A goodbye and a hello

Chapter 27

Carlito's by day is a tropical paradise, but at night the scene is as hot as its sunsets. Night clubbers drink and dance the night away while the place vibrates with sensual Afro-Cuban rhythms.

It was almost closing time as Michael, Fi, Sam, Elizabeth, Nate and Ruthie sat around the table for their last night out. Together, they had been on a rollercoaster of an adventure. In the morning, Nate, Ruthie and Elizabeth would be leaving for Las Vegas.

"Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart," said Ruthie as she looked around the table, ending with a proud Nate, "for rescuing me and for especially re-enforcing the idea that I had married the right man."

Awww, everyone seemed to say as she leaned into Nate for a short kiss. Michael smiled, happy that Nate had this wonderful relationship with this amazing woman.

After the affectionate gesture, a grinning Nate reached over and gave Michael a friendly slap, "A lot of the credit goes to my Bro here…you came through for me…once again."

Michael looked at his only brother with pride.

If a spy is smart, he will come to the realization that no matter how many people pass through his life, it's family that will always be there for him.

Of course, it's what they do once they are there that Michael finds troublesome. But not tonight.

"Nate," Michael said sincerely, "I am glad I have you as my brother."

"And you, too, Bro," said Nate, "It's nice having a brilliant, brave person in the family. And after this experience I can truly say that it wasn't you!"

Everyone laughed.

Nate then pointed both of his index fingers dramatically at Michael in a right-back-at-you gesture, "Brothers, right? Brothers to the end!" Michael returned the gesture with a punch to Nate's arm.

Everyone smiled at the touching brotherly moment.

"I would like to make the final toast," announced Sam, above the fray. He lifted his mojito and everyone followed suit with their individual drink. He glanced around the table at the people he considered family, " Here's to family...for like an acorn tree, it comes with a few nuts."

"Yeah..Uh...oo-kay...uh..." everyone looked unsure as they clinked their glasses together and took one last sip.

"Psst... don't give up your day job, Sam," suggested Nate, leaning over, "...which reminds me to ask, What is your day job?"

"Not being near you," replied Sam.

"Well," stated Elizabeth, after she finished her drink, "I think I will be the first one to call it a night. And Sam, I'll see you tomorrow." She pushed her chair back.

"Oh really now… Sam is it?" asked Ruth with a teasing smile.

"Hey, why the look of surprise?" asked Sam, mockingly, "Why is it so shocking to the world that I may have someone special in my life?"

"He's right, everyone," announced Nate, "After all, Sam is a great catch! He only has two faults: what he says and what he does."

Everyone laughed, including Sam.

"So..." continued Ruth, "Don't change the subject, Liz, what is going on between you and Sam?"

"Oh! it's not what you think, " Elizabeth explained, "Tomorrow I plan on introducing Sam to my Aunt Elsa, who lives in South Beach. I think they'll hit it off."

Sam lifted his drink, "Here's to the lovely ladies of SoBe..."

Elizabeth said all her goodbyes and had gathered her purse when Fi turned to Michael.

"Michael," Fi stated,"I think it would be nice if you would escort Elizabeth to her car. Make sure she is safe."

Dead silence from the table as everyone looked first at Fi and then at Michael.

When lightening -or Fi- didn't strike Michael, he knew it was safe to get up. He gave one more look at Fi as she mouthed the word, "trust." He flashed a smile at her as he helped Elizabeth up.

The quiet, cool night air felt wonderful after being in the stuffy din of Carlito's. The noise from the bar slowly faded in the background. Michael and Elizabeth were alone in the dark, as they talked about nothing in particular until they reached her car. Elizabeth turned and leaned her back against the car. In the moonlight, there was a soft glow of reflective light around her as her eyes genuinely sparkled.

"Michael, "she began, "I never thought I would say this, but Las Vegas seems so normal after all of this!"

"It's a crazy life, I agree," admitted Michael, as he looked right at her, "And Elizabeth, I'm sorry we couldn't have met in better circumstances, but nevertheless, you really held your own throughout. I wish for you only the best."

She accepted his words. Elizabeth sadly knew they would never talk alone like this again.

"Fi is a very lucky woman."

"No, I am the lucky one," admitted Michael.

She smiled that marvelous smile of hers, but this time there was a tinge of regret in her eyes.

"I guess this is the part where I say I wish there was a different ending for us," Elizabeth candidly blurted out.

Michael looked down, slightly embarrassed, before he spoke.

"Then I guess this is the part then where I would say, Well, if I didn't have Fi…"

His voice trailed off as he shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing what else to say.

Her smiled disappeared as she looked solemnly at him, "I think, Michael, after all we've been through, we can be honest. I've seen the way you look at Fi, and I know you would have never looked at me that way, though I'd wished differently…Thank you for everything and good-bye, Michael Westen. It certainly has been…an experience... knowing you."

She reached up to give him a last peck on the cheek. A farewell gesture from a friend. As she moved away from him, the last thing he would always remember was her captivating smile. He helped her get in the car and watched her as she drove away.

Fi. He couldn't wait to get back to her.

He returned back to the table. Everyone was engaged in some small talk, but Michael only had eyes for Fi. As he sat down, he reached over and placed his hand lightly over hers as he smiled at her. An exciting leap of sensation seemed to pass between them from the touch.

Michael could not take his eyes off her as he stared in her eyes, aching to be alone with her.

His thoughts were interrupted as Fi's phone buzzed. She picked it up immediately and stared at the text message. She looked at Michael, a pang of regret on her face. She interrupted everyone's conversation to make an announcement.

