"Friends and Family" for the Happily Ever After Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

This  takes place in the present and is a new "Senior Men from UNCLE' story. You can read "Times have changed" as well, for background.

Candles were flickering everywhere as she entered the bedroom, and she immediately detected the scent of roses.

“Illya?”

“And who else would spread rose petals on our bed my beloved wife, “he whispered from behind her, having appeared out of nowhere.

“Jaysus! I hate when you do that, sneaking up on me like that.”

“One would think after all these years you would have become accustomed to it my darling,” he brushed her hair aside with his hand and began nibbling on the back of her neck.

Elliott giggled, as that got her every time.

They didn’t have to worry about closing the door, as the children were grown up, married and had kids of their own.

Though Illya Kuryakin and his wife Elliott McGowan-Kuryakina were up there in years, they still had it in them for a romantic romp in bed.

“It’s not Valentine’s Day yet; why tonight,” she asked as they undressed each other.

“I was thinking…”

“Oh no here it comes. Illya ye are retired from U.N.C.L.E. Please tell me ye and Napoleon are not off ta do some mischief?” Her Irish accent became more prominent, just as Illya’s Russian would still thicken under pressure.

“Do not jump to conclusions,” he smiled as he continued to nibble on her neck. “I was thinking that we should, and I mean by we, our family and the Solo family should spend Valentine’s day together. Go to eat at a nice restaurant perhaps?”

“Ah sure, that’s a lovely idea. I’m guessing since Napoleon is alone now.”

“Yes, since he lost Bella, I think it would be wise for him to be with family, and we are his family as much as his children and grandchildren are.”

“T’is a lovely idea, and yer right. Now stop talking and focus on us right now, if ye don’t mind?” She smiled.

“I thought you would never ask,” Illya growled as he grabbed his wife and kissed her madly, tossing aside his cane.

“Not bad for an ould pensioner,” she finally freed herself of his lips.

“And not bad for an old la…”

“Enh, don’t ye dare say it.” She waggled her finger at him. “Ye were going to call me an ould lady.”

“Perish the thought,” Illya winked before he nudged her toward the bed. Gone were the days they could tackle each other, flying into it, but neither of them had lost their friskiness.

.

The arrangements were made and the Kuryakin’s children were all coming… their eldest son Demya his wife, and daughter Lourdes Mary as well as her husband could make it, Anton and his wife too. His twin brother Andrey who was studying at seminary said yes as well, once the reason was given for the family gathering.

Illya insisted the grandchildren be present. That meant Demya’s daughter Sophia and her brothers Illya and Piotr would be there along with Lourdes Mary’s sons, Paul and Michael.

Napoleon’s daughter Celeste and her husband would be bringing their son Edgar. Her twin sister Appollonia and her boys Nathan and Cassidy were coming as well, though she was divorced.  Alexander, Napoleon’s only son, was flying in from California as Illya had convinced him to tear himself away from his high powered job in Silicon Valley.

This was going to be a big surprise, as Napoleon wasn’t one for being out and social; life had changed for the once ladies man. He’d become a bit of a homebody, or perhaps more of a recluse.

For a man who loved female companionship, he was never able to jump back in the pool after he lost his wife to a heart attack.  He adored her, his Josephine to her Napoleon;  Josephina Maria Isabella Gabriella Graziani-Solo...his Bella.

It seemed to both Illya and Elliott that Napoleon was still suffering from a broken heart. He’d experienced a lost love a few times in his life, with his first wife when he was only nineteen; she died in a car accident.

Then there was Clara, he loved her but she refused to live the life of a wife of an UNCLE agent. Lastly there had been Joanna, and Napoleon was devastated when she left him for the same reason. She’d told him she couldn’t live with him thinking every time he walked out the door, he might be killed in some far off place. She refused to share him with the U.N.C.L.E.

Illya understood that, having been rejected himself by Marion Raven for the same reason.

Then they both met women who understood and accepted he and Napoleon for what they were, and what they did for a living.

Elliott was an UNCLE agent herself, so there was no lack of understanding on either of their parts. Fear, and possible death was part of their lives, and that made Illya and his wife’s time together all the more sweet.

Still they, like any couple, had their ups and downs but they made it through them.

Bella was a nurse, and accustomed to helping save lives and dealing with death as well. She understood that, and what Napoleon did was important, even at the risk of his own life. She was the one he was meant to meet, his own angel of mercy when Solo was hospitalized for of all things, a case of the mumps.

And now the Solo and Kuryakin clans gathered at an Italian restaurant hoping that might help raise Napoleon’s spirits, though it was a new one and not the place he used to like to take Bella.

As the three of them walked into the restaurant it was empty except for the wait staff and the hostess.

“Good evening Mr. Kuryakin, your table is ready,” she smiled, scooping up an armful of menus.

Napoleon instantly took note of the size of the table. “Illya, what’s going on.”

“Nothing, why do you ask?”

