[This is just an idea I had, set in 7.01 during the Doyle interrogation. Enjoy!]

"The best lies are always at least partially true." -Laurell K. Hamilton

"Don't even try to tell me what we had wasn't real.", he says, leaning closer to her across the cold metal table.

She blinks a few times, fully prepared to fend off the question, to get back on topic. But for a second, she's lost in his striking blue eyes. Her mouth opens and closes, her eyes widen; a futile attempt not to give anything away.

"Lauren.", he says after a second, and she can't help the sharp intake of breath that comes along with the familiar sound of her name. The name that he used, the name that was never really hers at all.

"Ian, don't do this.", she almost pleads, slightly aware that Morgan's watching from behind the glass.

She knows that this is an interrogation. She knows how dire the situation is, yet she can't really bring herself to do anything as muddy memories of him come floating back to her.

"You were my assignment; Lauren was my alias. I'm not her at all.", she adds, though both of them know how completely not true that is.

He chuckles in response, a deep throaty laugh that just brings more memories. His eyes twinkle as he leans back in his chair, and for a second she swears nothing has changed. She's right back there with him - she's Lauren again.

All of a sudden she can feel his touch on her skin, hear Declan's laughter as they played the part of a perfect family. They hadn't been perfect, but they'd been happy, as much as she would never admit it.

As quickly as they come, she shoves those memories right back; pushes them into a little box in the back of her mind and just looks at him stoically.

"Whatever you say, Emily.", he responds, and the sound of his voice, so deep and warm and inviting, sends shivers down her spine. And yet, she doesn't let it show.

Maybe this is why she was given this assignment in the first place. She compartmentalized – she could do anything they needed her to and then just carry on; because all the bad things would always be locked in the back of her mind.

But now, everything seemed to be leaking out. Those carefully compiled boxes were falling apart, and she was terrified.

"...e vissero felici e contenti", he says, and that seems to be her crumbling point.

She takes in a sharp breath, and tears start pooling at the corners of her eyes, just like the memories are tugging at her heart.

All the times he ever said that to her flash through her mind, and she loses it. She had never put that in any file, she'd never given that part of them away. The tender saying in Italian had always been something special of theirs, something she's never shared with anyone else.

She bites her lip and looks down, for the first time in her life not sure if she can keep it together. She dreads looking up again, fearful that he will see Lauren – the person she'd been trying so long to throw away.

But she can't, because as much as she hates to admit it, Lauren is her.

Thankfully, before she has to look at him, Rossi comes in and relieves her.

"I've got it from here Emily.", he says, and for once, she doesn't protest. She just gets up and walks to the door, only looking back once.

Yet when she looks back, she sees those piercing blue eyes, and she can't help herself.

"Sempre e per sempre.", she replies, finishing their familiar mantra before walking out the door, grasping the familiar necklace in her hand.

She is Lauren, maybe more than she ever was Emily.

'E vissero felici e contenti – they lived happily ever after

Sempre e per sempre – always and forever'

[Hope you liked it - leave me a review!

Also, for all of you reading Chameleon and Make you feel my love, I swear I'll try to have those updated soon.]