First, I want to thank all the people who had read my previous chapter and those whom are following my story and put it on favorite. That's mean a lot to me.

Thank you too to Antonia Caenis for you so lovely comment. You made my day!

My dear Jayne is not only a wonderful friend but an amazing beta-reader! She corrected this chapter in less than 2 hours after I send it to her, that's why I can share it so soon with you. Thank lovely lady!

So, here we are. I hope you will enjoy this long chapter.

I don't own anything (or Lucas would have find a woman who would love him for the rest of his life!) except Sasha Sarapova-Connelly, even if she is pictured under the features of Lucy Griffiths, alias Lady Marian on Robin Hood BBC's tvshow.

Chapter 2 :

So, this was it, this was the moment. Seated in the car at a short distance from the meeting point, Lucas awaited the signal to enter onto the scene. He was already nervous about playing a new part; he was always anxious when starting a new mission, but today was different.

He felt so impatient to meet her, hoping with all he had that she would agree to help them without having to use her. His face became stoic when he realized that he probably would not have the choice and that they will have to follow the plan till the end… but if it was possible that, for once, nobody would be hurt in the process, it would be welcome change.

Tariq sent the signal as soon as he saw Sasha entering the road leading to the coffee shop. Lucas turned his head to where she came from and was baffled. She was more beautiful in person than what the surveillance photos had captured. She was wearing a turquoise blouse fitting her perfectly elegant and attractive frame with grey pants. She walked lost in her thoughts, face relaxed and the shadow of a smile lingering on her mouth. But what caught Lucas's attention the most was the brightness of her smile when her eyes met Joanna's. The two women shared a smile and a quick hug before entering in the coffee house.

At the beginning of the conversation, Lucas didn't really pay attention to the words used but was more interested in Sasha's voice, her modulation, the rhythm of her phrasing. She has a sweet voice, a little more deep than he had imagined for such a young lady. But what was the most surprising was the fire, the passion that couldn't help but leak out sometimes, with a shaken force. They definitely could use and even needed these sort of qualities at the MI-5, at least, as long as she could restrain it, take control and not let this wild aspect of her personality get the best of her.

"Will you come to the party tonight, Sasha?" asked Jo, rudely snapping Lucas out of his reverie.

"Don't know. Probably not."

"But why? You work so hard, you need to rest, to have fun… when was the last time you had fun?"

"Seriously?" joked Sasha with a bittersweet voice. "I don't think I can even remember."

The two women exchanged a little laugh but even if the sound of it was pleasant, Lucas winced because it was a half-hearted one. There was a few silent moment before Jo again started the conversation.

"Sasha, you need to relax, to enjoy your life a little more, to party, to meet some new guys…"

They laughed again and Lucas smiled to himself when he heard her teasing answer: "Meet some new guys? Oh my God, as if I needed another man to ruin my life every day. I have one at home and believe me, it's more than sufficient."

"Is it really that difficult?" Jo asked quietly, empathy feeding her question.

"Life with Dad?" answered Sasha with a sigh. "It wasn't like that when Mum was there before. Father loved her so much that he was always happy to see her, to know she was here. Life was simple, happier… but after… the accident" – Lucas swallowed hard when he heard the reluctance in her voice at these words - "he was never the same. It was as if not only my mother and the car blew up that day. My father's heart was in that car too…"

There were no more words exchanged for a while. The silence was so long that Lucas thought the mic was off but suddenly, he heard a soft sniffling and Jo spoke again, her voice softer and friendlier than before.

"Sasha, you need to get out, to think of something else, and to have fun… You're too young to be so serious. I know how hard life can be sometimes, believe me…"

Lucas knew perfectly well what she was thinking, wave after wave of intolerable tortured days in jail crashing through him, threatening to take his sanity with them at every pass. Jo, even if she never admitted it or had only done so with Adam, their former section leader, felt the same. Sometimes, they risked being overwhelmed by feelings of terror and somehow from within had to find the strength to overcome and confront weakness and their own greatest fears.

