Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed! It's a relief to know that the story makes sense. :) Also, please keep in mind that this story takes place in that eight-week timelapse at the end of the movie. The final scene hasn't happened yet.

Gingerjam: I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I use original characters a lot, whether as main characters or not, simply because they're easy to come by. But I do understand—and agree with you—about the danger of an OC. So, I'm glad you're liking Noelle.

All that said, hope you all enjoy! ~lg

oOo

Will understood Noelle's desire to be alone. He'd seen the way Travis's words affected her and felt an instinctive urge to just pound the idiot into the ground. But he'd managed to refrain. An IMF agent beating a civilian to a pulp did not look good, no matter what the cover story, and Travis hadn't given Will enough cause to justify the actions.

But he would give Will enough cause if he showed up again.

Shaking his head at that utterly irrational thought, Will drove back to the B&B and took a long, hot shower. He'd made decent progress on the house that day, though not as much as he would have liked. Now, he had the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday to fill. Before coming to Ephraim, he'd never had to worry about free time. There were always reports to write, cases to analyze, and relaxing to do. Now, he had nothing except time to think.

What were Ethan, Jane, and Benji doing right now? He couldn't be sure they even thought about him as anything more than the troublesome agent-turned-analyst who had questioned their actions during the mission. But, somehow, they'd become the only friends he really had. Never mind that it was dumb luck that they actually succeeded. Never mind that he'd needed Benji's help to get the power turned back on at the relay room. Never mind that he was responsible for the death of Ethan's wife. Somewhere along the way, the eclectic group had managed to help Will in ways he didn't fully understand.

Could he help Noelle like that? Did she want him to help her like that? The second question mattered because Will would be there for her no matter what she desired. But she'd been on her own for a while and, based on the way Travis had treated her, she needed to make her own decisions. For women like Noelle, independence was crucial.

Sighing deeply as he climbed out of the shower and dried, Will decided it was time to do a bit of traveling. He left the B&B after telling Axel Wolff that he wouldn't be back until the next evening and turned the car south. He wasn't certain just where he'd end up, but he figured the time away would give him something to do besides think. And he desperately needed to stop thinking.

oOo

Noelle chose to go shopping on Sunday. After Travis's visit, she'd fought with the urge to climb in her van and disappear. She no longer needed his alimony checks to survive with her job, but the court had ordered them. Still, if it meant dealing with him for one more minute, she'd happily give up the money in order to be free of him.

It had taken her ten years to get out of that relationship. Part of that was her own stupidity. She'd believed she could change him. But Travis ruled with an iron tongue. He never hit her, but he didn't mind slicing her to pieces with his words. Between that and his multiple affairs, Noelle had started believing what he said about her: she was worthless and unsatisfying in every sense of the word.

But Will didn't treat her that way.

Noelle rolled her eyes at her thoughts as she stopped at the consignment shop she'd mentioned to Will. As she wandered the narrow aisles looking for furniture in her price range, she thought about her landlord. Other than touching her elbow the previous day, he'd made no other overtures toward her outside of friendship. More often than not, she had to ask him to stay for dinner or join her for coffee, and he was always very careful to avoid the topics caused tension. That didn't necessarily mean anything, though, and she knew it. Some guys, like Will Brandt, were naturally considerate of everyone around them. They treated every person with respect unless that person proved unworthy of their esteem.

By Monday, Noelle had managed to purchase and arrange for delivery of a matching chest of drawers and dresser for her bedroom. With the walls now sporting a light gray color, the rich cherry wood would look fabulous. She'd also found a bedspread and matching pillows to give the room a luxurious look. The colors—slate blue, gray, and copper—went with the old iron bed frame so well that it looked almost intentional.

Greta met Noelle at the door, somewhat out of breath and smiling. "Good weekend?"

"No, but that's okay." Noelle offered a tense smile and went to work. At lunch time, she settled at a table with Greta while the older woman prepared a cup of tea. Greta's face was pale, and she'd started sweating in spite of the coolness of the day. Noelle frowned. "Are you okay?"

Greta waved aside her concern. "I'm fine." She met Noelle's eyes. "I heard you had a visitor Saturday."

