"Connecticut huh?" Napoleon rolled his shoulders and settled back in the Thunderbird.

"Yes. And could you have chosen a more conspicuous car from the pool Napoleon?" Illya glared in distaste at the Robins Egg Blue paint job.

"I thought you'd want to impress your sister."

"I don't need to impress my sister."

"Ah well then maybe I do."

"No, you most certainly will not." The flinty stare was enough to have Napoleon in peels of laughter.

"Your bedroom door doesn't have a lock does it?" Illya tooled the car into the light traffic.

"You know it doesn't."

"Hmm and you've seen me use a knife?"

"Yeeesss." Napoleon answered slowly as he stole a sideways glance at his partner.

"And you would not be stupid enough to make any attempt on my sister, especially since I've been co-opted into staying with you for the duration." The tone was calm, almost light and Napoleon dared a glace again and frowned until he saw the tiny twitch at the corner of Illya's mouth as he suppressed a laugh.

"Oooooh Mr. Secret Agent you're scaring me."

"Must you be so, so…?" Illya rolled his eyes.

"Camp?" Napoleon asked innocently.

"Da, in my country it isn't allowed."

"Lot's of things in Russia aren't allowed. It's a wonder the people ever managed to procreate."

"Homosexuality is not about procreation."

"You noticed huh?"

"Yes Napoleon, I've noticed." Illya slowed the car down and looked his partner in the eyes. Blue sparkled and behind it a dare that Napoleon knew better than to call him on.

"Well hooray for the swinging sixties." Solo murmured, he couldn't help but notice the flinch Illya gave as he jerked the car back into the mainstream traffic, and filed the small admission away for future reference.

Illya liked many things, jazz, food, and until now Solo thought he knew him well enough to be able to judge, but this was something different, something unexpected from the often taciturn Russian and he smiled before he dropped the dark tinted sunglasses back onto his nose. He opened his collar and draped back across the soft leather of the car and turned his face to the sun.

Napoleon must have dozed. It was a lazy day full of lassitude and he could almost hear the dragon fly's buzzing through long grass. The salt tang and ozone of the ocean calmed his often overwhelmed senses and for a few moments he relaxed as the sun lent its own definite warmth to the undertone of scents. A none too subtle shove against his arm pulled him to full alertness and he took in his surroundings.

A pretty well kept tree lined street, with tiny cottages and he realised he was not on a normal suburban street but in a community. He felt as if Ira Levin would jump out brandishing a copy of Sylvia and issue stern warnings but nothing, not even the great Solo sense of self preservation kicked him within the benign surroundings and he smiled.

"Which is your sister's house?" he stretched and felt more at ease than he had in a long time and that unnerved him.

"Second on the left from the corner." Illya slowed down and angled the car with precision. It was at that second Napoleon realised how tense his partner was.

"Illya, even if your sister has blue eyes and blond hair like yours, I promise not to be anything less than charming and professional."

"Yes, it is exactly that which concerns me."

"Speak." Solo prompted as he straightened his clothes.

"Anaya is protected from people like us Napoleon. She is a gentle woman, with a compassionate nature."

"Not at all unlike her brother."

"Thank you." A rare smiled graced the Russian.

"And I promise I will protect her Illya, even if it is from me. She is yours which makes her ours, playing with her affections, would cause you distress and that my friend I will not do. Now, shall we meet the lady in question?" Napoleon got out of the car and pulled his jacket shut over his shirt concealing the firearm he wore from habit and smiled.

Illya's only response was a curt nod of the head and a tight smile, and he led the way to the door.

It was a pretty well kept cottage, with flowers in the garden and clipped green grass. The air smelt faintly of roses and Illya stopped for a moment before he fished in his pocket for a set of keys and opened the door.

"Milaya?" Illya called as he shut the door behind him and pointed to the deck out the back. "She will be in the sun."

"Is she expecting you?"

"No, but then she never does." Illya replied with a cheeky grin as he spied blond hair on the small flagstone terrace.

"Lusha??"

"Da and I bought a friend. Anaya, this is my partner, Napoleon."

She smiled up brightly, sun caught the colour of her long hair and she glowed, a small cotton rug tucked neatly around her legs and a book open across her lap. She was a vision of perfection; intelligent blue eyes twinkled behind heavy horn rimmed glasses.

