Royale-lex-Aux

I must've dozed off because somebody is shaking me awake. "Tracy, get up." James says. We're on the train and it's still dark outside. A quick look at my watch shows that it's almost four in the morning.

"Where are we?" I ask, yawning.

"Dieppe." James gets up and gives me back my coat. "We're almost there. Come on."

I yawn and stand up, putting on my coat. James takes my hand and helps me off the train. We grab my suitcase and James leads me to another car that he's rented. Within minutes, we're on the main road heading north and following the Somme River.

I lean against the window of the passenger's side and watch the countryside. Snow's covered the ground and the trees are barren. It reminds me of upstate New York, where I used to live. The momentum makes me sleepy.

I doze off, lulled to sleep by the moving car.

The next thing I hear is the sound of waves crashing on the beach and seagulls crying. There is the faint smell of sea salt. Where am I? I wonder as I sit up and look around. I'm in a nice room, lying on the bed with James' heavy woolen coat draped over me. But there's the feeling of neglect, as if the house hasn't been used for a very long time.

The French doors are closed. James is sitting outside on the wrought iron patio furniture, looking at the black ocean beneath the fleecy gray blanket of clouds in the sky.

"Hey." I say as I open the doors and walk outside, pulling the coat close to me. He nods at me. "Royale-lex-Aux is very beautiful."

"Hmm." He mutters as I sit down. He still has a pained look on his face.

"Doesn't have a lot of happy memories here, does it?"

"Vesper's buried not too far from here. This was her family home." James says.

"Will they mind if we're here?" I ask.

"They left long ago. She left it to me." He says, still looking forward. "Can't get rid of it as much as I want to."

I decide to not ask any more. It's clear he still misses her. It's also painfully clear to me that while I love him, his heart belongs to another woman. Maybe it would be best if I go back before my heart gets more involved with him. Part now before both of our hearts get broken. "So…what are we going to do now?"

"Somebody from MI6 is coming tonight to take you across the Channel and back home to your grandmother. Then I'm going to go back and deal with Blofeld." James says as he gets up.

"Do you know what he's got planned?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Come in before you freeze."

"You're one to talk." I say as I follow him inside and close up the balcony doors. "Sit outside in the cold weather without a coat."

He chuckles, almost amused. "Yes, Mother."

I spend the rest of the day straightening up and cleaning the house as I'm bored out of my wits. James stays out of my way and I stay out of his. He wants to be left to his brooding and I don't want to get sucked down with him. So I grant his wish.

As I dust the things on the fireplace mantle in the main room, I come upon a framed photograph that has been turned down. Picking it up, I study the subject.

It's a beautiful young woman, a few years older than me at most. She's standing at the wheel of a yacht in Venice. Her long black hair is curled over her slender shoulders. Bright green eyes sparkle lively and her lips are turned up in a wide smile.

This must be Vesper…she's so beautiful…no wonder he's still grieving. I wonder what happened to her.

I hear footsteps coming into the room. At first I think it's James. But they're high heel shoes, a woman. I can also smell a very familiar perfume.

"She committed suicide a few years ago after embezzling money from the British government in order to save Bond's life." Grandmother says. "I doubt Bond has been able to forgive himself."

I turn around and see Grandmother standing there, looking at me. I can't read her. "I suppose you're the one who's taking me back." I say, resigned.

"No. I've come to share necessary information with Bond." She says.

"If he didn't tell you, how did you know we'd be here?"

"I'm not stupid, Teresa. I've been doing this since I was your age." She says, sitting down. "I've known for some time that you've been helping him."

I shake my head as I put the photograph back. "I should've been suspicious when you didn't question that half-baked story I gave." I groan.

"Why are you helping Bond?" She asks.

"He saved our lives and I felt that I owed him for that." I say. Grandmother studies me, as if she doesn't believe me. "It's the truth." I say, feeling like she doesn't believe me. She nods, accepting it.

There is more footsteps. James comes in, having changed into a fleece jacket and jeans. He looks at Grandmother and me in surprise.

"Don't look at me." I say, holding up my hands. "I'm just as surprised as you are that she's shown up."

"I didn't say anything." James says, still looking at Grandmother. "I should've known you'd show up eventually…"

"I guess I'll leave you two alone." I say, getting up and leaving the room to give them privacy.

