Disclaimer: As always we'll own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in.

New Information

Using a penlight Eames enjoyed driving the kittens crazy, watching them jump all over each other as they tried to capture the small dot of light he made whiz all over the rug and furniture. He could do it almost as long as the kittens were willing to chase. Of course at the moment he was supposed to be doing something else but the forger figured he'd earned a little break. The paperwork would still be there when he was done after all, Eames thought as he pointed the penlight at Merry so that Pippin tackled his brother.

Their fun was interrupted by the sound of his cell phone going off. Since the ringtone was generic it wasn't number in his database. Which meant that Arthur hadn't realized he was slacking off yet. Pulling out his phone Eames studied the number, recognizing it as the one Dutch had used before to contact him. Taking a deep breath Eames accepted the call and put it to his ear as he set aside the penlight.

"Hello, Dutch."

"Eames. Did you talk to Excalibur?"

Let the smooth lying begin, Eames thought as he rolled his shoulders reflexively. "Yeah. He's putting together a report for you, but according to him your target is dead. Sorry. But at least you can tell your client you found him."

"Matt found that info too. We were both hoping he was wrong though. He said there was something about it that felt a little off so…but if Excalibur thinks it's correct it must have been wistful thinking on Matt's part. Damn. If I'd known it was going to be like this I would have taken the stepfather's offer too."

"Stepfather's offer?"

"Yeah. The target's stepfather offered me money to give him a heads up if we found the target, twice what my employer is paying if we'd take the target out. I'd already given the client my word to do things his way though. If I'd known it was going to end like this I would have taken the stepfather's money too."

"That's hindsight for you." Eames agreed, even as his eyes went cold and flat.

"Have Excalibur send the info to us so the client knows we even got a second opinion. I consider the favor paid in when I get it."

It took all of his willpower not to tell the other man what he could do with the information Arthur was going to put together for him. "Fine. Later, Dutch."

"Later."

Pressing the end button on his phone Eames leaned back against the couch, staring off into space while the cats crawled all over him in a bid to get his attention. But more important things had his attention for the moment and he was barely even aware of their presence.

He was still sitting there when Arthur exited the elevator and walked into their living room.

"I had a feeling I would find you up here." Arthur said as he walked over to stand directly behind the couch, looping his arms around his lover. "You decided to take a break from the paperwork you know I'll have to do for you if you don't finish it within the next two hours. What do you have to say for yourself?" He added, leaning forward to nip the forger's ear.

Eames continued to stare straight ahead as he answered. "Dutch called. Apparently his brother found the information indicating you were dead too. They were just hoping you'd uncover something different."

Setting his chin on top of the other man's head Arthur considered the emotionless statement that had warning signals going off in his brain. Something had happened during the phone conversation, something bad. "But I didn't, which is what you told them, right?"

"Right. Dutch also told me that he had a meeting with your stepfather too. That Hillard offered him money to off you once you'd been located instead of turning you over to your grandfather."

Ah, that would be the bad news, Arthur guessed. Not that the news honestly surprised him. His stepfather was more capable of running the family business than Uncle Edward was. It stood to reason then that his grandfather would either leave it in his stepfather's hands or his uncle would just turn it over to him without protest if the old man left it to him instead. But that was only if he wasn't in the equation. Everyone knew he was the one his grandfather wanted to leave the business to. In other words, he was the only real barrier his stepfather had to getting everything the bastard had always wanted.

"Obviously he'll be getting the news that I'm dead too. I don't see the problem."

"You don't see the problem?" Shifting around on his knees Eames stared at the younger man in furious disbelief. "Your stepfather wants you dead and you don't have a problem with that?"

Shrugging his shoulders Arthur belated realized he needed to treat this more seriously when the other man glared at his flippant response. "I've always known how he felt about me. He could never fool me in that regard. To my knowledge this is the first time he's attempted to pay someone to kill me, but I always knew he'd consider my death a cause for celebration."

"And your mother married this fucker?"

"She basically died when my dad did. What's left of her…doesn't care about anything so long as she isn't expected to feel anything."

With long practice and skill Eames set a hand on the couch and vaulted himself over it so that he could stand in front of Arthur as the man turned to face him. Reaching out the forger framed his lover's face between his hands, fingers stroking the smooth skin as he stared into the taller man's eyes. Arthur's shields were up but Eames saw enough to know that the other man believed what he was saying. The point man thought his own mother cared nothing for him, to the extent that she would marry a man who would wish her son dead.

