The Art of Waiting

by m klindt

There are many ways to wait when working for UNCLE. Part of my Lexi stories. Thanks for reading

The Art of Waiting

By

M. Klindt

I don't own the characters from MFU, but like to borrow them to play with on the ones I've created. Part of my "Lexi series". Thanks for reading!

Act I: Napoleon

Napoleon Solo, Chief Enforcement Agent of UNCLE headquarters of New York City walked into the empty, darkened cafeteria looking for at least one pot of coffee that had more than a burnt brown spot gracing its bottom. His hopes for a decent cup of black sludge were dashed as he lifted the last one to find it all gone.

"I have the last carafe over here, Napoleon."

The female voice holding his sanity and liquid strength in her hands came from behind. Turning, he scanned the dim room to find Monica Lane, new to Section Two and the labs, sitting cross-legged in a stiff back chair. Her dark auburn hair pulled into a tight ponytail, glasses thrown upside down, and papers spread over what he thought was still a table. Her sapphire blue eyes snapped as she rose them up, over the rim of her brown-stained mug, tracking his movements while his way towards her.

"Ahh…I see your burning the midnight oil, Lexi," Napoleon began with a generic opening and tired smile. "What are you doing here at two in the morning?"

Napoleon knew it was a lame question to a lame situation. Illya Kuryakin, his partner and friend was missing for over a week now. He couldn't sleep, eat, or relax; it was the same every time his blond friend wasn't by his side. No matter how he felt, he knew for sure that it must be worse for her. Not many knew it, but Lexi was Illya's first partner growing up in Kiev and secret lover.

"I have a formula stuck in my brain that won't let me sleep." A knowing shrug pulled the woman's shoulders up to her ears. Her sharp stare never wavered from his, challenging him to speak of his ills of this late hour of night. "Any new news on Mr. Kuryakin's whereabouts? I hear the ladies in the steno pool are very concerned."

A small smile crept upon Napoleon's face as he stopped pouring his cup of coffee in mid-air to her last remark and then emptied the last drop from the pot before he set it down. It was a code of sorts between those who knew of their unique relationship.

"I hope that Linda, Vicky, and Sue will be relieved of their concerns shortly." He agreed, sitting down with a tugging of his perfectly pressed pant seams at each knee and then ending with an expertly unbuttoning of his suit coat while holding his coffee cup in the other hand.

"But, the bigger question is why you are here, Napoleon?" Lexi addressed him directly.

"Yes," the man looked thoughtfully into his already half drained cup. "I just can't seem to close my eyes for very long when my partner's missing. I'm not allowed to go search for the bastard until we hear back from Mark and April, who are following up on a lead…"

"Understandable to find out the situation before hand," Lexi agreed with Waverley's decision for this worried man not to rush too hastily to rescue their partner. She knew of Solo's great luck in finding Illya, but even he needed a little help. "But, it's very hard to wait for that information."

"Yes, easily said," Napoleon agreed smoothly, but in awe of the minx in front of him. "One never gets used to the waiting…"

"There's an art to waiting," she began softly, slowly, stating each word carefully as if trying to describe what was in her heart and mind without revealing too much.

"An art," the handsome, dark-haired agent asked hesitantly. He was surprised that she would bring up the subject. Maybe she had some pearls of wisdom in how to endure the torture of not knowing where his Illya was.

For the first three weeks that Lexi that had joined UNCLE, it had the whole New York headquarters in a tailspin. All departments were talking about the new second Section Two female agent and who she'd be dating. Most men, single and not so married, were trying to get close enough to see what she looked like and if she could hold her own just like April Dancer did against their daily offers of extracurricular activities.

April Dancer, the resident and first female Section Two agent, had Mark Slate to watch her back when she first got assigned to this chrome and gun-metal madhouse. It had been hard for the red head to adjust, but through her own determination and skills as law enforcement officer, she rose to the top. Her quick wit and ability to talk circles around most men gave her an edge along with her mastery of sharp shooting and hand-to-hand combat.

Monica "Lexi" Lane was different, but the same in many ways to April in Napoleon's mind. On the surface, she was a strong, Midwestern, smart woman with a doctorate in Chemistry who's knowledgeable in several common languages.

But, on the inside, she's the mirror image of Illya with her training from their adoptive father and the Soviet Union. Lexi knows more languages than she lets on and is more deadly with firearms and martial arts that one would guess with her short, slim frame. Like Illya, she's a chameleon, but chooses to hide her talents with several different personalities and names.

This was Illya's first assignment after they had both gotten off light duty since Lexi had started at UNCLE. He was sent to infiltrate a genetics lab alone, because Napoleon would've stuck out like a sore thumb if he tagged along with his lack of scientific knowledge.

This was the time that concerned Napoleon the most. As CEA, he knew that Illya and Lexi had a past and a present that he would have to deal with. How would Illya act if she got hurt when Waverly requested her to work in Section Two? The same could be asked of her. How would they act in and out of headquarters? What was he allowed to say about them? Rumors were already flying around headquarters about them as a couple since they've been working so closely together on their first mission and during down time in the labs.

Before, Lexi wasn't there to worry about or get in the way. What was going to happen now? Napoleon consciously tried to shake off his worries, his mind reeling, staring at the pretty woman who half smiled back at him. He knew that she could see the wheels in his head furiously working, but remained quiet to his reflections.

Most of this week, Lexi's been holed up in her shared lab with Dr. George Thompson when she wasn't on milk runs for Waverly while Napoleon scoured the communication channels for any signs of his remiss partner and completed overdue paperwork in silent frustration.

"Bleep, bleep, bleep…" A communicator pen loudly went off in the vacant cafeteria, stopping Lexi from doing no more than opening her mouth to say something.

Both agents madly padded their pockets and looked at each other to see whose silver pen was going off. Lexi won the challenge, smiling as she lifted the cylindrical stick high in front of them and then engaging the device.

"Lane, here," Lexi said in a calm professional voice while giving her superior a naughty wink to his amusement that was slightly tinged with hope it was for him and about Illya.

"Miss Lane, I have a mission for you." Waverly's gruff voice called. "You're to join Section Three agents Moore and Rogers to assist them in transporting a prisoner from our detention cell five to UNCLE's treatment center in D.C. for deprogramming.

"I want you to get close to the prisoner and try to get him to talk with you about his formula for the nerve gas that THRUSH in planning to buy. Dr. Selch has been most resistant to most of our techniques. Perhaps your batch of nasties as you call them and his preference in talking with a female chemist will loosen his tongue."

