Standing with Ashley felt normal to her, Emily Thorne didn't even know if she could call her a friend but it was what it was. They stood over the railing and looked over at the ocean, a sailboat moved across it as they stood in silence.
"It's your day off Emily, what are you going to do?" Ashley asked as she took in the smell of the sea.
Emily's shoulders slumped a bit before she spoke "I might ask to take a few days off."
Ashley remained expressive and her eyebrows perked up "Ooo what for?"
"I have some of my own business to take care of. Family matter."
Ashley nodded, hair getting tousled by the wind currents "I'm sorry to hear about Takeda."
Emily almost laughed at her remark; she'd heard his name so much in the past couple of days she didn't even have the heart to scowl. "Yeah, well...everyone is."
Ashley crossed her arms as Emily did the same, sheltering herself. "I mean, on a personal level."
"Oh...I see." she said as she swallowed her pride for a moment. "It was a big betrayal. He was like family to me. I thought he was a genius, turns out, he's just another bad guy."
Ashley took in the air and the environment around her. The tan girl in massive heels listened and then spoke some of her own words of wisdom. "Maybe you need to look at it in a different spectrum, gray instead of black and white. He brought color to your life, taught you what you know, made you what you are. Even though he's lied to you, at least you have that. I look up to you Emily, Agent Thorne."
"Emily is fine," the blonde countered. "Why do you look up to me of all people Agent Davenport?"
Ashley made her way to a bench and sat down, legs crossed. Emily stood near her but did not join her. She wasn't feeling very casual even on her free time, especially not when they were talking about Satoshi.
"I was born in this little town in England, nothing special. Everyone either works in shops or never finished Uni. They may have flats of their own and a man on their arm but I knew I needed to better myself, so I came here. America is supposed to be the land of big dreams and all so I dreamed bloody big and look where it got me. I never thought I was anything special but I watched you and now...everything is different."
Emily smiled and looked at her phone; a text from Nolan Ross came in. It was just a smiley face. She felt like throwing her phone into the ocean.
Everything is different. What a thing to say.
Her apartment in Los Angeles was nothing like she wanted it to be. It's downright Spartan; everything is simple from wall color to design. It's flawed and it's not her style at all. It's not her usual, but it's a place. She kept herself aligned with minimalism because it let her focus in on what she needed to do which was exact Revenge upon the Grayson's by getting close to their son Daniel and now there's this whole thing with Takeda's betrayal.
Emily packed her suitcase and she skimmed through her cell phone to look at the smiley face text that Agent Ross had sent her, it was stupid and simple but it also made her mirror the action of the text. She smiled. She didn't consider him a friend because she tried to keep herself detached but if she had to choose anyone to team up with, she would choose him.
She texted him back ((Going into the office today to ask for more time off.))
Nolan texted back ((Anything I can assist you with?))
She scoffed. She hardly needed his help but when she did he could be exceedingly useful. ((Not now Nolan. I'm verging on a breakthrough plan and I don't need your help on this one. Thank you.))
((Ah...Breakthrough huh? Big talk Ems but you know you can't resist me and my many talents.)) He wrote back quickly, like his fingers were inhuman.
She wrote back just as fast, not saying as much as he did. ((You can be helpful but this one is personal.))
She thought about the conversation she had with Ashley Davenport, but only briefly before she packed the rest of her suitcase. She packed too many clothes so she knew she would have to take some things on as carry-on luggage. She wanted to look good.
((They're all personal. Mind telling me at least what it is you're planning on doing sneaky kitty?)) Nolan texted back and in return Emily just tossed the phone in her pocket book. He got no reply to that; she didn't owe him anything anyway.
Heading to the office she took another taxi. While she had her own car she hardly used it. She didn't like to make connections, even with hunky pieces of metal and steel frame. It was just easier when things were disposable, if she actually felt anything, she'd get hurt.
Victoria Grayson sat at her desk overlooking the agency with all its bulky computers that needed to be refurbished and upgraded. All the spy ware, the agents in black and blue suits, some of their faces covered in wounds. She observed and compared them to walking bruises, just waiting for their next mission. Sometimes she felt like a casting director and this was all some big movie. Her husband in the next room, she sipped her tea finding it entirely too sweet but that's what you got when you hired and relied on a new intern. While they tried to find their footing in the world, Victoria basked in the glory of hers. They even called her Queen V, but never to her face.
Conrad came in with a scowl on his face, a scotch in his hand. Victoria almost spilled her tea down her Chanel blouse. "What is this, Mad Men?"
Conrad looked down at his drink. "Well it is Emmy winning."
She sighed. "The show is, but not your lifestyle Conrad, its 11:00 in the morning. Have some self-respect."
He bit his lip and held back a remark about self-respect. He wanted to bring up how she had an affair with David Clarke long ago but he knew the comment would only bring him trouble. He didn't need more trouble in his life. "This whole thing with Satoshi Takeda is making me sick."
