Ever After, Chapter 3

Ever After, Happily...Interlude

by Caroline Miniscule

Emma Peel lay nestled in the arms of John Steed. They had not made love - though they had started out to do so. But as they had started to undress each other while they kissed, Emma had suddenly began to cry, and Steed had wound up holding her in his strong arms while she had sobbed uncontrollably.

''I'm sorry, Steed,'' she had mumbled. ''It's okay, my darling,'' he murmured, stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. They had comforted each other many times in the past, but he had never, ever, seen Emma Peel cry before, and his heart was breaking. But he held her close and after a while her sobs lessened until finally she fell into a sleep. Steed lay beside her contentedly, stroking her hair and thinking pleasant thoughts.

The next morning, Emma Peel woke up. She lifted her head from Steed's chest and kissed him gently on the lips. His eyes opened immediately. They stared at her questioningly, and this time when they began to kiss, she did not cry.

After a time, they showered, dressed, and went for a walk on the beach outside their hotel room, which Steed had decided to rent in the name of Brian Harris. They walked slowly, enjoying the scenery, the sound of the waves lapping the shore and the cries of the birds, and enjoying the feeling of their fingers intertwined.

''The first question is,'' said Emma Peel, ''are we alive or dead?''

Steed looked at her. ''I didn't think you'd have to ask that question after this morning,'' he said regretfully.

She shoved him with her shoulder. ''Don't be silly. I mean us. John Steed and Emma Peel. Are we alive or are we dead? If we're dead...how did we die and how easy will it be to resurrect us? If we're alive, what are we doing, and how can we arrange a swop?''

Steed nodded. ''I think a more important question is, who did this to us? That will dictate our actions in either case.''

Emma looked at him grimly. ''It's obvious, isn't it? Our Side did this to us, Steed. If it was the Other Side, why set up these elaborate charades - these new lives? All the planning, the money that must have been involved. Why not just kill us and have done with it? No...it must have been Our Side...our own side...''

Steed quickly put her arm around her and hugged her. She returned his hug.

''Why would Our Side want to do this to us, come to that?'' he said. ''We were the best..the elite agents of Department S. It doesn't make sense.''

Emma nodded. ''Well, we'll have to find out. One way or the other, we're going to get our lives back. And a couple of people are going to pay, very dearly.''

Steed, thinking of the Emma Peel crying in his arms the other night, nodded. Yes, someone would pay.