Under The Covers

She walked on the slippery and snow-covered pavement, feeling the piercing eyes of the man who walked behind her staring at her back. She didn�t know who this man was, but knew why he was there and who sent him and she also knew that he was going to shoot her if she�ll try to run away, therefore she walked calmly, as if no one was walking down the street behind her and planning to shoot her. She stopped walking and pulled a packet of cigarettes and a lighter out of her pocket, silently standing in her place and waiting for the cock of his gun to be heard.

�Would you like to smoke with me, before you kill me?� She asked and offered him a cigarette. With his gun still aimed at her, the man came closer and took the cigarette and lighter from her. He lighted one of the long and thin cigarettes and inhaled the smoke deep into his lungs. �How�s your operator?� She asked, straightening up her chin.

�He wants you dead, as usual.� The man said and took another drag on the cigarette.

�It�s good to know that I still make him hate me.� She smiled.

�Is it also good to know that it will be the last time he�ll ever have to deal with you?� The man asked, a vicious smile spreading across his face.

�There are millions like me who are after him. He just doesn�t know who they are.� She replied with a grin.

�It is very sad that a pretty woman like you has to go that low for money.� The man said and took another long drag of his cigarette. He coughed a little.

�I do what you do, my dear, but as opposed to you, I chose the right side.� She said. The man aimed his gun at her face and looked into her eyes. His hand was shaking and she attempted to overcome the urge to smile. �Why don�t you finish smoking before you do that?� She asked.

�Why would I wanna do that?� He asked coldly. In the cold of the night, she could see sweat forming on his forehead.

�Because I have a message for your operator.� She replied. �And I�d like you to deliver it perfectly, because those are going to be my last words.� The man nodded slowly and dragged on his cigarette. �Well, I would really like you to tell your operator that whether I am alive or dead, it doesn�t matter. The information that I had won�t be buried with me, as he might be thinking, and I am not the only one who is after him. If you kill me now, it will not matter the fact that his time is getting shorter.� She smiled and watched the man taking the last drags of his cigarette as she spoke and throwing the cigarette butt into a pile of snow.

�Impressive last words, if I may say, but it will not save you from your fate.� He said. His hand was shaking terribly and he tried to get a good grip of his gun.

�As a matter of fact, I think it�s the other way around.� She smiled at him and moved his gun aside with a wave of a hand. The man collapsed on the frozen ground and she handcuffed his arms and legs and quickly pushed him into the trunk of a car that was parking nearby. She drove out of town, to a small building and switched cars with a man who was waiting for her.

�Have a good night, Evangeline.� The man said to her before she drove away from there.

Lindsay Donner took a long sip of her morning coffee and entered the bedroom, where Peter was still sleeping, half naked. She took a seat on the edge of the bed, next to him and started stroking the nape of his neck. Peter opened his eyes and smiled at her.

�What time is it?� He asked. Lindsay got up and slid the white drapes aside. The room filled with the morning�s first sunrays.

�It�s 5:30.� She replied as he turned in bed.

�Are you wearing anything under this robe?� He asked as he gently touched Lindsay�s short navy-blue silk robe.

�Why won�t you take it off me and find out?� She teased him and slid one bare shoulder out of the robe. Peter smiled and stroked her bare shoulder. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he pulled her on top on him, kissing her shoulder as his finger slid down her back.

�Do you have any idea how much I love you?� He whispered into her ear.

�Show me.� She moaned before kissing him passionately.

The alarm clock rang at 7:00 AM and Peter slid his arm up and down Lindsay�s bare arms. She turned in bed and rested her head on his chest, letting her lips rub against his warm skin.

�I think we have to get up, Linds.� He declared, ruining the perfect moment.

�Yeah, I know.� Lindsay moaned and got up. Taking her robe that was thrown by the bed; she got up, opened her closet and pulled some clothes out of it. While she was getting dressed, Peter took a shower. She went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast and coffee.
It was 7:30 when they finished eating their breakfast and were heading for the door when Lindsay accidentally dropped her handbag and its content spread all over the floor. She moaned angrily and bent down to pick everything up. Peter did the same. He picked Lindsay�s Identification card and threw a glance at it. He could see that the picture was taken a few years earlier and he thought that she became even more beautiful than she was back then.

�Evangeline Hamilton�� He read the name that was written on the ID card. �You never told me that you changed your name.�

�I� what?� Lindsay asked with a slight shock. �Give me that please.� She said and snatched the card out of his hand. She buried the card deep in her bag.

�Why did you change your name, Evangeline?� He asked, toying with her real name.

�Please stop calling me that.� Lindsay said angrily.

�I think it�s a beautiful name, Linds. You shouldn�t have changed it.� He said as they went out of the house. �Does your father call you Lindsay?�

�I don�t wanna talk about it, Peter, and I�d appreciate it if you won�t tell anyone about that, okay?� Lindsay replied nervously as she went down the stairs of her small apartment building, followed by Peter. They went into the car and Lindsay started the engine.

�Why are you so mad? I just asked a question. How should I know that you hate your name so much?� Peter asked. Lindsay sighed.

�I�m sorry, Peter. I didn�t mean to get mad at you.� She took one hand off the steering wheel and entwined her fingers with his. �I just hate to be called by that name.�

�But if your last name is Hamilton, how can you be William Donner�s daughter as you claim to be?� Peter asked.

�Oh, come on, Peter. Use your head. I�m divorced. My ex-husband�s surname is Hamilton.� Lindsay replied. Peter�s jaw dropped. He didn�t know that Lindsay used to be married.

�So why is it still written in your ID card?�

�It�s my old ID, Pete. I was really young when I got married and things didn�t work out well between Gabe and me, so we decided to split up after a year of marriage.� Lindsay explained.

�I didn�t even know that you were married.� Peter said.

�It was such a long time ago. I was 21 and I thought I knew all about love. My father warned me that I�m still too young to make such a big decision, but I didn�t listen to him. It was the biggest mistake of my life. Gabriel and I only got along for three months and for the rest of our marriage we fought all the time.� Lindsay smiled. �I still see him sometimes, because he lives a few blocks away from me. He�s a broker and he got remarried and had kids.�

�So he went on with his life.� Peter said. Lindsay nodded slowly, �Why didn�t you remarry?�

�I went through a different path than him. I�ll get married again if it will be the right thing for me. I�m not gonna rush this decision again.� Lindsay replied as she parked the car in the underground parking lot of the central lab. �Why didn�t you?�

�I was too busy with work.� Peter replied with a shy smile. �That I forgot that I actually have a life.�

�Liar.� Lindsay smiled at him.

�Well, if you really wanna know. I never found the one. I�m still looking for her.� Peter replied.

�Why, thank you, Peter.� Lindsay teased him. �I thought you stopped looking for her when we became a couple.�

�You know I didn�t mean it that way.� Peter said as they went out of the car and started walking towards the elevator, showing their O.S.I.R. ID cards to the doorman who let them pass through the big glass doors. Peter pressed on the button of the sixth floor and smiled at her.

�Peter,� Lindsay said as the doors of the elevator shut. �Promise me that you won�t tell anyone about my name or about my divorce. I don�t want anyone but you to know that.�

�I won�t tell.� Peter said and took her hand, gently pulling her close to his body and pushing her against the wall. He only managed to brush his lips against hers when the doors opened and they heard Matt clearing his throat. He pulled away from each other and went out of the elevator, blushing from embarrassment as they walked down the hall.

�It�s wonderful to see that both of you are practicing kissing instead of practicing your speeches to the board of directors.� Matt said. He stopped a few feet away from the big wooden doors that separated them from the waiting hall of the conference room. After performing extraordinarily on a few difficult cases, Elsinger recommended the three of them for a promotion and each of them had to give a three minutes speech in front of the board of directors telling why they deserved the promotion and in what fields they would like to work. Lindsay wanted a position on the O.S.I.R. archives or the manpower department. Peter wanted a position on either the Chemistry or Physics departments and Matt wanted a position in the supreme headquarters. He looked at both of them and sighed. �Are you ready for this meeting?� He asked them. They nodded silently. He looked at them for a few moments. Peter was wearing a suit, a thing that he rarely did and looked a bit stressed. Lindsay was wearing a gray knee-length wool skirt, a matching jacket and a white buttoned shirt. Unlike Peter, she looked calm and confident. Peter untied his tie and tried to fix it, but his fingers were shaking terribly. Lindsay smiled and gently put her palm on his cheek, stroking it.

�Relax, Pete.� She said and let her hand slide down to his neck. She fixed his tie and straightened his suit. �You�re looking good. Just give a good speech and you�re gonna get the position.� She said and squeezed his hand.

�Are you ready to come in?� Matt asked. Each of them had a separate meeting with the board of directors and had no more than ten minutes to make them think they deserved the positions they wanted. Each of them prepared a file containing an application for the position, relevant documents, such as r�sum�, diplomas and recommendations from previous employers. Although Lindsay�s file was the thinnest, she seemed to be relaxed and careless as if she was sure she�ll get the position.

�I�m ready.� She said.

�Me too.� Peter added.

�Then we better get in there before we�ll miss our appointments.� Matt said and pushed the heavy doors open. They entered the waiting hall and informed the secretary that was sitting there that they had a meeting with the board of directors. She asked them to sit down and wait until they are called. Her phone rang a few moments later.

