Illya had kept the monster in for so long.
But now he couldn't any longer.
The monster tore away from its leash and the red mist descended.
Just in the corner of his eye he could see Solo slipping out of the room.

„Until you calm down" The words of his partner rang inside of his head. Far away.

Could he ever calm down?
The only sliver of hope he had possessed was gone.
The only hope he had to find her.
The blood on the floor.
It could be hers.
If it was… she was dead for certain.
None would lose so much blood and live.
He had broken his promise.

The promise he vowed to her everytime she lay fast asleep next to him.
So close he could hear her heartbeat and her soft breathing.
The promise she never heard, because he was too afraid to tell her this when she was awake.
Gaby would roll her eyes at him and tell him she could safe herself.
She didn't need him.
But he needed her.
He needed her curled up next to him.
He needed to snake his arm around her and pull her closer, breathing in the scent of her.
He needed to hear her heartbeat and her sleeptalking.
He needed her smile. The special one she only seemed to give him.
He needed her to keep the monster inside of him calm.
He just couldn't live without her.

Sharp pain let his mind focus.
His knuckles were bloodied from him punching the wall.
There hadn't been much for him to destroy in the room.
He closed his eyes and tried to calm down.
He remembered the time he had one of his more brutal fits and Gaby had helped him through it.

„You need to calm down! Breathe through your nose Illya!" She had hissed and had reached for his face.

He had lost control after he had met with his KGB handler.
The man had threatened Gaby and even Solo.
Illya had been unable to cage the beast and his anger had taken control over him as soon as he had closed the door of his room.
He hadn't realized Gaby was in there, but she had suddenly stood in front of him placing her small hands on both sides of his face, forcing him somehow to look at her.
Her hazel eyes had calmed the raging storm inside of him in an instant.
He had sank to his knees and so did she.
Her eyes never drifted away from him.

„Breathe… everything is okey!" She had crooned like he was a frightened animal.

There was only his heavy breathing to hear.
He could have hurt her.
But somehow he didn't and she hadn't been afraid of him.
Gaby just watched him and then she hugged him.
He had melted into the hug and breathed in her scent, which locked the beast in.

„I'm sorry!" He had murmured into her hair and he felt her shake her head.

„It's okay! You are okay!" He should have kissed her right there. She had been so close, but Solo had that damn timing and had burst through the door.

„I saw Oleg…" The American had stopped in the threshold and froze.

The room had been a disaster and in the middle of all sat his two partners.

Solo.
Illya took another shakey breath and got to his feet.
He had to find Solo.
The Russian stretched his fingers.
It was painful, but hopefully nothing was broken.

The hallways were dark and Illya carefully walked down.
There were many rooms.
Most of them were empty and probably hadn't been used for a while.
He took another flight of stairs.
Solo probably had taken them too.
He stepped over debris, ducking as the ceiling suddenly lowered.

The next floor looked almost identical to the one he had just been through.
Just that at the end of the tunnel was light coming from a room.
Illya's fine hearing picked up voices.
He slowly crept closer.
Careful not to make any sound, but he always had been good in walking unnoticed.
Cautiously he peeked into the room.

Damn it Cowboy!

Solo stood with his hands raised in the middle of the room.
Someone stood behind him, pointing a gun at his head.

„Where is he?" The man drawled in an accent Illya couldn't quite pinpoint.

„I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's only me. I left the Russian drowning his sorrows at the local bar. I'm certain you will find him there. But I have to warn you if he gets drunk he can be quite cuddly!" Solo joked and Illya rolled his eyes.

The man didn't like any of this and pressed the gun harder on Solo's head.
The American flinched.
Illya was tempted to watch Solo squirm a little more, but he still needed the American.
So he stepped out of his hiding spot and knocked the man out.