The Blacklist (sequel to The Reluctant Spy)

Revelations

"You said it yourself last night. You said that you thought we needed something to hold on to. I forgot and.......well......," she stopped in mid-sentence. "It was a mistake to think anything more than what it was."

"Nyssa, I am not your father," Lucas said it bluntly.

He watched her expression change from a heartbroken girl to a hard defensive attitude. Her mouth opened then closed with her jaw locked. She looked like she wanted to slug him, and he knew at that moment that he had hit a nerve.

"What does my father have to do with any of this? You think that just because you listened to a few stories that my mother told you, you know all about me? You know nothing about me." Her tone told him that their conversation had just ended. "Thanks for the coffee, but it's time we head back to Thames House. Harry is probably chomping at the bit to yell at me about this morning."

She rose from her chair and started walking toward the door when Lucas grabbed her arm as she passed him. He stood quickly and gently pulled her close before she could jerk away from him. He spoke in a whisper so only she could hear.

"I am not your enemy, Nyssa. Please let me help."

She looked into his blue eyes and all of her emotions threatened to come to the surface. She wanted to cry on his shoulder, have him hold her until the pain stopped. But, she spent so much of her life controlling the pain; she could not bring herself to be vulnerable in front of him. Not right now anyway.

Oh, why is he trying to be gentle and understanding?

Nyssa gently pulled her arm from his grasp. She looked back at him again with her mask in place.

"We have to go. Please, let's just go," she said.

Lucas watched her leave the café and followed her out. Her reaction about her father already told him so much. Now, he understood why she had so many trust issues. Why it was so hard for her to just let him or anyone else help her. She had done everything on her own for so long, she could not rely on other people. It was like what Marilyn had said. There was nothing that she wanted to do that she couldn't find a way.

Again, they sat in silence in the car on the remaining journey to Thames House. The tension lifted, but it left a melancholy cloud that hovered over them until he pulled into the parking lot.

Once he parked the car, Nyssa got out quickly and walked toward the security office. Lucas watched her walk away allowing her a little space before he followed. He still had a long way to go to earn her trust, but at least he saw some hope when he looked in her eyes back in the cafe.

They exited the pods and walked onto the grid. Everyone turned their heads and watched Nyssa and Lucas walk into Harry's office. The stares did not go unnoticed by Nyssa.

It seems everybody knows!

Harry was reading a thick file with a smaller file resting on his desk when Lucas and Nyssa walked in. Ros was seated in one of the chairs facing Harry.

"So, we meet again, Nyssa. Still the same pain in the ass as before?" Ros asked with a smile.

"I don't know, Ros. I guess so. Just like you still retain your bitchy charm," Nyssa said with her own smile.

This time, Harry was not amused.

"Nyssa, have a seat, please. Lucas, would you mind waiting outside? I'll debrief you in a moment," Harry ordered.

It came as a surprise to Lucas to be left out of the conversation, but it did not matter. He knew what was to be said, and he had other business to attend to anyway.