Chapter 10.

Blissful Ignorance.

When Lucas wakes, for a moment he is married again. Waking up on a lazy Sunday morning with Elizabeta next to him, his arms round her shoulders, her hands twined with his. But her smell is different, not the familiar soap and lavender. He turns and presses his face in her tangle of curls, feeling a sob welling in his throat. He has needed this too long. Craved the feel of a woman's arms, the scent of her, the warmth of her breath and the pressure of her fingers on his hips.

Lucas closes his eyes again, and holds her closer.

He knows in a few hours he'll have to go. Harry said he'd be expecting him, and after all the uproar he's already caused, Lucas knows he can't afford to try Harry's patience anymore. But just a few more minutes…

Half an hour later he's slipping out the front door, straightening his jacket and bracing himself against the cold. It takes him another fifteen minutes to reach Thames House, and Lucas is swallowing down his nerves as he enters through the pods.

Jo, Malcolm, Connie and Ben all glance up as he stops by his desk, but only Jo approaches.

'You ok?' she asks softly, head on one side.

Lucas looks at her, partly grateful, partly surprised.

'I will be,' he answers eventually.

'Lucas!' Harry's brusque voice sounds from the door of his office, and Lucas raises his eyebrows at Jo.

'Time to face the music.'

Jo touches his arm lightly as he passes, a gesture of support.

Lucas glances warily at both Harry and Ros as he enters, pulling the door shut behind him. They both look grim, and he clenches his jaw, knowing this isn't going to be enjoyable.

'Harry-' he begins.

But Harry cuts him off. 'Lucas sit down.'

'I'd rather stand,' he says, folding his arms over his chest.

'Sit,' Harry's voice is tight.

Lucas slides unwilling into the chair.

Harry's computer has been turned round to face Lucas and Ros on the other side of the desk, and Lucas frowns as Harry opens up a file on the screen.

'Do you know who this man is?'

Lucas looks at the photograph of the man. He's young and blonde, a smile tugging his mouth and a discerning gaze. The face rings no bells.

'No.'

'You're sure? You've not seen him anywhere before?'

Lucas doesn't have look at the photograph again. 'I'm sure.'

Harry rubs his jaw distractedly. 'His name's Paul Fletcher. He's been missing for a month a half. He's a senior case officer in Section K.'

'Harry, what's this got to do with-' Lucas begins.

But Harry ploughs on, leaving Lucas to clench his hands in his lap in frustration.

'His latest case involved doing some quiet research, looking into unknown FSB assets recently assigned to the UK.'

The screen flickers again.

'You know this man.'

Lucas stares.

'Shit.'

Ros' mouth twists wryly. 'Shit indeed. Yan Mizirov, no?'

Lucas nods, eyes dark.

'I thought he was in Russia…'

'So did we,' says Harry curtly. 'In fact, we thought he was dead. Thanks to you.'

Lucas' eyebrows raise as he looks up at Harry. 'Me?'

'Yes, when you were caught, the Russian's the details of your mole in the FSB. They dragged him from his home, and he was put in Leshenko with you. I'm quite surprised you didn't run into each other.'

Lucas' mouth twists. 'I was… a special inmate.'

'He was set free, about a year ago. Perhaps he believed that the Russian's had taken pity on him. Whatever it was, they hadn't. They'd had his wife and children killed. He had little choice but to agree to work for them.'

'And now?' Lucas asks.

'And now he's back in the UK,' Harry indicates Paul Fletcher, just visible behind the prison photograph of Mizirov. 'Paul was investigating him, now he's disappeared.'

Lucas leans back in his chair, a little more at ease now he's realised he's not about to be interrogated. 'What's this Paul got to do with me?'

Ros shifts in her chair, and Harry raises an eyebrow, surprised at her discomfort.

'Paul is Rhian's partner, Lucas.'

There's a heavy silence.

Lucas' eyes flicker to the picture, up to Harry and back again.

'You're sure?'

'Positive.'

Lucas stands suddenly, hands balling into fists, and paces over to the glass panel separating Harry's office off from the grid.

Ros and Harry watch him carefully.

'Why didn't she tell me?' He asks, and his voice is a little louder than normal.

'We think she's being used by Yan to get to you. He's got Paul and he's manipulating her,' says Ros, voice as crisp as ever.

Lucas passes a hand over his eyes.