�Matt Praeger, they�re waiting for you in that room.� She pointed at a big wooden door. Peter and Lindsay wished him good luck and he entered the room. Ten minutes later he went out and Peter was called into the room.

�How did you do?� Lindsay asked.

�They�re quite tough.� Matt replied. They spoke quietly for a few minutes and Peter went out. He wished Lindsay good luck as she was called next. She entered the small conference room where three of the board members were sitting in front of her.

�Good morning,� She said and handed them her file. They opened it and looked at the documents that were in it.

�Ms. Donner,� One of them spoke. �Tell us why you think that you deserve a promotion.� Lindsay expected that question and was ready with an answer.

�I�ve been with the organization for ten years. I worked as a trainee in �Team Submarine� for a year and as a Senior Data Analyst in the Alpha team for nine years. I have a vast experience and knowledge that I obtained during my ten years of work in this organization and I can contribute it in the O.S.I.R. archives or the manpower department.� She replied.

�Explain to us what skills you have that qualify you for a position in either of those places.� Another member of the board spoke.

�I am a field expert. I have participated in many undercover missions. I have a master in psychology, so I know how to get information from people very easily, without having to use expensive techniques. I also have good computer skills.�

�Now tell us about yourself a bit.� The third man spoke.

�I am 34 years old, unmarried without children. I was born in Plumsville and currently live in Toronto. I studied in Oxford and I have a double master in psychology and biology.� Lindsay said.

�That would be it. We will notify you about our decision. Farewell.� One of the board members spoke and she went out of the conference room back to the waiting room where Peter and Matt were waiting for her.

�How did it go?� Peter asked.

�Well, they asked some questions and I answered them.� Lindsay replied as they went out of the waiting hall towards the elevator. Peter pressed the button and the elevator doors opened.

�Do you wanna go for breakfast somewhere?� Matt asked a few minutes later, as they went out of the elevator and started walking to their cars.

�We ate at home.� Lindsay replied with a smile.

�I didn�t know you live together.� Matt looked at them with surprise.

�We�re not. Peter just stayed over last night.� Lindsay replied.

�Well, since we have no case, the two of you have the day off.� Matt released them and unlocked his car. Lindsay waved goodbye at him as he drove away. She unlocked her car and they went into the car and drove out of the parking lot.

Since they had the day off, they went together to the video store and rented a few DVD�s. They planned to watch movies the whole day, since it was too cold to go out. They were walking slowly to where they parked the car, passing by a frozen park on their way.

�I have an idea.� Lindsay smiled. �When spring comes, we�ll have picnics in this park.�

�I�ve never had a picnic.� Peter said and took her hand.

�Wait until the spring and we�ll have the best picnic ever.� Lindsay promised. �We�ll sit on a wide blanket and we�ll drink wine and eat� we�ll eat fruits and ice cream.�

�Do you think it will be warm enough for ice cream?� Peter asked, playing her little imagination game.

�It�s always hot enough for ice cream.� Lindsay replied. �What�s your favorite flavor?�

�Guess.� He said.

�Vanilla and cookies.� Lindsay tried. He nodded slowly. �Guess mine.�

�Chocolate.� Peter guessed.

�No.�

�Strawberry?� Peter tried. Lindsay shook her head. �Cherry?�

�Coconut.� Lindsay said. Peter smiled. �You know, when I was little, my grandmother used to make ice cream on her own. We would come to her house in the summer and she�d pull it out of the freezer and top it with cherries or almonds.� Lindsay smiled as the memory popped into her mind. �I miss it.�

�Sounds like you have a cool grandmother.� Peter said.

�Yeah.� Lindsay sighed.

�Anyway, it�s getting really cold. So let�s go back home before we�ll turn into popsicles.� Peter said and they started walking even faster. Lindsay unlocked the car and they went into it and drove away from there.
The time was 4 PM and Peter looked at Lindsay, who was sleeping calmly under the thick down blanket. Her head was resting on Peter�s chest and he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and smiled. They were in the TV room, which Lindsay thoughtfully decorated. The walls were painted dark blue; the TV and DVD set were standing in the middle of the room. On the other side, near the wall, a big mattress was put on the floor, so whoever watched a movie would be the most comfortable. Peter smiled and turned the TV off. They watched three movies before Lindsay fell asleep and he was feeling a bit tired as well. Gently sinking into the softness of the big goose feather pillows, he fell asleep too.
Lindsay woke up not much longer later, when the phone rang. Unwillingly, she pushed the blanket aside and went to pick up the phone.

�Hello,� She said sleepily.

�Evangeline.� She heard a familiar voice. �I need you to meet me in an hour. You know where.�

�Yes, Sir.� She replied and hung up the phone. She went to the bedroom, opened her closet and quickly dressed up. Then, she took her keys and went out of the house, not even stopping to see if Peter was still asleep. She drove to the place where she was supposed to meet the person who called and parked her car. It was an old building and she entered it and started going down the stairs, into the basement, where there was a metal door. She pressed a combination code and the door opened. Going into the room, she sighed. By the mood of the people who ran throughout the room, it seemed like something was going on and she was expecting a lot of work. She hurried down the hall until she reached its end and knocked on a glass door.

�Come in.� She heard a man�s voice and opened the door.

�Richard,� She said, still trying to shake away her exhaustion. She sat down on the leather covered chair in front of him and waited for him to tell her why she was there.

�Evangeline,� He said and seemed to be distressed. �I called you and asked you to come here, because I think we might have a problem.�

�What�s the problem?� She asked.

�The man you arrested last night was sent by someone else, as you know.� He started. Lindsay nodded slowly. �Well, according to him, you have more than one enemy in the O.S.I.R.�

�I�ll get them, like I got the guy from last night.� Lindsay said.

�Eva, poisoned cigarettes and pretty smiles won�t help you get away from those people. I want you to go home and pack your belongings. You�re leaving town tonight. We�ll send you on another mission and you�ll start over.� The man said.

�I�m not leaving, Richard. I wanna continue my job here.� Lindsay replied.

�You cannot do that, Eva. You�re life is in danger and I can�t afford losing another agent.�

�Richard, I�m not gonna make the same mistakes Connor did. I�m already using a false identity. I�m smart enough to get through this and arrest many people who threaten the wellbeing of this country.� She insisted.

�I know that you�� Richard started saying, but she stopped him.

�I�m so close to getting the information we need, Richard. I�m gonna get the job in the archives and Peter, who has invaluable information, is really serious about me. Give me a little more time and we�ll have half of them arrested. No one else progressed that way, not even Connor.� Lindsay said.

�Eva, you�ve been undercover in this organization for ten years and supplied us with lots of information, that�s true, but you�ve never been in a danger before. It�s time to let Lindsay die and bring Evangeline back to life.� Richard sighed. �I�ll give you a long break and a good mission in Halifax.�

�Richard, please. I�ve dedicated ten years of my life to this mission. I wanna stay here and finish what I started. No one will do it better than me.� Lindsay insisted.

�You know what? I�ll give you 45 days, but you�re leaving town afterwards and you�re going to start carrying a gun.� Richard said.

�Thank you, Richard. Thank you so much. I swear you won�t regret it.� Lindsay got up and was about to go out of the room.

�Eva,� Richard said when she opened the doors. She turned around to face him. �Everyone is a suspect, even Peter, so watch yourself very carefully. I want to see you alive in the end of those 45 days. Is it clear?�

�Yes, Sir.� Lindsay replied and went out of the room. She went out of the house, taking a big breath of frozen air. She only hoped that 45 days were enough time to finish her job in the O.S.I.R. and go back home for a few months. She unlocked her car and went into it. The whole way home, she thought of ways she�ll be able to get information out of Peter without raising his suspicion. She opened the window and let the cool wind blow into the car. The cold helped her think and she inhaled it into her lungs letting her freeze her soul from the inside.
Parking her car in the underground garage of her building, she shook thoughts about her work out of her head. She wanted to spend some time alone with Peter, away from this craziness that ran through her mind. She needed him for herself before she�ll betray him in the worst way that ever existed. She was not a liar, but the person Peter believed she was didn�t truly exist and she knew that he�ll find it out in the end. Her cell phone rang and she picked it up. �Hello,�

�Mom!� She heard a child�s voice.

�Isabelle,� Lindsay smiled. She missed hearing the voice of the precious girl. �How are you doing?�

�I miss you, Mom. When are you gonna come back home?� Isabelle asked. Lindsay sighed. Isabelle was only a few months old when Lindsay left her with her parents in Plumsville and she only saw her every few months when she came home for a visit.

�I�m coming back home really soon, sweetie.� Lindsay said.

�For Christmas?� Lindsay could hear the hope in her daughter�s voice.

�No, sweetheart, but I�m gonna send you the biggest present ever.� Lindsay promised.

�I don�t want a present. I want you to come back and stay for good.� Isabelle said in a cry-voice.

�I�m coming home really soon, Isabelle. And I won�t leave you this time. I promise.� Lindsay felt tears welling in her eyes.

�You always promise me that. It�s unfair.� Isabelle said.

�Sweetie, I really mean it this time. I�ll be home really soon, but it won�t be for Christmas. I still have a lot of work to do here, but I swear that I�ll be back before your birthday and I�ll never ever leave you again. Okay, honey?� She asked the crying girl. �Okay.� Isabelle sniffled.

