A/N: Another long chapter, my apologies. I'm also thinking of switching to third person story telling or do yall prefer first person? I'm also not sure if you guys are enjoying the story or not. Let me know if I should continue.

PS: Your favorite aspiring hina doll maker may or may not make an appearance soon.

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

-Winston Churchill

Chapter 3

I stared at the paper in my hands, then back up at the red-head that handed it to me. "You can't be serious," I said flatly. "This has to be a joke."

"I am very serious, Dr. Forger," Handler replied. "I don't joke."

I shook my head, holding the paper back out to my mentor. "You can't ask me to do this."

"Dr. Forger, I am not asking you. Westalis and Ostania are telling you to do this. I'm simply the messenger."

"And If I refuse?"

"This is an official summons from the government. Failure to comply can lead to dire consequences, including imprisonment."

I knew that I couldn't risk dismissing the summons. It would do far more harm than good, but going could be equally catastrophic. I frowned at the situation I was in. "You know what this will do, don't you?"

"We are simply trying to ensure the peace between our countries. I understand this may be a small inconvenience…"

"Small inconvenience? Small inconvenience?! This piece of paper has the power to destroy my family!" I couldn't control myself yet again. This was an unfamiliar feeling and I was not handling it well.

"Dr. Forger, please lower your voice."

Yelling at Handler? My, my, my Twilight. You're not only in denial, you must have a death wish. So much for wanting to protect your family.

"Shut up!" I growled at my reflection, slamming my laptop shut and knocking the small lamp on my desk over.

"I beg your pardon?"

Shit, I said that out loud. I really am losing it. I let out a sigh, tossing the summons on my desk, and started picking up the shattered pieces of my desk lamp off the floor. This was a mess. Not just the lamp. That damn summons was going to complicate everything. I noticed a piece of the broken lamp was being held out to me and looked up to see Sylvia helping me clean up the pieces. I took it from her and tossed it into my trash bin.

"There has to be something you can do, Handler," I nearly begged. My voice was barely above a whisper so people that shouldn't hear the conversation did not. "This will ruin the Forgers."

"If I was Handler coming to Agent Twilight, I would do whatever I could to avoid this. But I'm not. I'm Secretary Sherwood with the Westalis Embassy serving Dr. Loid Forger a summons notice. You will appear before the council and answer every question they have honestly and to your best knowledge."

I slumped in my chair, feeling utterly defeated. "Sylvia," I rarely called her by her real name. "I can't do this."

"Yes you can, Loid, and you will." She was looking down at me with a sympathetic look. "I know this has been a long and exhausting assignment, but it's almost over thanks to you and your hard work. If it's any consolation, HQ has approved some time off for you after the deposition. That should give you some time to…wrap things up with your family."

She means it will give me time to say goodbye. It's likely that after this "vacation" a tragic accident will befall Loid Forger and I'll never see them again.

Handler headed to the door and stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "I truly am sorry. I wish things could be different. I know how much you love your family."

The conversation has been replaying in my head for a day and a half and it still makes no sense to me. Our job at WISE is to make sure that we keep peace and in order to do that, our agents' lives should never be put under a microscope. Yet that summons is burning a hole in the pocket of my favorite suit pants, threatening to unravel everything I've done over the last few years. Operation Strix is in more danger at its end than it ever has been. This can all fall apart in the final hours. Endless hours of planning, surveillance, extra undercover missions, studying, Spy Wars, family trips, hard work…all for nothing if this falls through.

Not to mention what this is doing to my family. Anya can feel the tension in the air. She will stare at us with those big green eyes and I can't help but feel she knows that something. Then there's Yor. She hasn't been her usual chipper self, despite reminding her how important it was that she acted as if everything was fine. She was barely eating and when she came home from work, all she wanted to do was sleep. That leads to my current predicament.

Predicament? You mean opportunity.

I looked up at my chair by the window. The inner me was in my chair in my suit, staring me down, judging me. Great. This asshole is back.

No need for nasty words, Agent Twilight. Or is it Loid? Do you even know? I mean, I know who you look at when you see me, but who is your reflection looking back at. Master spy or daddy dearest?

Am I really this much of a jerk? I don't have time to debate with…whatever figment of my imagination you are.

What's the matter? Afraid I'll cut into your cuddle time?

I looked down at Yor, finally asleep in my arms. She had asked me to hold her last night and I couldn't say no. I'd look like a complete jerk. We aren't cuddling. She…

Needs you? We both know that's not true, Twilight. She needed you the first night. Tonight this is for you. You need her. In more ways than one. If that's all you want, why not take it? I'm sure she'd be more than willing.

For a brief moment, I contemplated it. Operation Strix was coming to an end. Would one night of unadulterated, meaningless sex make a difference? It would leave us both rather satisfied. The idea was rather enticing. Maybe too enticing. I groaned as I rolled on my back realizing what had happened. What's wrong with me? More importantly, when did I start having these feelings?