"Father doesn't really want me to meet new people, you know that. And he doesn't want me to go to party where I will be in contact with things he can't control for me…"

"Sasha!" insisted the fair haired woman. "It's your life; you are the one who has to lead your life. You didn't do anything wrong, you always did as someone asked you…"

And sadly, you will have to do it again… for us this time…Lucas thought bitterly.

"Jo, I know you want to help me, and I'm grateful for that and for your friendship, really", assured Sasha, "but I'm not sure that going out tonight will be a good idea…"

"Don't push any further" whispered Lucas into his mic to Joanna.

"Well… what can we do know?" asked the infiltrate agent, her question more to Lucas than to her friend.

"Well, I don't have another lesson for an hour. We could stay here awhile, if you want", smiled Sasha, relaxing with the change of topic.

"I'm on my way, don't worry, I will find a way" answered Lucas, getting out of the car and preparing himself to go into the coffee parlor. He blew out a deep sigh and entered the shop.

As expected, Joanna and her friend had taken a place at the edge of the room, Joanna facing the entry door. So, when Lucas was near the table, she feigned surprise to see him and launched: "Lucas, I'm so happy to see you!"

Lucas smiled wildly and took her in his arms, hugged her tightly for one instant. "Hi darling, how is my favorite cousin?"

"You mean your only cousin" teased Jo, releasing him from her embrace. "Sasha," she said, turning to her friend who was looking at both of them with a happy and shy smile on her face, "let me introduce you my cousin, the one and only Lucas North."

Lucas quickly swept his tongue over his suddenly dry lips before meeting her gaze. At the exact moment when their eyes met, he saw hers becoming wide, a flush spreading in all over her sweet face and he couldn't suppress the little smile of self-satisfaction he felt knowing he was the one who made her feel this way. She was so wonderfully beautiful, he couldn't even find the words to talk to her, his eyes lost in hers and he knew perfectly well that he could have stayed like this till the end of time… Well, not that long as Tariq sent him a text message to help him stay on task. This will be more difficult than he had presumed at first. In an instant, he heard Joanna proposing him to share a coffee with them and he agreed, sitting himself on the bench beside Jo, facing Sasha, whose face was crimson and who now avoided his eyes.

So, he was Joanna's beloved cousin! She really was happy to meet him because her new friend was talking senseless about him and how gorgeous and wonderful he was… and single she added numerous times, always making Sasha laugh and asking her if her friend wasn't trying to sell him on her. Now that she had a good look at him, she wasn't sure she wouldn't do it. For heaven's sake, he was really, really gorgeous. Tall, broad-shouldered, the kind of man she always dreamed to hug and hold knowing how safe and secure she would feel in his strong arms. He was lean, very elegant, the color of his suit fitting perfectly with his pale skin and eyes.

She was already seduced by his look and she hadn't even looked at his face. When she did, his eyes captivated hers immediately and she felt dizzy, like if a hot wave of heat had rushed through her body, as if her blood was boiling in her veins. His eyes were… she couldn't describe them, there were no words to express what she saw or felt in them: gentleness, desire, sadness, reserve, awe, surprise… all in the same moment. Finally, when his phone rang, she could break their stare, blinking several times and feeling so relieved to not been scrutinized again. It had been as if his eyes had penetrated her mind, her soul… the warmth of his look overwhelming her heart and leaving her breathless… How can a man make you feel things so strong at first sight…

It wasn't love at first sight… she had already experienced those sort of feelings and what she felt the moment she met Lucas was so different. It was as if it was evidence: he was "it" and that's all. She had found him, the one she could trust with her life, the one with whom she was ready to share everything, the one who could love her more than anyone could ever be loved and by the same token, he could also possibly be the one who could break her and destroy her as surely as he could make her the happiest woman on earth.

She wanted to laugh at how silly she felt. Daydreaming as if she were a romantic little girl. He probably didn't even feel the same way… but a glance at his face proved to her that she was fooling herself. Of course, he felt the same way, he had a little lopsided cocky smile and his eyes glittered so much that she felt butterflies in her belly and was more than happy to not have stand up because she would have fainted from sensory overload. She couldn't help but bite her lower lip, feeling his gaze on it, making her blush deeper if possible. Her eyes lingered more than necessary on his lips, as if asking how soft they would feel in a kiss… she tried to push away such a thought! She didn't know him at all.