'I killed him,' he says suddenly. 'I killed him because of her, I killed him.'

Harry glances worriedly at Ros. 'Lucas, maybe you should sit down.'

'Don't tell me to sit down,' he snaps, jaw tight.

'Who did you kill, Lucas?' Ros probes carefully.

'Peitr,' he says, fingers clenching.

'Even if you had known this, Lucas, about Rhian. Would you have let Peitr kill her?' Harry forces Lucas to look him in the eye.

He shakes his head.

'Good, now sit down.'

Lucas slumps into the chair again, hands shaking imperceptibly.

'So what do we know?' he asks after a second, his voice only betraying him slightly.

'That Paul's missing, that Rhian is being used, and that Yan is in the country, using the FSB to wage a personal vendetta against you.'

Lucas manages a weak smile.

'Not much then.'

When Lucas comes back, Rhian knows.

She only has to glance up from her seat at his kitchen table to know. Know that he knows.

She stands hurriedly. 'Lucas…'

His jaw clenches, and he turns away.

'I can't even look at you.'

She bites her lip, hard. 'I'm sorry.'

He turns, anger driving him. 'Are you?' he asks forcefully. 'Are you really?'

'Yes!' she cries. 'I never wanted to lie to you!'

Lucas' mouth twists painfully. 'Then why did you?'

'Because he'd have known,' Rhian stares at Lucas, willing him to understand. 'I couldn't take the risk.'

'Then why get involved with Paul, if you couldn't take the risk?' Lucas spits viscously.

'Because I care about him!' her voice wobbles. 'I love him…'

But Lucas' hands ball. 'Do you really? Because I can't tell anymore what's a lie and what's not, Rhian.'

She whips her hand up to slap him, but he's faster and grabs her wrist, pushing her back.

Her eyes swim. 'Let go of me,' she says quietly.

His grip tightens, and a single tear rolls down her cheek.

'Please,' she whispers.

Lucas releases his grip, sick to his stomach.

Rhian stumbles back a few paces, and then covers her face with her hands, shaking silently.

Lucas drops his head and leans back against the counter, trying to steady himself.

'Talk to me,' he says, suddenly.

Rhian looks up, eyes bloodshot.

'Tell me everything.'

She swallows, hands twisting.

'I met Paul three years ago,' she starts slowly. 'He told me what he was, and I suppose I didn't care. But I never really realised until Yan contacted me, just how vicious this job can be,' she laughs. 'Naïve, I know. But I was… Yan sent me pictures of you, told me that I had to get close to you, to get to know you. That if I did it would make it easier for Paul. So I trailed you. He'd told me where you'd be. Considering you're a spook, you were easy to follow.' She manages a half smile.

'Yan told me that you couldn't meet Osmanovic. I don't know how he knew, but he just did. I was meant to stop you from talking to him. So that morning, I went ahead, and told him I was an agent working for Mi5. It was the only way I could get him to move. He shot off once I told him that the Russian's were on his tail. I just had to wait until you came, and the rest was easy.' Rhian looks down, frowning. 'But I felt guilty afterwards. I knew you'd be in trouble… So when you dropped me off, I flicked through your contacts when you went into the kitchen. I knew what I was looking for. Yan knew about Ros, and so it was simple finding the number. I fed it to Osmanovic and prayed he'd contact you, prayed Yan wouldn't find out.

'It was only when I came so close to losing you in that hall with Peitr, that's when I realised,' she looks up at him, pale faced. 'That's when I realised I loved you. But falling in love wasn't meant to be part of this… Now I don't know what to think.'

Another tear trailed down her cheek, and Lucas felt his chest ache painfully. How could he desert her…?

'Rhian…' he starts quietly.

But she shakes her head firmly. 'No, I'll leave-' She wipes her eyes, sniffing.

She turns towards the door, but Lucas steps forwards and grabs her arm, gentler this time.

'Rhian… Ree,' he says softly. 'Please stay.'

He takes her face in his hands, and looks her in the eyes, leaning his forehead against hers.

'Please…'

Rhian sniffs again. 'Have you forgiven me… Can you?'

'I think forgave you before I even realised that I had to,' Lucas closes his eyes.

'Thank you,' she whispers, and kisses him.

When Lucas re-enters the grid later that day, Ros casts him a questioning look.

'Are you alright?'

