Two weeks had passed, with easy missions and never-ending classes. Illya talked to her exclusively in Russian, giving her complicated instructions which she struggled to understand in order not to blow her cover, and he refused to obey her instructions unless they were given in perfect Russian. Illya had been called back to his native country for a short period of time, and although she should have been relieved that she was going to be able to relax after weeks of nervousness, she had started to get used to it. Gaby accompanied him to the hotel hall. They had time for saying goodbye, but none of them seemed interested in doing so. Two, then three minutes passed by.
"So,-"Illya started, wanting to compliment her improvements in some way, to let her know that... The horn of a taxi was sounded outside, it was time for him to go, even if he didn't want to. Nevertheless, he tried to continue, until he was interrupted by the German.
"They're waiting for you," she cut him, smiling
She got to UNCLE's headquarters fifteen minutes before agreed, so she decided to wait before entering Waverly's dispatch. Just as she got to the door she stopped to listen to the two men's conversation.
"Yes, I strongly believe she will pass the exam smoothly, Solo," She heard her boss say, while she started smiling, appreciating the gesture and ready to open the door. "After all she has been taught by the best of the KGB," he joked, and Gaby raised her eyebrows.
"I still don't understand how could you come up with the idea of assigning such an awful mission to him, I had to run away from their fights after every class, literally," Napoleon commented, and then added, "Can't think of a reason that made him accept"
"Accept, you say? It was me who had to accept, despite my reticence," answered Waverly, and Gaby withdrew her hand from the doorknob, suddenly interested in what her boss had to say.
She guessed Napoleon would have by now the same surprised look she had, as she heard Waverly sigh and get ready to explain further.
"Two weeks ago agent Kuryakin showed up in my office, he stood up at the threshold looking at me and said "I want to teach Gabriella Russian", and I warned him that she would probably refuse," he stopped to clear his throat. "I insisted that it was a bad idea and I could hire a teacher just for her, but do you know what he did? He took his hat off and placed it on his chest, looking almost human. Then, he said "I saved her life in our first mission, give me the opportunity to save me in this one, please"."
The two men fell silent, and Gaby feared that she might have been caught, but she soon realised that the American must have been shocked too and he was probably wondering what to say in order not to look too surprised. He liked it that way, he always had to play it cool, as if someone was always watching him, wishing to judge him.
"Save him?" Napoleon asked jokingly. "I doubt there's something out there which can help him, nobody knows what goes through that girl's head."
Was she really like that? She'd buried all of her deepest feelings after her father had left, and since then she hadn't really needed them. In fact, if she hadn't hidden her feelings then she wouldn't have been able to be the good -the best- agent she was. There had been several men in her life, but she had never been actually attached to them, and she doubted she could be attached to someone at this point.
The two men changed the topic of their conversation multiple times before she finally decided to enter the dispatch, ready to follow the instructions for the new mission.
The night before the exam Illya could think about was calling her. He wanted to tell her that she was going to do it well, that she was prepared, that he was proud of how much she had been working. He dialled the number of her hotel room, and waited patiently, with no result.
He took a deep breath, telling himself that there had to be a coherent explanation n why she wasn't picking up, she could be having dinner with someone, maybe Solo. Not feeling convinced, he took a cold shower, as he was used to when disturbing thoughts haunted him. Half an hour later, he called again, with the very same result. If the American had neglected her and she was in danger...His fingers started to tremble. If she was hurt in any way... He dialled the number and to his surprise, a voice he knew well answered
"Hello?" Gaby said, and he remained silent, unclenching his fists and feeling his muscles relax "Who's calling?" She asked, suspicious.
"Good luck," He said. Not waiting for an answer, he hung up.
That was all? Really? She was pissed, and couldn't manage to sleep a wink until she poured herself two glasses of the best rum she could find in the mini-bar.
The morning of the exam came, she got prepared and managed to arrive earlier than she should have. Gaby thought about breathing slowly to relax, but soon desisted, she was a strong German woman and could cope with everything she wanted to. Twenty minutes before the end of the exam, she handed the papers over and left, completely satisfied.
She went straight to the hotel and disconnected the room's phone. She had problems to solve, but her pending rest was something she was not willing to skip, not even for the Russian agent. If he had waited for so long, he could wait a little longer for her.
The results should have arrived at least a week ago, but she hadn't received a letter, nor a call. Maybe those who had failed were not supposed to receive written notice, and then she would spend the next months taking part in minor missions, away from her partners. She had been awake for an hour now, but she stayed in bed, too concerned about what the future held for her. Perhaps this time she would have to say goodbye to the blond man, and she would never see him again. Just then, the phone rang, and she got up to answer it.
"Miss Teller, we had an appointment today, and we agreed it was thirty minutes ago. The only one of the three of you who is already here is Solo." Waverly said.
When she heard the word three, she automatically hung up. No one had informed her that Illya would be back so soon, and it gave her the possibility of getting the answers she needed.
Maybe she would be finally solving this big, annoying Russian problem.
When she got to U.N.C.L.E headquarters, Waverly's secretary informed Gaby that the two men were waiting in the break room. She felt uneasy, and she tried her best not to show it. The last thing she needed was Napoleon remarking her nervousness. After a while, Waverly told her that he had been so urgent because she had been called by the Russian examiners, and the call had been put on hold.
Soon after Gaby entered her boss' dispatch, Illya slowly opened the break room's door, and looked at the two men who were sitting in the sofa, with a questioning look, Where's Gaby? .But they didn't need to answer, as the woman appeared in the opposite side of the room, and started walking haltingly towards him.
"Illya, I passed" She announced head high, ignoring her other partner and her boss, as she kept walking.
And then, the Russian's smile became visible, it started shining with something that looked like pride. But not the kind of pride he felt for Russia, or for the KGB, it was for Gaby only. His eyes were bluer than ever, and they looked at her as if there was nothing else in the room, or in the whole world. That was all she needed to run towards him, and seeing her running was all he needed to extend his arms towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her smoothly so they were at the same height.
"Of course you did, you're a little chop shop girl, afterall." He said, as she grabbed him by his collar and came closer, until her eyes showed the doubts and the questions that always bothered her. But they had gotten there after endless interruptions, and the Russian was not willing to lose another opportunity, so he crashed their lips together. It was a strange feeling for both of them, the tension and adrenaline finally liberated after months of kissed him deeper.
Meanwhile, the men that were sitting on the sofa watched the image wide-eyed, when the oldest one took fifty dollars from his wallet and reluctantly gave them to the American, paying him for the lost the bet.
"For a former special agent, you're not having a very special day, are you?"