Of course, he was Joanna's cousin, as gorgeous and incredibly attractive as her friend as warned him he was, but she was sure that he knew how good looking he was. He was much older than her and she was sure that he was a ladies' man, consciously or not, and she had always run fast from those kinds of men… and even if she knew deep down that he was made for her and that one day he will be hers, she would never have admitted that she wanted him now in this instant. He would have to prove to her that he was worthy of the feelings he made her feel, even if she already knew he was without even understanding how she knew it and how she could trust it.

She decided to control herself and the only way to do it was to avoid his eyes. So, she did it and God only knew that it was much easier said than done. But somehow, she managed to do it and even succeeded to concentrate on the conversation Joanna and Lucas had and begun to ease the tension.

Lucas tried not to stare at Sasha but it was more and more difficult because it was like his brain needed to memorize every little detail of her face, of her frame, every little fluctuation of her voice, every movement of her brow, every light in her pupils… God, he was head-over-heels for the first time in his life. Even what he had felt in the midst of his relationship with Elizaveta or… Maya… wasn't as strong or overwhelming. He will have to be careful otherwise Harry or Ros would discover it and it will become really difficult. He tried his best to push aside these thoughts and turned to Joanna to start the plan. Now that he had witnessed how she reacted at his presence, he hoped that he gave her the desire to come to the party tonight and that only by sweet talking her, she would agree to help them. That would be so much better; they will never have to put her in danger!

"So, Jo, what are you doing tonight?" he asked coolly, only the tip of his fingers slowly stroking the table showing his tension.

"I'm going out tonight" grinned his "cousin". "Don't you remember, I told you Nancy organized a party tonight?"

"Oh, yes… It's tonight? I had forgotten…" he was a really good actor. Joanna grinned internally at her partner performance.

"So, you can't come? Oh no, Lucas! This was a chance to have fun together…"

"Don't worry, cousin, I have nothing else tonight, so… I'll be there" he added, winking cockily at the fair haired woman who raised her arm, turning her hand in a fist to show her approval.

Sasha looked at the both of them, feeling a little pang at the thought she will never have this kind of relation, being an only child and not having cousin or relatives. But she asked herself too if she wasn't a little jealous knowing Joanna will be with him all the evening while she will be lonely in her room tonight.

"And you, Sasha?" she jumped when she heard her name from his mouth. She was surprised to discover how she loved it when he pronounced her name. This idea made her blush again… too bad; she had just succeeded minutes before to regain a normal shade of skin color…

"What?"

"Will you come tonight?"

Was he really asking her to go out with him… no them, THEM! Tonight? She looked at him as if a second nose suddenly appeared on his face.

"Sasha?" he repeated slowly, smiling to her, trying again to catch her attention.

"Yes, yes, of course!"

"Yes? That's great! I come around for you at 9 sharp!" exclaimed Joanna while in the same time, Lucas said: "Yes? Oh, it will be a pleasure to see you again tonight."

Wait! What? She had said yes? No, she had not said yes to that! She had said yes because he had called her, because he had said her name, because… well, she didn't know what she had said yes so eagerly because that wasn't what she wanted… absolutely not what she wanted… In fact yes, she wanted it, but she couldn't. Her father… her homework… she had to wash her hair… and she had nothing to wear… Oh! For God's sake, stop finding excuses, and go! Her inner voice screamed at her and so did she.

When time came to leave the coffee house and for each of them to separate, Jo and Sasha hugged each other. Lucas turned to her and, to her utter surprise, he bent over her and give her a little peck on her cheek, leaving them both overwhelmed by such little contact. He smiled shyly at her and turned his heels to her, walking as fast as he could to his car. When he sat in it, he couldn't help the wild smile that spread in his face. He let his chin fall on his chest, shaking his head, chuckling slowly… Was he 15? A simple peck on the cheek and he was happier than he'd felt since he had even forgotten when. He closed his eyes and steadied his breath before starting his car and driving to Thames House.

