Lucas North is, I think, one of the most interesting character I ever find in TV Show. Even if I really like his storyline in "Spooks", I need to read more about him, to know more about him, and of course, to write about him too.

So, that's my first attempt of a story. This one will be a really long one and I hope you will like it.

English is not my first language, so I hope my story will not be too difficult to understand.

All my gratefulness to my so dear friend, Jayne, (aka Iwishfinnhudsonwasmyfirsttime). Thank you for being my so patient beta reader and to always be here for me no matter what.

Background of the Story :

This story begins 6 months after Lucas's release of the Russian's jails. He has returned to Section-D and tries his best to become again the former ace he was before his 8 years in jail. He is traumatised by what he'd been through but he fights as much as he can to keep his sanity. Connie James had been revealed to be the mole of the Section-D and had admitted to Lucas she was the one who betrayed him.

Section-D Staff at the beginning of the story :

Sir Harry Pierce, chef of the division and great friend and admirator of Lucas. He managed all he can to help Lucas to recover his freedom.

Ros Myers : she is the leader of the Section D, under Pierce orders. She is cold but totally loyable. She will become a really good friend of Lucas.

Joanna Portman : young lady working at Section D. She had been tortured a little time before Lucas's release and is really traumatised by what she had lived. She really likes Lucas and is really glad and honored to work with him. She has a soft spot for Tarik.

Tariq Masood : youngest man of the Section. Official Geek of the squad, he is the one whom handle every computer and create the background of the covered mission. He is in awe in front of Lucas skills and bravery. He has a soft spot for Jo but is to shy to admit it out loud.

Lucas North : 38-40 years. MI-5 agent since 1995. Former ace and chief of the Section D. 8 years on Russian's jail after being betrayal by a mole in the service. He thought it was Harry but felt really relieved to know it wasn't. Suffer of terrible nightmares, traumatic memories. Brave, serious, loyal, stern sometimes, but always here for his friends and partners.

List will change along with the story.

I don't own anything (or Lucas would never died and he would have been soothing for the rest of his life) except Sasha Sarapova-Connelly, even if she is pictured under the features of Lucy Griffiths, alias Lady Marian on Robin Hood BBC's tvshow.

Chapter 1 :

Since his return to freedom after his 8 years in Russian jail, Lucas hadn't known a real night of sleep. And this one wasn't any different, he sighed deeply while trying to steady his heavy breath and running a hand over his sweaty forehead.

He'd been back almost six months already but each night, he recalled everything: all the way back to the jail, to his captors, to his torturers, and to his greatest fear of all: losing his sanity and his identity… feeling numb and losing himself completely: never again to be the man he once was.

He was Lucas North, MI-5 agent since 15 years, member of the Squad D, former ace of the service and working hard to regain his former status as soon as possible.

When he finally succeeded to ease his heavy heartbeats, he turned a wide eye on his clock radio: 5.50 am… Lucas let his head fall on his chest, knowing perfectly that there was no chance he could be drawn back into sleep and certainly less that he would enjoy the happiness of a night of oblivion.

So instead, he shifted to reach the edge of his bed and put his bare feet on the cold floor. He stretched his hand to reach the pants he had thrown off the night before, to tired to take care of them, and pulled them on, he finally rose to his feet.

He came to his front door, taking an instant to put on his trainers. Securing his front door, he walked slowly to the lift and pressed the button to the ground floor. Finally, when the lift doors opened, he started to jog out of the building and toward his usual spot in the dim light of the predawn.

After an hour and a half, like practically every morning, he came back home as always, mumbling "hi" to his neighbors who were leaving for work, and after he disrobed, he went to get a long hot shower, his forehead leaning on the wall, exposing his sore back to the hard water-jet and making his muscles relax softly under the hot water, to erase the tension.

Finally, at 8.30 am, finely dressed in his elegant blue suit and black shirt, he left his home and drove all the way to the MI-5 head quarters. He knew he looked tired and the little stubble on his jaw was not really to the liking of Harry Pearce, but he didn't care… He had given almost his entire life to England and the service and not being cleanly shaven everyday will certainly not put the UK's safety in danger…

As usual, when he entered the "Tames House", he felt at home. He smiled a little to every person he passed, nodding to some and even sent a wink or two to pretty agents who tried to attract his attention. He couldn't help but smile when sometimes he heard one or two sighing at his glance.

