The Twelve Days of UNCLE - Christmas Round Robin

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Here it is, all finished and tied up with a virtual bow.  If you've waited until now to read, I hope you'll enjoy this romp.  All of the chapters are linked below, and the epilogue is at the end of the list.

Chapter 1 by glennagirlChapter 2 by ssclassof56

Chapter 3 by mrua7

Chapter 4 by glennagirl

Chapter 5 by jkkitty

Chapter 6 by alynwa

Chapter 7 by pfrye

Chapter 8 by leethet

Chapter 9 by rosywonder

Chapter 10 by ssclassof56

Chapter 11 by pfrye

Chapter 12 by mrua7

The Epilogue...

Another figure appeared in the doorway behind Slate; freed of his disguise, Alexander Waverly was now wearing his familiar tweed.

He removed his fedora and gazed at his four agents...

Napoleon should have been surprised, but nothing about this affair had gone completely according to plan.  Looking at his boss seemed to be somehow appropriate, given the tangled mess they’d been in.

“Sir, it’s good to see you.” It was a reply that made the Old Man grin, his Chief Enforcement Agent was a man given to strategy, it made him more confident in him to see he was not taken aback by his own presence.

“Yes, ahh… I wonder, were you expecting me?”  Waverly didn’t think so, but he’d give the young man some credit for not being entirely taken in.

Illya shook his head as Mark and April stood with their expressions completely masking their participation in the charade that had been in play.

“No sir, not exactly…’ Napoleon let that slide into the air, not sure if they had succeeded or merely killed a young woman with an intense loyalty to her father.

“I wonder if this is the outcome you anticipated.” Waverly’s expression did not change, the hoary eyebrows merely raised more near to his hairline as he considered Solo’s remark.

“No, Mister Solo, I did not anticipate the loss of life of that young woman.  However, her father was a traitor and a murderer, and this affair was intended to bring him down, once and for all.  THRUSH will no longer have his wealth or brilliance to help them in their nefarious pursuits.  I regret the, ummm… the death of his daughter.  Her mother will not be comforted by the success of her plan to bring her husband to justice.  It will be a regrettable spot of failure in this affair.”  

The four young agents reflected individually on the death of Denise, of her mother having to confront her own culpability in the tragedy.

“Denise did choose her path, sir.  It was not something any of us truly anticipated.”  Illya had been reluctant at times to cater to Denise’s whims and her pursuit of him.  When at last he saw the potential in her to turn, as it were, to the dark side, he was too late.

“You are correct in that, Mister Kuryakin. Regina has lived a life of tragedies, beginning with her sister’s death at the hands of Depardieu.  Now, sadly, her daughter has suffered the same fate.’ Waverly sighed, the weight of this affair and its history, along with the wound he suffered were all beginning to bear down on him physically.

April saw the fatigue and motioned for Mark to join her as she offered to escort Alexander Waverly outside, intending to fetch a doctor or nurse who might prevail in convincing him to stay the night in hospital.  They met no resistence, a prevailing wisdom seemed to be in effect.

That left Napoleon and Illya in the room, grateful that the wound inflicted by Denise had not done more damage.  The memory of her, of the spiraling insanity of her actions and accusations… that would remain, as would the image of her as she emerged from the flames.

“Is it New Year’s yet?” Illya’s sense of time was a little off, the meds or the adrenaline had conspired to make him suddenly less aware.  Napoleon smiled, the festivities he would have welcomed were now just beginning back in New York.  Here is was indeed New Years Day.

“It is now January 1, 1966.  I say we celebrate with April and Mark while Mister Waverly gets some much needed rest.  Are you up to it?”

Illya nodded, he wanted to feel something other than the despair that often accompanied a successful mission.  It was too easy to forget that lives were unalterably changed, sometimes lost entirely.

“Yes, I need a new shirt, however. Unless…”

It took only thirty minutes to round up Dancer and Slate; they were waiting in the reception area when Napoleon and Illya came sauntering down the corridor.  Napoleon’s suit was unscathed, and Illya looked to be all in once piece.

“Hey, what sort of shirt are you wearing?”  April, the fashionista, was immediately honed in on the unusual looking shirt beneath Illya’s jacket.  The Russian smiled that sly, crooked half smile.

“It’s something brand new off of the Paris runways.” April’s face screwed into a strange expression as she tried to fathom what sort of designer would create garment Illya was wearing…

“Bwaahhaa… it’s a hospital gown!” Mark guffawed as he exclaimed, setting off a round of laughter at Illya’s makeshift garment, not to mention the theft of hospital property.

“That’s enough, just ssshhh… We’ll pay up later.  Now, let’s decide on a restaurant and a course of action.

“Eat.”

“Pray.”

“Live.”

“Really? In that order?”

“I think all of it, in any order, is a strategy for success.” April was smiling, so happy that they were well and safe.  At least for the time being.

Every new year was a good new year, expecially for an UNCLE agent.  After this affair it was nice to be able to look forward and not back at history and tragedy.

“Is anyone hungry for, umm… cake?”

Illya had to smile as he spoke, aware of the irreverence in his question.  Another round of laughter erupted as the four of them went in search of a good meal, and an  evening of merriment and friendship.

And cake.

Comments

[ssclassof56.livejournal.com]

Phew, what a roller coaster. When we met Regina and Denise in the beginning, I couldn’t have guessed the parts they’d play. But that’s the fun of a round robin. Thanks for organizing it and for the prompt!

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Ups and downs galore! It was quite a ride, thanks so much for your chapters. We'll be back in the spring for another one of these.