"Yes, sir," Lexi said, gathering her notes, suddenly letting out an uncontrollable yawn. "Sorry sir, long night, any news…"

"Miss Lane!" Waverly's voice growled out with a slamming of a fist on his metal console. "I gave you an assignment. Not for you to worry about another agent's mission. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," a chastised operative said softly while mournfully looking at her empty cup and tilted the carafe towards her to be reminded that it was equally empty. "I'll meet Moore and Rogers in the detention center and read up on the good doctor while I wait."

"Yes and, oh Miss Lane," the Section One leader continued on more casually. "I do wish you would get some rest. You never know when you might be called into action. That goes for you as well, Mr. Solo."

"Sir?" Napoleon and Lexi looked up in surprise that the old man knew that they were still up, together, and duly wondering why Waverly was up as well.

"Mr. Solo, Mr. Slate just reported that he's following a van that is to believe to have our wayward agent in it. Miss Dancer is assisting in clean up duties at the blown up THRUSH lab. Home in on Mr. Slate's communicator and call him for coordinates to help him ambush that van. I have a suspicion that our Mr. Kuryakin has the genetic codes THRUSH wanted and he's been very stubborn in not giving them back. Get to it man, Waverly out."

"Lane and Napoleon out," Napoleon said while Lexi turned off her pen and stuffed it back away. "Time to save that crazy Russian partner of mine…"

"Good luck to you, Napoleon." Lexi saluted him as he ran out of the room, catching his backward wave. He'd missed seeing her hugging her gathered notes. "Please, bring everyone back alive."

Act II: Mark

"Give it rest, Mark!" Monica Lane whispered roughly while tugging the other Section Two agent, Mark Slate's arm firmly. The heavy metal door banged shut and locked. "You know that there's no way out for now."

"I'm not giving up; I have to go help April…"

The aggravated man roughly pulled his arm away from the comforting pressure. He was losing his battle of finding a way out of the cement walls and solid steel door that imprisoned them. Instantly, Mark's training started to kick in, swallowing his irrational fears, he instantly calmed down. His mind was reliving what had happen to them to end up in this stark detention cell.

"I understand," Lexi reassuringly said, took his arm again, and guided her friend to the darkened wall to sit on the floor under where the security camera sat high in the ceiling.

THRUSH had been able to separate the top two agents as they were on a mission to search for a hidden chemical warehouse and destroy it. April, Mark, and Lexi were sent it to find the missing Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin when they failed to report in on time and one of their emergency homing devices had been activated.

April took the lead in a smoked filled corridor when an explosion ripped through the building. The three of them hit the ground, trying not to discharge their guns in the confusion of noise, flying debris, and armed THRUSH agents fleeing the area.

"That had Illya written all over it!" April shouted right into her partner's ear to be heard when she started to jerk Mark onto his feet, ignoring the third person in their rescue party.

Mark nodded, grabbed at Lexi's hand and gave it a hard tug, but met with unexpected resistance. Turning back, he saw that her leg was trapped under some broken ceiling beams. Struggling to get her leg loose, the both of them began to get angry with each other.

"Just go with April," Lexi yelled out over the klaxon of alarms when they'd freed her foot and winced while she slowly turned it. "I'll get out of here on my own. Go help her find Napoleon and Illya…"

"We're not leaving behind you behind!" Mark yelled back at her.

Pulling her up to see if she could bare weight on her leg, Mark violently shook his head and jerked his chin towards April. Turning back in surprise, he noticed what Lexi had, April was already gone. Grabbing the injured female agent, he lifted the slight person up, over his shoulder and began to run in the direction his partner went around the corner.

"Mark…stop…I," Lexi angrily stuttered, because of the jostling she got from Mark's sharp shoulder digging into her abdomen. Then he suddenly stopped, holding very still. "… can walk."

Lexi took this moment to push away from his fireman carry, awkwardly hopping to the floor to protect her sprained ankle, and turned to continue on from where Mark had stopped. With her gun raised, she froze like a statue when she heard several guns click around her and Mark.

"Come with us, Miss Dancer," the commanding THRUSH agent said pleasantly, waving his gun down another hallway for Lexi to lead the way when he got her attention.

"That's not April Dancer," a younger soldier informed his boss with a leer at the limping UNCLE agent sandwiched between guards.

"No?" The officer asked, stopping the group.

"No," an older man said in a lab coat came out of another smoke-filled room and closed the door when he heard the conversation going on outside. He shook the hand of the leader and looked down smugly at the two captured agents, especially the lady. "This is Dr. Monica Lane."

"Good evening Dr. Selch. How are you," Lexi asked pleasantly. "I thought you'd given up your career with THRUSH."

"You almost had me believing it didn't you?" The evil doctor sneered at her. "I believe that an invitation to my personal lab is in order for a quick pro quo on your methods of influence through chemistry. So then, I can demonstrate my new formula on you and your friend here. What's your lover's name?"

Lexi just sweetly smiled at the man, but didn't say a word; her eyes sparkling.

"Oh! I know who he is!" The young guard piped up again as if he was playing "name that UNCLE agent". "It's Section Two agent of UNCLE, Mark Slate and that means that April Dancer can't be too far behind."

"Yes, thank you soldier." The commander cut the impetuous young man off. "All of UNCLE will be here in the matter of moments and we have to get them out of here while avoiding Solo; Kuryakin, that bloody bastard; and now, Miss Dancer. I plan to leave this wreck of a building alive, preferably, lead the way doctor."

Mark looked back at the woman who was sitting on the floor beside him with a dazed look on her face. Dr. Selch had been true to his promised and had injected Lexi with some new refined hypnotic just before THRUSH had thrown them into this cold, semi-dark cell. She looked paled and was starting to sweat.

Swinging his arm up and around, Mark drew his fellow Section Two member into a friendly bear hug.

"How ya doin Luv," he asked with concern when she stiffened by his casual touch and then felt her relaxed.

"Tell me about you and April." Lexi pleaded quietly, resting her suddenly heavy, wobbling head on his shoulder. "How did you become partners?"

Mark smiled and chuckled lightly, knowing that she was trying to get him to think of anything than where his partner was and what she might be going through. He knew that it was a waiting game until someone was going to open that locked metal door to his left and more than likely it's was going to be a member of THRUSH, but he hoped that there was a chance he was wrong.

"Well, I was just off the sub from Survival School and spent my early training in the UK. I ran into Napoleon and Illya once and a while on a mission. Things as a junior agent were going as planned: milk runs, shooting at the bad guys and out nights with all sorts of ladies."