"Everyone, sorry but I have to go. Seems I have to pick up a bail jumper before he disappears again."

"Now?" Ruthie looked incredulous, "It's the middle of the night!"

"That's the nature of the business," explained Fi, "We don't run on a schedule."

She turned to get Michael' s reaction.

Michael wanted to tell her not to go, that another opportunity will present itself at a later time. Selfishly, he wanted her with him. But how many times had he chosen to do a job when he could have spent time with her?

"Michael?" Fi waited for...she didn't know what. Michael knew that all he had to say was for her not to go and she would not leave.

"You have a job to do... Fi, " he said understandably, "I'll be waiting you afterwards."

xxx

It was near midnight by the time Michael had returned back to the loft. Somehow this place was just a dwelling, a place to keep all his belongings.

Only with the presence of Fi did it feel like home.

He wished he could feel this was his home all the time. An idea entered his head.

Tomorrow, he would go buy some lumber to make a shelf, somewhere for her to place her snow globes. After all, she already had a place in his heart. He smiled to himself as he tried to deivse a way to glue down her missile-launching snow globes to the shelf, because,well, it's better to play it on the safe side. But that was a worry for another day, another time.

It was very late, yet his mind and body felt so restless. He really needed to get some of this stored energy out of him. Listen to him, he's beginning to think like Fi!

He looked across the way at his punching bag. He removed his shirt.

Ten minutes later he was standing arms length away from the bag. He was in ready position, with his elbows touching his rib cage, standing on the balls of his feet.

He threw the first jab with his left hands at the bag. He followed it with another jab and finished with a cross using the right hand. Jab, jab cross. That would be his pattern for this workout.

Michael used the entire bag, throwing punches high and low while moving side to side as he circled the bag. His feet never stopped moving. He was getting a good workout. A sheen of perspiration covered his bare chest, as his matted hair clung to his head. His concentration was focused solely on the bag.

A spy knows a punching bag workout is an excellent way to prepare for combat training. A punching bag cannot retaliate, making it the ideal opponent.

Michael visualized the bag as an opponent as he used lateral movements to bob and weave. His bag became a living, breathing opponent, throwing its own combination of punches.

As a challenge, he swung the bag, imagining it to be a moving opponent.

It was during the swinging of the bag that he noticed someone standing behind it. It was Fi. The punching bag had been obscuring his view of her. The bag continued to swing.

Michael stopped the bag from swaying as he tried to calm his breathing.

"Fi," he was still breathing hard as he took a break. Once his breathing became normal, his expression showed he was obviously pleased to see her before his look turned to concern.

"Did everything go alright with your job?" Michael asked, "It seemed to hardly take any time at all."

She shrugged, "I showed up, acquainted him with his right tibia, and before I knew it, it was over." She let out a sigh, "I'm just glad I don't get paid by the hour."

Michael smiled. So like Fi.

"I'm glad you're back," Michael smiled, "but…do you always have do that?"

Fi looked at him curiously, "Do what, Michael?"

"Stop by… uninvited?" He asked, teasingly.

"It's the only way people will have me, Michael."

"Not the only way, Fi."

She smiled seductively.

Michael watched with utter fascination as Fi walked around the bag to face him. She took in every detail of his somewhat damp body. She was so close, as she reached out to touch the defined muscles on his chest with exquisite gentleness. His gleaming upper torso was as hard as iron.

"Looks like your workout was a success," she said with admiration in her eyes.

He gazed at her upturned face. Lifting his hand to the side of her throat, he stroked her skin with the back of his knuckles. For a tough woman, she had the softest of skin. Fi swallowed and he felt her shiver at his light touch.

He leaned in and brought his lips onto hers. His pulse beat wildly as her arms slid around the back of his neck. He felt her lips soften under his commanding ones before he stopped to separate his body from hers. He was feeling self-conscious.

"Fi," his voice low, "I'm all sweaty. Before we take this any further, I need to take a shower."

His dark gaze captured hers as Fi again ran her fingers across his chest, "If your comment was meant as an invitation for me to join you, the answer is yes...But I better warn you- you'll only get sweaty again."

Michael smiled and stole a short, hard kiss from her, "I won't be the only one getting sweaty, Fi.." he claimed, raising his eyebrows mischievously up and down, "but for now...the first one in the shower, gets the hot water side..."

Fiona grinned. "But the last person gets control of the directional shower head..." she commented as they raced to the shower.

A spy knows he has a girlfriend when he wants to build a shelf for her snow globe collection, when he gifts her the warm side of the shower, and finally when he wants to share every aspect of his life with her.

And Michael wanted all three, for he knew he never ever wanted to be without Fiona Glenanne again. Ever.

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The end!

This story zipped by quickly...it wrote itself and I never developed writer's block until this last chapter. I think it was mostly caused by not wanting it to end!

I will take a short break, and then my next story will be titled "Seymour of the World," in which I am sure you can guess who their next client will be!

Thank you, my fanfic buds, for being the great friends you have become: moe38, i luv ewansmile, btrlover, BurnedmichaelY, HappyHere, airesrobin, Storyfan 101, RedHearts, Italian Yakuza, coolaquarian, VeeFall (and for anyone else who was kind enough to review)

To my rays of sunshine: mfnikki97, jellybellykelly, and gilraenstar

Also, all the fantastic anonymous reviewers.

And finally two people who make me smile everyday: Amanda Hawthorn and Purdy's Pal

I have read and cherished each and every review. Writing this story has been a joy.

I humbly thank all of you for taking time out from your very busy lives to read this.

I hope I was able to make you smile!