�Now, be a good girl and tell grandma and grandpa that I love them a lot. Okay, Isabelle?� Lindsay asked. �And I love you too, more than anything else in the world.� She added. She hung up the phone and sighed. Sometimes she felt sorry for Isabelle. The precious girl was accidentally conceived a few months before her divorce and Gabriel wanted nothing to do with her. Lindsay, who wasn�t very ready for motherhood at that time, left her with her parents and came to Toronto to get a job. She planned on staying for a few months and bring Isabelle to live with her, but soon realized that her job was not for a mother of a young baby, she decided to leave Isabelle with her parents until she�s old enough to join her, only that she got an undercover mission at the O.S.I.R. and knew that it wouldn�t fit with her life as a mother. She remembered how hard it was to make the decision between motherhood and career and every day away from Isabelle was unbearable. Even now, 10 years later the feeling still existed. Wiping her tears, she went out of her car, locked it and went upstairs. She was glad to see that Peter was still asleep and she quickly changed her clothes and went into the TV room. She lied down next to him and gently brushed her lips over his. His eyelids fluttered open and he smiled at her.

�How did you sleep?� He asked and wrapped his arms around her waist.

�I slept just fine, thank you.� Lindsay replied and kissed him. �I dreamed about you.�

�Oh, really?� Peter teased her. �What did you dream?�

�It�s a secret.� Lindsay teased him back and rested her head on his chest.

�It was a good dream, I hope.� Peter said and stroked her hair. She nodded slowly and leaned to kiss him when Connor�s face popped into her head. She pulled away from Peter and leaned against the wall. �What�s wrong?�

�I remembered something.� Lindsay buried her head in her palms. It has been almost ten years since Connor died and she still loved and missed him. She remembered the day she met him. It was a few days after she left Plumsville and was lonely and homesick in the big city. Accidentally bumping into him and spilling her morning coffee on his shirt on one cold morning in the diner where she ate breakfast, they started talking and he promised to help her get a job. She gave him her phone number and was sure that he�ll call her and ask her to date him, but when he called a few days later and told her that he arranged an interview for her with his boss, she was shocked. This man was a real gentleman. Very soon, they became good friends and he taught her everything there was to know about her new job. He was everything Gabriel failed to be and eased her guilt feelings for choosing a career over motherhood. She almost found the courage to tell him how she felt about him when he was killed and she stayed with her unfulfilled love.

�Lindsay,� Peter wrapped his arms around her shoulders and shook her gently. �Are you feeling okay? Do you want me to get you something?� Her pace turned pale so quickly as if someone drew all of the blood out of her body.

�I remembered Connor Doyle.� She could barely say his name. Suddenly, the doubts came back to her. Could it be that Peter truly was an enemy, as Richard said? Could it be that he cold-bloodedly killed Connor on the night of the explosion?

�Connor?� Peter�s jaw dropped. Lindsay just wrecked a perfectly romantic moment between them, only with a single memory-splinter of a dead man. He felt his heart quivering inside with burning rage. �That�s just great� The man has been dead for ten years and you�re still can�t let him go.� That was all Lindsay needed him to say in order to lose her mind.

�Get out of here, Peter. Get the fuck out of my house and never call or talk to me again!� She screamed. She could feel warm tears rolling down her face. Peter picked his belongings and went out of her house, feeling idiot for envying a dead man.
The moment she heard the door being slammed shut she collapsed into the softness of the mattress and burst out crying. She liked Peter, but the thought that he could be the one to blame in Connor�s death was sickening and unbearable. She just destroyed her relationship with a major lead on her investigation and nothing good could turn out of this, not to mention that if Peter was the one who killed Connor ten years ago, he could be turning against her in no time and do the same to her. Her tears finally stopped and she was slowly drawn into her dreamland, where nothing was peaceful.
It was only a few hours later when the phone call rang and violently cut an unpleasant dream. She lied on the mattress, trying to recover from the scare of her nightmare and gasped. It took a short while before she relaxed and by that time, the caller had already left a message on her answering machine. She got up of the mattress and went to the kitchen, where she prepared herself a cup of tea and listened to the message on her answering machine. It was Peter and he called to say that he was sorry for getting mad at her and asked her to call him when she hears the message. Although in her heart she wanted to call him and apologize for her part in their fight, she decided to drink the tea, take a shower and go back to sleep. Peter certainly needed some kind of shaking and she wasn�t going to let him out of it easily.
The doorbell rang at 7 AM and woke Lindsay up. She dragged herself out of bed and opened the door. Peter stood there and handed her a red rose.

�I�m really sorry for the way I behaved yesterday.� He said.

�Come in.� Lindsay said sleepily and Peter walked into her apartment and closed the door behind him. She went to the kitchen and prepared coffee for both of them. Peter sighed and gently touched her shoulder as she poured the coffee into two mugs. His fingers stroked the nape of her neck, easing the tension that was locked in her. �You�re such an idiot, but I still love you.� She sighed.

�I�m eternally glad for that.� Peter said and leaned to kiss her. She put her palm on hic chest and gently pushed him away.

�I didn�t brush my teeth yet. I�ll be right back.� She said and went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth and washed her face. Her face was still wet when she came back to the kitchen where Peter was waiting for her in the same spot she left him.

�I love the way you look in the morning.� He smiled.

�What�s to love? I look the same for the rest of the day.� Lindsay said and kissed him on the cheek.

�You know what I mean.� Peter said and leaned to kiss her, but she pulled away from him again. �Oh, come on. I thought we just made up!� He said.

�We did.� Lindsay replied and took a sip of her coffee.

�Then why do you act like this?� He asked. �You brushed your teeth already, what stops you from kissing me now?�

�Nothing. Why are you making a fuss out of that?� Lindsay took a seat near the kitchen table.

�Are you still angry for something?� Peter asked, raising all of his self-restraint. Lindsay shook her head slowly. �Then why are you acting like this?�

�I�m tired. That�s all.� Lindsay replied and sipped from the coffee. Peter took his cup of coffee and sat down next to her.

�Last night when you spoke about Connor, I reacted the way I did because I was jealous. I mean, he�s dead for so long now and you still love him so much. You should hear the way you speak about him. The man is your hero and I wanna be like him and have that space in your heart that you keep for him.� Peter said.

�I was mean to you last night too, Pete. I shouldn�t have acted the way I did either. I�m sorry.� Lindsay sighed. Peter took her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. �Kiss me?�

�Only if you won�t push me away again.� Peter smiled mischievously. Peter placed his palm on her cheek and gently pulled her face close to his. The phone rang and Lindsay pulled away from him and was about to answer. �Hey, let them leave a message.� Peter gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back into his arms. Their lips barely touched when Lindsay heard the answering machine go on.

�Mom, answer the phone.� She heard Isabelle�s cry. �Something really bad happened. I need you to answer right now.� Her daughter was sobbing. Lindsay pushed Peter back and quickly got up of her chair and grabbed the phone.

�Isabelle, what�s wrong?� She asked and could hear her daughter�s sobs.

�Mom, grandpa and grandma are dead. There was an accident and the car slipped on ice and we crushed into another car.� Isabelle sobbed.

�Where are you?� Lindsay asked, trying to keep her cool.

�I�m at the hospital. They say they can�t release me until you sign forms.� Isabelle cried.

�Isabelle, I�m gonna come and sign the forms, sweetie. Is there a doctor or a nurse I can talk to?� Lindsay asked.

�Ms. Donner?� She heard someone else�s voice. �I�m Dr. Sanderson. I�m taking care of Isabelle�s injuries.�

�Injuries?� Lindsay�s face became paler than the snow that gathered on her windowsills.

�Just some cuts and bruises. She�ll be alright.� Dr. Sanderson replied. �I understand that you�re Isabelle�s mother.�

�Yes, I am her mother.� Lindsay replied.

�Well, as Isabelle told you, your parents were killed at a car accident. Isabelle was lucky to get out of the car in time, before it exploded, but she is in need for her mother right now.� Lindsay was not even aware that Peter was watching her. �And by law, since she�s a minor, she cannot sign release forms and will have to stay here until you�ll arrive here and sign for her.�

�Of course. I�m gonna go on the first train. Is there someone there that takes care of her while she�s there?� Lindsay asked.

�Yes, we have a nurse that is making sure that Isabelle is getting what she needs until you�ll get here.� Dr. Sanderson replied.

�Thank you, Dr. Sanderson. I�ll be there as soon as possible. Tell Isabelle that.� Lindsay said. It was only a few moments after she hung up the phone when she let herself fall apart. Tears flooded her eyes and she cried uncontrollably and buried her head in her palms. Peter got up of his chair and wrapped his arms around her.

�It will be okay.� He whispered gently. He had no idea what was going on and who Isabelle was, but Lindsay was so upset about it and it was not the time to ask questions.

�Peter, I need you to go and buy a train ticket to Plumsville for me. Can you do that?� She asked through her tears. Peter nodded slowly. �I�m gonna pack some stuff.� Lindsay sighed and went to her bedroom.
An hour later, she and Peter were on the train to Plumsville. It was a two hours ride and Lindsay told him what happened.

�Wow, I didn�t know you had a daughter.� Peter sighed.

