Illya Kuryakin was very selective when it came to having liaisons with women. He'd learn his lesson the hard way over the years to avoid romantic entanglements, as they only led to disappointment and sometimes life threatening danger.

Granted he wasn't a monk, and would date a woman after a relationship of sorts had developed and he was sure it would go no further than something casual, and that included sex.

When he was in his early thirties, he broke his own rule and actively pursued a woman, but she became the last as it ended in another of those disappointments. It was because of Marion Raven's. After that hat he decided to avoid anymore entanglements.

All she did was throw flirtatious hints at him, which while on assignment he ignored. Afterwards, she made him work hard at pursuing her but eventually they did become a couple, if you could call it that.

Marion wanted more than he could give her and he told her from the beginning where things stood between them. He wasn't going to sugar coat the truth, or lie to her.

Eventually, when she became adamant about marriage and a family, he refused ...the reasons were nothing new. He had his obligation to U.N.C.L.E. which he'd told her about from the beginning.

Marion had worked herself up into a frenzy and accused him of using her just for sex, which wasn't true at all, but there was no reasoning with her. It was the last straw, and he removed what belongings he had from her place and never looked back.

That was seven years ago...

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And now Illya Kuryakin stood looking at Marion Raven in line to board a train at Grand Central Station. With her was a dark haired little girl, just a tot, holding her hand.

He'd heard she'd moved to the west coast and gotten married to some rough and tumble sort of man, a rich Lithuanian name Čarlzas Buchinsky who had something to do with the film industry.

"Hello Marion," Illya greeted her as he stepped up behind her.

"Beg pardon… oh Illya, why hello."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, wonderful as a matter of fact," she said, but her tone of voice was off, something was wrong. It was obvious she was lying, as she didn't look well at all. She was thin, gaunt looking and he was sure she was wearing a wig.

"I see you haven't changed, still wearing black suits and turtlenecks. You know fashions do change, you should try to keep up with them."

"There are more important things in life than keeping up with fashion trends," he shrugged.

"Oh Illya I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. Here we haven't seen each other in years and I'm being rude to you. How have you been? Still working for you-know-what?" Marion knew enough to be discreet when talking about U.N.C.L.E.

"Yes, but I am getting close to retirement age."

"Has it been that long already?"

"Yes. Marion," he hesitated, but felt compelled to tell her the truth." I am married. My wife and I have a boy and a girl." He flipped open his wallet and showed a photograph of his red-haired wife Elliott as well as his son Demya, and red-haired daughter Lourdes Mary.

"Redheads, well that's interesting, and here I thought you preferred blondes" Marion seemed miffed. "The boy looks like you with his blond hair, but your daughter favors her mother I see."

"You have no idea...she has her mother's Irish temper."

"Irish? Really?" There was disdain in Marion's voice. Being British she had no love for the Irish, given the troubles in the North of Ireland."

"Yes, she is lovely and works for our UNCLE as well."

Marion was taken aback by that statement.

"And how did you manage to get around the no marriage clause? I seem to recall that was the reason why you left me. You said marriage was against the rules."

"Yes I did, as that rule was in effect then, but like so much in life, things and rules change," he nodded.

"And you couldn't come looking for me?" She was obviously annoyed now.

"I was not about to spend my days bemoaning your loss. As I said, things change; I fell in love with someone else. You married as well, so we went our separate ways."

Still he always had a place for Marion in his heart...

"And how did you know I was married?" She asked.

"Marion, you forget my line of work…"

"Oh yes, well," her tone of voice softened." Why are we talking of the past, what's done is done. At least let me introduce my daughter to you. Nicole, this an old friend, Mr. Kuryakin.

"Hello little Miss," Illya shook her hand.

"My mommy told me about you. You saved her life."

"Yes but that was a long time ago."

Marion looked at her wristwatch." Sorry, but we have to go. Don't want to miss my train. I'm on my way to a clinic for treatment... cancer, " she whispered. "Bye Illya, it was quite a surprise to see you." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, leaving him before he could say anything.

.

Six months passed, and it was Napoleon who pointed it out in a copy of Variety. Marion Raven-Buchinsky, the wife of the producer Čarlzas Buchinsky, had died, it was breast cancer…

Illya gave no reaction to the news in front of his partner other than saying, "Really?" Though Napoleon was positive he saw Illya's eyes well up for a brief second before the Russian excused himself and left the room.

"I need to see Elliott," he said as he disappeared through the doors. *

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a/n: In my AU- Saga series on (under Mlaw) Illya is married to another UNCLE agent, an Irish woman named Elliott McGowan. Waverly permitted their marriage, using them as guinea pigs, testing to see if agents could be married and still perform their duties effectively.