Only The Goode Spy Forever

Chapter 4: The Spy Who Cried Circle

I wake up in a bed. I'm back at the CIA headquarters. I sit up. I see a tall, dark figure standing by the door. No, not standing, guarding.

"Zach," I say, breathing a sigh of relief. The shadow moves closer to me.

"Not quite," the man says.

"Oh, sorry Townsend. You looked just like him," I said. "Where is he?"

"He's filling out his paper work from his mission. He refused to leave your bed side. I told him it was only a sleeping medicine, nothing severe. He still refused until I promised I would watch you," Townsend says. He chuckles. "He's fiercely protective over you, Cameron." I nod. I know he's right.

"I supposed I should start filling out my paperwork," I say with a sigh. Townsend shakes his head.

"No need," he replies. "I've already filled ours out." I should have been grateful. I wasn't. I was angry.

"No, you can't do that," I say, raising my voice. "I need to tell them about Catherine. They need to know about the circle. They need to know that-"

"The circle is gone, Cameron," he says, cutting me off. "Catherine is dead. The people that kidnapped Zach were not even operatives. They were smuggling drugs. Zach was compromised, so they took him there. They didn't know it had once belonged to the circle. They activated a string of explosives, it was an accident. As for you, you hit your head when the explosives went off. When I found you, you were hallucinating. You did not see Catherine. Catherine is dead. Do you understand me?"

Townsend didn't sound like my uncle when he said this. He didn't sound like my ex teacher either. He didn't even sound like a senior operative, my partner. He sounded like my father. Like he was so desperate to save me from my own ghosts. Maybe that's why I believed him. Maybe that's why I softly said, "okay."

He sighed. He ran his hands through his hair. It felt like he thought he had hurt my feelings. He shook his head. "This is over, Cameron," he urges. "Please, let this be over."

He had a point and everything he had said made sense, so I did exactly what he said. I let it be over.

"Gallagher Girl," Zach said walking into the room. He nodded to his father. "Thank you." Townsend nodded back and left us alone.

"Hi there, Blackthorne Boy," I say smirking. He smirked back.

"How do you feel?" He asks, his smirk fading. Concern fills his face.

"I'm fine, it was just a sleeping medication. They did it because I was hallucinating. Did you know that Zach? Did you know I was hallucinating?" I ask, looking up at him. He cautiously nods. "Did you know I hallucinated seeing your mother? It was so real. I really thought she was there. She said that she would see me soon." When I finished Zach looked tired. More tired than I had ever seen him.

"It was just a hallucination. It's over, Cam," he says. He shakes his head sadly. Just as Townsend said he finishes by saying, "let this be over."

"Please don't leave for another mission. Please," I beg. He gives me a sad look. "At least not for a little bit. I just don't want to be alone." He takes my hands.

"Okay, I won't leave for a little while," he says. I smile. His smirk returns. He has an evil look in his eye as he says, "I leave you alone for 2 weeks and you already start kissing my father." My face went red.

"Please don't remind me about that," I say, shaking my head. He just grins. Then his face turns serious again.

"Maybe you should take some time off of work for a bit," he says softly. "I think the stress is getting to you. Besides, that thing you were talking about..." Zach trails off.

"What thing?" I ask. He looks up at me. He looks me straight in the eye.

"The next step. What we were talking about before I left. You should take some time off for that. Settle down for a while," he answers. He's being careful with his words. I smile, I know exactly what he's talking about. He's talking about having a baby. Oh, this is going to be good.