�She�s almost twelve years old.� Lindsay sighed and pulled her wallet out. She took a set of pictures of Isabelle out of it and showed him. �Gabriel didn�t want children at that time and he never came to see her. Not even once.�

�And you? Why did you leave her?� Peter asked.

�I needed to get a job. I hated being supported by my parents and I wanted to make some achievements of my own, so I went away to get a job and I thought that I�ll come back and take her as soon as I�m settled, but the job at the O.S.I.R. doesn�t fit a mother of a young child, so I had to make a choice.�

�So you chose career over motherhood?� Peter asked with a slight shock. �This isn�t something the Lindsay I know would do.�

�Don�t judge me, Peter. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do and Isabelle knows how much I love her.�

�It still isn�t enough, Lindsay. I�m sorry to tell you that it really makes me wonder about you.� Peter said.

�First of all, if you�ve never been in my position, do not judge me for my actions. Secondly, the Lindsay you know today is more mature than the Lindsay I used to be back then. And thirdly, I�m not like your mother, Peter. I didn�t desert Isabelle. I left her with every intention to come back and I made it clear to her that I�m there for her whenever she needs me.� Lindsay said. �I never had a point in my life when I didn�t want Isabelle to be with me, but it was impossible until now.�

�And what�s gonna happen now?� Peter asked.

�She�s gonna stay with me, Peter. I�m gonna send her to the best school and give her all of my love. She�s going to be a princess. It will be a dream come true for both of us.� Peter sighed. Lindsay was a whole new world for him and so different than what he believed she was.

�And what about us?� He asked.

�What about us?� Lindsay repeated his question, trying to understand what he meant by that.

�What will happen between you and me now that she�s coming to live with you?� Peter asked.

�I�ll tell her about our relationship, Peter. What else?� Lindsay grinned.

�And what if she�ll have a problem with that?� Peter asked.

�I�ll explain to her the best I can, Peter and I hope that she�ll be happy for me. I guess she�ll fight you for my attention at the beginning. Just let her be in the spotlight for some time.� Lindsay said.

�I�m terrified.� Peter sighed. Lindsay arched her eyebrows.

�Why? Don�t you want to have children?� She asked.

�Of course I do, but this came as such a surprise to me. I�m scared that I won�t know how to act around her.� Peter replied. �Why didn�t you tell me about her?�

�I just didn�t feel that it was something you needed to know, Peter.�

�Is there something else you didn�t tell me about yourself, Lindsay?� Peter asked. �Do you have more secrets that you think I shouldn�t know?�

�No, Peter. I don�t have secrets. You know I was married and you know that I�m a mother. There isn�t anything else you don�t know about me.� Lindsay replied. Lindsay stopped a few steps away from the entrance to the hospital and looked at Peter, who carried their suitcases and sighed.

�Are you okay?� He asked. From the moment she answered Isabelle�s call that morning, she looked pale and tired.

�I�m fine; I just realized that I�ll have to identify my parents� bodies.� Lindsay replied with a sigh. Peter wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed it gently.

�You have to be strong for your daughter. I know that I didn�t meet her yet, but I know that family is the only thing that keeps you whole in times of trouble.� Peter said. Lindsay nodded slowly and they walked into the building. Lindsay went to the front desk and gave the clerk Isabelle�s details and the clerk gave her the ward and room number where she could find Isabelle. Feeling her heart sinking deeper with every step she took, she walked towards Isabelle�s hospital room and opened the door. �Lindsay, do you want me to come in with you?� Peter asked her only a moment before she entered the room.

�Yes.� Lindsay replied and entered the room. They entered the room and Lindsay froze in her spot. Isabelle�s face and arms were terribly bruised and cut and she had bandages on her neck.

�Mommy?� Isabelle�s wailed.

�I�m here, Sweetie. I�m here.� Lindsay went over to her and wrapped her arms around Isabelle�s thin shoulders. Isabelle leaned her head on her mother�s shoulder and burst out crying and Lindsay could feel her tears streaming down her face. �I love you, baby. You can�t even imagine how much I love you.�

�It�s my fault, Mom. It�s my fault that they died.� Isabelle cried. �I wished that something would happen and you�ll have to come back and then we had the accident and they died.�

�No, baby. It�s not your fault. It was just a wish and you just expressed something you wanted. Don�t blame yourself.� Lindsay said and gently rubbed Isabelle�s back. She used to rub Isabelle�s back every time she needed to soothe her and it worked like magic. Isabelle fell asleep in her arms within a few minutes. Lindsay gently laid her down and covered her with the thin hospital blanket and then gently left the room and asked to speak with the doctor. He told her about the wounds Isabelle�s sustained and asked her to sign Isabelle�s release forms. She did it and then came back to Isabelle�s room and gently woke her up. �Izzie,� She said gently and stroked her daughter�s soft hair. Isabelle opened her eyes and looked at her with confusion. �We can go home.� She helped Isabelle dress up and a nurse rolled a wheel chair into the room. She helped Isabelle into the chair and they rolled her out of the hospital and into a cab that took them home. Lindsay opened the back door of the cab and gently lifted Isabelle in her arms. She knew that Isabelle was too old for that, but in that moment it felt like the right thing to do, because Isabelle�s body was sore. Peter took their suitcases out of the trunk and Lindsay told him where her parents used to hide the spare keys, so he would unlock the door. They entered the empty house that felt so different without the presence of her parents and Isabelle buried her head under Lindsay�s chin, using it as a safe hiding place in her mother�s arms. Lindsay sat down on the couch in the living room and looked at Peter for a moment. �Izzie,� She said gently. �Can we have a little chat?� Isabelle raised her head and looked into her mother�s eyes. �Isabelle, I know it might not be the right time and place, but it is important to me that you meet Peter, my boyfriend.� Lindsay motioned towards Peter, who sat down next to her.

�Hi, Isabelle.� Peter smiled at her. Isabelle�s gaze traveled between Peter and Lindsay in confusion.

�I know it�s really confusing right now, sweetie, so we can have another conversation about it later.� Lindsay said and stroked Isabelle�s hair.

�Mom?� Isabelle asked. �Are you going to stay here for good?�

�I can�t stay here, sweetie, but I�m gonna take you to Toronto with me.� Lindsay replied.

�But what about school and all my friends?�

�You�re gonna go to school in Toronto. You�ll make new friends there.� Lindsay replied. �Maybe we�ll be back here for a visit in the summer and you�ll be able to spend some time with your friends.�

Lindsay and Isabelle were standing in front of Isabelle�s closet and packed Isabelle�s clothes in a big duffle bag.

�Mom, can I take my toys?� Isabelle�s voice was full of hope.

�We�re not gonna take all of it, baby. Choose three toys you like the most and we�ll take them with us. We�re gonna donate the rest to kids who have no money to buy toys, okay, sweetie?� Isabelle nodded slowly.

�And what about my furniture?� Isabelle asked.

�Well buy new ones in Toronto.� Lindsay replied.

�Why?�

�Because my apartment is smaller than this house and those furniture are too big for your new room.� Lindsay replied. She knew how hard it was for Isabelle to let go of everything she was familiar with and leave it behind. �We�ll buy new ones and you�ll have the best room ever.� Isabelle nodded slowly.

The hour was almost 1 AM when Isabelle finally fell asleep and Lindsay could finally get up and go to the guest room, where Peter was sleeping. Quietly, she opened the door and went into the room. Peter seemed to be asleep and she stood near his bed for a few moments, trying to decide if she should wake him up or go to her own room and sleep there.

�Why aren�t you coming to bed?� He whispered.

�I thought you were asleep.� Lindsay gasped in surprise. She took a seat on the edge of his bed and sighed.

�I waited for you.� Peter smiled to her in the darkness. �Is Isabelle sleeping?�

�Yeah, she finally fell asleep.� Lindsay sighed and brought her knees to her chest. �I never realized how hard it is to be a mother.�

�You know that I�m here for you if you need help, Lindsay.� Peter said and took her hand.

�I know. Thank you, Pete.� She sighed. Peter pulled himself into a sitting position and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder. �Do you think she�ll like living with me?�

�I guess it will be hard for both of you at the beginning, but you�ll get used to it.� Peter said. Lindsay nodded slowly.

�I thought about making the TV room her new room. Will you help me renovate?� Lindsay asked. Peter nodded and gently placed his index finger under her chin.

�Do you have an idea how pretty you are?� He asked gently.

�It depends.�

�On what?� Peter asked with surprise.

�On the number of times you�ll tell me that.� Lindsay replied.

�I think it will be better if I show you.� Peter smiled and kissed her. She placed her palm on his cheek and her fingers stroked his ear and face. He slid one hand under her shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. His lips started going down her neck when they heard Isabelle�s voice.

�Mommy��

�Jesus Christ.� Lindsay sighed and leaned her forehead against Peter�s chest. �I�m sorry, Pete. I�ll be right back.� It took her a few moments to find her shirt. Quickly wearing it, she went out of the room. Peter sighed and stared at the wall, suddenly realizing how different things will be from now on. �She�s talking in her sleep.� Lindsay came back a few minutes later and took her shirt off again.

�I think we�re not grasping the sizes of the difference she�ll make in our relationship.� Peter said.