"Ah yes. The great Napoleon Solo." She extended a hand, enchanted he bent down on one knee, took the fine boned hand in his and kissed the back of it, before he frowned lightly and turned it over. The palm calloused slightly and she pulled away. "From the wheelchair." She said softly, her voice a plaintiff song of whimsy in the warm courtyard.

"Dobry dien......Vy ochen' krasivaya." And again he kissed her hand.

"I'm Illya's sister, what did you expect? A monster?" her laughter was quicksilver as Illya bent down and kissed her on both cheeks and then lightly on the lips. "Braht, where are your manners, make tea." She ordered and Illya inclined his head.

"But of course if the Tsarina demands."

"He looks worried Napoleon, what's going on?"

"I should wait for Illya to return. You must forgive me Anaya, until yesterday I did not know Illya even had a sister, let alone one as truly beautiful as you." And the words that tumbled out contained no hint of avarice, no attempt to manipulate or steal affection, only truth that was in his heart and she smiled again, a simple radiance that captured his soul.

"In your business it is usually better you do not know too much about people you work with. It protects them as well as you."

"Astute." He pulled the wrought iron chair closer to her and relaxed back.

"Not really I'm Russian Napoleon. We understand the need for secrecy and protection. It is a burden Lusha has had to endure since we were young."

"Something else I've only recently discovered."

"You are almost out of jam Ny, isn't Caroline still doing the shopping for you?" Illya came out with a tray holding the tea.

"Don't fret she will be here tomorrow, her daughter just had a baby."

"Oh. Boy or girl?"

"Girl and stop stalling. Enough of this cloak and dagger braht. Whilst I am inordinately pleased to see you, I know when something is up, so give."

"She is back."

"Maht?" Anaya sipped the tea and grimaced as she stirred in more jam.

"Yes." Napoleon leant forward.

"And you wish to know if I have seen her?"

"Have you?"

"Lusha, if she had come by here I would have rung to tell you. You know I forgave her a long time ago, but like you I refuse to forget. She is not welcome here and never will be."

"It made no difference to her approaching me in a Manhattan club two nights ago, despite the warnings."

"Warnings?" Napoleon who had been quiet was finally feeling comfortable in the presence of the siblings. The dynamic was different, Illya was different with her and despite being the elder of the two, he deferred to her and clearly adored her.

"Something else you did not tell your partner?" Anaya raised a well shaped brow.

"Something's were not for public consumption." Illya stood and went back inside to the small kitchen and began to help himself to food.

"The last time we saw her Napoleon, Illya vowed if she ever crossed our paths again he would kill her. Slowly and with as much malice and pain that she poured into our childhood, which was considerable. He must have had too many witnesses; otherwise she would now be dead."

"It was a very public place."

"What did she want?"

"She didn't say."

"Be careful of her Napoleon. She is well placed and will try to manipulate him."

"He hates her."

"Yes, but love and hate are the anthesis of each other."

"Too true. Unfortunately given the knowledge and information we have on her, we have strong reason to believe both of you may be in danger. She was able to track Illya to a bar we do not regularly frequent."

"Were you followed?"

A snort by the door as Illya came back in munching on a sandwich. "I'm a professional Anaya, I was not followed. However, she may still find you."

"And you want me to go into hiding against my own mother? Allow her to manipulate my life again? Have me live in fear of her? I think not, I may be in a chair, but I'm capable."

Illya put the sandwich down onto the plate and handed it to Napoleon. On his knees before his sister, hands held together and head bowed.

"I do not doubt you but I cannot loose you either. I love you too much, do this Anaya. Do this for me." And when he raised his head, silver tears tracked his face and Napoleon was breathless, for as much beauty and strength radiated from the small woman she could never compete with the force of nature that was her brother. She kissed his face and embraced him awkwardly before nodding.

"Only for you milli moy, only ever for you."

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This page is an unofficial site that exists only for the fun of it. All characters and situations from the television show "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." are property of Norman Felton and Warner Bros. Nothing ill is intended by this use of any television characters in these amateur efforts. Any fiction linked to these pages is the intellectual property of the amateur author who created it and is not presented here for profit.