Noelle blinked. "How'd you know about that?"

"Honey, this is a small town. People talk."

"Oh." Noelle shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "My ex showed up with this month's check. He just wanted to start trouble."

"And did he?"

"I don't know." Noelle leaned forward, bracing her elbows on the table and using the heels of her hands to rub her eyes. Thankfully, she wore very little makeup, or it would have created quite the mess. "My landlord was there, and Travis tried to start something with him."

"Honey, here's my advice, whether you want it or not." Greta met her eyes. "It doesn't matter what happened between the Hayes and the Blakes. You seem to be able to look past all that, and I'm glad. If Will Brandt wants to help you out, let him. Because, frankly, you could use a man around that house next time that good-for-nothin' comes calling."

Noelle wanted to argue, but she knew better. She did need someone around. If it hadn't been for Will's timely intervention, she and Travis would have ended up in a yelling match that would have disturbed the entire town. "It's not that easy, Greta. In a couple weeks, Will's going back East, and Travis said he'd be here next month." She sighed. "I'm thinking about a restraining order or something."

Greta nodded and stood. She huffed as she walked away and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. When she returned, she had a list of names. Hers was at the top. "Travis ever shows up again and young Will Brandt's not there, call one of us. Start at the top an' work down. Even if the men can't help, us women know how to work a shotgun."

The offer was said so seriously that Noelle burst into laughter. She accepted the piece of paper, however, and tucked it into a pocket for later. "Thanks, Greta."

Greta's eyes shifted to the door, and Noelle looked up to see Will wander in, tired and a bit rumpled. The elderly restaurant owner smiled. "Now, enjoy a long lunch with that friend of yours and don't worry about anything else. If he's a good friend, he'll understand."

Noelle couldn't stop the older woman from leaving the table and found she didn't want to. Will met her eyes from across the room, and she motioned for him to join her. He wove through the tables and sat down, exhaustion radiating off every bit of him. Noelle smiled. "Long weekend?"

"Yeah." He met her eyes again, his blue gaze curious. "How are you?"

"Better." Noelle nudged a menu his direction. "I'm buying lunch."

Will had leaned back into the chair, and he now sat up as he perused the menu. "I won't argue if you'll let me cover dinner tonight." Then, he stopped and looked at her. "Not a date. Just. . .I figured we could talk about what happened and work out what to do next time."

Noelle saw the sincerity on his face. She thought over what Greta had just said. "I'd like that. Besides, I was kinda glad you were there Saturday."

"Noelle, I won't hold back if he attacks." Will pushed aside the menu. "I decided that sometime yesterday. If he gets physical with me, I'll put him on the ground."

She nodded. "Maybe that's what he needs," she admitted softly. "Will, you're a friend. I trust you as such. Right now, the only friends I have other than you are. . . ." She glanced around at the room filled with mostly retired folk. "Greta already threatened to bring the shotgun out if none of the men were available."

The serious expression faded from Will's face as he imagined that. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

They shared a quiet lunch, with Will admitting he'd done more driving in the last twenty-four hours than anything else. Noelle finally sent him up to his room to rest as she finished out her day. Then, she went home and waited. Will had promised to bring the fixings for dinner, and she'd suddenly begun to wonder if maybe this was better. She and Will didn't have a romantic connection, though it could easily have turned that way. They simply knew each other's limits and tried to support one another. Maybe this "relationship," such as it was, could work for both of them.

As he pulled up, she decided to just wait and see.

oOo

Noelle had added a few pieces of furniture to the beach house. Will noticed them the moment she opened the door and took the grocery bags from his hands. The living room now sported a rather elegant coffee table, antique-looking trunks for end tables, and lamps. The boxes of books waited in one corner, though one book now lay on the coffee table with a bookmark in it.

In the kitchen, Noelle started pulling the ingredients for steaks from the bags. Will followed her, explaining that he'd man the grill tonight. Both of them preferred a quiet dinner on the back deck over the restaurant with well-meaning but nosy neighbors, and she didn't mind admitting she wasn't up for cooking. They shucked fresh corn, buttered it, and wrapped it in foil while the charcoal heated, and Will seasoned the steaks with a custom mix he'd learned from his mother. The entire time, Noelle made mashed potatoes—her contribution at her insistence—and prepared a salad. The meal would leave both of them with leftovers for several days.