Without being arrogant or egocentric, he knew for sure that he was a good looking guy and learned it the hard way! He had to use his handsome features many times before to gain information or to seduce people and learned very well the effect he can have on women, consciously or not. That part of job wasn't the one he liked the most, in fact, he never had liked using his charms to manipulate women… but sometimes, when job asked it, you needed to obey without discussion! No matter what, without regard for the consequences…

But being a little flirtatious with women in the Head Quarters was only for fun especially because he wasn't emotionally or even physically interested with any of them. Plus, he knew better than being involved in an affair with a colleague.

He just arrived at his desk, entering his computer password when Ros put her hand on his shoulder, attracting his attention: "Hello Lucas. You look terrible, today" she said with a knowing smile.

"Hi, Ros. Thanks for the concern" he only added accessing his mail box.

"You're welcome, as always. Come, now, we have a briefing in less than 5 minutes." And she turned her heels to him to the debriefing room.

"I'm coming" launched Lucas, sighing deeply… well, no time for a coffee this morning. He stretched his long and lean body to follow his superior into the secured area.

Harry was already sitting and nodded to him with a little smile Lucas returned. Tariq finished preparing the documents for the meeting and looked up to send him a "hi" before returning to his work. Ros fell into her chair, watching everyone in the room like a head of family, not smiling but the pride gleaming in her eyes showing how much she cared for everyone here and how much she was ready to do anything to protect these whom were her only family.

Jo entered the place the last and like her hands were empty, Lucas stood up and closed the door behind her, gaining a sweet smile in recognition. She raised a hand to him, giving him one of the coffees she held and a little brown bag : "Coffee and bagel, Lucas." she said, smiling in front of his disbelief. "We were sure you haven't had your breakfast before coming, so…" Lucas was ready to answer when he heard some giggles behind him and decided to sigh deeply, thanking Jo while taking her small gifts and sitting back on his chair, smelling the coffee while licking his lips and giving a tiny little moan of happiness.

"Well, now that our Lucas will have a fully belly, we can concentrate on our task" teased Ros, making Lucas growl a little and then laughing a little more at the others.

"Right, we have a situation we really need to handle right now," continued Harry, his face becoming serious instantly. "Ros, it's up to you."

"Okay." The leader of Section D took a deep breath and started to explain the case. "While you, Lucas, were sun bathing in Cyprus," all smiled a little at the mocking explanation to the Lucas's two week mission in Cyprus when he was helping the local police deal with some serious criminals, "we struggled with a complicated situation."

"Here," added Ros, showing a picture of a man in his fifties on the screen on the wall, "this is Peter Connelly. He is the CEO of MENTALTECH, third most important company in the development of mental technologies, weapons guided only by mental orders and other works on the same level…"

"Welcome to the future…" mumbled Tariq, obtaining a little smirk of Lucas before a light cough of Harry reminded them to be quiet.

"So," continued Ros, imperturbable, "Peter Connelly is also well known for his acquaintances with the Russian Mafia, which is not really reassuring when you really consider the technology he works on."

"Russian Mafia ?" Lucas questioned, puzzled. "How is an Irish man connected with the Russian Mafia ?"

"Because of his wife, Selena Sarapova-Connelly. She was well known by the KGB when she was a young woman. She had helped them for some difficult missions and because of her father and brothers's involvement in the Mafia's local at the beginning and International now. Selena was really talented but when she encountered Peter during one of her missions, she fooled herself by letting herself sentimentally involved. So, with a little "help" of her father, she started a little happy family with her Irish man and was released from the KGB."

Lucas couldn't help but smile at the mocking tone he could hear in Ros's voice. He didn't know a lot about her but one thing for sure, she was certainly not the marrying and motherly kind of woman. She probably once had wanted it, like everyone, but she valuated her freedom too much and liked running her own life too much to be satisfied in the "iron collar of marriage" like she once refered to those tethers.

"At least, she wasn't called into any formal missions til then" added Harry. "But we know for sure that before her death, 7 years ago, she worked with her husband and some of the contracts they signed were more or less affiliated to the Russian's estate."

"She's dead ? What happened ?"

"It seems that one day she took her car and blew up with it…"

"Blew up? Who did that? Russians? Irish? Mafia? Who?"

"Don't know for sure, Lucas. It's quite complicated. It seems that with time, Selena wouldn't continue her cooperation with Russian's state and Mafia…"

"Could her family have killed her ? You really think that ?" Lucas voice was full of disbelief.