"Nothing has changed so far." A shaky voice squeaked out between small spasms that ran through her.

"Thank you, I'm still trying to surpass Napoleon in something," he said with a snort. "Then I met her. I had heard rumors of a female starting at Survival School the day I left. Many of the headquarters around the world in the command were buzzing with how this bird was doing. Every time I checked in with a Section Two CEA, I'd get a run down on how April did on each test. And then came the jokes and innuendos in how she passed each test, how they had to give her alone time in the showers, and who she was doing the dirty deed with."

A small nod from his quiet friend brushing his neck told Mark that Lexi was listening. She too knew what it was like to be a single woman in a sea of men, but didn't interrupt him. Men were men; it didn't matter if they were American or Russian. Mark could feel her breathing getting slower and deepening, her body becoming limp as she was reaching the typical suggestive state needed for controlling one's mind. It wouldn't be long before Dr. Selch would be checking on her to exact his revenge and make him watch.

"Then I met the "diva" as everyone started to call April out of spite for joining our exclusive club." Mark started up again, "She came into London and was introduced at a meeting of the local Section Two agents. Well, I feel instantly in love or lust with her. Most of the guys there did, but I was the one who was assigned to show her around the building. I'd thought that I had won the lottery and was right.

"April showed me why she easily passed all her training and then some. She trounced me in shouting and how vicious she could be in hand-to-hand. It was a battle wills between her and me until one day, at the end of one our epic battles that had continued on after everyone else had gone home and we… just stood there…we kissed.

"Kissed..," whispered, seductively pushed closer to him. Her lips lightly traced the nape of his neck and he could smell her left over perfume. It was hard to remember that she belong to anyone else, let alone one Illya Kuryakin.

"And then it happened." Mark smelled her hair while he leaned forward and gave her a brotherly kiss on the top of her head, trying to ignore her roaming, smoothing hands. "I was kissing my sister."

The body close to him stilled for a moment and then a small rumble of a giggle ran through her body. "Oh, my poor sweet Mark!"

"I know, it was a hard pill for both me and April to swallow." Mark heartily laughed out "We became best friends instead. We watch out for each other and can truly be honest in what we are thinking. Well, except for telling April if she's gained weight. That'll leave a person in Medical unconscious for a week!"

"That would be well deserved," Lexi agreed slowly.

Suddenly, footsteps faintly rang out from behind the secured door. Mark nudged Lexi as he pulled his arm up from around her and gave her a little shake to wake up.

"Come on ducky, it's time to perform," he said with a final push to get her to sit straighter, staring into her liquid, dilated, blue eye. "Lexi, remember what I'm saying to you right now. Don't give in to them no matter how much they threaten or torture me…"

Lexi dully looked at the man who was shoving her back against the gritty wall and then turned her head to find out where the increasing audible steps were coming from. She rambled out a few soft words in a language that Mark couldn't understand except for the last word. She'd said the name "Illya".

"What did you say, Lexi..," he asked hoarsely, drawing her close to bring her mouth to his ear and his to hers. "Remember! Don't give up and don't get in my way if I can get us out of here."

The single footsteps stopped just outside the cell's door. After the lock was being unlatched and then in a few tense seconds of Mark holding his breath, the brightness of the hallway spilled into the black cell. Blinded by the light, he could only see the relief of a single person silently walking into the room as he got ready to pounce.

"Mark, are you done sitting around in this dungy place playing footie with Monica here or are you two ready to back to headquarters?" April Dancer stood in the doorway with a hand on her hip and the other holding her gun.

"I would've been happier if you hadn't taken off to play hero in the first place." Mark started to banter with his red headed partner to hide the relief of being found and knowing that she was fine as well.

"Yes, lucky for you and Lexi that I did or we wouldn't have found you two." April threw right back at him and then looked more closely at Lexi while Mark brought the bottle-dyed blond agent gingerly to her feet. She and Lexi were still trying to find common ground at work. "Is she hurt? Napoleon and Illya are planning to blow this lab up in ten minutes and we need to motor…"

"Selch…" Lexi mumbled, swaying just before trying to crumpling back to the cement floor, but Mark and April couldn't make out what she'd said.

Mark dipped and lifted up the slight, sedated female agent to carry her out of the cell. "Sprained ankle mostly, but shot up with happy drugs. How did you find us?"

"Well, when I noticed that you and Lexi had not followed me around the second corner, I turned to see that a THRUSH hunting party for the dynamic duo had found you two instead. I tried to follow the group as closely as I could so that they would lead me to Dr. Selch's secret lab, but there were too many little thrushies crawling around the place. I put a tracer on that snot-nosed guard that told everyone who you were and we waited to come after you two at a safer distance."

"Nuff said, Luv," Mark nodded to his partner. "Lead the way and we'll let Illya and Napoleon do their job. Say, did they get old doc Selch?"

"No," April shook her head and made sure her partner was following her this time. "Next stop, headquarters and then to Medical, we can then tell Lexi what she missed while she was sleeping on the job."

"You to really need to start playing nice with each other and stop fighting over me," Mark joked to his grimacing partner, readjusting his hold on Lexi.

Act III April and Lexi

Monica "Lexi" Lane walked into a conference room to attend the daily Section Two meeting, but stopped short when she saw the drawn faces on the fellow agents in the room. Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo were looking tired and bruised. Their clothes were filthy, torn, and blood stained. Her heart leapt out to them.

Clutching her notebook and being new to UNCLE, she took a tentative seat at the end of the conference table near the other new agents. Everyone knew that she was friends with Illya and Napoleon because of working with Illya in the labs, but it was smart to keep her distance during the mandatory morning meetings to decrease the feelings of favoritism by the other junior agents.

In fact, Waverly gave her the most basic jobs given to a Section Two agent that could have been easily done by Section Three. Many times, she was sent to their meetings as the Section Two representative. Mostly, she worked in her chemistry lab with her chosen partner at UNCLE, Dr. George Thompson. She was glad to be playing in a chemistry lab more than running around for Section One.

The crowd at the other end of the room started to disperse and Monica could finally see who everyone was gathered around. April Dancer emerged from the center of supporters, with her right arm in a sling and a nasty scratch on her flawless cheek. She looked exhausted and drawn. Napoleon and Illya sat on either side of her, whispering softly to her, placing their hands on her shoulders, and making sure that her coffee cup was always full.

Although, nothing was said by the three at first, Monica and the rest of the section knew what was going on. Mark Slate, April's partner, was hurt really bad or dead. No one was really listening to what was being said as they all shifted in their sets and did everything not to look April or Napoleon straight in the eyes.