Please. You've had these feelings for her for quite some time. We both know that. You have wanted to take her to bed and do unspeakable things to her since you saw her in that dress shop. Or have you forgotten those private moments in the shower? Or here, in this very bed? Abusing yourself like that…you've never fantasized about the other women you actually have fucked, but you are more than happy and willing to rub one out thinking of her.

Must you be so vulgar?

I'm just saying what you're thinking.

Why are you here anyway? What are you? More importantly, what do you want from me?

That is the question, isn't it. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon. For now I'll just remind you that you got too close. You keep saying it was for the mission, but getting your rocks off trying to cop a feel on your "wife" while she sleeps isn't for anything but yourself. You've spent far too much time with her and the girl. You're forgetting what you're here to do. You've become attached.

I had to become attached.

No. You had to fool everyone into thinking you were. The only fool here is you.

I groaned as slipped my arm from under Yor, careful not to wake her. I stared at the ceiling as I tried to figure out my life. What was different about this mission? I've never gotten this closer to anyone before. I actually care about Yor and Anya. Their safety, no, their happiness means everything to me. What will happen when Operation Strix is over and I have to leave them? What will it do to Anya? This is the longest she has ever had parents. And I'm so damn proud of her. She deserves just as much credit for the mission's success.

Then there's Yor…

I came into her life and changed everything. I made her move in with me, made her an instant mother, and kept her from finding someone she could spend the rest of her life with. She could have met a good man and started a real family. When I leave she'll be a widowed single mother. It'll just make her life that much harder. Especially since she can't cook. The two of them will just starve to death.

I let out a sigh as I swing my feet over the edge of the bed and sit up with a groan. That's right. I still other issues. I can't very well take care of it here. What if Yor woke up? I either need a stiff drink or a cold shower.

Word that someone from the Westalian government came to my office spread quickly at work. Despite most of my (female) coworkers defending me and standing by my side, the Chief Director of the hospital couldn't ignore how it looked. He needed to contain the rumors before they spread further than they already have. I was sent home to "burn accumulated time off." That might be true. I rarely took time off of work. When we went on family trips, they never lasted more than a few days since Anya couldn't miss school.

This was going to make things much more complicated. You can tell people not to talk about it at the workplace, but that didn't stop them from telling their wives, husbands, friends or neighbors. Now not only was the government looking into my life, but people were gossiping about me too. WISE was sure to do something. Spies are not to bring attention to ourselves and I was thrusted into the spotlight. I'm going to need to do something to deflect attention elsewhere. Then again, this must be what the Ostanian government is doing too. The arrest of a former Prime Minister for being linked to war crimes is huge news. It'll shift the course of government policy and leadership.

"Was Papa fried?" Anya asked from the doorway of my room.

"Fired, not fried," I corrected. I looked at the child over the top of my paper. "And I was not. Who told you I was fired?"

"Becky said her mama heard from her maid that tells you her feelings she doesn't anymore because the government is after you."

Little gossips.

"Anya, it isn't polite to spread rumors like that," Yor scolded as she brought me a cup of coffee. She sat beside me on the couch with her own cup. "Your father is a good, honorable man. He's done nothing wrong. There are just some people that want to talk to him."

I wish it were that simple. I won't know who my enemy and who my ally (if any) is going into this. I'm basically a lamb being led to slaughter. My family was just a casualty of war.

"The enemies are after our family," Anya stated, squinting her eyes. "We need silencers."

"No, we do not," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Her saying things like this will not help anyone's case. I folded my paper and tossed it on the coffee table. "You can't say things like that no matter how mad we are at whatever situation we're in. We can think them, but we don't speak them. Someone might take it the wrong way." Like the Secret Police.

"I don't want the bad people to take you away, Papa."

Yor and I looked at each other with concern. How were we supposed to respond? She scooted away from me slightly, patting the seat between us before she spoke. "Why don't you sit down with us, Anya?" Anya climbed on the couch. "No one is taking your father away. I know what's happening is scary because we don't know what's going to happen, but your Papa and I aren't going anywhere. We are going to always be here for you."

I could feel both their eyes on me. They were waiting for me to say something. If I told them the truth that our time as the Forgers was coming to an end, it would only make Anya feel worse. If I agreed with Yor, I was lying to both of them. So I sat there silently scolding myself for being such a terrible father.

I was caught off guard when I suddenly felt a pair of arms around my neck. I felt Anya hug me tighter and once I got over the initial surprise, I let out a reliving breath and wrapped my arms around the little girl.

"I don't think you're a bad man," she whispered. "I think you're the best Papa in the world."

"Thank you," I smiled as I hugged her a little tighter. Sometimes I forget how young she really is. How innocent she is.