Just then, they heard the yowl of a baby and Illya knew they were done in.

“We are having a family dinner, a get together for Valentine’s day. We have the place to ourselves.

“You know for a cheapskate, that must have cost you a pretty penny, “Napoleon chuckled.

“Oh shut up,”Illya laughed as well.

As soon as they stepped into the dining room Napoleon was accosted by his daughters, son and his grandchildren.

“Hiya Pop Pop!” Edgar called out. “I’m gonna have baskettis with meat balls! What are you gonna to eat?”

Napoleon grinned as he scooped up the boy into his arms, it was then realized the entire Kuryakin clan was present as well. Illya wasn’t kidding  around when he said it was a family gathering.

He also wasn’t joking about having rented out the entire restaurant either, allowing the grandchildren to be as noisy and boisterous as they wanted, well within reason.

Once the seating arrangements were  settled upon,  the meals were ordered.

Napoleon sat with Illya to his left,  Edgar on his right and he decided he’d have baskettis and meatballs too which delighted his grandson to no end.

Soup, salad, antipasto, first course, second course... you name it; it was a real Italian style deal.

Valentine cards were exchanged, hand made by the grand kids,  and little boxes of candy hearts for everyone were passed round. Elliott had a beautiful corsage pinned to her shoulder as did Lourdes, Celeste and Appollonia as well as Demya’s wife.

“Here grandpa,” Edgar passed a little green heart to Napoleon,”this is for you.”

Printed on it were the words ‘I love you.”

“Thank you Eddie, grandpa loves you too.” Still he let go a wistful sigh.

He was a little down that his Bella wasn’t there, and as his eyes welled up, he swore he saw her standing behind her children and smiling. He heard her voice as clear as a bell.

“It’s okay to be happy Napoleon. We’ll see each other again, you know that. I love you.” Her image and voice faded.

“And I love you,” he whispered back.

“Are you all right my friend?” Illya leaned over to his partner.

“You know what tovarisch I am. I really am. Thank you for this.”

“Elliott and I thought you needed to be reminded how much you are loved by all of us.”

“That I am, Illya. I’m truly blessed.”

“You are not alone my friend,”

“I understand that now tovarisch.”

Napoleon realized that even though he’d lost his wife, he still had been with the love of his life for over forty wonderful years.  He had his happily ever after, and still did, now through his children and grandchildren.

He had Illya and Elliott to thank for reminding him of that fact as well as being a part of it.

“A toast,” he raised his glass of wine. “To friends, family and happily ever afters.”

“Hear hear,” Alexander Solo called out. He looked into his father’s eyes and saw that old twinkle return at last. “By the way dad, my girlfriend... her name’s Isabella. Well, we’re expecting, twins to be precise. You’re going to be a grandfather again, twice over. The doctors are pretty sure they’re boys, so there’s going to be more Solos in the world.”

Napoleon smiled. “When’s the wedding?”

“Umm, soon.”

“Better be sooner than later as I don’t want my grandsons being born illegitimate.”

“Okay dad, I promise. How about you fly back to California with me in a couple of days and we can do it then. Izzy won’t mind, she’s not one for a big ...what’s the word you used to use?”

“Shindig?” Napoleon chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s it. Anyway I’ll need you there, after all you have to be my best man. Heck why can’t the whole family come too, Uncle Illya and Aunt Ellie, Demmy, Lala, Anton and Andy too and all the grandkids.”

“I’d like that,” Napoleon smiled. Isabella and twins; it had to be a sign, and a very happy one at that…

“Thank you Bella,” he whispered ever so softly.

This piece references a lot of my stories: (back stories for both Napoleon and Illya)

‘The Solo Affair’ The Cabin in the Woods Affair’ ‘Only love can break your heart,’ The Cè la luna Affair” pertain to Napoleon. My ‘saga series’  which is the ongoing love story of Illya and his wife Elliott McGowan” All can be found on Fanfiction.net under Mlaw.

Lourdes Mary Kuryakin is sometimes called ‘Lala’ because as a young child her brother Demya couldn’t say Lourdes. Andy is short for Andrey Kuryakin. Anton Kuryakin was named for Napoleon’s middle name of Antony.

Napoleon’s daughters Appollonia and Celeste Nicole are twins.  Celeste Nicole...Nicole is for Nicholaí...Illya’s father’s name.  Napoleon's son Alexander is named after Waverly who was Napoleon’s wife Bella’s adopted uncle and godfather.

Comments

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

You brought a tear to the eye of this cynic (I've never really been a fan of Valentine's Day and this year even more so). I absolutely love this story. The day should definitely be a celebration of every type of love, not just the romantic kind.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you, what you said really means a lot to me and I understand. I haven't been a fan of Valentine's Day for years. You hit the nail on the head, there's all kinds of love, not just the romantic kind.

When the day comes up I sort of bury my head in the sand and try not to think about it...it a way, like Napoleon in this story.