She dreamt of Kyle and Eve. They were calling her.
"Aya," they said, "Aya..."
"Aya!" Someone was shaking her shoulder persistently. "Aya...hey! Wake up!"
She moaned from her sleep, clearly irritated by the disruption.
Pierce Carradine let out an exasperated sigh. "Aya, you fell asleep while looking into the newspapers."
She smoothed her hair with her fingers. "Oh. Right. What time is it?"
"Two-thirty AM," Pierce responded, "everyone else's gone home."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"Making sure that you're going to go home safely."
Aya rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Pierce. I can go home by myself, thank you very much." But even as she said that, she was yawning.
"Yeah," said Pierce dryly, "and on your way you'll just fall asleep and get trampled on. C'mon, I'll drive you back." Ignoring Aya's protests, he swung an arm around her waist and led the struggling woman to his black sedan. "What exactly are you looking for anyway? You read every newspaper--even the tabloids!--and spend your free time watching the news."
Aya, finally settling on the front seat, stopped making things harder for Pierce. "None of your business, Pierce."
"It's that P.I. again, huh?" Aya was startled to hear some kind of bitterness in his tone. "That guy who betrayed you?"
"I guess you can say that," Aya acknowledged, "but he didn't betray me, Pierce. He was a double agent, and he was on my side all along. And Eve--"
"Eve disappeared," Pierce broke in. "We couldn't find her or that P.I--whatever his name was--"
"Kyle," she supplied.
"Yeah, whatever. We couldn't find them. For all we know, they might as well be de--"
"You so don't want to finish that sentence." Aya's tone was threatening.
Pierce relented. "Sorry, Aya. I'm just...I'm just worried about you."
Aya smiled faintly. "I know. It's alright."
He turned on the engine and drove out the MIST headquarters. He stopped when the traffic lights shone red. Silence stretched out between them.
"Aya?"
"Mmm?"
"Are you busy tomorrow night?"
She groaned. "Pierce, I'm not dating you. I've told you that countless times already."
"Why not?"
"Because--just because, that's why."
Silence once again. Aya's breathing slowed, then evened. Apparently, she was returning to her world of dreams. A lock of her blond hair fell across her face. Pierce resisted the urge to push it back behind her ear.
She looks so sweet when she's asleep. Pierce thought. But when she's awake...
He broke out of his reverie when the traffic lights shifted to green. In her sleep, Aya was muttering something barely audible, but through the silence, he could hear her.
"Kyle..." she was mumbling.
Pierce's breath caught. He was surprised to know that Aya hadn't woken up. It had seemed to him that the whole world could hear his heart breaking.
"Aya Brea. FBI."
"Well, well..."
"Is that a problem?"
"That puma-like creature just now--it had a human face...Was that one of those NMCs?"
"Yes, an unusual breed but--"
"So you're one of those MIST HUnters, right?"
"You've done your homework. May I ask who you might be?"
"Me? I'm a private investigator out of L.A. I came to check out a shelter supposed to be in these parts. I ran into some of those monsters on my way out here. They totaled my car and I walked the rest of the way to town."
"A private investigator?! In that outfit?"
"Well, you never know these days..."
"Really... So what's supposed to be in this shelter?"
"That's client confidential. I'd lose my license. Not that I know anything yet, I just got here."
"Say... Since we seem to be looking for the same thing, how's about we join forces?"
"I'm game."
Their meeting had been so. Kyle Madigan was a figure who had an uncanny way of knowing so many things. She head kept a watchful eye on him, but in time, learned that he could be trusted. Her dream moved on to the underground shelter, below the Mojave Desert.
"And you survived?" She hadn't realized that she had grown quite fond of him until he was gone.
"More or less."
She had smiled in spite of herself, for a reason she wasn't quite sure of yet.
"You have a pretty smile." He had sounded serious, back then, his knowing gaze sending something inside her fluttering.
"What?!?" She had flushed beyond her intentions not to. This was the first time she was aware of her heart pounding in a rapid pace. "...hey!"
"Aya, get up. You're home."
Aya sat up groggily, once again torn away from her dreams. "Thanks, Pierce."
He smiled at her, breaking up inside for the object of his affection that he could never have. "No problem. Try and get some sleep, huh? I wouldn't want you falling asleep at work."
"Sure. I'll try."
"You'd better."
She watched as Pierce drove off, and went in her flat to watch the news.
"Brea!"
"What?--" Aya blinked. "--sorry, sir, I must have dozed off. What is it that you wanted to talk about?"
Baldwin sighed. "Lately, you seem like you're suffering from a terrible case of narcolepsy. I can't have one of my agents nodding off every minute."
"I'm really sorry, sir. I--I'm looking for clues to Kyle--Madigan, that is--and Eve's whereabouts."
"I know, but it's been three months." Baldwin said. "They haven't found any bodies yet, so they're probably alive, somewhere. So give it a rest."