She released her hold on my neck and slipped back into the seat between me and Yor. She was already glued to the program on the TV. I shook my head as I grabbed my paper and went back to the article I had been reading. I'll never understand why she loves this spy show. If she knew what it was really like to be a spy, she wouldn't think it was so entertaining. There was far less romance and a lot more bloodshed.

Anya jumped off the couch and in the corner of my eye, I could see her spinning and twirling around with an imaginary dance partner as she hummed to the tune on the TV.

"She's so adorable," Yor fawned as she watched Anya try to get Bond to dance with her. Unfortunately for her, the Great Pyrenees wasn't as graceful as his namesake.

"You have guide him, Anya," I noted from behind my paper. "Don't pull and push him. You have to encourage him to follow your movements."

"Bond doesn't want to move. He's being a bad doggie," Anya scolded, making the dog whimper.

"That's not very nice."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "I just don't get it."

I closed my paper once more and set it aside. I won't be finishing this paper anytime soon. "Ok, what can I do to help?"

"Maybe she'll get it a little better if you show her," Yor suggested.

I put my hands on my knees and pushed myself to my feet. "Alright, come on Anya. Why don't we…"

"No! I have to practice with Bond," Anya insisted. "Mama should be Papa's partner."

I looked over at Yor, her nerves clearly showing on her face. I gave her a smile and held my hand out to her. "What do you say, Yor? Would you like to dance?"

She stared at my hand for a moment, contemplating what to do next. "Ok," she whispered in a timid voice.

She slipped her delicate hand in mine and I guided her to the open space on the other side of the coffee table. She was trembling slightly as I pulled her close to me. I placed my free hand on her hip as she rested hers on my shoulder. Her body was so tense and stiff.

"Relax," I said softly into her ear. "Take a deep breath and relax your body." She nodded and inhaled deeply. As she let the long breath out, I felt the tension on her body melting away. I hadn't even realized that she was squeezing my hand as hard as she was until the grip loosened. "Alright, are you two watching?"

"Yes, Papa!" Anya nodded as she grabbed Bond's fur.

"First, you want to get a feel for the music. If the melody is fast, being this close isn't necessary. But since Bondman and Princess Honey are dancing to something slow, you'll likely have a partner and you'll have your hands just like Yor and I have ours. Next, you and your partner will just start moving to the music…"

"Wait!" Anya let go of body and ran over to the stereo below the TV. She pressed a button and the slow notes of a love song filled the room. "Becky gave me this CD and said it would set the mood. Whatever that means."

I frowned. "We really need to reevaluate her friendship with that girl. Ok you two, just watch me and Yor and try to follow along." We started swaying side to side as I moved us in a small circle. Yor was much more graceful than I thought she would be. She was usually clumsy, but she moved with me in perfect unison. "I never knew you were such a good dancer."

"O..oh? You think so? Thank you. You're pretty good too." Her cheeks were turning pink again.

I couldn't help but smile because it was the most endearing thing to me at this very moment. The way she gets flustered or bashful when I compliment her makes it easy to…

Don't be stupid, Twilight. Your time with her is almost up. Why put yourself through that?

"It's hard to believe this is the first time we've danced," she pointed out.

"Is it? We'll, I'm sorry I took so long to ask," I said as I spun her under my arm making Anya gasp in awe.

"Papa, that was amazing!" Anya cheered. She tried to put her hand on Bond's head and the dog slowly made a circle in place, bumping the little girl in the process. "Bond!"

"It seems your Papa has some pretty good moves up his sleeve," Yor laughed.

Pull back. Now. You're getting in too deep.

"I'm only as good as my partner," I said, completely ignoring that annoying version of myself.

"Maybe we can add it to a date night or something."

My smile slowly melted away as I realized there weren't going to be any more date nights. No more lunch together on Tuesdays at our cafe. No more homework with Anya. No stew once a week and after dinner coffee. This was all coming to an end.

See, you've gone and hurt your own feelings. Don't you see now? This is only going to get harder the closer you get. Stop this now before it goes too far.

Yor laughed as she watched Anya and Bond chasing each other beside us. They've given up on this dance lesson, but we continued on. Honestly, I didn't want it to end.

"I'm glad that you've been in such a good mood lately." I raised a brow and she shook her head profusely. "Not that you're a grump. I meant…Anya and I are glad to see this side of you. I never thought we would be in the middle of our living room dancing on a Thursday night."

Why don't you tell her you're not in a better mood? Tell her you're about to devastate her and Anya.

The corners of her mouth turned up as her hand moved from my shoulder down to my biceps. She wasn't looking at me, but her cheeks were getting redder. For some reason, my heart started beating faster. "I haven't had the chance to thank you," she said softly. "I know I've been asking a lot from you this week. More than I probably should, but I wanted to say thank you. With everything happening with…well, you know. I just appreciate you."

