As always I do not own anything. Thanks for reading.. Enjoy :D

On a rainy November day, Marta was walking towards her house, a few bags in her hands. She shivered as the wind hit her skin and she picked up her pace, trying to reach her destination as soon as she could. The weather was getting worse, the sky was getting darker with heavy clouds and she heard thunders from the distance. She was so busy trying to escape the coming storm, she didn't notice the four men standing on the porch of her house until she was right in front of them. She stopped in her tracks, her breath cut in half, but it was too late. One of them started walking closer to her: he was bald and he had a huge scar on his left check. His voice had an unmistakable Russian accent and as soon as he spoke, Marta froze in panic, her bags dropping to the ground,

"It is really a pleasure to finally meet you.. Doctor Shearing.."

Aaron walked slowly through the old building door, still checking the guy on his trail with the corner of his eye. He slightly flinched as he sat down, the wound in his hip still aching: the fight in Istanbul hadn't been too much brutal and he had overpowered his opponents easily enough, yet Dimitri's men had managed somehow to stab him. On day 45, Aaron had been supposed to take a plane for the US: instead, he had found himself bleeding on the floor of his hotel room with two bodies right next to him. Now, after ten days of running through out Turkey, here he was, sitting in the church of St Nicholas in Demre.

Aaron had known Smirnov had been playing him since he had entered the restaurant. He already had his suspicions and the Russian had basically confirmed them right away: "they want you way more than they want me". They weren't just words and his enhanced mind had immediately read between the lines: "they came, they asked, they want me to take you out". He wasn't really surprised though: Dimitri was a former KGB agent and one of the most dangerous criminal he had ever met. Back at the outcome headquarters had probably seemed as the fastest solution to reach an agreement with him: after Maputo, it didn't really take a genius to realize Aaron was going to ask for his help again. He had needed information, he had needed documents and few other things only someone in Smirnov's position could have supplied. But if betrayal had been expected, the fact that the Russian had given him everything he had asked for, had been surprising indeed. Once Dimitri's guys had been taken out, Aaron could have still departed as planned: what had stopped him, had been a picture one of the men had in his pocket. It was a picture of Marta.

Aaron tried to find a more comfortable position on the bench, as the man who had been following him was now sitting on the opposite side of the church. He studied him from the distance, the photo he had retrieved in Istanbul now in his hands: it was an old shot, probably belonging to her days at the lab and she was wearing her white coat, her hair combed in a ponytail. She looked beautiful, but that wasn't really new and Aaron sighed deeply as he stared at the picture. His longing for her hurt way more than the stab wound, or any other injury he had ever sustained. It had been almost two months since he had seen her last: nightmares had come again, as long as sleepless nights in which he could do nothing but playing with memories of her in his arms. He felt her everywhere, he heard her voice constantly whispering in his mind. He knew there was no escaping her and her wonderful smile, because along the road Marta had become a part of him, the good part in him. She had managed to dig her way into his being, she had managed to find, buried deep down into his darkness, a soul he hadn't even known he still had. Laying next to her he wasn't Aaron, or Kenneth, or anyone else, because he didn't really need a name to know who he was. He was a man, he was human and he was hers.

Aaron put the picture away, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his hip, then he stood to leave and noticed the other man doing the same. He was positive nobody knew she was still alive and breathing, at least not yet and that was a huge relief to him. But point was, they were doubtful: yes he had manipulated DNA result himself, but Dimitri and his daughter were supposed to be dead too, after all. The entire chasing through Turkey had only one reason: they wanted to be sure he wasn't hiding her. Aaron glanced one more time to the insight of the church, a frown of concern dancing on his face. He had never believed in any God, simply because he had been evil himself, he still was evil himself and right then the only thought he had was about how to cause death: Smirnov was going to die very soon and this time, for real. But as he finally exited the building, he couldn't help the pray in his mind. He was praying to find her before they did.

Marta watched as the men were searching the house. The guy with the scar had made her sit on the couch and he was now standing in front of her. A chill run down her spine as the man's gaze studied her up and down, an icy smile on his lips. He sat next to her and Marta couldn't stop the shiver as he took her hand and laughed, while his finger toyed for a moment with her wedding ring. She felt her stomach lurching in protest at the man's touch: Aaron used to do that. Aaron had always played with her gold band every time her hand had safely been in his. But Aaron had a matching ring on his own finger, Aaron was her husband and he had the right to do it as he much as he wanted to. This man was nothing but a disgusting stranger instead and the hint of vodka she smelled on him was making her nauseous. She yanked her arm away from him, trying to distance herself a little bit more: she definitely suspected he would have not taken kindly her bile all over his expensive shoes.

Smirnov laughed amused at her reaction and stood up, slowly walking up and down the room.

"It was quite rude of me not introducing myself" he looked at her, nodding thoughtfully "I'm Dimitri Smirnov. I guess you could say I'm an old friend of your.." he trailed off for a moment, a smirk on his face "Well, I'm not sure how I should call him.. I mean, it's not like your marriage is real, Doctor Shearing. Though it does amaze me how proudly you wear that thing.." he said pointing at her ring, then he added " you know, a saw one pretty similar a few days back"

Marta couldn't hide the panic anymore. She knew the man's name, it was in Aaron's notebook and she knew exactly who this guy was. He had been the one torturing Aaron, he was a dangerous and powerful criminal and if she had been scared before, now she was terrified. Yet, the thing her brain registered sooner, was the last mention he had made: he had seen Aaron and not so long ago. She felt the nausea coming back as she frantically wondered what that could mean for him.