Monica glanced over to Illya and he gave her a simple hand signal known to both of them since their training in the Soviet Union. Nodding once, she let out a soft rush of air. Mark was still alive, but barely hanging on.

Finally, Napoleon cleared his throat and announced that Mark was still in surgery. He'd been wounded when he and April had stumbled upon a THRUSH agent who knew them and the shooting began. The British agent took a slug in the chest protecting an innocent and April had killed the THRUSH agent.

When the meeting drew to an end and Napoleon dismissed the group, no one was surprised that April was the first one out the door with Illya and Napoleon in tow. The rest of the room was buzzing with the latest gossip and reaction to events discussed at the meeting.

Lexi was asked if she knew anymore of what happened, because she worked with Illya in the lab once and a while. Shaking her head, she told her fellow agents that she'd been a mission to pick up information for Waverly in Washington D.C. After a few more rounds of speculations, the rumor mill had ground to a halt. Shortly after bidding goodbye to her cohorts, Lexi headed for the lab to her confessor and chosen partner, George.

"And how's April doing?" George asked his friend with raised eyebrows, slowly circling the tight lipped agent standing at the Formica table. "Any more news if Mark is out of surgery?

Lexi shook her head at the tall, sandy brown-haired doctor. She wanted to go and find out how Mark's surgery was going and talk with Illya, but it was hard for her to take that first step with April.

She didn't realize how difficult it was to work at UNCLE here with her secret lover, Illya, but this hesitation to go to Medical wasn't about him. Mark and April knew about their secret. No, this was about April. She was Lexi's last hold out to be a part of their little spy group.

Even when April knew about Illya and her were connected, it didn't mean that they weren't in competition for the same missions and attentions from their fellow Section Two agents and those in headquarters. Lexi tried to win over April's approval as an UNCLE agent, but she was hard to impress and that frustrated her greatly, because they were so evenly matched in many ways; tempers included. Illya and Napoleon smartly stayed out of attempting to make them get along during this time of acceptance of two more into their close-net group which now included Lexi and George.

"You know what you need to do," George said, taking Lexi's shoulders and giving them an enough of a shake to make her look up at him with a look of impending dread. He was right of course. "I just don't know why you came here first."

"Because I needed you to kick me in the ass," she blurted out, allowing the man to pull her into a reassuring hug which is what she needed, even if she didn't know it at first. George was the only one could get away with touching and talking to her the way he did.

"Well go, be a good spy, and find out how Mark and April are doing." George started to propel his lab partner out the door. "And go spend some time with Illya; you look like you need to get some something, something and you know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah," Lexi chuckled, stopping at the door before shutting it. "Thanks, George."

April paced nervously around the small alcove unable to sit for very long. The fourth hour of waiting for Mark to be under the knife was maddening. She'd chased away Napoleon and Illya after they'd sprung her out of Dr. Allen's grasp and his insistence that she stay in a bed for observation for the mild concussion she'd suffered while escaping with Mark.

She tried to concentrate in the morning staff meeting, but that didn't help much the fear of the unknown she was enduring and the nurses couldn't tell her more about how the surgery was proceeding. Dr. Allen growled over the phone for her to stop pestering his staff.

Turning around the last corner of the small waiting room, April spotted someone standing in the corner, silently watching her. April half hoped that she would come and half of her wanted her to stay away. Problem was why did she feel that way?

"Lexi," was all April said. A little nod of her head toward Lexi gave the shorter female agent permission to move closer.

"April," Lexi said barely above a whisper. "I'm…"

Before she could say more, April took the next step forward, grabbed a hold of the only other female Section Two agent and held her tight. Stiff at first, Lexi just stood there; slowly she encircled the other woman's ribs and let her cry on her shoulder.

This was the true beginning of their friendship. Both of them knew them how to handle men they work with and their emotions, just not their own with another tough female.

"Tell me," Lexi murmured with encouragement.

"He wouldn't have gotten shot if it weren't for me." A gentle sob punctuated the last word.

"The report at morning meeting said it was for an innocent." Lexi waited, feeling the warm, wet spot grow on her gray blouse.

"Yeah, well, that's Napoleon's spin on it." The red head sniffed and pulled away, wiping at her smeared mascara with the back of one her hand. "If I hadn't been so arrogant and actually had listened for Mark for once, he wouldn't be in there with his chest splayed open."

"Mark wouldn't have you any other way. You helped him save the mission and the innocent." Lexi reminded her of what the command had accomplished without flash or great pomp and circumstance.

"We just have to remember that each time we watch our family here in UNCLE struggle to survive, they have a piece of every one of us in them. It's the hope we give to make the world better. Mark knows that you have his back and he has yours. Devotion to you will give him the strength to live; to make a difference in this world. Anywhere you go or stay, it can't be taken away." Lexi pulled that out from her own past experience of waiting to get a message from Illya that he was somehow all right, but didn't know how to express much more to the upset woman.

"Make a difference one person of a time?" April lifted blood-shot eyes back to Lexi with a smirk. "Doesn't that go against the socialist ideas of the Soviet Union to be an individual?"

"No, not at all as long as we are all individuals doing the same thing and following the same rules. Conformity in all things…" the shorter woman chuckled and rubbed her friend's good arm affectionately.

"Ms. Dancer," Dr. Allen said with a clearing of his throat to let the ladies know he was there. He could tell by the tears streaming down their faces, the release of pent up tensions had been palatable in the small alcove. "Mr. Slate is a lucky man. We were able close the holes in his right upper lung and he will recover completely within a month."

"Oh, thank you!" April jumped for joy and enthusiastically kissed Dr. Allen on both cheeks and pulled him into a bear hug with the surprised doctor chuckling. "When can I see him?"

"Give him a chance to get out recovery first," The gruff man sternly ranted, but then gave the two women a wink. "Maybe during that time, I can check that arm and thick skull of yours…"

"Hell, I'll even promise to stay in Mark's room in Medical overnight if need be." She relented while drawing an "x" over her heart.

"I'll that condition, now away with you Ms. Dancer to the nurse's station and a shower. We need to get the rest of that dirt off of you, now that you'll let us."

"Yes, sir," April gave him and Lexi a gantry salute before she trotted off as told, beaming from ear to ear.

"Now, for you Ms. Lane," Dr. Allen turned to the smiling UNCLE agent. She wasn't aware that Dr. Allen wanted something from her and visibly stiffened.

"Sir," Lexi asked with a cold stare that made the doctor feel a slight chill down is spine.