�Pete, I�ll understand if you don�t want to get involved with this. I won�t be mad.� Lindsay said.

�Are you kidding? I�m not gonna give you up so easily, Linds. I�m here to stay and the fact that you chose to take Isabelle with you and raise her intensifies my love for you.� Peter said and gently brushed his lips against hers.

�Really?� Lindsay didn�t have an idea that he thought this way. Most of the men she dated didn�t like the fact that she had a child.

�Yes. I think it makes you ready for commitment.� Peter said and his hand went up and down Lindsay�s neck. �I know it�s probably early for this kind of thing, but I would really like to institutionalize our relationship at a certain point.� Lindsay�s jaw dropped. �Relax; it�s not an official proposal. You�ll know when it will be.� He could see that she calmed down a bit.

�I�d like that, Peter, but let�s take it one step at a time.� She said. He nodded slowly and wrapped his arms around her bare waist. �Meanwhile, let�s go on from where we stopped.� She said and kissed him.
The time was 9 AM when Lindsay heard the door of Peter�s room opening and Isabelle�s soft steps on the parquet floor. She opened her eyes slowly and suddenly realized that only a blanket separated the view of her and Peter�s naked bodies from her daughter�s sight.

�Mom?� She heard the soft voice behind her. She turned around to face Isabelle, holding the blanket tight to her body.

�Izzie, can you go out of the room, so I can dress up? It will be just a few moments.� Lindsay said. Isabelle quietly went out of the room. Lindsay found her clothes and quickly dressed up and went out of the room. Peter was still asleep and she softly kissed his cheek and left the room, closing the doors behind her. Isabelle was standing there and waiting for her. �I�m sorry I asked you to go out of the room, Sweetie. I didn�t want Peter to wake up.�

�You didn�t want me to see that you were naked.� Isabelle grinned.

�Oh, well. You can put it that way too, I guess.� Lindsay replied. �Did you just wake up?� Isabelle nodded slowly. �Then let�s go and brush our teeth.� They walked to the bathroom together.

�Mom, is he going to live with us?�

�Who, Peter?� Isabelle nodded slowly. �We�re not living together, but he stays for the night sometimes.�

�To have sex?� Lindsay dropped her toothbrush into the sink and looked at her daughter.

�How do you know about this stuff?� She asked Isabelle with surprise.

�They taught us about it at school.� Isabelle replied.

�Aren�t you a bit young to know things like this?� Lindsay asked.

�I don�t know, mom.� Isabelle grinned.

�Well, I think you are.� Lindsay said, for the first time realizing that a mother had to be a censor from time to time.

�You didn�t answer my question.� Isabelle said.

�Which question?�

�About sex.� Isabelle replied, looking amazed about her mother�s reaction to her question.

�Well, Peter and I do a lot of things together, not only sex.� Lindsay replied, feeling satisfied at her answer.

�What other things do you do together?� Isabelle seemed to be satisfied by the answer as well.

�We watch television, we solve crossword puzzles, we go out to all kinds of places and we talk.�

�About what?� Isabelle asked.

�About many of things. We work together, so we talk about our job, we talk about things we read, heard, saw or experienced, about people we know. We have an endless list of things we talk about.� Lindsay replied. �Are you done brushing your teeth?� Isabelle nodded. �Then let�s go and prepare breakfast.� They walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

�Mom, do you cook well?� Isabelle asked.

�I never really tried, but I guess it wouldn�t hurt to try. Do you wanna help me cut salad?� Lindsay asked.

�Mom, I know how to cut a salad on my own.� Isabelle replied.

�Okay, so you�ll cut the salad and I�ll toast some bread and prepare some eggs.� Lindsay said. �How do you want your eggs?�

�Sunny side up.� Isabelle replied as she took some vegetables out of the fridge. �Mom, do you like spring onion in the salad?�

�Yes, but cut it thin.� Lindsay replied. �By the way, aren�t you late for school?�

�No, it�s winter break, mom. Don�t you know that?� Isabelle grinned.

�I do now.� Lindsay smiled as she put some bread in the toaster. Within ten minutes breakfast was prepared and they sat down and ate. �Izzie, what do you wanna get for Christmas?�

�I don�t know.� Isabelle replied. �A pair of ice-skates would be nice, I guess.�

�I didn�t know you skate.� Lindsay smiled. �Maybe we can go skating together.� Isabelle nodded slowly.

�Mom, what do you want for Christmas?� Isabelle asked and dipped a piece of toast in the yolk of her egg.

�Nothing, doll. I already got what I wanted you.� Lindsay smiled and stroked Isabelle�s soft hair.

�What�s that?� Isabelle asked.

�I�m getting to spend the holidays with you. There�s nothing I wanted more than that.�

�Good morning,� They heard Peter�s voice. He walked over to the table. Lindsay kissed him and wrapped her arms around him. �I see you�re having a little feast.�

�You want me to prepare something for you, Pete?� Lindsay asked. Peter nodded slowly and Lindsay prepared an egg for him too.

�Do you know that you look like each other very much?� He asked. Lindsay and Isabelle stared at him. �Well, I know that you�re supposed to look like each other.� He grinned. Lindsay and Isabelle smiled to each other.

A week later, they left the house in Plumsville and moved to Toronto. Lindsay left her aunt in charge of her parents� house. She asked her aunt to send her parents� belongings to storage and rent the house. When they returned to Toronto they found out that the team was broken apart and all of its members, including them, were accepted to different positions on the organization. Peter was assigned to a top-secret research project and Lindsay was assigned to the O.S.I.R.�s archives, as the manager of the O.S.I.R. projects section. She was in charge of the whole project section which meant that her job was to collect information and conclusions of all O.S.I.R. projects within Canada. Apart from her, there were typists that were supposed to type the project�s details and final reports, two website managers whose job was to insert the reports to the organization�s internet archive, and encoders whose job was to encode them, so only authorized members of the organization will have access to them. It was mostly a clerical work and did not require traveling; therefore it enabled Lindsay to spend a lot of time with Isabelle.

�Lindsay, I need your people to finish encoding �Project Octopus� by 11 AM.� The archive manager said to her on the phone. �We need to send it over to Allison Laston�s team and it�s urgent.�

�It�s almost done and we�ll be able to mail it to them in twenty minutes. Which team is working on the �Carlton Project�? The report is illegible.� She could hear the archive manager typing it in his computer.

�I can�t find it, Lindsay, but I know it has something to do with the Chemistry department. Try calling them.� The manager replied.

�I�ll try. Thank you, Dean.� Lindsay replied and hung up the phone. She called the Chemistry department and asked to speak with the head of the projects department.� They connected her to his office.

�Head of Projects, Lily speaking.� One of the clerks in the department answered the phone.

�Lily, I�m Lindsay, Projects manager at the archive. Can I speak to the HP please?�

�He�s not available right now. Is there a way I help you?� Lily asked.

�You can try. I need to know who�s in charge of the �Carlton Project�.� Lindsay said.

�Wait, let me look at my list.� Lily said and Lindsay heard her typing something. �I found it, Peter Axon is in charge.� Lindsay�s jaw dropped as she heard it.

�Peter Axon?� She asked.

�Yes, would you like me to give you the phone number of the project?�

�Yes, please.� Lindsay replied, feeling a tingling in her stomach. She wrote down the number Lily gave her, thanked her and hung up the phone. She sighed and looked at the paper where she wrote down the number. The project Peter was in charge with was the O.S.I.R.�s most high-status project and the most secret of all. Lindsay vaguely knew that it had something to do with the development of an extremely explosive and harmful substance. This project was being run for over eight years and until she got the job at the archive she couldn�t get information about it. She had 15 days until Richard pulls her out of the O.S.I.R. and she needed to finish her research and bring him results soon. She opened a drawer in her desk and threw the paper with the number inside. Then she grabbed her cell phone and car keys and got up. �Anna, I need to go out for a while. You�re in charge here when I�m gone. Please make sure that Project Octopus is being sent out to Larson�s team in fifteen minutes and please ask the typists to start working on project number 157. We need it to be done by tomorrow morning.� She said to her secretary.

�Do you know when you�ll be back here?� Anna asked.

�No, but it might take me some time so go out for lunch without me.� She said and went out of the office.
She drove out of town and was about to take the turn to the road that led to the house when she noticed that another car was following her and kept going straight. Raising her gaze to the side-mirror of the car, she tried to get a look at the driver�s face, but was unable to see who it was. She took a turn to the right and noticed that the car kept following her. Finally, she decided to stop in an observatory by the side of the road. She went over to the edge and tried to think of a way she could get out of that trouble. The other car kept going and disappeared from her view. She sighed in relief and took a deep breath of icy air. Suddenly, she felt someone grasping her from behind and holding her hands behind her back. The person who was holding her pulled a knife and held it against her neck.

�This is your last chance, Lindsay. You can tell me who sent you and walk away from here alive or you can die with the knowledge it�s the right thing to do.� The person whispered in her ear.