Dimitri kept talking, pondering her reaction "And love it is indeed.. You have assassins in your house, just waiting to take you out and all you are worried about is him.. I'm quite impressed, I have to say.." he paused as he leant his back into the wall behind him "Do you even know who he really is? What is he really capable of? He's no prince charming, my dear.."

Marta looked up at him, her eyes flaming in anger. She knew perfectly who Aaron was: he was the man who was putting his life on the line for her, he was the strong, fearless man whom she belonged to. And maybe right now she had no chance of surviving, but that didn't mean she was going to take insult easily. The Russian was right: she was proud of her ring, because she was proud of being his wife. For the first time since she had found Dimitri on the porch of her house, Marta spoke to him, her voice steady and calm.

"If you are here to kill me, then go ahead and do it. Just.. just spare me the pep talk.."

Smirnov raised an eyebrow at her and held back a laugh. He watched her for a few seconds, then shook lightly his head.

"I could have told your people you were still alive. I didn't, though, I told them there was no sight of you.. And they believed it, off course, after all, the show he put up in Maputo was very convincing" the corner of his lips turned into an half amused smile "the guy has always been the best.." he sighed and glanced at his men who were still searching the place "I have a debt with him, you know? And I always pay my debt.." he looked back at the woman, shrugging "And that's why I won't kill you.."

Marta took a deep breath, several thoughts racing in her mind in search of an escape. She found none though and she had to listen as the man kept talking.

"But I still have to take him out. And if I think about it I'm not sure I'm doing you any favor right now. Once he'll be gone, they'll find you so fast you won't even have the time to realize it, because you don't have any of his skills, you have no idea about what to do..So maybe.." he said getting closer to her " I could just spare you some pain.." He sat again next to her and brushed slowly his hand against her arm "Maybe I should kill you, after all.."

Marta trembled violently at his touch, her stomach lurching painfully. In the past two months nausea had been a constant, unwelcomed company, but right now it might have been an unexpected strength. As the idea formed in her mind, she covered her mouth with her hand, while the other gripped at the couch as she was looking for support.

"I'm known to be a gentleman.." Dimitri said, noticing her moves and her pale color "And you seem to need the restroom.."

Marta nodded silently and stood from her sit, thinking that maybe she still had the slightest of the chance. The man followed her upstairs and opened the bathroom door, studying the room for a moment: there was only a small window on the left wall, it was unlikely she could go anywhere. He let her inside and exited, closing the door behind him, while Marta opened the valve of the sink, letting the water running. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, but she wasn't really seeing anything, her brain putting together memories as fast as it could. Sighing in fear, she eventually reached for the loaded weapon hidden behind the white closet. Smirnov had been right, she had none of Aaron's skills, but in more than a year with him, she had learnt indeed, a thing or two. She took another deep breath and she decided the moment had come.

Marta quickly opened the door and pointed the gun at Dimitri, her hands firm and her eyes filled with confidence. She didn't even flinch, she didn't stop to think: before he could even realized what was happening, she shot him twice in the head.

Pamela Landy sat at her desk in her home office, sighing as she took in her hands the package she had retrieved from a safe deposit box. A few days earlier, she had found an envelope among her mails, containing an address, a serial number and a key. Now, here she was, frowning in front of the unknown treasure: she didn't know what to expect, she didn't know who had sent it.

She took a deep breath and opened the package. The first thing coming out was a folder and the files in it seemed to be some kind of scientific research on chromosomes and genetic mutations. She read just few words, then she proceeded examining what was left in the box. The second item was a plastic bag containing a lock of dark blond hair and she stared at it astounded for a moment. The woman sighed deeply as thoughts were suddenly forming in her mind: she didn't like them, at all.

Pamela Landy glanced at the window, then she took out the last thing in the box: it was a black notebook. This time she didn't stop after a couple of pages: she read it all.

Marta stared blankly as the lifeless body of Dimitri Smirnov fell to the ground. She saw the pool of blood forming on the floor and she heard the men downstairs shouting something she didn't understand. She closed her eyes for a second and just as she was doing that, out of nowhere someone grabbed forcefully her from behind and putted an hand on her mouth. Against all her instincts, Marta relaxed immediately: she knew those arms, she recognized instantly the soft breath caressing her ear. And she would have recognized everywhere his strong, masculine scent.

"That was very well done, Doc.." Aaron whispered against her and even if the screams from downstairs were getting closer and louder, even if she couldn't believe he was actually there, she didn't miss the amazement and the pride in his tone.

Aaron let her out of his grip and took the gun from her hands as he asked "How many?"

"Two in the house, one outside.." she managed to answer, still shocked by his appearance.

He nodded "Stay here.."

Marta watched as Aaron run down the stairs. She vaguely heard gunshot, the sound of glass breaking in pieces and a painful scream. She looked at Smirnov's body still on the floor, she thought about what she had just done and she couldn't feel any guilt. Marta shook her head at the dead man in front of her: he had been right, Aaron wasn't a prince charming. He was definitely something better.