Reading the man's face easily Arthur moved closer, wrapping his arms around the man's waist so that they were chest to chest. "You can quit looking at me like I was kicked to the curb and forced to live on the streets when she remarried, Eames. I've never been poor and until my early twenties I had ever material advantage there was to be had. And I had twelve good years with my parents…that's more than a large percentage of the population can say about theirs."

"Doesn't make me want to kick the bastard's ass any less. And your mum's for that matter."

The brief look that crossed Arthur's face suggested he understood the sentiment very well. But he'd made his peace with his lack of relationship with his mother years ago, and he could care less about his stepfather.

"What if your stepfather doesn't believe you're dead and hires someone else to find you?" Eames wanted to know.

Leaning forward Arthur brushed his lips against the forger's. "If you find evidence that he's hired another hit squad to come after me you have my permission to go and kick his ass, how about that?"

Pressing his forehead against Arthur's Eames's face was in alpha male mode. "I'll do more than just kick his ass, Arthur."

Having never doubted that Eames would kill for him Arthur simply nodded, silently acknowledging that fact. And the fact that if his stepfather's blood ended up on the forger's hands he wouldn't censor the man for it. He'd do the same in the other man's shoes.

Running his hands up and down the man's arms Arthur kept up the touch until he could see that Eames was calm enough not to need the physical reassurance. "We need to head back downstairs, it looks like we're going to be extra busy tonight. We can plot my stepfather's untimely demise later, okay?"

"Okay." Eames agreed, stealing one last kiss before letting his man herd him out of the room towards the elevator.

)

It was nearly midnight when Arthur found himself being hailed down by a member of their security. Motioning the man to follow him into a corner so they wouldn't be overheard Arthur was amused to find out that the matter the man wished to discuss was that Eames had apparently gotten himself trapped at a table with some of their senior guests. A group of little old ladies who were refusing to let his forger leave their table apparently. Eames had covertly flagged down the security guard to ask him for some help ten minutes ago without success. Unfortunately the man wasn't as good looking as his boss and didn't possess the man's British accent, so the elderly women weren't willing to let them make the switch.

Now, apparently, it was Arthur's turn to come to the man's rescue.

Doing his best not to smile Arthur took on the assignment with cool assurance and headed for the bar area, spotting his man right away. The Englishman was surrounded by women who were all old enough to be his grandmother, and who seemed to be fighting for the forger's undivided attention. One even had her arm slipped through Eames's, likely to keep him from an easy escape.

Turning his unavoidable laugh into a cough Arthur struggled to keep a straight face as he took in the scene, allowing himself a small smile when Eames looked over in his direction, obviously having sensed his presence. Lifting a hand the point man wiggled his fingers in the other man's direction, enjoying the situation the forger had found himself in.

Watching Eames smoothly detach himself from the woman Arthur observed with interest as his lover said something to the women that had all of the ladies turning their white heads to look in his direction.

Uh oh. That couldn't be good.

Wary now Arthur couldn't shake the feeling of impeding trouble as his always devious lover got out of his seat and walked over towards him while his former companions watched them with obvious interest.

"Eames." Was all Arthur got out before he suddenly found himself being dipped backward like something out of a movie as Eames kissed him in a way that was designed to make his toes curl, his eyes see stars, and his blood boil like exploding magma.

Clutching the other man's shoulders desperately for support Arthur couldn't think, just feel as he held on for dear life while Eames ravished his mouth so that he forgot about their audience and was incapable of hearing the catcalls, hoots, and comments their actions were causing from everyone around them.

He even missed the flashes as several of the women pulled out cameras to take pictures.

Kissing his lover until he knew he had to stop for sanity's sake Eames slowly drew back, straightening them as he nuzzled his cheek against Arthur's with a purr of satisfaction. Turning his head the forger placed his swollen lips against the other man's blushing ear. "I know I'm not supposed to do that when we're working, but they wouldn't believe I was both gay and taken."

Leaning against the man for support Arthur blinked. "Wha?"

Chuckling at the dazed tone of voice Eames repeated his words again. "Apparently my lack of ring means I'm fair game."

"Ah." Slowly regaining brain function Arthur blinked a couple times and then pulled away, working up a censoring look even as he tried to remember why dragging the man to the floor and stripping him naked was currently a bad idea. "You must really be slipping, Eames, if you can't get away from a few old women. Where's your pride as a man?"

