First posted: 2nd July 01

Napoleon Solo awoke in a Thrush cell apparently no worse for wear than having a slight headache. He looked around at his surroundings to take stock of the situation and look for any means of escape. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious.

In a darkened corner of the cell, he saw his friend and partner, Illya Kuryakin. He was huddled on the floor and on closer inspection he noticed his clothes were torn and he was looking rather battered. He looked down at his own immaculate clothing and smiled, Illya had probably been provoking one of the Thrushies, the man never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

He got down beside the Russian to shake him awake, taking note of the bruising on his face as he did so.

The reaction was instantaneous, Illya's eyes snapped open and the Russian edged away from him.

"Stay away from me."

"Illya?" Napoleon was confused by the strange reaction and Napoleon wondered if his partner had somehow been drugged. "Illya, what is it? What's wrong?" He said as he moved towards Illya.

Illya noticed the gesture and moved again to maintain the distance.

"Stay back. I'll kill you if I have to."

"Illya, I need to check your injuries," he said trying to appeal to the Russian's practical nature.

"No you don't. You need to stay back."

"Illya, you're beginning to scare me, please tell me why you're acting like this. Come on, we've shared a lot of things in the past. Share this with me."

"I can't Napoleon, I just can't."

The next few hours passed very slowly for Napoleon. Illya remained huddled in the corner and Napoleon could see he was hurting, but he knew that his touch was unwelcome. He tried to think of a reason why Illya would act that way and couldn't. His friend had obviously not slept properly in several days and Napoleon could only hope the reaction was due to sleep deprivation or a Thrush drug.

Rescue from the cold front came promptly in the form of Mark Slate and April Dancer, who lead an U.N.C.L.E. task force. Kuryakin once again surprised him by refusing to leave in the ambulance before he had reviewed the Thrush surveillance records. He destroyed the film record of their cell before anyone could make a move to stop him. This worried Napoleon even more. Without the camera records, Napoleon may never find out exactly what had occurred to Illya in that cell. The stubborn Russian was unlikely to tell him.

Illya left reluctantly in the ambulance with April Dancer. It seemed that she was the only one Illya would allow to comfort him at this time. Napoleon viewed this with increasing worry; as Illya's friend it should be his responsibility to give comfort after any ordeal, but now his presence was viewed as an intrusion.

Illya was taken to medical despite his demands to be allowed to clean up and return to his apartment.

Napoleon paced his office after giving his report to Mr Waverly. Which was very short considering that he didn't know anything.

He made his way back to the medical department after leaving a sufficient amount of time for an examination to have been given.

Illya was unconscious when he arrived, having just been given a sedative.

"What's wrong with him doctor?"

"Sleep depravation, minor bruising."

"No signs of any Thrush drugs?"

"Should there be?"

"Well he was acting strangely, that's all…"

"Yes I know. I've spoken with Mr Waverly and we both feel he should have counselling."

"Counselling? What for?"

"That comes under doctor/ patient confidentiality, Mr Solo?"

"I'm C.E.A. doctor if one of my agents needs counselling, I have to know why," not to mention the fact that he was worried about his friend.

The next moment the doctor told him and Napoleon wished he hadn't.

As the week wore on, the Russian refused to speak to Napoleon and in fact was avoiding him like the plague. Before Illya did anything hasty Napoleon decided to have April talk to him, he seemed inclined to trust her more since the incident.

April sat down beside Illya in his office.

"Illya, Napoleon's very worried about you, we all are. He wants you to talk about the incident that happened in your cell."

"The doctor shouldn't have told him. He had no right."

"He had every right, this doesn't just affect you."

"It was private."

"Illya we're your friends talk to us, we want to help. Napoleon wants to help. Tell us… tell him what happened."

"He doesn't want to know. It's bad enough that one of us has to."

"Illya who did that to you?"

"April may I ask you a personal question?"

"Yes of course."

"Hypothetically speaking what would you do if Mark did that to you? Suppose he was drugged and for three days and nights, he kept attacking you. Could you forgive and forget?"

"It may take a long time, but I guess eventually…"

"I'm not sure I could."

"Oh Illya," she said, as she pulled him into a hug and held him close while he wept.

Napoleon was waiting outside the office when they came out. He grabbed Illya's wrist and stopped him from leaving.

"Who did it Illya? I need to know."

The Russian stared into his eyes with a coldness that chilled his blood.

"I was once watching a group of seven year old girls, dressed in militant type uniforms. They were singing some sort of rhyme, which I can still remember. It applies to our situation rather appropriately I think. Do you want to hear it?"

"Go on," almost fearful of the repercussions.

"It went, 'Twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the water and there saw myself,'" he spoke the words rather than singing them, Napoleon still trying to process the meaning. "Try looking in the water Napoleon and you'll find the elf you're looking for."

Illya looked down at his wrist expectantly where Napoleon still clutched it.

Napoleon released him and leaned against the wall looking like he'd been punched in the stomach.

"Illya…"

"I know that logically it wasn't you…"

"Believe me Illya it wasn't, I would never…"

"But don't you see it doesn't matter. Whether it was Thrush drugs or a double, or whatever else, every time I close my eyes I see it, I remember what you did, and I can't forget."

"Illya, we can't let them beat us."

"I think they've already won."

"What can I do?"

"I don't think you can do anything," and with those parting words, he left.

The End

and I'll pass your comments along to Shelly.