"But Eve--"
"Is only a child," Baldwin finished, "I know. Madigan probably took her to someplace safe. An orphanage, maybe. Or perhaps he decided to bring her up personally."
She massaged her temples with her fingers. "Sir.."
"I'm giving you the day off, Brea." Baldwin cut her off. "Think about it. Relax. You're exerting yourself too much. I expect you to use this day to your advantage, and get enough sleep for once. When you report tomorrow, you should be in perfect condition to work."
"Yes, sir."
Jodie ran into her on her way out. "Hey, girlfriend!" Jodie said cheerfully. "You in trouble?"
"No. Hal just gave me the day off."
Jodie gave her a congratulating clap on the back. "Good for you! Seems like you need it." She reached into her pocket and produced a ticket. "Here. Why don't you stretch your legs and go to the museum? They've got interesting exhibits there, and this may just be the thing to perk you up."
Aya smiled through her exhaustion. "Thanks, Jodie."
The museum, huh. Aya mused. She just wanted to roll into her bed and sleep, but was restless. Why not? I'll probably never find them anyway. Maybe I'll even start dating Pierce, for a change...
So she decided to take up on Jodie's advice. Finding herself, in absolutely no condition to drive, she took a cab there, and brooded. She wanted to see Eve. The poor child had been stripped off something she was supposed to have--a life. Instead, the people who brought her up ruined it. Eve grew up in a lab, in a place infested with hideous ANMCs. She was mind-controlled, and trained to have fear as her most basic emotion. It was for her self-preservatory instincts, they had said. But mostly, she wanted to see Kyle. She longed for Kyle's good humor, his confidence. She missed his flirtations, the sparkle in those amber eyes, the self-assured grin that made her heart skip a beat. She missed being with Kyle Madigan.
"Excuse me--" a voice behind her called. "--uhm, Miss FBI Police Agent...you dropped your I.D."
Aya turned to the man whose hand was outstretched with her I.D. "Thanks--" She froze in mid-sentence, her eyes widening.
A cocky smile spread across the man's face. "Aya Brea, is it? So... what's an attractive police woman like you doing here?"
"I was taking the day off." she answered curtly, still gaping.
He laughed at her shocked expression. "Miss me?"
Aya hugged him tight. "It's so great to see you. I was worried."
"Really, now. You should know better." Kyle remarked, returning the hug in favor. "Kyle Madigan is one tough agent."
"Where's Eve?" Aya asked.
Just then, a young blonde girl ran to Kyle and tugged at his shirt. "Kyle! Look at this! It's so cool!"
Kyle chuckled and let go of Aya. "Later, Eve. I think that this cute police agent is a more interesting and priceless exhibit."
Eve brightened. "Aya! You're here!" She embraced the older woman, ecstatic. "I missed you."
Aya smiled down at her. Eve had grown a little taller during the past three months. "So did I." She glanced at Kyle. "Thanks for taking good care of her."
"No sweat."
Eve had gone to an Egyptian exhibit. "Aya! Kyle! C'mon!"
Grinning, they both followed her. As they strolled, Kyle was scrutinizing Aya. "Hey. You don't look too good. You alright?"
"I'm fine," she assured him, "I just haven't been sleeping well."
"Ah." A pause and then, slyly: "Thinking of me too much lately?"
Aya reddened, and didn't answer.
They spent the whole afternoon at the museum, and then Kyle took them to dinner at an Italian restaurant. Aya was tired from the day's activities--plus the fact that she really needed to rest--but she couldn't recall another time when she was this happy.
"How's work?" Kyle asked when he drove her home.
"Fine," Aya responded, "so far, no sightings."
"You got a boyfriend yet?"
"No. I don't really date men."
"You don't?" Kyle's amber eyes sparkled. "I guess I'll hav to endeavor to get you to go out with me, huh?"
"And me," Eve chimed in from behind them.
"And Eve," Kyle agreed, winking at Aya. "But then I'll have to work twice as hard so that I can spend a minute or two alone with you."
Aya laughed. "That is, if you can even get me to date you. My house's just over there."
Kyle stopped in front of her apartment, and opened her door for her.
"Thanks, Kyle," Aya said, "I had a wonderful time."
"Of course you did.I was with you. That's what made everything wonderful."
Shaking her head, Aya stepped out of the car.
"Bye, Aya!" Eve called from the backseat window.
"Goodbye." She turned to Kyle. "See you...?"
"We'll drive by here tomorrow evening," he replied, "go and get a decent night's sleep."
"I will," she promised. Her pulse quickened when their eyes locked.
"You should, or your boss will fire you for slacking off," Kyle remarked.
"No kidding." She began walking down the front steps of her door.
"Oh, and Aya?"
She turned. "What?"
He swiftly strode toward her and pulled her into a kiss. Aya was too shocked to do anything, but to let it happen.
Kyle pulled away. "Good night," he said to her breathlessly.
"Good night." she answered weakly.
A little red on the face, Kyle hurriedly returned to his car and left her standing by her house alone, speechless.