Happy Holidays, everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA for a while, but it's been a busy couple of months. Rest assured that I have not forgotten about It's All Relative. Between the constant overtime at work and prepping for the holidays, I haven't had the time to really delve into writing and revising. Now that I'm on vacation for the next week and a half, I should be able to get something to my beta and, hopefully, have a chapter or two to post in the near future.

For now, I present a short piece that I wrote this one night when I was stuck on IAR. At this point, I don't know if this will be a stand alone piece or the first in a series. Time will tell.

There's More To It

Ben frowned at the side of Riley's head as the two waited to board their flight at the Charles de Gaulle airport. His young friend had been unusually withdrawn since their excursion to find Laboulaye's clue. Ben didn't get it. When they headed to the park, Riley had seemed excited, exuberant. Now, he seemed subdued, almost sullen.

"What's up?" Ben asked. Knowing Riley, this could be like pulling teeth. His friend wasn't forthcoming when something truly bothered him.

"The ceiling," Riley replied, never looking up from his laptop. "And, above that, you can find the sky. It's a lovely shade of robin's egg blue, today." The sarcasm dripping from his voice made Ben wince. It was a bit much, even for Riley, a self-proclaimed member of the National Sarcasm Society.

"Look, if it's about that citation, I said I was sorry. We'll square it once we're back home."

Riley wore a peculiar expression on his face, but he still didn't look at Ben. "It's okay, Ben, I can deal with it."

"But, it's my fault you were ticketed. Besides, you aren't exactly rolling in money right now."

Riley stiffened and Ben knew he'd hit a nerve. "I am not so destitute that I can't pay a simple ticket," he growled.

Ben furrowed his brow in concern. "Riley, you're not acting like yourself. Did I do something to offend you?"

Riley's body visibly stiffened, but his eyes betrayed nothing. "You haven't done anything of the sort, Ben."

"Are you having second thoughts about helping me clear my ancestor's name?"

That got Riley's attention. He looked up from his laptop, his deep blue eyes narrowed in confusion. "What made you go there?"

"Ever since we ran in to those French police officers, you have been acting strangely. I wondered if, maybe, you had changed your mind about this whole thing."

"Ben, give me a little credit. If I didn't want to help you, I would have said so back in Washington." He closed his laptop, emitting a weary sigh as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm just tired. We've been travelling non-stop since hopping on the plane to come here. I'll be more sociable when I finally get some rest."

Ben nodded, but he didn't quite buy Riley's excuse. Riley could run on tired like some cars could run on an empty gas tank. Nope, maybe the fatigue was a contributing factor, but he couldn't place the burden of blame squarely on it. He bit his lip, almost not daring to ask his friend the one question that had been bugging him since they had left the park, but he knew he wouldn't be content unless he did.

"Riley, when I asked you how long it would take us to get to Buckingham Palace," he could see the younger man bristle, "and you told me to ask my new best friend, what in God's name did you mean by that?"

That peculiar expression returned and Riley's blue eyes lost their luster for, maybe, a half second. As suddenly as it appeared, this ghost of discontent had vanished leaving Ben to wonder if he'd seen it at all.

"I told you, I'm just tired. It was just a passing remark. I have a tendency to say stupid stuff when I'm tired. You, of all people, know that."

Ben did indeed know that, but that didn't explain this. Usually, when Riley said something dumb, he knew he was doing it and he did it to get a reaction. When he got tired, he tended to get even sillier and this game provided him a source of amusement, even if those around him wanted to duct tape his mouth shut.

That moment in the park had been different. There wasn't a trace of amusement in Riley's eyes, only hollowness and his voice had been flat. However, what had really made Ben snap to attention was the crushed look on his friend's face, like he had physically landed a sucker punch in his stomach. The worst part about it was that Ben had no clue what he had said or did to make Riley react that way. Given the amount of time the two had been friends, he was beyond disgusted with himself. He shouldn't have to think about what had possibly upset Riley. He should know.

Ben looked at the seemingly placid expression on Riley's face. On the surface, it might look like nothing was wrong with his friend. Ben's frown deepened. With Riley there was always more under the surface.

"Keep staring. I might do a trick."

Ben's face flushed. He hadn't meant to stare. "Sorry." He sat back in his seat and sighed. He opened his mouth to say something else, but the airport loudspeaker cut him off.

A woman's voice with an impossibly thick French accent announced, "Flight 435 to London, England, now boarding first class passengers." The message was then repeated in French.

Ben didn't have a chance to think about saying what was on the tip of his tongue as Riley was out of his seat like a shot, having already shoved his laptop into his carry-on bag. He walked briskly quickly over to the ticket agent, handed her his ticket and disappeared into the corridor that led to the plane.

Ben sighed, frustrated that he had just lost his window of opportunity to talk to his friend. He knew that once Riley was settled into his seat, he would have his IPod blaring loud enough to shatter his eardrums and those of the people sitting around him. This conversation was as good as dead and Ben didn't know when or if it would be resurrected.

As Ben handed his ticket to the agent and boarded the plane, he made a promise to himself. When he cleared his family's name, again, he would take the time to get to know Riley better. He wouldn't lose touch with his friend like he had after the discovery of the Templar's treasure. No, he would finally step up and be the kind of friend that he should already be. The kind of friend that would be able to read Riley like a book and know what was going on his head at that precise moment.

Ben glanced at Riley as he took his seat and, sure enough, Riley's IPod was blasting something with a heavy guitar riff. He had a far away look in his eyes, but otherwise he appeared as contented and carefree as any other passenger on that plane. Ben didn't buy it for a second. He touched Riley's shoulder. Riley startled, then looked at Ben with an air of annoyance.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Wow, Gates, that's all you've got? How lame is that?

Riley sighed exasperatedly, clearly sick of the persistent questioning. "Yes, Ben, I am fine. Now, drop it." His voice was short and clipped, a warning to Ben that he shouldn't tread any further. Riley continued to stare intently out the small window and Ben knew Riley was just stubborn enough to maintain that pose for the duration of the flight.

Ben sighed as he sat back in his seat. It would be impossible to get answers from Riley, now.

Let Operation Cold Shoulder commence, he thought bitterly.