�I�m not scared of you. Kill me if you wish.� Lindsay replied coldly. She felt the blade of his knife cutting her neck and the blood gushing out of it. She bowed her head, pretending to be out of air and the man let go of her wrists. Before he could understand what was going on, she spun around and caught his wrists. She kicked his stomach and grabbed the knife out of his palm. �There�s something you should learn about me, bozo. I always win, no matter how hard you try to kill me, I don�t fall.� She pulled a pair of handcuffs and bound his wrists. She dragged him towards the car and pushed him into her trunk. She closed it with a thud and sighed. It was a close one and she was almost tricked by that man, a thing that shouldn�t have happened. She entered her car and drove to the house to meet Richard. It took her fifteen minutes to arrive there and she parked the car in front of it and asked the guard to call security so they�ll take the man and investigate him. Within a few minutes Richard and a security team went out of the building. They unlocked Lindsay�s car and took the man out of there and took him away from her. Richard called Lindsay over and asked her to get into his office for a short conversation. She followed him down the hall of the small house, until they reached his office.

�Take a seat, Evangeline.� He said and she took a seat in front of him. �You realize you have 15 days left for this case. You�ve been on it for too long and it�s time for you to take a break from it and spend it with your daughter.�

�I know and I will, Richard. I�m so close to the finish line. I found out something today and it takes my investigation one step further. Remember �Project Carlton�? Peter is in charge of it.� She smiled.

�You realize that he may be the one who gets you into trouble with this organization.� Richard said.

�I do, therefore I changed the clause in my will about Isabelle�s legal guardian if I die.� Lindsay replied. �You�re gonna be her guardian and I trust you to do what�s best for her.�

�Well, you know that I�d do that, but you better make it out of this case alive and well.� Richard replied.

�Look, Peter is like melting butter. I�ll plan a romantic evening for us, light some candles, cook something and he�ll tell me anything I�ll ask him.� Lindsay smiled.

�Sounds like a plan. I hope that it�s as easy as you say it is.� Richard replied. �Good luck and come back here safely in two weeks with or without results.� Lindsay nodded and went out of the room.
That evening, she made spaghetti with Alfredo sauce, lighted some candles, opened a bottle of red wine and wore something she knew would turn Peter on. Peter was surprised to see what she prepared for him and after they finished eating, Lindsay took his hand and dragged him to her bedroom that was lighted by candles. She gently placed his hand on the strap of her singlet and he slid it off her shoulder and leaned to kiss it. She smiled, knowing that by the end of the night she�ll have all of the information she needs.

A few hours later, as they were lying down, their limbs tangled, she smiled to him and asked him about it.

�I can�t tell you about it, Linds. You know it�s top-secret.� Peter said.

�You know I�ll get your reports in the end. It�s useless to hide it from me.� She replied.

�Well, we�re developing an explosive substance that can spread easily to wide distances.� Peter replied.

�Why does the O.S.I.R. needs such a substance?� Lindsay asked.

�I don�t really know. I guess we�re developing it for someone else. The organization is probably getting paid for this.�

�But it sounds like a dangerous substance, Pete. Are you comfortable developing this and knowing it might be used to harm people?� Lindsay asked him.

�This is the project they assigned me to. I don�t know what they�re going to do with this, but it isn�t my business as well.� Peter sighed.

�How much time it will take until the project ends?�

�Less than a year, I believe.� Peter said. �Hey, why are we speaking about work right now? We�re supposed to talk about how much we love each other.� He changed the subject.

�Or maybe we�re supposed to go to sleep.� Lindsay smiled at him and gently scratched his stomach, the way she did when she woke him up in the mornings. He nodded slowly and kissed her.

�Good night.� He said and smiled.
After getting some information about the project from the archive and photocopying it, she called Richard and asked him to issue warrants to all of the people who were involved with the project, Peter included. She sent him the information as well as an audio cassette where she recorded Peter telling her about the project. Within five hours, they had six warrants and the police invaded the O.S.I.R. Central lab and arrested five of the people in charge of the project. To Lindsay�s request, Peter was not arrested. Lindsay was given the warrant and was supposed to arrest him on her own.
It was 7 PM when Peter knocked on the door of her apartment. She smiled at him as she opened the door.

�Hi, Pete.� She said, pretending that she didn�t know why he looked so upset. �What�s going on?�

�You won�t believe what happened today at work. The police arrested five of our people. All of them are very important to the research.� Peter sat down on the couch in the living room with a sighed. Lindsay took a seat next to him and took his hand.

�I�m sure it will be alright.� She said. �Why were they arrested?�

�I don�t know. The police just went into our lab and arrested them.� He said. �The police in this city are so crazy that this city is unsafe.�

�I don�t think so, Peter. This city is unsafe only for people who do bad things. People who act according to the law, are not arrested.� Lindsay said and smiled. �People that are not like�� She stopped.

�Are not like what?� Peter asked.

�Well, people who are not like you.� She said and quickly pushed him down to the floor and bound his wrists with handcuffs.

�What are you doing?� He asked in awe and tried to get loose of her hold.

�I have a warrant, so you better act nice.� She said and pulled a gun that she hid beforehand under a pillow that was on the couch.

�You can�t arrest me.� Peter called out.

�I can and I am.� Lindsay replied.

�On what charges?� Peter asked with anger.

�Assisting terrorists is a good enough reason for you?� She asked and pulled him into a standing position and pushed him against the wall. �Richard!� She called out and her boss went out of the bedroom with three other policemen.

�You�re sick!� Peter screamed and tried to release himself from her hold.

�Stop moving or I�ll add �assault of a public servant� to your charges.� Lindsay said.

�Some public servant you are.� Peter replied and kicked the wall. Lindsay cocked the trigger of her gun and aimed it at Peter�s back. �Relax this instant.� She could see tears going down Peter�s face. She bit her bottom lip and felt her eyes filling up with tears.

�Evangeline, go and disarm your weapon and let me read him his rights.� Richard noticed it and decided to take over.
She looked into the investigation room through a glass and bit her bottom lip. Her brain was flooded with the knowledge that she has done an unspeakable thing to Peter and that she hurt him very deep. She saw him sitting in his chair, looking clueless and tired after 24 hours of interrogation. His eyes were bloodshot from crying and his skin was almost as white as the wall behind him. He did not ask for a lawyer, but did not tell Richard anything as well. Suddenly she realized that even though she did the right thing by arresting him, she was feeling for him much more than she thought. Richard entered the room and touched her shoulder gently.

�Evangeline, go home to Isabelle. You�re off the case.� He said. She nodded slowly and looked at him.

�I wanna speak to him and offer him the deal we discussed. Give me ten minutes and turn off the tape-recorder.� She ordered. Richard nodded and Lindsay went into the investigation room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it and took a deep breath. Slowly, she walked towards the table that stood in the middle of the room and pulled the empty chair towards Peter�s chair. �Peter,� Her voice was barely audible. He ignored her and stared at the wall behind her. �It�s okay. They�re not recording us.�

�I don�t wanna see you and I�m not talking to you.� Peter looked at her and she could see fiery rage in his eyes.

�I know you�re angry at me, Pete, and I completely understand what you feel about me now. It�s important to me that you know that I didn�t do it to hurt you. I truly love you and I consider you my friend more than anything else.� She said.

�You lied to me about everything you are.� Peter said, �You are fake from head to toe, Lindsay. Fuck it; it�s not even your real name.�

�Look, I know everything I told you about myself was a lie, but not all of it was. I enjoyed working with you, Peter, as a friend and as a lover, and I did not plan on getting you arrested, until two days ago. When you told me about the project and how you feel about it and that it wasn�t your business why the O.S.I.R. needed such an explosive substance, I understood that it was important to stop you now, before you�ll damage your career and get years of imprisonment for a much worse crime.� She said, �I know you hate me right now, but I�m the only one who can get you out of this if you cooperate. I can make sure that you won�t be trialed and imprisoned and that this won�t bear a criminal record at all.�

�Why should I believe you? Why do you think I�ll cooperate with someone who lied and deceived me once?�

�If you won�t trust me now, you�ll be in trouble. You�ll have to be trailed and will probably be convicted.�

�Let�s say I cooperate, what should I do?� Peter asked.

�Well, first you have to hire a lawyer or ask for one. Then you�ll have to tell the investigators everything you know about the project and the people who are involved in it. None of them is offered such a deal.� Lindsay explained. �After the investigators get all the information they need, you�ll be released.�

�And what will be written in my criminal record?�

�That you testified as a witness. There�s a catch in it, though.� Lindsay said. �You�ll have to go into a witness protection program. It means that you�ll have to leave your job and this town and your friends behind. You�ll use another name as well.�

�Can I think about it?� Peter asked.

�Yes, You have an hour to decide whether or not you want to accept the offer.� Lindsay said. �I�m going home. Would you like me to stop at your place and get you some clothes?� Peter nodded slowly. �If it helps you decide, know that if you decide to cooperate, you�ll get to shower and rest before you come back here for another questioning and if you decide to leave it, you�ll stay in this room until you talk.� She said before leaving the room. Peter watched her walk out of the room and buried his face in his palms as the door closed behind her.
She came back an hour later with clean clothes for him and some food. She took a seat next to him and watched him eat. Even though he was very hungry, he ate slowly.

�I think I want to accept the deal.� He said. Lindsay nodded slowly.

�Do you want to hire a lawyer?� She asked. He nodded. �Do you have someone particular?�

�Do you have a lawyer?� Peter asked.

�I can call the lawyer who handled my divorce. He�s office is one of the best in town.� Lindsay replied.

