When Eve Moneypenny got out of the main assembly room and strode though MI6s entrance hall she could see one of their newly admitted agents standing in front of the memorial wall at the far end of the hall.

The young man stared at endless rows of names that cascaded from up the ceiling down to the marble floor. He was seemingly lost in thought. So many names. Names of fallen agents that forever got engraved in cold, unrelenting stone. A threatening reminder of what working for MI6 meant. Many people choose to pass the memorial without paying it any attention. Young men didn't dare to look at it, for it would show them a future they where not ready to face. All valor ended here. Old MI6 members choose to bear a look at it only in quiet hours, for it would remind them of those they lost.

Eve was drawn to the memorial and the junior agent who stood in front of it.

When he noticed her approach he stiffed and greeted her with an earnest „Ma'am." Eve still felt funny whenever she was adressed this formal and dutiful. There might be many strand of gray in her hair but she had always stayed young at heart. „Hello, Mr. Harrington. Is that right?"

„That's correct Ma'am." „What are you doing here, all by yourself Mr. Harrington?"

„Oh. I was simply looking at all these names. Well actually, I recognised someone i've heard of before when I walked by. It got me thinking." „You recognised someone? May I ask who. Someone you knew?" „No, noone I knew in person. Those two names just caughed my eyes."

Eves heart quickened when her eyes followed the direction of his index finger. He was pointing at two names that where engraved below each other. These where the names of her two best friends.

James Bond

Tiago Rodriguez

„007 and 003? What about them?" „People around here talk about them a lot. Those names; they follow you within these walls. When we started out our training here our instructors used to tell us stories about 007 and 003 missions. Some of it sounded like spionage folklore but when we went to study old files we learned those tales to be true. We were always told what great agents they were and that it should be our goal to become like them. Even M mentioned them in his speech at our promoting ceremonie and just recently I overheard senior agents gushing about old times and their names droped. They almost seem to be legends to people around here but I always pictured them to be living legends. I was suprised to see their names on here to be honest. I just always considered they retired. I wasn't aware that they both fell."

Eve had to smile at the sparkle in his eyes. These young people and their dreams of adventure and glory. Life would change them soon enough but those who where able to keep that spark in them had a chance to become great agents. You had to love this job despite everything to be able to endure it. 'Embrace the violence but stay clear in your heart.' That's what Tiago had once said. Eve took a liking in this young frield agent. Something about him reminded her on James and it had been so many years since she had seen her friend. Maybe she turned into a sentimenal, old woman after all.

„Oh it's quite true. They really were something but Mr. Harrington, should you have any ambition to become a double-0 you should know that only a very few of them ever retire. That job will get the best of us. But it's not just the double-0s. This wall hold the name of many men and women who gave their live for our country." „Yes Ma'am. I see" the young man shifted a little like he wanted to speak on but didn't dare to. She could sense his discomford „Is there something else on your mind?" „I just wondered why their names are right next to each other. Did they die on the same mission?" Eve's insides gave a sad lurch. The question tore open an everlasting wound and a dark chapter of her life poured out of it. Memoried pained her like it was just yesterday. „No. No they didn't. James Bond died in an explosion. His body was never found underneath collapsed ruins. All that was left of him is his name on this wall and Tiago changed after that. You have to know that they were very close. They were close in a way that wasn't appreciated by the authorities of this place. They assumed our opponent could be able use it as adventage. It was considered a weakness."

The truth was that their love for each other had only made them stronger. They had always pushed each others limits but they also had been each others anchors. Tiago had allured James' predator while James had soothed the beast inside of Tiago that threatened to deprave him at times. There always had been a certain darkness to the two of them, still they brought out each others lighter side when they were in private.

Two forces had collided back then and it had created a hurricane. It was well within their capabilities to make the world burn and tumble around them but in the center of it all they were at peace.

Eve left the firmament of her musings and went on with an explanation she could voice and someone who hadn't witnessed them was able to grasp „Despite our former Ms doubts on their relationship they both were too valuable to transfer or depose and at some point people stoped to worry about it. Especialy after it became clear that their relationship didn't affect James' and Tiagos work in a negative way. In fact it had been the opposite. Those were the glorious years. The years people tell you young folk stories about now. They actually were our living legends back then." Eve had to pause for a moment to force away the lump in her throat. „It all changed with James death though. Tiago lost himself in his work after that. If possible he was even more deadly then before. Whereever he went, he left devastation in his wake but his spark was gone and that is what will get you killed in the end. Remember this well. He took risks like he didn't mind dying. It wasn't long after James died that Tiago got shoved from a bridge in a fight and fell to his death.

We were able to arrest the man who had fought him. He told us that it had been an accident, that he wanted to hold on to Tiago because he needed him alive. He had no use for him drowning. But he also claimed that it was Tiago who had let go of his hands. Tiago had been washed away just as James had been blown away." Grieve seeped through Eve again as she ended her tale. Pain had been a knife at that point of her life. Of course she had missed James herself but watching Tiago break and learn about the way he died had been defeading. The memory of those days still hurt.

Ther was a moment of silence. „Thanks you for telling me all this Mrs. Moneypenny. I appreciate it. I sure will keep this in mind. I just wish this tale didn't have such a bitter taste to it." „Oh, you will make your own experiences. I am sure of it. In the end it's the best advice to do what our hearts tell us to. I know it sounds silly but death can grab ahold of you every day out there. So do your best for this country, always remember your training and don't let your skills slack but also do what feels right. What would we become if we didn't. You agents love to call it instincs but me old lady, I say its the heart. It will tell you when to be cautious, when to assault and also when it's time to let go." He probably didn't get her last words, at least not the say she meant them. It did'nt matter. He would find his own interpretation and that always was a good thing. How should he know that she meant it literally, for there where only three people who would be able to tell.

–

When Eve got home that evening she opened the locked drawer of her desk. The drawer opened a refuge in her heart. Inside were 12 mails. Some were post cards, some were short notes wrapped as letter. One mail for each year since James and Tiago had died.

She took the oldest into her hands. It was crinkled and worn from all the times she had touched it before.

Eve,

he found me. I do not know how he did it and neither does he but it doesn't matter now. At first I thought he came to take me home. I not even sure where that is now. The fire burned more then just my skin and the drugs took more then just the pain away. But he told me that dead men have no home and we could go wherever we wanted. I don't think we'll ever return to England. That was another life.

J.B.

She had cried many hours after reading this mail for the first time and tears still welled up in her eyes. She tugged it away and took out the second letter she had recieved.

Dear Eve,

I am taking him back to England. The fire left damages to his body that we can not hope to mend here. We won't be able to come to see you. Just know what we are close. I don't think I ever said this all through the years. Thank you for your friendship and support.

T.R.

Next she reached for a post card. It was a simple thing and that made it one of her favourites. It had a winter theme on it.

Dear Eve,

we wish you a merry Christmas. Enjoy yourself and those you hold dear. Did you get a day off?We went snowboarding today. Tomorow we'll be hunting caribou. We spoted them this evening when we went on a walk. The food at this place is delicious and the mountains are beautiful. It's a nice place to be.

J.B., T.R.

When Eve took the latest letter in her hand she couldn't help to smile all over, again. It had been sent to her only a couple of months ago. This was definitly the best so far.

Lovely Eve,

we hope you are well. We are enjoying the last days of summer before we head back into the northern hemisphere. This time we will do there to stay. We are planing to acquire property some place quiet. We also have another announcment to make and we hope you approve.

J.&T.B.

Eve put everything back where it belonged, closed the lock and smiled to herself.

She might be the only person who felt peace at the sight of MI6s memorial walls.