Author's note: Thank you so much for your reviews. I have been going through some tough stuff lately, but writing this and hearing from you have kept my spirits up. So again thank you, for taking the time and letting me know what you think. Enough about me. Now about this mission... Goodness! I only had a vague outline of this mission. It seems like it is writing itself. I never imagined when I drafted this that the part at the end of this chapter would happen. I was just shocked when I started typing it. I wanted to do three chapters per mission, but by the way this first chapter went. I think this one is going to be a longer one. I really hope you like it!

The Spyglass Affair

A month after The Science Affair.

She was panting. Running full out. He was coming. She heard him getting closer. She was amazed she heard him over her own loudly beating heart. When she felt him about to grab her, she slowed just enough to grab his hand and try to roll him over her. Her heart was pounding and she was sweating. She was not fast enough. He was a blur of speed. She landed hard on her back. She had just enough sense to keep her chin down to keep her head from bouncing into the ground. He was on her. His hot breath in her face. Have to fight back. She thought. She brought both hands up to box his ears, but they were caught and pinned above her. There was no other sound except for their harsh breathing. She looked up at him angry. She tried to squirm. She couldn't move. His face getting close to hers. She felt just how happy his body was to be on top of her. For a moment, she almost gave in, but at the last second she turned her head. "Enough"

Just like that, he was up and off of her. She slowly got up. Trying to hide her aches and pains. They had been at this for a week. His training. She knew his aim was to get her to quit. She refused. She turned towards the door. She was however, done for the day. They had, been going at it for hours, her body would not accept any more punishment.

"Where are you going?" Illya barked.

"Shower and get ready for work." Gabby responded. Then, under her breath. "You beast."

"I heard that." He called after her.

"Good." She said.

"After shower, I give massage." He said.

"No, thank you." She refuses.

"Do not be childish. It will make you feel better. You won't hurt as much tomorrow." He stated.

She turned back glaring at him. "You have made it pretty clear that we are just partners. I endure your hands on me, when we are training. That will be all, until you make up your mind." She jerked open the door trying to hide the grimace of pain. She walked out.

He stared at the door long after she was gone. Training her was killing him. He did not like what he had to do. Throwing her around. Showing her how helpless she would truly be with him. Being so close to her was slowly breaking him down. He was glad the room was padded as he lashed out at the walls. He was a monster. She deserved better. A life outside of here. She should know that. Why? Why was she being so stubborn?

Why couldn't she quit? Why hasn't she given up on him? What's worse is his body's betrayal when she is around. He is a trained KGB agent, he should have better control over such things. He stalks out of the room to go get cleaned up.

Gabby was just finishing in the shower. She was tired and so very sore. Still, when she heard him enter the locker room, she couldn't pass up the chance to remind him of what he was missing. What he was foolishly trying to give up. She didn't have much feminine wiles, but she had enough to get him. He would give in and come back to her. She just had to keep reminding him, of what he was missing out on. Which is why she left her clothes in the locker room.

She sauntered out in nothing but a towel. "I can't believe I forgot my clothes." She makes sure he hears. Sure enough, she sees him peak around the corner, in her peripheral vision. She makes a big show of looking around before dropping her towel. "Oh, well." She smiles bending over to pick up her towel. The aches worth it. She hears him groan. It was satisfying. She looks around again as she gets to her clothes bag. She makes a show of shrugging and dropping her towel. She puts on her panties real slow. She hears him cursing in Russian.

"Illya?" She says, knowing she couldn't pretend not to hear him.

"You knew I was here." He stated in a strained voice.

"Yes. I did." She replies unapologetically.

"You do not play fair." He says, sounding much closer.

"Neither do you. I know you are trying to get me to quit. Being quite mean about it too." She shrugs not bothering to hide the grimace. "I can be mean too."

His hands are all of a sudden on her shoulders. Kneading her sore muscles. "You should quit. Be with rich American boy. Never have to worry about danger. Live nice life."

She had been enjoying his skilled hands so much, but he had to say something like that. "Is that what you want? Someone else touching my body? Someone else doing things to me that only you have done? Is that really what you want?"

He punches the locker next to him. She doesn't even flinch.

"You know I want you. You know it kills me to think of you with another." He grits out.

"Then why keep pushing me away? I want you. You want me." She shrugs. "It sounds simple enough to me."

"Gabby. I hurt you. I am a monster. I cannot be with you. You deserve better." He says. His hands opening and closing into fists.