When he entered, he saw Joanna waiting for him near the lifts. She was smiling and raised her brows in a suggestive way.

"What?" he asked grouchily.

"Oh, nothing" she said in a sing-song voice. But, just before the lift doors opened and they could enter the head-quarters, she teased him: "I think you've made a really good impression on her!"

"That's what we planned, isn't it?"

"Yes," she added a little more seriously and couldn't help but burst into laughter: "but I'm not sure we asked her to do the same on you!"

"Joanna!" screamed Lucas but he couldn't say more because the young woman had started running, leaving him only with the remainder of her laugh.

Lucas sat at his desk, his hand front his mouth like he always did when he was anxious. He tried to restore his calm and to concentrate on the way he will have to deal with the mission tonight when Harry appeared at his side and asked him how the meeting went. Lucas answering that all went well, thinking within him that he was grateful for all the years he had worked to steady his voice.

"So, she will come tonight?"

"OH YEAH, sure she will come!" assured Joanna, joining the two men with Ros and Tariq.

"Is that so?" asked Tariq, mixed between joy and disappointment, joy because of the success of the mission and disappointment to have been right, Lucas being more the kind of man this young lady was interested in.

"Yes" Lucas said with a flat voice.

"You think she'll help us?"

"I think this will be a piece of cake, Harry. She is totally under Lucas's spell" laughed Joanna.

"Oh, be quiet!" ordered Lucas who became less and less comfortable the longer the discussion continued.

"What is the problem, Lucas?" asked Harry, a little suspicious in front of his subordinate's behavior;

"She may have liked our meeting, but that doesn't mean she will be easily used. I think we should be careful and act slowly, or we could hurt her and…"

"Lucas!" Harry's voice was as stern as much as his eyes. "I know you want to protect this girl. I know it is important to you. But for now, I repeat, it's less important than this mission. No, please, listen" continued the Chief Leader while raising his hands to shush the younger man. "We don't have time anymore. I need you all to be in the briefing room in less than 5 minutes."

Intrigued by Sir Pearce's words, all the team followed him into the secured room. As soon as the doors were closed, Harry explained the situation: "I received a message from a former Russian contact. He warned me that the day after tomorrow, they will be an extremely important exchange of technology files between MENTALTECH and the Russian embassy. Files that we can't afford to lose."

"Lose? But, if MENTALTECH has a contract with the Russians, it's normal they exchange files… why are we concerned?" Asked Joanna.

"MENTALTECH doesn't have a contract with the Russians, at least not for this file and not officially! The technology enclosed is the property of the English government. It is lethal. We cannot let this information leak, especially to the Russians."

"And the exchange is for the day after tomorrow? But that wasn't our primary mission, was it? "

"Yes, Ros. The mission had changed. We knew that someday this kind of information would be exchanged but we thought we had more time. But, my contact told me the rendezvous had been moved forward. That's why you need to obtain this girl's help, Lucas. It's essential! We need to know the exact name of the file they will share and with whom. Once we have that intel, we'll need to take it and protect it. But we will replace the true file with false info and a marker which will be exchanged during the rendezvous. We think someone wants to steal them from the embassy to give them to the Russian Mafia."

"And that will be more serious for us…" concluded Ros.

Lucas sighted deeply, knowing now with certainty that he didn't have the choice. He needed to obtain Sasha's cooperation with or without her will.

"Okay Harry. You will have the info tomorrow, I swear to you."

"Good Lucas," nodded Harry, standing up and squeezing Lucas's shoulder with his hand in sign of support. "I always knew we could count on you."

Feeling how sad Lucas was, the others left the room and let him pull himself together for a while.

Ros knocked at Sir Harry's door and, after his permission, she entered the room and took a seat. After a moment of tough silence, she started with a heavy voice: "Harry, are you sure we can believe him in this mission?"

"What do you mean?" his voice was cool but Ros knew him better; he didn't want to show his feelings before listening to what she had to say.