Will carried the steaks onto the back deck and added them to the small hibachi, smiling as they sizzled. There was nothing quite like the smell of steak on a grill. A cool breeze came off the lake, carrying the scent of a nearby marina with it and ruffling his hair. He needed this evening as much as Noelle. He needed to assure her that he would always help her as much as possible. Going back to the East Coast wouldn't change that.

Noelle joined him on the deck before he could pursue that line of thought much further. Somewhere along his drive, he'd decided that keeping things friendly with Noelle was his only option. He couldn't open her up to the risk of a romantic relationship, not when so much could go wrong. If she wasn't targeted just for her connection to him, then he could put her through just as much by being injured or killed in the field. She stood the same risks if they were friends, but not to the extent that a romance caused. Besides, based on what he'd seen with Travis, she really didn't want a romance. What she needed was a friend she could trust.

Will resolved to be that friend.

Dinner passed with light conversation, neither one wanting to bring up the inevitable topic. But Will knew they couldn't avoid it forever, not with the encounter with her ex so recent. She still smiled tensely at odd times, and Will let her clean up the dishes rather than trying to help. It was taking every bit of his training as an analyst and agent to make his point to her, but he'd happily use whatever resource he had at his disposal. Get close to the target and see his or her needs fulfilled to gain trust. He'd used that tactic on more than one occasion in his work for the IMF, and he realized why it was so effective. It built a bond of friendship.

Finally, Noelle couldn't avoid the topic any longer. She stepped onto the back patio with a sweater in her hands, offering him another tense smile. "Can we walk? I just. . .don't want to sit still."

"Sure." Will let her lead the way off the deck and toward the beach, falling into step with her as she turned them toward Peninsula State Park. "Noelle, you know I'm going to ask about Travis."

She nodded. "Yeah. I knew the minute he showed up that you'd ask."

"I don't need to know everything. Just what you're facing each time he comes here."

She chuckled, but it wasn't a happy sound. "Basically, what you saw. He's forced his way into my home before and refused to leave until I or a neighbor called the cops."

"So why haven't you gotten a restraining order?"

She stared at him helplessly. "I really did love him, and I still care. But I can't live with him."

Will faced her. He'd always heard of women in abusive situations saying things like this, and he'd never understood it. "It's your home, Noelle. Not his. Your life, not his. He never had a right to control you, and he certainly doesn't now."

"I know." She visibly gathered her resolve. "It's just. . .I've never put my foot down before, and I don't know what he'd do."

"Any idea when he'll be back?" When she gave him a sharp glance, he shrugged. "Because I can be around and back you up."

"I wish I knew." She shook her head. "Will, I was young and dumb when I met Travis. All I wanted was to come back home, to the one place I felt accepted. And he made me feel that way. I could ignore his teasing about my name because he made me feel important and like I was part of something."

"What changed?"

"We got married." She rolled her eyes. "His parents were supportive, as were mine. We had our troubles in the beginning, but what marriage doesn't? And we worked through it. Then, he started this new job that paid great, and he suddenly wanted me to go by my middle name. The house had to be perfect, and anything less than what he wanted caused a massive argument. I usually ended up in a puddle because he'd hit this point where he would just. . . ."

Will didn't need her to finish the statement. He'd seen Travis's derision for himself. Instead of asking about it, he walked next to her and let her take the time she needed.

"Then, he started working long hours." Noelle shook her head. "I believed him. He would miss dinner but get upset if I didn't cook one night, not notice that I hadn't vacuumed or swept one day and come down hard the next. It was this rollercoaster ride, one that got easier when he worked overtime or traveled on business. Every six months or so, he'd work a lot of overtime. And then he'd be back to himself. Then, he'd work more 'overtime,' and then back. For ten years, he did this to me.

"I figured out around the third time he worked 'overtime' what was going on. I'd believed him and called his office to check in. They said he left early that day. For a meeting." She snorted. "When he got home that night, I tried to tell him he wasn't sleeping in my bed. That's the closest he's ever come to hitting me."