She whirls on him angry. "Who are you to tell me what I deserve?! What I deserve, is to be with the man I choose! You are the one I want. Does that not count for anything? Why should you get to be the one that makes this decision for me?"

"But I..."

She cuts him off. "It was an accident! You would never have done that on purpose." She snapped her fingers in front of his face to make sure he was listening. "You may not believe it right now, but I know it to be true. " She sighs giving up for now. She stroked his face. "Please, figure it out soon. I miss you." She grabs her bag and flees into a changing room.

She got dressed. She hoped she got through to him. Tears stung at her eyes, but she refused to cry. She exited the room to see Illya was nowhere in sight. She frowns.

(Meanwhile Solo and Waverly)

"Shouldn't the whole team be here for this?" Solo asked.

"No. It isn't necessary. They have already been briefed. You were the one that didn't make it to the last meeting." Waverly stated pointedly.

"I got caught up in something." Was his explanation.

"Yes. In a married woman's bed." Waverly said.

Solo smiles and shrugs. "She never said she was married."

Waverly rolls his eyes. He hands him a manila folder.

Solo skims through it. "Six have already tried and failed to do this. I take it you want me to steal it?" He shows the picture of an old spyglass.

"Yes. One of the people arrested is a known THRUSH agent. We need to get to it before they do and figure out why they want it." Waverly shrugs.

Solo scans the people who were caught. "I do not recognize any of these people. They must be amateurs and up and comers. Where are they finding these people and what are they offering them to make them want to take the job when they are obviously in over their heads?"

"I would like to know these answers as well, but the mission objectives are more important." Waverly sighs. "Get the spyglass, if you find out more that's great. Get the spyglass."

"Got it. You are saying I should get the spyglass." Solo is smirking at his own humor.

"Get out Solo. Talk to your partners tonight. Come up with a plan." Waverly turns dismissing him.

Solo bites back a response, and turns to leave. Wondering how he knew about the married girl? Was his team being followed?

(At the apartment that evening)

"Gabby will be the driver. You, Peril will be on a rooftop making sure all goes well. I think that sums it up." Solo says. He holds his hand up. "One more thing. As you both know, I was late today. Waverly knew why, by the time I got to the meeting. So the question is. Followed or bugged?"

The two looked at each other, then back to Solo.

Illya spoke first. "Did you not read any of the information they gave us? We have trackers in our shoes and cars and possibly other places. They say it's to keep us safe. In case, we get taken. I did not like it either, but seemed logical enough."

Gabby snorted. "It's to babysit us more like it."

Solo looked shocked, at this. "You both read those boring documents?"

They both nodded.

He just shook his head. "Never mind. Now I know." He sighs. "Peril let's go do some scouting."

"And why am I not invited?" Gabby asks.

Solo looks her up and down. "Because you look like you are going to fall asleep any minute. If you want to come you are welcome." He gestures towards the door.

She looks at him. "I have to look at escape routes." She leads the way.

(At the museum)

She drops off Solo and Kuryakin. She maps the streets in her head. Where authorities might show up. How fast it would take them to get her from the nearest police station. She bites her lip. With six attempts there will be frequent patrols. She drove around and around getting a feel for the area. She finally returns to the museum. Her eyes felt so heavy. She yawns, but is startled when her door is yanked open. She looks up at Illya. "May I help you?"

"My turn. I will have separate vehicle to getaway. I need to know the streets." He states.

She glares at him knowing the truth, but is too tired to care. He was giving her a dignified way out and she would take it. "Very well." She gets out and moves to the back seat. She glances in Solo's direction as Illya starts to drive. "Well?"

"I saw several ways in and out. I will need to tour the museum tomorrow. I have been studying the blueprints, but I want to get a feel for the place. Six people all caught, amateurs or not means good security measures." He continues on.

Gabby tried to keep listening but she found herself nodding off.

Solo looks at Illya. "Well, she held on a lot longer than I thought she would. Stubborn girl."

Illya nods. "Very stubborn."

"So...how are things going with all that?" Solo makes a gesture with his hands before dropping them.

"It is...not going as I had planned. Should not surprise me, where she is concerned." He says.

Solo snorts. "Very true. What is she up too now?"

"Provoking me at every turn. Torturing me with what could be." He sighs.

"She is wearing you down." Solo made it a statement.

Illya said nothing.

"Maybe, you should try it her way. It will either work out or you two will move on." Solo suggested.

"I...I am afraid of hurting her." Illya reluctantly admitted.

