Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin walked through the agents' entrance in Del Floria's Tailor Shop after having just arrived from Kennedy Airport. It was almost ten PM and they were tired from their mission they had concluded in Portland, Oregon hours earlier. They were both hoping to file a preliminary report and then go home. It was Wednesday and they were due for a few days off and then, circumstances permitting, they would be working out of UNCLE headquarters for two weeks. The two men were looking forward to the break from field work; Illya had left several experiments in various stages and Napoleon, as usual, had stacks of reports to read and sign and a backlog of secretaries to date.

The receptionist smiled at them both as the eighteen inches thick steel door snapped closed. "Welcome back, Gentlemen," she greeted them cheerily, "Here's your badge, Agent Kuryakin and here's yours, Napoleon." She stood and leaned slightly forward over her desk to affix it to his left lapel and her smile changed from friendly to flirtatious. "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you…Wendy, is it?" Napoleon hadn't met her, but had heard from Lisa Rogers that a new receptionist was onboard. "Do you know if Mr. Waverly is still about?"

"Yes, he is; in fact, he wants to see you and Mr. Kuryakin ASAP. Should I call Miss Rogers to let her know you're on your way?"

"Yes; tell her we're going to get coffee and then go see Mr. Waverly." Napoleon moved to go past, but stopped and said, "Wendy, I plan to be in town for awhile. Perhaps, you and I could get together for a drink or…something?"

As the young redhead began to blush furiously, Illya grabbed his partner's arm and said, "I would advise against making plans before we hear what Mr. Waverly has to tell us" before tugging the senior agent gently to follow him.

"You're right, Partner Mine. Wendy, you and I will talk later,' he said apologetically before heading through the inner door behind Illya.

Fifteen minutes later, they were sipping large cups of coffee in their usual seats at The Old Man's conference table waiting for him to finish looking over a file so he could speak to them. The CEA assumed they were about to get another assignment and inwardly sighed. I really was hoping to get to know Miss Wendy better this week.

Mr. Waverly looked up finally and removed his pipe from his mouth. "Mr. Kuryakin, Mr. Solo, I received a phone call from the City's Department of Children's Services this past Monday about Miss Reilly." Illya paled visibly as he continued. "Apparently, one of the social workers at your daughter's pre – school, Mr. Kuryakin, was concerned because her adoption came about so quickly, you were never vetted as a potential parent and might not have been ready to undertake the responsibilities of childrearing."

"Is it not a little late for the City to be concerned? Leona has been with Napoleon and me for six months! Did you not tell them the pre – school is for the children of UNCLE employees and out of their jurisdiction? Why did you…" The Russian's voice faded away under his superior's glare and his realization that he was dangerously close to insubordination. "Forgive me, please, Sir. I meant no disrespect. It is just…"

"I know what it is 'just,' Agent Kuryakin. Watch yourself. Regardless of the school's private status, the City has the right to be concerned about a child's safety. Because this is a special case, my conversation was with the Director of the department. He was a most stubborn fellow, but we were able to compromise."

Napoleon, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "A compromise, Sir?"

"Yes. Since you are unmarried, he wanted to have social workers come to your home and observe you with the child. Totally unacceptable. However, we were finally able to agree that Mr. Kuryakin will attend a parenting class for a week, as will you, Mr. Solo. The class will be from eight to four and will be held at Child Services' headquarters starting this Monday."

The two agents were shocked at Mr. Waverly's pronouncement. Napoleon's tongue untied first. "We're to go to parenting class? What about my paperwork? I'm sure there are stacks of it in my 'In' box!"

"And my experiments! They have been on hold for days!"

"These are your choices, Gentlemen: Break your adoption and guardianship and allow the Greers to raise her fulltime or place her into foster care and hope someone adopts her, or go to parenting class and keep the status quo. Did I make the wrong one for you?"

Both men replied, "No, Sir."

Mr. Waverly harrumphed, their signal that this meeting was soon coming to a close. "I thought not. I suggest you two do what you can to clear your desks and calendars and delegate what you must. Bring your completion certificates so they can be included in your files. Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sir," they replied as they stood and walked out of his office. Wordlessly, they entered the elevator and went to their office. They sat down and stared at each other.

Illya shook his head. "Mr. Waverly got that call two days before we came home. He could have had Leona removed from the Greers and we would not have known until it was too late. I hope that means that he supports our keeping her. I love Leona and I would do anything to keep her. Attending a class for a week is a very, very small price to pay. Lab experiments be damned, I will not lose my baby."

