The Man From U.N.C.L.E: The Thief From Moscow

Chapter 31: Man To Man

Solo took a drag on his cigarette and watched as the smoke escaped in wisps fluttering into the buzz of the city below. The balcony was lit with stone lanterns and the mosaics on the walls looked even more impressive. He was so amerced in the calm, he hardly noticed Gaby coming to join him.

"Evening," she smiled and sat down on the edge of the balcony.

Solo smiled mischievously. "Wouldn't do that if I were you." 

"Why?"

"Remember the last time you were on a hotel balcony?"

Gaby angrily through a stone at him. He dodged it and erupted in laughter. She hated to be reminded of her kidnap in Istanbul, but Solo was relentless with his jokes. To be honest, she couldn't help but laugh a little too.

"That feels like so long ago." She sighed and looked down at the city, not at all daunted by the heights.

"Yeah, I know. So much has changed."

"Everything has changed. When this is over, we'll probably have to be shipped off to another country to sort someone's mess out."

Solo shook his head and stubbed out his cigarette. "Miss Teller, welcome to being an agent."

She sighed. "I always wanted to leave East Germany. When I was younger, my father was so protective. When he left, I was so scared of everything. Now I'm scared of nothing. I almost missing being scared of everything."

"I know what you mean," Solo sat next to her on the balcony. "During the war, my brother died."

Gaby's eyes widened, and she hastily turned to face Solo. "You never told us you had a brother."

"He was seventeen. I promised Ma I would look after him." Solo through the cigarette angrily at the street below. "It didn't work out."

"I'm sorry." Gaby pursed her lips and clenched her fists. "What was his name?"

"Unimportant."

"Maybe, but you can't hide from things like this forever, Solo."

Solo could feel his eyes tearing up a little. "Do you remember Simona?"

"How could I forget?"

Agent Simona Veranda: she had been one of the CIA's best when she was brutally murdered by the traitorous Alexander Waverly in Istanbul. They had avoided talking about her, but Gaby knew that something had happened between Simona and Solo, because he never ceased to look at her longingly. 

"I thought I'd finally met someone who was like me." Solo avoided looking at Gaby so she could not see his watery eyes. "She was beautiful, smart, funny. Remember when she caught us all off guard with the files the first time she met us?"

"I remember." Gaby grinned. "Illya was so angry."

There was a pause as Solo tried to reach for another cigarette. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You and Illya. You're so happy together."

Gaby tilted her head back to take in a full lungful of air before she replied. "It's not always perfect. He has the most awful temper, and I kind of tease him all the time. But I love him, and I think he loves me. And we've never really been... together."

"There's no such thing as a relationship when you're an agent." Solo watched men and women coming out of bars and pubs, looking like they have obviously had too much to drink. "Trust me, I've tried."

"I know. It's too dangerous."

Solo nodded. "I wish you guys the best though. Gaby, he's totally smitten over you."

Gaby blushed at just the thought of it. "It was nice to have this little man to man."

"Goodnight, cowgirl."