"You've been playing your cards too close to your chest." The doctor's shrewd comment hit home, watching Lexi's eyes hardening even more. "And don't deny it. I've seen you sneaking around here, silently watching, and gathering notes like a mole…"

"I'm not..," Lexi lost her Midwestern accent and started to speak in a low Russian growl.

"Yes, I know that you're not, but you've got to let more people inside your little world," The squat, English bulldog of a man casually remarked as his eyes equally bore down on her. "I know that you know how to act like nothing gets through that cool exterior, but I'm giving you an assignment. An order really, for you complete. And you can help Mr. Kuryakin as well.

"I want you to actually develop and show the true feelings of friendship with your co-workers that you deep within that body of yours. And not just with Illya and George in secret. April has accepted you finally. Now learn how to be a female friend with her and maybe George's wife for starters. That's what Mr. Waverly and I want you to do."

"I… don't…" A blush and stammer arose from her lips. "Know how…"

"Ms. Lane, Lexi, you're a smart girl," the older gentleman patted her damp shoulder reassuringly, "Act as if it comes naturally and then the feelings behind it will eventually follow."

With that, Dr. Allen left the stunned Section Two to ponder his words when he left to finish his dictation of Mr. Slate's surgery. "Don't forget to check on Mark as well…in person."

Act IV Illya

"Choryt!" Illya Kuryakin swore under his breath.

He's just been released from Medical to find everyone else gone. While he'd been ordered on light duty for the rest of the week at his desk, his partner, Napoleon Solo, was sent on a mission without him.

It always made Illya nervous when Napoleon went out by himself and he wasn't watching his back. His partner's extraordinary luck only went so far. Even if it was a milk run, Napoleon was the CEA and a prime target for THRUSH. He was too, but that was only because of being stuck like glue to his friend. Waverly had made it very clear that it was his job to look out for the arrogant, spoiled, and utterly American man no matter what.

Like a black mold, the dark haired agent grew on the blond Russian. The lifestyle in New York that Napoleon had introduced Illya to brought him even closer to Napoleon. They were best friends and could trust each other in many things.

Still, Illya didn't feel that he could tell him about his first partner and lover Lexi until it came to a head when their Soviet Union Controller, General Boris Kuryakin, died and she came to stay permanently in New York; becoming dead to the KGB to work for UNCLE.

Both Illya and Napoleon thought that Illya's secret and classified past would cause problems in their partnership, but having Lexi living full time here in New York had surprisingly gone more smoothly that he could ever anticipate. Napoleon now knew who Illya was spending most his off time with when they weren't together. Why Illya didn't date as often or from the ladies working for UNCLE headquarters as Napoleon did concerned his partner. In some ways, Illya got the impression that the CEA in his cohort thought it was a bit unnerving, not knowing what the Russian was going. Illya always seemed to know what Napoleon was up to and with whom. That thought made the younger man smile.

What astonished Napoleon the most, Illya snorted softly, running his hand through his hair while heading to his office, was his and Lexi's ease with each other's sexual indiscretions and not spending all their off time together. They'd hid their relationship so well, that even Napoleon couldn't believe they were lovers if he didn't know them so intimately.

Recently, Napoleon said that he was becoming aware of Lexi's subtle presents in his partner's demeanor in private. She'd made even a bigger splash as the new female Section Two agent. She and her chosen lab partner, Dr. George Thompson, were slowly becoming strong members of their small clique within headquarters in their own rights.

With his mind freely jumping from one thought to another, Illya sat down on his squeaky wooden chair in his sparse office. Illya suppressed another chuckle from all that had happened in the last few short weeks since Lexi joined UNCLE.

Checking his calendar, Illya started the distracting duty of organizing the paperwork on his desk into piles of urgent, emergent, and should have been done yesterday.

For the first half hour he felt fine, but as the height of main mound lowered, the pounding he took on his last mission started up sing to him. The local anesthesia used on his wrists to stitch up the lacerations caused by the thin metal cuffs he hung from the ceiling in for several hours began wearing off and the bones in his wrists began to ache.

Pulling off his "butt-ugly" glasses, as Napoleon called them, Illya tossed them on one of two smaller piles, leaned forward with an elbow pushed forward for support as he rubbed his tired eyes. Drifting his gaze downward, he looked back down to his day planner.

At first, Illya's blurry gaze didn't registered that the circled date on the sheet was today, until he recognized the special symbol he'd put by it. Staring blankly for a moment at his distinctive neat hand writing, he suddenly looked at his watch, jumped up from his desk, and ran out the door at top speed with his jacket furled behind him.

Harry Clark leaned against an alley wall near Giovanni's restaurant smoking a cigar while he watched two people eating through the window. He was told by his bosses to keep tabs on the dame and find out where she goes.

The red cherry of his burning stogy brightened with his inhaling breath while he tried not to shiver in the dampness of twilight on this last autumn evening. He was tired of following this woman around and taking orders from his superiors on protecting her during her special "meetings" in this spy game.

These "meetings" were important, said his bosses, but that fell on deaf ears. It gave this creature the power to do whatever she wants and to help their sworn enemies from time to time. Just to keep the balance, they said. Well, not if he could help it this time. One of the higher ups finally gave him permission to dispatch her friend without threat of punishment or death.

Smiling blackly, the dark featured man exhaled a lungful of white smoke that couldn't be seen. Harry smugly patted his suit jacket over his gun holster, watching his target pull out bills to pay for a very expensive meal from the looks of it.

Straightening up from the wall, getting ready to make his move, the stealthy figure surprisingly stopped in mid stride from the shadows. A barrel of a gun with a silencer nudged at his side for him to halt all of his forward actions.

"Hello, Harry, enjoying the night?"

"Illya," the man sighed in resignation and raised his hands. "I thought that you were still on a mission, involving one of my brothers at THRUSH and a bit of torture."

"Nothing would make me miss Napoleon's date with Angelique." The UNCLE agent ground his gun deeper into his counter-part's ribs, reaching inside of the captured man's coat for his pistol. "The minute he told me that this viper and he were planning to have a meal together, I couldn't stay away. How about you, Harry? I had the understanding that killing Napoleon was off limits…"

"Well..," Harry clucked while Illya shoved Clark's gun into his waistline. "No honor among THRUSH agents. She's a snake like you said. How do you know I'm not here to kill her instead of just watch out for her?"

"One of THRUSH's top assassins babysitting another top assassin," the blond man asked softly, almost sweetly into the man's ear. "Only Angelique is allowed to be that close to Napoleon. That's his idea, not mine, of course. I'd just soon kill her than fight her for his attention when she's sniffing around."