Lucas nods brusquely. 'We've sorted things out.'

'Right. Good.'

'Ros!' Malcolm hurries over. 'I've just intercepted message, from an unknown location, I'm pretty sure it's from Mizirov.'

Ros' eyebrows arch.

They crowd round Malcolm's desk, Lucas leaning over the back of the chair, something clawing at his gut painfully.

'It's an address in London,' Malcolm says, pulling up the file.

Lucas scans the message quickly. 'I know it.'

Ros glances at him. 'We'd better check this out.'

Harry looks at her. 'Do want a support team?'

But she shakes her head. 'No, Lucas and I will be fine.'

Ros slams the drivers door shut, and follows Lucas up the path, her hands unconsciously loading her gun.

Lucas glances at her quickly. She nods, and he kicks the door to the open with his foot, swinging the gun out in front of him.

'Ok, you carry on up to the top two floors, I'll scan the first two,' Ros says quickly, and pushes on ahead of Lucas, up into the shadows of the building.

Lucas takes the steps two at a time, ears straining all the time for any sounds; a footfall, the clink of a cartridge, the slam of a door.

His breath is catching hard in his throat by the time he reaches the third floor, and he enters the first room quickly, slamming the door open and jamming the gun in front of him.

There's nothing for two rooms, just boarded up windows and dust. But Lucas' hackles rise as he reaches the door of the third room.

Slowly, he edges closer. Then with a burst of adrenaline, kicks the door open and snaps his head round the doorframe.

The smell hits him first.

Lucas enters quietly, steps light across the floor.

There's a body lying in the far corner. The light filtering through the boards catches the curve of the man's back, the dark stain around him.

It's Paul. His blonde hair still just visible.

Lucas stumbles backwards, forcing down a wave of nausea. He must have been dead for at least a week, and Lucas tries not to breath. Eyes watering slightly, he scans the room. A pale flash of paper catches his eye.

It's a note.

He tugs it off the wall.

She's Next.

He shuts his eyes; the meaning all too clear.

'Ros!'

He calls, voice surprisingly steady.

'Ros up here!'

She appears at his elbow, nose wrinkling slightly.

She glances at the note, and then at the corpse.

'Is it him?' she asks impassively.

Lucas forces himself to step closer.

He crouches down beside the man, and rolls him over, no longer breathing.

The face from the profile picture is gaunt, white with death, and his eyes have sunk slightly, but it's unmistakably Paul.

Lucas has to choke back his sickness at the thought of Rhian seeing the post-mortem pictures, at the thought of this corpse once being so full of life, and love. Rhian's…

He dry wretches.

Ros looks away as Lucas composes himself, and stands, his face green in the darkness. 'It's him.'

Oh dear! Just when you thought it was all over. I was pretty sure that Lucas was going to forgive her - I could see him empathising with her situation, after what Elizabeta had agreed to do for him when he was in prison. However, he's a little shaken after killing Peitr: the one person who supported him through his years in prison...

And for those of you wondering, Rhian's being totally honest. She's a bit mixed up in her feelings for Paul and Lucas, poor girl. The ending was meant to be gritty. Lucas' disgust at what Yan has done, and his fear for Rhian. He's going to be a bit worked up that's for sure.

I can't apologise more for the appalling delay, and I promise the next update will be much more prompt. As ever, please leave a review and you'll have to wait to see what I have planned for my poor characters. *she grins happily*

Novindalf - Thank you! But as I said, I can't claim credit for the line: Night Terror by Laura Marling. Great song, I would recommend it!

Xanthemj - Glad you liked it! And even if it had sounded like a report, I don't mind: any comments are great.

LoveSavetheEmpty - Safe Now you think? Just you wait :P Hope you liked it

EmmaLeigh92 - Thank you so much - your encouragement works wonders. I hope this chapter didn't seem too rusty :P It certainly took me long enough to crank it out!

BeanieSgirl -I'm glad you picked up on the role reversal - it was kinda intentional. Thanks for your ongoing support! :)

Duk92 - Thankee! Your support is great, and flattery does work wonders :P However! I hope you enjoyed this, and sorry for the delay! And don't worry - I overuse words too! Especially in this reply section :)

Christini - Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed this one :)

BritishNinjaChick - Well... there's still time for some deaths... :P and it's my job to scare you! Hope you liked :)