A/N: Just a quick little thing I wrote on commercial breaks of Tomorrow Never Dies. My exam week is starting in six short days and I'd say the next update is to be expected in about three weeks. For anyone reading Blue Brown Eyes: There will be an update. It's not forsaken. I just got stuck. (This will also be another couple of weeks though.) Please review!

BelieverofManyThings - Thanks :) It's always nice to be appreciated.

BloodLily16 - I thought Eve might start early on to teach her about fashion and being a mini-Eve in every possible way. I think some sass would make her even more interesting and whose got any if not Eve? :D

sparkles321 - You are very welcome. I think everyone needs a little encouragement when they start off with writing. It's a pretty lonely job. Not many people are willing to read in progress stories with just a few chapters. If one gets hooked it's usually a long ride with lots of impatient waiting and the fear of a fix not being completed. I hope you update soon!

Amy - I didn't actually think about that, but whenever it might be mentioned in the story again I'll make it talk.

Meidi Elsandra - Yay! New reviewer :) Thanks a lot and here's the new chapter. I'll update at a faster page during the summer .

Chapter Twenty-Six – Nervewracker

"Bond, open the door or I'll kick it in!" Eve yelled after the fifth time of knocking. She was sure he was inside. The car stood in the driveway and perhaps she had made Tanner peak through the living room window where the television was left on.

To her surprise the upstairs window opened and James shouted back, "Stop making such a fuss. I'm busy". He tossed a key down. "Don't make a mess."

"What the bloody hell is he doing?" Tanner whispered to his girlfriend.

"I don't know. Care to find out?"

They let themselves in. Tanner listened to the sounds from upstairs. They sounded very much like… water? There was a mix of things being shifted around, but everything was accompanied by something he could only describe as splashing. He wondered one more time why he had agreed to come with Eve.

She had made her way into the kitchen where she had left their lunch salads on the table in favour of raiding the fridge. "Can I eat the lasagne?" she called.

"Yes, but leave some for Louella."

Muffled sounds of speech and a squeal made their way through the ceiling. Eve dished herself a portion and stuffed it in the microwave before she pulled Tanner into the flat. It was quite a bit messier than usually with toys and mugs strewn out on all kinds of surfaces and a crumpled heap of a throw blanket with a stack of DVDs next to it. At least that was the way she saw it.

Eve had only been to his old flat one time after Skyfall on work orders. She had had to hunt him down and kick his ass back into the service. It had ended up in a literal physical struggle, but James was drunk and he wasn't really trying. They called it a tie back then. She had sent him into death and then dragged him back from another one. In the process hse had discovered he lived in a grey box of hotel room impersonality.

Tanner cast a suspicious look at the television, "Is that a Barbie movie?"

"Give the poor man a break." Eve tried hard not to laugh. She planted herself on the sofa with her feet tucked under herself. Tanner landed next to her with one swift tug. She did have to get him out of Six from time to time. He should have never dedicated his lunch breaks to her for his own safety. Now Tanner wasn't sure what made him more nervous: 007 or his daughter. He didn't have time to reach a decision before both Bonds came down the stairs.

"Eve!" Louella yelled as soon as she saw her on the couch.

"Mind giving me a ring next time you decide to pop in?" James scolded Eve. He was sure it was Miss Moneypenny's idea and Tanner had been dragged along on duty.

Eve smirked at him. "And miss you with a towel wrapped toddler in your arms? Never," she added to no one in particular, "The thing's even got a hood on it."

James had decided to ignore whatever comments people were going to make after the Christmas party and so he disappeared in the laundry room with his daughter without another word. If he was ever going to look anyone in MI6 in the eyes again he had to grow some skin on this matter. Louella, who had a hissy fit as soon as she was removed from their visitors' view, didn't help the situation.

He whispered to her as soon as he closed the door, "Louella, please behave". James pulled clothes from the line while she whined in protest. Louella stopped once he had managed to get her half dressed. Relieved, James turned to look for trousers.

Louella ceased the opportunity to attempt an escape. On her tiptoes she jumped for the door handle and before James realised what was going on she had slipped out of the room.

"Louella!"

She ran down the hallway, giggled all the way to the living room. Of coure James could have easily caught up in a few steps, but there was nowhere for her to run and he'd rather not make a fool of himself. His composure didn't stop Eve from laughing when Louella climbed up on the couch. She nestled herself in between Eve and Tanner, who tried hard to conceal his amusement.

James stared right into Louella's eyes, "Hate to break it to you, but you need to get dressed."

"Oh relax, Bond. Every girl wants to be rid of her pants sometimes," Eve chimed and found the little girl climb into her lap. Her hands stroked Louella's wet hair, which tousled it even more.

"At least put socks on," he tossed the bundle to Eve. She caught it without any thought, a reflex, which had been carefully trained into all agents. "Wouldn't want her to get sick, or would you like to be the one to wipe away snot bubbles?"

Tanner pulled a disgusted face at the remark while Eve glared at the double-oh. The Chief of Staff couldn't help but think that Eve, James Bond and Q had an odd triangle of a relationship constructed of snarky comments, which made each of them stay sane in their respective jobs and on the other hand keen to throttle each other. A little dynamic all governed by himself and M's much more influential iron hand. He also came to think that each of these was a role model for the girl whose feet were currently in his lap. He hoped he would not have to manage her at Six twenty years down the line from now. It would surely cause him the heart attack Eve already warned him about on a weekly basis.