"That's what I'm here for, Yor. I've told you, I'm here for anything you need."

She nodded. "I know. I just…I just want you to know that you've been, I mean you are amazing. I couldn't ask for a better husband." She rose to her tippy toes and I felt her place a soft kiss on my cheek.

Don't do anything stupid.

My eyes stayed glued to hers as she rested back on her feet. There's that look again. The difference between tonight and earlier this week is there's no alcohol involved. She wasn't coming on to me in a drunken stupor. She was well aware of what she was doing and what she wanted. I wanted it too.

Stop it this instant, Agent Twilight. Think with your head, not with what's in your pants. Get ahold of yourself!

No. I couldn't stop myself if I wanted to and I sure as hell didn't want to. I let go of her hand and tipped her face up so she was looking at me. She looked as if she was anticipating what was coming next, but at the same time didn't know.

There's no coming back from this.

I don't want to come back. I leaned down and gently pressed my lips against hers.

You fucking idiot.

In an instant, the world around us faded away. I wasn't thinking about world peace or what was going to happen tomorrow. The only thing that mattered to me was that I was standing here kissing Yor. It was soft at first, but as the moments ticked away my eagerness began to surface. I half-expected her to push me away when I felt her hands press on my shoulders, but then her arms wrapped around my neck, her fingers gently running through the hair on the back of my head.

When I kissed Yor, it was warm, comforting and more satisfying than anything I've ever felt. It was like running a race and winning first prize - my heart was pounding, but my body tingled with excitement and anticipation. I was on a high I hoped I'd never come down from. For the first time, this wasn't about a mission. It wasn't to keep up appearances. I was kissing her because I wanted to. I've never wanted anything more in my life.

This feeling was unfamiliar to me. It wasn't animalistic or primal. I didn't have an ache in my loins or have an urge to rip her clothes off right then and there. I just wanted to be close to her. The desire burning in me was to give her everything she wanted, everything I had. Suddenly, that long forgotten dream of living a normal life, getting married and having children didn't seem so ridiculous or far from reach. I wanted it and I wanted it with Yor.

When I pulled back from the kiss, I wasn't sure how she was going to react. She seemed to enjoy it. I pressed my forehead against hers and tried to even my breathing. She was struggling to catch her breath too.

"Sorry," I whispered with a grin. "I couldn't help myself."

She was saying something, or at least she was trying to, but it was just coming out a flurry of incoherent murmurs as she shook her head. If a kiss could get her this flustered, I wonder…

I didn't have a chance to finish my thought. She cupped my face in her hands and pulled my face to hers as our lips met once again. She let out a soft, almost inaudible moan as she melted into me. It was almost inaudible, but I sure as hell heard it. Remember those primal instincts I talked about earlier? Yea, that tiny moan unlocked that caged animal. My hands were on her hips as I pulled her closer to my body. All the sensibility I had was flying out the window.

"Ahem."

We both froze, eyes flying open in shock. "Loid," Yor whispered against my lips. "Did you hear that?"

I slowly turned my head toward the door and faced my worst fear. My apartment door was wide open and four people piled in the entryway - Yuri, Dominic, Franky and…was that Nightfall? With the exception of Yuri, I had no idea what any of them were doing here. Their expressions couldn't be any more different either. My brother-in-law was as white as a ghost with a shocked/horrified look on his face. Dominic had a playful grin on his face, likely finding the situation hilarious. Franky looked somewhat shocked, but his eyes let me know he was jealous. Nightfall stood behind everyone with her usual stone-cold glare. Something was different this time though. Her stare made me feel uneasy.

"Don't mind us. We were just enjoying the show," Dominic teased.

"What. The hell. Is going on?" Yuri asked through gritted teeth.

"Yuri, no need to freak out," Yor assured in a calm voice. She tried to take a step away from me, but her knees seemed to buckle so I grabbed her around the waist to keep her steady. Ok, I was a little proud of that. The small grin I tried to hide didn't go unnoticed by Yuri because he was clenching one of his fists.

"Mama and Papa wanna make a baby," Anya stated matter of factly. I snapped my head back toward the little girl. Shit. I forgot she was in the room. I am definitely looking like a terrible father.

Yor and I immediately turned to her and started scolding her, reminding her she couldn't just say whatever came to mind. I almost wondered where she would get the idea that we wanted to "make a baby". Then I remembered she just watched her parents make out like teenagers and I'm sure her friend Becky Blackbell played a part in associating the two. Now there's a room full of people that just saw a side of me I didn't even know existed. One of which was a member of the Secret Police, another an informant, and yet another a spy that I personally trained to not allow emotions to show. This was one mess I've created.

"May I ask what it is you are all doing here?" I asked a hint of irritation in my voice.

"I live here," Yuri barked.

"We had a few drinks after work," Dominic explained. "I just wanted to be sure he got home safe."