She spun around to face him in her swivel chair, chatter of the agents coming from below "What business is it of yours? Think of how Agent Thorne must feel."
Conrad nodded as he took in another throat burning sip and wished it was a dry martini instead "I am thinking of her, which is why I gave her the day off."
Victoria looked at the picture of her children, Charlotte and Daniel and then cast her eyes back to her husband who had been giving her too much grief as of late. "Do you think she shares her feelings with Daniel?"
Conrad shrugged. "I don't think she shares her feelings with much of anyone."
Heels clicking, Victoria looked up to spot Emily Thorne slink down the hallway. She got up to greet her and put on a fake big smile. "Emily...how nice of you to join us."
Emily knew the Grayson's better than anybody, and she hated their guts. "Yes well, it's not a social call. I was wondering if I could have a few days off, to get my things together."
"Why yes, I see no problem there as long as you keep us updated and fill out some old field reports," Victoria murmured as Conrad marked it down in his little black book.
"It's a done deal Miss Thorne. Will you be spending this time off with Daniel?" he asked, as his eyes sauntered off, things were starting to look busy down below in "The pit" as he called it.
She shook her head. "Not this time, no. I'm going back to my roots. I'll see him before I go though. Don't worry."
And with that, she was gone, and the room became silent once more.
Something in her chest tightened when she thought of Daniel Grayson. She sat in the taxi with a man, the driver whom she thought she recognized. She loved Daniel, but she wasn't supposed to. She loved Jack but he's wasn't part of the plan and she loved Nolan but she didn't even know what it was they were or had. She felt as if she was caught in the cross hairs now with the Grayson's and there was no backing out. She'd come this far. Emily made her way out of the car and walked to the front door of the large manor and waited for the prodigal son to answer it. Sometimes she expected a butler but even that would be too much, even for them.
Daniel Grayson opened the door and she was greeted with his boyish, all American boy grin, his teeth showing. He was not a shark, not like his father, if anything he was a gentle dolphin. He was a sweet man with good intentions for the most part.
"Hey you," he murmured as he pulled her in for a kiss that didn't last as long as he had hoped.
Emily pulled back and grinned just the same, white teeth showing but not overly so since this would be a brief good bye. She knew Daniel hated to be apart from her and he hated goodbyes even more.
"Daniel, I'm going away for a while," she said as she held his hands in hers, thumbs caressing his skin.
He cocked his head and looked forlorn. "Oh...Where?"
"To the Hamptons again, I just need some time to myself, some time in the sun," she said with a shrug.
Daniel cocked his head, his face looking confused and intrigued at the same time "Sun? We live in Los Angeles. How much more sun could you need?"
"I just need to get away," she said squeezing his hands.
Releasing her, Daniel walked a bit further into the large home with the large windows that gave the home the most extraordinary light to it. "Away from me?"
Daniel was touchy, a bit sensitive for her liking but she liked him anyway. Overall it was a weakness. "No Daniel, I just need to sort some things out, it will only be a few days. We can talk on the phone."
"Is Nolan coming?" he asked in a huff as he walked into the pristine kitchen that was fully decked out with marble and granite and a large island stood in the middle.
"You're jealous of Nolan?" she asked with a sarcastic tone to her voice. If he was then he was crazy, simply crazy.
"You do everything else with him. He likes women too you know," he said handing her a bottle of water from the large aluminum fridge.
"Nolan's like a brother to me Daniel." She commented as she sipped the cool water, letting it replenish her.
Daniel sighed "I just don't want to lose you. I love you."
Emily shook her head and pulled him in close "I promise, this is personal, not business. I love you too."
Kissing her slowly, Daniel regained his confidence and leaned against the counter top "I don't like what you do."
Emily made a face. "What I do? Work for your parents you mean?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that. I didn't like Tyler doing it, I don't like you doing it and if Charlotte worked her way in, I'd go crazy."
"Daniel, I don't think you have to worry about Charlotte, she's more interested in boys and this month's fashion trends..." she said as she leaned with him.
Daniel laughed, brown eyes warm and kind. "True, I just don't like you in the field."
Emily took a breath before turning to him, face to face with the eldest Grayson child."I can take care of myself Daniel."
He nodded quickly. "I know, I know, your time in Japan as a kid taught you to grow up fast but still. I worry. That's not going to change because you say it should."
She shrugged, looking at her engagement ring, bright and shiny. "You can feel what you feel, I never want you to think I'm trying to persuade you to act a certain way but Daniel, I love my job and I'm not going to quit my career because you want me to play house."
Daniel pulled back; he looked almost out of breath. "Play house? That's what you think we're doing?"
Emily bit her lip, knowing she had made a mistake and spoke out of turn, now she had to make her peace. "I want to be your wife Daniel, yes, but I also need to make my own way. I have dreams."
Daniel agreed with her words. "Yeah...I get that, but your dreams are to be an agent forever?"
Standing on the balls of her feet, her heels digging in to her skin, perhaps the shoes too small she looked him straight in the eyes. "If that's what it takes...then yes."