"Lucas, please, can't you stop being so innocent ?" Ros sighed. "You know perfectly well what the Russians are capable of and killing someone, even in their own family, was and never will be an issue for them."

Lucas shook his head. Of course, he knew what the Russians could do but sometimes, he couldn't believe things like that really happened. Killing a woman is a thing he couldn't stand but killing a woman of your own family because she wasn't following your ideas or ways was unimaginable for him.

"Lucas!" shouted Harry louder, making the younger man jump in surprise. "Welcome back," smirked Sir Pearce. "Go ahead, Ros."

"Thank you. So, our first mission was to enter the house and take all the intel we can find to prove Connelly's or MENTALTECH's association with the FSB or the Russian's Mafia. Jo, can you continue, please ?"

The youngest woman stood up and, giving some pages of her report to Tariq to have them fit in on the screen on the wall, she started to explain all the possibilities they had already tried and with what results.

"We wanted to put an agent under cover in the house but sadly, it was impossible. Like you can see on the plan, the house is divided into different areas, all secured. You can't enter the private rooms without a security badge."

"Three levels of security by the way" added Tariq.

"What about waitstaff ?"

"We tried to add someone on the waitstaff but it didn't work. The personnel is chosen by files, with a lot of references and doesn't have access to the private part of the house before three trial weeks... takes much longer time that we have. But even if we could have done it, Connelly didn't trust them with his life. They are allowed in the house during only 3 hours by day and only with close monitoring. Cameras are everywhere, beams too…"

"Beams ? What beams ?"

"Motion sensors, heat sensors… this place is a real pleasure for a geek like me," teased Tariq.

"But it's a real challenge for us." Ros tried to keep them focused.

"So… what can we do ?" asked Lucas, a little baffled by the situation.

"We thought we could use Connelly's daughter to obtain information or at least, access to the house. Too bad that hasn't worked either…" Jo was really annoyed by this aspect.

"Tell me a little more ?" Lucas's forehead frowned while he took notes about everything he heard. This case seemed to be quite difficult but he always had loved to be challenged.

"Sasha Sarapova-Connelly" read Jo while the MI-5 rapport of the young woman appears on the computer. "19 years, born in Cork, in Eire, and raised in London and Moscow. Speaks perfect English, Russian, French and Spanish. Follows translator's studies. She had been working on her father's enterprise for the two last summers. "

"She worked with her father ? Does that mean you suspect her to be part of her father's activities ?" Lucas questioned while keeping his head on his notes, trying to better understand the case.

"No, we are sure she is not aware of those activities. Her father is quite discreet since the death of his wife. She only helped with the secretary and also participate at one publicity campaign as model to create an attractive poster for the company."

"Really ?"

"Yes Lucas. Connelly is really protective with his daughter and he doesn't want her to be with people he doesn't trust." Joanna added.

"But he agreed for the publicity campaign ?"

"Yes, his company was really in danger last summer and without this idea and her pretty face, I'm not sure the society would have survived, even with some "dark" help."

"Pretty face ?" that idea stirred Lucas off his note-pad and made him raise his eyes to the picture on the computer screen, catching his breath and heart at that exact instant he was never the same man again.

Sasha Sarapova-Connelly was, truth to be told, the sweetest thing he had ever seen in all his life. Long and curly dark brown hair, light porcelain skin, huge and tender eyes as blue as a soft summer sky, a sweet curl up nose who invited you to put a peck on it, full and plump lips, perfect for the edge of sensual kisses, and a facial contour and cheeks full of the childhood roundness giving the irresistible desire to stroke your hand on this amazing face. All in her called to be protected, to be loved, to be shared… and for the first time in all his life, Lucas knew he was the man born to do it!

He couldn't look away, he couldn't hear anything because it was like all the things around him had disappeared. He had never met her, but he knew for sure she would be the only thing would matter for the rest of his life and this prospect didn't even scare him. He never felt so calm, so sure, so… happy! Yes, he felt happy, because finally he had found a reason to live, a reason to fight, and for once, it wasn't for a cause or for a country… it was for one person, ONE person! And it felt so good, it was thrilling!

Finally, his attention returned to the meeting to see that the others were watching him carefully. He suddenly breathed deeper and mumbled an apology to have disturbed everyone by his reverie and, seeing Jo and Tariq exchanging amused looks, he asked Jo to continue to explain the situation, trying to divert the attention away from his momentary "break down".

