Sinjn was waiting for the mission van when it arrived at Section. By the time they could get a medical team ready it had been quicker to just send the van and have them bring her here. The van barely stopped before Sinjn opened the door and gently took Curlly out. He held her as they took the elevator to receiving. Avillion had never seen Sinjn so serious. Well she felt rather serious herself; Curlly was naturally white anyway, but now there was an ugly gray cast to her skin.

As he carried her to the airlock Curlly awoke with a groan. He moved more slowly as not to jar her. "Mmmmmmm," sighed Curlly. "Smell nice." Her eyes were slightly unfocused. The second air locked opened with the medical team waiting. As Sinjn laid her down she could feel tears of pain starting to form. "You better visit me and bring cheesecake. Sense this is all your fault anyway." Then she passed out again.

Avillion could see the look on Sinjn's face at her friend's last words, putting a hand on his arm she said, "She was kidding about it being your fault. It wasn't. But she was serious about the cheesecake."

++++++

Sinjn pulled up to the main entrance of CLHQ and walked around to open Curlly's door. She took his hand to help her out. She had dislocated her shoulder and had a slight concussion, but she was lucky there was no eternal bleeding. So after her headache went away on the third day med lab released her to go home.

The disc they had recovered told of the location of a warehouse. In this warehouse medical supplies were switched with fake ones that were being shipped to Africa. The fake medicinal industry was taking off the ground and a wealthy businessman named Jerold Neuhause was making considerable money depriving third world countries of much needed medical supplies. His partner had ties to Living Death, an organization that wasn't much of a threat until Neuhause help them become efficient.

His nephew, who would inherit the business, was clean, so the end game would be to find the false malaria pills and they would find a man named Avert Louse who delivered the pills and took the real ones. Louse would be taken and interrogated for the location of the terrorists he worked for. Then they would eliminate Neuhause giving the nephew clear rein.

Curlly had hardened a bit after Birkoff's death. In a way it was worse than when Cindy died. They knew going in one of the operatives could be taken out. But Birky wasn't even on a mission. He had so much potential. And she missed him dearly. All those yet to come wouldn't have the pleasure of knowing him. It was so unjust.

North was just coming out of HQ as they went in. "How are you feeling Curlly?"

"Much better mommy North. By tomorrow's mission I'll be right as rain."

"They are sending you back out on the field?"

"I'll be working tactical. They are running a little short."

"Of course. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Thank Northy."

Curlly's cat was ecstatic to see her, so she didn't even bother with the dirt looks she normal reserved for Sinjn. After Curlly sank into her leopard skin print couch Sinjn asked, "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Hmmm, some hot chocolate would be great." As he started to walk away she caught his wrist and made him bend over so that his face was level with hers. She kissed him hard and her eyes shining she said, "I love you Sinjn."

Sinjn felt his whole world tilt and his heart seemed to burst. But then that happened to him more and more in the past six months he had known Curlly. She had never said those words to him before. Even though he was fairly certain she did. Kneeling down between her legs he gathered her close and said, "Do ya know, dearie?"

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, and said with wonder in her voice, "I do believe I do."

"Well that is good, because you are my everything. I love you." He swept her up in his arms and carried her through the dinning room and into the kitchen. Setting her on the counter and started making her drink and at her inquiring expression he said, "I like to keep you where I can see you."

Her legs swinging, "You think you can keep me do you?"

Smirking he said in a voice that didn't match his words, "I can't think of a single thing I've ever done to deserve you."

"Funny, I can't either!" Laughing he handed her her chocolate.

Part Three

"Team two proceed to third mark," said Sinjn. He looked over at Curlly for confirmation that the zone was still clear. They were launching their assault at the warehouse to pick up Louse and the real pills.

Curlly ran the thermos and satellite feed of movements on the ground. "Have Nabiki go out another six degrees. Have Lewis tighten up his zone."

Sinjn looked over her shoulder as she worked and relayed the tactical info. They worked together for 2 more hours before the mission was completed and Louse acquired. Half way threw the mission Curlly had asked Quinn to run a quick sim and the little snob told her she was busy with Operation's daily report. Curlly would have told her where she could stick her panel but some gunfire had caught her attention and she let it pass. For now.

