Darling; it means to put effort into something without making progress. I know you, Mark. You're trying to move on from something and getting nowhere. Now, what is it? I know it has something to do with our last affair."
Mark pasted a smile on his face and joked, "Who are you? My shrink? You want me to talk about my troubles, do you? Ow!" He rubbed his arm where April had punched him.
"I'm your partner! So yes, I'm your shrink, lawyer, doctor, and every other profession to you! Now, spill!"
"Fine. That guy we pinched for working for THRUSH?"
"What about him?"
"He 'as a family and a 'ome. Technically, 'e didn't break any American laws which means once UNCLE gets all the information we can out of 'im, he'll be sent to Tartarus. 'Is family will never know what happened to 'im. I feel badly for them."
April nodded her understanding. "He is the first family man I know of that's going there though I imagine he can't be the only one. And is that why you wanted to go right back out on assignment?"
"Yes, to put his family out of my mind. I mean, I know they'll receive an anonymous check to keep them from ruin, but I hate what they have to go through." He leaned back on the bench and put his arm on top behind April who scooted a bit closer so that she could lean on him. Dropping his arm onto her shoulders he said, "He begged me to let him go."
"When?"
"Just before you showed up; he begged me not to take him. He promised he wouldn't help THRUSH anymore. I told him it was too late; that even if I let him go, even if he refused to work for them anymore, they would most likely kill his family as punishment and then kill him. Since one of the goons THRUSH uses for security got away, they'll know UNCLE destroyed that operation and his family will be safe." Sighing loudly he added, "Sometimes being on the straight and narrow highway stinks."
April rubbed his thigh gently and said, "I know. That's why it's so important to open up to me, Darling, to get those feelings out in the open. I know we've only been partnered for a year, but I can help you reflect on what's happened and help you see the big picture and focus on what's real."
"I do feel a bit better for talking it out."
"Good. You need to remember that you can tell me anything. Illya and I were speaking one day and he mentioned that from the day he was partnered with Napoleon, it was drummed into his head that they must be completely honest with each other. About everything. He said at first it felt strange, but now he treasures that honesty between them. It's strengthened their partnership and friendship. I want that for us, Mark. Do you?"
He gave her a quick one – arm hug. "I do, Luv. From now on, I shall endeavor to hide nothing from you."
"And I will try to do the same. As for that man, he had a choice, he made it and now he has to live with the consequences. We did our jobs."
"Right."
April stood. "I know what will get you in a better frame of mind!" she exclaimed as she walked to the curb and hailed a cab. "Come on!"
Twenty minutes later, they were in Central Park. "April, you can't be serious!" Mark snorted as he stood with her on line.
"Ah, but I am, Darling! No one can be gloomy when they're doing this," she replied as she approached the ticket window. "Two, please."
"I 'aven't ridden a carousel in years!" But he still followed her onto it and helped her up onto one of the painted ponies before climbing onto the horse next to her. When the ride started, he found himself smiling as his pony went up and down and laughed when he saw April pretending to race him.
They rode it two more times and when they finally started heading out of the park he put his arm around her and said, "Thanks for that; it was really fun."
"I'm glad you thought so. I know it doesn't change anything that's happened, but as long as we can talk honestly and have fun together sometimes, we can get through whatever's bothering us."
Mark looked down at her. "Us?"
"If something's wrong with you, Darling, it's wrong with me, too and we'll fix it together. That's what partners do."
"I like the sound of that, Partner. How about we get together later for cocktails and dinner?"
"Are you buying, Darling?"
"Absolutely. One always pays one's shrink for a session."
Spinning Wheel
What goes up, must come down
Spinning wheel got to go round
Talkin' 'bout your troubles, it's a cryin' sin
Ride a painted pony, let the spinning wheel spin
You got no money and you, you got no home
Spinning wheel, all alone
Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you, you never learn
Ride a painted pony, let the spinning wheel turn
Did you find a directing sign on the straight and narrow highway?
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colors that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
Spinning wheel spinning through
Drop all your troubles by the riverside
Catch a painted pony on the spinning wheel ride
Ha!
Someone's waiting just for you
Spinning wheel spinning through
Drop all your troubles by the riverside
Ride a painted pony, let the spinning wheel fly