I stared at Franky. He has been my informant for as long as I've been a spy. He knew me better than anyone. I even trusted him to watch Anya (which probably wasn't always the best idea), but right now I just wanted him to leave. Seeing the bottle of liquor in one hand and a white envelope in the other, I knew why he was here.

"I brought your tickets for your anniversary tr…" Franky trailed off when he noticed me shake my head. "Was that supposed to be a surprise?"

"Yea, Franky, it was a surprise," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I clearly remember telling him I needed him to bring me these tickets discreetly.

"We're going on a trip?!" Anya asked excitedly as she bounced up and down on the tips of her toes in front of me.

"Well I was going to surprise you and your mother, but yes, we're going to go on a trip. I figured it was the best time since I have time off from work and you'll be out of school for a few weeks. Plus it's your mother and my anniversary and I thought she'd like to see somewhere new."

"Oh so you're just going to take my sister away and make babies with her all over the world?" Yuri shrieked in a distressed tone. "It's bad enough that I have to hear you two every night!"

"Papa, how do you make babies?" Anya asked innocently.

The pressure in my temples was building quickly. "Yor?"

"I'll handle it," she replied, knowing what I needed her to do without me even having to ask. She touched my arm as she headed over to her brother and Dominic to calm the younger Briar down. I don't need to be an actual psychiatrist to tell you he has issues.

"Anya, go study in your room."

"But Papa…" she whined.

"Now Anya."

I waited for her to stomp off before heading to the entrance where Franky and Nightfall stood as Yor and Dominic sat with Yuri in the living room. I stood a fair distance away with my arms crossed over my chest.

"What?" Franky asked.

"What part of 'bring me these discreetly' did you not understand?" I questioned as I snatched the envelope from my friend.

"How was I supposed to know your psycho brother was going to start spewing your sex life to everyone? Speaking of discreet, since when have you two been baby making? And how loud is it that he hears every night?"

"It's extremely inappropriate," Nightfall noted.

"Agreed," I said as I opened the envelope, ensuring that everything I needed was in there. "What my wife and I do or don't do in our bedroom is no concern to anyone other than me and her."

"Then perhaps it should go without saying making out like pubescent teenagers is something you should do in private."

I snapped my head quickly and threw her a glare for her jab. "Is there something I can help you with, Ms. Frost?"

Her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together in a straight line. I've worked with her for over a decade. I was the one that trained her. I've even saved her life and vice versa. I thought she trusted my decision making, yet she has expressed her displeasure in keeping Yor as me wife throughout Operation Strix. More than once, she has expressed how inadequate she felt Yor was to take part in such an important role. I'm not a complete fool. I have an inkling of why she felt this way, but it was easier to simply feign ignorance.

"I had heard you were asked to take a sabbatical and I wanted to come see how you were doing," Nightfall said in her usual monotone. "I've also brought you a care package."

She held up a gift basket clearly covered in code. Likely about a new mission already.

"Thank you, but it's not necessary." I wasn't going to take on a mission if it meant taking time away from the final days of Operation Strix.

Nightfall furrowed her brows in annoyance. "I insist."

"I'll have to respectfully decline." My words came out a little more forcefully this time. "Anya isn't a fan of peanut brittle. It hurts her teeth." Or decoded: I won't be taking this mission, find someone else.

"Dr. Forger…"

"I gotta tell you, Loid," Dominic laughed as he walked up from behind and patted my shoulder, "Yuri's my friend and all, but you have to be the most patient man in the world to put up with that. You all good here?"

I wasn't sure if Dominic could feel the tension in the air or if he was just so carefree he was oblivious to it. Franky, on the other hand, was doing a terrible job at keeping calm. I could see him literally shaking with anxiety.

"We're good, Dominic," I replied as I continued to stare down the other agent. She was not happy I was not backing down.

"Dominic, it is not customary to accept a gift basket presented to you as a show of good will?" Nightfall asked.

"I guess," he shrugged, "but if I'm being honest - and no offense - but peanut brittle is kind of terrible. Hurts the teeth. A wise man once told me that you can never go wrong with chocolate. I just wanted to tell you I'm on my way out pbefore Camilla thinks I'm out doing something I shouldn't be. I'm sure Loid would like to clear the house as quickly as possible. You know what they say: Love preferes twilight to daylight." Hm. An odd choice of words. "Well, you guys enjoy your trip. I'd suggest taking Anya to that Spy Wars traveling promo event. I'm sure she would love it. Just be sure to bring something fun back for us! "

"We'll definitely try. Get home safe and thank you for walking Yuri home," I thanked with a smile. Once he was out of sight, I got rid of the fake smile. "Perhaps it's time for you to take your leave as well, Fiona."

"Hey, maybe now isn't the time and place for this," Franky whispered. He motioned to Yor and Yuri with a nod of the head.