"How are you?" asked Sinjn.

"I'm fine. I'll see you at the debrief tomorrow. At noon right?"

"Do you want a wake up call?"

"Not unless you want a broken hand. Which hand do you use to hold the phone?" asked Curlly sweetly. Sinjn chuckled and kissed her on the forehead before heading to Walter to return their equipment. Curlly was busy hacking away at some info the team had uploaded as he left and Sinjn didn't look back as he did.

About 20 minutes later Curlly's phone rang. "Hello?" Curlly could hear a car starting.

"I love you."

"I love you."

+++++

"Curlly, I need a PRF chip," said Quinn turning in Birkoff's chair in comm.

"That's nice," said Curlly not looking up from her screen.

"Now please," said Louse getting up from her chair and standing behind the other operative.

Curlly took a quick look around. Everyone was gone, even Madeline who was usually the last one to leave. Curlly stood up and whipped the gun out of her waistband and pressed the nozzle to Quinn's temple. "Have you ever been out in the field? And I wouldn't shake your head."

"No." It came out a dry rasp.

Curlly sat leisurely oh her desk, keeping the gun pressed to the other woman's head. "You know, I really don't like you. At all. So you are going to give me your password for the yellow coded files. I need some information and I don't want to spend all night getting it. Go ahead. Type it in."

"Curlly you know you'll never-"

"Have you ever seen someone's brain come out their ear? No I didn't think so. It's not too painful. But we have all night until housekeeping gets here in the morning. Do you know that Frick and Frack are really very creative individuals?"

Quinn typed in her password.

"Why don't you run along to find that chip you needed?"

Quinn left. She left very quickly.

Curlly quickly locked Quinn out of the system and found the surveillance that had recorded Birkoff's death. "Oh glory!" whispered Curlly. It was no one's fault. It had all been an accident. Curlly felt awful. Here Seymour had done this heroic thing to save everyone and she had been thinking of "getting" someone to lessen her hurt at his death.

Whipping her eyes and blowing her nose she was about to exit the system when something caught her eye. Opening the file she saw, "Glorious penny loafers! Birk-" What was Section doing surveying Jason? For a split second Curlly thought her dear friend was alive, but even sleeping in that hideous bed she knew that man wasn't Birkoff.

Curlly dug deeper and found out that Section was bringing him tonight! What the devil did they want with that cheap imitation? Well there was nothing she could do about it. She might as well go home. Curlly started to stand up when she saw a wrapper sticking out of a bottom drawer. It was a bag of Oreo's. Birkoff's Oreo's.

She tried for hours to redirect the Intel on Jason's location. She tried to find anyone who owed anyone she knew that owed her a favor to retrieve him and put him in a safe local. But she came up with nothing. And she knew there was no way she could hide what she'd been doing. And there was no way that she could hide Birkoff's brother. Well she had tried.

++++++

Curlly had just entered Section and saw Jason. He'd adapted surprisingly well in a very short time. And he irritated the crap out of her. She had been up really late cause her cat was sick. Poor little dear. And Curlly had to be in Section really early. Early sucks. So at least Sinjn had picked her up so she wouldn't have to drive, even though he didn't have to be at "work" for several hours. Now was that love or what?

One of her tires was a little low and he had gone to fill it up for her, and Curlly had dawdled on her way down to give him time to catch up. "Well hi there sweet legs, what's say you and me go find a storage room to inventory?"

"Oh, bugger off-" started Curlly.

"I hope there are not any more of them," said Sinjn from right behind Curlly. She could feel his chest against her back.

"Hello Sinjn. Why don't ya just lift up your leg and pee on her."

Curlly's pointer finger shot out connecting with the inner corner of Jason's eyes. Jason dropped like a stone moaning. Sinjn walked around Jason and threw over his shoulder; "It might be safer for some if I did."

Curlly picked up her patchwork leather coat and delicately stepped over the inert form on the floor. Maybe working up so early wasn't so bad after all.

The End