You're Mine

doctors orders

**Three weeks later**

There is a hand around her throat, she can feel long icy fingers stretching around her neck. Her breath comes in shallow gasps. She should be scared, should be fighting off her attacker but she can't. Won't. The hand grips tighter and she feels something; a deep thud somewhere down below. She squirms against the hand and feels the bed dip under the weight of another body climbing in next to her. The hand stops squeezing and is more of a gentle pressure that sends a shiver down her back.
"Do you still think about me?" Her voice is soft, luscious, like silk. Her accent seems more pronounced, she's not sure if it's because she hasn't heard it for some time or maybe she had spent time in Russia?
"Of course I do. You shot me, dick" Eve's voice sounds distant, like it's under water.

"Eve? Are you alright there?"
Her eyes open, sun blinds her momentarily and she blinks several times trying to get her eyes to adjust. Movement in her peripheral draws her attention and she sees a dark face bobbing near her, a bright smile on her face as she reaches out and takes Jess's hand. "What are you doing here?" Eve says softly as tries to roll over, pain shoots through her left side and Jess reaches out to stop her. "Take it easy mate. You did get shot" she says, and Eve lets out a groan as she repositions herself and takes a look around the small bedroom. It's tidy, with modern furniture and a cozy feel. "You've been out of it for a while! They brought you back and stuck you in my flat. Carolyn thinks it's the safest place for now. You've got to take it easy for a few more weeks, doctors' orders" Jess says and reaches over and hands Eve a glass of water which she takes thankfully and drinks from slowly. "Niko?" Eve asks and Jess takes the glass from her saying "He's okay, they've...sent him off to...an undisclosed location" Eve jerks up this time ignoring the searing pain in her arm and shoulder, chest, everywhere! "Undisclosed? What the hell? I'm his wife, I should know where he is" she pulls the blanket off her and goes to stand but her legs are wobbly, and she realizes her body is heavy and slow. "Eve just take a minute. He's safe. And if I remember rightly you two broke up" Jess's voice is soft and she tries to settle Eve, but the sound of a crying baby stops her. "Shit, sorry. I just need to deal with him" Eve watches her go only just realizing that Jess is no longer pregnant.
"How long?" Eve asks as Jess walks back in carrying a tiny blanket swaddled baby. "Three weeks, two days and about fourteen hours" Jess says as she sits next to Eve and shifts the blanket so she can see the boys smiling face. "Eve, meet Hugo" Jess says softly, and Eve looks over at Jess with a sad smile and a tear silently runs from her eye.