"Agreed," Fiona and I replied at the same time.

"It doesn't change the fact there will be consequences, doctor," Nightfall threatened. "Your colleagues won't be happy that their gift was rejected."

"I'm sure they'll understand. They are the ones that asked me to take the sabbatical," I reminded my fellow agent. According to Handler, I was granted time off so it's hard to believe they would throw me into a mission right before I was set to leave town.

"Yor!" Franky greeted excitedly as he spotted Yor walking over. I forced a smile again. He was probably looking for anything that would cut this tension. "How's your brother?"

"He's fine," Yor laughed. "He can overreact a little sometimes."

"A little?" Nightfall scoffed.

"Yuri just has had a hard time getting used to it not being just me and him anymore." I felt Yor's arm wrap around my waist. She was marking her territory. "I have Loid and Anya now. And so does he."

"Well with a sister like you, who would blame him?" I laughed in my fake, overly happy Loid voice as I put my arm around Yor. I could see one of our nosy neighbors peeking at us from a small crack in their doorway. It seems we garnered some unwanted attention. It was happening more often with Yuri here. "I was hoping him living here might help us bond a little more."

"I will never bond with you!" Yuri yelled from the couch.

"We'll have to try again tomorrow I guess. It's getting late so it's probably best if we called it a night. Anya has a final tomorrow; Yor has work and I have an appointment to get to." I could feel Yor clutch my side. I winced a little as her nails dug in. For such a petite thing, she was pretty strong.

"But…I brought booze," Franky said as he held up a bottle. "Macallan 18."

Before anyone could turn him away, Yuri walked up and snatched the bottle out of Franky's hands. "Pay him for the bottle, Loidy," Yuri snapped as he retreated back to the living room.

Yor and I gave each other a knowing look. Alcohol and Yuri were already a bad combination. If it were just us handling him in the apartment, we could probably contain the problem. If you toss Franky's instigating and Nightfall/Fiona (just her in general), this wasn't going to end well at all. At this point, I'll just have to keep Yor away from the bottle.

"Perhaps you should refrain from drinking tonight," I suggested as I reached for my wallet in my back pocket. "We wouldn't want an…accident." One wrong move and I'm positive she'll kick Nightfall right through the window.

"Is that code for oopsie baby?" Franky laughed with his hand out.

"I don't understand why I'm paying you to bring a bottle of alcohol to my house and drink it," I pointed out as I slapped a few hundred dalc into his hand, almost knocking him over.

"Ow! You really should be nicer to me!" Franky grumbled something to himself as he walked into the apartment.

"Would you…like to come in, Fiona?" Yor invited hesitantly.

I knew she didn't want her in our home. She didn't want her anywhere near us. I may not have always seen the jealousy, I'd even brushed it off as something else, but it was clear as day neither of them cared for the other. I could feel the knot in my stomach getting tighter as we waited for her response. Aside from her and Yor's disdain for each other, I also needed to worry about the fact that there would be an overly ambitious WISE agent in love with me around my Secret Police brother-in-law. Toss alcohol into the mix and my apartment had a high chance of being a warzone tonight.

"I will have to decline, but thank you for the invitation," Nightfall said. "Are you sure you don't want the care package from your colleagues, Dr. Forger?"

"I'm positive." I knew Nightfall wouldn't let this go. She was going to have to return to our superiors and let them know I was refusing a mission she was sent to deliver.

"A care package? That was so nice of them," Yor beamed. "Oh, peanut brittle. Anya doesn't like peanut brittle."

"So I've heard. Well, I guess I'll take my leave. Dr. Forger, Mrs. Forger, have a good night." I watched as Nightfall turned and headed down the hall until she was out of sight. Even with her gone, I still didn't have a good feeling about any of this.

Yor and I joined Yuri and Franky in the living room. On Yuri's insistence, Yor did have a little to drink (more like half a bottle of wine) so I decided I would stay sober for the evening. Someone needed to have a clear head and common sense tonight. I also made sure that Anya was in bed and asleep before the heavy drinking began. I sat in my chair, finally getting to read my paper while keeping an eye and ear open to ensure everyone was behaving themselves. I was more interested in the article regarding Donovan Desmond in my paper. After his arrest, there was a disagreement about where he would be kept in custody. Westalis didn't trust Ostania to not give preferential treatment to their former Prime Minister, but Ostania didn't trust Westalis wouldn't mistreat him. This sparked a debate about asking a neighboring country to house Mr. Desmond, but most had aligned themselves with Westalis or Ostania before the arrest.

It did cross my mind that this small conflict could extend Operation Strix. The thought left my mind just as quickly as it had entered it. It would be likely that both governments would concede to using a jail along the border of both countries manned by both Westalian and Ostanian soldiers. They won't want to delay sending him to trial and punishing him. Both countries want to make an example out of him. I was getting ready to put the paper away when I noticed a small article about the Westalis Cultural Exchange Program. A local artist would be going to Japan for a convention to promote the program in hopes to get an artist to participate. The convention also looked to be one of the Spy Wars tour stops. Hm. I didn't recall seeing the article before. Then again, I also wasn't particularly looking for it.