"Don't get me wrong, Lucas is a wonderful man and a highly capable spy! I trust him with my own life, you know that. But, Harry, you know him more than anyone else: he is more sensitive than all the agents I have ever met. He is really traumatized by what they did to him in prison and sometimes, I'm afraid his memories overwhelm him and he can't deal with them anymore. I don't know why or how, but it's like he had a connection with this woman…"

"A connection?"

"Yes. I don't know how to put this clearly… It's a feeling… It's like he feels close to this girl he doesn't even know why."

"He will certainly not put a mission in danger for a girl, however attractive and beautiful she may be."

"I know, Harry, or at least, I hope. But you saw it, like I did, he wants to protect her and I feel he's reluctant to use any means necessary to obtain her help."

Harry didn't respond but he nodded slowly, proving to Ros: he was thinking the same thing. They were silent for a moment, afraid that this woman could be the pawn who might break their friend and this fragile agent by acting on his higher weakness: his sensitive nature and his craving for love.

"We need to believe in him" Harry finally stated, entwining his fingers and squeezing them so tight they turned white. "He deserves all our support and confidence. He will be fine, he will succeed."

Skeptical, Ros left her superior's office while he was repeating the same things over and over, like he wanted to convince himself.

Two hours after, Lucas was waiting in an isolated corner of the house where the party was organized. He was really nervous and couldn't stop thinking about the way to ask the woman to help them. When Joanna and Sasha came in the room, he stood up and couldn't help but smile in front of how lovely the young woman was. She had changed her pants for a sweet T-length black dress with lovely cleavage showing just enough for a man want to discover more. This girl was a temptress and he was sure she didn't even know it. She had painted her eyes a little and only put a gloss on her lips which were glistening like a lake under a summer sun. He closed his eyes for a second, admonishing himself to concentrate on what was most important for now, the mission. But her eyes were so brilliant, her smile so shy and her cheeks so lightly pink that he prayed she would help them without him having to use the crueler tactics.

Sasha, for her part, was totally unaware of the inner battle which was playing on Lucas's heart. She was yet fully aware of the warmth radiating from his body or the way the open collar of his shirt showed a little part of his upper chest and how beautiful and like silk it seems to her eyes. She tried not to stare too much at his chest but when she raised her eyes, it was only to have them locked by his blue-grey ones which showed so much tenderness and others feelings that she felt overwhelmed and was forced to break the contact.

For some time, the three of them talked about anything but the tension remained and Sasha didn't understand why they felt so uncomfortable while they had been so cozy earlier in the coffee house. Several times, she saw Joanna and Lucas exchanging anxious looks but she didn't pay attention, trying to enjoy the moment, knowing it was her first night out in a very long time and that she will probably have a fight when she will returns home for not having told her father before going out. She didn't tell him because she knew he would have refused and she wanted more than anything to be with Lucas tonight. She was crazy… this man she barely knew was making her a fool of herself. But, for the first time in her life, she really didn't care. She knew she needed to be here, near him, feeling the warmth from his body and inhaling deeply his male scent mixed with his cologne. She had never felt happier in her life and, not noticing the little nod he gave to Joanna, when he took her small hand in his huge yet gentle one and leaned his head to her to whisper at her ear, she thought she would faint, overwhelmed by all the sensations rushing through her body.

Lucas finally couldn't delay any longer the task he needed to perform. So, taking a deep breath, he nodded to Joanna, telling her he was ready and looked anxiously at Sasha. Please, please, listen to me and understand why I need your willing help, please, he repeated inside his head, like if this could influence her to agree.

Slowly, gently, he raised his hand and took hers from her lap. Her hand was so small, so sweet. He squeezed her hand a little and he couldn't miss the smile and blush on her face. He leaned slowly against her, approaching her ear and whispered the terrible truth to her. While he spoke, he couldn't help but stare at her face and eyes to see her reaction. At first, she was smiling but more he talked, and more her smile fainted, her face finally becoming a rigid mask of incredulity. He saw suddenly her body leaning back a little, as if she had been beaten in the stomach, her eyes wide and unfocused, her mouth agape, her skin going a little pale.