"You're love for your partner borders on the sick and deprave." The man hissed out to upset the slim man and possibly gain the upper hand. "How many times do you fuck him a day or is it he who fucks you?"

"You can ask Mr. Solo yourself tomorrow." Illya kissed the man on the cheek and then snapped handcuffs on the man's drawn back hands.

"Tomorrow," The man nervously asked with a swallow. "What was that kiss for?"

"In my country, it is custom to kiss a man before death." Illya's voice became impossibly heavy with his natural accent as he lied through his teeth and then softly spoke a few lines in Russian.

"Www…what did you say?" Harry began to tremble when he looked over his shoulder to see the cold penetrating stare the Section Two, number two agent gave him, shaking that golden mop of hair of his.

From out of the shadows of the alley Harry Clark had stood in, two more UNCLE agents emerged to escort the THRUSH spy into a car that suddenly pulled up in front of him.

Struggling with the two men as they worked on getting the reluctant man into the car, he turned to them. "What did he say? What did he say?"

"Sorry, pal," one of the men shook his head sadly, avoiding eye contact with the condemned man. "You know what they say about Mr. Kuryakin…cold and heartless…Resistance is useless and to get the Chief Enforcement Agent involve, well..."

"No, wait! I don't believe you!"

Clark kicked out with his feet, barely withdrawing them back before car door slammed shut to his panic stammering. A green mist enveloped the backseat and the ranting figure stilled with his head slumped forward before sliding peacefully to the floor of the car.

One of the two Section Three agents walked up to Kuryakin and shook the smiling man's hand. "Mr. Reece, thank you for coming out on a cold night. Your expertise is invaluable."

"Thank you, Mr. Kuryakin." The taller, dark-haired blond, security chief nodded to the shorter, but powerful force. "Just to see the man reduced to a whimpering baby was well worth coming out is this chill. Ken checked with the waiter and the cook beforehand. He had to change out the salad for another and bagged the fork she pulled out during desert. Nothing new or exciting to test our skills with."

"Yes, she does lack the usual unpredictable flair tonight." Illya agreed, watching a cab with Reece's partner, Ken, driving it in from around the corner. "Now, off with you and Harry Clark. It's Napoleon's turn to torture the THRUSH agent. I've got the rest of the week off and plan not to spend it at work. Besides, he owes me one and I intend to collect."

"Sir, I wouldn't want to be the one who has to owe you anything." Reece playfully snorted, saluted his superior, opened the car door and checked to make sure the knockout gas had dissipated before getting in to take the sleeping THRUSH agent back to headquarters.

"By the way," the man asked after lowering the window. "What did you tell him?"

"That his shirts will turn pink if he uses an unchecked washing machine," Illya said with a smile splitting his face.

"I'll remember that," the agent grunted, pushed his car into gear, and took off.

Illya waited for Reece to drive off before he walked over to the front door of Giovanni's to personally open it as a stunned Angelique and Napoleon tumbled through it.

"Oh, Illya!" Angelique giggled out while she steadies her slightly drunk form. "I didn't know that you'd gotten way so soon."

"Gotten away," a now sobering Napoleon asked the deadly minx while eying his partner for more information.

"Yes," Illya plainly stated while she linked arms with his purposely silent, dark-haired partner. "If you want me to kill one of your THRUSH cohorts for you, all you do is have to ask."

"But then I would have to owe you a favor and I wouldn't get to spend time with lover boy here," Angelique started to simmer with anger knowing that the grumpy blond had just ended the rest of her evening with Solo. "Just as efficient as always. Why couldn't you've waited until at least until the morning? It's only eight now…''

"Because I have somewhere to go this evening and don't want to spend it outside of your door as you two play doctor." The bored man explained with a roll of his expansive blue eyes, giving a bemused Napoleon and disgusted Angelique a challenging look. "You two have already kept several Section Three agents busy last night."

"You have plans?" The THRUSH spy jumped to firmly encircle Illya's arm with her voluptuous body as he tries to pull away. "Are you dating someone, male or female? Oh, Napoleon, you didn't tell me that your little yappy dog has found a lover. I know, we can have a double date."

"UNCLE is my life," Illya stiffly said, detangling the deadly reptile's groping hands from his arm. Locking her elbow with a firm push forward, he propelled her roughly to the cab in front of the restaurant. "You got last night and now it's time go home alone or I will tell your bosses it was UNCLE who really killed Franks. It won't look good on your resume."

"You are a pig of a little man, Kuryakin," Angelique growled, twisting at the last moment to lean her back against the car door. "At least let me give Napoleon a kiss good night."

With another upward roll of his stormy blue eyes, Illya nodded, but then reached out for her small clutch purse first.

"I was only going to…" the woman argued, but quickly gave up and practically threw the bag at him. "Napoleon, are you going to let this Russian bastard talk to me like this?"

"I know," the dark-haired man patted her arm reassuringly while they watched Illya search her clutch and pocketing several items. "I'm very sorry, love; he's very good at his job in protecting me against your deadly charms. Why do you let him ruffle your pretty feathers so?"

"I don't know darling," she wispily sighed after finally accepting her fate of a lonely bed tonight and pulled the UNCLE into a suggestive embrace just to taunt the evil little man.

"Good night, Angelique, until the next time we can see each other."

Their kiss lasted long enough for Illya to look at his watch and loudly clear his throat to remind the ill-fated couple that time was short. Napoleon forcibly pulled himself away from the alluring woman and gallantly opened the door to the taxi. He graciously helped his special "acquaintance" into the back seat and smoothly passed back the purse that Illya had pilfered before gently closing the car door.

When the cab was a block away, Napoleon turned to his partner as they stood on the curb. "Did you really kill Franks?"

"No," the second man huffed. "A newbie's gun went off unexpectedly hitting Franks while he tried to intimidate me."

"And did it work?" Brown eyes sparked with amusement and concern. "The intimidating, I mean?"

"You wish; the biggest threat was if I fell down from laughing. I just ended up hanging around for a few hours and then took off with a couple of juicy pieces of information. You?"

"Angelique spilled a few nonessential bits of information." Napoleon realized that his fishing trip was less fruitful than Illya's and according to their agreement; he owed his partner a favor. "What do I have to do?"

"Nothing much," the slightly younger man slyly smiled. "Just interrogate Harry Clark in the morning when he wakes up with a headache. I'm off for the rest of the week and will be busy."

"Oh, don't tell me you gave him the kiss of death?" Napoleon mocked, running his hand through his hair. "I owe you that big?"