"And how long ago was that?"

"Six years." She glanced at Will. "We've been divorced for two."

He nodded. "What changed? I mean, why'd you finally leave after ten years?"

"He kicked me out of the house over ruining his meal." She stopped and stared over Lake Michigan. "He'd 'worked late,' and I thought he'd eat dinner with his girl. But he didn't and expected me to fix something for him when he came home. So, I did. But I was so angry by this time that I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing." She held out her hand, pointing at a slightly shiny spot on her arm. "I dropped the pot of spaghetti noodles and burned myself. Rather than being concerned over the fact that I was hurting so badly I was in tears, he told me that if I couldn't even cook like a decent wife, then I should just get out. I figured that he wanted me out of his life, so I filed for divorce the next morning.

"I'd been wanting to do it for a long time. Believe me, I'd wanted to do it!" She ran a hand through her hair. "But there was more going on than just our issues."

"I'm sure," Will murmured. There were always more issues than just one in a relationship like that. His mind immediately went to the frequent business trips, and he stopped himself from filling in the blanks. For all he knew, they were legitimate trips.

"My parents were going through a rough patch financially, and my sister and her husband were constantly bickering." Noelle shrugged. "I figured they didn't need to know that Travis and I were falling apart. No one did. It was our problem to work out. And I know that it wasn't as bad as other relationships. I mean, there are women out there afraid for their lives and the lives of their children. Thank God I never had to worry about that, but I didn't feel like I had a right to make our issues public when there was so much else going on."

Will touched her elbow, encouraged when she simply looked at him and didn't turn away. "You had every right," he said softly. "No woman should ever be treated that way, I don't care what she has or hasn't done."

Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded. "Thanks." She wiped at her tears. "So, I filed for divorce. I never in a million years thought it would cause so many problems."

Will frowned. "Why would it?"

"I was married, and it was for life. According to my parents, anyway." Noelle shrugged. "Never mind that, no matter what culture, infidelity is frowned upon. I'd been faithful to him for ten years, and he'd done nothing but treat me like a piece of trash while lavishing what should have been mine on women younger and prettier than me. You know what he told me one time? That I didn't deserve it! That I needed to lose weight and get a lot prettier before I'd ever deserve what he gave those women."

Will suddenly wished Travis would appear in front of him just so he could wipe the beach with the guy. "He was wrong." He looked Noelle in the eyes. "Look, this isn't a come on or anything, but you're a beautiful woman. And nothing he said about you is true."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm hoping to believe you one day."

Will took a deep breath, licking his lips as a way to stop the anger that wanted to come out. "So, you left, got a job, and supported yourself."

"Until three-and-a-half months ago when my job was downsized, yes."

"You've done a great job." He met her eyes again. "And this is your home. No one, not even me, has the right to kick you out or force his way into it."

"You have the right." Noelle smiled as tension started to fade from her face. "You're my landlord."

"No." Will shook his head. "If you weren't paying your rent or some such thing, then yes. But, based on what I've seen, you're caring for the house, keeping it up, and paying your bills on time. I don't even have the right to force my way in without an invitation. The only exception I'll make is if there's trouble here."

This time, she reached out and touched his arm. "Thanks, Will. It really means a lot."

He smiled at that. She spent the next hour telling him about Travis, how they met, and how her family had responded to their divorce. Ironically, as much as they'd condemned Noelle for her actions, her sister still left her husband for another man. Now, her judgmental parents were left without any children because they had cut off both girls. Will hoped the Blakes realized what they had done before it was too late and then sighed. He had personal experience with people like that. After all, he'd been disowned at his mother's graveside.

They finally walked back to the beach house, both of them in a pensive mood. The sun had fully set, leaving twilight to creep over the area. Noelle relaxed after telling him the story, and Will let his mind wander to any number of ways he could keep Travis from coming back. Unfortunately, all of them included tracking the man down and putting the fear of Will Brandt into him. And, due to his job with the IMF, he couldn't always be around. Besides, Noelle had asked him to let it go. He'd promised with the proviso that they'd figure out a way to keep Travis at bay from now on—one that worked and wouldn't cause damage to either people or houses. At this moment, though, Will was at a loss.

