Disclaimer: Never was mine, never will be.

A/N: I apologise profusely for this fic being so late in updating! Real life is just a real pain sometimes, and it doesn't help that for a long time, I couldn't get this chapter the way I wanted it to go. Nonetheless, it's here!

Many thanks to Margaret, for lighting a fire under me to get this out, to chesi66 for being the ever-awesome friend that she is, and to all you reviewers and followers who haven't given up on the Aquila yet!

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Lester POV

She turned around.

To leave.

Turned around…

To leave.

It took me a few minutes before her actions caught up with my stunned mind, but when it did, damn if the thought of her leaving didn't nearly kill me. Seeing my cousin in an equal disarray of emotions, I decided to take it upon myself to stop this madness.

"Beautiful, stop."

Her hand froze, hovering over the handle that would have opened the door that took her away from us forever. A shudder ripped through me and I forced myself to disregard that as even a remote possibility.

"Les, I…" she looked at me helplessly, sorrow, regret, suffering and guilt that I hoped never to see in her, flooding her sapphire eyes.

"We're still here," I interrupted her softly, stumbling forward to hold on to her, comfortable in the knowledge that she wouldn't flip me for gripping her around the wrist. "Ranger offered us all an out, and we're all still here. We," I gestured a vague hand around the room, "we all know what it's like for a mission to go FUBAR. We know how easy it is to accidents to happen, and that was just what it was; an accident. A horrific mistake, but one that wasn't yours to make. You were doing your job…"

"Please, Les, don't," she implored, cutting me off. "If there is one thing I cannot talk about it, it's that. Just please, don't, please…"

I nodded, feeling my heart break at the shattered look in her eyes. I foraged on; I had to.

"Beautiful, we learnt this game from other people, be it the NAVY, the SEALs, the Rangers, or even a gang. This is what we do. It's what we're good at, same as you. Loyalty to you? That we all learnt from the same source. We learnt it from you. From your example of always being there for us. From your stubborn refusal to leave us in trouble. We're here because you need us Beautiful, and say what you want to, but each and every one of us know the kind of person you are, because in my experience, the ways in which we change over the years, just show a development in what our core personality was all about to begin with. So yes, maybe we didn't know who you were before you were Beautiful, or Bomber, or Bombshell, or Angel, or Little Girl, or Babe, but that sure as hell doesn't mean we don't know you. It just means there's more of you for us to get to know. And I think I speak for everyone when I say we want to get to know the Aquila too." I grinned, hoping to lighten her mood. "Besides, I told you, the Aquila is a legend and a half among all of us, everyone from our old unit is going to be so jealous that we know you!"

It worked; a surprised huff of laughter burst from her chest.

"Nice, Les," she snickered. She hesitated a second, biting the bottom of her lip before she spoke what was on her mind. "What if I'm not everything you guys built me up to be in your heads?"

Before I could answer, my cousin stepped up, taking the words right of my mouth.

"Babe, we've known Stephanie five years now. And she's already made it beyond everything we built the Aquila up to. So whatever happens now, will be just short of freaking perfect."

Steph closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. I gently brushed a wayward curl behind her ear and she jerked her head up, looking at me. I could some of the emotion in my best friend's eyes, but before she could say anything, her phone buzzed insistently.

Snapping back into the authoritarian mode she had been in earlier, she unconsciously straightened, glancing at the caller ID. In a transition so quick we would have missed it if we blinked, she schooled her features into a blank expression to rival Ranger's, parted her feet slightly, in an action stance, stiffened her body, tensed her muscles, and her eyes took on a calculating glint that spoke a story of adrenaline and the action that this life of chance gave us. And just like, I knew, the Aquila was standing in front of us.

"Yeah?" she answered in a clipped monosyllable. We waited while she spoke, only getting one side of the conversation and that wasn't much to go on. "Why?...on whose authority?...I thought I had made that expressly clear?...I'm on my way, just sit tight…no, don't let him…then tell him to phone me, let him use your phone…ok, bye."

She flipped her phone shut with a muted growl. Looking at us, she took a deep breath before speaking.