"You're lucky I did or your brains would've splatter all over the sidewalk." The blond patted his friend's shoulder. "One of her bosses must have finally had enough to suggest that Harry should tag along."

"Unknown to the lady in question," Napoleon strongly defended her and their "meetings".

"That remains to be seen," Illya left the comment up in the air. "But, I have another affair to attend to and thanks to the late Mr. Franks; I have the rest of the week off. So, you'll have to finish your own paperwork. I've about half of it done already."

With that last statement, Napoleon did a silent "Ah, ha" motion as he tugged at Illya's cuff on the raised hand still warmly placed on his shoulder and exposed the bandaged wrapped around it. "Say hello to Lexi for me."

"I will and to George and to his wife Cassidy, whom I'll meet for the first time tonight." Illya readjusted his sleeve. "And don't be too worried tomorrow if Lexi is irritated with me for being too high-handed. I'm planning a coup between the two women."

"Do I want to know?" Napoleon asked with a tone of impeding trouble that being the CEA at headquarters might have to intervene on. "Should I call in the morning to see if you're still alive?

"Possibly, but if I handle this situation with just the right skill and finesse, I think you'll see noticeable changes at work and in private."

"Then go to it my foolish one. I'll report to the old man about tonight with the help of Section Three and have a long conversation with Mr. Clark tomorrow. Good luck."

Napoleon and Illya shook hands and departed in different directions.

Illya Kuryakin walked out of the opening elevator doors on to the fourth floor of the UNCLE secured apartment buildings in which Dr. George and Cassidy Thompson live in. The older housing complex was on the other side of headquarters from his and Napoleon's place. Many of the ancillary staff lived in these rent controlled flats while they saved for more comfortable surroundings.

At the end of the hall, stood Section Two agent, Monica "Lexi" Lane at her lab partner's door. A frown creased her forehead while the normally self-assured woman tried to will herself to into the action of ringing the bell.

Looking up from her determined concentration to the sound of the opening of the lift's doors and Lexi saw her absent lover walked through them. Illya warmly smiled while making his way to her side with flowers in one hand and a bottle of dark wine in the other.

Two steps from her, Illya could smell her familiar, intoxicating perfume. He inhaled deeply as his laden eyes began to close with pleasure, but not before he caught a quick motion and braced for her frontal assault into his arms.

"Let's go," Lexi gushed against his chest, squeezeng him tight. "I didn't think that you'd make it and it's been two weeks…I haven't knocked yet…we could enjoy some time alone first."

"Lexi," he sternly said, pulling her from his embrace and holding her at arm's length. "You need to do this."

"What have you heard?" Her emotions quickly changed to suspicion and her cheeks flushed with anger. "What did Dr. Allen tell you?"

"I know enough…" Illya began to argue.

Suddenly, the door to apartment four hundred and two flew open and George Thompson's tall body bowed out from behind it. "I know that their only a few minutes late, but I just want to check."

"George!" A shrill voice called to him. "Close that door! They'll get here when the get here and not any sooner."

"Illya!"

A proud man, who had the look of winning the battle with his wife, swung the door wide enough for the hinges to squeak in resistance. His sandy brown hair framed the huge smile on his face as he extended his hand to Illya after the blond man gave him the wine. With a jerk forward, George pulled the shorter man further into his home that left him barely on his feet.

"Welcome to my home, Illya," the doctor beamed and then turned to Lexi who had hesitantly followed the men. He gave her a big bear hug. "I didn't know if you'd make it. I'm so glad you did."

An irritated, female cleared her throat and Illya turned from watching George maul Lexi to find a woman standing with her arms crossed in front of her. Rising surprised blue eyes up to the amazon standing just a few feet from him. He stiffened up and extended the wrapped bouquet of flowers to her.

"Cassidy," George laughed at the impossibility of what his wife was accomplishing. "Don't scare the man."

"George!" The lady's face softened and then she blushed. "I didn't frightened you, did I, Mr. Kuryakin?"

"Yes, you did and call me Illya," he said in his deepest, heaviest accent while he extended his hand to her for him to politely kiss. "Have you ever considered a job in Section Three security with our female detainees?"

"No, once the baby is born, I intend to stay at home for a while. Then, it's back to working as a psychologist for the city." Cassidy threw in to add weight to her credentials to compare with his and the two chemists. "I hope you won't hold it against me?"

"As long as you don't use it against us," Illya said, his eyes anxiously widened. He'd almost forgotten that Lexi had told him what Cassidy did for a living, almost, and that she was in the end of her second trimester of pregnancy. She was just starting to properly show through her clothes, but he had a mission to complete to worry about trifles right now.

"I hope that I don't make you two too nervous. When George talks about Section Two and what you endure…"

"Yes," George interrupted, not wanting to let Illya know that they talked about work at home. Instead, he propelled Lexi forward to change the subject as Illya began to say something. "Here she is… my lab partner and friend, Monica Alexis Lane."

Both women stopped and turned to each other. The room's temperature cooled as they stared, taking in the other's look, size, beauty, and risk assessment into maintaining a friendship. Illya held his breath for a moment along with George and then cleared his throat.

"George," Illya interrupted the deadly silence with a pleasant tone. "You and Cassidy have a wonderful apartment. Would you care to show us around? Tell me; is this a two bedroom or one bedroom unit?"

"Two," George said with a sigh of relief. "Cassidy's a wonderful decorator. Come see how the baby's room looks. Not a black or gray color to be found!"

"Not funny, George," Lexi said in a tense growl. She stiffly rolled her eyes at her partner while keeping Cassidy in her line of sight for a reaction to their usual banter. Cassidy, for her part, purposely kept her expression blank, but silently scrutinized Lexi's every move while they walked room to room. Lexi and George walked in front with Cassidy and Illya bringing up the rear.

Illya watched with amusement at the sheer battle wills between the two women sitting in the living room. Four, intense, suspicious blue eyes darted back and forth across the worn Oriental rug that lay between the couch where he and Cassidy sat on and the two over-stuffed, floral chairs that held George and Lexi.

After the very short tour of the quaint two bedroom apartment that took no more than a quick look around four door frames, the foursome sat down to eat at a rather ornate dining table. Cassidy said it was the only thing of value her and George had when they had gotten married.

School loans and saving for a house were the topics that were easily talked about. Work at headquarters came up a few times, but was met with a jaundice eye from Illya when he learned how popular rumors about his and his partner's "special" relationship were at headquarters. What made time stand still for him and Cassidy was watching their significant others dive deep into conversations about their work in the lab. Illya could follow their train of thought if he wanted to, but he was here on a mission and it was now time to act.

