Paris.
Kate had dreamed of visiting the city for as long as she could remember. Growing up she bought countless cheap little Eiffel Towers, cushions, anything and everything she could find. It was the first thing on her bucket list and the last one she thought she'd ever do. Until she met Neal.
Once Neal Caffrey came into her life anything felt possible. He opened her world up in ways she never imagined and every day was like an adventure. Once upon a time, if someone had told her she'd be distracting the shadiest of people while her boyfriend slipped their key card out of their pocket she'd have thought you'd seen one too many movies but yet here she was, strolling down the city of her dreams the night before the next heist.
They'd arrived a couple of days ago and it had been all hands on deck. Neal and Mozzie had been going over ever detail with a fine tooth comb, leaving no possibility unaddressed. Kate was pretty sure she'd be dreaming of this particular blueprint for months. Now, being in Paris you'd expect their target to be the Louvre but they were smarter than that. The FBI and Interpol had been closing in on them one too many times recently and the Louvre is exactly where they expect them to go.
Instead they'd chosen the Chateau de Fontainebleau, just outside of Paris. Ideally Kate would love to try out Marie Antoinette's bed but somehow she imagined that might garner them some unwanted attention. Not exactly something you can easily pick up and slip out back.
Kate had finally convinced Neal earlier in the evening to take a break much to Mozzie's horror and after a delicious meal at Le Bistro Parisien they were strolling down towards the Eiffel Tower. Hand in hand they took in the sights and sounds of Paris. She turned her head and watched as Neal did his usual people watching, surely already creating his own stories about the people around them. Sensing her stare, he turned and smiled
"What?"
Shaking her head ever so slightly and with a small smile on her face, Kate replied "Nothing. Just…..you" and turned back to her surroundings, feeling Neal's gaze fixated on her and just as she felt him about to speak, she saw it.
The Eiffel Tower.
"Neal, look" Kate gasped. It shone in a sea of lights bouncing off the water, standing like a beacon in the sky. It was beautiful and more than anything she could have ever imagined.
"It's magnificent!" she declared in childlike wonder.
"It really is" Neal agreed and Kate turned to see him still staring at her and she laughed, pushing him slightly by the shoulders "Shut up" she declared playfully before turning back to stare at the building. Neal laughed along with her and shrugged as if to say, well its true, before gesturing in front of them saying "How about a photo?".
"What?" Kate asked still captured by the sight, a small content smile never leaving her face.
"A photo" Neal repeated, "C'mon, you're telling me you don't want a photo here of all places? His eyebrow raised slightly, knowing the answer. She nodded, fixing her scarf before stepping out in front of the steps. Arms stuffed in her pockets she smiled, honestly and content, as Neal's cheery voice rang out "Cheeese" before the shutter went off.
Kate walked over to join Neal as he brought the photo up on the camera.
"You look beautiful" he stated, before putting the camera away and wrapping his arm around her as she settled against him, her arm around his stomach and head on his chest. They both looked onwards at the lights bouncing of the Eiffel Tower. Not taking her eyes off it Kate pleaded "Tell me we'll come back here one day".
"Of course. Maybe buy a little hideaway just outside the city." Neal offered.
"Promise?" Kate asked.
"Cross my heart" Neal replied and Kate looked up at him and smiled. Later, as they walked back to their hotel she thought not of the heist tomorrow or any others to come, no FBI or Interpol or fake identities. She thought only of someday and a quaint little cottage somewhere just outside Paris, built for two. She thought of them retiring from this life, the family they'd have.
She thought of the future.