"Say that to me after you've been hit on for over twenty minutes by women old enough to be your grandmother." Eames shot back, leaning forward to nip the man's lower lip for the hell of it. "And the one who looks like Betty White is a real cheek pincher. Only she hasn't been pinching the ones near my mouth, Darling. My ass is currently black and blue."

Lips twitching again in amusement Arthur looked over at the women and then back at Eames. "Well your ass is my exclusive territory."

"Damn right it is." Eames agreed, sensing that Arthur was going to provide him with a way out.

"Serves you right for being too hot for your own good. You and that English accent of yours." Arthur murmured as he pressed his lips against his lover's in a caress meant to soothe the hot flames Eames's had stroked in their blood. And he just wasn't ready to turn the man loose yet, now that Eames had had to go and get him all stirred up, Arthur admitted quietly to himself.

"I curse Ian Flemming every day." Was Eames's deadpan response.

Chuckling Arthur took one of Eames's hands and brought it to his lips. "Go run away, Brit. I'll take over here for you."

"Thanks, Darling."

Winking Eames took off before his man could rethink the offer.

)

An hour later Arthur went hunting for Eames, making a concentrated effort not to rub his rear end which was loudly protesting the fact that it had been pinched. Several times. By a woman who really did look like Betty White. Shaking his head over the fact Arthur still marveled over the fact that her aggressive behavior had turned out to be a result of a disagreement the woman, whose name was Lizzy, had had with her beau. Apparently the man, who'd looked to be over eighty, had gone off to see a Vegas show with some of the other men and she'd decided to get her revenge by hitting on him and Eames. The old man had actually accused him of trying to steal his girl!

Only truly excellent manners had kept him from telling the man otherwise.

She'd been a nice enough woman though, pinching aside. They all were. It would have been nice if they hadn't been so interested in his and Eames's relationship, but after the little show his lover had put on Arthur couldn't really blame them for being nosey.

Wandering over towards one of the blackjack tables Arthur just managed to bite back a curse when his rear end, yet again, was pinched from behind. Turning around with a fixed smile on his face Arthur's polite greeting turned into a scowl when he saw who his pincher was. "Very funny, Eames."

"Heard through the grapevine that she was testing yours out too, Darling." Grinning wickedly Eames wiggled his eyebrows at the other man. "So what did you think of them?"

"I think their activities instructor is slipping them something on the side that has them forgetting they aren't teenagers anymore."

"Well given how much medication one has to take at that age it wouldn't be bloody hard to slip them a little something, something." Eames agreed, stroking his chin in mock seriousness. "But I'd imagine being in Sin City has something to do with it too. Maybe we have something in the water? We do have more sex now than we ever did in any other city or country."

Now Arthur had to roll his eyes. "And the fact that before we moved here we were never in each other's company for longer than a few weeks has nothing to do with that?"

"Details, details." Amused at both of them Eames's face went serious again as he reached out and took the other man's hand in his. "So care to make my rounds with me?"

Lacing his fingers through his lover's Arthur nodded, falling into step with the older man as they made their way through the room, greeting the regulars and introducing themselves to the new, stopping to watch games as they kept watchful eyes for cheaters and card counters. The two even joined a game or two, Arthur doing better than Eames by virtue of the fact that he didn't take risks and was excellent at reading his fellow players. Eames was always more likely to reach the big score, but Arthur always broke even at the very least.

It reflected how they were about life too, Eames mused as their dealer dealt them another hand. And it wasn't like either of their methods was wrong, they just weren't the same. He would always trust his gut and luck a little too much, and Arthur would always be a little too defensive and cautious. In the end they balanced each other out because they were a team. The best team he could ever be part of.

"Since you haven't even looked at your cards I don't see why you're so pleased with yourself." Arthur murmured as he arranged his own deck, looking over at his lover questioningly. His hand was decent enough so far.

"I haven't looked at these cards." Eames countered, picking up what he'd been dealt so that he wouldn't hold up the game. "But in the deck of life I've been dealt a high royal flush."

Going all warm and gooey in spite of himself Arthur had to smile. "Then I guess you'll get the pot and live a rich man."

"The richest." Leaning over Eames pressed a quick kiss on the other man's lips. "For luck."

Arthur's curving against the other man's, pulling back after a moment. "No displays of affection while we're working. That's twice now. You're really racking them up today, Eames. Eager for punishment?"

Eames's gaze was direct as he pulled the homing device from his pocket, indicating that he was still using it. "I think I've earned me some extra loving today, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess you have." Arthur slowly agreed, and leaned forward to give the man another kiss. "Now let's play what we've been dealt."