"I think it's time for some of that wine I brought," The blond man casually said, gesturing for both George and Cassidy to remain seated while he stood up. "I'll get it and the glasses. Stay here and enjoy the company."

Illya nearly chuckled out loud as he heard a small retort come out of each of the women from under their breath when he exited the tiny living room and saunter into the galley kitchen in search for wine glasses and a cork screw.

Coming back into the living room, Illya passed out the wine to everyone seated before he settled lightly back onto the lumpy couch beside Cassidy. Everyone eyed and smelled the wine as they waited for him to sit.

"To the health and friendship of everyone in this room, cheers," Illya simply said, watching everyone raise their glass, he included, to their lips.

Before Cassidy could take a sip, a surprisingly strong hand grasped her forearm and gently stopped her. Startled by the abrupt motion, she looked up from the rim of her glass and over at Illya to see him pantomime the action of drinking, but not actually opening his lips.

"This is the best wine I've ever tasted," George enthusiastically gushed and downed the entire glass.

Lexi, on the other hand, was still savoring her sip of blood red wine and raised her eyes up to Illya in confusion and extreme hurt before her eyes rolled back and she slumped peacefully back into the chair. George instantly followed with a warm fuzzy smile on his relaxed face.

"Thank you for not drinking," Illya turned back to Cassidy, who stared wide-eyed at him with fear. "Oh, don't worry; they'll only be out about five minutes max. They'll think that they've been distracted and then refocused on what we're saying. George won't know what happen, but Lexi might. It's one of her formulas. I had to cover the taste…"

"You know, Illya, if I wasn't scared stiff, I'd be screaming my head off right now." Cassidy trembled and slowly brought her glass of wine down off her lips and carefully set it on the coffee table.

"Yes, I can be a very scary person; Lexi as well, but this isn't why I did all of this." The cool Section Two, Number Two darkly smiled, his eyes penetrating hers. "I need your help with Lexi, please."

"Lexi?" Now this terror with sparkling, sapphire, blue eyes was pleading with her. "My help, why? She's well educated, rich, and a Section Two spy, just like you, and…and George loves her."

"Like a brother," Illya affirmed with a chuckle and then became serious. "She's attached herself to me since we were kids and for some crazy reason I love her too, the temptress. Cassidy, don't let Lexi's outward appears fool you. She needs you."

"For what," asked the pregnant woman in a jealous tone as she absently stroked her swollen abdomen.

"That!" Illya pointed to Cassidy's pregnant form. "You've heard the stories of our adventures in Section Two from George. Lexi needs a friend; a female friend who will understand and not judge her too much. To give her a sense of what a real family and friends feels like. She hasn't had that in a long time…since the death of our fathers', when we were young."

"What about me being a shrink?" Cassidy pointedly look down her nose at him. "George has told me how you all treat Dr. Samuel. Why would she open up to me? I know that you all tease Benny mercilessly."

"Because," Illya said, urgently taking up her hand hands and giving them a firm squeeze. "You'll understand. You won't treat her like patient or try to treat her directly. Only in the most subtle ways will she accept help she needs the most."

"And what kind of treatment does she need that she can't get it at UNCLE?" The dish-water blond asked with a sudden change of attitude of concern to one of interest.

"Learning to become more human; learning to care for others by going against our training and having friends. I've read your evaluation from your employer; you're very good at listening…"

"You read my evaluation, how…"

"Cassidy," Illya brightly smiled, "I'm a very good and efficient spy and I know that you can't resist the idea of observing how Lexi endures torture, rape, and the game playing involved in working for Section Two."

"And what about you," she asked. "Why do you want me to help her?"

"It's what Waverly and Dr. Allen wants." Illya released his breath gently as if he didn't want to be the messenger for this mission just for them. "But, I want your help, because we've been waiting for so long now, that the closer we get to surviving our time within UNCLE intact, the more I feel we'll lose our connection with real people."

"Real people?"

"Real people who are allowed marrying, have children, and can admit to caring for each other." Illya sadly smiled. "Not always living for a higher purpose. To have one of these, May I?"

Cassidy nodded in shock in what the determined man was asking of her. "If I did this…help you with Mon…Lexi…what do I get from you?"

"Pardon?" Illya looked up for his total attention to lightly touching Cassidy's enlarged abdomen; hoping to catch an odd movement or two.

"I want you to tell me how you deal with all this as well from time to time and allow me to make some notes." The woman held her breath while she waited a moment to see his reaction. "And I want you to report on your true relationship with Napoleon and how he's helped you."

"That's a very high price..," the spy said, chewing on he'd have to owe her. "I'm afraid that my "special relationship" with Napoleon is rather dull. Yes, I'll pay the price, but only when I have the time and George or Lexi shouldn't know of our pact. She'll kill us both."

"Agreed," Cassidy smiled and extended her hand for Illya to shake.

After a sealed agreement with the dreaded enemy psychologist, Illya ended the dealings with a melting smile, another kiss to her hands, and then a warm hug between new friends.

"Did I miss something?" George asked with a barely suppressed yawn. "Man, I must be more tired than I thought..."

"Yes, so do I," Lexi's eyes constricted quickly as if she was trying to piece the last few moments together.

"Indeed, it has been a long night. I think that we should let the pregnant lady get some rest." Illya suggested as they rose with Cassidy's hands in his. "It's been a lovely evening and meal."

"Yes," Lexi practically jumped out of the chair with hopes on leaving right away. "Lovely evening…it's such a shame we have to leave, but Illya and I haven't had much time together…"

"Oh, feel that!"

Cassidy grabbed Lexi's hand and placed it where the baby was kicking. Time stood still as Cassidy held the female's agent hands tight against her stomach. A wondrous look crossed Lexi's face as it softened.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Cassidy hummed. "You know Lexi, I could use some help with some shopping for the baby. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes," Lexi barely said above a whisper. "I'd like that. Can you and George come over to my place for a meal in the near future?"

"We'd love to!" George jumped in, encircling his wife's shoulders and smiling down at his lab partner. "We'll talk at work on Monday. Thank you for coming today, partner, oh, and you too, Illya."

"Thanks, George," Illya said with a smirk. "Yes, we'll see you on Monday as well."

Walking her guests to the door, Cassidy turned to give each of her new friends a hug and a whispered a comment to each at the end of the embrace. "Until the next time, good night."

"I can hardly wait." Illya smiled to his female host just before he turned, took Lexi's arm, and continued down the hall.