Days passed, and the unlikely duo spent every moment they could together. They were caught up in a whirlwind of love and work and affection that they didn't even realize when they day came that Caroline had to leave for Scotland. Harry had taken her out for breakfast that morning, continuing to spoil her. They were at a café right on Saville Row, enjoying themselves greatly when her phone rang. She reached into the pocket of her dark wash jeans and looked down, smiling when she saw Whiskey's number. She answered it and held it to her ear.

"Good morning, Whiskey...very well, thank you...what?...ok, pass that onto Merlin..."

Looking up at Harry, she sighed.

"Thanks for the heads up, Whiskey. Tell Champ I'll be there tomorrow...I'll bring Gin with me...and maybe G2 if they can spare him...ok...talk to you soon...bye."

She put the phone back in her pocket and ran her hands over her face. Her eyes immediately watered, fear and anxiety vying for the primary spot in the forefront of her mind. Harry noticed this immediately and moved to comfort her. She didn't let him touch her though, which made him realize that this was much worse than he knew. She looked at him. She really looked at him. Could it be that this could be over so soon? Would she lose the best thing that ever happened to her because of the worst thing that ever happened to her? She noticed the concerned look on his face and decided to read him in on what she had just been told.

"That was Whiskey...They lost track of him...they know he violated his parole and left Kentucky but they don't know where he went. Champ said that he wanted Gin and me to head to the distillery in Islay to familiarize myself with what's going on there. He said he was afraid that Colt is coming here to get to me like Vodka overheard, so he wants to make sure there are as many eyes on me as possible. He's even going to send some of the lower level agents over. He said to expect Sazerac, Old Fashioned and Julep by the end of the week and Margarita and Highball the week after that. They'll be working on the bottling line. It seems no one's taking any chances. They all saw...they all know what happened last time...I can't believe he could be coming here, Harry. You have to be careful. If he knows about you, you're a target."

The stalwart Englishman looked at her, trying to figure out what she meant. She sighed and continued speaking.

"When we were together, he worked at Statesman. Civilian side, of course, but he still worked there. Anyone with eyes around that place saw us together at least once, and if he thought to ask and someone told him, he'll find you if he thinks hurting you will draw me out. Of course, there's more to Kingsman than just the distillery. He probably would start there, though. It's an easy place to get lost in. There are several hundred employees there on a daily basis..."

She was rambling, which Harry knew was a nervous tick of hers. He patiently listened to her voice all of her concerns before he took his hand and rested it on top of hers on the table. She looked at him with wide eyes, recognizing the gesture for what it was.

"I'll always protect you, Caroline. Even though I know you can protect yourself, I'll protect you. I'll always be the last line of defense between you and anyone who wants to hurt you. I'll talk to Merlin, see if I can be spared for a few days. I think Whiskey may have forgotten that Eggsy is still on his honeymoon and requested that we not interrupt him."

She nodded, relaxing a bit as Harry's words sunk in. Of course, he would. He was nothing if dedicated to the people he cared about, He'd been a stalwart presence by Merlin's bedside in the days after Cambodia, only leaving to shower, change his clothes and spend time with her, which, more often than not, was spent tending to Merlin. She learned a lot about him in those days, how particular he was about his suits being meticulously maintained, how fussy he could get when he was worried or afraid, and most importantly, the lengths he would go to to protect the ones he held most dear. She would be fine.

She just had to remind herself of it every so often.

The next day found her, Gin, Harry and Tequila on the way to the distillery. Vodka, who had flown back from Kentucky to see to her transportation, was in quite the mood when he arrived. Caroline, who knew him better than most, pulled him aside.

"Hey Vodka, what's going on? You look impressively put together for someone in such a foul mood."

The tall southerner was not surprised that she had noticed. He took his hat off and ran a hand through his short hair. Out of all of the agents, he was the most affected by what had happened to Caroline. Before he came to work at Statesman, his sister had been in a relationship with an abusive monster who, in a drunken rage, beat her to death. He hadn't been able to save his sister, but once he had heard about Caroline, he jumped into action, following Tequila into an unknown situation for just the chance to save her. It felt like redemption when he pulled the monster off of her prone form and beat the shit out of him. Since that day, he had been Caroline's most valiant defender, acting behind the scenes in ways she would never know just to make sure she was alright. Knowing now that the man he had saved her from was out and looking to make moves against her made him more than a little bit angry. He was livid, and he thought he had been doing a good job of hiding it. Apparently, however, he underestimated Caroline. She was like a hound dog, seeking out people who were angry or sad or hurt and not stopping until she made them feel better. He looked her in the eye, trying not to take out his frustrations on her. She didn't deserve it.

"I'm sorry, Scotch. I've just been frustrated..."

She sighed, pulling the burly man into her arms.

"I know this has to be hard for you, Vodka...but I'm not alone this time. I've got so many people looking out for me, Champ is sending 5 junior agents to keep an eye on me, much to the chagrin of Ginger-Ale and Vermouth. Gin's been temporarily reassigned, Harry has too. They're all going to make sure I'm alright."

She pulled away from him, looking him in the eye.

"And you know what else I have?"

She said, smiling at him. He shook his head no, not sure where she was taking this part of the conversation. Taking his hand, she smiled at him, making his anger dissipate almost completely.

"I have you, Vodka. Which is more than a lot of people can say. You've always been there for me, always helped me, always supported me, even though at first it was from a distance. You may have thought you were being discrete, but I know, Vodka. I've always known and I am so thankful for you. Emma's a lucky woman, and I am too. We're all pretty lucky to know you."

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

That was all he could think. He turned away from her, attempting to go to the cockpit, but she stopped him again, turning him around to face her.

"You don't have to run from me, Vodka. I know it hurts you because you couldn't save your sister. But you did save me, and I'm going to spend every day of my life paying you back for it."

She said resolutely, startling the man. He steeled himself, looking her in the eye.

"You better."

It was all he could say, and he hoped she would understand. The smile she wore indicated that she did.

This time when he turned away, she let him go, turning back to the elaborate seating area. As she walked back, she looked around her. She was surrounded by some of the best spies the world had to offer, and they were all gathered here because of her. She truly believed that what she had just told Vodka was true. If Colt got through all of these people, plus the 5 more that were coming, he was much more formidable than she remembered. She steeled herself, forcing herself to forget the pain of the past and work towards a better future. When she looked around and saw her friends and the man she loved smiling at her, there was nothing that she couldn't face.

Whatever happened next, she was ready.