Taking Hold {ON HOLD}

Chapter Four

Kicking the motorbike back into motion, Adam did a U-turn, speeding back through the streets towards Chelsea. The two red phone boxes standing guard over the black iron gates told him that he had reached his destination, the black Aston Martin parked illegally confirmed his suspicions.

Sure enough, after abandoning Tom's motorbike next to the car and winding his way through the twisting pavement he veered off to the left, spotting a crouched form beside an oak tree that was just beginning to wonder if spring would awaken its leaves soon.

There was a strange sense of beauty within this place. The flecks within the granite glistened as the leaves whispered the words of the wind. The old trees stood watch over the few people who roamed around in the early morning, each of them searching for something which could not be found. Whilst the beauty remained and the frost bitted leaves cracked beneath foot the sense of grief was tangible.

He said nothing as he approached her but he wasn't foolish enough to think that she didn't known he was there.

"How did you know?" Her voice was soft, no trace of tears as Ana rarely would show any emotion she hadn't permitted.

"It took me a minute or two." He studied the stone that she was hunched before, reading the engraved words just as she had done many times before. Once the immediate panic had loosened on his brain Adam had recalled the one place that Ana could always be found when a mission had gone wrong and here she was, just as he remembered, tracing those words carefully with her fingers.

Matthew Sparks

1959 – 2005

"Thank you for the wild goose chase as well. Much appreciated." He added, hoping to lighten the mood slightly but Ana still refused to turn to him, forcing him to stare at her back.

"Anytime."

He paused. "Ana..."

"Leave it Adam. I can't talk about it, not yet, not with you." He blinked, wondering what she meant but not pushing the matter as the wind descended upon them and Ana's form began to shiver lightly.

"Here." He took off his hoody, just as he had done on the night of the almost bomb and pulled it over her body, his hands hesitating for a moment as they held onto her arms before he released her and rose from the ground.

"We should go back, it isn't safe." Ana didn't fight the instruction, whether it was because of the cold or simply because she was tired of fighting him, Adam was thankful for the lack of resistance as they made their way back to the car. "Did anyone follow you here?" He wouldn't put Mario past having someone watching the house twenty four seven.

"No, I was careful."

"So careful that you left your gun in the car?" Adam asked as he opened the passenger door for her and spotted the weapon in plain sight on the seat. "It's a wonder that you aren't arrested more often than you are."

"It's called the miracle of good hair and a charming smile. You should try it some time. You're more than welcome to borrow my conditioner, oh wait, you already do." Ana teased half-heartedly as she pushed this morning to the back of her mind and forced herself into a good mood.

If she wallowed in the past she would never escape its clutches, she had to keep running forward. That way it couldn't catch her.

"Is that Tom's motorbike?" She questioned as Adam got into the driver's seat and stole the keys from her.

"Maybe."

"Won't he mind that it is now parked at a cemetery right below a signpost that says please don't park here?"