"We thought that we could get our chance by being close to her. So, I pretended to be a student and met her. We had a few talks together and I can assure you that she is the sweetest and loveliest girl ever. I'm even sorry to have to use her because she really is the type of person I would never want to hurt…"

"Thank you, Joanna, for your sentiment about this fair lady," said Ros with a flat voice, "but you need to pretend to be her friend for the mission and not to make her your BFF!"

Lucas couldn't help but wince at her words particularly when he saw how they hurt the younger blonde haired woman. So…he thought to himself, this girl was as sweet and kind as she seemed in the picture. Well, this mission could be more interesting than he had planned.

"After Jo couldn't obtain an invite to her house and the time ran out," continued Harry, trying to ease the tension, "we decided to create an encounter between her and Tariq. They are about the same age, they are both attractive, we thought this could be very useful."

Lucas couldn't explain why but this idea provoked a jealous jab in his heart. Weird… he really needed to hold himself together…

"And we had a great time when had coffee together… but… I'm sure I'm definitely not her kind of man. Perhaps you will have a better chance, Lucas… what do you think?" Tariq voice was teasing his friend even if a little sarcasm taunted his comment. He intentionally held back that he was just a little disappointed that such a lady was not interested in him while, he was certain, she couldn't resist the charms of Lucas North.

"Why not after all ?" launched Ros finally with a knowing smile. "Jo didn't succeed in getting close to her, but they are friends in some way, Tariq is totally out of the picture, sorry dude, nothing personal."

"None taken" growled Tariq, even if, yes, really, he felt bad to have been rejected this way. It was like in High School all over again… Oh God, please, let's not do that again… he wasn't sure he could handle it again.

"You want me to… seduce her ?" Lucas questioned, voice deeper and a little shaky.

"If it's the only way to obtain what we need, yes! We need those informations and the sooner the better! Maybe you will only have to talk to her a little, explain to her the situation and if she doesn't want to give you her FULL consent (full is what we mean here ), use any ways to make her talk or help us : seduction, blackmail, threats… anything!"

Lucas let his head go down on his chest, thinking off all the implications of his mission. He knew for sure that he will do is best to obtain her full cooperation by sweet talking her, by assuring her she will not be alone and by swearing to free her at the end before she could be destroyed by the MI-5 actions… and his.

"Come on, Lucas. You know for sure that some business in life are more important than a young girl's heart. And we really need to meet her. Perhaps you could create a contact with her."

"But how ? I'm too old to be a student and there is no way I have time to become a teacher seeing her as my favorite pet…"

"There's other ways", Tariq said sarcastically "I'm sure you'll find out, you are skilled on this matter, aren't you?"

Lucas snapped his head to his friend, slightly annoyed by the younger mans behavior. "What's wrong with you ?" he said quietly to Tariq who blushed deeply and shook his head in dismissal.

"Yes, they are other ways!" shouted Joanna while smiling to Lucas. "You could be my cousin. This will work, she talked a lot about her parents, I needed to do the same, so I told her I was really close to my elder cousin."

"That's a really good idea, Jo! Congrats!" Ros admitted while nodding her head in approval.

"You have one hour to find the right story" concluded Harry, watching his timepiece and leaving his chair. Before opening the secured door, he added: "Lucas, you need to meet her today. If you think you have a chance to succeed by sweet talking, do it! If not, use another way. The most important thing is that this girl is ready to help us. The deadline is for the day after tomorrow. So, be quick and perfect, as always!" He smiled at his former ace, convinced as always that Lucas could do anything he wanted as long as he believed in himself and his amazing skills. He nodded to the younger man and returned to his private office.

He had never hesitated to reintegrate Lucas on his team after his return six months earlier. Harry knew perfectly how much Lucas was traumatized by his 8 years in Russian prison. But he also knew that he trusted Lucas with his life before and even now, he couldn't imagine working without him on his team or even having a doubt about his fealty and loyalty.

Lucas's gaze follows his superior's exit. He knew he had to do it right. He needed to succeed on this mission, the goal was too important to self sabotage. But at the same time, using a girl so pretty and innocent was not what he wanted to do with his life. He will do it, he had to do it, but he will do his best to protect her as much as possible, no matter what.

Sighing deeply, he returned his attention to Jo, Tariq and Ros who remained in the room to help create the background of his new identity.

"So… how will I meet her ?"