"I don't want any of you to feel as though you're obligated to do this…"

"We are obligated, Bomber," Bobby grinned at her. "Just not for the reasons you seem to think."

She smiled at him before tucking her phone into her back pocket.

"Ok, in that case, I have to ask one thing. If you guys become involved in this, please, it has to be my way. I took the asshat down last time, this case is one I know inside out, and if I'm putting your lives in danger, y'all have to promise me y'all will do it the way I deem it necessary to be done. If I say stand down, or run, or leave, y'all listen to me and do just that. I can't have another friend…" she broke off here, squeezing her eyes painfully shut before composing herself. "Not on my watch, not this time."

"HOOAH!" the men sounded back, each grinning at her in kinship and in reassurance. She laughed.

And damn if it wasn't the sweetest sound I heard today.

Aside from the roar of that Impala's engine, of course.

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Steph POV

I shook my head, giggling at the men's antics. Wonders would never cease, but for some reason, they didn't blame me. Weren't disgusted by the mere presence of me. Weren't disappointed at the woman behind the Aquila's mask.

Not wanting to look this gift horse in the mouth, I started to form a game plan. As if things weren't complicated enough, Benny just called to tell me Wayne was at the house, needing urgently to see me. What the hell would Barstow need with me not four hours after I'd just seen him? I shuddered to think.

"Okay, men," I clapped my hands, slipping easily back into my role like I would a pair of comfortable old sweats. Turns out, this was a larger part of me than I cared to admit. "Hector, Junior, I need you guys on tech. I want all the files you can pull on De la Fuente, like, yesterday. That includes the ones of when I was working the case. I want to know every record we have on the clown, from his most frequent credit card charge to the business records of any companies he is affiliated to. Binkie, Ram, I want you guys on location. Try to find out where he might be hiding and with who, and find out which of his old contacts he's reached out to. Bobby, Les, Tank, Ranger, I need you guys to come with me. There are plenty spare bedrooms in the house, so we'll bunk there, and guys," I faced the men I had already assigned jobs to, "you can meet us there tomorrow afternoon to report in. I would prefer it if we stayed there for now rather than commuting all the time, and having us all in one place gives us a better defence and it's safer."

With a sharp nod that they seemed to have timed, they moved off, game faces on. An odd feeling of peace settled over me; for the first time in 5 years, I felt free. If there was anything that I missed from this life, it was this; this feeling of knowing exactly who I was and where I fit in and what defined me. When I gave it all up, I felt like I lost the definition of who I was and that killed me. It was only by sheer force of will, and the painful reminder of what happened that kept me from returning to this world.

I couldn't dwell on history now, though, not now there was work to be done. I could figure out my complicated life…later.

Now, to deal with Wayne.

"Ok, let's roll guys," I nodded, picking up my keys. "You guys go pack and I'll fetch my car and meet you at the house."

"When are you going to pack?" Tank asked.

I grinned dryly and went to my room, emerging with the duffel I had, always packed and ready, in the back of my closet.

Just in case.

"Way of life, Big Guy," I quirked my lips upwards in a quick smile. "You can never fully shake it off."

"Well, damn."

The drive to the house was spent being more introspective than I cared to admit. I forced myself not to squelch any thoughts, because let's face it, if I wasn't honest with myself now, we would have some major problems down the road.

I missed this life. I missed being the Aquila and that inherent desire to save people hadn't diminished over the five years I've been out. I've kept up to date with the goings-on in my old life, sat idly by for far too long, hearing about all the cases they couldn't close that I was sure I could have if I had allowed myself the chance. People got hurt because of me, because I made a colossal mess of everything by trying to have a semblance of a normal life to begin with. I had known the danger of what I was signing up to, and yet I had dragged Megan and the others down with me. If I had had the strength to walk away from them, Megan would still be alive right now. That would forever be over my head. Sure, I loved the way I fit so seamlessly with them, but in the end, with the way I wanted to lead my life, it was always going to have to be a choice between them, and the job, and stubbornly, I had planted one foot in either world, and the price was…soul-shattering.

Rubbing a hand roughly over my face, I filed these thoughts in my head for after my meeting with Wayne. I was willing to place a high wager that I knew what was on Wayne's mind, but nevertheless, I knew I had to play my hand cautiously.