"Neither will I if I can help it, Tovarisch. We will be the best students that parenting teacher ever met. Let's go home. Obviously, we'll be working tomorrow and Friday to clear our desks so I could use something to eat, a drink and a good night's sleep in my own bed. I'll call Rosie and let her know that we'll pick Leona up tomorrow from pre – school." He waggled his eyebrows. "And let's not tell Leona we don't know how to take care of her. I don't want her to think it's just been a fluke that we haven't dropped her yet."

Illya broke into laughter. "Thank you, moy droog. I needed that."

MFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFU

The next day, both men were at their desks before dawn in an effort to complete as much work as possible in anticipation of being away for a week. Illya met with several of the "lab rats" to bring them up to speed on his experiments and go over his notes so they could work without him present. Napoleon met with April and Mark as he was designating Mark as Acting CEA and it was just easier to have April in the meeting as Mark relied on her like he relied on Illya.

They were eating sandwiches at their desks. Illya finished his first and threw the remains into his trashcan. "It is after three; I am going to pick up Leona from daycare. What time do you think you will be coming home?" He stood up and reached over to snag a few of Napoleon's potato chips while deftly avoiding being swatted.

"Hey! Does Leona actually get to eat an afterschool snack or do you eat that, too? I should be home by seven; I'll stop on the way in and pick up our dinner. The vegetables for her dinner are already cooked. Do you think you can make some rice without ruining it?"

Illya rolled his eyes. "You are never going to let me forget the soufflé fiasco, are you? Rice should not be a problem. I will see you at home."

MFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFUMFU

"Ilpwu sikumchilul mekko, tal; kukes un kanghan key toypnita. (Eat some spinach, Daughter; it will make you strong.)" Illya said in Korean to the little girl seated on his lap. She took in another spoonful of spinach and rice as she watched Papa put the spoon down and pick up a cup.

She swallowed her food, smiled and said, "Milk!" as she reached out her hands to grab it.

"Yes, my love! This is milk! You drink and I will hold the cup. You are so very smart. You are speaking more and more everyday and I think you will grow up to be a physicist like your Papa!" he said as he leaned in and kissed her temple. "It is time to bathe you and put you to bed. Daddy will be home soon and he will come in to say goodnight."

As he went about preparing her for bed, he couldn't help but think, Look at how my life has changed in six months! He lifted her from the bathtub. "Leona Nicole, who am I?"

"Papa!" she squealed delightedly as he tickled her gently.The first time Leona had called him that was three months earlier on Thanksgiving Day.* It was one of the happiest memories of his life.

"Yes, I am" he answered. I am a Papa, he thought proudly, Nothing will ever change that. "Do you know what Papa and Daddy will be doing next week?" he asked as he dressed her in clean pajamas, "We will be learning how to become better parents." He picked her up, hugged her and then leaned back to look at her face. "What is that you say? We are already wonderful parents? Thank you, moy lyubov, but Mr. Waverly says that we must go to this class to prove we deserve you."

Leona didn't really understand everything Papa was saying, but she was enjoying listening to the sound of his voice. "You," she repeated, "You, you, you, you, Papa, Papa, you, you, you!"

"Yes, it is me, me, me, me, me, meeeeeee!" he sang operatically as he danced her around her room in his arms and then laid her down in bed. "It is time for you, you, yooooouuu to go to sleep!"

"Wait!" Napoleon called from the hallway, "I'm coming to say goodnight!"

"Daddy!" Leona yelled happily when he appeared in her doorway. "Hi!"

"How's my favorite girl? Did you eat a good dinner for Papa?" Daddy asked as he came to stand on the opposite side of the bed from Illya. He bent down and laid kisses on both her cheeks as she hugged him tightly.

"Yes!"

Napoleon sat quickly on the bed and pulled her close. "I love you, Leona Nicole Hyun Reilly, more than I would have believed possible." After one more kiss, he laid her back down. "Sleep tight, 'night, 'night."

"'Night, Daddy. 'Night, Papa."

Illya turned off the lamp and her Barbie doll nightlight began to glow in the dark. The two men went into the hall and Napoleon closed the door. "I hope you brought something substantial for dinner; I am starving."

Later on, as the men sat in the living room with their after dinner drinks, they exchanged looks and Illya said, "Next week is going to be very interesting."

*ref. "Thanksgiving Young and Older