�I�m facing criminal charges and you wanna call the lawyer who handled your divorce?� Peter grinned.

�His partners handle criminal matters.� Lindsay smiled.

�Is he very expensive?� Peter asked.

�He�s worth every cent you�ll pay for him, Pete.�

�Then hire him for me.� Lindsay nodded and took out her cell phone. She dialed Marks and Crimshean, which was the office that represented her when she divorced Gabriel and within a few minutes Peter had a lawyer.

�He�ll be here shortly.� She informed him.

�Lindsay, I mean, Evangeline�� Peter�s face reddened with embarrassment.

�You can call me Eva.� Lindsay said.

�Eva, can I ask you a few questions?� Peter asked. She nodded slowly. �Who wanted to buy the substance we were developing?�

�The Cuban Liberation Front. It�s a terrorist organization.� Lindsay replied. �You�d be in a deeper trouble if you weren�t arrested before the substance is developed and sold to the CLF.� Lindsay explained.

�And you?� Peter asked.

�What about me?� Lindsay asked.

�What�s real about you?�

�Most of what I told you was true. I was married to Gabriel and we had a child, as you know, which he never wanted. The only thing about me that you didn�t know, that I was an undercover agent for the government secret services this whole time. Connor was too.�

�Connor?� Peter�s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

�Connor went out of the navy and he joined the secret service. We met a few days after I arrived at Toronto and I accidentally bumped into him and spilled coffee over his shirt in a diner where I ate breakfast. He was calm and gentle and he got me the job. He�s my mentor in whatever I do."

�So what happened?� Peter asked.

�You know what happened. He blew up the plant in Russia. He made a mistake by using his real name in his undercover mission and Elsinger was on him very easily.� Lindsay replied. �Someone blew my cover too, only that it was harder to find me because I used a fake name, and because I had a pretty cool way to disarm anyone who tried to kill me, and believe me, it happened at least fifteen times.�

�How did you disarm them?� Peter smiled.

�Well, don�t tell anyone, but I simply offered them a cigarette. I usually carry a packet of cigarettes in my pocket for such cases and anyone who smokes them loses his consciousness within two minutes after they finished smoking it.� Lindsay smiled.

�Poisonous cigarettes?� Peter asked. �Did you think of it yourself?� Lindsay nodded. �What did you put inside?�

�It�s a drug that similar to the date rape drug, only stronger and works better when you inhale it.� Lindsay smiled.

�You could be a brilliant chemist.� Peter said. �So what did you do if someone didn�t smoke?�

�I beat them up. Actually, I got beaten pretty badly once and I spent a night at the ER.� Lindsay smiled.

�Was that the time you said you were robbed?�

�Yeah.� Lindsay replied. They heard a knock on the door and Peter�s lawyer went into the room. �Anyway, now your lawyer is here, I can go.� Lindsay said. �Most chances are that we�ll never meet again, so I just wanna say that I�m sorry about all of this and that I truly love you.� Lindsay said.

�Why are you saying that I won�t see you again?� Peter asked.

�I�m leaving town with Isabelle. We�re going into the witness protection program as well.� Lindsay replied. She sent her hand forward to shake his, but he stood up and pulled her into his arms.

�Is it allowed?� He asked.

�Yes, I�m off the case.� Lindsay replied.

�Good.� Peter said and softly brushed his lips over hers. Her hand clutched the collar of his shirt.

�Be brave for me.� She said and wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt her sliding something into his shirt. He smiled to her as she went out of the room. Later when he took of his shirt, he noticed a small note that fell out of it. He picked it up and read it.

�Dear, Pete. I know that it will probably be hard for us to ever meet again, but here�s my email address just in case you�ll ever want to write to me. Love you, Eva.� She wrote her email address in the bottom of the paper.

Jamie Ashcroft, who was formerly known as Peter Axon entered his new apartment in Goldenhaven Avenue that was a small and quiet street in Plumsville. He liked this town when he visited in it with Lindsay and thought it was a nice place to live. The street reminded him of the place where he grew up and he smiled. The apartment was equipped with electric devices and his furniture and belongings were already there, lying in big carton boxes, waiting to be set and fixed. He went over to one of them and opened it, ready to start arranging the place.
It didn�t take long before the living room and bedroom were ready for living and he started arranging his kitchen. It was a small kitchen, much smaller than the one he had in his previous apartment. The lower part of the walls was covered with wood boards and the upper part was covered with striped wallpaper. The cupboards were light blue and the floor was covered with thin and long gray tiles that resembled wood. Not much longer later, the kitchen was arranged as well and he compressed all of the smaller the carton boxes into a bigger one and went out of his apartment, to throw it away. Since the weather was not too bad, he decided to take a walk through the small town. Very quickly he reached Durham Avenue which was located in a small suburb not far from his house. He walked over to the last house on the block and knocked on the door, hoping that Lindsay decided to move there. He was happy to see that she was, in fact living there with Isabelle and she let him in.

�So tell me, what have you been doing since the last time I saw you?� She asked. They were sitting in her living room that still looked the same as it did the last time he was there.

�Nothing. I just moved into town today. I thought you might be around.� He replied, feeling a bit uneasy. �How�s Isabelle?�

�She�s fine. She�s sleeping in her friend�s house tonight.� Lindsay replied. �As soon as school year ends, we�ll be moving out of the country. We�ll be going to Oxford. I have some friends there and they got me a job at the university as a TA.� Lindsay said.

�You�re not staying here?� Peter asked. Lindsay shook her head. �But what about your job in the secret services?�

�I resigned. I�m done messing with people�s lives and I can�t risk Isabelle�s wellbeing by keeping working for them.� Lindsay replied. �We�ll start over in a new place. There�s a wonderful private high school in Oxford and Isabelle�s gonna go there.�

�Who�s chasing you anyway?� Peter asked.

�The same people you�re hiding from, Pete.� Lindsay replied.

�It�s Jamie, by the way.� Peter corrected her.

�Jamie� I like that.� Lindsay said.

�What about you? Don�t you have a fake name?� He asked.

�Well, people in Oxford know me as Evangeline. Some of them call me Angie, so I�m gonna use that name.� Lindsay explained.

�I thought that your nick name was Eva.� Peter smiled.

�My parents and friends here called me Eva. In Oxford I�m known as Angie. You can use either names, I don�t mind which one.�

�I think I�m gonna call you Evangeline.� Peter decided.

�Works for me.� Lindsay declared and leaned forward to kiss him. �You know, Isabelle is not at home tonight. What do you say about staying over?� She whispered in his ear.

�What do you say about coming to see my new apartment?� He asked. She nodded slowly and after wearing their coats, they went out of the house.
Lindsay giggled as she almost slipped on the icy sidewalk. A car that passed by slowed down and she heard the cock of a gun coming from its direction. Pushing Peter down into a big pile of snow, she pulled her gun out of her pocket and started shooting. The man in the car shot back and within a few seconds, blood started spraying out of his face and he collapsed inside the car. Lindsay sighed and put down her gun.

�Son of a bitch.� She moaned. Peter came over to her and wrapped his arms around her neck, suddenly noticing that she was bleeding. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he dialed 911. �It�s just a scratch, Jamie.� Lindsay moaned.

�I don�t care, Evangeline.� Peter said and gently wrapped one arm around her waist. She sighed.

�Please, Jamie, it doesn�t hurt so much and it will stop soon.� She said. �Hang up the goddamn phone, Peter!�

�It�s Jamie.�

�Jamie, please. We can take care of it on our own.� Lindsay begged.

�Why don�t you want to go to the hospital?� Peter asked her.

�Because I hate hospitals and it�s not a fatal wound. We don�t need a hospital.� She replied.

�Okay, come home with me and I�ll take care of it.� Peter hung up the phone and gently wrapped his arm around her.

�Thank you.� She whispered.

�Now, let�s go.� Peter said and took her hand. It took them five minutes to arrive at Peter�s apartment and he ordered her to sit on the couch in the living room as he went to the bathroom and brought disinfectant, cotton wool and bandages. Gently, he helped Lindsay take her coat off and then he located the wounds. There were two scratches: one in the side of her shoulder and one near her ear. �You need to take your shirt off.� Lindsay slid one arm out of her shirt and tried to pull it over her head. �Do you need help?�

�Yeah,� She moaned.

�I bet it hurts more than you�re telling me.� Peter smiled and gently pulled her wounded hand out of her shirt. �How much does it really hurt?�

�A lot.� Lindsay replied. �You know, I never killed anyone. I have to call Richard.� She grabbed Peter�s cell phone from the coffee table and dialed Richard�s number. After reporting the incident to him she hung up and sighed.

�For someone who never killed, you hit him really good. I bet you do a lot of shooting practices.� Peter smiled.

�Connor taught me how to shoot.� Lindsay said.

�Was he good at sniping?� Peter asked.

�The best. We would go to the firing range together and we would compete. I only won once and I think he let me win.� Lindsay smiled. �Anyway, I�m ready.�

�Are you sure? It�s gonna sting.� Lindsay nodded slowly and Peter gently poured disinfectant on the cotton wool and started disinfecting her wounds.

�Jesus Christ!� Lindsay moaned in pain and tears formed in her eyes.