I put on my coat and head outside into the cold air. There's a pathway that leads to the ocean. Maybe I'll stroll alongside the beach. I head down the steps to the dark and cold waters of the sea. The dark waters roll into the beach before receding back. A gull flies above, crying out.

Picking up stones, I skip them across the water as Mom had taught me so long ago. My thoughts are lost while I think about Vesper and James. She must've been some girl for him to fall head over heels with. I envision her in my mind based on the photograph I had seen and the few stories I had.

Maybe she was lively. Maybe she loved to laugh. Maybe she and James liked to snuggle together and watch those old romantic movies. The thought of James looking cow eyed over somebody is a pretty funny one. I smile as I skip more stones.

But there is a pain there. To be honest, I envy Vesper. I envy that she got to know James. I look back at the house where Grandmother and James are talking. Was it there that he and Vesper planned on getting married in? Raise their children? Grow old watching the sunsets together?

It's best that I'm leaving…I think as I keep walking away down the beach. I can't be with somebody who constantly thinks about the woman he loves.

Even though I constantly think about him.

Even though if there were one person I could spend the rest of my life with, it would be him.

Even though I love him.

After a while, I decide to return to the house. James is coming down the path. "I was going to look for you." Why does he look so relieved to see me?

"I was fine." I said. "Did Grandmother tell you what you need to know?" I ask.

"Yes. Tracy, can we talk?" James asks.

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?" I ask as we walk alongside the water.

"Blofeld is more paranoid than we anticipated. Berg Alberti is a virtual stronghold. Also, he's been holding the lead businessmen of the world hostage there." James says.

"Why is he doing that?" I ask.

"There's rumors that he's hitting them up for protection money. That if they don't do as he says and give him a cut of their profits, he'll ruin them." James says. "The reason I'm talking about this to you, Tracy, is that there's a very high chance that I won't come back."

"We've always known that." I say, accepting it as part of his life.

"No, let me finish." He says. "If something does happen to me…will you make sure that I'm buried next to Vesper?"

I feel a tear roll down my face. I've known that Vesper is the love of his life. It still hurts to hear him say that.

But for him…I'd do anything.

"Yes, James. I'll bury you next to Vesper."

"Thank you, Tracy." James says, wiping my face dry. Suddenly, he kisses me, wrapping his arms around me. My feet curl in my shoes and I return his hug. I feel his fingernail rubbing on the nape of my neck. He allows me to run my fingers through his blonde hair.

It feels so good…but…I can't… "No." I say, pulling back. "Not here."

James nods, accepting. But his blue eyes look so hurt. I feel bad for hurting him.

But it's best.

"We'd best get back." I say. "Grandmother is probably waiting for us."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be a bad idea." James says, taking my hand. We don't look at each other as we walk back.

The memory of his hurt blue eyes is haunting me.

It's time for us to leave. Grandmother, James and I are going back to the train station at Dieppe. Then he'll take the train to Paris where he'll fly to Bern. Grandmother and I will go to Coquelles where we'll take the Chunnel back.

When we get to the train station, I want to say good bye and thank him for everything. If this is going to be the last time we see each other, at least let it be on neutral terms.

"Good luck, Mr. Bond." I say, shaking his hand. "And thank you again."

"You're welcome, Miss Draco." James says before turning for his train.

I watch him disappear into the crowd before finding Grandmother sitting on a bench, waiting for our train. I join her on the hard wooden seat. We're silent for a while.

"You love him, don't you, Tracy?" Grandmother asks. Unable to say anything, I just bow my head. She's quiet for a moment before continuing. "Sometimes, we pay so much attention to our enemies that we forget to watch our friends as well." Grandmother sighs as she gets up. "It's your call Tracy. I'm going to catch my train."

I wonder what she's talking about. But then I catch the purse next to me. Funny, Grandmother never liked carrying purses, I think. Opening it, I see Dad's Smith and Wesson, ammunition and all the papers I need, including a passport, a debit card and a train ticket to Bern.

She wants me to go with James.

I look up at her, but she's already disappeared into the crowd.

He's going to need my help. I decide as I get up and take the purse.

A/N: Thought I'd whip up this little treat and serve it. Can't believe I got this done in the span of a couple of hours.

But I'm wondering if this chapter is believable. Does it work?