The tour would deviate us from the itinerary WISE set out for us. According to the tickets Franky brought over, we were meant to head to a ski lodge in Frigis, then we would take a trip to Eastern Nielsburg - Yor's hometown. No one would be dispatched to our locations as I was free to do as I pleased with my family, but they did want to know where I would be. We were to return about a week before the Eden Gala. I suddenly felt a tightness in my chest as the cruel reality set in. Time was running out. I shut my paper and put it on the coffee table. I must have hit the table harder than I thought because I heard something fall and clatter to the floor. I looked down to see what had dropped. Hm. What the hell is that?

You see the mess you're in now, don't you?

Shut up.

I told you that you've gone soft. You let your guard down. You've been a spy for over a decade and you're out here making rookie mistakes.

I know. You don't need to remind me.

Do you? It's one thing to fall for the woman, but to let a member of the Secret Police into your home? He's sleeping under your roof. He has free reign in your home. You put your mission and your life in danger because he's your fake wife's brother!

I rubbed my chin as I stared at the small silver disc on my coffee table. Three years. I have been playing Loid Forger for three long years and I have never slipped up. Three years ago, I would never allow this to happen. I wouldn't let Yuri stay in my home this long. I gave him the opportunity. I let my guard down and he bugged my home. I'm compromised. The worst part about it: I don't know how long he put this and likely other listening devices around me home. What has he heard? What does he know?

The living room was dead silent as I sat in the dark with only the moonlight on my back illuminating the room. I leaned back into my seat with my glass of whiskey. It turns out it was the drinking kind of night. I'm not sure if I was more angry with myself for failing to realize my house was bugged or the fact I allowed my family to be put in danger.

You could have easily avoided this. If he finds out you're a spy, you'll be arrested for espionage.

Don't patronize me. You think I don't know that?

I heard shuffling coming from down the hall and moved my paper on top of the listening device. As far as I know, no one else knows I'm aware of them. A very grumpy looking Yuri appeared in the doorway between the hall and living room.

"What are you doing up?" he asked grouchily.

I held up my drink for him to see. "Just a nightcap."

"In the dark?"

I shrugged. "Helps me think."

Yuri frowned. "You're weird."

That's rich coming from him. "Would you care for a glass? I know you had your fill earlier, but what's one more? Between brothers?" His eyes narrowed. I know he really didn't want to drink with me, but I also knew he couldn't say no to a good drink. I turned the label of the bottle to face him. Most people in my line of work have something they're saving for the day they achieve their ultimate goal or know they are about to die. This bottle belonged to an old partner that met the latter. "Macallan Red Collection: 71."

He was taken back when he saw what I was drinking. "How can you afford that?"

"It pays to be a doctor I guess." I motioned for him to take a seat on the couch. I already had a second glass on the table and a bucket of ice, so dropped a few into the glass and filled his cup as he timidly took a seat. "How's work, Yuri? I'd imagine you must be busy with all this crazy stuff happening with Mr. Desmond."

"It is," Yuri stated flatly. It was clear he couldn't and didn't want to talk about Desmond. "I'm sure you understand I can't talk about it too much."

I shook my head as I took a sip of my drink. "Completely. I'm just worried about you."

He stared at me with caution. I could tell he was suspicious of me. He has been for three years. "Why did you marry my sister? Don't give me some bullshit answer. I want to know the truth."

Straight to the point. "I wasn't looking to replace Anya's mother. I had resigned to the idea that it would be me and my daughter. When my first wife was alive, I didn't have much time to spend with them because of work and school. I didn't think it was fair to put another woman through that. But then I saw your sister. She was…no, she is the most captivating woman I had ever seen. I knew I'd regret it if I didn't ask her on a date."

"How long did you date?"

"A few months."

"Such a short courtship. Why propose so quickly? Why didn't anyone here know about you?" He was firing off questions like he was in an interrogation.

"We didn't know how people would react to her dating a single father. When we met Anya was still pretty young and her mother had been gone only a year. I think she was protecting my image more than anything. Yuri, I get how it looks to people. My wife died, then I met another woman a year later and married her. I didn't intend to find love again, but I fell in love with your sister. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her walk into that dress shop. And I only cemented that feeling when I saw her with Anya. I knew that my first wife would have wanted me to be happy and I've never been as happy as I am when I'm with Yor."

"I love my sister, but I know she isn't perfect. She's not a very good cook and she's a klutz."