Never show anyone the ace up your sleeve, Pumpkin. Never let them know you're three steps ahead of them.

Thank you, Daddy.

I parked my car in front of the house and shouldered my duffel, shifting into defence mode automatically. I unlocked the door and, stepping cautiously over the threshold, I felt the air around me critically.

Cold.

That was the first impression I got.

Stepping into the living room, I was greeted by the sight of Benny and Wayne in a not-so-friendly stare-down.

"Careful boys," I said lightly, fixing them with warning glance. "My mom used to say staring competitions would freeze your face like that forever."

The tension, thick in the air like a fog, broke at that point, and Wayne relaxed back in his seat as Benny came to stand with me.

"Ah, Aquila, ever the wiseass," Wayne smirked at me.

"Sure, Wayne, now what's with the house call?" I asked seriously. "What important development couldn't wait for another meet, and why isn't Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumbass here?"

"I shudder to think which one is which," Wayne chuckled. "I'm here to warn you about the agency, my dear."

Bingo, anyone?

Coaching my face into a cool mask, I took a seat opposite him, making myself comfortable. It was around this time that Ranger, Tank, Les and Bobby walked in, and I thanked their ESP for the impeccable timing.

"There's an inside man," I supplied, relishing in the look that permeated my boss and my old friend's eyes. Benny's eyes shot to me, but I steadfastly kept my eyes on Wayne, needing to gauge his reaction from this all. To my relief, he seemed genuinely shocked. Guess it wasn't him then; you could never be too sure.

"How did you know?" he asked incredulously.

"Come on, Wayne," I fixed him with a condescending look. "This is me we're talking about."

"You've been out of the game five years."

"Out of the game never had to mean out of the loop," I shook my head. "I told you, Benny was never my only source, and you forget that I see right through the chuckleheads from the agency."

"Indeed I do forget," he murmured, shaking his head with an awed huff of laughter. "Did you ever really need us?" he asked in amusement.

"You guys had the good coffee," I deadpanned. The sound of my boss and friend's laughter, I had to admit, was a sound to enjoy.

"Any idea who it is?" he asked, sobering as Ranger and the guys took a seat. He glanced at me, the question clear as day in his eyes.

"They're with me," I assured him smoothly. "And yes, I have an idea, but you'll understand if I don't share right away."

"When have you ever?" Benny grumbled, smirking at me. I narrowed my eyes playfully at him.

"Seriously though," I resumed my poker face. "This is a cause for concern for the agency, I understand that, so I will try to be as open as possible, but you need to understand Wayne, that this is interfering with my case. It is my priority to close this case, just as the occupants of this house are my priority, and I will not allow this to impact my plans. I will make a judgement call on how to handle this if and when the situation presents itself, but I will try to bear the agency in mind when doing so," I added gracefully.

"I suppose I can't expect much more," Wayne nodded seriously. "You're just as stubborn as your old man, Aquila, and just as stubborn as you were five years ago."

"It's a gift," I winked at him.

"Your gift, my curse, my dear," he chuckled. Standing up, I smiled amiably at the greying man.

"It's time to leave Wayne." My tone was even and calm, but not regretful or upset. Just matter-of-fact. He couldn't see the gang; that was one boundary that Benny was the only one allowed to cross.

"I understand," he nodded, clasping my shoulder in a friendly gesture before seeing himself out. Benny took my duffel from me.

"Yours is the first room," he told me with a grin. "I know how you like to be closest to the door, the staircase, and the windows."

"Thanks, Ben," I favoured him with a tired grin. "But where are the guys? I need to see them first. Need to explain some of this stuff to them before everything gets under way, else, they won't get why I'm going to be limiting their movement over the next few days."

"You're gonna tell them about Megan?" he asked quietly.

"No," I shook my head, feeling dread curl up my insides at the very thought. "I'm going bare minimum."

"Is it bad that I get a very different scenario in my mind when you say those words?" he asked with a grin.

"Bite me," I retorted automatically, before groaning at the can of worms my standard response would open. He grinned impishly and I rolled my eyes, acutely aware of Ranger's presence behind me.

"With pleasure, Sugar."

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