"Peril, I am going to give you a harsh truth. Keep in mind she is sleeping in the back seat, and you are driving." Solo warns.

There was a slight pause, as Illya grips the steering wheel tightly. "Go on."

"You have been hurting her constantly ever since you have decided to break off what you two had." He looks back at Gabby. "I hear her crying in the shower sometimes."

Illya opened his mouth and shut it. A stunned and pained look on his face.

"Think on it this way, Peril. What is worse? The emotional pain you are causing her now, or the physical pain that might not ever come?" Solo sighs. "I am going to drop the subject for now. Just think about it, would you?"

Illya parks. They stay in the same position for several minutes, before Illya finally speaks. "I will think on this."

They both exit the vehicle, quietly.

Illya opens Gabby's door and gently picks her up. His heart clenched, as her small hand curls into his jacket. He carried her up three flights of stairs. She didn't stir. He had been too hard with her, in her training. Maybe tomorrow, they will shoot instead. Solo's last words echoed through his head. He pushed them out of the way. He said he would think on it. He didn't say when.

Solo opens the door and lets them in. He also opens Gabby's door and turns down her bed. He looks at the two, feeling awkward. He quickly exits the room.

Illya lays her down. He gently pries her hand from his jacket. He removes her gun from her garter holster. He frowned at the thing, wishing she didn't need it. He sets it on her nightstand. He proceeds to take off her shoes and then her coat. She curled up from the cold. He pulled up the covers and turned her heater on. He looked down at her. He took out all the pins and much to his surprise garrote wire and a small knife from her hair.

Curious, he pulls the covers back down. What else is she hiding on her? He begins to undress her. She had a few more knives on her and...a capped syringe. He looked at it curiously. Why keep this on her? She was not on a field mission where drugging someone was needed. He sat it on the nightstand as well. He proceeded to redress her in her night clothes and covering her back up.

He sat next to her, smoothing back her hair. He looked back at the syringe.

When he was in training, his superiors made him keep something similar on him at all times. They called it "the last resort." If he wanted to quit, he would have had to kill himself. During his early missions, it was so that he wouldn't get taken alive. Only once he had proven himself, did they no longer require him to carry the syringe. He looked down at Gabby. The thought of her, having one. The thought of her using it. His hands started to shake. He was spiraling. He had to get away.

A small hand reaches out to his. "Illya, please." She says in her sleep.

That one touch calming him instantly. Only she had that power. She had said his name. She sounded so, desperate. Solo's words once again echoed through his head. He was hurting her. He tucked her hand back under the covers. He got up taking the syringe with him.

(In the living room)

He walks towards Solo, showing the syringe. "Did you know she had this?" He asks.

Solo looked at the syringe. "No. Why are you going through her purse?"

"It was not in her purse. It was on her body." He says. His hand's start trembling, thinking about it.

"But why would she..." Realization dawning on him, Solo pales. "Oh...Gabby no..." He shakes his head. "There is no way that, that..." He points at the syringe. "...would be her idea."

"I agree." Illya states.

Solo's jaw clenches. "I can't believe someone would make her..." He looks at Illya. "We have to talk to her. Get her to tell us who."

"No." Ilya turns towards her door.

Solo stands up. "You are not putting that back, are you?" His hands opening and closing into fists.

Illya turns back to him. "Of course not. I was going to search her room to make sure there was no more."

"And why don't we talk to her?" Solo heads into the room with Illya.

Illya whispers. "We are going to talk to her, but we both know she will not tell us who."

Solo nods as they search her belongings. Solo went to the closet, while Illya searched the drawers. He frowns looking at how little she actually had. He had more clothes than she did. She should have more things. He thought.

Illya found a small box that had pictures of all three of them but mostly just the two of them. His chest felt heavy. He shouldn't be doing this. Violating her privacy. However, he found another syringe at the bottom of the box. He had to take a deep breath. Did she ever think about using it? He felt himself start to shake. He looked back at her sleeping peacefully. He took deep breaths before putting the box away.

They thoroughly searched her room, then quietly exited and shut her door.

Solo pulled out a syringe setting it on the coffee table. "Her purse." He stated.

Illya dropped his two next to it. "Her drawer in a box."

They both looked at the three syringes. The gravity of the situation weighing on both of them. They knew she would be pissed tomorrow, but they would be too. They would not back down. Not on this.

AN: Don't forget to review! Let me know what you think! It's past two in the morning...I needs sleep.