"Yor isn't perfect, I know that. I'm not perfect either; but she's perfect for me. Look, I know you don't like me. And that's fine. You can hate me. But I will continue to try to be your friend, your brother until the end because that's what Yor wants. She has shown me what it truly means to love someone and I believe I was meant to cross her path that day. I love her, Yuri. I love Yor and I will move heaven and earth to keep her happy and safe."

The younger Briar stared at me. The darkness made his red eyes - the same red eyes he shared with Yor - look almost menacing. I didn't care if he believed me or not at this point. If I couldn't convince him by now, I never will. But he didn't say a word. He just sat there, sipping on his drink, staring me down. Maybe it's the alcohol, but I've never wanted to hit him more than I do right now.

We both looked up when the light in the hall turned on and saw Yor walk into the living room in a black nightgown that buttoned from the lapels all the way down to the bottom of the shirt. Again, this might be the alcohol talking, but a million things I'd rather be doing with her are running through my mind.

Focus, Twilight.

"Is everything ok out here?" she asked as she got closer. I wonder how long she had been in the hall. How much did she hear?

"We're just having a chat," I replied, taking another sip of my drink. "Isn't that right, Yuri?" He just grunted in response as he drank more of his whiskey.

She stood next to my chair and rubbed my shoulder. Oh she wanted something and I'm dangerously close to giving it to her. (No pun intended) "Don't drink too much; you have an early morning."

I could drink this whole bottle and still get up and run a marathon in the morning. "I'll probably finish up here in a bit and join you in bed."

I was surprised when she leaned down and placed a soft, slow kiss on my lips. I could hear Yuri's angry heavy breathing. I could get used to this.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I couldn't help myself."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing which got Yor laughing too. I could see Yuri in the corner of my eye and he was livid. He tossed back the rest of his drink and slammed his cup on the coffee table.

"I'm going to bed," he grumbled as got up from the couch and headed for his room.

"Hey Yuri?" I called after him.

"What?"

"I do hope things get better for you at work. Maybe when this is all over you can get some rest and relax."

I watched as he clenched his fists and his jaw tightened. "Whatever." With that, he disappeared into his room.

"I think we should make out in front of him more," I joked. "Speaking of which, what brought this on?"

Yor shrugged. "I really did come out here to check on you and I guess…" Her face started to turn bright red. Really? Now she's shy? "I really couldn't help myself."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We, um, we'll have to talk about…this," I said just above a whisper as I motioned between us.

"Oh."

Her voice was a mix of confusion and surprise. There was even a hint of disappointment. Who wouldn't be though? We have been in a fake marriage for years and I finally made a move on her. A few hours pass and now I'm saying we need to define what we are. I'm a grade A asshole.

"It's not a bad thing. Just something we'll need to ease into. I mean unless…" She let out a squeak when I pulled her into my lap and whispered in her ear in a low voice. "You want to start the more…intimate aspect of this."

I felt her shudder before she scrambled to her feet. "W…we can talk. That might…it…I don't know if I'd be ready. For that. Tonight."

I flashed her a smile before finishing the whiskey in my glass and pouring another for myself. "One more and I'll be right in. I promise."

She smiled and nodded before heading toward the hall. She stopped for a moment and looked at me from over her shoulder.

"Thank you, Loid, for always trying to make Yuri feel like he's part of this family."

"He is part of the family, Yor. He's your brother. He may not like me, but he loves you so I'll do what I can to protect him."

"You promise?"

I took half a second extra to consider my answer. "Yes. I promise."

She nodded again. "Oh and for the record. You are perfect."

I raised a brow, but before I could question her about her statement she was gone. The light switched off in the hall before my bedroom door clicked shut. Once more, I was alone in the dark. Well, not completely alone. I looked across the coffee table as I stared at the other me in my signature suit.

I'll say this again, Agent Twilight: There's no turning back.

I know that.

And you know what you have to do?

I moved the paper aside and grabbed the listening by device, moving it between my fingers before finally crushing it into little pieces. I reached into my pocket and unfolded the paper I stashed away, smoothing it out on the coffee table as I read the contents over and over again.

"This document hereby serves as an official summons for Dr. Loid Forger to appear in front of an official inquiry panel for a formal deposition. Dr. Forger is to report to the State Security Service office where he will be questioned in regards to a possible close relative or acquaintance being investigated for possible war crimes."

I took a long drink until the contents of my glass were empty other than the melting ice cube. I poured a little more in my glass, swishing it around in my left hand as I reached over to my right side, pulling my Luger P08 out from between the cushion and arm rest. I leaned forward, making quick work of my drink as I rested my right arm on my knee, the pistol dangling in my hand.

You're prepared to do what you have to?

Yes.

And you're willing to face the consequences?

I will do whatever I need to, to protect my family.

I slammed the glass on top of the paper, magnifying the last two words.

"The State Security Service of Ostania and the Westalian government have hereby launched an official inquiry into Yuri Briar."