�I�m sorry.� Peter said. He could only imagine how painful it was to sustain such wounds. He dressed the wounds and helped Lindsay lie down. �I�m gonna wash your shirt and give you one of mine until it will be clean and dry.� He said and went to the bedroom and brought her a sweatshirt. She wore it and hissed in pain as she had to pull the sweatshirt over her wounded arm.

�Thank you.� Lindsay whispered. She knew that this incident could easily end up with her death or Peter�s and was glad that this time it ended well. She closed her eyes and felt as if her head was floating in a misty place and then slowly sinking in it. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Richard sitting next to her and staring at her. He smiled to her and she blinked in confusion and tried to get up.

�It�s okay. Lie down, Eva.� Richard said. �How are you feeling?�

�Tired.�

�Well, you lost some blood, but you shot the bastard�s face good. I�m proud of you.� Richard smiled. �Now, I see that you and Jamie found each other, and I think it�s wonderful, but it also puts both of you in danger. I think you�ll have to move to Britain sooner than you thought.�

�I can�t do this to Isabelle. I�m gonna let her finish elementary school and then we�ll move away.� Lindsay said.

�That�s fine with me, but I want your house to be monitored 24/7 and I want you to carry a gun at all times, even in the shower.� Richard ordered. Lindsay nodded slowly. �Did I ever tell you why I got into this business?�

�I don�t think so.� Lindsay replied.

�About 20 years ago, I took my family to a vacation in Cuba. On the third day of our vacation, we went to a restaurant. My wife, Rosie and my little girl, Lindsay were eating ice cream and I was sipping a coffee. It was the most peaceful scene you could ever find: A family on vacation, a beautiful wife wearing a yellow summer dress and a little blond girl licking pink ice cream from a cone. It took only a split second until this picture shattered into pieces. The place exploded by Castro opposers and Rosie and Lindsay were killed.� Richard sighed. �She should have been about your age now.�

�So that�s why you renamed me�� Lindsay said. �I�m sorry, Richard. I didn�t know.�

�It�s okay, Eva. I was glad to name you after my Lindsay.� Richard said, �And that is why I want you to take care of yourself. You�re important to me just like she used to be and if I�ll lose you, it will be the same as loosing her all over again.� She could see tears shining in his eyes. She had never seen Richard like that before. Usually, he was strict and commanding and she viewed him as a father figure. She knew that he cared about her a lot, but had no idea what were his reasons for that � until now.

�I promise you I�ll watch myself, Richard.� She smiled and took his hand. She squeezed his palm gently.

�And take care of your arm.� He said and smiled at her. �By the way, I was wrong about Peter. He is a good man and knowing you, I think you�re gonna be happy with him.� He smiled.

�Thank you, Richard. You�re a good man too.� Lindsay said. She let him out of her focus for a few seconds and he was no longer there. �Peter,�

�Evangeline, you�re awake.� Peter came over from the kitchen. �How are you feeling?�

�Where did Richard go?� She asked.

�He wasn�t here, Evangeline.� Peter replied. �I think you dreamed.� He said and stroked her face. �You were asleep for a few hours.�

�Peter, he was just here and talked to me.� Lindsay insisted.

�Evangeline, he wasn�t here, I swear. My cell phone is on the coffee table next to you. Call him if you want.� Peter suggested.

�Never mind.� Lindsay said. She got up slowly, biting her bottom lip as she moved her wounded arm.

�How�s your shoulder?� Peter asked.

�A bit better, I think.� She replied.

�Are you hungry?� He asked her and she nodded slowly. �Good, cause I made dinner.� He smiled widely. She followed him to the kitchen where the table was already set for two. They sat down and started eating. �Do you need help cutting that?� Peter asked as he saw Lindsay struggling to cut her food.

�No, I�ll handle.� She smiled. �Peter,�

�It�s Jamie.� Peter corrected her.

�Jamie, I never formally apologized in front of you for using you in my investigation.� She said.

�You don�t have to. Who knows where I�d be if you didn�t have me arrested at time.� Peter replied.

�So you�re not mad at me?�

�I was when you arrested me, but after seeing what happened to the other five people who were involved in this project, I realized that you saved me.� Peter said. �So I have to thank you.�

�It�s important to me that you�ll know that even though I lied about most of the things, my love for you was and still is real. I didn�t fake it.� Lindsay explained.

�I know, Evangeline.� Peter smiled.

�And I would be glad if we�ll go on from where we left off.� She smiled. �And I don�t wanna take it slow. �

�Me neither.� Peter said. �Remember when I said that when I�ll make an official proposal you�ll know?� He asked. Lindsay nodded slowly. �Now it�s an official proposal.� He said. �I know I don�t have a ring now and that I�m not kneeling in front of you in a tuxedo, but it is an official proposal.� He smiled. �Evangeline, will you marry me?�

�God, yes!� Lindsay smiled widely and got up of her chair. She sat on his knees and wrapped her healthy arm around his neck. �Yes, yes, yes.� She said. Leaning forward a bit, she brushed her lips against his, teasing him by pulling away from him every time he tried to kiss her.

�Evangeline,� Peter pulled away a few moments later.

�Yeah,� Lindsay replied.

�What about Isabelle?�

�What about her?� Lindsay asked.

�How will she take it?� Peter asked.

�We�ll talk to her together and explain to her everything there is to explain. She likes you a lot. I don�t think it would make such a difference to her.� Lindsay said.

�And what about Oxford?�

�I think that we should go there, Pete.�

�Jamie.�

�Jamie. It�s gonna be really good, I promise and I already told Isabelle that we�re going to leave at the end of the year. I already arranged a visa for her and I agreed for the job at the university.�

�Okay, we�ll go to Oxford. Does it mean that I have to get a visa too?� Peter asked.

�Well, I don�t think I ever told you, but I lived in Britain when I was little for five years, so I�m a British citizen. I don�t think you�ll have hard time emigrating there, because we�re gonna be married by then.� Lindsay replied. �But let me arrange that.�

Lindsay and Peter got married in a small old church in Belle Island. Peter�s father arrived at the wedding, and they invited Richard as well. It was a small and humble ceremony. Lindsay wore a lacey white and gold dress and her hair was curled. Isabelle was the ring carrier and she looked adorable in a lilac dress. For the first time since she decided to take responsibility over her daughter, Lindsay allowed Isabelle put some make up and she looked much older than her twelve years.
They spent their honeymoon in Florida, and decided to take Isabelle with them, therefore they stayed in a family suite that allowed them to be alone with each other and still spend some time with Isabelle. Peter kissed Lindsay for the hundredth time that night and entwined his fingers with hers. They finally moved to their new house in Oxford. It was a hundred years old house and Lindsay just loved it. They were living not far from the university and Lindsay was about to begin working at the end of the month. Jamie also got a job in a drug and health company and was also supposed to start working in a few weeks. The summer vacation almost ended and Isabelle was supposed to start going to a private school that cost Lindsay and Peter a fortune.

�Eva, do you think the O.S.I.R. is still looking for us?� Peter asked.

�Are you still bothered by that?� Lindsay asked.

�Always. I�m scared that they�ll find us here and hurt you and Isabelle.� Peter replied.

�We�re using fake names. How can they find us?� Lindsay asked.

�Isabelle is still carrying your maiden name.� Jamie replied.

�You�re right.� Lindsay sighed. �I should have thought of that before.�

�What if I adopted her? That way she�ll stop carrying your maiden name and she�ll finally have someone to call dad.� Peter suggested.

�Well, I have no objections, but I think it would be better if we asked her if she wants that.� Lindsay replied and leaned over him. �It would be nice if she starts calling you �dad�, wouldn�t it?�

�I know.� Peter smiled and kissed her. �Did she ever ask you about her real father?�

�Yeah, she asked me about him a few times.� Lindsay replied. �You know, I�ll feel safer if you adopt her. If something will ever happen to me, she�ll have you to care for her.� Peter nodded slowly and took her hand.

�I�ll be glad to be her father. She�s such a sweet child.� He smiled at her.

�She is. Can you believe how much she grew since she came to live with me?� Lindsay asked.

�She looks a lot like you. When she laughs, it�s like hearing your laughter and when she smiles her eyes are shining just like yours when you smile. You don�t even realize how much of you I see in her, Eva.� Peter said.

�Let�s just hope that she won�t make the same mistakes I did.� Lindsay sighed.

�Eva, you didn�t make mistakes, you made choices.� Peter said.

�Some of those choices were wrong.� Lindsay said and rested her head on Peter�s chest. �And as result of it, we�re all running away and hiding.� She sighed.

�Eva, you have to stop feeling guilty because of this.� Peter kissed her forehead and took her hand. �And we have to go to sleep, or else we wouldn�t wake up tomorrow morning.� He turned the lights off.

�Good night, Pete.� She whispered. Normally he would correct her, but he knew that Lindsay made it a habit calling him by his real name before going to sleep in order for it to be the last word for the day, in case she doesn�t make it to the next one. Even though he thought that it was weird and somewhat disturbing, he knew that whatever gave her some peace of mind was welcome into their lives.

�Good night, Eva. I love you.� He replied. He was glad when he heard her calm breaths and knew that she was asleep. Lindsay was so worried during the day to his and Isabelle�s safety that the only time that she wasn�t bothered was in her sleep. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and closed his eyes, letting his fingers caress her bullet scar as he slowly sank into his dreamland.

THE END

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