He felt Noelle tense up before he saw what caused it. Then, a smile touched his features. A figure stood on the back deck of her house, watching them approach from the beach. In the fading light, Will barely made out that crazy plaid shirts and short red hair. He put a hand on Noelle's back, where their visitor couldn't see. "He's a friend."

She gave him a skeptical look. "He's on the deck."

"I know." Will narrowed his eyes as they finally entered speaking range. "Benji. Wasn't expecting to see you."

"Well, you know. . . ." The Englishman motioned over his shoulder. "I didn't go through the house or anything. Just figured you were out walking and decided to wait."

Noelle pulled herself together admirably at that, though Benji's awkwardness probably had a bit to do with it. Will saw the way her face settled slightly and motioned. "Benji, this is Noelle Blake, a friend of mine from when we were kids. Noelle, Benji Dunn."

"Hello." Benji shook her hand. "Love what you've done with the place."

Noelle smiled. "It's a joint effort." She glanced at Will. "Want some iced tea?"

Will nodded. "Sure." As she slipped inside, he turned to Benji. "What're you doing here?"

"Two things." Benji watched Noelle go. "Ethan's asking for a meeting. Three weeks, in Seattle." He slipped a piece of paper into Will's hand with a date, time, and address written on it. Will immediately memorized it and made plans to destroy the paper. Benji met his eyes. "Secondly, we might have trouble."

Will glanced from Benji to Noelle and back. "What sort of trouble?"

"Remember I said your family finding out about your name was. . .you know, nothing to worry about?" When Will nodded, he sighed. "Well, I might have been wrong. I started going back through the IMF databases, and there was one person who accessed your file just after we got back from India."

"You're sure it wasn't anyone related to the IMF?" Will frowned. "After all, we were disavowed, and there's that whole trouble of bringing us back into existence."

"Wasn't like that." Benji shook his head. "Every person who had legitimate access to your file has been accounted for. We're talking the new Secretary, Brassel, and everyone who needed to know. No, this came from outside the IMF."

"Then why didn't IMF detect the breach in their database?"

"Because we're still trying to set it back up." Benji gave him a "duh" look. "What do you think I've been doing since we got back? Any time something like this happens, there's a window where people can get into our databases more easily than at any other. And, while it's unlikely that the typical hacker can get in, someone with skills who knows about us can."

"How many people like that are out there?"

"Too many." Benji cut off whatever else he was going to say when Noelle returned to the porch with their tea. He accepted the glass she held out with a smile. "Thank you. And so sorry to invade like this."

She gave Will a glance that he correctly interpreted as a promise to talk with him later. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Dunn. You work for the DoT as well?"

"Yes." Benji smoothly slid into the cover story. "Will trains, and I just support. Technology, that sort of thing. Oh, and the computer systems. A friend of ours tracks patterns of traffic flow and such, and he likes his technology to function to the best of its ability."

Will barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. If he'd learned anything about Ethan, it was that the man could improvise with anything. "How is Ethan, by the way?" He sent a smile toward Noelle. "He was in a car accident a few weeks back."

Benji nodded. "Good. Going crazy as you'd expect."

"Of course."

Benji caught the awkwardness. Better late than never, Will supposed. "Well, I should be going. I'm staying at the B&B tonight, Will." He smiled at Noelle. "Thank you for the tea. And sorry again."

Noelle waved as he stepped off the porch and wandered back to the front of the house. She then turned to Will. "You work with him?"

"Yeah." Will narrowed his eyes. "Didn't know he'd find me here, though. I really am sorry."

The tension faded from her face. "It's okay, really. It just startled me to see someone on my deck. Especially after Travis."

Sensing she was being as truthful as possible, Will didn't apologize again. He did, however, promise to keep strange men from her deck. A few moments after Benji had left, he also waved goodbye and drove back to the bed and breakfast with his mind already working in overdrive.

Someone not connected to the IMF had accessed his file. Who? And why? Had his family's search led one of his enemies to him? And what would happen now that he'd formed a meaningful friendship with someone outside of his job?

The questions kept him awake late into the night.

~TBC