***

Villanelle is breathing hard, her legs and arms pumping as she runs through the forest, her mind is blank. The only time she never thinks is when she's running, she jumps over a fallen branch and continues as the small cottage comes into view. Out of the corner of her eye she catches movement and she darts towards the nearest tree and steadies her breathing, focusing on the sounds around her. There's a bird above her softly chirping and she hears the wind rustle through the leaves. She leans around the tree her eyes searching for any sign of movement and sees a figure moving slowly towards the house. It's dressed completely in camouflage but the heavy rifle in the persons arms make it stick out. She pulls out the Glock from the back of her pants and flicks the safety off as she begins moving as silently as she can. As she moves the figure stops and she falls to the ground, her eyes following the movement of the rifle as it scans the surroundings. One loud pop sound and the figure drops to the ground, blood flowing from the neat hole in the side of the man's head. Villanelle raises an eyebrow and stands slowly, dusting the dirt off her baggy tracksuit and turns to see someone standing a few meters away, a Dragunov sniper rifle in hands that look soft and delicate. "Nice shot" Villanelle says and the woman lowers her gun as does Villanelle, "Who are you?" She asks and the woman pulls off her small military cap and runs her hand through short brown hair. "A friend" she says, her accent is Russian, which doesn't surprise Villanelle. "Did the twelve send you and him?" She says pointing with her gun towards the dead body on the ground. "The twelve didn't send him, we don't know who sent him. Konstantin sent me "she says and the mention on his name only causes Villanelle to raise an eyebrow. The woman leans her gun on the ground against her leg and pulls off her back pack and pulls out a phone, she hands it to Villanelle as a call shows up on the screen. The number is private, and she hesitates for a second before taking the phone and answers.
"Villanelle?" The voice asks and Villanelle slightly drops her shoulders, at the sound of Konstantin's voice.
"You haven't visited in a while Konstantin. I've been very sad without seeing you." She says and hears a laugh on the other end. She smiles, a genuine smile, it was good to hear him after three weeks of silence. "Are you being nice to Lara? She's a friend, don't kill her" he says, his voice is firm, and Villanelle can imagine his face as he says this. His finger raised in her face, trying to discipline his naughty child. "She has kind eyes, I might not kill her...yet" she says, and this earns her another hearty laugh. "I have missed you Villanelle. I will be there soon to take you to your new apartment." His voice softens and, in the background, a small voice calls out to him. "Is that your daughter Konstantin? Did the British give you your family back?" She says, her voice surprised. "No, the twelve did" he says and before she can question anymore, he says "Be kind to Lara, don't be naughty" he says and the call ends.
"So... are you going to kill me Oksana? "Lara asks, her deep brown eyes watching Villanelle as she hands the phone back to her. "I don't think so" she replies, and a smirk turns up her lips as they begin walking to the cottage; they stop at the man's body and search for anything on him but find only the gun and a few magazines of ammo. Lara takes this and Villanelle picks up the rifle, she checks it over and sees its Russian made, just like the one sitting on the table in the cottage. Something prickles on her back and she feels the hairs stand up on the back of her neck as she turns to Lara and points the barrel of her Glock directly between her big, beautiful brown eyes. "Are you a friend?" She asks, and if Lara is surprised by the gun pointed at her she doesn't show it. "You don't remember me do you" she says, and Villanelle is caught off guard by this. "No" she replies, her brow furrows as she tries to remember who this girl could be. "At school they called you, devushka bez litsa" Lara says softly and Villanelle's back straightens, and she moves as Lara stands, the gun still pointed at her head. "The girl with no face" she mutters quietly, and Lara nods her head. "I always thought you had a nice face" she says and finally Villanelle's arm moves, and she tucks the gun back into the waistband of her pants. "I don't remember you" she says, her voice is like a void and Lara simply shrugs saying "I guess the sex behind the office building wasn't that good. It was my first time" Lara watches as Villanelle's face changes and recognition passes over it. "Wait, that was you? You look so different now. Did you cut your hair?" Villanelle's voice is full of wonder now and as they walk back to the cottage Lara says "I was only thirteen then. I hope I look different" Villanelle laughs before saying, "I like your hair shorter. It suits you" she says as she opens the door and walks in, Lara following behind her. "This place is shitty! Did Konstantin tell you that? I bet he didn't. He's an arsehole like that" Villanelle says as she drops the gun on the bench and walks into the kitchen and pulls out a glass and fills it with water. "You want a drink?" She asks and Lara nods saying, "You have anything stronger, it's freezing in here" Villanelle smiles and drains the glass of water before moving past Lara and into the living room which is still a mess from her impromptu tantrum this morning. "Oh my god, did someone break in here" Lara says, shocked at the sight. "Oh no, bad dream" Villanelle says casually stepping over the broken table and picks up the half empty bottle of vodka, she pours a generous amount into the glass and hands it to Lara who thanks her quietly. "So, What now friend?" Villanelle says as she takes a drink from the bottle, her eyes never leaving Lara's as she pulls off the back pack and sits on the couch and drinks slowly from the glass. "We have a job to do." Lara says as she grabs her back pack and pulls out a sleek Apple MacBook and a post card from Switzerland. "Konstantin will be here in a few days, once the job is done." Villanelle takes another drink and her eyes sparkle at the thought of going back to work.